Waterproof

EIGHTEEN

a/n: i could come up with a really good excuse as to why i haven't published in a while but in all honesty, i didn't want to charge my laptop. enjoy what i wrote at school, though.

four hours on the road

"No! You can't just cut me off like that!"

I held back a snort. "You're going so slow, Carson."

"I'm doing the speed limit."

"You're doing five below the speed limit."

"The highway is a scary place, Ellie."

I laughed. "You've been driving since eighth grade."

"Yeah, but I've been driving alone since Junior year."

"You're not alone!" I defended. "I'm here."

"You, like, never drive. I'm pretty sure you're worse than my blind grandma."

I smirked. "Then pull over."

"What?"

I laughed. "I said to pull over. Let me drive."

"What? No!"

Carson honked at someone in front of him. "You're worse at driving than I am, dude."

"Dude?"

I shrugged. "Get over it."

Carson snorted, and then pulled off to the side of the road. "Let's switch, then."

I grinned victoriously and unbuckled my seatbelt before hopping out of the car.

Carson got out, too, and then I was sitting in the driver's seat. "Oh, yeah," I laughed. "Buckle up."

Carson did, and then I merged back onto the road.

[-]

Thirty minutes later and it was clear Carson knew I was a better driver.

For the first fifteen minutes, he did nothing but switch his stare from what I was doing and the road. After that, he sat back in his seat.

And now he was playing on his phone.

Suddenly, erasing the quiet that swelled in the car, a phone rang. "Not mine," he said.

I sighed and handed mine to him. "Who is it?"

"It's your mom."

I gulped. "Answer it, please."

"Hello, Ms. Cait." Pause. "Yes, that is something we have come to know." Pause. "A few weeks." Pause. "Since last week." Pause. "Oh, she's driving." Pause. "Speakerphone? Sure thing."

Carson pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed a button on it. "Hey, Mom," I tried.

"How long until you're back?"

"We're trying for tomorrow."

"And if you run late?"

I sighed. "I'll update you."

"I don't like this."

"I need to know, Mom."

She sighed. "I know. I know. Me too."