What You Caused

80.

Chapter 80 | FINALLY

Isabella:

The drive back home from the party is filled with pure silence. It's not comfortable silence either. Some weird tension prickles in the air and it causes me to shift in my seat a couple of times awkwardly.

Lucas hasn't uttered a word to me since we've left Zak's house which honestly is fine by me, continuing to lie to Lucas and pretending that everything is fine slowly isn't becoming believable on my part anymore so silence curbs any suspicion that may arise from me speaking.

The thing I am somewhat antsy about however, is the completely unreadable look that has drawn its way onto Lucas' face. His jaw is slightly taught and his hands grip the steering wheel tightly. His face is free of any emotion except the slight hint of frustration peeking through that I sense from the clenching of his jaw and his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows every so often.

The radio hums quietly with an unknown song but it's not enough to ease the uncomfortable tension that is contained in this car.

I keep my gaze trained outside of the window instead of continuing to analyse Lucas' face.

Sunset has just passed and the pretty pinks and oranges of the sky have submerged into darkness. I'm thoroughly exhausted from the events of the party and I'm honestly ready to crawl into bed and sleep - that is if my overthinking mind will allow me.

I rest my head against the seat of the car and play with the ends of my dress as I watch the view outside whizz past us; the lights of all the homes and the street lamps blurring as we go past.

Thunder rumbles somewhere in the distance and the first pelts of rain drop against the window's glass, indicating that there will probably be a storm arriving soon.

As the rain begins falling in a steady rhythm, Lucas clears his throat, jumping me slightly as he breaks the silence that has formed between us for the past 20 minutes.

"So," he says, his voice void of any emotion, giving me no indication of what he is feeling, "are you going to tell me what is going on with you?"

I instantly freeze. My fingers pause on their fiddling and my shoulders lock up.

"Huh?"

"What is going on with you?" He repeats slowly.

Keeping my gaze glued onto the view outside I cough and reply with a very vague, "What is going on with me?" My voice comes out uncertain and slightly higher than intended and I internally facepalm myself.

Dumbass, that so doesn't sound suspicious at all.

My shoulders continue to stay stiffened as I try not to react when I feel Lucas' inquisitive gaze bore into the side of my head.

I clear my throat.

Lucas stares at me for a beat before he turns away, humming at my reply and then drumming his fingers on the driving wheel.

Silence overcomes the two of us again as Lucas fails to say anything else. I'm wondering if he has decided just to drop the subject but I highly doubt so. My eyes don't leave the window as I feel the tension in the car crackling further.

A few more minutes pass and Lucas begins to drive slowly along the empty road, almost at a leisurely pace. We head down a dark street, one that is emptier than the rest, driving way under the speed limit. My suspicions begin to rise at this and wariness starts to croon low in my stomach.

The view outside stops to become a blur of light, every street lamp suddenly becoming distinguishable as we slowly, slowly drive until Lucas swerves the car and puts it to a halt completely.