Passenger | Unedited Version

chapter four | permanent marker

chapter four | permanent marker 

"Are you going to tell me where on Earth we're going?" Indie whines from the passenger seat of my car. We've only been in here for less than two songs and she hasn't stopped with the questions on where I plan on taking her first. Like I'd ever tell her before we get there. 

        She looks cute when she pouts with her lip pushed out like that, but it also resembles a two year old in Walmart not getting her way and deciding to throw a fit. Actually, all of Indie's behavior is starting to appear a lot like a two year old.  

        "Nah, I don't think so."         

        "Please?" Indie makes her gorgeous honey eyes the size of Pluto, trying to guilt me into telling her the night's plans. Sadly for her, that isn't going to work out so well. My next door neighbors had a six year old son who I used to babysit every Friday night and every single time he didn't get his way, he would pull out the puppy dogs. It may have worked a few times in the beginning, but as I gain experience that little trick didn't faze me in the slightest. Indie may be cute, but she isn't that cute.  

        "Good try, but no." 

        "Are you absolutely and positively sure about that?" I take my eyes off the road for a second more, only to see that the hopeless girl is over there trying to wink at me. The thing is, Indie can't actually wink. I'm not too sure if Indie actually knows that she can't do the act because that girl is persistent. With both of her eyes basically closed and squinting with the rest of her face scrunched up, she looks quite silly.  

        I try to remain calm and collected at the sight, but that's nearly impossible to maintain. It's just one of those sights that you can't help but stare and laugh at. I really wish that I wasn't driving, so that I could snap a picture. "You look ridiculous like that, Indie. I hope you know that." 

        Thankfully Indie takes no offensive to the action, as she laughs right along with me. I never noticed before how high pitched and loud her laugh is, which is crazy to me because its something that I don't think I will ever unhear. She sounds like what I'd imagine an elf high on helium would end up sounding like, actually. It's kind of cute of a laugh, really, once you get used to it; all of Indie is kind of cute and that's a fact now. 

        The laughter starts to calm down a little bit, until I do the unthinkable. It's one of the worst thing I could have ever done in the history of mankind, no exaggeration necessary. I snort. I don't mean a small little snort like you hear girl's do in the movies that end up sounds funky but cute at the same time, oh no, this snort was deep and extremely unattractive. Maybe she won't notice it, although that's incredibly unlikely of a thing to happen. Or maybe she will save me from certain death by humiliation and not mention it at all.  

        I have no such luck.

        "Oh my god," she manages to get out in between new fits of laughter. "Did you just snort?" 

        I still can't believe that I allowed myself to snort like that in front of her. I can usually control the horribleness if I focus on it enough, but not this time. What a great way to start off a date that's supposed to convince Indie to like me, not laugh right in my face about the one thing I hate about myself.  

        I can feel the blood rushing to my head, making themselves pretty obvious in my cheeks. It's so stupid how your body can betray you that way, like my body is supposed to be the one thing that always be on my side. I can't even trust myself now because of that stupid snort.