Fast Car

Play that song again, cause we were in love.

The black Audi pulled up silently and Kat got in without a word. Cain glanced at her, his jaw ticking, then he sped away from the pavement. The ride was tense, Cain scowled and Kat worried that she shouldn't have called him. But he'd told her not to walk home alone again. She tried to fight the silent tears that fell down her cheeks, but as soon as she got a hold of herself she remembered Shan's words and the look in Scott's eyes. She'd turned her phone off when she got in the car, she just sat there staring out the window, not even watching Port Rushton fly by, just wishing she could be away from here. 

Suddenly, Cain pulled over with a violent jerk. He turned off the engine, tapping on the wheel impatiently, glancing at her every few seconds.

'If you want to say something, say it.' Kat said, her voice harder than she was expecting.

'I'm waiting for you to fucking say something.' He snapped, she didn't say anything. 'You call me, in the middle of the fucking night, and I pick you up covered in blood, but no explanation.' 

'I fell over.' She said lamely.

Cain gave a bark of laughter that made Kat flinch. 'And are you sobbing cause you fell over as well, or is there a reason you were wandering about in the middle of the night?'

Kat looked away from him, out the window.

'What the fuck happened?' Cain leaned over, nudging her gently, she flinched again, and Cain scowled.

'I don't want to talk about it.'

'Tell me.' He growled.

'Please, just take me home.' She said, wiping away fresh tears.

'I can't take you home like this, princess.' He said softly. 

She looked down at herself, her shoes and ankles were covered in mud and her shins and hands were bleeding from her fall, there was quite a lot of blood actually. She had no doubt there was mascara smeared all over her face. She looked at Cain, he was closer than she expected, he looked concerned, his stormy gray eyes scanning her carefully.

'You're dad would have a fit if I dropped you off looking like this.' He said seriously.

She gave a sad smile. 'Since when do you care what dads think?' He didn't answer. 'You could be anyone dropping me off, he doesn't know who you are.'

'Of course,' Cain smiled tightly, 'I forgot, every guy on the football team has given you a ride at some point.'

'Christ, is there something in the fucking water today?' Kat snapped. 'I didn't ask you to pick me up so you could call me a whore, I've had enough of that for one night.'

There was a long tense silence. Kat pressed her forward against the cold glass trying to will away the fresh tears that were burning their way up her throat. Cain tapped the wheel.

'I'm sorry Princess.' He finally said softly, then after another moment of thought, he tensed up again. 'Ay, who the fuck else was calling you a whore?' He spat.

'Will you just drive?'

'I told you, I'm not taking you home like that.'

'Well, then what am I gonna do?' Kat sobbed again.

Cain sighed and leaned his head on the back of his chair in defeat. Then he started the engine. Kat let out a breath and closed her eyes, allowing the motions of the car to lull her slightly, until her sobs and subsided, and she felt more in control. The car stopped and she opened her eyes. They weren't at her house.

'Where are we?' She said bewildered. Cain didn't answer her, he just got out of the car and came round to the passenger side to open her door. They stared at each other for a second.

'You coming or what?' he said.

'Don't think I have a choice.' She mumbled, scrambling out of the car.

Cain was already opening the front door to reveal a spacious apartment when she caught him up. The apartment had a beautiful, big open plan kitchen living area, with huge french windows at one end with a view over the cliff and out to sea. There was a small staircase a few meters from the front door, which led up to a little bedroom that looked out onto the rest of the apartment. Kat admired the hardwood flooring, and marble counter-tops, before she noticed Cain was quickly moving around the room, he seemed to be tidying, in the frantic manner that one tidies when they have an unexpected guest. The place was hardly messy, but there were a few items of clothing strewn around that he quickly hid, and some pots and pans dotted on the side that he put in a neat pile. Then he turned to her, looking apprehensive and twiddling his thumbs slightly, she was even pleased to see what she thought was a tinge of red at the tips of his ears.

'Cain, is this your apartment?' Kat grinned.

'Yeah' he said, scratching his head. 'Like I said, I can't take you home like that.' He went into the kitchen and started looking around the cupboards, then he put the kettle on. kat just stood there dumbfounded, watching Cain Sanders make her a cup of tea. He poured all of his concentration into this one menial task, like when he was driving. She could watch him without him noticing. Watch the way the perpetual crease between his eyebrows smoothed, and the way he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the counter. Suddenly his eyes snapped up to hers, and her cheeks flared red at being caught staring. He didn't notice though, just tapped the counter next to him. 'Come here.' He demanded softly. She walked up to him, and hopped up onto the counter easily, swinging her legs gently. He handed her the tea, then looked in the cupboard under the sink, he brought a flannel out and ran it under the hot tap. Then without warning, he grabbed one of her legs, pulling off a shoe and started rubbing the flannel over it, pausing every now and then to rinse the flannel under the tap. He was very gentle, as he washed her cuts, his hands were soothing as they ran over the stinging skin. Kat was very aware of how close he was to her, but he didn't seem to notice, he stood between her legs, head bowed over his work. He didn't speak, the silence was thick, the air was electric. Kat eventually had to say something.

'How do you pay for this place?'

'My dad.' He cleared his throat in an uncomfortable manner.

'oh.' Kat was silent again for a while. 'Is it true, that he kicked you out....?'

'To an extent' Cain grunted.

'I'm sorry, Cain.' She whispered.

He dropped her leg and turned to face her, his eyes piercing. 'Don't be, I'm not.'

He threw the flannel on the counter and rested his hands on the marble, either side of her legs. 'What happened Katrina?' He asked again.

She sighed. 'My friend's boyfriend kissed me.'

He raised an eyebrow. 'The quarterback.'

'How did you know?'

'He flirts with you a lot, he looks at you....' Cain trailed off.

'Looks at me?' Kat frowned.

'His eyes follow you when you're not looking like he can't help it like you're a sunset and a storm rolled together.' Cain's voice was soft.

'You noticed this? You pay attention to what he's doing?' Kat said surprised.

'Nah, not him.' Cain stared at her for a minute and her heart slowed, she could feel the warmth of him against her thighs, and it was like they were breathing the same air. Kat stayed dead still, afraid to move. She noticed his grey eyes had flecks in them of an undeterminable colour, they were sad eyes, the eyes of a boy who grew up too quickly. His sweet breath fanned across her skin, and her chest felt tight where the air was suspended in her lungs. Long seconds past, while she was paralyzed.

 'Come on, I'll take you home.' He breathed.

With that he was gone, the warmth evaporated, and Kat sat, stunned for a second. Before sliding off the counter and following him out to the car.