Ten Seconds of Crazy

by Randileigh Kennedy

  “So what happened? He called the cops?” Reid asked. I tried studying his face to gauge how much judgment he had towards me at the moment.

  “His parents did. The truck was brand new, they had just given it to him the week before for his eighteenth birthday. And I completely smashed the shit out of it. I was such a moron.”

  “I’m gonna put it out there that he kind of deserved that one,” he replied genuinely. “What he did to you was horrible.”

  “Yeah, well, the law doesn’t see it that way,” I answered sarcastically. “No one even blinked an eye at what he’d done wrong. But I was roasted over a fire pit. It got worse.”

  Reid was still smiling at me as I spoke, probably because he was amused by my horrific story.

  “As soon as I hit the first headlight, apparently Annalise came outside with her phone. She took a video of the entire thing. There I was, in a stupid pink fluffy prom dress, screaming expletives while smashing up a truck. I looked insane. And of course my entire high school saw the video within six hours of it happening because she posted it everywhere. It was so mortifying. I completely unraveled, and it was all on video.” I continued to shake my head, still seeing the exact video replay in my mind. I couldn’t get rid of the image.

  A small laugh escaped Reid’s lips, and it made me laugh too. Suddenly we couldn’t stop and Reid was doubled over, still laughing. For the first time since the incident, I realized it actually was a little funny. Completely insane, but a little comical at the same time.

  “So there you go. There’s my crazy. Although instead of it lasting ten seconds, it went on for a full three minutes and twenty-two seconds until the first cop car showed up. Three long, agonizing, painful minutes, all captured on video. The footage literally ended with the cop trying to shove all of the fluffy pink tulle from my dress into the cop car as I was still cursing. It was so bad.” We continued to laugh about it, and I knew something had changed between us in that moment. I didn’t really feel all that bad about it anymore, and it felt exhilarating.

  I furthered explained that after the incident when the video went viral, I slowly lost all my ‘friends.’ There was no longer room at the cool table, and I became a joke. The joke. The last month of school was brutal. But once I finally earned my freedom and got my diploma, that was it for me. I packed up and moved far enough away where I no longer had to see any of those people.

  We continued to tell old stories, and Reid made me laugh with anecdotes about the pranks he and his brother used to pull as kids. He told me about his childhood, and his life sounded loving and warm. He was so easy to talk to, and although we had so many differences, we had a lot in common too. We both loved animals and he had thought about being a teacher once as well.

  Before we knew it, the bar was announcing last call around two in the morning and most of the other patrons had already cleared out.

  “I guess we have to go back to our penthouse suite,” he said sarcastically, standing up from the pub chair. I did the same and we made our way out of the bar. As soon as Reid opened the door, I heard the heavy downpour of raindrops hitting the pavement.

  “Wow, it’s coming down really hard. Do you want to make a run for it? That’s probably faster than getting in the car to drive across the street. And probably safer,” he said with a smirk. We did both have a good amount to drink.

  “At least your pants won’t get wet,” I teased, laughing again about how short they were. “But I can’t run in Louboutins,” I giggled. “Look at these heels. I’ll never make it. Can these even get wet?”

  “They’re shoes, can’t they all get wet?” he asked, confused by my question. “Are you going to turn into a pumpkin?”

  “I don’t know, I’ve never had on seven hundred dollar shoes before,” I replied, still giggling. Reid took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around my arms. Without warning, he scooped me up like he did earlier and jogged us across the street to the door marked with the number nine. He set me down underneath the narrow entryway by our doorway, but it was too late. We were already completely soaked. He smiled at me, slowing pushing back a section of hair near my eyes. I smiled back, admiring his handsome face in the soft glow of the exterior motel lights. He slowly leaned in and his lips touched mine. They were warm and soft and moved gently across my skin.

  Electricity surged through my body, like a thousand needles gently poking my flesh. I kissed him back with more intensity, and he slowly slid the room key out of his pocket. The way his hand grazed my leg, even accidentally, made me long to feel his hands against me. He slowly turned the key in the door and pushed it open. I couldn’t separate from him, so we walked into the room together, still connected by our lips, and his hands found my waist. He slowly closed the door behind us.

  “Cassidy, I…” he started to say, but I closed his lips with mine, not wanting to end this moment. We stood there, dripping from the rain, and I slowly unbuttoned his shirt as our lips still caressed each other. “I just don’t want you to think this is why I asked you to come with me,” he said breathily between kisses.

  “The dress,” I breathed back. I slowly peeled the shirt off of his wet skin, putting my hands on the hard muscles of his chest.

  “Honestly, I…” I cut him off again by intensifying the kiss, softly biting his lower lip.

  “The dress,” I said again, quietly. “Please.”

  He traced my jaw line with his gentle fingertips and stared into my eyes. He nodded slightly.

  “As you wish,” he said with a whisper.

  CHAPTER 6

  A sliver of sunlight snuck through a crack in the curtains, causing me to stir. I looked over at the clock on the nightstand. It was only seven-thirty, but I felt wide awake. I looked over at Reid lying next to me, wrapped up in the sheets. His short dark hair was perfectly messy and his tan skin looked so inviting.

  I quietly climbed out of bed, slipping on a pair of shorts and a tank top. I remembered seeing a small café next to the bar last night. I figured some coffee and pastries would be a good way to start our day.

  I slipped out of the room without making much noise and walked across the street past the bar we were in just a mere six hours ago. I smiled as I thought back to our conversation, getting to know one another.

  The café was cool inside and smelled like fresh croissants. I was suddenly much hungrier than I thought I was when I first awoke. I ordered two coffees and a small assorted box of pastries, excited to bring them back to the room. This was definitely better than the stale donuts from the hotel lobby.

  As I exited the café, I noticed a police car had pulled in behind Reid’s Mustang, still parked in front of the bar from the night before. It was the only vehicle in the parking lot, so perhaps they wanted it moved. I looked around to see if there were any signs posted warning of abandoned vehicles. About twenty feet away from me, the police officer exited his car and got on his hand-held radio.

  “Officer Wiltz here, I’m at Hilt Street near Seventh Avenue, in the parking lot at Rick’s Place. I’m pretty sure this is the vehicle you called in earlier.” The officer hesitated, listening to the radio for a reply.

  Without wanting to draw attention to myself, I slowly put the change in my hand from the breakfast order into my wallet. I hung my fabric cross body purse over my shoulder, careful not to spill the coffee tray I was carrying.

  “Yep, the plates match, Wiltz. That’s the stolen vehicle we’re looking for. I’m guessing someone has seen Reid Carson nearby. Nice work, Wiltz. Stand by.” The radio went silent and I felt immediate panic in my throat.

  I nonchalantly walked past the front of the bar, smiling and nodding towards the police officer as I made my way towards the motel. I gave him no indication that I had anything to do with the convertible.

  Before I even made it completely across the street, sirens sounded all around me. Shit. Somehow I felt guilty of something in that moment, but I wasn’t even sure what was going on.

  I turned around, still gripping to
the coffee tray and plastic food bag I carried. There was a bunch of commotion over the radio. Something about a call to all officers for a one-eight-seven in progress. The police officer quickly climbed back into his car, speeding out of the bar’s parking lot. Several other police cars headed his same direction, even though I didn’t see where they initially came from.

  My hands were shaking as I fumbled to get the key into the motel door. My stomach had a pit in it. Stolen vehicle? Reid stole the car?

  Before I had the key turned in the lock, the motel door opened.

  “Cassidy, what are you doing? You’re shaking, what happened?” Reid rushed me inside and closed the door behind us. I set the food and coffee down on a table near the door, spilling some of it. “What were all those sirens? I woke up to that noise and you weren’t here, and it freaked me out. What’s going on?”

  “You really don’t know?” I hissed, not sure how to have this conversation. “Is there something you’re not telling me? I need to get out of here, they’re coming back. It won’t be long before they find you here. I want no part of this.”

  “What? Is this about the money?” he asked, walking over to the black suitcase he had shoved back underneath my bed the night before.

  “What money?” I asked angrily. “What are you doing with that suitcase? I thought you didn’t know anything about it.”

  “I didn’t want to tell you last night. I didn’t want you to panic. But there were a bunch of bills in there in an envelope in one of the zippered pockets. I counted it while you were in the bathroom changing. It’s over seven grand.”

  “What did you do with it?” I shrieked. This morning was getting worse.

  “Nothing, I swear. It’s all still here. I thought we could just take the suitcase into the front desk and it would be off our hands. The cops are looking for the money?” He looked just as frantic as I did.

  “I don’t think it has anything to do with the suitcase, Reid. It’s your car.” I looked at him squarely, waiting for his reply.

  “What’s wrong with my car?” he asked curiously, as if I was the one with the secret.

  “I don’t know, is it actually your car? Because the cop outside had it reported as a stolen vehicle,” I said angrily.

  “Damn, they called the cops?” he said worriedly. He threw a white t-shirt on with the black gym shorts he was already wearing and grabbed his duffle bag.

  “So it’s not yours?” I said loudly, shaking my arms around. “You stole the car?”

  “I didn’t exactly steal it,” he replied, shaking his head.

  “Whose car is it, Reid?”

  “It’s my brother’s,” he said hesitantly.

  “Well does he know you have it?” I demanded.

  “We’re not exactly on speaking terms,” he said quietly, throwing all of his stuff into his duffle bag.

  “So you stole the car from your brother?”

  “No Cassidy, I didn’t steal it. It’s not like that at all. Let me just figure this out.” He grabbed his phone, staring at the screen. “I can’t believe my parents called the cops,” he muttered.

  “Well call your brother then,” I urged, still in a panic.

  “I can’t.” He looked defeated, but he also looked like he was hiding something.

  “Reid, tell me what’s going on. Where’s your brother?”

  “He’s unavailable,” Reid replied quietly, still staring at his phone, contemplating what to do.

  “Where is he?” I said sternly.

  He slowly ran his hands through his messy brown hair, unsure of what to say. Finally, he answered.

  “He’s in the trunk.”

  “You’re brother’s in the trunk?” I shrieked, quickly grabbing my bag. I dumped in all of my possessions in two quick armfuls and made my way towards the door. “This is so messed up.”

  “Cassidy, let me explain,” Reid groaned, grabbing the last of his stuff to put in his bag.

  “You just said your brother is in the trunk of your car. I’m not sure that needs a lot of explaining,” I fired back. “I’ll catch a bus back home. I’m out of here.”

  “Wait, just let me tell you what’s going on. My brother is dead, Cassidy.”

  I was too angry to recognize any kind of sadness in his face. “I figured that much. I didn’t exactly expect to find him in the trunk alive with duct tape over his mouth after this conversation. I’m such an idiot.”

  “Just give me two minutes,” he insisted, gently grabbing my arm as I walked out of the motel. “I want to share something with you.” He rummaged frantically through his duffle bag, as if anything in there could truly make me feel better about everything I’d heard in the last five minutes.

  I shook his grip off me and continued walking out of the motel room, unsure of which way to even go. My pride told me I couldn’t hesitate by asking directions, so I just picked a street and headed that way. I was so angry I couldn’t even organize my thoughts. And to think I was angry about a stolen car. The story was far, far worse. His brother was in the trunk this whole time? I couldn’t imagine any explanation for that to make sense.

  I continued to huff down the street, angry that my feet were blistered and sore from the Louboutins the night before. Any heartwarming thoughts I had of our evening last night were completely washed away by our heated conversation.

  After walking just a few more blocks, I was disappointed to realize there was no bus stop in sight - and it appeared I made it to the edge of town. Just what I needed, a walk all the way back to where I came from. That wasn’t going to help my mood.

  As I turned to head back, Reid’s car slowly pulled up beside me.

  “He died in Afghanistan, Cassidy,” Reid said with his convertible top down, slowly moving the car next to me. “Recently. He left me a letter, and this is what he wanted. I’m just trying to finish what he asked of me.” Reid’s eyes looked sad as he spoke, and it actually pulled at me a little. “Look, I know I should’ve told you. But you already seemed a little unsure of me when I met you, so I just didn’t want to freak you out. I was waiting for the right time to explain it all to you. I know this sounds completely made up, but I want to show you his letter. I want you to know why I’m doing this.”

  “Reid, what am I doing here? I thought some fun, spontaneous guy wanted me to join him on a road trip, stopping by tourist attractions, being a little irresponsible. Even that seemed a little out there for me. But to find out you stole this car, or at least someone has good reason to believe you did, and your brother’s been in the trunk this whole time? That’s insane! Sorry, but that’s a good excuse for panic. Guys have been left for far fewer red flags than that.”

  “Just read the letter, Cass. I’m not saying it will make my trip seem any less crazy to you. But that’s the point. That sums up my brother. And this is what he wanted, so I’ve gotta do it. Please, come with me. I don’t want to keep going without you.” His eyes looked honest and sincere.

  “I just think…” I paused as I heard police sirens sounding in the distance. “Reid, they’re probably looking for you.”

  “Which is exactly why you need to get in the car kind of quickly,” he urged, reaching over to open the passenger side door. “I promise, I’ll tell you everything as soon as we get out of town. But we really have to go.”

  The sirens sounded closer and I just stood there, torn on what to do.

  “I really don’t mean to pressure you, I’m not that guy, right? But I really kind of need you to get in the car. Like right now,” he insisted. His eyes pleaded with me to say yes.

  I hated how sexy the dimple was in his left cheek. I hated how good his hair still looked even when it was completely messy from the wind. I hated how polite and courteous he was, and more than that, I hated the thought of walking away from him in this moment.

  I reluctantly slid my bag off my shoulder and threw it into his backseat. “I can’t seem to find a bus stop around here anyway,” I said sarcastically, sliding into his car. He began dr
iving before I even had my door fully closed or my seatbelt on.

  “I’m sorry if this seems reckless,” he said, quickly maneuvering the car down a narrow alley behind some houses. “But I swear this is important to me, and if the cops have to deal with this we’ll be held up for days. I can’t let them stop us. My parents don’t really understand what I’m doing, and I don’t blame them. They’re grieving and I know they don’t see this for what it really is. My brother and I had a different bond than what kids have with their parents, and I know he would want me to finish this. I promise I’ll call my parents as soon as we get out of here.”

  Reid stepped hard on the gas and we peeled out onto a gravel side street. We were headed further from town, and although I wasn’t sure if he knew where we were going, I could no longer hear the police sirens, so he must’ve been doing something right. Or completely wrong - I wasn’t quite sure anymore.

  “I think we’ll be fine as long as we keep heading east,” he said, mostly to himself, looking out of the car at our surroundings. There were farms enclosed by fences on either side of us. “We should be able to get back to the highway a few towns over.”

  Reid looked over at me with an insane, boyish look on his face, as if he’d just pulled off the most amazing bank heist. I wanted to wipe away his smirk, but I also wanted to kiss him at the same time. He raised a brow at me and hit a button on his phone. “Our road trip anthem, remember?” he said as “The Outsiders” played over the speakers. I smiled, leaning my head back on the headrest. It looked to be another day of warm air and sunshine, and I hated how much I loved the view from the passenger seat. I didn’t even have to look out of the car.

  “Next stop I’ll tell you everything, I promise,” he said reassuringly, placing a soft hand on my bare leg. I shook my head, completely unsure if our trip could possibly get better.