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"Okay, hands on the wheel at ten and two."
"Actually, the recommended position is now nine and three," Lydia corrected Kira. "At ten and two, a deployed airbag could break your thumbs."
"Mine would heal," was Malia's reply.
"Save your strength. And try not to destroy your beautiful new car. Nine and three."
Darcy looked up from her phone, and her line of sight went immediately to Malia's white knuckles wrapped around the steering wheel. The werecoyote's nervous grip elicited a slight squeak from the leather. Darcy was suddenly wondering if it was too late to leave. Minutes earlier, she'd been asked to join their long and treacherous journey of teaching Malia to drive, and she'd jumped into the car without thinking it through.
After their disastrous attempt at stalking Theo the other night, she felt like she had to redeem herself. They had stooped low by following the other werewolf only to find him grieving his sister, and it made her feel gross. It didn't help that Scott had known they were in the woods and met them at Stiles's jeep after Theo confronted them. There wasn't a "stern talking to" but more of a subtle guilt trip when he brought up Theo's dead sister. So maybe helping Malia could balance it out, even though the two situations were nowhere near in comparison.
Up in the driver's seat, anxiety rolled off Malia in waves, mixing with the fear radiating throughout the car. Her driving incapabilities weren't for lack of trying on anyone's part, but it had to be understood that, for a big portion of her childhood and adolescence, her only form of travel was through her paws. Darcy felt bad for her, because as scary as she usually was, she looked small every time she got behind the wheel.
After adjusting her hands, Malia started the car with a thin smile on her face.
"All right, just ease into it."
At Kira's instructions, Malia guided the car to roll forward slowly. It was a good start, one that would surely dissipate soon.
Darcy and Kira were squished close together in the middle of the back seat. They wanted to be closer to Malia to help, but they were also anxious. Darcy knew that thanks to her werewolf hearing; she could hear the fast beating of the kitsune's heart. That made it three for four of the supernatural creatures in the car who were nervous about this upcoming short trip. Lydia somehow wasn't as stressed... yet.
"Good, good, okay. There you go," Kira commented softly as they slowly made their way forward.
"Please, shut up," Malia muttered, not taking her eyes off the road for a second.
"No problem. Shutting up." It was after Kira closed her mouth that things started to go south. Darcy found herself gripping hard onto Lydia's seat as Malia began to steer the car onto the other side of the road.
"Uh, other way," Kira said.
"Malia, you should stay on the right side," Darcy said through gritted teeth.
