My Hired Boyfriend (Completed)

8. I am Beyonce, and I can read a map

8.

            The car dips with the paved road, making my stomach flop uncomfortably.

            One minute, the car is basking in the sunlight and the next, all the light is cut off as we speed down the tunnel.

            The lights were endless beams of stars on the wall, flashing by in alarming speeds as Coda speeds to 80 mph.

            My grip tightens on my seatbelt and I feel dizzy.

            I felt like the lights were blurring into one, closing in on the car.

            The light on the other end of the tunnel was so close yet so far. It was like the tunnel was going to swallow us before we even made it back outside.

            I breathe deeply, my body tense until I feel a hand on mine.

            I open my eyes, the funneled ringing sound in my ears remaining, as I turn around to face Coda.

            He glances at me briefly, a small frown on his face. “Are you okay?”

            I grimace weakly, the car edging faster, breaking neck to approach the light. “I don’t really like closed in places.”

            Coda’s gaze flickers back to mine, nodding quietly. He doesn’t say anything to my relief as I close my eyes for the short, remaining trip within the underground tunnel.

            I was glad he didn’t say something like ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘that sucks’. Coda only rests his right hand lightly over my clenched fist settled on the counsel between us.

            Somehow, this lack of verbose fighting that we usually had was eerily calming.

            I liked the way his warm hand felt resting over mine but at the same time, I wasn’t really sure if I that was the right thing to be feeling.

            It isn’t until I feel the car tilt upwards, the tires roaring against the road to emerge from the tunnel of death, that I open my eyes.

            I squint, wincing as bright, sunny light pierces through the windshield.

            The road was narrow, sandwiched between the side of a mountain and a terrifying cliff-drop off that led straight to the middle of the ocean.

             The view was both extraordinarily beautiful yet terrifying at the same time as Coda drives comfortably.

            I pull my hand back carefully and Coda takes the hint, removing his hand and replacing it back on the wheel.

            He only spared me a quick glance-to fast to even see the emotion in his eyes.

            Instead of focusing on Coda or the static sounds from the radio, I focused on the blue ocean spreading to kiss the horizon. The sunlight shimmied and slid over the crystalline waves of the ocean and even though I was deathly afraid of the prospect of drowning in the middle of the ocean, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty.

            To my right, the mountain is covered in green, small flowers of different colors popping up every one in a while. The wind rustles through the blades of grass and in the back of my mind, I think of how great it would be to stop and just have a picnic here on the side of the mountain.