One By One (editing)

Chapter Twenty Two

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I slid inside the front seat of my car, wiping away any remaining tears.

"You're sure you're ok to drive yourself home?" Gabe asked, one hand on the door and the other on the roof of the car so that he was leaning towards me.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. But thanks for the concern."

He smiled. "Ok, let me know if you need anything else. I'm only a phone call away."

I smiled back. "Thanks."

He carefully shut the door and backed away with his hands tucked in his pockets. I gave a small wave before I put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot. In my rear view mirror, I could see Gabe doing the same.

The streetlights began to flicker on overhead, the indigo blue of evening giving way to the black of night. Gabe's car turned down another street behind me and a black car took its place.

I turned up the volume knob, mindlessly tapping my thumbs on my steering wheel to the beat. After a few turns, I checked my rearview mirror to switch lanes and found that the same black car was still there. It hung back enough far enough to be inconspicuous but it was definitely there. Maybe it was the recent events or the paranoia in me talking but from there, I didn't go straight home. Instead I turned a couple more times, got onto the highway and left the next exit. Throughout the whole time, the black car remained on my tail like a black shadow. I couldn't even see the face of the driver through my mirror due to the growing darkness, as well as my suspicion that the car had tinted windows. Panic began to rise in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm and think rationally.

Mom. Mom will know what to do. Call Mom.

At the next red light, I fumbled for my phone and dialed my mom's number. She didn't answer and I thought hard, biting my lip. The light turned green and I kept driving. I couldn't stop because if they actually were the 'bad guys' then I could be in danger and I couldn't go because then my family would be in danger.

What do I do? What do I do? I called my mom again.

She didn't answer again and my anxiety rose, building up like cotton in my throat. Somewhere in between there I turned down the distracting music and gripped the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles turned white. I felt so nauseous.

Who else do I call?

I yanked the wheel a hard left, speeding down the road to head to a smaller one that lead back to the main road. When I checked my mirrors, I immediately blew out a sigh of relief. Nobody there. Not even a car that resembled that black car. I was about to turn around to head back home when I checked my mirrors at the next stoplight. A knot instantly retwisted itself in the pit of my stomach at the sight of the car materializing out of the crowd of others. I cursed and slammed the heel of my palm into the steering wheel over and over and over again until it was numb. The light flashed to green and all I wanted to do was be back in Gabe's arms, safe and secure, not here. Anything but here.

I grabbed my phone again. Mom please answer this time.

To my relief, she answered on the fourth ring. "Hello? Car? Hey, can you talk later because I am in a really important meeting right now."

"Mom," my voice broke. I accidentally slowed down and a driver honked at me.

Her tone automatically went into 'mom' mode, "Carter? Why are you driving and using your phone at the same time? Call me when you're done driving."