Fast Car

Won't have to drive too far, just cross the border, and into the city.

About half a mile down the road, Kat began to regret her decision to walk. It was dark, and cold, and her feet were beginning to hurt. There were almost no houses or buildings along the six mile stretch from the intersection to Port Rushton, and the road didn't suffer much traffic at this time in the evening. Kat wasn't sure why she'd thought this was a good idea, the Waffle house was a fifteen-minute car ride from Port Rushton, and another ten minutes to her house, which wasn't long in the scheme of things, but when you're on foot it seems like an age. It would probably take her nearly two hours to walk home, perhaps more, considering her boots where hindering her progress somewhat.

She was feeling extremely miserable when she heard a car coming from behind her. Despite her eagerness to get home, she hoped it wasn't one of her friends, she wasn't sure she could handle the humiliation. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up when she heard the car slow down before it passed her, it sunk in that she was alone on a deserted road, and knowing her luck there was no phone signal. The car crawled along beside her, but Kat kept her eyes firmly ahead.

'What the fuck are you doing walking down here in the dark?' A familiar voice broke into the quiet night. Kat looked round to see the sleek black Audi moving along at a snail's pace, the passenger's side window rolled down, and Cain Sanders leaning over the empty seat, frowning at her. Kat wasn't sure how to respond, so she just opened and closed her mouth like a fish.

She heard the locks click, 'Get in.' Cain growled. Katrina didn't need telling twice. She slipped into the warm car rather sheepishly. Everything was as before, the car smelt faintly of cigarette smoke, and coffee. Cain's aftershave swirled gently around her. There was a paper cup on the dashboard. Cain had one hand resting easily on the steering wheel, the other rested on the back of the passenger's seat, as he turned to look at her intently. She was surprised to find that he had Classic FM playing quietly on the radio, and gentle piano notes tinkled out into the silence.

'Well?' He asked expectantly.

'I was at the Waffle House.' Kat stated lamely as if that explained everything. Cain continued to look expectant. 'And I wanted to go home, but I didn't bring my car...' She trailed off.

'We have to stop meeting like this.' Cain said dryly.

Kat managed a weak smile, Cain started the engine without a word. He seemed to note her shivering because he put the car heater on. Kat sat, staring ahead, letting the classical piano wash over her. She felt the same sense of peace she'd experienced the first time Cain had taken her home, the comfortable silence that built up between them was soothing. She thought for a while about the fact that he was possibly the only person she could talk to about the Danny thing, considering she had sworn herself to secrecy. After a moment, she spoke again.

'Truth be told dickhead Danny was there.' It came out in a small voice. 'And although I'm not usually one to run from my problems, I just really wasn't in the mood.'

Cain sighed heavily. 'So, you thought it was a good idea to walk home alone in the dark?' The exasperation was clear in his voice.

'I-no- I didn't think about it like that,' Kat admitted.

His jaw ticked, and he looked as if he might say more, but he kept quiet. Kat returned her attention to outside the window, she watched as the warm lights of Port Rushton came into view. They sped past the school and into town, she watched as the coffee shops, book shops, pizza places sped past. The town was almost always deserted on a weekday after dark, no joggers, or dog walkers, or students milling around. Port Rushton was quite beautiful when you were speeding through it at night, the lights burning past the window. Kat was pretty sure Cain was driving well above the speed limit, perhaps he was desperate to get her out of his car, although it didn't seem like it, there was no awkwardness between them. The weight of companionable silence settled over Kat, giving her a sense of calm, and Cain looked unusually relaxed behind the steering wheel. His forehead was smooth, and his posture loose, his fingers tapped the wheel unconsciously as he stared ahead at the dark road. Driving suited him, he looked both young, and mature at the same time, the streetlight's running over his arms and across his face, revealing his tattoos, and then his serene boyish face.  The thought of getting out of the car, and returning home to begin studying, made Kat feel a little claustrophobic. Just as Cain was coming out of town, and towards her neighborhood, she blurted out.