The Witness (H.S.)

7

"And now release the clutch slowly while gently accelerating.... woah! I said slowly", Harry exclaims next to me as the car jumps forward and dies for the umpteenth time within minutes.

"Harry, I'm never gonna make it. I'm just not cut for this", I say defeated and pull the hand break. Harry smiles encouragingly and motivates me for another try. Again I get the gear out, ignite the car and press my foot on the clutch just like Harry has shown me before switching in first gear.

"Ok, remove the hand break, release the clutch slowly and accelerate", I mumble each step as proceeding. Suddenly I feel Harry's hand on my thigh. I flinch surprised and release the clutch. Of course the car dies again with another jump. Wide eyed I stare at him as he laughs hard. He immediately jumped at the idea of giving me driving lessons after telling him that I've no idea how to drive in left hand traffic. Well, at least he attempts to teach me. But somehow alone the fact that I so to say sit in the passenger seat makes me nervous. Harry drove us to an empty factory site with a huge parking lot to give me the chance to get used to shifting left handed. When he learned that I've only ever driven an automatic he almost got desperate. Afterwards he explained what I need to do to move the car. And that's what has me desperate at the moment.

"Sorry, I should have warned you. Just wanted to show you how to work the coupling." That his act caused a heat to rush through my body straight to my core I keep to myself.

"Ugh, I give up. I just can't do it. Tomorrow we're taking my car", I whine. There's a beautiful Audi with an automatic gearing sitting in my garage just waiting for me to drive it.  He inspects me for a second then sighs.

"Ok." He sounds like he's lost all hope. "Its probably best."

"Hey!", I play offended and nudge his shoulder.

"You are a lost case", he laughs and I've no other option than to agree. After switching places, he ignites the car, shifts in first gear and moves the car as if it's the easiest thing in the world.

"So Hayden, tell me something about yourself", he suddenly demands and lowers the volume of the already quietly playing radio.

"Mm, what do you want to know?"

"Tell me why you're here." As if I could!

"That's quite personal", I say evasive. Even if I wanted to, I'm not allowed. It's a regulation of the protection programme which I need to follow otherwise they could deny me. I can't do or say anything that could reveal my true identity.

"Well, ok. Then tell me about your family. Do you have siblings?"

"No. My parents passed away when I was a young girl. My granny cared for me", I answer truthfully. I mean, this isn't a rarity and doesn't reveal my identity. After all I don't tell him that she not really cared for me but the maid. And I don't mention that she's been constantly travelling because of her hotels.

"Oh, I'm sorry about your parents. You're close to your granny?"

"It's been a long time", I say and ignore his question intentional.

"Tell me about yourself."

"Ugh, I'm sure you can google everything there is about me", he says and even though he's smiling I can see that he doesn't like it.

"I don't want to google your name, Harry. I wanna get to know you, not the 'celebrity'", I say and draw quotation marks with my fingers. 

"Ok, alright", he says slightly surprised but a soft smile graces his lips.

"So, I was born and raised here." Meanwhile we reached his driveway. He kills the engine but doesn't show any signs to get out.