Awkwarder

Chapter Five: Awkwardly Getting a Motel Room

"Carter," I addressed him, "it's getting late. Let me drive."

"No! You don't know the way."

"You have driven me around enough, child. Let me do something for you."

"Child? I'm older than you," Carter retorted.

"That has nothing to do with your maturity, or lack thereof."

"Stop being a butt cheek."

"Well, someone gets angry when their tired. If only there were some way he could get rid of his pride and let his girlfriend drive."

"Will you shut up?"

"Maybe." He narrowed his eyes, not taking them off of the dark, almost deserted road.

"Fine," he said, giving in. He started pulling over to the side of the road. "Basically, just keep going straight. If you don't know where to go, just wake me up."

"How do you know you'll be asleep."

"Jane, I'm half asleep right now."

"Which is why I should be driving. I'm a night owl."

"It's almost midnight. I'm tired." He unbuckled his seat belt as I unbuckled mine.

"Which is why I should be driving. I'm a night owl," I repeated.

"I know," Carter said. He sounded a little ornery.

"Sleep child," I said as I sat down in the driver's seat.

"I'm not a child," Carter said as he drifted off.

I just kept driving, and I didn't really know for how long. Eventually, I pulled into a gas station parking lot and woke Carter up because I had no idea where we were.

"MarioCart," I said gently.

"Don't call me that," Carter defended, still kind of asleep.

"MarioCart," I restated, "where are we?" He opened his eyes, rubbed them, then looked around.

"I have no idea. Let's go inside and ask."

"Okay...that won't make us sound like idiots."

"Would you rather be an idiot and know where you are, or a non-idiot and stranded?" I just looked at him.

"Non-idiot?" I asked.

"I just woke up. Don't expect me to be clever." I laughed as we got out of his car. He grabbed my hand and we walked into the gas station. He walked up to the girl behind the register.

She was a red head like me, heavier, and was chewing gum. When she saw us, specifically Carter, she smiled.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, ummm. My girl here was driving and she's visiting from way out of town and I was sleeping...so could you tell us where we are maybe?" Carter said, probably over explaining like he did all the time. I thought it was adorable.

"Sure, we're about five minutes away from a little town called Arkway."

"About how far from the borderline?"

"Maybe an eight or nine hour drive."

"What time is it?" I asked.

"One seventeen."

"Thanks for the help," Carter said leading us back out of the gas station.

"She was nice," I said.

"I'm driving," Carter responded.

"Fine by me," I said back.

As soon as we were in "Arkway," Carter pulled into a motel parking lot. He left his bags in the car and just got out. I followed him into the building.