Forbidden

Initiation

Five minutes later, she was seated snugly next to Hailey in the backseat of a late model Range Rover as they pulled out of Wanda's parking lot. She wanted to pay attention to their route, but an incessant tapping on her leg drew her attention to the girl at her side.

"Wh-"

Hailey shook her head, cutting her eyes at the rear view mirror. Van found Isaiah's blue eyes pinned on her rather than the road.

"What are you two chatting about back there?"

"Just girl talk. Maybe it's about you." she replied, injecting honey into her words- thick and sweet and strong enough to mask the bitterness.

Jett swiveled around and laced his hands over the back of his head. He winked at Van and Hailey before turning back to the front. In another life, she might have found him handsome with his tilted eyes and ink black hair. But the way he groveled for Isaiah's attention was enough to disfigure any good looks.

"Dude, teach me your way with the ladies," Jett joked before cranking up the stereo.

The car vibrated as the song's bass beat thudded through the speakers, but no more than two words passed before Isaiah pressed mute.

"Can't hear anyone talk if we listen to music."

"Music is distracting anyways," Van replied.

The engine roared as the car sped up, and Hailey groaned. Van gripped the door handle, desperate to appear calm even as her heart thudded and her vision dimmed. It was bad enough to be in a speeding vehicle during the day, when she could judge how fast they were going based on the blur of the trees and sky, but at night, she felt as if she were sucked into a tunnel. No escape.

Isaiah continued to speak without looking where he was going. "Oh, that's right. I bet you're really careful in cars, Van."

They fishtailed as they took a sharp turn onto a gravel road. A bit of moon broke between the clouds. The thick forest edging the road was gone, replaced by still waters edged in white. Gusts of wind stirred up the fine powder on the icy rocks, making it appear as though the snow was rising up from the ground, and when the flakes landed in the water, they dissolved on contact.

The scenery should have been beautiful. Instead, it made Van want to vomit. She had forgotten about the snow, so not only was she in a speeding vehicle with a reckless asshole, but she was in a speeding vehicle with a reckless asshole on slick roads. On a bridge.

"We should really slow down."

"What was that?" Isaiah demanded, his eyes bright with a maniacal fire as he pushed his foot against the pedal.

"Come on, Van. Sing along. You know the words to the song."

"Pay attention to the road, Mom."

"Walker, your big sister is too cool to sing with us anymore."

"It's going to be okay, Van," Hailey whispered. "They do this to all the kids who will make the officer track."

"They kill all of them in car crashes?" she hissed, both hands now on the handle. She didn't give a damn that anyone knew she was terrified.

"You're not going to die, Van. I would never allow it," Isaiah said, jerking the steering wheel around a curve. They were off road now, every bump jostling them into the ceiling and doors. Jett let loose  a curse as his face struck the window.

"It's an initiation, Van. They're just going to scare us a bit. Right, Isaiah? Isaiah!"

"Mom, slow down."