Succulents on the Window Sill

Chapter 16

Pulling the car over to park against the kerb, the first thing Corinne noticed about the young woman stood at the white car in front, was the little black dress that she was wearing.

Sara didn't wear little black dresses. Sara was jeans and a nice top, and she always had been. She wasn't a figure-hugging, short skirt, low cut, sex kitten; so why was she dressed like one?

Corinne felt her fingers tighten on the steering wheel. She turned to Zach in the passenger seat, only to find him already climbing out of the car and rushing to Sara's aid.

Corinne looked back to the front window of the car, watching as Sara flung her arms around Zach's neck, pressing her body right up against him.

It had been Corinne's body tight to his chest like that just half an hour ago. She reminded herself that Zach had been the one to pull her into that position. With a swallow, Corinne tried to shake the jealousy, cutting the engine of the car and carefully stepping out.

The night air was rather chilly, and the cardigan that she had thrown on was nowhere near thick enough to keep the cold out. Zach was stepping back from Sara, taking off his jacket to wrap around her bare shoulders. The sight made Corinne's stomach twist with even more envy.

As soon as she approached them, he spun to face her, eyes wide as he waved a hand towards Sara. "Can you believe this? She's only gone and taken the tire repair kit out of the car to 'make more room for shopping bags'."

Corinne glanced between them both, hating how good Zach's chastising tone made her feel. He thought Sara was an idiot. She wasn't his damsel in distress any longer. It felt like a point to Corinne, even though she knew this wasn't a competition, and she didn't want it to become one.

"I should have one in my car."

Zach shook his head. "It won't work, look;" He left Sara, stepping over to the right-hand front tire to point it out to Corinne.

"That's...flat." It was like an empty plastic bag, it was that flat. "How did it get like this?"

"Because smartypants here," a thumb was pointed over Zach's shoulder to Sara. "thought she could drive home with a puncture."

Corinne took a single step closer, manoeuvring around shards of broken bottles littering the kerb and the patch of road beneath it. She nodded down towards the glass, and Zach sighed, spinning to point an accusing finger at Sara.

"What is wrong with you?" Sara didn't answer. "You're so...fuck, Sara. I thought she was meant to be the ditzy one." The finger moved to Corinne.

"Hey! I am not ditzy, and Sara isn't either." Zach wasn't being fair.

"Then why is she stuck with a tire so flat that it's like there is none on at all, in the worst end of town too?" The last bit was hissed, and Corinne followed Zach's sideways glance to a parked car sitting across from them. There was a group of teenage boys leaning back against a chain link fence. A few of them were speaking to whoever was inside the car, whilst the rest carefully watched Corinne, Zach, and Sara's every move.

They had the hoods pulled up on their jackets, the darkness concealing any other features. Corinne might not be able to see them well, but they still unnerved her. With how they watched, studying her every move with a low silence, it creeped her out. She turned back to the car, not wanting them to notice her staring.

"Sara, you've probably damaged the rim-thing." Corinne scooted down into a crouch to see better. Her toe slipped on some glass, and she began wildly flailing, nearly sending herself crashing to her butt. She reached out for Zach, grabbing onto one leg of his jeans in a death-like grip as she struggled to find her footing.