If Cars Could Think 7

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

"Why is everyone always whispering about us?" Cassie hissed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Casey's gaze was fixed on a yellow butterfly flitting over the grass.

She's always in some other world. "Darryl and Mike talk about us. And even Uncle John. I hear them whispering when we roll by, and they always stop when I look."

"They could be whispering about anything, Cassie. They're grownups. They do important stuff, right? Stuff we don't have to know about yet. It's all boring, anyways. Why don't we focus on the interesting stuff, like animals, and nature... did you see that butterfly?"

"Yes." Cassie rolled up into the grass where the curb vanished. "I think we're getting too big for this."

"For what?" Casey turned to look at her, confusion glimmering in her gaze. "We're not going to be our full size for quite a few months."

"Sure, but don't you want to get involved in the important grownup stuff? Wouldn't it be much more interesting than the life we have now?"

Casey stared at her. "We're never going to be young again. Once we're grownups, we're grownups forever. That's the rest of our lives. There's no turning back... we'll never get this back." She stared down the little path that led to the field, where the grass was trampled.

"Casey, you sound old when you talk like that. We can still come by and sit here when we're older. We probably won't even want to, because there will be so many much more interesting things in our lives."

"But I don't want more interesting things." Casey's gaze clouded. "I want this."

"You're crazy," Cassie huffed, whirling around.

"Where are you going?" Casey followed after her.

"Back to the main facility." She rolled out onto the road. "You know, you're the one who's obsessed with Michael. You'd think you'd wanna spend more time-"

"Shut up!" Casey squeaked. "I'm not obsessed with him. I don't even talk about him, or talk to him-"

"You do too! You stare at him, and-"

"Shut up!" she repeated. "I do not stare at him."

"But hear me out, Casey." I love teasing her. They were approaching the gates now. "If we started getting involved with all the 'boring' grownup stuff, you could get to spend more time next to Michael."

"Don't say his name one more time!"

They headed through the gates, following the asphalt behind the garages. Mike is the only thing that makes Casey get all angry at me, Cassie thought with a giggle.

"What are you laughing about?" her sister hissed.

"Oh, nothing, it's just... Michael is right there." She flicked her gaze to the red F-250, who was talking softly with Darryl.

Casey bumped her sharply with a wheel. "You still think they're talking about us?"

"Maybe. Why don't you go up and ask?"

"No way!"

"You're scared of him!" Cassie shrieked, laughing in delight. "You're scared of Michael!"

"Shut up." Casey started shoving her towards one of the garages.

Cassie darted out of her way. "You're scared of Michael, you're scared of Michael," she teased.