Passenger Seat- One-shot (I think…)
Disclaimer: I own nothing, including The O.C. or Death Cab for Cutie. (which is quite a shame…)
Inspired by Death Cab for Cutie's "Passenger Seat"; Set after "The Rescue" in 1st person POV; Pay attention to the first and last lines!
Riding in the passenger seat never felt like this before.
I've ridden in the passenger seat thousands of times. I have sat in many cars. They've all felt the same. But this one is different, just like this night.
I went to Holly's beach house. Luke betrayed me. Summer went out to dinner with her dad. What else was I supposed to do? So I sat down. I started to play cards with the girls, even though I knew they were just waiting to make jokes and snide comments about me when I went to the bathroom. I only had one drink. I wanted to prove to them that I had changed since Mexico. I was better now.
But my one drink soon became many. They just desired for me to do something stupid. Something they could take pictures of and post on the school website or submit to the school newspaper. They wanted to see my demise. But I wouldn't let them. I stood up and stumbled to the back door. Holly called to me and asked what I thought I was doing. I told her I had to go. She was disappointed. I could tell by the look in her eyes. But she offered to drive me home, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she could get me to confess something private to her that she would make public. I wouldn't let her win. I turned down her offer as convincingly as I could and walked out the back door.
The air was cold as the sun was beginning to set. I pulled my jacket around me and walked down the beach. Where I was going, I didn't know. What I did know was that I had to get away from them. I could feel their eyes stabbing me as I walked away. I wouldn't turn around. I couldn't give them what they wanted, not after what they did to me.
I walked until I felt my legs go from under me. I was powerless now as I looked back. Holly's beach house was nowhere in sight. I took this as a blessing. I had finally fallen, but no one had seen. I weakly grabbed for my purse while I contemplated who to call. Luke was out of the question now. Summer would come get me, but her dad would probably come along. I didn't want him seeing me like this. I couldn't call my parents. They were already having problems and a drunken daughter probably wouldn't help. My mom would lock me up for sure. Mexico , and now this? I would be done for. So, I called the only person I could, the only person who cared about me now.
The phone rang at his house and I prayed he would answer. Finally, after a few rings, someone picked up. It was Seth. Well, at least it wasn't his parents. That conversation wouldn't have gone over too well.
"Hello?"
I didn't know what to say. So, I spoke the name of the one I wanted, in the form of a question. Seth seemed to understand, so he told me to wait for a second. It seemed like forever until I heard another voice, but luckily, it was the one I wanted to hear.
"Hello?"
This time I whispered his name like a statement. Like a lifelong wish had finally come true. This time he spoke my name in the form of a question. I nodded. Then, I realized that he couldn't hear me nodding, so I simply told him that it was me. He asked me what was wrong. I told him that I needed him to come get me. I gave him my whole sob story, and he listened intently. When I was done, he told me that he'd be right there. He told me to stay where I was. I wouldn't go anywhere if I knew he was going to be there.
It seemed like an eternity until he finally arrived. He helped me into Sandy Cohen's BMW, and then got in on his own side. I could tell that he knew I was worried when he turned to me and said:
"Don't worry. I covered for you."
I smiled weakly and put on my seatbelt as he started driving. I looked out my window at the beach as he drove. I had been to that stretch of beach so many times before. I had been there more times than I had been in a passenger seat. I had used that beach to walk, to talk, to laugh, to sing, to rule the world, to hang out, to tan, to read, to smile, to cry, to kiss. None of those things compared to how that beach made me feel now because I was with him. I had a feeling that the beach would never feel this way again.
I watched the sunset. How many times had I watched a California sunset? It was beautiful every time, but it had stopped meaning something to me after a while. Especially when I was drunk. But today, the feeling came back. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it once. I looked into his eyes as he drove and held my hand. I saw the sunset in his eyes. And it was more beautiful than it had ever been.
We pulled into the driveway that connected his new house and mine. I remembered when we first met. I began to question the life I lived back then. I couldn't remember that life at all now. He was there and he had changed me. I knew it was for the better.
He turned to look at me, his hand never releasing its hold. I stared into his eyes and couldn't help the single tear that fell down my cheek. He moved his free hand and wiped it off my face. He brought my forehead to his face and kissed it gently. I looked up at him and appreciated that this moment was only for us. I closed my eyes and experienced my first kiss with him. It was more precious and gentle than anything I had ever experienced. We didn't say a word for the next few minutes and the only sounds we could hear were the crickets that were starting to chirp as night descended upon Orange County . When we stopped, I looked up at him and realized that the alcohol wasn't what was intoxicating me. It was him. I whispered:
"Thank you."
He nodded and kissed me one more time. It was soft like before. Like I was his. And I was. In that moment, I knew I could stay this way forever.
Riding in the passenger seat never felt like this before. And I doubt it will ever feel like this again.