If I Stay✔️

57

Third Person.

T W E L V E H O U R S E A R L I E R

The air grew colder, dark clouds flittered around the blackened sky line as rain pelleted against the glass windshield. It was strange to Alex, strange how the rain always appeared when his fear was heightened. It rained when Jack and Lily got shot. It rained when Leo jumped from the bridge. And now it's raining again.

It's raining again-

Was it a tell? Did God pour water from the sky just to taunt him, or was darkness, bitter winds and dampened clouds just what he associated with the worst moments in his life? It was chilling how an aesthetic could shape you into a ball of pure terror.

Alex was never one to fret over what ifs in the way most of his siblings did. He somehow managed to remain calm in stressful situations, never allowing his thoughts to edge him closer and closer to a self made nightmare. But this was different, this was terrifying. He had a feeling in his gut, one that ran from his torso to his chest as his heart clenched painfully behind his rib cage. Like an iron-clasped fist had wrapped it's self around him, squeezing every seldom of hope from his soul. Cat calling him, egging him on, telling him to stop being so naïve and remove the childish wool from his eyes.

He fought against his feelings, fighting a useless battle, struggling as he willed himself to remain calm. To refrain from submitting himself to the panic that wanted nothing more than to consume him.

Callan's voice reached his ears, and Alex couldn't help but exhale a breathe of relief. This is what he needs: a distraction. If he just focused on Callan, on his words, then everything would be okay. He could hold off just a little bit longer and by the time he was ready to crack, they'd have found Ace safe and well, and everything would be fine. Just fine.

"When's the last time Ace actually drove a car?"

Alex looked at him, lips pursed, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Ehm," he paused, dread coursing through him at his own realisation. "Last year," Alex gulped, wetting his dry lips as he added. "When I gave him lessons."

"Shit!" Callan choked out, whispering the curse to himself. Inhaling a long breath, his fingers tightened around the steering wheel as his eyes cast a glance at Alex. "How was he?" He asked, before clarifying. "At driving I mean?"

Alex didn't quite know how to respond. He didn't want to add to Callan's worry by telling him how incompetent Ace was as a driver. It was a well known fact to them all that Ace struggled with learning new things. With how anxious he got, Ace liked to stick with things that felt familiar to him. For example; he liked to read the same book over and over again because he knew exactly what to expect next. Which was the same case for netflix shows and movies, rewatching to the point he could recite them word for word. Alex often had to push him a little in order for Ace to try something new, and even then it was still a clear struggle. But, persuading Ace to watch a new movie was nothing in comparison to teaching him how to drive a car.

The unfamiliar roads, learning road signs, angry drivers, impatient drivers, stop lights, New York traffic. So many sounds, so many unpredictable and unavoidable scenarios. If driving for Ace came down to sink or swim, he'd drown.

"He's... something." Alex responded cryptically, unable to come up with any better phrasing than that.

"So he's terrible?" Callan raised an eyebrow, glancing back at the road before kissing his teeth. "That's just great, isn't that great, Al?" He continued, not giving Alex the chance to respond as he laughed humourlessly. "God, how could he be so fucking stupid." His hands slammed against the steering wheel.