Green-Eyed | Violentine

Part Eighteen | Open Road

"Louis can we do something else now, we've played about fifty rounds of this game," says Violet as she rests her head on the windowsill. She watches as the colours and shapes outside the vehicle blur into a mass of greens and greys as the car speeds down the highway.

"What's wrong with eye spy?" Louis questions, lifting one hand off the steering wheel as he gestures. Violet rolls her eyes and turns around in her seat so she can throw a glance at Clementine. The younger girl is pressed up against the window, the soft leather seats cushioning her side and hips. Her eyes are closed, her jaw slightly slack as she sleeps soundly in the backseat. Violet lingers on her for a while, smiling when she sees no worry or concern wracking Clementine's face. Only peace is painted on her features.

"How long have we been driving for?" asks Violet once she returns her attention to Louis and the long straight road that stretches far into the distance.

Louis checks the clock on the interface of his satnav, "almost three hours," he says as he rests his arm against the window and shifts uncomfortably in his seat. They've been driving for a long time now and everyone could do with getting out of the car and stretching their legs.

Violet nods and lets her head fall back against the seat, she inhales deeply, "next McDonalds please, then afterwards I'll drive the rest of the way" she lazily says to Louis with her eyes still closed.

"Yes ma'am," Louis says as he slowly moves the car into the exit lane.

"Is Brody still behind us?" Violet asks, opening her eyes and looking in the wing mirror to see if she can spot the pickup on the road. It's a Saturday and the highways are packed but in the distance, Violet makes out the shape of a red pickup that resembles Marlon's truck.

"She's way behind. Best to send text a Marlon and let him know we're turning off at the next exit," says Louis as he readjusts the driving mirror and returns his attention to the road. Violet pulls her phone from her pocket and sends the text to Marlon before settling back in her chair. The car judders over the rough tarmac as Louis pulls away from the busy highway.

From the backseat of the car, Clementine stretches and groans as she awakens from her slumber. Violet turns in her seat and smiles at her girlfriend who rubs her eyes before glancing out of the window. Just for a moment, just to figure out where she is. After a few seconds of watching the world sail by in a wash of colours and cars, she meets Violet's gaze.

"Hi," she mumbles with a smile as she stretches her arms out in front of her and rolls her shoulders beneath the confines of the seatbelt.

"Good morning Clem," says Louis as he hears the brunette sit up in her seat and clear her throat.

Clementine nods and lets her gaze settle of Violet who's still twisted in her seat to smile at her girlfriend. The brunette reaches forward and places one hand on Violet's shoulder as she leans upright in her chair to observes the roads ahead. "What time is it?" she asks, her voice is still slightly groggy but to Violet, she seems brighter than she did earlier this morning. Violet hopes that she's managed to sleep off her hangover.

"It's almost 10 am," says Violet as she turns to sit forward in her seat. Louis indicates onto a smaller road and heads into the built-up city that sits beneath the roaring freeway. "We're not far from Charlottesville."

"Are we stopping soon? I wouldn't mind a bite to eat," says Clementine as she runs her hands through her curls, attempting to tame them. She leans over to her travel bag and fishes out two hair ties, quickly combing her fingers through the tangles she fixes two small pigtails, one behind each ear.

"Next McDonald's we come across," says Louis with a grin. Clementine nods and rests her hands on her lap as she gazes out of the window. Her hangover has thankfully worn off and in its place, she feels an excitement tingle under her skin, she finds herself staring at the side of Violet's face. From the angle Violet's sitting in Clementine can only see the slope of her forehead and her defined cheekbones. Clementine smiles and sighs with content, she's so infatuated with Violet, she feels like the luckiest girl alive.