Slam. Click. *Laugh*
She smiles as she looks over. Life is great. Her closest friends, “We’re all going to go watch a movie and stay up all night. Boy, being 16 is the life…” It seems like forever since she was only 12, anxious to get out of middle school and on to her real life, real freedom. And all the friends and boys she can handle. She smiles her slightly crooked smile, her hand is touching his. He’s right there, right next to her. So cute, and such a perfect smile. “Isn’t it sweet, all my friends love him too, I can be with them all whenever I like. Good thing too, Dad doesn’t like it when we’re alone, so all I gotta do is tell him I’m with the girls...” The girls, met a couple in high school and the other two from the neighborhood. Growing up in a small town doesn’t hurt either. Sometimes it’s the best thing, knowing people wherever you go, never being too far from home, but other times it’s just a pain in the ass since everyone knows everything. No secrets around here. But since the subdivision opened and a few schools allowed out of district students, her friends have moved further away. They actually need cars now to get around. Or so they tell Mom and Dad. But who wouldn’t, especially at 16?
“Hey, so do you guys want to sneak into the Catholic school parking lot to watch the fireworks next weekend?” The voice is that of a small brunette, it’s her car, she’s driving, and generally likes to take ownership of the conversation, she is after all, the oldest. The bleach blonde girl with black eyeliner in the front seat turns around, “Oh my god you guys, remember that time we brought a few fireworks ourselves and almost had to run from the cops? And Jay got so scared he took off and ripped his pants open on the fence??” “All I know is my mother was not happy, she made him get those for the family barbeque and they didn’t even last a freakin’ day,” the dark haired girl chimed in.
*Laugh*
“Turn that up! Wasn’t this like the coolest song when we were like 13? I haven’t heard this in forever!”
**”Staring at the blank page before you / Open up the dirty window / Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find”**
The voices collide, combine, mingle and drift out the cracks in the windows as the warm summer breeze blows through. So many summer nights behind them, so many ahead. The scent of the monsoon rain filters through the air conditioning on low. Can’t forget a desert rain. The stars are clear, the lights are few, the road is dark. The moon hangs in the distance, being cradled by the mountain peaks, barely blanketed by remaining clouds, ready to fall asleep. The crickets are wide awake but all they hear is the whoosh of the car as it rushes past. Curfew is approaching.
!Lights!
“Watch out! He’s in your lane!” “I know! I’m moving over!” No! Don’t!”
CRASH.
The metal screeches as it scrapes the pavement. Glass explodes. The soft seats do nothing but muffle the sound of them smashing into each other. There is no more movement. Their breaths escape them. Nothing left to do. Nothing left to see. Nothing left to be.
The rest is still unwritten.
