Mia's loud music blares obnoxiously, breaking through the walls and shattering my utopia. Nevertheless, I work relentlessly to attach the hood of the car, smiling as I hear a final pop.
Running my hands across the thin fabric of my t-shirt, I run around to the driver's side, putting the key in the ignition. It roars to life for a few moments before falling short and puffing out. Smoke begins to billow out from under the new hood. "Fuck," I mutter, shutting off the car quickly and running back to the front. Swinging it open, I cough out, fanning away the smoke.
"Need a hand?" Spinning on my heel, I see one of Mia's male friends standing at the door with a very obvious smirk spread across his slightly drunk face.
"Not from the likes of you," I answer hotly, bending back under the hood to look for the problem; a few connectors are loose. Turning around to grab the wrench, I run in to a strong body within moments.
"Why don't you like me?" He asks, amusement obvious on his face.
"Do I need a reason?" I retort, looking in to his eyes challengingly.
"Well, I'd like to hear one."
"Frankly, I don't give a damn about what you do and don't like." Attempting to step to the side of him, he follows suit, mirroring me nearly perfectly.
"So she's got sass."
"Just fuck off and go get drunk with your buddies, will you?"
"Oh, so you're one of those uptight bitches, are you?"
"Not at all, actually," I retort, laughing bitterly and reminding myself of the few bags stowed away in my room. "Don't pretend to know someone that you don't."
"Oh? And what is it that you're doing then?"
"Judging," I answer simply. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a truck I need to finish working on." He steps out of my way only to walk around and stare at the photos that I've placed on the walls. Rolling my eyes, I do my best to ignore the vain athlete as I work on what my father gave me; his last gift to me.
When everything is how it should be, I can't help the smile that runs across my face at the noise of the running truck. Turning off the engine, I simply sit in the car and smile.
"Is this the same car?" He asks, looking at a photograph of my father and I standing in front of it after it's purchase. I can only muster a nod. "What happened from then until now?" He inquires with a bit of amusement.
"My father crashed it," I answer, allowing any emotion to fall away once more. Swallowing deeply, I inhale his scent from the car, running my hands over the smooth leather and closing my eyes as I recline on the seat.
"He never got it fixed after that?"
"Never got the chance," I reply quietly, doing everything in my power to stop my eyes from breaking away. When the boy, Connor, doesn't respond, I elaborate. "He died two hours later in the ICU. They didn't even bother with surgery. The damage was done."
"Wow, Larkin, I'm..."
"Sorry?" I ask, my bitter chuckle revealing itself again. "Like I haven't heard that one before. Just go back to the party. I'm sure that my god sister is missing your presence." Instead, the passenger door opens, and he slides on to the seat.
"I'd rather take a drive with you."
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Rainbows
Teen FictionLarkin Katherine Walker has lived a long, tragic life. At the age of twenty, the past five years have slipped by without her living them at all. So what is she going to do about it? After all, going after happiness is like chasing a fucking rainbow...
