365 Days

223

223

The farm, as Alex explains to me, is their grandparents' second property. It is half an hour out of the center of Hobart where the city turns to bush. The farm itself has a little house to the front of the massive block, and six sheds lining the left hand side. The rest is grassland and trees, stretching out for acres.

On the way I learnt which twin is which, and that Fletcher is the tall one and Samuel is the small one. Given their complete opposite statures, it is still easy to tell they are twins by mannerisms.

Alex parked the car beside the huge willow tree in the middle of the yard, where two swings hang off it's branches. Willow and I sit on them while the twins stand in front and Alex stands beside me, his hand on the rope that holds my swing up.

"What do you guys do out here?" I ask, swinging my legs back and forth.

"Usually we play pool in the second shed," Fletcher pipes up, pointing to the larger shed across the yard.

"Or we play spotlight when it's dark," Samuel adds.

"Or just relax," Willow smiles, her hands curled around the rope of her swing.

"But today we're going to do something different," Alex says. I look up to see an excited smile on his lips. "Today we're going to teach you how to drive."

My stomach drops and my eyes widen. "No, you're not."

"I can if you want a more experienced driver to teach you," Fletcher lulls, crossing his muscly arms over his chest.

"Will you quit flirting with her? She's two years younger than you and lives in a whole other state." Alex punches him on the arm and it doesn't look like it was a soft punch.

"Du bin ein kartoffel," Willow mutters, pulling her light hair into a ponytail.

"Don't insult me in a language I don't understand," Fletcher grumbles but his sister just laughs.

"Learn it then."

"We're getting a bit sidetracked, aren't we?" Samuel asks, interrupting his siblings before they can go on any further. "Alex is only here for two days and you two are going to fight the whole time?"

They look at each other and shake their heads. I involuntarily smile at how much they value Alex being here.

"Time for Dakota to learn to drive," Willow beams, getting off her swing while I sink further into mine.

"I-" I start to protest, but Alex shushes me.

"You'll be fine."

"I won't."

"You will."

"I'm really bad."

"I doubt that."

"And now who's the one flirting?" Fletch interrupts suggestively.

"Yeah but I'm allowed to," Alex defends.

"Says who?" I ask. Fletcher and Willow burst laughing, as Samuel says, "You just got burned little cousin."

"You're going to pay, Koda," Alex grumbles, before taking my hand and practically dragging me to the car. After the last time this happened, I really don't want to try this again. Alex has managed to get me in the driver's seat but I won't start the car.

"This is a bad idea, Alex. This did not go well last time."

"Your parents tried to teach you in a manual, didn't they?"

I frown. "How did you know that?"

"I have my sources. Anyway, this is an auto. No clutch, no gear shift. Just accelerator and brake. It's easy."