Jaz felt a slight pang of guilt in her chest. Her best friend was so happy yet she couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. She wanted what Lisa had but then Lisa was envious of things she had too. People want what they don’t or can’t have. It’s a fact of life, she thought.
She shrugged the feeling off, knowing most of it was being brought on by her bad mood. Of course she was happy for her friend. Lisa deserved all the happiness in the world. Only nasty bitches were jealous and bitter about other people’s happiness. She was a lot of things but she liked to think 'jealous', 'bitter' and 'nasty bitch' weren't on her list of faults.
She realized she'd paused so jumped in to say, “Yeah, I know. There was a lot of traffic on the motorway. Came out of nowhere after about half an hour on it. Took us a while to get off a junction. The driver took a detour.”
“The driver?” Lisa’s voice rose with interest.
If it was Ellie, she would have been more curious as to why her aunt would hire a driver. Or if he was her own private, everyday chauffeur. Lisa was a bit cruder than that. Jaz could hear the implication in her voice and knew what her next line would be.
“Is he hot?”
Predictable, Jaz thought dryly. “No. He’s old and creepy.”
“How old are we talking?”
Jaz rolled her eyes. “I dunno, like pushing thirty? Maybe thirty-five.”
“That’s not old-”
“You’re forgetting I said creepy.”
“Why, has he tried to stroke your knee through the side of his seat?”
Jaz blushed. “No!” she hissed, trying not to raise her voice above a whisper.
Lisa laughed on the other end.
“Don’t be so disgusting,” Jaz grumbled.
“Oh you love it really. So what then?”
“Nothing, Lis. Forget I said it.”
“Oh come on, don’t be like that.”
Jaz exhaled. “I don’t know, he’s just a little weird. Something about him creeps me out. I dunno, maybe it’s just me.”
“Probably. But, you'll be there in two hours anyway and then you won’t have to see him ever again.”
“Yeah, unless he’s gonna be driving us back.”
“Hmmm. Maybe convince your aunt to get someone else?”
“I think he’s her regular driver.”
“Is she loaded or something?”
Jaz thought about it for a second. “I don’t know. I don’t think she’s like Bill Gates loaded but she’s definitely more well-off than my parents. And maybe they hired him today because my aunt didn’t want to drive. I don’t think my uncle wanted to either. It must be tiring.”
“Oh god, yeah. I nearly fell asleep at the wheel one time. So boring on the motorway.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Look, if you get time call me when you get there and stay clear of the driver. If he tries anything, drop-kick his ass.”
Lisa had actually taught Jaz many martial arts techniques she’d learnt from her after school classes. Jaz was glad she’d listened even if she’d got a few bruises from all the times she’d played victim or attacker.
“Will do,” Jaz exhaled. She hung up and stared squarely at the mirror. The feeling of loneliness crept up on her as she put her mobile back in her bag. She missed her friends already.
The frightening image that only minutes before had shocked her brain, appeared back in her mind’s eye like a pesky fly. She wafted the invisible fly away, forcing herself to ignore it too.
Feigning indifference, she fluffed her hair – on a side-thought wondering why she was even bothering- No one to impress anyway- and left the bathroom, leaving behind the strange image, her fear and her low-confidence that infected her state of mind. All the things she didn’t let anyone else see.
She put on a confident, carefree, tough fa?ade and stepped out into the sunlight.
*
“Where is it?” Driver asked in a gruff voice.
Erica tapped the bottle of orange juice.
He clenched his jaw distastefully.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that. You knew what was going to happen. How do you expect this plan to work?”
He leant against the car, gazing down the way towards the door marked with a ‘ladies’ sign. “I don’t like it.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you like it or not. It has to be done. I don’t like it any more than you do,” Erica retorted.
Bo glanced between them, his arms folded across his tweed waist.
Driver shifted his feet; the sound of his black, Wing Cap shoes scraped against concrete. “Will it be enough time?”
“Yes,” Erica responded. “The effects should begin to kick in within an hour, maybe longer. My bet is on longer considering her bloodline.”
Driver mulled over this. He didn’t like it one bit but he knew it had to be this way.
“Just take it easy and drive at the speed limit. She has no reason to suspect anything,” she instructed, glancing into the distance.
“You do know that she’ll probably never forgive us for this?”
Erica shot him an acidic look with her stone, grey-green eyes. “I’m willing to take that risk,” she retorted stiffly. “Are you?”
He gazed at her coolly in response.