Mess of a life

16 - Racing Cars

Hey everyone and first of all I am so, so sorry for not updating for so long (i myself hate when authors do that, i can relate lmaoo). I got caught up in health and school, but everything should be back on track now and shcool should be a bit more on the chill side for some time so i'll try to make up for my absence by writing lots of new chapters!

As it has been a long time I recommend re reading the previous chapter, as this one is a direct continuation from the last one. If you're too lazy (it's okay I forgive you), just remember that camille's boyfriend broke up with her over some pathetic excuse and she is sad, so she's watching netflix and self pitying when Dane (her 3rd older borther, a bit grumpy) tells her to get up.

Also a small note of thanks and welcome to all the new readers, all comments and votes are highly appreciated, love you guys <3

"Come on, we're going out."

"What? Where?

My giant of a brother didn't answer, instead turning away and heading for the garage. I was confronted with a quick decision to make: to stay here and keep watching this movie, the plot of which I predicted half an hour ago, or to follow Dane wherever out was. The smart choice was obviously the first one. But I felt like being dumped gave me a free pass for making dumb decisions, at least for the day, so I got up too.

That's how I ended up in a red convertible car, my hair flying wildly in the wind. Let me tell you, convertibles are way over-rated. They might seem romantic for an evening stroll in the city, but they are definitely not suited for highway trips. These cars should have a speed limiter, it should be illegal to go this fast in a car without a roof. My hair would take hours to untangle after this.

Dane took us to some commercial area of the city, but I think he took a detour just because he liked the sound of the engine roaring. I might have liked it to, after I gathered my flying strands in a messy bun. We didn't do anything really special, as we just picked up a few packages he needed, and he stopped at some point to discuss with a tall, very thin man while I waited in the car. That small interaction in the parking lot would slip my mind for a few weeks, as I'd have other things to think about when I'd remember this particular outing, but would become important at some point. There wasn't anything really special, about the person Dane met nor what they did, though. Except for his thinness, that made me vaguely think that he was ill, even though he probably appeared so thin because of the striking contrast with my bulky brother, there wasn't really anything standing out of his appearance. Maybe his ears, a bit big in proportion to his head. His face would remain precisely engraved in my memories, nonetheless.

When Dane got out of the car, they shook hands, but not in a too formal way, more like guys use to do it. He even smiled slightly, which must be a sign that they were a bit close, as my brother made a point a keeping a poker face at all points – or he was just grumpy. They exchanged a few words, the guy showed Dane something on his phone, gave him a slightly crumpled paper that looked like a list or something. I didn't really pay close attention to the rest, as my focus shifted towards the guys physical language. There was something off about him, and it frustrated me not being able to point out what it was. I was looking so intently that I jumped when Dane got back in the car, loudly slamming his door, and for a few minutes I couldn't shake that weird unsettled feeling off.

I did have a nice time for the rest of our outing though, as it distracted me for a moment from the rest of my boring life. With the fact that my outings were still very limited, so even the plainest activities seemed like the wildest road trip.

My lack of memories of these two hours was not induced by disinterest, nor boredom. Rather by the traumatic events that followed, the stress of which overshadowed the previous fun I had.

It was the beginning of the evening, though I wouldn't have guessed from the sun, still shining brightly. After a cloudy afternoon, I gladly offered my face to its rays. They didn't warm my body as I was grateful for the hoodie protecting me from the chill in the air, but they contributed to create a nice summer evening aura. We were on the way back home, and as we entered the highway again, I surprised myself really enjoying the ride this time, as I had previously gathered my messed-up hair in a bun.

Even Dane seemed less grumpy, though I relied solely on my guess to evaluate his mood. His fingers drummed the wheel on the bet of the car radio music. He looked the part, with the expensive looking sunglasses perched on his nose. As always, he didn't really talk to me during the time we spent together, but I was starting to understand that it was just how he was. Rude, unwelcoming, but at the end of the day he took me outside of the house just to cheer me up. That was his way of being nice to me.

Growing comfortable, I even began humming the song that started next, as it was one of my favourites, as I knew the wind would cover my voice. I closed my eyes, trying to mark this memory, a red car flying through the wind, the soft warmth of the sun, a song from my old life.

Dane got faster, swerving between the few cars ahead of us. A smile tugged my lips. Dane caught it from the corner of his eye and a shadow of a smirk appeared on his face. He turned the volume of the radio up.

I don't really know when I felt the mood change. I just know Dane tapped the beats of the music, one elbow lazily resting on the car door, his gaze ahead and his posture relaxed, until he wasn't anymore. His fingers stilled as both his hands held tightly the wheel, his back straighter, his face tenser. He shot repetitive glances in the rear-view mirror, but I only understood that his going faster wasn't for fun when he suddenly yelled.

"CAMILLE CROUCH DOWN!"

I jumped, first at the aggression of his tone before the meaning of his words set in. Time seemed to both slow down and jump forward, as all the elements clicked together. I understood in a split second the combination of his speed and sudden tension, his glances in the mirrors, his yell. My body jumped into action as quickly as my mind did, adrenalin pumping in my veins at once. My heartrate went through the roof.

However, as quick as my reaction was, I didn't have time to indulge Dane's order before it was too late.

The first shot must've missed because the car didn't slow down, and Dane didn't seem hurt. I don't think I would've known even if I was shot, as I froze entirely at the loud sound.

I saw in the corner of my eye a motorcycle starting to overtake our car on the empty road. I turned my head enough to see two people sitting on it, dressed entirely in black. Their head were entirely covered with helmets as dark as their outfits. I couldn't see their eyes, but I felt them piercing through me anyway.

The one behind held a gun.

That was pointed straight at me.

It felt like a nightmare, the kind where I was unable to scream or to run as I tried to escape a danger. Both our car and the motorcycle were still going at full speed, the décor passing by us in an indistinct blur. And yet, maybe because of the adrenalin, I could see everything clear as day. I felt like the spectator of a slowed down movie rather than the protagonist whose chest was pointed at by a gun, and as such I didn't move an inch.

I think Dane screamed something. I could only hear the distorted sound of the song still playing on the radio.

The motorcycle finished overtaking our car, and the gun holder turned their arm to keep aiming at me despite the change in our relative positions. And then, slowly, deliberately, they turned their arm to my left, before pressing the trigger.