Spinning Out

Chapter 6

ELIJAH

Her hand shakes in mine. I've long since stopped watching the cars take off out of the lot and now I'm more focused on how to get her back to her car so she can leave. She's tucked herself into my back, her head buried in my shirt as the cars spin out and swerve onto the road. It's loud and smoky, making it impossible to see the entirety of the crowd or even tell her she's safe again. My only option is to tug her to the front of me and use my free hand to lift her hidden face to mine.

"You're ok," I mouth because the noise is so intrusive.

She nods, but I can see her shaking as she stands before me. What is going on with this girl?

"Come on," I shout loudly. I draw her away from the group of onlookers over to an open area of the asphalt. There are police sirens in the distance and the roar of spectators cheering and booing some of the drivers.

"Where's your car?" I ask when it's finally quiet enough my voice could be heard.

"Edge of the lot," she answers, pointing a trembling finger in the direction of the old drug store in the strip mall.

I nod, and then squeeze her hand tighter in mine as I lead the way to her escape. My phone is vibrating in my pocket, but I don't want to stop walking to check it. I don't care who it is. I want to get her to a place she no longer feels threatened by whatever has her so scared. Her feet move twice as fast as mine to keep up as I zig-zag is through the remaining parked cars and people wandering away from the event.

"White jeep," she says from behind me. I don't want to be a dick, but I can't help the proud smile knowing I had guessed her car in the hospital lot. Now is not the time to tell her all about that though, maybe one day.

When I get her to the jeep, I hold out my hand so she can put the keys on my palm. It takes her a second to gather herself and then she digs into her pocket and retrieves the key fob. I unlock the door and then swing it open for her. I know we haven't known each other long, but it comes as second nature to help her up inside and pull the seatbelt from its resting place and hold it for her to take.

"Jaina," I say when she stares blankly out the window, a look of bewilderment on her pale face.

She blinks hard a few times and then focuses her gaze on me instead. "Sorry." Her shaky hand reaches for the buckle, but she's clearly shaken up. When she can't latch it, I lean inside and reach across her body to help click it into place. We're so close it almost feels intimate. I look up, curious about what she's thinking and if she's even safe to drive herself home.

"You ok?" I ask. I brush a strand of wayward hair from her wide eyes. The stitches on her cheek remind me that she might have been through something severe recently. I don't know her well enough to ask about it. I want to pull her into a hug to calm her down, but now she's strapped into the jeep and my hands are on each thigh, trying to ground her so she'll relax.

"Depends," she says quietly. Her trembling hands wipe at her eyes as if she's trying to clear whatever she's picturing behind them.

I wait, but she doesn't elaborate. I decide I won't be able to sleep tonight if I let her drive like this. I have no idea where she lives, but it has to be somewhere close to the hospital. My hand finds the buckle and I unclip it.

"Come here," I tell her.

My hand on her hip gently guides her back out of the driver's seat. Her feet land between mine, our bodies pressed together in the tight space between the open door and the car. I watch her for a second. She seems better now that she's not behind the wheel.

"I'll drive you home," I tell her.

"You don't have to," she says.

"I don't have to, but I want to. I'll make sure you get home safe," I reassure her. I pull my phone from my pocket and quickly let my friend know that I've caught another ride home. He won't care. It's more time he'll have alone with the girl of the week.

I walk her around to the passenger seat and help her inside. She's still tense, I can practically feel it vibrating off of her. I check my phone as I make my way back around to my side, expecting a text back from Tommy but surprised when I see a Snap notification from Bryant.

Bryant: Can't make it home yet. Going to hang here.

My feet stop in their tracks. What the fuck is he doing? He can't avoid shit forever. If he stays out there he will just continue to drink himself stupid and never get help. If he were here, maybe I could convince him he needs help. A lot of help. More help than I have any idea how to provide.

I shove my phone in my pocket, leaving him on read because I don't even know what to say to him right now. I can't babysit him forever. He needs to get it together and face this.

We have an hour ride home at least with the traffic. I buckle myself in and move the seat so my feet aren't scrunched up under the steering wheel. It's all muscle memory. I've worked on so many cars I know where most latches and buttons will be, the seat moves back, and I tilt it so I'm not sitting up like a granny. I pull my phone from my pocket to dump it in the cop holder, but there are already two there.

"Sorry," she says. She reaches for the phone and pulls it into her lap. It's the phone that was closest to me. Her fingers on the screen wake it up and a background photo of a boy about our age lights up. He's looking to the left, flipping off someone we can't see.

I set my phone in the open cup holder. I'm so curious who the boy is, but it's not my business. I don't even know which phone is hers.

The Bluetooth connects to "Jaina's Phone," and a playlist of country and blues begins playing. She's still clutching the phone in her lap, looking down at the playfully angry side profile of the boy on the screen. Something about the song that's on gets her attention. She reaches for the phone beside mine and after a second of tapping, a new song begins. She sets it back and I can see her image on the screen. She's looking to the right, her face a perfect response to the boy on the other phone. Her arm is stretched across the screen, her middle finger perfectly extended in answer to his. I get it, when put beside each other, it makes a complete picture of the two of them. A moment captured in time, separated by the holders yet complete when they are together. Who is this boy?

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