WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 20XX; 12:30 P.M.
CLEAR WEATHER IS EXPECTED ALL DAY.
RUBEN'S P.O.V.
There was some kind of four day weekend — everyone at school was telling us that it was for a teacher's workday of some kind — it was honestly a good thing, I desperately needed a mental break from that hellhole of a school.
Marion told us all to get ready earlier today so we could head off and go on a brief road trip-type of thing — he said he wanted to try driving on the interstate highway — and today it was Marion, myself, Kyra, Louis and Anathema — we all don't hang out as much as we used to, so he brought up how we should come along with him.
We were driving on the interstate, the song Rhinestone Eyes by Gorillaz playing on the radio. Marion was letting everyone play a few songs on their phones and it was Anathema's turn first, so she chose the song. She really did have good music taste, I can't lie. I would never admit it, but I secretly adored Gorillaz — they're just a bomb-ass band.
"Your love's like rhinestones falling from the sky.."
"Hey Mari, can we stop somewhere for drinks? I'm dying here." Anathema complains as she looks at Marion.
"Uh, yeah, lemme find somewhere off an exit first.."
Marion says as he keeps his eyes glued on the road.
About twenty minutes later, we stop at a gas station; it was a 7-11, so this meant we could get some snacks or drinks. We all pile out of the car, stretching our arms, legs and whatnot. We haven't been on the road for more than at least an hour, but turns out sitting in a car packed like this still makes it impossible to stretch at all while we're on the road.
We head inside and grab some snacks, and some drinks. We also take a quick bathroom break just in case we don't see any rest stops along the way.
"Hey, Ruby, grab me a Monster, would ya?" Kyra asks, flashing me a quick smile as she heads to the bathroom.
"Okay, caffeine addict." I say back with a grin, and I see her turn and roll her eyes at me.
"Jackass." She says.
"Shit head." I reply.
After about ten minutes total in the store, we pile back into the car. Luckily for me, I got to sit on the outside and Louis sat in the middle. We get back on the road and continue driving.
"So glad I didn't forget to get gas this time 'round." Marion says with a relaxed sigh. "This thing was almost on 'E' — I swear I forget to fill it up every time I drive it."
Anathema snickers and lets out a soft sigh. "Y'know you really oughta remember to fill it more often, Mari. Do you want me to write you a note to remind you?" She says jokingly.
"Nah, I think I'll be okay." Marion smiles at her. He then coughs a little, and flower petals begin to fall out, and he lets out a quiet sigh — of what sounds like pain — and he focuses on the road again. He puts the radio on, turning on another song by Gorillaz — this time it was Clint Eastwood.
As we're driving down the road, I gaze out of the window, trying to find anything at all to occupy myself with — even if it was just staring at the trees that we passed along the highway.
Then we drive next to a black Toyota Rav-4; it was littered with stickers on the back window — the one that first caught my eyes was the Weezer sticker there, then one that said Toyoda, and it reminded me of a video I saw a long time ago where the joke was that the dad bought his kid a car supposedly, and said it was. Toyota, except it was literally just a "Toy-Yoda" like from Star Wars. I smiled when I saw the stickers and shook my head a little, and as we got closer to it, I saw a girl — maybe about my age or so — sitting in the backseat. The windows were tinted, so it was a little hard to see what she looked like, but what I could see was that she had glasses on, and what looked to be maybe long, straight hair.
As we stopped at a red light down the road, I made eye contact with the same girl, and she smiled at me. I don't know what went through my mind, but suddenly I felt my heart starting to race — and just from a damn smile, too? I smiled back at her and she even waved at me, and it took me a second to realize that the action was at me, so I waved back, too. Before the light turned green, I saw her roll down her window, so I did too.
"Hey! What's your name, Mystery Boy?" The "Mystery Girl" asks.
I stutter for a minute when I go to answer her. "Uh- R-Ruby— Uh, no— Ruben! What's yours?" I ask in return.
Mystery Girl giggles at my stuttering and smiles again at me. "Megan! Can I get your number?" Megan asks.
"Yeah! Here, put it in your phone." I say, then I tell her the number and she puts it in her phone's contacts as the light turns green.
"I'll text you, Mystery Boy!" She flashes a smile as we both drive off in the same direction, luckily.
And soon enough, I get a text from none other than the Mystery Girl I just met. We text for about the whole time I'm in the car with the others.
"Wow, you got a girl's number from just a smile, Ruby? Man, I didn't even think you liked girls!" Kyra says with a grin.
"Well.. uhh.. I dunno what happened, but.. Somethin' about her just, made me feel some kinda way, I guess. Uh, but she's really pretty — God I hope she lives near us.." I say with a smile as I look back down at my phone to continue texting her.
A few hours pass by, and we're headed back home — after all, Marion just wanted to try out driving on the highway since he hasn't done it much himself. We were on the way to everyone's houses — first Louis', then Kyra and I's. We got out of the car, saying our goodbyes as Marion pulled into our driveway.
"See you tomorrow, Mari!" Kyra says with a smile.
"See ya, Marion." I say.
"See you guys, and Ruby, congrats on gettin' a girl's number, talk about havin' game on both sides!" Marion says with a grin, giving me a thumbs up.
"Hah, thanks, Marion. Ciao!"
MARION'S P.O.V.
As Kyra and Ruby get out of the car, I head to Anathema's house finally. The sun was starting to set as I drove, and Anathema and I both yawned.
"Today was fun — the trip, I mean." Anathema says.
"Yeah, it was nice hangin' out with Ruby and Kyra after so long, I forgot how much fun they were to be around." I reply.
"Right? I've hung out with Kyra during school a lot, so I've gotten to see how funny she can be when her brother's not around." Anathema snickers softly with a smile.
"That's cool. Me and Ruby don't hang out as much as we used to in middle school, but I'm workin' on changing that for sure." I say.
(Editorial Note: Sorry it took years to put this out — I've had a ton of writing block lately and I might consider making a whole new project soon enough! Stay tuned.)
YOU ARE READING
The Peak of Insanity
Mystery / ThrillerMarion Álvarez feels as though all that he has worked for will amount to nothing in the end; he believes his life is falling apart without anything really faltering, but there is a voice in his head that tells him to brace for the worst. His entire...
