Danica

Saturday, July 27th, 10:57pm.

"Just like old times."

Elijah is quiet enough I can pretend I didn't hear him as I try to zone out and forget that anyone else is in the car with me.

I just want to believe that I'm alone right now.

Warm, night air pours in from my window that is partially open as Eli drives us through the outskirts of town. A receipt flutters in the door, the noise keeping me distracted as I let my mind drift elsewhere as I think about what Eli and Paxon have admitted to me during this car ride they had planned.

Mila drugged Paxon, Olivia, and Elijah.

I don't want to believe it but at the same time I have to. I have to believe it for their sake. I hate her for it, how she could be so selfish to do something to her supposed 'friends'. Then there's Elijah, none of the terrible things that happened that night at Derrick's graduation party would have happened if Eli hadn't done what Derrick wanted.

"Who did it?" Eli asks suddenly.

There's a long moment of silence as I sit quietly in my seat and try to figure out what he's asking about.

"What do you mean?"

Paxon's voice is cautious and I glance back to see that his jaw is set, his eyes narrowed as he looks from me to the back of Eli's head.

"I know you both know something about Derrick's death," Eli says and he almost sounds confident about it.

"Eli-," I begin to say, but he cuts me off.

"Just tell me what you know."

I bite my lip as bile rises in the back of my throat. I can hear Paxon breathe in as he holds his breath for a moment before he blows it out. From the corner of my eye, I can see Eli watching me as he takes his eyes off the road.

"Eli...you don't want to know what happened that night," Paxon says at last.

"So you do know."

Silence follows the statement and my throat tightens.

Oh god, we're going to have to tell him.

"Just tell me," he murmurs and I can hear the desperation in it, "I have to know-."

"Why?" Paxon interrupts. "Why do you have to know? He's dead, you got what you wanted, you got your scholarship and Derrick is dead."

"That's not what I'm wanting to hear, what I'm wanting to hear is how-."

"Eli it doesn't matter," I find myself snapping as frustration bubbles up in my chest.

"Did I do it?" he says and I pause.

"What? How-?" I sputter.

"I was drunk remember? I can't remember some things-."

"Eli, you didn't do anything," Paxon assures him and I can't help but sigh with relief.

That's all Eli wanted to know, if he had been the one to do it.

"Why don't you guys trust me?" he says and I tense.

"Eli, do you really have to ask that question?" I find myself saying and he slams on the brakes suddenly.

The car shudders to a halt and I can only stare at him as the smell of burnt rubber fills the cab. Tears have welled up in his eyes as his lips press into a flat line.

"You can trust me now, I know that what I did was wrong, but you can trust me now," he assures me as he looks from me to Paxon.

There's a long moment of silence before he looks away from me as he starts driving again. I hunch down in my seat as the rearview mirror next to me suddenly flickers with light as a car rolls out onto the road behind us.

"It's just better if you don't get involved," Paxon says, his voice low, "Danica and I are dealing with it, we're almost through this, we appreciate it, but it's just best for Dani and I to be the only ones who know the truth."

"What even is the truth? Did you do it?" Eli suddenly asks and I flinch.

"Look let's just-," I'm cut off from speaking as I'm abruptly jolted in my seat.

"What the hell?" Eli asks as he looks over his shoulder, "That car just rear-ended us!"

"Eli, drive," Paxon snaps suddenly and the tone of his voice sets me on edge as I grip the seat.

"What do you mean? I need their insurance information!" Eli says, his voice incredulous.

"Go!" Paxon yells.

Eli slams his foot on the gas as we are suddenly rear-ended again and I gasp as I'm thrown forward in my seat.

"Head for the police station," I bark.

"I am," Eli grunts as he goads more speed out of the car.

Darkness whips past us as the car careens through the empty roads at breakneck speeds I wouldn't be comfortable with. The lights in the rearview mirror grow brighter and it's then that I know that they're catching up.

"They're coming, brace yourselves," I yelp as I almost miss seeing the upcoming sign alongside the road.

In a town where building another roundabout is the answer to fixing a problem, the one up ahead has somehow become the very thing it was built to prevent; an accident. It's a simple enough mistake since this one is on the unfamiliar edge of town and I only realize what's happening when we've passed it.

"Eli!" I yell, but it's too late.

A yield sign whips past, warning us as the car's headlights shine on the concrete encircled median and I brace myself for what's to come.

"Oh sh-," Paxon begins to curse but he's cut off when Eli stomps on the brakes, the car screeching for the median as he yanks the wheel to the side.

There's a massive crunch as I'm thrown forward in my seat, the seatbelt digging into my collarbone as the air is forced from my lungs.

This is how I die.

It's almost comforting.

I won't have to worry about living through this.

It's the last thing I think as I can feel the car flip as my head slams against the window.