Maybe Another Time Pt. 2

_____It was easy for Darren to get out of the neighborhood as it was usually quiet at that time of night, but just as he suspected, the way to the airport would not be so simple. It had stopped raining, but the streets were so pitch black that they soaked up any and all light. All that could be seen were the intense headlights and the dim, then suddenly bright tail lights of the other cars on the road. Darren loved to drive, but this love was always hampered by the fact that everybody else loved to drive as well.

_____It didn’t help that most of them were terrible at it. Why are you following so close, you jackass? was a constantly recurring thought. Yeah, see? And then that happens. Idiot. Naturally, he always put the blame on the other motorists, because that’s where it usually belonged. Darren knew wasn’t a perfect driver, and was well aware that such a thing didn’t exist. He felt that George Carlin had put it best: Have you ever noticed how anyone going slower than you is an idiot, and anybody going faster than you is a maniac?
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_____But Darren wasn’t getting annoyed at the idiots and maniacs. Having to slow down yet again because drivers aren’t patient made him think of his sister, and how it was her fault he had to deal with the huddled masses. He knew he shouldn’t say anything to her, but he was thinking up some mean remarks regardless of the promise he made.
_____“Come on short stack, your loser drop out chariot awaits.”
_____“Hurry up. People with lives have better things to do tonight.”
_____“One of those suitcases is going to have to go on the roof.”

_____The brake lights of the car in front flashed on and bounced as the car practically ground to a halt, catching Darren by surprise. He slammed on his brakes and slid to the right, bumping the empty curb before slotting back into the slow procession of cars. “Sonuva bitch! Pay the fuck attention!” This was directed more to the car ahead of him, as there was still plenty of space between them, but barely any between that car and the one in front of it. He knew he deserved some of the scolding though. From what he could tell, there was no damage, and he felt no difference when he drove away. It was little consolation however, as he still had to put up with these idiots for another seven miles at least.

_____Why she couldn't have gotten a cab.

_____He knew exactly why. Though their parents paid for her to go to college, she was the one who paid for the flight back home. She really pushed for it; she scrounged up what money she had, desperate to prove that she was capable of being independent on at least some level. Even so, He was still the one that had to go and pick her up. He had to watch it all unfold on the sidelines, and keep his mouth shut even if he was trying to be helpful. She refused to talk to him when the trouble started, and that’s what hurt him the most. Now that it was all over, he had to play the nice brother.

_____The scattered cars before him weren’t a bother like they were a few minutes ago. They were all on the freeway now, and everybody liked their space when going 65 miles per hour. But Darren was sick of looking at a sea of idle tail lights, and became a slight maniac to those he was now passing. He officially didn’t care anymore. He didn’t even want to say something nasty to his sister when he got to what would surely be a crowded airport. Maybe he did, but he felt an annoyed silent treatment might be the better choice.