COUNTRY GIRL - The 7th summer

Chapter 11 - Haz

We hit the road and put on some music again. Kitty is starting to be a little bit nicer to Tom which is a good thing.

I must say, Tom is pulling out his game! I mean, I know he is a nice guy but he's also always the first in line when it comes to play dirty tricks and picking out at someone. I don't reckon I ever saw he acting the way he does in front of Kitty...Even with Elle!

I think it's working tho'. I guess knowing he's a trained dancer helped with breaking the ice, I know she likes dancing. Not that she's taking class or anything, but she loves those dance movies and always end up trying to do the routine she saw in them.

I'm no expert but it's not that bad actually. That's my Kitty, right? She learned almost everything she know by herself and she ends up being fairly good at anything she tries. Even tho' she won't believe me when I tell her so. She's just too hard on herself.

-- By the way, I ask her, how did your A levels go?

-- I think I did okay, she shrugs.

-- That is Kitty's way of saying she nailed it, I turn and say to Tom. Tell him how many you took, I ask her.

-- Wait, Tom says, how come you had your A levels this year?

-- She's a year ahead of us, that little genius.

-- I'm no genius, I just skipped 2nd grade.

-- Brilliant, Tom says genuinely impressed.

-- And I just took 5, it's not that much. It's what's required for Oxford.

-- Sure, I laugh. Genius!

She pokes me but the car jerks suddenly and she grabs back the wheel with a yelp.

-- Shoot, did I drove onto something, she says as she pulls over.

-- I didn't saw anything...

She gets off the car and takes a look around.

-- Bugger, I have a flat tire!

And of course, it happens while we are in a wood, with no services and no living soul around...

Tom who is still trying to get on with her goes all knighty and announce smugly that he and I can fix it. Well I hope he does because I have no fucking clue how to replace a flat tire...!

He opens the trunk and manage to find a jack and a lug wrench.

-- Dude, I whisper, you know what you're doing, right?

-- Yeah I saw my dad doing it once.

I'm not sure that would be enough but it seems that's all we've got.

-- I'm gonna go try to find a spot where I can get a call, says Kitty.

-- In the woods? On your own, I ask.

-- I won't go far, I'll stay on the road and use my phone's flashlight. I'll be fine Harry, she smiles.

That's my girl alright? My smart stubborn girl. That didn't answer the "alone" problem, tho'.

-- Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?

She looks at me but that's the moment Tom chooses to shout:

-- Could use some help over here!

We both turn to watch him struggling with the jack and when I look back to Kitty she's pursing her lips.

-- I'll be fine, she repeats when she catches my eyes. Go give him a hand, I'll be back in 10 minutes. And don't break my car!

She gives me a quick peck and turns around. I still want to go with her but Tom is calling for me again. I watch her walking away for a second before heading back to the car. Tom and I eventually manage to lift it up with the jack but the bolts are just impossible to loosen!

-- For fuck's sake, swears Tom, that damn wheel keeps spinning!

We fumble with the wrench for so long that when Kitty comes back from her little walk, the wheel is nowhere near removed...

-- Guys I couldn't get any signal. I hope you- What the heck do you think your doing?!

-- That piece of shit is impossible to loosen up, I whine.

-- Well maybe if you had done it while it was still on the ground you'd had better luck, she sight.

I look at Tom to see if he understood and find him doing the same. He doesn't look happy to make a fool of himself in front of her, tho'! I stare back at her and she sight again.

-- Seriously? It's not that complicated, if the wheel is on the ground it won't spin when you turn the wrench.

I still don't really get it but Tom apparently does 'cause I hear him saying a faint "Oh".

-- Just get the jack down, I'll show you, she says rolling her eyes as she join us.

And that's when things get worse...