Quinn and I sat awkwardly in the backseat as Joseph gave us and one of Masons friends a ride home. All she did was stare out the passenger seat window. We were silent. The only thing anyone could hear was the girl breathing.
"That's the place." She said as we turned a corner. She shifted in her seat. We pulled up and she got out and left.
"What, no thanks?" I mocked her as I helped Quinn climb into the front seat. I leaned in between their seats and turned up the radio as we drove away. "That's better."
Joseph shifted in his seat and smiled. I mess up his hair and Quinn screams.
"Dude calm!" I said. We had only shifted a few feet. Joseph turned his attention onto the road. Quinn sighed in frustration.
"We could have died!" She started to freak out, and I sat back in my seat. We were silent the whole ride home.
After Quinn left, I crawled into the front seat, and looked at Joseph.
"What was that about.?" I blurted. He just blinked.
"No clue. Maybe she's just scared of cars." he says, as we pull into my driveway.
"Well thanks." I say, waving, then run into my house.
...
"Hello sweetie." my mom yells. "How was the fair?"
"Good." I say, walking into the kitchen. It smells like lemons. Everything is cleaned up. I look out the window. There are flowers in the garden. The car has four wheels. My mom comes over and hands me a warm cookie.
"Try these. I was baking today. Are they any good?" I bite into it and smile.
"Amazing."
...
I realize that a tear is rolling down my cheek as I stand in my doorway. The house is not clean. There are no flowers. The kitchen smells like cigars. My mom is not home, and I walk into the house to see that she left a note.
"Gone on a trip." I sigh. At least the last time she did this, she told me in person. Then she left for five days. I was 14.
I look around the kitchen. There is no food. I decide to go shopping tomorrow. Then I trudge upstairs and fall asleep.
