parmiga/lored shorts

Crash

Elvis music is blasting on the radio. A young Ed and Lorraine are cruising along the main highway, heading toward Lorraine's neighborhood. Ed is 16, has just gotten his license, and the first thing he wanted to do was take Lorraine for a drive around the town. They've been out since 11:00 that morning. It is now 7:30pm, 1 hour before Lorraine's curfew and both teenagers are exhausted. The sun is slowly sinking beyond the horizon and the stars are peeping from the night sky.

"Ed, stop it!"

"Come on, Lorraine, what's the big deal? Am I making you nervous?"

Ed says to Lorraine as he swerves across the left lane of the highway.

A dark blue chevy chevelle honks it's horn from behind as Ed quickly jerks the wheel back into the right lane.

Lorraine grips the sides of her seat as Ed laughs and continues driving normally.

Lorraine let's out a shaky sigh of relief as she narrows her eyes at Ed.

"Ed, that's enough, you're scaring me!"

Ed scoffs and turns to his shaken girlfriend.

"Relax, Lorr, there's no reason to get all worked up. I wouldn't have gotten my license if I didn't know how to drive!"

Lorraine turns to face the road.

"Yes, well, that might be true. But you sure are acting like you don't deserve a license."

Ed laughs and responds,

"Alright, alright, I'll calm it down. But you gotta trust me, Lorraine, I would never put you in danger."

Lorraine smiles and looks at Ed.

He seems so relaxed.

She wishes she could be as laid back as him.

But, sadly, her severe anxiety and clairvoyant nature gets in the way.

Ed takes one hand off the wheel, and places it on the console.

Lorraine knows what he's getting at and lays her hand on top of his, slightly caressing the back of his hand with her thumb.

Ed turns to look at her, and smiles.

"You're so beautiful, Lorraine."

Lorraine blushes and looks away, not being able to keep eye contact with Ed.

Ed knows how shy she gets with compliments, so he's used to not getting a reaction from her.

As Lorraine turns her head up, she notices that the sun has almost fully set and Ed doesn't have his lights on like the rest of the drivers on the road.

Lorraine looks to Ed, who's driving peacefully without a care in the world.

"Ed, don't you think you should flip your headlights on?"

Ed responds, without meeting Lorraine's gaze.

"Why do you say that?"

Lorraine takes a deep breath, a bad feeling settling in her chest.

"It's just that everyone else has their lights on and it's getting awful dark."

Ed turns to look at Lorraine, who's now sitting straight up in her seat, both hands gripping the seat belt.

Ed readjusts and faces the road again, only to realize that he can still see perfectly fine.