Goddammit, this wasn’t funny. It was already after ten, and I didn’t know these people. Why would they think they could just drag me wherever they wanted?
“I want to go home,” I said again.
“Hold your horses,” Miles chided me. “We need you for something.”
“What?”
“Climb up here, and sit in the middle,” he instructed.
“Why?”
“Come on!” Astrid yanked at my arm. “I need you to hold my legs.”
“Hold your legs?”
Air rushed into the car suddenly, blowing my hair, and a scream sounded from outside the car. My breathing turned shallow. Was she sticking her head out the window?
“Come on, please?” she begged, tugging at my arm again. “We’ll take you home in a few.”
I twisted my lips to the side. Fine.
Taking off my jacket, I left my phone and satchel in the back and scooted up, swinging a leg over the front seat. Wind blew under my skirt and my hair into my face, so I moved quickly, sitting down between Miles and Astrid, the hair on the back of my neck rising with fear and a little excitement. Déjà vu hit me, and for a second, it was like he was here, taking me on another adventure.
“Okay, I’m popping up,” Astrid said. “Grab my legs and hold on.”
“Wait…”
But she was already moving. The car charged down the backroad, barreling and bouncing over the uneven terrain, and I reached out, wrapping my arms around her jean-clad legs as she sat up on the door through the open window.
Howling filled the chilly, night air, and the weight of her body pulled at me as it hung over the side of the car. I fumbled with my hands, unsure if I had a good enough hold of her.
She was going to fall. I couldn’t keep hold. What the hell was she doing?
Whatever it was, she seemed to be loving it, though. She laughed and screamed, and Miles just went faster.
He jerked the steering wheel, and I felt Astrid’s body get thrown a little with it. I tightened my hold so hard, my muscles ached.
“Damn, baby,” Miles said, and I hoped he was talking to her.
It lasted for about another minute, and then Astrid slid back in through the window, cackling and filled with excitement as she rolled her window back up.
“That was hot, babe,” she told him.
The car slowed down, and I slid back over to the middle, wiping at the sweat on the back of my neck.
“You should do it,” she said, knocking me in the arm.
“I’m fine.” I laughed a little.
Not that I wouldn’t try it ever, but I’d want to be with people I trusted. I didn’t know these two well enough.
The engine started to grow quiet as the car slowed down more, and I rubbed my hands down my thighs, drying my sweaty palms.
Can we please get out of here now?
But instead of driving farther or turning the car around to head to my house, Miles veered to the side, taking the car into some grass, and crawled to a stop.
Why were we stopping?