Solecism (under revision)

Chapter Eighteen

Katherine Beauvais

            “You two do know that I’ll be driving for about four more hours, right?” I said as I hung up on Camilla. Stupid traffic, we’ve been stuck here for an hour.

All the response I got was giggles. I didn’t know Aly can giggle, scratch that, I didn’t know guys can giggle too. Ugh, now I have been traumatized for life. I snaked our way through the traffic and turned right, a shortcut my Dad used to take even there’s no traffic. I secretly think he likes to use shortcuts because he can drive as fast as he can. These streets are rarely patrolled.

I’m driving at 85 miles per hour and getting caught for speeding was the least on my problems.

            “Be grateful that I’m okay with driving for five freaking hours straight, okay?” I raised my voice to get their attention. They jumped on their seats and I rolled my eyes.

            I can hear some noise from outside. What was going on?

            “I don’t think you’ll drive longer” Jacob said without the usual sarcasm or mockery but with tension.

            “Katherine we’re being trailed.” Aly announced and I looked in the rear-view mirror. There’s only one police car following us.

            “Did you call the cops?!?” I asked jacob

            “No and don’t shout at me.”

            “I’m not shouting, I’m raising my voice!”

            “You’re shouting, please calm down.”

            I gritted my teeth. “I am calm”

“Just step on it!” Aly was obviously freaked out too.

            I snapped my head back on the road and pushed my foot on the gas so hard that it almost hurt. I gritted my teeth as I zigzagged my way through the road, trying not to hit any car or anything really. We driving at 90 miles per hour… 95… 100… 110… if I’m not careful enough we’ll be dead. I looked at them by the mirror again to see three cars to the very least chasing us.

            I took a turn to the left and heard a bumping sound. I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw Aly gripping the headrest in her front but Jacob was gone. I turned my head and saw that Jacob caused the bumping sound, his face hitting the window flattening his snout.

            “Sorry” I said and I meant it. I turned my head back to the road just in time to see a truck driving straight at us. I only had a few moments to switch the lanes. My mouth was hanging open from shock and adrenaline. We’re still being chased and I have to lose them.

            The sun has begun to set and I realized I’ve been driving for a long time, my arms suddenly felt leaden. I took a little detour from the quickest way to Las Vegas, Nevada; our little car used alleys as roads. We raced through mostly deserted little towns; passersby took surprised glances as we passed them but had little interest on us and carried on as if nothing happened. I looked up at the mirror and didn’t see the cars but I don’t want to be so sure “Still there?”

            “Yeah, we’re okay” Aly said wide-eyed, shocked.

            “No I meant the cops”

            “Still there and a little far behind”

            “Any snarky comment about my driving, Jacob?”