It Started With A Book

Chapter 18

Beautiful.
___

Rain pelted against rolled up windows slicking the highway roads. Wet tires rotated, zipping across lanes with ease.

Loading the car took less time than usual, the pair rushing once the first drop of water fell.

Brin stretched in the driver's seat putting Elliott in charge of music.

"This is only temporary, you know?"

"I'm just treasuring this while it lasts," Brin replied. "This is a nice car," she rubbed the dashboard.

"It gets the job done," Elliott beamed.

They passed a sign with a picture of a little roadside diner miles later.

"Do you want to stop there?"

"No," Brin responded, "I've had too much food. If I eat anymore I'm sure I'll burst."

"Noted," Elliott leaned back, observing her steering maneuvers. He couldn't help it. Her lane changes made him especially nervous. Whenever she indicated, on instinct he checked his blind spot.

"What are you doing?"

"Blind spot. It's a habit."

"You've nothing to worry about," she rested an elbow on the console loosening her grip on the wheel.

"I hope not."

"Relax I've got everything under control. Just...find something to occupy your time."

"Like?"

"I don't know. What do you do when you're bored?"

"I paint."

"Seriously?" Brin applied pressure on the brakes. A bevy of cars locked in a standstill winded into view, filling the cloudy grey expanse. "You paint? I didn't think you had an artistic bone in your body."

"Watercolour actually. Why would you think that?" Elliott examined her for a hint of insincerity but it never showed.

"Maybe because you never mentioned it. Singing you mention." She counted off her fingers. "Eating five pizza slices in under three minutes you mention. Watercolour not once."

"Yeah well, I don't go around mentioning it to everyone. Only my parents know and now you."

"I'm honoured to be a part of that club."

"You're the only one who thinks so. I told my parents I wanted to be an artist and they freaked. Something about their only son destroying their dreams of having an accountant in the family. But what do I know? I'm only paraphrasing," Elliott's tone shook and quivered underneath the weight of his words. "That's why I was so angry back there on the phone."

"Oh Elliott. I'm sorry."

"Nah don't be," he waved her off. "It's just a part of life I guess. I honestly think that's part of the reason why I like being out here on the open road with you. You see me for who I am and not who you want me to be. I must say it's refreshing."

"I could say the exact same thing about you. Couple that with no rules, no parents and no responsibilities and it starts to resemble the books on my phone. "

"And that's a good thing?"

"A wonderful thing."

Brin smiled contently. It truly was a wonderful thing. For her, it meant the role of Extra which she excelled (much to her dismay) wasn't the right fit anymore. She was finally in the limelight, donning a main character silhouette.