Drew, Andrew ✓

ChickLit Weekly Prompt

My fingers gripped the tattered steering wheel, as my knuckles turned white. A rumbling sound was constantly being heard from somewhere in the engine. The radio switch was broken, leaving no sound except for the cars that passed by on the high way. The windows were all slightly rolled down allowing the salty sea air to sting my nose. Good old Betty's air conditioning had broken once again in the midst of a hot summer.

"Listen, Betty. All I need you to do is get me to this job interview in time. You can leave me stranded once we get there," I mumbled to my car.

The dirty white vehicle had been my beloved car for the past six years. My family was always on the poor side growing up. I survived just fine. When everyone was turning sixteen getting cars for their birthday, I was getting jobs. It wasn't until my grandmother passed away in my college years that I got this car. My Grandma Betty loved driving and decided to leave it to me in her will. It hasn't been the most reliable thing, but it got me to my destinations.

Today was the day I needed Betty to pull through for me. I had been let go of my job for over six months now and have been on the hunt for a new one. I was decent at my job, but there were too many associates. They had to pick and choose who they let go. My last review wasn't the best, so my boss decided I was the chosen one. Thankfully, last week I got a call from an interior design company that set up an interview with me.

I had on my black skirt, white blouse, high heels, and my dark hair pulled up. There was no way I was going to let this interview slip through my fingers. The whole night before, I had been stressing out over the interview. The job had great benefits, as well as work hours that fit my wants.

My eyes were concentrated on the cars a head of me when Betty began making a sputtering noise. I usually brushed off the sounds she made, but this sound was not good. My stomach began to feel nauseous and my hands eased up off the steering wheel.

"No...no!" I exclaimed as the speedometer slowly went down.

Trying to handle the situation the best I could in my moment of anger, I pulled off to the side of the highway. I turned on my hazard light and put the car into park. For a moment I sat there looking at my hands on the wheel. Why today of all days.

I clicked my seat belt off and got out of the car carefully. As I stood in front of the hood, I popped it open. There sat the inner workings of a car I thought I knew how to fix. My hands rested against my hips as my right foot tapped the ground. I tried to remember things my dad had told me about car engines. Of course, all of that was hidden somewhere in my brain right now.

Cars rushed by me, ignoring the common curtesy rule to switch lanes. I took a look at the watch on my wrist and groaned. I had fifteen minutes to get to the interview. Instead of trying to fix the car, I went back and sat in the seat. My feet dangled onto the high way, while my fingers tapped away at my phone. The thing is, I moved hours away from my parents to gain freedom. I had a few friends in town, but they were at work. My last resort would be to call a tow company, then have to be late to my job interview.

As I began searching for a tow company to call, I noticed a silver SUV pull off the highway behind me. I felt a slight weight release me. Most people just ignored cars on the side of the road if they weren't in an accident. Then again, it could be a serial killer who thinks I'm an easy target.

I watched out the back window as the car door opened. A tall man walked popped out and shut his door. My eyes glanced over him, noticing his nice grey suit and how it fit his body. He casually walked over to car and flashed a kind smile at me.