"You up for driving?"

Miguel had a second to process the question before he snatched the keys Hawk tossed at him from the air. "Uh, sure," he answered, throwing his gym bag in the back before getting into the driver's seat. "Can I ask the reason?"

"Because I'm tired of always being your chauffeur," joked Hawk, hooking his seatbelt. His grin then faltered for a moment. "I mean, just make sure you don't crash it or anything, okay?"

Miguel recognized the underlying panic of parental retribution in that tone. "Pretty sure I can avoid doing that," he chuckled. "I practiced a lot with Mom's car when I got my license. So, to the mall then? Nothing like a little winding down at the food court after practice, amirite?"

Leaning in his seat, Hawk rolled his shoulders. "Actually, I was thinking we could cruise the coast for a bit, see what we find. Y'know, go where the wind takes us. Surprise me." His eyes flitted to Miguel's face. "If you're down for that."

"Sure, man, if you got gas money for cruising," jested Miguel, turning on the engine. But there was energy in his voice. His hands gripped the steering wheel, and the idea of driving down a long stretch of road without purpose got his blood pumping. It almost felt rebellious and reminded him of the story Sensei Lawrence told him about how often he and the original Cobras went motorbiking for the sheer sake of the joyride.

He thought about the thrill of racing down the open highway, windows down, wind blowing through their hair - well, maybe only his hair - while chasing the sun down the coastal line. He imagined finding someplace with jaw-dropping imagery to park, where the sea salt would catch on their skin, and they might taste it in a kiss….

Hawk's voice cut through his reverie. "Speaking of gas, you mind not wasting it?"

"Sorry," said Miguel, adjusting the rearview mirror. Keeping his daydream to himself in hopes it might manifest into reality - Hawk did say to surprise him, after all - he instead asked, "Hey, did I tell you Sensei let me drive his car last weekend?"

Hawk's eyebrows raised on his forehead. "Get outta here, really?"

Miguel nodded, putting the vehicle in drive. "He said every guy should get behind the wheel of a sports car once in his life."

"I bet the Cobramobile's got some sweet horsepower, huh?" asked Hawk.

"Oh yeah. Now that's how you go cruising, according to Sensei," laughed Miguel. Once he got to the end of the strip mall parking lot, holding his foot on the break, he swiftly reached into the back to grab his bag. When he turned around, he slipped on a pair of sunglasses. "Sensei also said when you go riding, you gotta do it in style."

Hawk's grin widened. "Now that's what I'm talking about!" Opening his glove compartment, he pulled out his own pair of shades while Miguel drove out onto the road.