A Part of My Memory

Zara

"It's not that funny," I said, and despite myself, I laughed.

Faizah had to pull off to the side of the road to catch her breath, resting her head against the steering wheel.

"How did you manage to say that with a straight face," Ally asked, amused.

"Gosh," Faizah said, wiping a tear. "Please don't make jokes like that when I'm driving."

"It wasn't meant to make you laugh that hard," I muttered.

Serena exhaled, catching her breath, "anyway, let's go to the back now, it's far too hot in here."

"Hold on," Faizah said before opening a compartment and handing us a bottle of sunscreen. "There's a lot of sun, so you'll need it."

"We don't have to—" Serena began.

"You do," Faizah interjected.

With a sigh, Serena obeyed, applying sunscreen on her exposed skin—knowing that Faizah wouldn't let it go—before handing it to me. Ally held her hand back to take the sunscreen when I was done but Faizah dropped her hand.

"You don't need it," Faizah told Ally.

"But I'm paler than the both of them," Ally reasoned.

"You're not going to the back. You can't leave me to keep myself company," Faizah said.

"But it's hot," Ally complained.

"Then we can suffer together," Faizah smiled and then looked back at us. "Go on then."

Serena and I hopped out of the car only to jump into the back of the pickup, stepping on the wheel to boost us up. Once we were up, we held onto the mounting rack rail to support us before Faizah took off. The breeze was so much better out here, as was the view. The large buildings and structures of the city were slowly replaced by large hills and rock formations. I tightened my cap around my head to stop it from flying off while Serena tied up her hair to stop it from flying across her face.

"This is so nice!" Serena shouted above the wind.

"You don't have to shout," I told her. "I would be able to hear you perfectly fine if you spoke normally."

"What was that!" She shouted louder and I couldn't help my laugh. "I'm hungry now though," Serena said "Aren't you hungry?" She didn't wait for my answer before she stuck her head through the small window connecting us to the front, "we should make a snack stop."

"I know," I heard Faizah answer. "We also need fuel."

"How long till the nearest gas station?"

"About 15 minutes."

Serena nodded before standing. She turned around to face the back when a slight gasp escaped her lips and she turned and faced the front again.

"Look back," she instructed, and I did, but I didn't gasp as she had. She had always been a car person and, following behind us was a red convertible. It was nice, I guessed.

"Wow, it's very... red?"

"Not the car!" she chided, turning around to look back again. "The people in the car."

"Quit staring."

"Hurry up and look before they turn onto another road or something," she urged, glancing back again.

"No."

"Zara they're so freakin' hot, just look," she insisted. "Your eyes will thank you."

"I hate when people stare at me from the backs of cars," I told her. "I'm not going to do the same thing."