Remembering Us

Midnight Appearances and a Smack in the Face

"Where are we going again?" I asked from the back seat of the car while playing with the fringe around a hole of my ripped jeans. My baggy Michigan Wolverines sweatshirt was balled up and pressed against the window as I was using it as a pillow. I would have been comfortable if it weren't for my glasses.

"There's a party tonight." A female voice says from the passengers seat.

"But I didn't want to go to a party tonight. I was supposed to go to Kayla's." I replied back casually.

"We needed a sober cab and you were nominated, so congratulations!" A male voice says. He's driving and has one hand on the wheel and the other is holding the girls hand.

"So I have to sit there all night until you guys are ready to leave? Couldn't you have just called me?" I say back frustrated. "I had plans, the world doesn't just revolve around you Ben." I say to the driver and he chuckles. The smell of cigarette smoke fills the car and I have to stop myself from gagging. "Can you open a window please?" I snap and the girl in the front just laughs. She sighs and roles her window down.

"Better?" She asks and I role my eyes.
"Emma I don't understand how you can stand this all the time." I say not meaning to say it out loud.

"What?" She replies, "Can't stand what all the time?"

"Partying." I say, "With all of these older people. Doesn't it get intimidating? Ben is always taking you somewhere it seems like, whether it be clubs, parties, or wherever else you guys go to, I just can't see how that doesn't get old." I take a breath and look out the window at nothing but a field. He is the first one to speak up.

"Your just jealous she can handle it." He snaps back, "Just be cool for once and let us have fun, then drive us home. It isn't hard or too much to ask." He says it in a way that seems to scream don't push this any farther.

"You should really stop smoking too while your at it, its bad for you." I say quietly in the backseat listening to Pumped Up Kicks.

"Fuck off." He answers me and I'm left even more pissed off then I was before.

For the next five minutes its dead quiet until the girl notices something.

"Why is your check engine light on?" She asks him quietly. "Actually, now all your lights are coming on." She says surprised.

"It's nothing. Cars do this all the time. I'll get it checked tomorrow if they are even still on." He replies back and takes her hand in his again. There were headlights up ahead and I just continued to stare out into the darkness. I had other things on my mind but I wasn't expecting to hear the horrible scream of her and the cursing of him and the instant collision that came soon after. The impact sent us spiraling with glass flying and fire starting.

I wake up in a sweat, my hair matted and my clothes soaked. I sit up and rub my eyes and look at the clock. It's only 1 a.m. frustrated and slam my fist against my pillows angrily not really knowing why I just had no other reaction. I was wide awake and there was no way I was falling asleep anytime soon so I get up and go into the TV room we have down stairs. Grabbing the remote I go to Netflix and find some random movie to watch to pass the time.

***

Tap tap tap or actually it was more like a bang bang bang on the sliding glass door that led to the outside. I can't tell you how fast I jumped or how hard my heart was pounding but the relief I felt when I saw Andrew was great but still slightly terrifying.

"You scared the hell out of me!" I yell at him but lower my voice realizing my parents are asleep. "And what are you even doing here at two in the morning?" I snap at him. He just stands there and laughs at me.