Val

Breakthrough.

Seven.
this got me stuck between my fantasy
and what is real.

Her mind was racing. Half of her brain was trying to function on the little air her lungs were receiving, while the other half was wondering how she ended up in Jason's Escalade.

Jason's Esclade. Spacious. Black leather and very quiet. Quiet-meaning no one made a sound. It was so quiet that the honks from taxis became music to her ears.

If only those taxi drivers knew how greatly Val appreciated them for blowing their obnoxious horns out of impatience.

It was keeping her at ease-as though it may had not seemed. On the inside she was screaming at herself. Wondering how she got herself in this car.

To some this was fine. Nothing wrong with a ride to your apartment offered by your neighbor. But, some were oblivious to Val's situation. Some probably would never be in this predicament-this being, a woman who everyday keeps to herself and sometimes dips her foot in the water for a little splash but accidentally gets pulled in the water by a guy. And not any guy, Jason McCann.

"A penny for your thoughts.." Jason's rough voice whistled into Val's ear.

Val pulled her finger from between her teeth, not even noticing her habit, and looked over at Jason who sat in the other window seat. "What?" She asked, not fully aware of what he said.

He switched his eyes to his Rolex, glistening under the lights shining through the tinted windows with a smirk perked on his lips. He feathered it with the pads of his fingers-admiring the pricey beauty.

"What's clouding that brain of yours?" He slowly led his eyes brown eyes up to Val's drained ones.

She never let her eyes leave him. Even as his left hers to give his attention to the watch.

She shook her head and said, "I tell you if you tell me." There was no muse in her tone. She still didn't know what happened to Caleb. She would ask but he was still in the same state-eyes low but still open.

Jason was tired of the amount of interest that Val was revealing to him about Caleb. He wanted to skip the part about her trying to be Ms. Detective and enjoy the fact that they've managed to be in the car together without her kicking him out or her leaving.

He sighed. "Tell you what?"

Val whipped her head, revealing more of her face. "What do you mean what? I've been asking you the same question the last hour." Her rage was rising. She could feel the heat slowly flowing up to her face.

Jason looked her up and down with tired eyes. "Why do you care so much?" He whispered.

Why do you? She thought but never dared to say.

"We're here, sir." the drivers French accent hushed them.

The realization of the stop caused Val to opened her door too quick. For a second she forgot she lived in New York-she opened the door so fast it almost hit a group of people. Not in the mood for apologies, Val just rolled her eyes.