Crawler

05

"Want a drink?" I asked Nestor, pulling him from his thoughts.

He accepted the bottle of corona that I held in front of him before taking the seat beside him. I don't know why he would sit in the middle of the three seater. I tucked my legs up under me and turned to half face him. He had bruises fading on his cheek and he looked exhausted. The doorbell rang and I moved to answer but a wary hand stopped me.

"You expecting someone?" He asked as his hand touched his gun.

"Yeah, Sal and I have standing date every Saturday night." I replied with an eye roll as I opened the door to the delivery man.

I locked the door and carried the box to the coffee table and sat back down. Nestor looked at the box and smirked.

"Somehow I don't believe it is actually an authentic New York pizza." He said as he flipped the lid and grabbed a slice.

I grabbed a piece for myself and turned the Lakers and Heat game on. I felt his eyes on me as I watched my home team lose. I tossed the crust of my pizza into the box angrily while he looked smug.

"Useless fuckers." I growled as I pulled the betting slip from my wallet and kissed it.

"I'm confused."

I looked at him as he looked between me and the betting slip. I waved it with a smile. "I bet they would lose within 5 points. 30:1 mofo."

He smirked and shook his head before tilting it back against the couch and staring at the ceiling.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I tugged his braid gently to get a reaction.

"Do you ever get tired of doing things for everyone else?" He asked still looking at the ugly ceiling tiles.

"I try to do what I want." I shrugged. "When I can't I do the things but I do them my way, keep a bit of control in my own hands."

He looked at his swollen and cut knuckles and chuckled. "Never had much control in my hands."

I bumped his shoulder. "At least you finally got a sense of humour. It's easier when you don't take shit so seriously. Can't change yesterday. Can't plan tomorrow. Might walk out of this building, take a bullet to the head."

"They teach you that in prison?" He asked.

"Fuck no, that's a sermon in the church of Coco Cruz." I grinned. "Get up, we're going out."

I quickly changed my clothes to a laced top and ripped skinny jeans before grabbing my keys. I drive us to the desert and hopped out of the car. Nestor followed and I took his seat.

"You're driving." I said pointing to the empty seat and he slowly walked around to the side.

"To where?" He asked confused as he moved the seat and mirrors around.

"Nowhere, everywhere. Just drive, floor it, drift it, skid it. I don't care but you gotta do something." I said as I lit a smoke.

He started slow just driving along the dusty ground, testing the acceleration and feel of the wheel. A few minutes passed before he stopped and put it back in 1st. I smiled as he revved with the clutch in.

"Don't panic when she lifts up. There's nothing around to crash into. It will bounce but you just keep that wheel straight." I guided as the car shook under his revs.

He let the clutch go as he floored it and I laughed freely, cheering him on as we lost sight of the ground. My headlights illuminated the night sky and he kept control of the wheel. The suspension bounced us as the front came down and we flew across the plains. I leant over and saw him pass 120m/h, he finally had a smile on his face too. He slowed down and cruised back to the highway home.