Ineffable ꕥ Joost Klein ꕥ

14.

The inside of Joost's car was the opposite of his apartment. Everything was spotless, like it had come straight from the Suburu dealership. The centre console was sleak and modern and the black seats were comfortable. Underneath Elke's sneakers, the floor mats were even clean, unlike hers that had sand and dirt engraved in its corners.

When Elke glanced to the backseats, she couldn't see anything that was out of place. She supposed with Joost being a 'mechanic', or so he claimed, he had time and the interest to keep his own car in good shape.

Elke didn't have the confidence to adjust her seat. She sat low where the backrest met the bottom cushion and didn't want to mess with the adjustments underneath. In fact, she didn't want to move at all. While Joost focused on the road, his tattooed hands on the wheel and the hood of his raincoat sitting far back on his head, Elke hoped that he would forget that she was ever there.

Her suggestion to go for a drive had been out of desperation. If she went back up to bed, Elke was sure she would lie awake thinking about the backpack in her car. To get at least some sleep, she was going to have to reach exhaustion. There was no use laying awake in one place riddled with the terrible thoughts of what Roan had left in her apartment.

Joost's appearance had been well-timed. His apology had been genuine and Elke appreciated it. Her quick forgiveness most likely stemmed from the relief of having someone to take her mind off of what troubled her. When he offered to compensate for their previous arrangement, Elke leapt at the idea and put the passenger's seatbelt on in a hurry. She hoped that Joost didn't notice.

With her hands in her lap, Elke's eyes strained in their corners. This was crazy. Her and Joost were driving to no where at midnight, not a word being said between them. Some music played on the radio but it did little to fill the space. Streetlights and houses passed, none of which she recognised, and it dawned on Elke that Joost could be taking her anywhere. She had willingly got into his car, late at night, barely knowing a thing about the man who lived at 406.

'Where are we going?' she asked. Joost glanced away from the windshield, surprised to hear Elke's voice after so long of silence. He thought she had dozed off.

'I didn't really know where you wanted to go, so...' Joost sheepishly looked between her and the road. 'I just headed towards Leeuwarden. It's where I grew up.'

'Leeuwarden? That's in Friesland, right?'

Joost hummed as he nodded. Elke had been to the part of the country only a handful of times. She had always lived around Amsterdam but she could appreciate what the north province had to offer.

'How long have you lived in the city?' she decided to ask.

'A few years. I've been at our building for eight months and I like it there. It's central.'

Elke went to ask more about Joost's time in the city when she felt the car pull to a stop. She peered over the dashboard from her low position and pinched her eyebrows together. Joost was already turning off the ignition and stepping out. It made Elke do the same and it gave her a better view of the quiet street.

The clicks of a lighter interupted the still air and windless breeze. The canal streamed through the province with silent laps up the bricked walls. The rows of buildings sat in the shadows of the iron lampposts and under the moon's half-formed light. There were other cars parked alongside the canal, Joost's silver bonnet being one of the few that were an inch away from the chain barrier.

Joost leaned against his left headlight while taking a drag. As he twisted his cigarettes back into his jacket's pocket, he looked over his shoulder to where Elke stood.

'Come sit,' he said, tapping the silver space next to him with one finger. The metal dink from the action sounded and Elke took slow steps. She was cautious as she lowered onto the bonnet, painfully aware of how close Joost's arm was to hers.