Slow-Burn Drama

The jeep hummed along the road, keeping a steady pace at just a few miles per hour above the speed limit. The interior of the vehicle was dead quiet, despite the fact that there were two passengers. The radio was silent. The only sound for a while was the occasional clicking of the turn signal.

The girl in the red dress gave a sympathetic glance to the guy in the dirty jeans and Carhartt jacket. The contrast in their outfits was stark, and an outsider certainly wouldn’t think that he belonged in her spotless jeep.

“How’s your wrist?” She finally said, breaking what had felt like an hour of silence.

“It’s fine,” he said, barely acknowledging his bandaged hand.

He didn’t look at her. Just out the window as if the passing sights of the city had caught his attention. She didn’t say anything else for a while. Deep down, a part of her was waiting for him to apologize, but evidently that wasn’t going to happen.

“Austin, you… you can’t just go around hitting anyone who pisses you off like that.”

He didn’t say anything for a few moments as if contemplating his words. “I told him to leave you alone first. And he didn’t listen.”

“Look, I appreciate it, but it’s not your job to protect me. I can handle myself.”

“Who was that guy anyway?”

“Just…” She bit her bottom lip, wondering how to approach this. How much she should let on. “Nobody. Just some guy I went on a few dates with. He’s been… persistent.”

Another long wave of silence passed.

“I can’t believe you,” she finally said, shaking her head. “I thought you were going to kill him.”

“I’m sorry.”

She knew his behavior was starting to become a serious problem, which had been a recurring theme over the last couple of years. But hearing the vulnerability in his voice broke some part of her heart that still cared for him deeply.

“You’re like a brother to me. You always have been. I’m just worried about you,” she said. “You need to talk to someone.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine, Austin.”

He said nothing.

“This is what I’m talking about,” she continued. “Every time I try to get through to you, you just shut down like this. I miss talking to you. You haven’t been the same since…”

But she didn’t continue.

“I really am sorry,” he admitted, finally looking at her. “And thank you. You… you didn’t have to come get me.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to let you spend the night in jail. I can’t believe you went to jail.”

Whether it was the nerves or the wildness of the situation, she somehow managed to laugh. Austin said nothing in response. He just examined his bandaged hand, picking at the bloody gauze.

“I love you,” she said. “You know that, right?”

“…I know.”