Life of a Mean Girl ✓

22 | chasing cars

❝If I lay here. If I just lay here.
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?❞

-------

JESSAMINE

(Flashback, 2016)

"Come on Jessie, it's 11:00 already! Get in the damn car," my brother whines, impatient from me talking to Vivian. I ignore him and continue speaking with her, sometimes my 20-year-old brother can act like a 10 year and him stomping his foot like a petulant child is evidence of that.

Vivian gives me a smirk. "So, what's going on with you and Jacob?" she whispers, low enough that no one can eavesdrop. My cheeks redden at her question and she beams at me like a child on a Christmas morning. "I knew it! Tell me all the delicious details." I shove her but it doesn't have any effect, she keeps grinning from ear to ear.

I turn around, not ready to divulge any information and she laughs at me, she knows that she'll get the details, just not now where my older brother can overhear. Opening the door, I see my brother glaring at me. I raise my brow in question and he huffs in annoyance. "Nothing, you brat, get in the car."

Before he can get in the car I dash to his side, he looks at me confused. "Actually, can I drive?"

"No way! It's too damn dark and you're nowhere near finished with your driving lessons."

I give him my best puppy dog eyes, knowing fully well that it will work. My brother was easily manipulated like that. I can see him caving and to seal the deal I say the one thing that gets him to agree. "I'll cover for you when you sneak out." He tosses me the car keys and walks to the passenger side. Giddily, I look at Vivian who mirrors my expression and mouths 'good luck' I give her a mock salute and slide into the leather car seat.

"If anything happens to-"

"Don't worry, nothing will happen to us," I tell him resolutely.

He scoffs. "I'm not worried about us, I'm worried about my car."

I roll my eyes at him. Even if we did end up crashing the car, I'm sure mother would happily get him a new one, no questions asked. Being our parents' favorite child did have its perks. But I didn't blame Jackson for being their favorite, he has a tendency of making people like him, no matter what. People gravitated towards his good nature whereas I was considered the bad apple of the family. Sometimes, I felt as if I was born in the wrong household.

"Okay, you remember how to start the car, right?"

"I'm not a child, Jack. Of course, I do." He shrugs in response. I turn the key in the ignition and the engine sputters to life. I lightly press my foot on the gas pedal and it lurches forward. Tightly I grab on the steering wheel, now feeling the pressure of driving.

My brother chuckles at my action. "You don't need to grab so tightly."

I start to sweat when I see cars zooming past us, while some honk behind our slow-moving vehicle. "This wasn't a good idea. Maybe you should take over?" I ask him, ready to park the car but his hand stops mine.

"What? You're giving up that easily? I thought you weren't a quitter."

I look behind me to see the cars honking at me to speed up while the others are cursing at us.  Nervously, I bite my lip. "Hey, pay attention to the road, not them."

"But they're honking at me, it's making me anxious."

"So what? Let them honk. If you care too much about them, that's when you'll slip up. You have to ignore the mindless chatter and focus on the task." I press a little more on the gas pedal, encouraged by his words. "See? You can do it. I wouldn't have trusted you with my life if I knew you couldn't. My sister isn't a quitter."