Page 36 of That Friendzone Feeling

“Great.Wewould have had a perfectly clear view of the bottom of the ditch.”

Thewipers have a tough time keeping up with the ever-increasing rain.Iturn them up a notch. “Christ, where did this torrential downpour come from?”

It’slike someone’s pointing a hose at the windshield.

“You’renot going to get a good look at anything at the resort,”Itell him. “Maybewe should just turn around and go ba—”

There’sa sensationI’venever felt before under the car. “Whatthe fuck is tha—”

“Shit,”Walkershouts as the back end of the car swings, almost in slow motion, toward the middle of the road.

Instinctively,Islam my foot on the brake.

“Don’tbrake,” he snaps, even louder.

We’renow at ninety degrees to the side of the road, where there isn’t a ditch this time, but there is an old stone wall.Andwe’re heading right for it.

Iyank the wheel to try to turn us in the right direction.

“No,”Walkeryells.

Whyis he shouting at me?

Ijerk the wheel, but our direction doesn’t change.Andthe wall gets closer.

Hotpanic flashes through me.

Walkergrabs the wheel again and yanks it hard. “Whatthe fuck?”Thistime he can’t save us.

Weskid toward the wall, the rain pounding against the windshield, the wipers swishing.

Andthe front corner of the car slams into it.

Thenoise is horrific.Likean entire buildingcollapsed on top of us.

“JesusfuckingChrist,”Walkershouts. “Whatthe fuck happened?”

Myhead slams back into the headrest.Imust have missed the part whereIwas flung forward.

Andthen there’s silence.

Apartfrom the hammering of the rain on the car.Andthe swish of the wipers that are somehow still fully operational.

“Whatthe fuck happened?”Walkersays again.

“Stopyelling at me.Whyare you yelling at me?”

“Didyou hit a puddle?”Helooks furious.

“Noidea.Idid the bestIcould.”Whyis he so angry? “Areyou okay?IthinkI’mokay.We’reokay.”

Igrip the top of the steering wheel with all my might and drop my head forward to rest on my hands.Myheart’s beating so fastIcan barely catch my breath.

“Look,”Walkersays like he’s furious.

Ilift my head slowly.Thecorner of the car is a mangled mess, and part of the wall has fallen on the hood.

“Thisis awful.”Butall my brain can think about is how we’re going to showChasearound a bunch of completely soaked, partially completed buildings tomorrow.