Existentially Fraught - #Wattys2015

Drive-By

Here it is, the elusive tenth chapter that I've been agonizing over for so long that I hate it and want it to go die in a hole.

Anyway, I decided to stop being stupid and update, since I haven't in SO LONG IT IS HORRIBLE.

Sorry it's short... my brain hates me right now :(

...

Jamie downed the last sips of his second Blue Milk and hopped off his stool. I followed his movement out of the corner of my eyes, unwilling to follow him before I saw where he planned on going. I was a bit glad I'd stayed put when he ducked into the men's restroom; I would have looked like an ass if I'd wandered after him like a lost puppy. I didn't exactly have the right parts for that particular area.

Kayla propped her elbow up on the bar and set her chin in her palm, smiling. My first impression of her had been one of an extremely butch woman, but in general she seemed pretty fucking soft. Despite the badass tattoos covering half her exposed skin. "So," She asked. "When did you and Jamie become a thing?"

I jolted and almost dumped my Ent-Draught into my lap. "Wh-what?"

"Oh, you know," She winked and pantomimed humping her hips against the bar. Crude, but it got her point across. "A thing."

"I don't fornicate with him and have his babies, if that's what you're asking." We both laughed. "How do you know Jamie?"

Kayla rolled her eyes and swept a reddish curl into her face. "He's Jamie," She said, her voice lowered dramatically. "He's so attractive, everybody knows him."

I picked up on her allusion almost instantly and had to bite back a fit of giggles as I imitated her, pulling my side-swept bangs forward. "He oozes sex appeal."

"He's a real Danny Zuko."

"Actually, I think he's more of a Ren McCormack kind of guy, if we're talking classics."

Kayla and I both whipped towards Jamie, who leaned against the end of the bar with his arms crossed and an amused smirk twisting his lips. The curls we mocked hung over his right eye innocently. I blushed and stammered, mortified to be caught teasing him; Kayla flicked him off. He blew her a kiss. "You ready to go, Mystery Girl?"

I finished my drink and handed the empty cup to Kayla. "I am now. Where are we going?"

"School, of course." My disappointment must have shown on my face, because he sighed. "If you're going to be gullible, MG, at least make it fun."

"My sincerest apologies, sir," I muttered through clenched teeth. "next time I'll do better. Maybe I'll even come up with a choreographed musical number."

"Unless Rob Marshall is the one choreographing it, don't bother."

Kayla groaned. "Really? Marshall is the best you can do?"

"Am I the only one who's seen Into the Woods? Pure gold." He kissed his fingertips. "Seriously though, let's get going. Places to go, you know."

"I don't know, actually," I slid off my barstool, waving halfheartedly back at Kayla. She tapped the side of her head with one finger and turned away. "But if you feel like telling me, I won't complain."

...

Jamie turned his windshield wipers on and the heat up, warming the inside of his idling car. The hard drumming of the rain against the roof discouraged any hope of trudging out into the strip mall he'd driven us to.

"Miserable day to skip," I muttered, bouncing my fingers on the cool window. "We ought to've waited until the weather cleared up."

Jamie snorted. His chair was leaned as far back as it would go and he had his forearm propped over his eyes. "Waiting is not something I'm good at." He peeked at me. "But if you feel like going back to school, be my guest."

"I'll pass." We sat in silence once again, both of us preoccupied. I didn't know what he was thinking, but personally I was having a blast just watching him be unattainably attractive with his knee propped on the steering wheel and his hair all ruffled.

I'm so screwed.

"Hey, Mystery Girl?"

I jolted, guiltily glancing away from his muscles. "Er- yeah?" I felt my face heat up. "What is it?"

"Were you watching me?"

"N-no," My voice squeaked pitifully.

"Liar. I know I'm sexy, but please, calm yourself, woman." An easy grin curved his cheeks under his arm.

"Shut up." You could have fried an egg on my cheeks. "I wasn't paying attention to where I looked. If that happened to be your disgusting physique, it wasn't by choice."

"My physique isn't disgusting. It's godly." He sobered. "What were you thinking about?"

I had to come up with something other than your godly physique, quick, before he caught me in my lie. "Oh, er... how you ditched me the other day." I clenched my jaw. Wow, good job, try to cover up your own guilt and make him feel like hell in the process. Good going there, Amara.

Sure enough, his voice got a bit hoarse and his hands curled into fists. "That wasn't my choice."

"Oh?"

"My dad had this thing."

"Oh, a thing? Damn, I'm sorry. Things really suck and all. They're just so... so... thingy."

"Don't mock me."

I fell silent, cut off by the bitterness in his voice. I started to apologize, then thought better of it and stared at my lap until he punched the steering wheel and sat up, his face turned from me.

"Dammit!" He cursed. "Look, I'm sorry, MG. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's-"

"No. No, it isn-"

"Really, Jamie, I don't-"

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!"

"Sorry."

He huffed and squinted his eyes at me. "Are you done?" I nodded and mimed zipping my lips and throwing the key away, chastised. "Okay, look, all I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for ditching you and-"

"You already said that."

Jamie slapped one hand over his eyes. "Lord, give me strength not to slap her."

"I'mdoneI'mdoneI'mdone,"

"Too late," He poked a finger into my side. "You're hopeless."

I laughed and wriggled away from his hand, grinning as heat flooded into my cheeks. "Hey, you signed yourself up for this, buckaroo."

"One, I signed up for NOTHING. Two, don't call me buckaroo."

I adopted a ridiculous Southern accent and put my hands onto my hips. "I'm Cindy, buckaroo, and I'm be your server for today. Buckaroo."

"Call me buckaroo one more time," He growled. "I dare you."

"BUCKAROOOOOOOO!"

"That's it, you're dead!"

He leaped over the center console and into my seat, pinning me between him and the leather. He tickled my sides and stomach until I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face. "Mercy, mercy!" I squealed.

"There is no mercy on the battlefield, soldier!" He captured my arms with his knees and saluted before resuming his torture. I squirmed away from his touch, but it's a bit difficult to get away from somebody when they're sitting on top of you in a car.

And if I was being completely honest, I didn't really want to escape.

...

"You're being very quiet, Amara," Mom smiled across the table at me, jolting me from my thoughts. "Did you have a good day?"

I blushed and looked down at my lap. "I guess you could say that, yeah."

Loric pretended to make out with his cup, making loud smacking noises and tiny moans. Dad hit him over the back of the head.