One Shots

Midnight Drive (M)

 

                                     Midnight Drive

    “Carl, we can't just steal a car. It's illegal, remember?” Carl pulled his bat out from where he was holding it, underneath his leather bomber jacket.

   “Relax, James, we'll give it back.” He grinned wildly at me, a mischievous glint in his honey-glazed eyes. I fell silent at his words, but maintained the glare that I aimed right at the back of his stupidly dark hair. It merged with the darkness, shadowing his face even more so in the dim light.

    We approached an old Ford Mondeo that looked like it had seen far better days. I barely had time to register Carl's actions before I heard the smash of the driver's side window. A few pieces of glass fell by Carl's feet, but the majority had landed inside.

    The interior was made visible as he popped the lock and swung the door open, his eyes alight with dangerous excitement. There were times when I regretted ever becoming friends with Carl. This was definitely one of those times.

   After shifting the large shards of glass from the floor, Carl threw himself in front of the wheel, adjusting the seat so he could comfortably reach the pedals.

    “Come on, get in.” He ordered.

    I shook my head in nervous disapproval. “I don't think we should be doing this.” My feet couldn't stay in one place and neither could my eyes, which were both on the anxious lookout for cops.

    “Jamie, get in, come on. Don't be boring.” When I declined his offer for the second time, Carl apparently decided to manhandle me into the vehicle, grabbing my waist and pulling me down onto his lap.

    For a moment I was in a very awkward, uncomfortable position with my ass pressed against his groin, the gearstick pressing into my back and my lanky legs hanging out the door.

    It took a few embarrassing hand-slips on Carl's end and a few frustrated groans on mine, before I was successfully maneuvered into the passenger seat, where I sat with burning red cheeks.

   Thank god we were doing this under the cover of darkness.

    As Carl shut the door, we sat in silence for a few more minutes. I watched as his hands flexed against the steering wheel, before he eventually came out with, “Sorry for grabbing your junk just then. It wasn't anything queer, I swear.” He sounded sincere, but he wouldn't quite look me in the eyes.

    “No it's fine – I mean, not, not fine, but, you know...”

    Carl laughed. “Okay. Good.” He nodded, trying to hold back a smile. I turned to look out the window on my left in a subtle attempt to hide a smile of my own.

    “Oh-kay, just gotta fiddle around with these wires a bit and...” I felt the car rumble to life. “And hey presto! We're good to go.”

    “Still don't think we should be doing this,” I murmured, more to myself this time, because it was obvious Carl didn't give a shit about my opinion.

    “Oh, live a little.” He responded anyway, putting the car into gear and spinning the wheel with such finesse, that you'd think he'd been driving his entire life. Which was impossible, considering he's only eighteen.

    I'd never seen him drive before. Didn't even know he could until yesterday, when I saw him take the wheel for a friend who was exhausted from driving up from the south. Carl's face ignited with pure delight whenever he was seated in front of the wheel of a car.