Being Anna Marie

Being Anna Marie part 2

“Oldies again, dad? Gosh can we play something that’s I don’t know…of this century?” Andrea asked, mocking the radio station blaring through the car’s sound system.

They were surrounded by nothing but an endless cluster of trees, trees so huge that even if it had not been pitch black outside they would have blocked any access to sunlight. The wind howled against Andrea’s father’s old blue Honda causing it to slightly sway even under her father’s capable if not extremely cautious hands, while the rain pulverized the rust stained car making the ability to see anything almost impossible.

“Hey, this song’s a classic. They don’t make music like this anymore,” her father teased as he moved to crank the volume louder. He grinned, his features all that much more handsome as he noticed the grimace on Andrea’s face.

“It’s classically old, that’s what it is, and they don’t make music like this cause no one wants to buy it,” she said while checking her reflection in the visor mirror. She fixed an imaginary flaw even though her makeup remained unblemished, her skin perfectly smooth, her blue eyes so like our fathers free from worry. Her glossy red lipstick immaculately applied, her long blonde hair falling gorgeously around her heart shaped face, and her teeth toothpaste commercial white.

“Hey, how’s your sister?” her dad asked, his fingers reaching to crank the volume down, his voice filled with concern.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Marie was supposed to be here tonight.”

She smacked the mirror back in place with a snap, turning mocking eyes towards her father. “Yeah, well little Marie failed her Chemistry test, and although she told our fucking loser of a step dad that she was having trouble in that class before the test he brushed it off as he always does, and now she’s stuck babysitting the brat. And of course mom stands by being completely oblivious to … to well about anything.”

The rain pounded against the windshield, the windshield wipers barely keeping up with the down pour, and yet still through all the thunder you could hear my father’s weary sigh. “You shouldn’t talk about your mother like that.”

“Why not? Hell, it was kind considering the shit she says about you.”

“Don’t curse, its not attractive,” my dad replied while laughing at Andrea’s eye roll.

“Anyways, I just don’t see why we can’t stay with you dad? I mean I’m seventeen and Anna Marie is sixteen we won’t even be in your way,” she pleaded, her blue eyes filling with tears.

My dad turned towards her, his hand wiping at the tear rolling down her cheek, “You know if I could I would, but I have a record. And your mom was quick to use that against me. I’m lucky I get to see you two one weekend a month.”

“But maybe-.”

“No Andrea, we’ve been over this. No judge is going to give a convict custody over a mayor and his wife. Plus you live in that huge house and you got your own car, and private school. Can’t be all bad?”

Andrea turned towards the window to hide her streaming tears, focusing on the falling rain and the silent forest surrounding them instead of her depressed reflection.

He just had no fucking idea.

“What the hell-, What the hell is that in the road!”

The car jerked to the left, the rain making it slide as if the wheels were instead skates on ice. Andrea turned towards the windshield, her heart pounding in her chest as whatever caused her father to swerve seemed to be coming towards them that much faster. The car spun, the sound of screeching tires filling the silence, trees became a blurred vision surrounding them. You could hear their screams pierce the air as the car hit something in the road causing it to descend from the ground, helplessly flipping over completely. Glass flew over their skin, raining cuts and bruises around Andrea’s beautiful blue eyes. The car continued to slide chaotically as If controlled by the devil himself, dislodging a huge piece of glass from the windshield, hurtling it towards her father’s terrified form still trapped within his seat belt.