wordsmith's manuscript

Chapter 8

-Twenty days, not bad.

-Pardon?

He shrugged with the cigarette in his mouth, even though he hadn't lit it.

I sighed, my response to him was to put on my headphones and completely ignore him.

-Hey! - He complained, finding it amusing, and turned off my music abruptly - I was talking to you.

-Okay, but you're not anymore - I clicked again and resumed listening to music.

He backed off, finally. Today he was sitting on a gray couch, with a book in his hands and I slowly regretting coming back. Why is it just the three of us, me, Atley, and Charles? Where's the teacher? Albi and the couple?

I noticed Charles approaching, he gestured to his ear, and I understood the signal, so I turned off my music and removed the headphones.

-Do you have plans?

-Um... Not really?

He walked over to me and carefully took the book from my hands.

-Come.

I furrowed my brows.

-Where to?

-You'll see.

I looked at Atley, who was already packing up his things and holding keys in his hand.

-Where?

-You'll like it.

I hesitantly packed my things into my bag and stood up, walking with them in silence out of the room, which Atley locked immediately afterward, tossing the keys to Charles who caught them easily.

-Can I ask where the others are?

-They've already left.

-Oh... Where?

Charles smiled at me, walked a bit ahead, then turned around to look at me, raised his hands and said:

-Let's be young!

Atley smiled and nudged him, making Charles want to playfully retaliate, but I didn't have that kind of relationship with either of them, we're still strangers.

I was amazed when Charles opened the door of a car, wow. He got into the driver's seat and Atley got into the passenger seat.

-Sit, Orion.

I opened the door and sat in the middle, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

-Um... Do you know how to drive?

-Yup.

Atley gave a small smile and looked at me through the mirror, shaking his head and making me even more scared, no... He doesn't know.

-Hold on tight, Orion.

I placed my hands on the seats and he started the car. The streets were deserted, at this hour only the street lights and house lights were visible, normal people were eating, or socializing, watching TV, or even sleeping, no one was on the road.

Atley cranked the handle until the window was completely down and leaned out of the car, I widened my eyes in fear, but did nothing.

-Wohoo! - I heard him shout, with his upper body outside of the car.

-Do the same, Orion - Charles said with a smile.

I lowered the window and stuck only my hand out, feeling it being pulled backward. If I lean out, I'll most likely fall and kill myself.