Natural Disaster

Chapter 1

                  

Snow delicately falls on my head and covers the ground around my feet.  The wind makes me shiver but it doesn't bother me.  I was told to wait in the warm car but I couldn't help but wait outside.  I look down at my feet and watch as the snowflakes fall and melt away on the pavement.  The world feels silent and pure as the trees catch the snow when it falls.  As I reach for my phone to check the time, the front door opens and Chance steps out with a thermos of coffee in his hands.  He turns around and looks at me with his innocent blue eyes.  I fake a smile and open the driver's side of my truck and climb in. 

"Interesting clothing choice," Chance says as he slides into the passenger seat next to me.  I look down at my plain black leggings and boots with sweater socks showing.

"Have you gone basic on me?" he said with a slight smile.  I look over at him and say confidently,

"What?  Just because we hate the girls who wear this stuff doesn't mean I hate the clothing itself."  Chance choked out a laugh as he brings his coffee to his lips.  I snicker back and put the key in the ignition.  As I turn the key all that comes out is a rumbling and a loud clunk.  I sigh and throw my head against the head rest of my seat.

            I try again and get the same symphony of clattering metal.  Chance and I look at each other and share a heavy sigh.

"I'm cool with being late to calculus but my teacher doesn't believe that every single day your excuse of a truck doesn't start," Chance says as he shifts his backpack to the floor.  I slam my palm on the steering wheel in frustration.  I cross my fingers when, for the third time, I turn the key with all the strength I can.  By some mysterious force, the motor sputters to life.  I smile conceitedly and turn to Chance.

"Oh shut up," he says as he tries to hold back a smile.  I shove the car in gear just as the vents begin to blow hot air and thundering country music fills the car. 

"Oh god, why do you listen to that crap?  You realize they only talk about girls, sex, alcohol and trucks in literally every country song written by a guy?" Chance says with a twinkle in his eye.  I pull out leaving tire tracks in his snow laden driveway and turn towards school.  Chance lives pretty close to school but his parents work all the time and don't have the time to practice driving with him. 

"You never listen to country, how are you supposed to know?"  I say as I turn the radio down.  "You do realize that we have this same conversation every day.  You comment about your hatred of country and I come back with the fact that you never listen to it." 

"Well it's a reasonable discussion."  Chance commented as he flips the radio until he finds a station playing classical jazz. 

            I roll my eyes and use all the willpower I have to not flip the station.  Jazz is so old fashioned or as Chance calls it, retro.  We ride in the sound of smooth saxophones and funky piano as I focus on the road ahead of me and Chance sips his coffee next to me. 

"So what is going on in your life?" Chance said as I turn onto the county road.

"Chance I just saw you yesterday, nothing has changed," I reply. 

"Ok then how's your mom doing?" he asked.  I sigh and blink slowly. 

I want to tell Chance the truth but I simply say, "She's getting better I think."  I thought I was in the clear but I forgot how well Chance knows me. 

He looked and me with squinted eyes and said, "C'mon Bee, I know that look."

I sighed again and glanced over at him with a weak smile.