Similar Differences (Fassavoy)

~2~

He felt like everything was frozen. The entirety of what was around him was going so slow and immediate panic set it. Another car accident in the span of a month, probably a world record.

A few weeks earlier, Michael and his girlfriend at the time had planned to go for a little road trip north to meet her parents. He remembered the feeling of meeting a girl's parents so well, it was the most amazing feeling.

"Honestly, you're going to love them and they will love you." He remembered her saying to him as she was reading a book in his car. He exhaled, "I think they'll hate me like most parents do. To them I'm just the guy banging their daughter."

The chuckle was never forgotten as right after the chuckle was when it happened. She stretched back to get her water bottle that was hiding in her back when the car sped from around a corner too quickly.

It fell on its side and knocked Michael's down into a ditch with the other car next to it. The glass shattered from the impact and cut all over his face. He had closed his eyes but it was worse that way.

When he opened his eyes again, he was upside down. Michael looked over to see his girlfriend unconscious and stuck in a bad position. Her neck had glass all over it with blood dripping down each piece.

Slowly, he moved her out through her side before he climbed out too. It was good timing as the other car's weight was obviously too heavy and had crushed part of the car.

She lay on the floor, still out of it. He began to cry as he held her in his arms. He checked for breathing, nothing. He checked if her heart was going, nothing. He tried to find a pulse, nothing.

He had practically killed her because he wasn't slower at driving. When he finally got her to a hospital, they couldn't do anything because she was already dead.

Her parents couldn't stand it and yelled at him for the entire month leading up to the funeral. He felt it was only right to go there and mourn her after it was his car that got her in the accident.

Suddenly, Michael felt a weight push him onto a path. James yelled, "Why the fuck didn't you move!? You could have gotten yourself killed!" He sat silent as the tears began to stream down his face.

"I-I'm sorry I just f-f-froze. Cars s-s-scare me..." He eventually forced out the words from his throat that made James pull him into a tight, reassuring hug.

James instantly felt guilty. He had known about the accident as soon as it had happened and yet he still asked questions that were not right to ask a man so damaged.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have blamed you and gotten annoyed." He spoke quietly in a voice that could make someone fall in love with them. Michael felt those butterflies but ignored the feeling due to his panicky state.

He wiped his eyes and began to stand up, giving James the cue to let go. After composing himself, he happily smiled, "So should we go for those drinks?"
"Michael, is that a good idea? You're in a bad state of mind and who knows what could happen?"

He rolled his eyes and began to drag James into the pub. It was crowded with people who were either watching a game or playing darts. They marched to the bar, "Pints of proper lager."

They were getting pissed.