Outer Limits | ✓

◦ helpless

HANDS ON THE wheel, mind on the road, Darcy Sumpter was pleasantly surprised to find that Jude Asher trusted her enough to let her drive his car. 

⠀⠀⠀ She had been expecting a slither of hostility, some blatant disinterest, some facet of finesse on her part. Instead, he'd tossed her the keys to his Camry after they'd walked out of the forest and headed back home as though it were an everyday occurrence.

⠀⠀⠀ After they'd both notified their respective parents on their general whereabouts, Jude had tossed Darcy the keys and clambered into the passenger seat without a word.

⠀⠀⠀ It wasn't much, but the action — the weight of his trust — moved her all the same. Watching him ease back into the seat, belt strapped atop his chest, blindly trusting her with his life was endearing to say the least. And frightening. It belatedly dawned on her, as she plunged the key into its ignition, just how long it'd been since she'd driven.

⠀⠀⠀ Never forget.

⠀⠀⠀ On the heels of that realisation came the onslaught of anxiety that roped around her throat, her joints locking up, the beat of her heart drumming against her chest.

⠀⠀⠀ She could barely make out her own thoughts until Jude's voice pulled her out of her misery. "I'll take on the burden of choosing the music."

⠀⠀⠀ "Absolutely not," she replied, quick.

⠀⠀⠀ "But —"

⠀⠀⠀ "House rules, Asher," she quipped, "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole."

⠀⠀⠀ "You've got to stop quoting American television,"

⠀⠀⠀ "As soon as you stop listening to your doom and gloom music."

⠀⠀⠀ Darcy caught a glimpse of Jude smirking guilelessly before resting his head against the headrest. "It's still morning," he remarked, eyes fluttering shut, "so I'm too tired to fight you on it."

⠀⠀⠀ She noted how he spoke in slow increments, the prospect of sleep enticing him. What was it about boys when they spoke like this — in a lower register, the right amount of smokiness, that made the hairs off the base of her neck raise? Or maybe it was just him.

⠀⠀⠀ "Okay, you can't do that," she told him after awhile, "you can't fall asleep yet."

⠀⠀⠀ "Give me one good reason," he muttered petulantly, eyes still closed.

⠀⠀⠀ Darcy snorted, keeping her eyes right ahead. Hands on the wheel, mind on the road. She willed herself to breathe and noticed that her heartbeat had slowed and her hands weren't shaking as much. "I need a distraction to stay awake. If you don't fulfil your role, I might lose focus and drive us down the nearest river."