PASSION PROJECT

2

Disclaimer: Published w/o  proofreading

Sancha was a beauty in her own right — a 91' Porsche 944 with more modifications than Maren could count, much less identify. The car was a vicious, showy, superpowered police fine. But it'd been her brother's passion project, and it was the only object of his that she could hold close without balling her eyes out.

He'd put his all into it. From the paint at it's side to the padded seats to the dumb license plate. And Makai had been there with him every step of the way.

She was the one that'd named her.

"You good Daniels?" Makai stood up somewhat. He'd been leaning against its roof (he was always leaning on something), one arm propped over it when she reached him.

" No." She grumbled, taking the car keys he'd held out to her. "Miss. Jameson didn't like my essay."

"Goodness gracious." He gasped dully. "How will you live, Maren."

"Don't test me Tryst, I'll run away with Sancha and leave you stranded."

"You know you wouldn't." He pulled her door open for her, taking her bag as she slid in. Meanwhile, Maren put the key in the ignition, feeling the door shut, then the back open as Makai tossed in their stuff. She only rolled her eyes in reply, feeling it rock a bit as he entered the passenger side.

"No but seriously, you have near a 100% average in that class. You're safe, one assignment won't tank you." He said.

"Maybe not.., and she gave me a chance to rewrite it."

"This for the one from yesterday?"

"Yes." She sighed. "It's less about the grade it's just... she was going to enter the best ones into a scholarship contest. And I'd love the money."

"You're a junior. You have plenty of time."

"Yes but.. I want to get started now. I'll be too busy in Senior year if things go to plan."

"Is it that important to you?"

"Very." She placed her arm behind his seat, looking back as she backed out of the Parking Lot. "It's a great opportunity for me."

"So... just rewrite one."

"It's not that easy, Tryst."

"Sounds to me like it is. What was the theme?"

"I had to choose a passion."

"That's easy enough, add your math nerd shit."

"Diss me again and I'll crash us." She warned him. The threat wasn't effective though, having an opposite effect — he smiled. Truly, she could never win with this man. "And that's not a passion. She wants to me to talk about something I love doing."

"Like me?"

"Always, princess." She winked mockingly, and that earned her a bark of laughter, at least. Pulling her focus back to the road, Maren let Makai take the AUX.

They had surprisingly similar music taste — mostly early late 80s to early RnB & HipHop. Shaggy, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Eve... the list went on, though the first was their pick of the day. It'd been her brother's favourite too.