Cursed Waters

4

Sam

"You're an artist."

"I just doodle sometimes."

"That picture you gave me wasn't just a doodle. It was great."  

Millie didn't reply.

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as silence filled the car. It was kind of nice, though. It wasn't uncomfortable — just...quiet. It wasn't like in class, where there was tension and awkward pauses. It wasn't like when we had to make small talk while waiting for the mailman. It was pleasant.

"Sometimes," Millie said, finally, "I just start drawing. I don't really pay attention. It just happens."

"Well, whatever happened was kind of amazing." I smiled as I eased off the gas and pressed my foot against the brake, halting at a stop sign.

"You're a good subject." I could feel her looking at me, but didn't turn my head. "You sit still for long periods of time and your facial expressions are amazing. I can almost tell exactly what you're feeling, just by the look on your face. Not a lot of people are like that."

"What am I feeling, right now?" I looked at her briefly out of the corner of my eye before returning my gaze to the road.

"You're happy," she murmured softly, putting her hands on her thighs. "And maybe a little surprised that I came with you."

I bobbed my head. "You hit that right on the mark."

"Can you tell what I'm feeling?"

"Nope."

"You didn't even look at me."

"I don't have to. You're hard to read."

Millie made a small noise of annoyance. "I'd like to disagree, but my sisters tell me that a lot."

"Your sisters are funny."

"They're annoying. Did you see them, fighting to get at you? They think you asked me on a date."

I raised my eyebrows, switching lanes as we approached a 7/11. "Did you think that, too?"

"No. I mean, you didn't. You were just being nice." She paused. "Right?"

I smiled. "Right."

When Millie realized that we were pulling into a parking lot, she sat up straight and leaned forward to peer out the window. "What are we doing at 7/11?"

"Slurpees," I said, trying to keep my voice even.

She looked at me. "Slurpees?"

"Yes." I shut off the engine and turned to look at her. "When was the last time you had a Slurpee?"

"Um, like the middle of last summer."

"Same. And to be honest, a summer hasn't really started until you get a Slurpee, right?"

Millie tucked a nonexistent strand of hair behind her ear. "Right."

"So, I think if we're going to go on a Beginning of Summer road-trip, we need Slurpees and other provisions."

"Provisions. I see." Millie's bottom lip twitched. "Well, I'm in, then."

I threw open the car door. "Let's go!"

Millie laughed, and I looked at her in surprise as she slid out of the car after me.

"What?" She looked at me.

"I've never heard you laugh."

She rolled her eyes and brushed past me on the sidewalk. "Don't be crazy."