The sun began to sink; slowly enough to keep the Arizona sky beautifully blue, but quickly enough for the sun's beam to become overcast with the atmosphere. The wrinkled roads flowed through all of Pheonix; which was perfect for all five of them to drift on that night. Blurred cacti could be seen as the cars whipped past them. The dry heat became more damp as the three raced towards Mariah's house.
Chris laughed to himself, turning his vision towards the apex point. He began to introduce his acceleration was again, double-taking his rear mirrors to see a coral-colored Chevrolet Corvette yards behind him. He jerked the steering wheel, braking to minimum capacity as Ranya and Lia caught up. They pulled up to his left, Lia sticking her head out of the window with her middle finger distinct in front of his face. Chris rolled his eyes.
"I told you both that you'd lose," He shouted, the coral-colored car's music breaking the transonic barrier. His arm rested against the door as it hung out of the window. He wiped his forehead with the back of his other hand. Ranya revved her car.
"What?" Lia shouted, her eyes scrunched.
"I said," Chris yelled louder, peering his head out of the window as his stubbly beard humidified. "I told you both that you'd lose!"
"What?"
Chris gave up, soon sticking his head back in the car.
"You're a bimbo with plastic ears. That's what," he mumbled in displeasure, resting his right hand onto the steering wheel as he drove. The racing was over. Chris had enough of constantly winning against them. A smile crept upon his face.
Lia stuck her head back in Ranya's car in defeat. She shifted in her seat, resting her hand on the reverse gear. Lana Del Rey blasted in the car, her vocals settling Lia. She tapped her nails, resting her eyes in reverence. The sunlight reddened her vision as they drove. Ranya scowled, darting her eyes towards Chris's vehicle.
"Moron," Ranya mumbled, darting her eyes back to the road in front of them. Lia breathed out, her eyes remaining closed. "What did you see in him?"
The girl went rigid, her smile softening as she stared at Ranya cynically. Ranya turned towards her as well, her expression completely blank as both of her hands steered the wheel.
"What did I see in him?" Lia repeated her ridiculous question sternly. Her eyebrows narrowed as her rabbit teeth appeared vague in her mouth. Her hands rested onto her lap.
"Well, yes. Before," Ranya answered innocently and turned the radio down, which did not aid Lia whatsoever. "Before him and Vi had just started to date. Mariah and I used to think you carried a little torch for him." She winked.
"I've never seen anything in him like that."
Ranya sneered, a dry chuckle escaping her as she returned her eyes to the road. There was a silence. What made her think that she ever liked Chris romantically? They were close friends. Besides, Lia was in love with Evan...at least she thought she was. Their whole situation confused her majorly.
"You cannot tell me that you've never had the hots for Chris," Ranya jeered.
Blood immediately rushed to Lia's head as her eyes widened.
"Ranya!" She blurted with a titter, covering her fiery face to conceal the obvious blush that stood out. She dug her nails into her cheeks.
Her sister examined her, giving out a hearty laugh. Lia composed herself after moments to see her younger sibling staring at her with a deceitful grin on her face. She blushed once more.
"Come on," Ranya teased, poking her in the ribs. "Admit it."
"There's nothing to admit!" Lia laughed in embarrassment. The woman was also quite vexed; she didn't want Ranya to think she ever though of Chris in such a way. She dug her face in the palm of her hand which rested onto the inside of the door.
Ranya breathed out, returning her eyes to to the road once again. She deprecated, not noticing her sister's irritation until she looked over once more.
"Are you annoyed?" Ranya asked.
Lia pinched the bridge of her nose, smiling. She discreetly looked outside of the window to see Chris's car in the right lane. The car rumbled before them, the exhaust clicking with a brief flame.
"I'm more disgusted than I am annoyed," She joked, resting her eyes once more. Ranya chuckled dryly, apologizing.
"I'm just messing with you. I think you and Evan are the only power couple. Well, besides Chris and Vi. You feel me, Sistah?" She turned the notch on the radio up, the music growing louder.
Lia nodded, however narked. In that moment she knew that Ranya had no idea about the situation with her and Evan. The mentioning of him caused her heart to sink to the bottom of her stomach. Despite the severe excitement she felt about drifting with her close friends that night, the guilt of leaving Evan at their house alone was enough to cause her to grimace. He was probably laying on the cold, polished floor, sobbing his eyes out while clutching Kaz, Luna, and Ashe in his arms. Perhaps she should've withdrew from the event, and tell her friends she wouldn't be able to attend the drifting. After all, there'd be an equal amount of people racing if she copped out.
Lia leaned her head against the dent towards the window, watching Chris's car drive in front of them in the right lane. The dry, hot air saturated her eyes, her eyelids fluttering. The sun behind their cars illuminated a bright spark in the right mirror, which burned Lia's cheek. She squinted, studying Chris's car. She wondered how he kept his car so clean. Its matte trim shined from the sun, his pristine tires full and plump. Part of her wished she would've brought her red Chevrolet Corvette. All three of them would've been able to race to Mariah's.
Coincidentally, both cars swerved down a route that lead to Mariah's house. The sudden jerk surprised Lia. She dug her fingernails into the seat, her mouth gaping before she let out of a laugh. The sun that had been behind them was then smack-dab in the side of their faces. The two groaned, Lia rolling up the window. She grabbed a tissue box from the backseat of Ranya's car, placing it against the window where the sun seeped through.
"I meant to ask you..." Ranya started, her eyes laser-focused on the road ahead of her. Chris was in front of the car, his car plate glistening. "Why isn't Vi coming?"
Lia's face came to a slight pout, moderate guilt rushing over her. She felt terrible for not staying by her side, but she knew Vi was not in the right place to deal with anything involving Chris. She seemed genuinely upset. She'd just have to get ahold of herself and calm down--that's all.
"Don't mention this to Chris," Lia answered, scratching the back of her clammy neck. "But him and Vi got into an argument."
Ranya sulked, her eyes scrunched.
"What was the argument about?"
"Chris evidently got stopped by the cops and didn't tell Vi."
Both of them recoiled, clicking their tongue in their mouths.
"And then what happened?" Ranya asked.
"She drove off."
Ranya recoiled again, pouting her mouth into an "O" shape. Lia nodded, agreeing with her mannerism. There was silence.
"When did the argument happen?"
Lia bit her lip.
"This morning."
"And you've been with Chris all day?"
Lia hesitated, her mouth partially open. She was uncertain about how to respond. She didn't know how her sister would react. Obviously, someone spending time with their best friend's boyfriend after they'd just gotten into an argument didn't seem like a power-move.
"Unfortunately," she responded, her body tense.
Ranya nodded. There wasn't much to say about the whole situation. Couples fight all of the time, it wasn't abnormal for their friends to bicker. There was more silence.
Eventually, all three of them pulled into Mariah's driveway. Her house was gorgeous; luxurious with modern amenities and impeccable tan exterior. The house contained formal dormers and balconies. The beautiful entrance gleamed with the spotless silence of "for-company-only." A set of concrete steps descended from the porch that contained expensive-looking plants that sat on the ledge. Lia adjusted her posture, astonished.
"Every time I arrive here, I'm more stunned than the last," Lia whispered in fascination, her eyes darting around every square inch of the house.
"I second that," Ranya agreed. "I'd detach a baby's genitals and deep-fry them into croquettes for this house."
Lia jutted her chin, glancing sideways at Ranya's remark. Her sister was definitely the weird one in their family.
The car decelerated behind Chris, whose headlights flashed off as the vehicle came to a rest. Ranya latched the car in neutral, adjusting her mirrors as the music stopped. The engine's growling discontinued as the two unbuckled their seatbelts.
They stepped out. Lia's legs felt like jelly, her unstable feet sliding into her sandals. She waited for her sister to catch up to her, trying to moisturize the Sahara Desert in her mouth with her saliva. Chris stepped out of his car, his face crimson as he wiped the sweat off his face with his tank top.
"You sweating?" Lia teased Chris, her tone flinty.
"A tad."
All three of them made their way to the door, admiring the dazzling house in front of them.
"How perfect of a house is this?" Lia asked, dumbstruck with raised eyebrows and on her heels. "It isn't too big or too small--just about perfect."
"Yeah," Chris agreed, kicking shards of gravel onto the grass. "Maybe it was owned by a blond woman and some bears."
The sound of a door quickly unlocked before Lia could respond.
"Angels!" A sweet voice shouted. In front of them stood a foxy figure, her bug-eyes lit up with delight as she reached her arms out. They all greeted her with jubilation, despite how damn scorching it was as they stood outside.
"I've missed you all a lot," Mariah told them through hugs. "Come on in. Make yourself at home."
All of them sighed in relief as the cool air chilled their faces, drying the sweat seeping from their hairlines and the back of their necks. Lia exchanged glances with Ranya, who expressed tenderness with her mouth.
"Your house is amazing," Chris complimented, his arms crossed as he admired the room they stood in. Mariah's charming smile beamed at his remark.
"Thank you. It's a bit messy today..."
"Wait until you see mine," Ranya blurted with a restless expression. She clicked her tongue, exhaling dramatically to indicate how untidy it was. Mariah giggled.
"I'm sure yours is beautiful," she commended, her eyes fluttering. "Say, are any of you guys hungry?"
Lia and Chris exchanged glances, holding back laughter as their minds flashed back to their shrimp-taco-date. Lia certainly did not have an appetite, and she didn't think Chris did, either.
"I am," Ranya announced, rubbing her left hand over her stomach in circular motions. "I suppose the leftover In-N-Out burger I had for breakfast didn't do the trick."
Mariah laughed.
"Lucky for you," she started, disappearing into the kitchen as her voice faded out. The three of them stood longingly before she returned with a tray of some sort of toasted bread. "I made Hot Pockets."
Ranya darted her eyes towards the tray, her pupils counting each Hot Pocket as her face lit up with great pleasure. Chris and Lia rolled her eyes.
"And I have the honor of eating some?" Ranya asked blissfully, pointing towards the tray. Mariah nodded with a delectable smile.
"Of course. And what about you two? Would you guys like any?"
Both Chris and Lia shook their heads in a kind manner, thanking her. Ranya and Mariah exchanged glances, shrugging.
"Follow me to the basement then, Ranya," She instructed, the tray of Hot Pockets in her hands. "We've got to get you an ice-cold drink!"
"Awesome!" Ranya acclaimed. The two disappeared downstairs, the sound of footsteps fading. The clock on the wall ticked, each tick seeming to get louder and louder. Chris and Lia stood in silence, soon making brief eye contact.
"The shrimp tacos were enough," Chris told her, his eyebrows raised as he blew out air from his puffy cheeks. Lia breathed out, a grin on her face as she reconciled.
"No need to remind me."
There was silence. The hard-wood floor beneath them shook from a large plane gliding over the house. It interrupted the silence for a few moments, but soon faded. Chris started to walk around, tracing his finger along the walls.
"For a medium-sized house, the dining room is pretty small," He stifled, playing with the lampshade on a table by the window.
"No shit. You take up half the room."
Chris rolled his eyes, accidentally knocking the lampshade over. He flustered, waving his hands to catch it. It clanged against the table, almost knocking a plant over. He moaned in annoyance, grasping both the plant and lampshade in his hands tightly. Lia watched him desperately place the lampshade back to its normal place, which took at least five tries. He exhaled, another knick-knack knocking over as he mumbledi something aggressively under his breath.
"It looks like you've dropped something," She informed him stiffly, trying to resist the grin creeping up along her face.
Chris bent over, the blood rushing to his head as he picked the knick-knack up off the floor. He slammed it onto the table, adjusting the lampshade. His hands reached over as his tan arm muscles protruded. His eyebrows narrowed.
"Really?" He asked sarcastically, exchanging a cold glance with her as soon as the lampshade was adjusted. Lia chuckled dryly.
There was more silence as they stood in the dining room. The AC in the kitchen hushed as the evening sunlight poured into the window, which caused the hard-wood floor to glisten. Lia wondered if Kevin would've been able to join the four. Though, part of her didn't even feel like drifting, which was quite shocking to her. Usually, all she ever wanted to do was drift. However, the night prior was discouraging her.
Chris suddenly convulsed into his palm, grossing Lia out. She shifted away, rolling her eyes as he studied her. She was dedicated to show how disgusted she was; her eyes scrunched and her eyebrows narrowed. She even added a little growl.
"I'm sorry," Chris started. "Is this a cough-free zone?"
Lia held her arms behind her back, breathing out.
"Obviously not. You keep expectorating ike a damn hag."
Chris laughed at her remark, causing him to cough again. He cleared his throat a few times, removing his fist from his face. Lia wondered if he was developing some sort of cold--and if so, he needed to stay the hell away from her.
"I'm alright," he reassured her, gesturing his hands. His voice was hoarse. "At least it breaks the unbearable silence in here."
Lia's smile grew softer, which soon faded. Chris was absolutely right. There was some sort of awkward silence--and she couldn't figure out why. Everything had been fine before, and in all honesty everything was still fine. There was just something in the air that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
"What do you mean?" Lia asked doltishly, adjusting her croptop.
"I don't know," Chris replied in an enigmatic manner. His eyes darkened as he studied her. "What do you mean 'what do I mean?'"
Lia tensed as he began to walk closer, his eyes assertively studying her face. She knew Chris was joking, but for some odd reason his tone caused her to shake in her boots just a tad bit.
"I don't know. What do you mean 'what do you mean' what do--"
Chris shushed her with his finger, shaking his head as he grinned. Lia grinned as well, not looking him in the eye due to how tall the man was. He had been so close she could smell his cologne; a faint, but noticeable scent. She rolled her eyes.
"Remove your finger before I take it and shove it up your ass," She comically warned him, though it wasn't exactly a joke. He eyed his index finger, slowly removing it from Lia's face.
There was a pause. Chris marginally backed away, the sound of his shoes shuffling onto the hard-wood floor. He cleared his throat. Lia stood there in silence, too many emotions overthrowing her. Was Evan doing alright at home? Were her dogs fed? Was Vi upset with her? Why was Chris acting strange? Why were Mariah's curtains not matching with the color of her walls?
"Why're you being weird?" Lia asked, not realizing she asked until it came out. A smile crept upon Chris's face. He immediately bowed his head down, shoving his hands in his pocket. Lia eyed him like a hawk. She realized that Chris knew something that she didn't.
"What!" His voice cracked before Lia could say anything. A sly smile still remained along his face. "I'm not acting weird."
"Yes, you are!"
"I'm not!"
"You are, though."
"Maybe I am, then! But you're acting weird, too, so therefore you have no reason to confront me."
The two grew silent. Chris studied her precisely, wisdom hidden inside his mind that she wished she knew of. He slipped his hand behind his back subtly. Lia knew that he knew something she didn't know he knew.
"I'm not acting weird," Lia defended meekly.
"So to speak."
Lia lodged her tongue in her inner cheek, debating on how to respond. Their conversation was going nowhere, however there was obviously something that Chris was keeping from her. The hot wind blew from the window, causing Lia to break a sweat more than she already was.
"Lia..." Chris began in a tender manner. "I suppose there's something I need to tell--"
"Hell yes! Hell yes! Hell yes!" A strident voice shrieked from down the steps, which was soon recognized as Ranya's. Her and Mariah's voices grew louder as they made their way up the stairs. Ranya held the tray in her hands, a blue Little-Hug Fruit Barrel inside her bra. Mariah came in after her with the rest of the box, whistling.
Lia and Chris broke eye contact, frightened by the sudden noise. They darted their eyes towards the other two; Ranya kept a satisfied smile upon her face, stabbing the opening of her drink while Mariah stood holding up the box of Fruit Barrels.
"Would you guys like some?" Mariah asked gleefully, picking a red one from the box. "I have red, blue, green, purple--"
Both Chris and Lia declined, thanking her. Mariah shrugged, stabbing the opening of the red Fruit Barrel in her hand. Ranya started giggling, pointing at the Fruit Barrel she drank that sat in her bra.
"Check this out," Ranya announced. "I can drink it from my knockers. How fucking amazing is that?"
Both Chris and Lia grimaced. Mariah was too caught up with her own Fruit Barrel. Frankly, Lia was too caught up worrying about what Chris had to evidently tell her. It couldn't possibly have been that bad. However, thousands of questions prowled throughout her mind, and they wouldn't be going away anytime soon.
"So..." Chris began, his index finger resting onto his lip. He pointed to Lia. "You'll be there, Ranya will be there, Mariah will be there, and Kevin will also be there. Perfect!"
"Maybe Snow White and her seven dwarfs will be there as well," Lia bantered, socking Chris in the arm. He shook his head, but there was a slight smile swept along his face.
Ranya and Mariah hailed in excitement. Lia tried to forget everything, between her situation with Evan and whatever the hell Chris tried to tell her. She was more focused on the night to come; her and her close friends would be on Cloud 9 under the celestial stars having the time of their lives.
"And we're talking 10 o'clock?" Mariah's innocent voice asked, drinking the remaining juice from her Fruit Barrel. A droplet of red juice ran down her chin.
"Correct," Chris answered, his eyes making their way towards Ranya, who continued to drink from her breast-barrels. "And Ranya, you're racing with someone, right?"
Ranya's eyebrows narrowed as she hit her vape, a ring of smoke escaping her mouth.
"I'd rather slip Adin Ross the tongue," she deadpanned, soon coughing. "Wow! Too strong of a hit. You feel me, Chicas?"
There was a pause.
"When are you going to quit referring to me as a chica?" Chris finally questioned, rotating the silver ring on his finger. Ranya scoffed.
"Well, seeing as you look just like one, I think it's fair game that I keep on referring to you as one. Maybe when you can prove to everybody that you aren't a chica, I'll give you the chico label, thunder-thighs."
Mariah chuckled before Lia was forced to shut both of them up. She slid her tongue across her teeth, gesturing for both of them to zip their traps before she used them as a human dartboard. Ranya scoffed once again, shoving her vape in her bra before removing the Fruit Barrel from her chest. She grabbed a Hot Pocket, biting into it as Mariah stared at her peculiarly. Chris raised his upper lip in disgust, the corners of his mouth wrinkled.
"Your sister is revolting," Chris whispered in Lia's ear, but loud enough for Ranya to overhear. Ranya grabbed a Hot Pocket from the tray, chucking it at Chris's neck. The huge man let out a yelp, his chocolate eyes widening and his posture stiffening. That caused Lia to wheeze. Her face lit up with laughter; a common sight to see. On the other hand, Ranya's face appeared distressed as she stared Chris down.
"Where's Kevin at?" Mariah asked, causing the Hot-Pocket-to-the-neck situation to become dismissed from everybody's minds. "He mentioned that he was able to drift tonight. I'm just curious as to where he is because he didn't tell me."
The color of Lia's face returned to normal as she sat herself down at the dining room table. The wooden seat was warm from the sunlight. Chris stood to her left, Ranya stood behind the countertop eating her Hot Pockets, and Mariah began to make her way towards the table to sit with Lia.
"Kevin didn't mention where he was," Chris replied, cracking his knuckles as he stood erect. "He just told us that he would be available at 10 o'clock."
Both Mariah and Ranya nodded. The one behind the counter stuffed her face with the Hot Pockets and guzzling down another Fruit Barrel, though it was green rather than blue. She burped, soon hitting her vape as a draught of smoke escaped both of her nostrils and mouth. Chris sneered, eyeing Lia, whom sat with her hands on her lap awkwardly. Mariah blinked a few times, biting her lip.
"What have all three of you been doing?" She suddenly asked brightly, intertwining her fingers together. It was an attempt to brighten the mood, because Ranya always had to make things nutty. And Lia knew to not mention the word "nutty" to her, also. She'd just make a idiotic joke about it anyway.
"Oh, nothing special," Lia responded, tracing her finger across the wooden table. There was a square of sunlight that covered the table of which she rested her hand onto. "We actually had just arrived at Ranya's house before we arrived at your house. We started up her new car and burned some rubber on the way to your lovely abode."
Mariah nodded, hugging her arms around her body. There was a silence.
"You and Chris?" She suddenly asked wonderingly. Her head tilted quizzically, Ranya's eyes soon meeting Lia's as well. Lia eyelids fluttered as she waited for Chris to chime in, but clearly the thought wasn't exactly on his mind either.
"What?" Was all that came out of Lia's mouth.
"You and Chris. You guys arrived at Ranya's house before coming here?" Lia exchanged glances with Chris, whom stared back at her emotionlessly. His eyebrows remained raised as he waited for clarification, but soon his eyes made their way back towards Mariah. Lia tucked a strand of her ebony hair behind her ear, sinking slightly in her chair.
"Well--yes. Sort of. I stayed the night with him."
Mariah's eyes widened moderately, the expression on her face softening as she slowly gazed over at Ranya, whom hit her vape a second time. The puff of smoke vanished within thin air. Before she could speak, Lia realized how odd that sounded.
"No, no!" Lia blurted with a false laugh. Her skin grew hot as she hid her face in her hands. Her voice sounded muffled from her cupped hands surrounding her lips. "Not with him! I mean--yes, with him, like at his house. But not--"
"Alright, that's enough of you," Chris silenced her as Lia removed her hands from her face. It was better that way. Lia gazed downwards, hoping the rest of them didn't think anything of how embarrassed she appeared--especially Ranya. She knew her sister would poke fun at her, considering the chat that occurred in the car.
And as she worried about Ranya noticing her embarrassment, she found her sister grinning with downcast eyes as she shoved her vape in her bra. Lia knew that look. It was a "you're such an idiot for saying something that you knew would get you made fun of" look.
"Are you sure both of you weren't a little too close for comfort?" Ranya teased with a wink between them, which was not the most appropriate thing to do. Ranya clearly had no filter. Lia picked at her nails in disgust about her sister's remark--which she knew was going to come sooner or later. She felt a hot blush burn her cheeks as she turned her gaze towards Mariah in guilt.
"Lia," Mariah softly started in between giggles. "Ranya's clearly joking. Do you really think anybody would actually consider that between both of you?"
The color of Lia's face began returning to normal. Mariah was absolutely right. Lia knew she shouldn't have been worrying about how others perceived her and Chris, whether they were joking or not. Everything about it was ridiculous. And it was Ranya that got to her head; if she hadn't ever mentioned anything about the two, it wouldn't bother Lia whatsoever. The joke was absolutely crossing the line, though. At least to Lia. Chris playfully elbowed her in the side, chuckling.
"I agree with Mariah," he stated, his voice squeaking as he spoke. He gestured his hands. "I think you should lighten up a bit. Ranya's just poking fun at you. You said something oddly phrased and didn't think she'd mess with you? It's nothing out of the normal."
Lia bit her lip, agreeing with him with a shrug. It appeared that Chris didn't think anything of the joke about both of them; which was a good thing. Though, Lia bet that if Ranya had that same talk with him in the car that she had with Lia, it'd be a whole other story. It just grossed her out, that's all.
"I just don't want certain people-- that probably have emphysema--getting the wrong idea," Lia passively joked, darting her eyes towards Ranya in discontent. Her sister raised her hands innocently, her pupils quickly looking from person to person. Once again, Ranya was playing dumb.
"Woah, muchachas!" Ranya nasally blurted. "Let's remember that I have said nothing inhumane for the past two minutes, so I really have no idea what Lia's on about." Before Lia could walk right on over behind the countertop and pimp slap the hell out of her sister, Chris gibed in irritation. He held his broad arms onto his hips, scowling at Ranya.
"Will you quit calling me female names?" Chris pleaded in annoyance. "I'm clearly a male."
Ranya sneered, stuffing another Hot Pocket in her mouth.
"I'll consider it if you grab my other cart from the car," she said with a mouthful of food.
"Absolutely not."
"Then you better get used to having a vagina, Aunt Heppie."
Chris turned around, curling his lip as he ran his hands through his coarse hair.
"Alright," he started, his tone dismal. "Let me straighten some things out. First of all, we're going to meet Kevin at his club around 10 o'clock tonight. Secondly, Lia and I were not 'too close for comfort.' I mean...I'm not going to stand here and lie. The joke was pretty funny. But for one, I have a girlfriend. Plus, we're just close friends--just like I am with the rest of you. And finally, I do not have a vagina." The last few words came out harshly as Chris gritted his teeth.
There was a pause while all three women stared at him, astounded. Lia dug her face in her hands. There was a noticeable change in the sky; the sunset was creeping upon them. Its yellow-orange mellow luster seeped into the window, which glistened in Ranya's eyes. She rolled her precious eyes, backing away from behind the countertop to avoid the luster. Mariah tapped her foot, her hands innocently intertwined.
"Well," Mariah's voice squeaked, breaking the silence. "Should we get going?"
The others simultaneously nodded abruptly, rising up. Their faces lit up with eagerness--even Lia's, who wasn't exactly in the best position at that point. However, she was waiting with bated breath. She couldn't wait to make sparks fly on the streets of McDowell Mountains while the beauty of night overtook them.
"Let's bizzounce!" Mariah cheered, grabbing her car keys from the table. She picked up her raven-black leather jacket from the coat rack, slipping it onto her body. Ranya opened the door for everyone as they walked out.
"Say that again and I'll penetrate your ass with a cacti," Ranya snarled at Mariah, poking her in the chest. The woman giggled, resting her arm on Ranya's shoulder.
"Oh, Ranya," Mariah cooed. "You have such a way with words."
Ranya rolled her eyes--mosty in disgust-- slamming the door behind her as they all exited the house. The room shook briefly, the absence of noise filling every corner of the house.
Outside of the house, the four entered their cars, except Lia, who was the idiot who decided not to bring hers. Instead, she became the passenger princess in Ranya's coral-colored Chevrolet Corvette. Mariah started up her ghost-white BMW Convertible, throwing on her shades from the cupholder of her car. Following Mariah, Chris hopped into his exotic car--which he shockingly fit in--as the engine revved.
Simultaneously, all four of them grinned. Nobody noticed their grinning, but there was a certain energy surrounding them that fulfilled it. Lia adjusted herself comfortably in the passenger seat, borrowing a pair of sunglasses from a drawer in Ranya's car. She rested her head onto the car's interior, the seatbelt tight on her chest. She didn't mind, though. Despite everything that had been happening for the past two days, Lia was more than stimulated for the upcoming night. There was a certain lust she felt; the pit of her stomach sick with eagerness while she gritted her teeth with thrill. She knew everybody else felt the same as well. The energy was most definitely there.
"It isn't 10 o'clock yet!" Mariah's high-pitched suddenly shouted, slowly pulling her car up towards Chris and Ranya's as the hot wind blew in her hair. "Where are we going to go?"
Lia rolled the window down from the passenger seat, getting a gust of humid air inside the car. She squinted, noticing Chris roll his window down as well, peering his damp head out of the window towards Mariah. His tan skin glistened as the sweat dripped down his temples.
"We could always get some trashy tacos!" Chris shouted back at Mariah, though his eyes made their way towards Lia. He winked, shooting a slight teeth-smile as his pearls shined. His dimples were quite prominent; at least that's what Lia noticed. She smiled back, rolling her eyes.
"We'll pass!" Mariah shouted, giggling to herself. "The movie theater it is!" Chris smirked with a thumbs-up, shrugging his broad shoulders as he glanced at Lia. She smirked back, though soon breaking eye contact. Chris rolled up his windows, his engine growling as he followed Mariah out of the driveway. Ranya began driving behind him. Lana Del Rey faintly played on the radio.
"Is that a blush on your face that my eyes lay upon?" Ranya taunted, her left hand tight on the steering wheel as she hit her vape with her right hand. Her cheeks were suctioned briefly while she smoked, a puff of fog escaping her mouth into a ring. Lia turned her head away from Ranya, trying to fight the grin from creeping along her face. She knew her sister's bantering would occur as soon as she stepped inside the car.
"No," Lia hastily replied, staring out of the window. "It's not a blush. It's what--102 degrees outside? Maybe my face wouldn't be so red if you turned the fucking AC on."
Ranya whistled sarcastically, throwing her vape in the cupholder. She eyed the car buttons before pressing them with her nails. A few hushes here and there came out of random vents in the car, but eventually the right ones came on after about fifteen buttons. Lia's head slowly made its way away from the window, her hands intertwined in her lap.
"The AC is on," Ranya informed, her voice nasally. "And for some very, very odd reason...I don't believe that."
"Believe what?"
"That you weren't just steaming under the silks from that wink Chris gave you."
"Ranya!" Lia wailed, her eyes almost popping out of her head. She dug her face in her hands, reddening in embarrassment. A tingly, burning sensation was felt on the back of her ears. She could hear her sister cackle.
"Ay, caramba!" Ranya laughed, watching Lia curl up in humiliation. "I'm joking, no? I'm just messing with you."
"It's not a very funny joke," Lia spoke, her voice muffled from her hands. She had to admit that she found the joke somewhat humorous. However, the whole thing was just way too out of hand. Plus--once again--Chris and Vi were together, and they were the best couple Lia knew. It didn't seem appropriate.
"My apologies," Ranya groaned. "Since when are you so bothered by shit like that? You do it all the time."
Removing her clammy hands from her face, Lia glanced over at Ranya, whom ran her fingers through her crow-black hair. She sighed, resting her head on her right hand.
"I'm not bothered by it. Chris and I are just close friends--I don't know--it's weird." Instead of responding, Ranya nodded cordially. The music on the radio drowned out the silence. Lia tapped her fingernails on the cupholder, staring outside of the window. Chris drove in front of them, while Mariah drove in front of Chris. Lia supposed that they were going to the movie theater to kill time. They had about three hours to spare before they met up with Kevin at his club.
"Want a hit of my vape?" Ranya suddenly offered, sincerity in her voice. Lia turned her head, staring at the vape her sister held in her hand. She shook her head.
"No," Lia declined. "I'm alright, thanks. I don't do that shit."
"Ever?" Ranya questioned in disbelief. Lia chuckled dryly.
"I've never vaped in my life," she said with a laugh.
Ranya darted her eyes to the road, hitting her vape in shock. Smoke seeped from her nose before she blew some from her mouth. She shrugged.
"Well, fuck," Ranya squeaked. "But you've drank before, right?"
Lia shook her head, adjusting her sunglasses before setting her hands in her lap.
"What!" Ranya blurted, an expression of pure astonishment on her face. Lia wanted to tell her sister to keep her eyes on the road, but before she could, Ranya firmly placed a hand on Lia's shoulder.
"We've got to get you drunk tonight, Sistah!" Lia's eyebrows narrowed as she tried to form words. Sometimes, she couldn't believe how idiotic her sister was.
"Ranya, I don't drink. And we're drifting tonight, remember?" "I know we are," Ranya told her sternly. "Do you actually think we're sober when we race? How do you think I always win?"
"Well, how the hell are you all able to drive?" Ranya sighed, pressing her face against the wheel as it honked.
"Lia, Lia, Lia..." Ranya muttered in displeasure. "You never fail to disappoint me. You can't tell me that you're going to go your whole life without taking a sip of vodka...or--or having a smoke session with some homeless men you find off the streets...or dancing naked on a bed of ancient photographs on a random Wednesday night."
Lia sneered, shaking her head.
"Yeah, I may have to pass on that."
"Pansy," Ranya mumbled, jerking the steering wheel as they hit a sharp turn. Lia smiled through an exhale, resting her head against the blistering window.
The music continued to fill in the silence, her friends' car engines revving here and there. Lia closed her eyes, fast-forwarding time to where she sat in the driver's seat, aggression brewing in her stomach as all of her friends' exotic cars lined up and growled at eachother. That was all she wanted; she wanted to forget about Evan, Vi, and the whole situation about Chris. She wanted to substitute her worries with a thrilling time on the streets under the stars. A smile crept along her as she rested her eyes.
The sun began to bleed orange along the horizon, whispy clouds blending in with the diamond-blue sky. The palm trees' whirring and spinning embarked on dying down, thus the slowing of the wind. Along the golden sand, lizzards skittered across as the plants stared silently at the evening sun. Lia's worries slowly disappeared as she tapped her foot to the music.