• When we stepped outside, it felt like it was still six; the clouds blocked the sun out like a dim flashlight trying to shine its beam of light through a bed sheet from a distance. Although, the temperature had bumped up considerably. It had to be around sixty two degrees.
    Jaime had dozed off in the backseat before I even had my seatbelt put on. Her face squished against the window as if someone was applying pressure on the other side of her face. I put the key in the ignition and turned the car on, revving the engine to life. My music continued from where it left off; the end of one of my own pieces-consisting of a piano, a violin (both played by me) and the honey-sweet voice of Gabriella-that Jaime insisted on putting on my iTouch. I threw the car into reverse and backed out of the parking lot.
    As we turned onto the street and rounded the corner that led to the 12-mile stretch of a street, a beautiful blonde girl in her late teens driving a red convertible, hood down, swerved around me at full speed, almost nicking my headlight. “Oh, you little b***h.” I growled, blasting the horn, “I’m not letting some punk a** make a fool out of me again today.” Just then, ‘Eyeless’ by Slipknot came on. I checked my mirrors and looked quickly out of the passenger window to see if Chief Swan or any other law enforcement was around. I smiled deviously, “Such impeccable timing, boys.” I said to the music. Adrenalin pulsed through my veins as I gave the pedal nice nudge. Jaime exclaimed in shock as the car lurched forward suddenly, gripping the fabric on the seat cushions. I inched closer and closer to the convertible, catching a glimpse of the girls irritated expression in her rear view mirror. I laughed as I floored it completely, flying forward like a jet. The convertible lurched forward, filling the gap between us. I finally noticed that there were others occupying the passenger seats.
    Time seemed to have slowed as my attention was drawn from the road to the one who sat in the back seat. Her dark hair flipped up at the ends, framing her perfect heart-shaped face. She was small and fragile looking, almost my size, and pale, like the other beautiful people in the car. But it was her beauty that captivated me. And her eyes…
    Jaime shrieked with alarm, snapping me back into reality.
    In a split second, I slammed on the brakes and tried to turn, but I was too late. I plowed through the plastic construction zone barrels and the front right tire dipped down into the pot hole and the SUV cart wheeled. With a loud clunk, it miraculously landed on all four tires, a cloud of dust encircled us. I shot a glance through my window; the convertible zipped past us. “Oh, no, no, no, no, no.” I said, throwing the car in reverse, “I’m not finished yet.”
    The SUV roared as we hurtled backwards. We plowed through more barrels as I steered the car back on the road. I timed myself correctly, hit the brakes just as I thrust the steering wheel to the left and threw the gear shift back into drive, making the SUV whip around at a one-hundred eighty degree angle. I spotted the convertible far off in the distance, speeding down the vacant road.
    Too far.
    I slammed the gas as hard as I could, and the car took off, faster than before. In less then five seconds I had passed the convertible, giving my sense of satisfaction a thrill. I glanced in the rear view mirror; Jaime looked pale and sickly.
    “Don’t worry Jaime, we’re almost there. Hold it in for five minutes, ‘kay?”
    She nodded. We hurtled down the road, nothing in our way to stop us for five minutes.
    Sweet. Breathable. Freedom.