Lauren is not a particularly jumpy person, nor is she easily scared. She has to admit though, it's particularly frightening to be walking in a light fog at six in the morning and suddenly have a vehicle drive slowly up beside you. It's even more frightening when the driver of that car was HER. You know, the most popular girl at school who could make or break your social status with a look. Not that it matters, hers is nonexistent.
"It's 45 degrees out and you're not even wearing a sweater. I thought you were supposed to be smart?"
Lauren hates that she has such a pleasing voice. It's so pleasing that she *almost* forgot to be offended. She even almost forgot to stop walking and address the other occupant of the dream she is clearly having.
"I'm used to the cold, it doesn't bother me." That was a bald faced lie. She was freezing her butt off, but when faced for the first time with someone like HER, she certainly wasn't going to explain that she had been doing the labs for her chemistry class at home and had spilled silver nitrate all over her only fashionably acceptable sweater. She had this horrible habit of over explaining the most mundane of events as if people actually cared. Also she couldn't decide between being snarky or a pushover.
"Okaaaay...well anyways I forgot to change my alarm and left super early, so I can give you a ride and fulfill my good deed of the week" she said this while simultaneously unlocking the passenger door, emphasising the fact that it wasn't a request, which was strange, but logical thinking before 7am is probably illegal somewhere. Lauren hesitated only for a moment. It *was* freezing cold, so she stopped trying to figure out all the ulterior motives SHE could possibly have for doing this "good deed", as if she was some kind of peasant in need of assistance. She nervously adjusted the strap of her messenger bag and, without even glancing in the brunette's direction, placed it in the backseat of the ridiculously bright red Mustang before muttering a quick thank you and taking her place in the passenger seat. As expected of a vehicle existing simply as a status symbol, the seat was very comfortable, though Lauren held back from commenting on it. She also realized the car was a convertible. With the top down. In 40 degree weather.
Yep, logical thinking was out the window today, and not only for her.
"Your welcome." As if knowing that the blonde would change her mind at any moment, she quickly accelerated without even glancing at the road once the passenger door was closed. Lauren wasn't sure why this surprised her. She assumed due to her drivers popularity, and the company she kept, that safe driving practices were not high on her list of priorities. This was further proven by the apparent complete and utter lack of seat belts in the car as she groped around her seat.
"You have to reach far in on the right of the cushion. It never gets used, so it's been stuck for awhile." This was stated as if it was completely safe and acceptable to drive not only underage, but without wearing basic safety equipment. She dug around for it immediately, though it took her awhile to untangle it from itself. She internally sighed in relief when finally it was perfectly straightened and connected to its counterpart, the click comforting her immediately. Once situated and comfortable, Lauren dared to glance over at her unfairly attractive travel companion. This was the closest she had ever been to HER in the ten years she had known her. Known actually might be an exaggeration, more like knew she existed. As expected she wore the latest fashions and colors expected of her sex. Her long shiny brown hair was in a half ponytail hairstyle that kept it out of her face but still looking like she just came off the red carpet. She averted her gaze the second Bo's eyes flickered in her direction.
"You should wear one too. Even at slow speeds, the force of a collision could cause severe injury," she blurted out, immediately looking as far away as possible at the passing suburban homes that all looked the same. Bo laughed lightly while accelerating ever so much. Lauren is convinced she is doing it on purpose. So much for holding her own.
"I'll be fine, I'm a good driver for my age. Clean record and everything!" There is a hint of genuine pride in her voice. Lauren is anything but rude, and still convinced she's dreaming, so she leaves it at that. No need to comment on the reasons why, none of which were due to safe driving practices.
"I think this is the first time we've ever talked. My name's Bo by the way." Lauren withholds a scoff. Of *course* she knows her name! Bo introducing herself to Lauren is like Adele introducing herself to a millennial. Seriously.
"I'm Lauren." Probably an unneeded introduction, as it will most likely forgotten in five minutes.
The ride continues on in silence for a few minutes before it is broken again. "Do you always walk to school so early in the morning?" Not expecting the question, Lauren glances back over at Bo. For a moment their eyes meet, and Lauren has to look immediately away. Anxiety claws at her chest and she suddenly wishes she never got in the car.
"No, usually I ride my bike. I forgot the time change too, so I opted to take a walk." Neither acknowledge the common function of cell phones to automatically compensate for daylight savings. She was also going to resist the temptation to explain how she had forgotten not only the combination for her bike lock, but also the location of the backup key.
"Couldn't your mom give you a ride?"
The common act of lying is contemplated.
"I didn't want to wake her up so early."
Truth was her mother was already at work at her second job. Asking her for a ride would have meant taking time from work, which she knew they couldn't afford. Besides, walking for two miles never hurt anyone.
"She should be up anyways getting ready for work right?"
Since she's dreaming, it can't hurt to actually say what she wants, right?
"If I'm inconveniencing you in any way, feel free to pull over and I can be on my way." This whole not being a pushover thing felt great!
Bo chuckles as she slows down at a red light more than necessary, obviously trying to time the green.
"Like I said, my good deed for the week."
Lauren smiles inwardly when, right as Bo is forced to do a complete stop, the light turns green. Bo mutters a curse under her breath, and accelerates quickly in irritation. She takes the next right without so much as a glance to check for pedestrians or traffic.
"1st period doesn't start until 7:15. What's the rush?" Lauren isn't sure why these particularly set of words leave her mouth. Of course she wants Bo to rush. The sooner they get to school, or at least close to it, the sooner she can get out of the car and no longer fear for her life. She highly doubts Bo will park her car in her usual spot where everyone can see who her riding companion is. Then again, her typical group wouldn't likely be on campus this early.
"I'm not rushing. The light was turning green."
She chooses not to argue, only to distract herself by looking out again at the passing houses and businesses as they got closer to school. The cold air rushing by and background noise of other cars helps cover up the stifling silence in the car, though it did nothing for her body temperature, just as the fog does nothing to deter Bo from surpassing the legal speed limit. Lauren hopes this isn't the manner in which she dies, cold and having never finished watching every Star Trek known to man.
"Are you cold? I don't have an extra sweater, but I can close the top." Lauren isn't sure why she bothered asking, before her sentence was even complete she could hear grinding noises signaling the top to the convertible was coming down. Also not to mention the fact that considering how cold it is, probably should have been closed in the first place. ALSO the fact that now that the top is down, there is no longer white noise to cover up the silence, increasing the already awkward atmosphere.
Also the fact that they're less than a mile from campus.
They hit a red light at the final intersection before the main parking lot of the school, and Bo actually completely stops this time. This confuses Lauren. Why didn't she turn right? The staff parking lot would be a perfect drop off point, the only witnesses being staff and faculty. She chances a glance at her escort. Bo is looking straight ahead, tapping the steering wheel with her thumbs to some unknown rhythm in her head and chewing her bottom lip.
"I can get out here if you want."
Bo stops drumming her fingers and looks at her with a most perplexed look.
"Why would I drop you off here? I'm going to park in the student parking anyways" She says this as if they live in an alternate universe where she isn't the most popular girl in school and Lauren isn't invisible. Her anxiety flares up again so she doesn't answer. She instead takes silent deep breaths to calm her nerves.
The light turn greens after what feels like forever. The car lurches forward and after a few hundred yards, Bo sharply turns into the student parking lot and into a prime parking spot. It's so early all of the good spots are open. Not that it matters, Bo has an unofficial designated spot that no one challenges. Bo closes the windows and turns off the ignition, exponentially increasing the awkward atmosphere and Lauren's blood pressure.
"We're here"
No shit sherlock, Lauren thinks to herself. A few incredibly awkward seconds pass with neither occupant getting out of the car. She has this weird need to be the last person to get out of a car, but decides the stifling awkwardness isn't worth indulging her OCD over.
"Thanks...for the ride." Sweet poop in a bucket, could it get ANY more awkward?
"No problem. I'll see you around. Hopefully wearing a sweater." Lauren wasn't sure if Bo was being snarky in return, or trying to be funny. Either way, she needed to get the hell out of the car before she passed out from anxiety. She went to pull the door handle to open it, when it wouldn't budge.
"The hell…" Lauren mumbled under breath, trying once more to open the door.
"Shit, I forgot that gets stuck. Hold on let me try." and before Lauren has a chance to react, Bo was reaching over and fiddling with the door handle, her head mere inches from Laurens. The scent of her shampoo wafted into Lauren's nostrils, a familiar scent she couldn't quite pinpoint. It was something she had smelt before, something she smelt almost every day of her life since she was six years old. It smelled like…
...dirt. Bo Dennis's hair, of all things, smelled like dirt. And of course it is with this realization that Lauren's chronic word vomit disease decides to rear it's ugly head.
Right then the door handle clicks and the door opens up wide open, though not before Bo pulls back to her original position and gawks at her.
"Excuse me!?" Bo looks at her with the most incredulous look, like she just threw a skunk at her.
Lauren has to be fair, she doesn't think *any*one would be ok with their hair being described in such a manner.
"I'm sorry, I just do a lot of gardening, and that's exactly what it smells like. I'm sorry, I should have kept that to myself." Yep, bye bye not being a pushover, was a nice ten minutes while it lasted. Her anxiety, which had started to lessen, came back full force.
Bo raised her eyebrows at her, her expression softening, now just looking at her perplexed.
"I love to garden." She could have slapped herself at how ridiculous that sounded coming out of her mouth.
Bo's expression morphed again into one of amusement. Lauren's face flushed red and she immediately vacated the vehicle as quickly as possible without another word. She power walked for a good ten or fifteen seconds before realizing that the usual weight on her left shoulder was not there.
Frack.
She stopped, cursed the high heavens for her bad karma, and turned around to retrieve her bag.
And there she was, standing behind her opened door leaning against the frame, holding her bag with her left hand, the single strap resting on two fingers. She had this smirk that *screamed* did-you-forget-something and this infuriated Lauren, but also gave her a tingling sensation in her abdomen.
She clenched her jaw as she neared the car, reaching for her bag as soon as she was close enough. Bo held on tight to the bag.
"You're not even going to say thank you?" The smugness was dripping from her voice. Lauren pulled harder on the bag, again Bo held on tight. The blonde sighed.
"Thank you. Can I have my bag?"
"You're being awfully rude for someone who got saved from walking three plus miles in the freezing cold. I saved your life the way I see it."
"I technically already *did* say thank you. Also I didn't ask for a ride, you practically forced me in the car. Also you had the roof down for most of the time, so the way I see it all you saved me from was needed exercise."
"Exercise? You're in amazing shape, you don't need exercise!"
Lauren eyes widened at the statement. She had absolutely no comeback for this, as she was completely unprepared for the backhanded compliment. Apparently neither was Bo, as her grip loosened on Lauren's bag and appeared distressed at the slip.
"Uh, thanks. For the ride and...not taking stuff from my bag. Not that there is anything is there worth stealing. Just homework and the uh required text…" Lauren quickly put the bag over her left shoulder, gave Bo a head nod, and briskly walked back in the direction of campus.
"Have a great day Lauren!" she heard Bo call behind her.
She stopped in her tracks for a moment, and then continued on, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Bo remembered her name.
A/N: This is probably garbage. Also hbomba made me do it. Also damn ffnet for not allowing submissions within 12 hours of making an account. Also please review telling me how cold poop in a bucket is preferable to this, so I can lay it to rest.
Okbai.