All The Things I Don't Do

New VS. Old

Listen to Tonight You're Perfect by New Politics

This time when I left my driveway, I cautiously looked ahead and both ways before preceding to the road, just checking for anyone. Anyone as in, say, the Queens. Or Aaron and his buddies.

No one was in sight so I slowly pulled out on my bike, having decided to bring it this time.

I road for about 4 minutes before I saw a car. Today was pretty quiet, no one outside, no one on the road. All working or on vacation.

This car however, contradicted the quiet environment. It was old and falling apart. A back door was practically holding on to it's hinges for dear life, and the side mirrors were shattered and hanging. The trunk's hood was nonexistent and the dark blue paint was almost gone, paint pealed off revealing angry rusted marks and texture. Something underneath was hanging as well, giving off the same effect as nails on a chalkboard, causing me to stop and cringe.

The car was on the opposite side of the road as me up ahead, grumbling and scraping as it came towards me. But then less than 500 feet in front of me, it stopped with a screech. I heard some yelling and something shattered. The passenger door shook and loudly creaked open. The driver, I was now seeing as a guy a little older than me. Ragged; some dark stubble on his face, old snapback on and a baggy gray tank. A silver chain hung at his neck. I'd never seen him before- and I'd sure as hell recognize the car if I'd seen it- but he ironically reminded me of Aaron. Just slightly more ragged, dirty, and not quite as scrawny. This guy had some muscle on him, even if he wasn't muscle man, it was a lot more than Aaron could ever wish to have being such a lazy sack of bones.

Suddenly a guy was.... pushed? Shoved? Jumped? Out of the car and fell ungracefully onto the rough dirt and rolled down into the grassy ditch.

I stared in astonishment as he quickly jumped up and went back up to the car. There was more screaming.

"Get OUT! OUT!! I'm done. I. Am. DONE!" Guy inside the car screeched.

"Fine. Just fine! I don't need you anyways. I never even WANTED to travel round with your ass and this piece of junk." Guy outside of car kicked the tire and the rusted hub rolled off.

"Look what you done now! You're no good! I'm leaving you here. Got it? And this time, I'm NOT coming back!"

"Okay! You know what? I'm sicka all this going. I'm gonna stay here. Settle down. Finish senior year here. I'm ready to have a life! A real life. At least try. Myself!" Aggravated tears were streaming down the younger guy outside's face.

Why was I still watching? For some reason, I just couldn't pull myself away to turn around or even ride past them. I was frozen in place.

Older guy in drivers seat, (I guessed probably between 20 and 23 years old) threw his arms up into the air then slammed them down onto the steering wheel. "Whatever. You do that. Make a real life. How the hell you gonna do that?!? You know how we are. That don't happen to us. Look at me. Look at where trying got me. NOWHERE. So you go and freakin try bro."

Younger guy slammed his fist onto the hood. "I will. I will! And I'll let you know how it goes!"

"You do that. I'll keep my eyes glued to the screen of my phone for the rest of my freakin life waiting for you to damn tell me you've accomplished the impossible." He sneered and revved the junk car, tires screeching.