11/28 by uliaj06

twenty-four

12:00 am

We've been driving for a while.

Now that I have a real moment to rest, sitting in the passenger seat of his car that smelled of his cologne, the heaviness of my eyelids and my sore muscles were more noticeable.

I fight to keep my eyes opened, not wanting to sleep since I'll probably embarrass myself somehow.

The radio played some unknown music I don't care for, only acting as a filler for the silence. The silence we both didn't want to interrupt.

It was cold in his car, not the refreshing kind like the air outside, but more like artificially conditioned air I am no longer used to since we've spent countless hours outside.

I watched through the windshields of his car, but the longer we drive, the more I notice the less and less cars that pass by us and the less crowded buildings around us.

Kind of reviving since I'm used to the same crowded areas of New York. I sometimes miss the old town we used to live in. How there wasn't light everywhere and tall buildings. Where it wasn't overwhelmed by crowded people.

I miss quiet.

I miss it there sometimes where everything was smaller and slower. But then I remember I love how everything moves so fast here, how there's always something to do and I'm always on my feet.

The car moved steadily with the straight road, not helping my resistance to sleep. The hazy lights from the road shown faintly into his face, highlighting only some aspects of his face. I admire his side profile. The lighting illuminated on certain parts of his side profile, making his cheekbones and jawline look more prominent, shadowing his sculptured face.

He notices and turns his head. I turn away just as he did, looking ahead of me instead, pretending I wasn't staring.

The song ends that was playing on the radio and another begins.

I wasn't listening to the radio, simply hearing it, but I recognize the song. It was more upbeat, which woke me up more.

I mentally sing along to the lyrics, having it memorized somewhere in my brain.

"Tate." I grab his attention. "Do you know this song?"

"Nope."

Ugh.

The roads were empty, no cars from behind or in front of us. None on the other side of the road either. I haven't seen any in probably two-three minutes.

It was mostly trees surrounding us.

This reminded me of when Me and Aelin were out one night and a song came on the radio, it was a really good one, one that we wanted to dance to. So we stopped at a red light, there was no cars around, we turned the volume up, left our car doors open, and danced to the music at a red light.

It was exhilarating, we were in the middle of a four way road and any minute a car could drive by and run us over. They didn't though, thank god.

"Tate, you should stop the car." I say impulsively.

I couldn't help it, there's this idea forming in my mind that I just can't resist. The song playing isn't helping either, only making me want to do it more. Persuading me.

"Why?" He looked at me confused.

"Because this is an amazing song."

"So?"

"Stop the car." I urge him excitedly.

"We're in the middle of the road." He tells me.

"No shit, Tate. But it's an empty road. Do you see any cars around us? I think not, so stop the damn car."

"Jesus." He mutters but stops the car. "You're crazy."

"I know, but trust me, this is going to be great. I'm going to give you an experience."

"You wanted to live right?" I grin at him. "Feel alive?" I take off my seat belt.

"We're probably not going to be alive much longer." He looks back at the road to check.

I open the car door and the cold, cold air hits me again. I missed it.

I turn the volume all the way up, quickly getting out of the car before it makes me deaf. Leaving the car door open, I run out across the road further from the car. It gave me a sense of rebellion, that exciting feeling when you're not supposed to be doing something.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" I hear him from behind me, calling out loud enough for me to hear.

I'm assuming he's out of the car too, since he didn't turn the music down and I'm sure it would break his ears if he was still inside.

I run. Actually not quite running, my legs ached too much, but definitely faster than walking, I continue moving away from his car. I'm trying to find a good distance that his lights won't blind me, and we could still clearly hear the music.

It was impulsive of me, yeah. But how are you gonna live without impulse? You have to take risks and be reckless sometimes. Carelessness can give you the best moments.

"Being alive!" I yell back with a smile.

Pure amusement fills his face.

He wasn't mad or annoyed, more like interested in what I'm doing. It's entertaining for him.

I sit down, feeling the roughness of the road at my fingertips, I feel small compared to everything else. Compared to the long road continuing on either side of me.

"You're insane!" He's says over the music. I heard his voice coming closer to me. He's taking his time, walking casually towards me.

I look on either side of me first, just to be sure there weren't any cars, then I lay down, feeling the hard pavement of the road hit my head.

"We live on a floating rock, Tate!" I patiently wait for him, laying on the road. The starless sky is my view right now, along with the trees tall enough to come in at the side.

This reminds me of Damon from The Vampire Diaries. I love that show.

Tate comes into my line of sight. He looks down at me as I lay there, he blocks my vision of the sky.

"You're crazy." He gently shakes his head, looking down at me. He's fighting a smile.

"Floating rock mentality, Tate. Floating rock mentality." A wide smile plastered onto my face. "Lay down." I encourage.

"I'm not going to lay down in the middle of the fucking road."

"Why not?"

"This is a suicide wish. We'll get run over." He tells me. His face even looks good from his angle.

"Do you see any fucking cars around? Stop being an ass and lay the fuck down."

"You're like fucking attracted to the ground. We spent like half the day on the ground because of you."

I like my view as he stares down at me. "I spend like fifty percent of my time on the floor. It's better."

He hesitates, looking around on either side of the road. We're technically not in the city yet. There was nothing, just the trees at the side of the road, not even light. The lights of his headlights are the only source.

He waits for a few seconds, then eventually lays down with me. A big smile spreads across my lips, a smile of success that I've convinced him to do this.

"Why are we laying down?"

"Because we can," I answer. "It reminded me of this time me and Aelin danced to a song on the radio, at a red light. It was so fun."

"So we're going to dance in the middle of the road?"

"No, I'm too exhausted to do that," I answer. "We'll just lay here... listen to the music..." I say lazily. "and wait to get run over."

He instantly turned his head at what I said. Confusion and shock framed his face.

"I'm kidding. Just lay down and enjoy the music." I assure him. "Its like our very own little concert. Relax and listen, live in the moment."

We can't actually get run over anyway. The road has two different directions and we're only on one side so a car can simply pass us. They might run over Tate's car though, but at least they'll do that before they'll get to us.

The car was blasting music, its doors were opened, and it really did feel like a whole concert. This was like a better version of you laying in your bed, in the dark, listening to music with headphones.

This moment was electrifying. Exciting, reckless, and thrilling.

I loved the feeling of the road below us. Getting to feel the textures of smooth and rough.

I close my eyes, breathing in the chilling atmosphere like heroine to me. I'm taking in the moment, remembering.

This is a musical masterpiece that felt like actual heaven. It was beautiful. Everything about this moment. The song, the trees surrounding us, the lights of his car in the distance, the empty road, the black sky with the moon, and the man laying next to me.

It's perfect.

Although, he isn't perfect. Far from it actually.

But I hate perfect people.