Blue Mirth

Unlimited

John Kenneth

"What is something you have tried, but will never do again?", I ask her, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. We've completely stopped. And it feels like the world has, too. Ivy is smiling. "Okay. So, this one time, I went to McDonald's and I ordered a wrap and a Cherry Coke. And, okay, I was feelin' myself, and I was wearing way too much makeup. Like way more than this. I pull up at the window, and the guy in it goes, "Oh my gosh! Look, it's Ursula!" to his fellow workers and-", she doesn't finish, dissolving in a fit of laughter. I laugh along, not because of the story, but because of her laugh. She has the kind of laugh that makes you think she's gagging, and then it turns into a dolphin laugh, all while there are pig-snorts at fifteen-second intervals.  "And?", I inquire, wanting her to go on. 

She controls her laughter for three seconds and says, "And they all looked at me and started singing 'Under the Sea'! I never went back there!" I'm so shocked I cover my face. But then I hear her gleefulness and a giggle escapes from my mouth. "Well, they must've lost a valuable customer.", suppressing my laughter.

"They did. I ordered so much food whenever I went there. Their loss."

"Okay. Your turn to ask me."

"Um. What quirky habit do you have?"

"I hum at random moments."

"I sing in the shower."

"Everybody sings in the shower.", I input, trying to decipher the amount of time we have spent just talking. We left my street at around six, and now it's.... Wait. It's nine? I whistle in acknowledgement of this fact. Ivy notices. "What's up?", she utters. I turn to face her.

"We have been in this car for the last three hours."

"Oh."

"What time do you need to get home?"

"I don't have a curfew."

"What? How is that humanly possible? How do your parents allow this?"

"They'll allow anything. As long as..."

The rest is drowned out in mumbling. "Huh?", I pronounce. "Nothing.", she replies, her tone suddenly guarded. Okay. We just spent three hours together, alone. Without our friends. Without company. Just the two of us. And I wasn't even thinking about Kylie. Reality suddenly hits me and I check my phone. One missed call. From Kylie. Uh oh. I quickly dial her number, checking to see the sight in front of us. The highway is starting to clear up, and I take that as an opportunity to drive off into the city. I glance beside to see that Ivy is curled up in her parka, holding her legs as she sits. Kylie isn't picking up. Why isn't she picking up? I groan in frustration as more and more realisations hit me. I spent time with Ivy. Ivy. Of all people. I hung out with my girlfriend's best friend.

"Ivy?", I articulate. I see from my peripheral vision that she's perked up. "Yeah?", she says, her voice only slightly closed off.

"Are we friends?"

"Um. Do you want to be friends?"

"I mean, sure. Do you?"

"Yeah, why not? I mean, I did let you drive my car, I don't just let anyone do that!"

"Good point. Let's shake on it."

"Okay. Well, park this baby first."

"Yes Ma'am."

Once I park the car after we get off the bridge, Ivy switches on the light of the car, and climbs in the back. She gets behind the drivers' seat, and it seems like she's looking for something in the seat-pocket. I look at her in the rear-view mirror, noticing how her features turn so serious when she thinks she's not being watched. Her hair falls directly onto her face when it's not in a bun. Her eyebrows are shaped and thick, making her look younger than she is. Her eyes. Are staring at you, John. "What?", she verbalises. I must be blushing, because I feel my face heat up and sweat. "Nothing!", I exclaim, accidentally. Ugh. Could you be any more embarrassing? She has this sort of sneer on her face when she climbs back in the front. I notice her hands are holding two cans of Cherry Cola.