Oh my God. This is my worst-case scenario. I just killed Dylan Lynch. Or wait, is this my best-case scenario? I close my eyes and try to focus. But there's a sharp ringing in my ears and I'm getting all dizzy. My hands are shaking as I step out of the car.
Louise
"Are you dead?"
Dylan looks up at me, wincing in pain.
Dylan
"Not yet."
He peels his cheek off the windshield and raises an eyebrow.
Dylan
"Hey, Cheese. Were you listening to Adele and crying?"
OMG! I totally forgot that was playing! I quickly duck back in my car and turn off the radio. I wipe my tears away as I glance in the rearview mirror. Crap. My eyes look like they've been pepper sprayed. I was crying, and it wasn't a cute little sniffling cry... It was a big fat ugly cry. I look like a hot mess. When I duck back out of my car, Dylan is standing up. But he's holding his right arm and wincing.
Dylan
"Wow, Cheese. I know you hate me... But I didn't think you'd run me down with your car."
Louise
"It was an accident!"
Dylan
"Look at my bike! It looks like a pretzel."
Louise
"I'll buy you a new one."
Dylan
"Are you going to buy me a new arm?"
He sucks in a breath and winces again.
Louise
"Are you okay?"
Dylan
"I mean, you gave me a third elbow, but I'm great. Thanks."
Louise
"I told you it was an accident!"
We glare at each other for a long moment. I huff out a breath as I wait for him to break eye contact. But he seems to be waiting for the same thing. Finally, he drops his eyes first. Yes! Victory!
Dylan
"Should we call the police?"
Now, I really start to panic. My whole body starts twitching. And I get an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Louise
"The police?!? Why?!?"
Oh God. I'm going to jail. They'll lock me up and I'll never be allowed out.
Dylan
"Because you hit me with your car. Police tend to want to know about little things like vehicular manslaughter."
Louise
"But you're still alive!"
Dylan
"Okay. Vehicular armslaughter."
Louise
"I don't want to call the cops."
I'm standing there. Light-headed. Panicking. Pleading with my eyes. His face softens and he sighs.
Dylan
"Okay, let's leave the cops out of this. I'll call my parents."
A flood of relief takes over. I feel like I can breathe again. Dylan pulls out his phone. It looks even worse than mine. Spiderwebs have taken over the screen.
Dylan
"It's smashed."
Louise
"What happened to it?"
Dylan
"Um, you hit it with your car, Cheese."
Louise
"Oh, right."
He chuckles as he shakes his head and tries to turn it on.
Dylan
"It's not working."
I let out a nervous laugh as his narrowed eyes lock onto me.
Louise
"Just put it on my tab."
