Kissing In Cars [ Vic Fuentes Fanic ]

Chapter 1 - At First Glance

Cara's POV

"Now that we all understand the assignment and what I'm expecting, get out of my classroom." The professor grinned and spun to erase what was left of the scribbles of his whiteboard. I had to admit, Mr. Hanks was a great professor, but when it came to notes and the chickenscratch he called hand writing, I was at a loss.

I abandoned my chair and made my way down the steps with every other student that was dying to get out of here. San Diego State was a huge college, and as my best friend Evelyn bumped my shoulder, I was thankful that I had somehow ended up with her in one of my classes. 

"A ten page paper on courage?" She groaned, clutching her notebook and pen to her chest. It was amazing that the sea of students hadn't swallowed her up already; at 5'3 and petite to the point where I was jealous of her, she was easy to lose. "And due this Friday." I added, grabbing her wrist and tugging her through the slowly dwindling crowd of kids. Stepping out of the door and into the fresh air was nothing short of heaven from the relief of the burning hot class room. Prof. Hanks was the only professor to lack air conditioning because it 'preserved energy'. Well, definitely not my energy.

However, my energy had been lacking for about four years now, and sometimes I even thought the effects would be permanent. 

Flashbacks of my father flooded my mind, the night he was finally arrested and put in his rightful place - jail. The only words I could ever describe him with were 'sick' and 'bastard'. 

"Earth to Cara..." Evelyn teased me, nudging me in the ribs with her elbow. "Hmm? Sorry. I blanked." I mumbled, flashing back to reality. "I said 'are you busy tonight?' There's frat party going on later and I sort of wanted to go..." She looked up at me with her pleading brown eyes, but they were no match for my cool blue.

Evelyn was a great friend. Actually, she was my only friend and I'd known her since the diaper years. This, though, also meant that I knew how 'lonely' she got, or as she worded it. Eve was always open to meeting new boys; whether they were friends, one nighters, or relationship material. I on the other hand was content with where I was -- Okay, that was a lie. I wasn't actually content with being single, but I wasn't about to go boy hunting any time soon. Even if she was my best friend.

"I uh..." I stuttered, fishing for an excuse. "I have to work tonight. Otherwise I'd definitely go with you." I gave her an apologetic smile, but something told me she saw right through my bluff. She scowled at me for a minute and then shrugged, muttering an 'okay' before falling silent.

It wasn't a total lie, it just wasn't the work she was thinking of. Eve knew all too well I worked at the Starbucks around the corner - I 'complained about it enough', she liked to joke. With the paper looming over my head, though, I wanted to knock out as much of it as I could before Friday came around.

"Ooh! I almost forgot!" She halted in her tracks, pulling me to a stop as well. I raised an eyebrow at her but she spun on her heels and took off in a flash. "Mr. Hanks! YOU'LL STILL TAKE LATE PAPERS, RIGHT?!" I heard her shouting as she dashed back toward the sweaty building. I let out a laugh as I watched her flee; Eve was never the best at school, but she was a great friend. Soon her short blonde self had vanished in a mass of people, and I was left to find my car alone.

A few hours later...

Soft music played in the background, the rhythmic tapping of the drums coaxing my brain into a state of focus. I didn't like my apartment much, nor did I like being alone and cooped up in a building for hours at a time. Many times I had considered moving back in with my mother at our old house, but it was the memories that always stopped me. Leaving it all behind seemed to be the easiest way to forget.