This is my worst-case scenario.
I just killed Dylan Lynch.
Or wait, is this my best-case scenario?
I close my eyes and try to focus.
But there’s a sharp ringing in my ears and I’m getting all dizzy.
My hands are shaking as I step out of the car.
Dylan looks up at me, wincing in pain.
He peels his cheek off the windshield and raises an eyebrow.
Dylan
Hey, Cheese. Were you listening to Adele and crying?
OMG! I totally forgot that was playing!
I quickly duck back in my car and turn off the radio.
I wipe my tears away as I glance in the rearview mirror.
My eyes look like they’ve been pepper sprayed.
I was crying, and it wasn’t a cute little sniffling cry…
It was a big fat ugly cry.
When I duck back out of my car, Dylan is standing up.
But he’s holding his right arm and wincing.
Dylan
Wow, Cheese. I know you hate me…
Dylan
But I didn’t think you’d run me down with your car.
Louise
It was an accident!
Dylan
Look at my bike! It looks like a pretzel.
Louise
I’ll buy you a new one.
Dylan
Are you going to buy me a new arm?
He sucks in a breath and winces again.
Dylan
I mean, you gave me a third elbow, but I’m great. Thanks.
Louise
I told you it was an accident!
We glare at each other for a long moment.
I huff out a breath as I wait for him to break eye contact.
But he seems to be waiting for the same thing.
Finally, he drops his eyes first.
Dylan
Should we call the police?
Now, I really start to panic.
My whole body starts twitching.
And I get an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Louise
The police?!? Why?!?
Oh God. I’m going to jail.
They’ll lock me up and I’ll never be allowed out.
Dylan
Because you hit me with your car.
Dylan
Police tend to want to know about little things like vehicular manslaughter.
Louise
But you’re still alive!
Dylan
Okay. Vehicular armslaughter.
Louise
I don’t want to call the cops.
I’m standing there. Light-headed. Panicking.
His face softens and he sighs.
Dylan
Okay, let’s leave the cops out of this. I’ll call my parents.
A flood of relief takes over. I feel like I can breathe again.
Dylan pulls out his phone. It looks even worse than mine.
Spiderwebs have taken over the screen.
Louise
What happened to it?
Dylan
Um, you hit it with your car, Cheese.
He chuckles as he shakes his head and tries to turn it on.
I let out a nervous laugh as his narrowed eyes lock onto me.
Louise
Just put it on my tab.
Dylan
Where’s your phone?
Dylan
Are you freaking kidding me?
Dylan
How did that happen?
Louise
It just broke! It’s not my fault!
I threw it against the door.
Dylan
I have to get to the hospital.
I look down at his bike. Well, what’s left of it.
The only place that thing is going is the junkyard.
Louise
There’s a bus that goes—
Dylan
Are you kidding me, Cheese?
Dylan
I’m not taking the bus.
Louise
Hey! Wait! What are you—?
He just opens the door of my car and gets in without asking.
Dylan
No. You’re taking me to the hospital.
Louise
And why the heck would I do that?
Dylan
Because you hit me with your car!
Dylan
Plus, your mom will kill you if you abandoned me.
Dylan
You know, while I was bleeding to death on the street.
Louise
Fine. I’ll take you.
Louise
But you can’t tell our parents about this.
Dylan
I don’t think you’re in a position to make any demands right now.
We glare at each other for another heated moment.
This time, I look away first.
Louise
What do you want to do about your bike?
Dylan
It’s useless now anyway.
I grip the steering wheel as I take a deep breath.
Dylan is busy looking around the car with an amused grin on his face.
He even looks hot when he’s being annoying.
Dylan
What decade is it from?
Louise
At least I have a car!
I glance at it in the rearview mirror and cringe.
Then I quickly drive away from the scene of the crime.
I’m pulling onto the main road when I realize I don’t know where I’m going.
Louise
Wait, which way to the hospital?
Dylan
How am I supposed to know?
Dylan
I haven’t been there since I was 6.
Louise
You really don’t know?
He tries his phone again, but it won’t turn on.
Dylan
What did people do before cell phones?
Dylan
How did they get to the hospital?
Louise
I think they just gave up and died in the middle of the street.
He laughs and I feel a smile creep across my face.
I quickly wipe it off when I remember that I hate him.
Dylan
Oh! Remember when your grandmother was sick?
Dylan
When our moms used to visit her, they’d drop us off at the park.
Louise
That’s right! The one with the ice cream stand.
Louise
I know where that is.
I turn around and head in the right direction.
When we arrive, I’m embarrassed at how big and obvious the hospital is.
Dylan
That’s it? I must have passed this place a million times.
Dylan
I guess I never realized it was here.
Louise
Funny how can you live in the same place all of your life…
Louise
And not even know what’s in front of you.
Dylan looks at me in a way that makes me swallow hard.
Dylan
Sometimes you only really see things when you’re ready.
Something charges in the air between us.
And I can’t help it, I have to look away.
Dylan
Let’s get this arm fixed so you don’t have to go to jail.
My eyes never leave him as he gets out of the car.
For the past few years, I’ve hated the nickname Cheese.
But in all honesty, it doesn’t sound bad coming from Dylan’s lips.
In fact, I always liked it when he called me that.
Because he says it in an endearing way.
The whole school calls you that name because of him.
And I’m going to have to spend hours in the hospital with this jerk.
Crap. This day just keeps getting worse.
