Hold Your Breath

Chapter 16

"Damn it," John said,"We're out of gas."

He set his forehead down on the wheel and sighed. I couldn't help but notice how amusing the whole scene was; we were stuck in the middle of nowhere, it was pitch black outside, and we were surounded by woods on either side.

"Is this the part where the booeyman jumps out and eats us?" I asked.

He raised his head and looked at me for a minute before he started laughing. I couldn't help but join him, and before I knew it, tears were running down my face from laughing so hard.

"Okay, seriously," I said, wiping tears from my cheeks,"What are we going to do?"

"I'll call my dad," He said, pulling out his blackberry. After dialing, he held it up to his ear and waited. In the silence I could hear one, two, three, then four rings before he got the voicemail.

"Crap," He mumbled,"I'll try my mom." He held his phone up to his ear again, but once again got voicemail.

"This is rediculous," He said quietly.

"Let me call my dad," I said, pulling out my phone before he could object. I dialed the number, and got an answer after three rings.

"Hey honey," he greeted.

"Hey dad," I replied,"We have a slight problem..."

I filled him in on our situation, and told him where we were.

"Okay," he said, laughing,"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks dad," I said with a sigh of relief. I flipped my phone closed and turned to John,"He's on his way."

"Cool," he said. I could tell he was embarrassed, but I just thought it was amusing. I wouldn't even be surprised if the gas gage didn't work in this peice of junk.

A silence set in the air around us as we waited for my dad. It wasn't nessesarily uncomfortable, but it wasn't really comfortable either. After a few minutes, John opened his mouth, but then quickly shut it again.

"What were you going to say?" I asked.

"Oh," he sounded surprised, like he hadn't thought I noticed,"Nothing."

"Oh come on," I promted,"What is it?"

He looked at me for a minute before replying,"What's going on between you and Jake?"

I stared at him, slightly taken aback. I had definitley not seen that one coming.

"Nothing," I replied finally.

"That's not what it seemed like," he snapped.

"Jelous much?" I asked. It was obviously the wrong thing to say, sinve he immediatly shut up and stared straight out the windsheild,"Ok, I'm sorry. Me and Jake used to have a thing. But thats old news, history."

"Well anyone can see that he still likes you," he said coldly, still staring out the windshield.

"Well I don't like him," I said softly,"Not anymore."

He didn't reply for a few minutes. The music playing quietly gave the whole scene a hollywood-movie feel as I waited patiently.

"Good," he finally said, matter-of-factly as he turned to face me,"Because he can't have you. Not anymore."

"What do you-"

"Chloe," he interrupted me,"Will you be my girlfriend?"