Prose to Prozac

Chapter 1- I Have to Pee

She sat in the car like she always did: a piece of furniture.

No, she was not sat upon or any other manner of household interaction. She was just treated as necessary, but not to interact back with you. She sat in the back, because she was always the youngest. The seats were always leathery and smelled faintly of the first day they were bought. She’d slide in, taking in the new tan surroundings before quietly checking her phone as she did every time she had nothing to do. Her sister and whoever was driving would also get in, taking their time, sliding seat belts and slipping casual words that meant nothing.

“I only know because I did a show at the place we’re going to.”

The car started, a pinging noise that most cars had abandoned models ago. The driver would jerkily begin forward and get the three of them en route.

“Oh, yeah? Cool.”

They always dragged out the word cool. It came out like “Coo-ool” with the second syllable being higher than the first. It didn’t necessarily suggest it was fake, but bothered her all the while.

“Yeah, it was (insert show here). It was pretty fun.”

They ended up on the highway much sooner than she anticipated. It happened all the time, but she still felt surprised. She never knew if her speaking or not would matter. Her sister would just talk over her, and the driver would just ignore her. She was just there. Dressed up, smiling, with no prospects because no one cared to offer them to her.

“Can we stop for coffee?” Her sister was obsessed with the brown drug. She needed three or four cups a day just to function on low.

They were in the wrong lane to turn into the nearest Royal Farms, when the driver jerked forward and sped into the right lane, pulling a sharp right turn. She wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, and slammed into the back of the driver’s seat.

“Hey, Jess!” the driver called, as her sister got out. Jess came back quickly, silently awaiting her caffeinated freedom.

“Get me a water.” She handed her money, and Jess went inside. She and the driver were alone. She didn’t know what to do. Call it anxiety or insanity, but she said, “I think it might rain.”

Now she’s become the idle moron she hates. But the driver, who could honestly be any of her family members since they all act the same, goes on and on about the weather’s potential.

The only reason she and Jess got a ride from her was because she only had her learners and Jess didn’t have a license. They couldn’t go anywhere, really.

Jess returned with the snacks, and they set off toward the outdoor theatre they are going to in order to see some Shakespeare play.

She was into theatre, but she wasn’t obsessed with Shakespeare like most. Not because he was bad, but because she knew all his stuff. She was only going to get out of the house. God knows it wasn’t for the conversation.

The car ride wasn’t particularly fantastic. A few simple remarks, Jess’ attempt at humor when she’s with people that aren’t Etta.

Etta as in she.

Etta and Jess were eight years apart. Etta was sixteen and Jess was twenty-four. Most people assumed with that gap they were constantly lost in translation, but it was quite the opposite. They weren’t completely in sync, but they had an understanding. Right now Etta was a teenager, so she was moody. Her sister was clearly disconcerted by it, and Etta might be inclined to do something about it if she knew when it happened. She was completely blind to her own shitty behavior.

The play they were seeing was called Measure for Measure, about a man who impregnates his lover just as a law-abiding authority makes that very thing illegal. the man’s sister attempts to save her, but she can only do so by lying with the man who made the law, therefore ruining her chances of joining the nunnery. It was being performed especially at a vineyard, among the stars. They had brought with them picnic baskets full of delicious food, along with giant bottles of water. The vineyard gave out free wine, so Jess and the driver, whose name was Bonnie, would be drinking that. The water was so they stayed in their right mind.

Daylight was dimming down as the sun began to shuffle into a descent, but it was still very much light outside.

“Green Pike Rd.” Bonnie said.

That was where they had to stay to get to the grounds. Etta stared nonchalantly out the window at the lush greenery around them. They may not have been on the grounds of the winery yet, but they certainly were on beautiful land. She turned to her phone and checked it. This time she saw a Facebook notification and checked it. She smoothed out her skirt as she did. It was a full, light blue mini skirt. With it she wore a green tank top and teal, see-through sweater tucked in. On her legs were black tights, and she wore what was becoming a signature pair of brown boots with ruffles around where they laced up.

She commented on one of her friend’s videos and smoothed out her light brown hair, which was a teal blue and purple dip-dye halfway down. When she was finished, she set her phone back down and looked out the window.

Suddenly, the car jerked to the left. “Not again.” Etta mumbled. at least she had put her seat belt on after the Royal Farms jerk-off.

Etta stared out at the green before her, settling back into her seat properly. And then it hit her, so fast she almost squealed. Bonnie looked at her in the rearview mirror, concerned. Jess turned around asking what was wrong.

Etta hated it, but she couldn’t help it.

“I have to pee really bad!”

The two women sighed, and Bonnie nodded. “We should be there soon. Next place I see we’ll stop.”

Boy what a bad idea that would turn out to be.

So the first chapter is not nearly as exciting as the rest. this one just kind of sets up the rest of the story. Review if you like, or even if you don't! I wanna hear what you have to say!