Malefactor [H.S.]

19

i updated last night so if you didn't read 18 yet, make sure u do that first

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tw: (brief) mild discussion of SA

Harry Styles

"Why do we have to be awake right now?" Niall groans from the back seat.

My eyes shoot up, looking into the rearview mirror expecting to see his head staring right back. Rather, I'm met with nothing but the darkness of the road behind us.

"This wasn't my decision so stop bitching like it was," I say, not having it in me to argue back. Niall's right; it is late and I would much rather be home, but complaining about it nonstop only makes it worse.

"I don't understand why we have to go upstate at this hour. This is the worst thing to ever happen to me," he whines again. My eyes are too heavy with sleep to roll them, so I settle on huffing and gripping the steering wheel tighter.

"I'd argue you've been in worse situations than having to be out past 2 AM." My eyes shift to the mirror again as if I'll suddenly be able to see him. "We were out a few days ago at that bar this late."

"It was not this late. I got home by 1:30," he's quick to correct. "Besides, I was drunk and having fun. None of this is voluntary."

Camden stirs in the seat beside me, her eyes still closed but a heavy frown set on her lips. "Niall, will you please shut the fuck up?"

"I thought you were asleep," he says.

"I wish I was," she half-mumbles. She pushes up off the window that she's leaning against, turning her body around in the seat to see into the back. "Kinda hard to do that when you won't stop talking. Meanwhile, you're laying down so you don't even have an excuse for why you're not sleeping and silent right now."

My head momentarily whips around, catching the sight of Niall stretched across the back seats of my car like he's a child. His legs are curled up against his stomach and he has a jacket covering his body like it's a blanket. His arms are folded beneath his head to act as a makeshift pillow.

"Oh, so that's why you said you couldn't drive," I scoff, turning around again to watch the road. There's practically no one else on the road, which isn't the least bit surprising considering how late it is. The lack of cars does make me slightly anxious though, knowing that one fuck up could lead to us getting pulled over.

Getting pulled over tonight is the worst thing that could happen to us.

"Why am I the only one being attacked? Why couldn't Camden drive?" Niall pipes up.

"She doesn't have a car," I defend.

"So? She could've driven mine. Or yours, but I doubt you'd ever let anyone else touch this."

"You've driven my car before," I remind him.

"Yeah, because I had to. Letting me drive getaway doesn't count," he says.

"I don't drive," Camden quietly interjects, my head snapping over to her. Her eyes are shut again, head thrown back against the headrest now.

"You don't have your license?"

She shakes her head. "No, I do, but I'm awful at it. I haven't driven since I took my drivers test when I was seventeen. I failed the first time so that probably tells you everything you need to know about my abilities."

I don't know why it's so surprising to find out she doesn't drive, but it is. She strikes me as a very independent person and driving is usually one of the ways teenagers gain their first sense of it. Maybe I'm biased because I didn't grow up in a city where there's public transportation to bring you everywhere, but it's still shocking. Americans are known for their obsession with driving, so it felt natural to assume Camden wouldn't be an exception.