The rain came down and felt like glass on my skin.
The walk from the diner to the taxi wasn't a long one, but the clouds that drifted above us obviously wanted to make us miserable. What started as a light drizzle, so light that Carter and I started splashing in puddles, had turned into a full storm. The cloudy sky was lit up with lightning, violet electricity sparked the air around us. We became so desperate to get out of it, that we sprinted to the car, at least Carter and I did. Flynn tossed us the keys and ran towards the gas station where he was finally going to get the gas that would get us out of Lebanon. I threw the backdoor of the bright yellow taxi open, climbing in and slamming it shut. Carter jumped in the driver side, seemingly unfazed by the heavy rain. He was obviously better equipped with his heavy coat layered over a faded gray hoodie. Compared to my own navy hoodie, he was a lot better off.
I cupped my hands over my mouth and started trying to heat them up. I looked out of my streaky window in an effort to see Flynn. He came barreling towards us with a bright orange container in his hand. I started frantically tapping Carter's shoulder, trying to get him to open up the fuel tank. He opened it once he saw Flynn coming our way. I had never seen someone shiver as much as Flynn was when he got into the taxi. His hands were bright red from the way they kept clenching, trying to regain warmth in his fingertips. His ear were just as red, if not worse.
Slowly, I began taking off the hoodie that swallowed up my small frame. My black, long sleeve shirt was exposed. I balled up the hoodie and dropped it in Flynn's lap.
He looked back at me, "you're pretty great."
I just gave him a quirky smirk.
We drove for what felt like days. The clothes I had been wearing, for what was almost two days now, felt like they were made of pins and barbed wire. I felt itchy and the discomfort of having been in the backseat of this cab for so long was starting to set in.
"Carter, Flynn," I addressed the two with a serious, almost challenging tone, "I'm gonna change and if either of you even glance back here I will scream so loud your ears will bleed."
Both chuckled but agreed nonetheless. I began digging through my bag to find clothes to change into. I pulled out a black hoodie and a pair of dark gray sweatpants. I pulled out a tank top that had probably seen better days, but at this point anything would do. I changed quickly, never looking away from the two boys in the front seat. They kept their gazes forward. Carter even closed his eyes and put his hand over them.
I finished changing in a matter of seconds. I tapped the two on the shoulder.
"It's your lucky day, I won't be screaming your ears off."
Flynn looked at me with a bemused expression, "wow, thanks Waverly."
I smiled, "you're welcome."
Carter just chuckled at our childlike banter.
We didn't stop for anything. We ate a drive-thru lunch with minimal conversation as we sat in the taxi and drove. We continued driving for hours and hours, the work from the morning obviously taking a toll on us.
The taxi, as it usually was, was silent. The only thing to be heard was the sound of Flynn's restless fingers on his steering wheel. Carter had fallen asleep in the front seat.
I'm aware that it's weird to watch someone sleep, but isn't it sort of mesmerizing. The way their eyes just start betraying them, closing ever so slowly. The way their breathing becomes as light an delicate as the ribbons on a ballerina's slippers. Carters halo-like hair kept falling into his eyes and with every exhale, wisps of it would dance across his freckled nose. Flynn would eye him too, not as obviously as I was. He would glance at him from time to time. Just as he had with me, he would hover his arm over him whenever he would have to brake, not touching him as to not wake him up from his sleep. It always seemed like Carter was waiting for his next nap, craving it almost.
