6 Need a lift

"Okay..." I said with a shiver. "I think I will take you up on that offer now..."

I looked to where the parking lot was, in front of the school. I was expecting to see a car there but instead there wasn't a single one in sight.

"Wait, where is your car?.." I asked him as the rain poured down onto us.

I was freezing and my fingers were turning blue now.

"It's around back," he replied.

"Oh," I said with a sigh, "you had me worried there for a second."

"You don't have to worry we'll be out of the rain in no time," he said before looking at my lips. "Your lips... they're.."

"They're, what??.." I replied.

"They're purple... and you look a bit pale."

"Well, I am kind of freezing here so..." I was about to finish when he interrupted me... "But you look nice," he said in an awkward tone, "the colour suits you... The purple, I mean.."

"Thanks," I said a little bit flustered.

"Hey, maybe you should stay here, rather and I'll go bring the car around to the front."

I looked at him for a second before saying anything... "Okay, I guess that could work too," I stated.

"Okay, I'll bring the car around then... but just wait here and stay out of the rain," he said as I moved under the staircase.

It was raining continuously but I actually managed to keep dry while I waited for him. After about 5 minutes a black Jeep parked by the front steps of the building just a short distance away from the staircase. The windows were tinted and the driver's side door opened. He got out of the car and then walked to the passenger's side before opening the door.

"Alice are you coming?.." He said looking in my direction.

I closed my umbrella and began to walk towards the car. Once I was in the car, he closed the door for me and returned to the driver's seat.

"Are you still freezing?.." He asked me and then he turned the aircon onto warm air, to help me stop shivering.

"Thank you again," I said to him as I finally started to get warm.

While we were on our way to Cherry's Diner I watched the raindrops as they hit against the side window. The radio was playing and I was in my own world. I never spoke once as I watched the buildings we were passing by when suddenly my favourite song came on and I couldn't help but to sing along.

Usually I don't sing along to songs in front of complete strangers but I just couldn't resist and for some reason I actually didn't feel awkward around this guy, I felt comfortable. Yes, I wasn't talking to him but that's because I was tired and I think I might have sparked a bit of conversation between us since I just started to sing out of the blue.

He turned his head to the side and looked at me oddly before focusing on the road again.

"Where did that come from?.." He said.

"What?.." I stated.

"What you just did now.." He said.

"Oh, you mean my awful singing..." I replied.

"Hey, don't doubt yourself," he said, "if anything I think your singing is cute."

"Okay... but you know you don't have to flatter me I know I am a bad singer," I stated.

"No, honestly you're not that bad," he said, "I think it's cute."

"Are you sure I don't sing that bad... You aren't by any chance deaf are you?.." I asked in a jokey tone.

"No, seriously you don't sing half as bad," he said, "and who am I to judge I can't even sing if my life depended on it."

"Wow, look who's doubting themselves now..." I stated. "Tell you what," I said to him, "how about we sing along together and then maybe I will take your advice."

"Nah... I don't sing," he said.

"Please... just this once..." I asked him.

"No, I really can't sing," he stated.

"Please... will you do it for me then..." I asked again.

"Okay, fine... but just remember you asked me to..." He said before he began to sing along with me...

He sang, still focusing on the road. His voice sounded rough and husky as we both sang together yet, he still managed to sound great. In fact he sounded so nice that he actually sounded like a real singer. I looked at him in amazement...

"You know," I said, "if you are a singer you could of just told me."

"No, honestly, this is the first time I have sang..." He said.

"Really?!.." I stated.

"Okay.. Okay.. You got me," he replied, "I used to be part of a band but that was way back when I started my first year of high school as a freshmen."

"Oh, I see... So that explains why you so rusty," I said jokingly, "because you haven't sang since freshmen year..."

"Hahaha... make fun of me all you want," he said, "but at least I had the guts to start a band."

"Yeah... you right, I would never have the guts to do something like that," I said as I looked out of the window.

We continued to talk for what felt like forever when I eventually drifted off to sleep, still sitting upright in the passenger's seat. I was dead tired and completely out of it that I didn't even feel the car come to a stop. I only began to wake up when I felt someone tap me on my shoulder.

"We here," he whispered in my ear as he tried to get me to wake up.

When I finally got my eyes to open, I saw that we were parked just outside of Cherry's Diner.

"I guess this is my stop," I said placing my hand in front of my mouth with a sleepy yawn.

"I guess it is," he said as he leaned forward to look at the pink neon lights sign that said Cherry's Diner through my window.

"Okay... well, thanks for the ride," I said, "but I'll have to be going now."

"Okay... was code for I don't have anything else to say and I basically thumb sucked the rest of that sentence."

I opened the door and was about to get out when he grabbed my hand. I was standing just outside of the car as he held my hand and looked at me.

"Hey," he managed to speak. "Maybe we should do this again..." he said nervously as he scratched the back of his neck, "some other time like... a... a.. date."

"If he just had to drive off maybe I wouldn't have felt so weird like I do right now."

I looked at him still thinking. "Yeah, maybe we should..." I replied as he let go of my hand.

"I couldn't say no, I was being polite and plus he gave me a lift... to turn him down would be rude to say the least."

Just go with it... I told myself mentally.

"Okay... Looks like I'll be seeing you then..." I said opening my umbrella and half waving.

"Okay... was also code for that was awkward."

"Okay, then I guess I will see you at school," he said in a nervous tone.

*Whispers*

"Awkward."

Before we went our separate ways we said good bye to each other and then I made my way into Cherry's Diner for another long working shift.

To be continued...