Sixty-Five: The Drive

I couldn't keep my eyes off him as he drove, one hand on the wheel, the other resting lightly in my lap. His long fingers drummed to the song, tapping lightly along with the melody against coarse leather. Looking to the road, his black hair tousled from the wind blowing through the slight crack of the window. I rest my head further into the seat, feeling calm, finding peace in the moment between us.

"Tess" I closed my eyes, smiling as he squeezed my knee, "Tess, wake up" I didn't want to do that, instead sinking further into the seat. I could hear my heart beating, it was beating softly simply a gentle thrum. I was happy, a warm feeling that started in my chest and felt behind my eyes. The longer I kept my eyes closed, the longer I could stay in this moment. I could feel warmth on my cheek as the sun was only beginning to set, could feel his hand on my leg. It was beautifully peaceful. I knew deep down this wasn't real, but I could ignore the brutality's of real life here.

The beating of my heart became louder, suddenly so loud it rattled my brain and i squirmed to get away. Sinking deeper the air was thick, if I opened my eyes I knew I'd be back to reality. I wanted to stay in this dream, I wanted to stay. Please please please stay. It was so quick, not sudden I didn't gasp for air. Easily my conscience was plucked away from the moment, sucked back into a void.

Opening my eyes I gasped, pulled from sleep I sat up. "Get up! We'll be late!" Austin's face was over me, looking down on me like a scientist inspecting an organism under a microscope. His large eyes, so intrusive and belittling. Pressing my hand to my face, I lay back into my pillows, feeling a rock in the pit of my belly.

~~~

[D A R R I C K ]

It was a deep breath, one that filled his lungs and stayed in his chest until it ached too much he had to breathe out. Overcome with guilt and his self condemnation, he couldn't break his eyes from the road. Even when he felt small hands on his thumb, he couldn't bring himself to look down at the girl he'd unfairly condemned to this punishment also.

Austin, Jace, Cole and himself were crammed into the back of a small black car, Tess easily seated on Darrick's lap. Austin rested his head against the window, eyes closed and not uttering a word. Faced with the same guilt that Darrick felt, he knew deep down Austin felt bad. It was his idea to take punishment into his own hands against Lenny. Jace sat behind his father who was driving, rather quiet for the first time but still uttered small words in return to his father who tried to start conversation.

Jaces father, Michael was driving the group to their first day of Community service at HFW (halfway). Michael was a pudgy small man, cheeks a permanent flush of red. Polar opposites Jace's parents were, his father was a little shy and strange, a wild fawn compared to his wife who was a sturdy calf, well, that was the nature of parents nowadays. Opposites tend to attract.

Michael and Jace shared a lot of similarity's, Michael speaking a little too much at the most inappropriate of times. They shared mannerism, Michael using his hands to speak and was always a little anxious when it came to speaking to his wife.

"Are you all excited?" Michael spoke, poking at a new topic, moving to look at the four guys in the back seat but quickly looked back at the road as to not crash the car. Austin didn't move, keeping his eyes closed with his head against the window. Cole shrugged, behind Darrick in the extra seats of the seven seated car. His eyes were glossed over and red. He smelt grassy, meaning he must have decided to smoke this morning to get through the day. He was sunk down into his seat as if his skin had melted to the leather.

"I don't think anyone's excited, dad.." Jace murmured from beside Darrick, Darrick choosing not to speak and instead looking down into his lap. Smiling lightly, Tess was dossing in his lap, her eyes closed and one hand holding his thumb, the other rested across her chest.

She was very peaceful, he knew she wasn't inside. Tess had been upset, angry at him for not telling her the truth about Lenny. She didn't care much that the group had shrunk him, said he deserved it, but the lying was what upset her. Darrick had never seen her so mad, even all those times they'd had their arguments, they seemed so vague until now. This is what topped it off. Now she was being punished, thrown the book at for something she had no part in. For simply knowing he was different and accepting him. He felt sick at the thought and looked out the window.

Tess had forgiven him thankfully, but he didn't believe he had earned her forgiveness.

"It's not all that bad, think of it like a school excursion. Get to meet new people, learn things. It'll be fun I think" Micheal was smiling, glancing into the rear mirror at the sombre faces in the back.

"Would you wanna swap places with me, Mr Steven's!" Cole spoke loudly from the back, making Michael laugh lightly and shake his head.

"Oh no no I couldn't do that" he sat for a second, as if considering the idea but then chuckles to himself. Darrick shakes his head, not believing that he was heading straight toward the one place he hoped he never would return to again.

When first discovering his abilities he was sent to half way, trained to control his abilities until released back into the community. He knew it was because people were scared of him and wanted him locked away. They didn't want to risk people finding out he could be dangerous. He'd never had a causality, never in trouble for growing or shrinking. Always fully supervised in school when he was pressed into mingling with human students to become more familiar with giants. He never spoke to the other students, not up until Tess came along.

Jace shifted beside Darrick, uncomfortable from sitting so long in one place. He grabbed at his seatbelt, pulled it away from his body and then letting it pull back against him. He did that a few times, before he looked at Darrick.

"What do you think it's like there.." he whispered, looking out the corner of his eye toward his father who was humming to the radio.

"I don't know" Darrick lied, he knew perfectly what it was like. He hated Jaces mother and father, not for who they were but how they lied. HFW was nothing like they'd explained "why don't you ask your parents"

"I don't believe them" Jace whispered, shaking his head he leant back in his seat but kept his eyes on Darrick. Darrick looked away, maybe Jace did have some sense about him.

"What are we whispering about" Cole's head appeared between Darrick and Jace, licking his dry lips as if he hadn't had a sip of water for days. Cole brushed his long hair back behind his ears so that his ears suck out on either side of his head. He tried whispering, but if Michael were paying any attention he would've heard him clear as day

"Uh nothing" Jace smiled shyly as he looked at Cole, Darrick not bothering to look at the high giant as he continued to sit and watch the world go by past the window. Houses had turned to fields, fields turned to trees. They were a long ways away from any town or house. Humans probably reside around here, keeping furthest away from any giant city or town. They were just too small to notice amongst the large world around them. The further you removed yourself from society, darker things unveil themselves to the naive. Human trafficking, human slavery and breeding happened further in land . People like Austin, Cole and Jace's family were aloof to this reality. To them it was the giants and the humans society. We were one but not the same.

Never thinking what was in between, what lay on the outskirts of society.

Austin lifted his head then and looked out the front of the car "I need to piss" he announces loudly

"Oh okay um~ should I pull over?" Michael looked back at the boys and together everyone agreed. Michael swinging the car to the left he pulled up slowly, the breaks squealing as they came to a stop. "Alright five minutes and we have to get back on the road, don't be too long~" Each of the boys piled out of the car before Michael could finish, as if fresh air was a delicious treat. Their chance at freedom.

They had stopped by a field, stretching so far it hit the horizon. The field is a bounty of clovers and sun-strengthened grass, by mid-spring the field is a palette of greens. I'm hotter days in summer, the grass with turn yellow and wilt. As Darrick carefully moved out of the car, he carried Tess close to his chest where she had stirred from her rest from the movement.

"Are we there?" She spoke quiet, rubbing at her eyes. Darrick shakes his head down at the human in his hands and chose to sit down in the shorter grass that grew by the road.

"Not yet, just taking a pit stop" Darrick stretched his legs, looking up to the sky where the sun grazed his cheeks. Similarly all the boys took their places to piss, before choosing to roam the area like lost children, too stubborn to go back to the car. Darrick let Tess sit in his lap, she was quiet as she sat down, laying herself out on his thigh

"I think I fell asleep" she rubbed more at her eyes, taking in her surroundings, at the tall grass that grew around them. She'd surely get lost in there or eaten by some wild rodent. The sun was hot, even though it was early morning still.

"You did look very relaxed" Darrick found himself smiling, yearning sadly for her to touch her hair and tell her everything will be okay

Cole stumbled out of the door, having struggled to pull the seats back so he could escape. He didn't hesitate when he walked into the long grass, it reaching up to his waist as he entered. He didn't stop, walking far out into the field that you could only see the top of his shoulders and fluffy blonde hair bobbing around

"Cole! Not too far buddy!" Michael called from the car, worrying Cole was attempting to escape. Cole turned around then, dazed almost he simply leaned back and lay in the grass. He disappeared fully, the grass enveloping his body and Darrick could hear Cole's body thump onto the ground.

Austin stood in the grass to the right of cole, not as far as cole who was still splayed in the grass, but enough that he could make a mad dash if he wanted. After relieving himself he simply stared to the horizon, pulling at the weeds around him and flattening the grass. He was enjoying the view it seemed whilst Cole was happy to just lay in the grass for a minute

Jace wandered back through the grass, pushing the weeds to the side as he emerged beside the car. Looking at his dad he sighed and chooses instead to sit down next to Darrick, curling his knees to his chest. Looking at Tess he smiled at her, Tess smiled back

"How are you?" Jace spoke softly to Tess, resting his cheek on his knees

"I'm okay" is all she said in return. Jace nodded and looked away, looking up the road where they would soon continue their journey. Darrick cocked his head back and closed his eyes, soaking in any sunlight he could. It felt strange In a way how quiet everyone was, no jokes no teasing.

There was chirping of insects waking, the rustle of leaves as the wind blew through the long grass, groaning as Cole moved around in the distance where he lay

It was just so quiet

Tess moved on Darrick's lap and he looked down then to see the human walking along his thigh, her feet so light atop of his jean fabric. She pressed into his stomach, pulling at his shirt until she found herself curling up under the fabric and pressing into the soft of his stomach skin. His heart fluttered but he didn't move, looking back to the sky as she pressed herself against him.

"Atleast we've got eachother" Jace spoke then, his eyes looking at the two "we can help eachother get through this" Jace was optimistic, letting his legs stretch out before him like Darrick. Jace's legs a lot smaller than his own "it's not like we're going to jail~ it's just community service we're helping people"

"Yeah~ we'll be okay" Darrick sighed, they would be okay. Darrick smiled at Jace and Jace returned with a larger one.

Update! I think I'm out of my writers block so will hopefully be updating a lot more. No promises cause I might get stuck again

Let me know your thoughts! Your comments keep me motivated !