One Thing Can Change A Life

Chapt. 3

It feels like we've been on the road all day! My feet are on the dash in only socks and my seat is descended backwards. 

"What time is it?" I think.

"2:36 pm on a nice autumn Thursday. It is September 4th and approximately 63 degrees out right now. Does that answer your question?" Max says as though he's reading my mind.

"Sure wise ass. Why not." I noted. We chuckle then we exit the highway.

I read a sign that says 'Welcome to Grand Rapids, Michigan'. I give Max a puzzled look and all he does is smile. 

"What do you have up in your sleeve?"I ask cautious of him laughing at me again. 

"Do you know how to relax and enjoy the ride?" Max shoots at me playfully as we pull up to a Cumbies. "Want anything?" Max looks over at me.

"No thank you." I say in a misleading polite tone. Max just chuckles and exits the car with a slam. 

I sit up and lock the doors when something sticking up out of the compartment underneath the dashboard. I open the dash and see that it is a piece of paper that says 207-673-8275<333. Um, what is this?! Why am I so jealous? He's not mine, so I shouldn't be this jealous! 

I drop my head into my hands and sulk until I hear a knock on the window. Max is watching me and motions me to unlock the door.  

"Before you say anything, that's Bryce's number." How does he know what I was going to ask?

"I saw you holding the slip of paper." WHAT THE HECK!? HOW- I was rudely cut off by Max... again. ugh. "You're thinking out loud and I heard everything. That's how I know what you're 'thinking'." My jaw drops. Why hadn't I realized? "You're doing it again. Stop it." Max says being all serious. 

"What am I doing that is apparently upsetting you??" My words are dripping in sarcasm. 

"Three words. Thinking. Out. Loud."

"That was five words."

"No, it was three." 

"No."

"Yea."

"No."

"Yea."

"NO."

"FINE! WHATEVER!."

I smile in satisfaction. Max just rolls his eyes and gets back onto the highway. 

After a tense silence that lasted for a good half an hour, my phone starts to ring. The caller ID says... gasp... my mother. She's going to ask questions! What do I do?! 

I feel frozen in time and a shocked and scared feeling washes over me and Max looks over with concern in his eyes. "Is it..." He starts. "Ya." I say with a voice so shaky, that I don't recognize it as my own. A hint of sorrow washes over his face. 

I answer it and say 'Hey' in the most normal tone, but it doesn't work. 

"Copeland Marie Quinn!! Where are you!? Your father and I are worried sick about you! Why didn't you come home on the bus!?"

"Mom, I'm just out with some friends. We're going to the mall. I told you this last night."

"Don't you pull that sassy tone with me missy!"