Day 22
Her
He taunted me about not wanting to get my hands dirty, but I ignored it. I zoomed in on my phone map instead, using my pen to mark on our physical map where our next stops should be.
We spent the night at a hotel near the city center; we found a room with twin beds pretty easily this time. I’m still working on being able to turn my back to him, but I have a feeling it’ll take some time. I’m barely brave enough to sleep without a bra on.
We’re heading to Fort Worth, Texas, now. At least we managed to agree on what music we listen to. He’s into rock too, which I guess shouldn’t come as a surprise considering his prickly personality.
After the whole deer thing yesterday, I offered to drive, but he refused.
Multiple times. I’m not letting him drive at the speed he did yesterday, though, and I don’t care how annoying I sound when I bark at him to slow down.
I’m not here overthinking our survival just for us to die in a freaking car crash.
“I’ll have to stop us soon,” I say after a few more hours of driving. “I need to shower.”
I didn’t yesterday, because I thought my period was over, but it turns out mother nature is a bitch even during the apocalypse.
“Can’t it wait until tonight?” He sighs. “Or until we get there, at least? You smell clean enough to me.”
My brows pull together. “Have you been sniffing me?”
“We’ve been in the same car for the last few hours. It’s not like I’m smelling your hair when you sleep.” His dry retort does nothing but send annoyance up my spine. “If you stank, I would have smelled it by now.”
“Well, thanks for the reassurance, but that’s not why I need a shower.” I cross my arms. “I have, you know. Lady business.”
He looks me over, his gaze dropping to my lap.
“Jesus, I’m not going to bleed all over the seat,” I blurt. “I just need to change my pad and wash up a bit. Have you never been around a girl on her period?”
“If I have, I guess I didn’t know.”
“Because it’s not such a big deal.” I roll my eyes. Men. “It’s not like we grow a second head or anything.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
His words make my jaw drop. “Because the state of my uterus is none of your goddamn business?”
“I would have been… I don’t know. Nicer, or something.”
I snort out loud. “Why? It’s not like you’d care if I burst into tears right now.”
“Hey, I’m an asshole, not a robot.” He seems genuine as he slows down, pulling into what looks like a small bed and breakfast parking lot. “Can’t make any promises that I won’t make you cry, but I don’t think I’d enjoy it.”
“Aww, you do have a heart,” I fawn sarcastically. “Good to know.”
I take the world’s quickest shower before hurrying back to the car.
He makes up for his niceness by insisting we drive for three more hours without stopping, ignoring the fact we haven’t even had breakfast. By the time we stop for a very late lunch, I’m so cranky I don’t try to strike up a conversation.