As I make my way to Finn’s car Monday morning, I notice Kel in the front seat. There seems to be some commotion. Kel opens his door and sighs, exiting to the back.
“Apparently if you don’t get the front seat, I don’t have a ride.”
Nodding my head to Kel, I hop into my usual place, quietly happy Finn insisted on it. My seat is warm, but there’s a foul smell in the air. I wrinkle my nose and Finn frowns, nodding in agreement.
“I ate something that didn’t agree with me. Sorry folks. I can’t help it!”
I glance back at Kel and he seems almost apologetic, although not very. Ernesto isn’t smiling either. I’m sure he’s not thrilled with the odor, especially since it just moved next to him.
“Good morning,” I offer to Finn.
He hands me my usual cup of coffee with a small smile. I turn to see that Ernesto and Kel are also holding Starbucks cups and there’s an extra in the tray.
“Did you buy coffee for everyone?” I ask him.
He nods.
“Yeah, although I told him tomorrow I’d rather have a Frappuccino. Maybe strawberry or something,” Kel adds as he frowns. “I don’t drink coffee.”
I turn around again. “You know he doesn’t have to get you anything.”
“I didn’t ask for anything.”
Ernesto raises his cup to me and smiles. I smile back. I think I like him the best.
“You need to stop paying for everything. You’ll go broke,” I whisper to Finn.
“I’m fine. No worries. Sometimes the girl at the window gives me mine for free.”
My chest tightens. “I bet she does.” I face my window so he can’t see my face.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Finn asks.
Kel replies, “It means she doesn’t like girls giving you shit because she wants you to only get freebies fromher.”
“Kel, mind your own fucking business!” I shout.
Finn has a shit-eating grin on his face and I vow not to speak the rest of the drive.
We listen to Finn’s driving music on the way to pick up Emerson. She lives in a small house about three blocks from the highway ramp. I wonder if it’s noisy at night. Track nine, “Ride” by Twenty One Pilots, plays just as we pull up.
A woman with long blonde-hair walks out with her and they kiss before Emerson makes her way to the car. They seem very in love.
“G’morning,” Emerson says cheerfully as she gets in the car. “Ugh, what died in here?”
I laugh.
“I have gas. I can’t help it.”
Emerson buckles her seat belt. “Well fuck, I feel like I could hurl. I haven’t felt that way in months. If this is going to work, you need to watch what you eat.”
Kel leans forward in his seat. “Are you two going to make out in the driveway every day? Cause I’ll start recording it for spank vision later.”
“Gross!”
“Ugh”
“Kel!”
