WOULD YOU RESCUE ME?

41.Under Inspection

The car hummed along the road, the soft drone of tires against the asphalt blending with the low murmur of Vanessa's parents' voices. Vanessa gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white as she focused on the road ahead. She felt Astra's reassuring presence beside her, but the tightness in her chest refused to ease. Every word exchanged between her parents felt like a minefield waiting to be crossed.

Her mother leaned forward slightly from the back seat, her sharp green eyes fixed on Astra. "So, Astra," she began, her tone light but inquisitive. "Since Vanessa's so focused on driving, maybe you can tell us. How exactly did you two meet?"

Vanessa's heart skipped a beat, her pulse quickening as the question hung in the air. She didn't dare glance at Astra, already dreading how much information she might reveal. Instead, she pressed her foot gently on the gas pedal, subtly urging the car forward a little faster, as if she could outrun the conversation.

Astra, to her credit, didn't seem fazed. She sat up straighter, her smile polite but genuine. "Of course," she said warmly, glancing briefly at Vanessa before turning her attention back to her parents. "We met on Halloween night. I work at a bar downtown, and Vanessa came in that evening. She was sitting alone at the counter, and I thought she looked like she could use some company."

Vanessa's grip on the wheel tightened further, her mind racing. Alone. Why did she have to say that? Her father's gaze shifted to her, his brow furrowing deeply.

"Alone?" he said sharply, his voice rising enough to make Vanessa flinch. "Vanessa, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not safe to be out alone at night! Especially in a city you're still getting to know."

"Dad, I was fine," Vanessa said quickly, her tone defensive as she kept her eyes glued to the road. "Nothing happened."

"That's not the point!" her father snapped, leaning forward slightly. "You don't think about the risks. It's reckless, Vanessa. Reckless."

Vanessa's jaw tightened, her teeth clenching as she resisted the urge to snap back. She knew there was no winning this argument, not with her father in full protective mode.

Her mother, meanwhile, leaned back in her seat, a small, wry smile tugging at her lips. She glanced at Astra, her tone laced with dry humor. "Well, Astra, it seems you've got your hands full with this one," she said lightly. "I might just start coming to you for answers instead of Vanessa. You seem much more responsible and, dare I say, truthful."

Astra chuckled softly, but there was an unmistakable warmth in her voice as she replied. "Vanessa is responsible, too. More than she gives herself credit for. She just... marches to the beat of her own drum sometimes."

Vanessa's lips twitched slightly, though she didn't dare look away from the road. She appreciated Astra's attempt to diffuse the tension, but the knot in her stomach remained.

"Is that so?" her mother said, arching an eyebrow. "Because from what I've seen so far, this drum of hers seems to lead her into more trouble than not."

Astra tilted her head slightly, her green eyes steady as she met Vanessa's mother's gaze through the rearview mirror. "Maybe," she admitted, her tone thoughtful. "But trouble's not always a bad thing. Sometimes it leads to the best things in life."

Vanessa's heart softened at Astra's words, the quiet conviction in her voice easing some of the tension in her chest. She risked a glance at Astra, and the small, reassuring smile she received in return made the corners of her lips lift ever so slightly.

Her father, however, wasn't ready to let go. He crossed his arms, his expression stern as he turned his attention back to Vanessa. "You need to be smarter, Vanessa," he said firmly. "You're not a kid anymore. Start acting like it."