The Society II

Part 12

The honking of a car horn makes me startle to my feet.

In the quiet parking lot, the sudden noise seems to echo around, and I approach the vehicle with an abundance of caution, my keys clutched between my fingers and my phone in my hand with the police dialled. 

The window rolls down slowly, and inch by inch, I am shown Caleb's none-too-pleased face. 

"Why did you not wait for me?" He asks, his lips so pursed that he looks like he's been sucking on a lemon.

"I didn't want to make you drive out of your way," I mutter, putting my keys back into my pocket and exiting out of the phone app on my phone. 

"Marceline, I wouldn't have offered to drive you home if it was out of my way," he responds, his voice cutting through the silence. I shift from foot to foot, running my tongue along the inside of my teeth to make myself squirm less visibly. "Get into the car, please, so I can take you home."

I hesitate for a minute, and he makes an impatient noise, "Marceline, I will pick you up and strap you in myself. It's too cold for you to sit out here, and the bus is delayed this evening. Make life easier for yourself, and accept a favour," he sighs, leaning over, and opening the door on the other side of the car.

I do what he says this time, climbing into his car.

"I got the step fixed for you," he murmurs, closing his window and turning the heat up. When the warm air hits me, a shiver runs down my spine. I didn't realise how cold it was outside because my jacket shielded me from it, but now, I find myself trembling a little. I finally process what he said about the step, and I suddenly feel warm on the inside, regardless of how my fingers feel like icicles.

"So, why didn't you wait?" He asks, pulling onto the main road.

"I didn't know you finished at the same time as me today," I clear my throat, looking out my window.

"Even still, why did you not get a ride home with Clarisse?" He questions. I can see him looking at me because of the reflection in the glass. 

"I told her I was getting a ride with you," I cringe a little at this lie. I shouldn't have said that to Clarisse, but I wasn't sure if she was offering because she felt obliged. 

"Well, now you are," he frowns, glancing at me for a second.

I avoid his eyes, keeping my gaze firmly fastened on the horizon.

He turns on the stereo, keeping the volume low as he turns his GPS off.

It's then that I notice he's dressed in a suit, his hair combed. He has a watch on, the light from the touchscreen pad catching it. 

"Where were you going before you saw me?" I ask, the twisting feeling in my stomach getting worse. 

"It doesn't matter. I'm here now," he replies. I can see the muscle in his jaw twitching, pulling on the skin so much that I wonder if it will pop out and land on seat beside me. 

"I would like to know, since I've disrupted the plans. You can just leave me here, I can seriously just call a cab," I whisper. 

"I'm not leaving you on the side of the road, Marceline. I was on my way to a meeting," he frowns, "Speaking of which, I need to call and cancel it, so give me a moment."

I nod silently, and he taps something on his phone. It begins ringing in a few seconds, and he seems somehow even more tense than he was before. His eyebrows have dropped into a scowl above his eyes, his lips are drawn into a thin line, and his hands are on the wheel as though it's the only thing separating him from a fall to his death.