Red Chevrolet

Country

"And I know, I'm all over the road, I can't help but go, little bit a left- little bit of right..."

Hazel changed the station from oldies to country. And now she was singing every song she knew. I mean, sure it was entertaining, but it was also strangely attractive. Why on earth was I attracted to her singing off key and acting like she knows all the words?

Hazel couldn't hit high notes, so she wasn't a soprano, obviously. But I'm not saying she can't sing. Because she can, just in her own way. I imagine her to be better at singing without the person singing through the radio.

It was eleven. My parents had called before they went to bed, and I told them that everything was going well. They wanted me to text when I was at the hotel tonight and to call before I went to the tryouts. Hazel's phone made no sound the entire trip. If she even had it on her. For all I knew, she left it in her bedroom.

Hazel didn't give me information about her family. I knew nothing about her personal life. Nothing about her parents, her school years, any pets she's had, or even who her friends were that she was going to visit in McCall. I was afraid to stop her karaoke, so I simply kept driving. We were in Cascade, really close to McCall. I was exhausted and ready to sleep. I had no clue where we were going to be staying. I knew absolutely nothing.

"Pepperwhit! Turn right!" Hazel shrieked suddenly. I had no time to think and the next thing I know, I'm swerving right. There was no animal in the road. There was no point in having to turn.

"Why did I turn? Where am I going?" I demanded, squinting out the windshield.

"We're going to the condo." Hazel said when her song Goodnight Kiss, went instrumental.

"A condo? Why? There's only two of us and we aren't even staying for very long. Are we?" I asked.

"Well, tryouts are tomorrow at ten, and then you'll know if you're in on Saturday or so. Then I have to visit my friend and I really love McCall, I was thinking we could go home next Saturday." She said simply. "Go left." Hazel instructed.

I turned left and as I kept driving I began to get tired. Yawning, I said, "I guess we could stay that long. How much longer until we are at the condo?"

"Stop up here and turn left." She instructed, pointing at a lit up place to our left. I pulled in smoothly and followed her instructions once more to where to park in front of the lobby.

"Worldmark... Okay, you going to check in or do I have to?" I asked.

Hazel chuckled. "Hah, you think they'll believe I'm over eighteen?"

I looked at her. She had removed her hat but she was still dressed in her black shirt and jean shorts, no make up was worn and her hair was messy from the hat. She looked sixteen. Not eighteen.

"Are you even eighteen yet?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Nope." Hazel replied, popping the P sound.

"Okay, I'll go. Is it under your name or mine?"

"What do you think?"

"Mine."

"Yep." Once more with the P popping.