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Catherine sighed as the number on the gas pump sign went higher. To think she would stoop this low, filling her own gas. She still needed to get used to being independent from her family. Hannah and Regitze came back from their trip at the gas station store, their arms full of snacks.
“Finished? I’m almost done here,” Catherine said. The gas pump stopped with a click, finishing her sentence. She put the nozzle back in its place. “Alright, back to the road, girls.”
Regitze threw the snacks in the back and then lurched toward the driver’s side. “No, Regitze, you are not driving,” Catherine said firmly as Hannah shouted no at the same time.
Regitze pouted. “I’ll be more careful this time,” she pleaded.
Hannah gently put her hands on Regitze’s shoulders and steered her away. “I don’t think my heart can take you driving again.” Hannah nervously chuckled.
Regitze continued to pout but stopped when Hannah pecked her on the cheek. “Alright, but I get to pick the songs on the road now!” She pulled out her phone to start assembling a playlist. Catherine raised an eyebrow. “I assume we’ll have to listen to your Pink Passerine song, too?”
“I’ll throw a few different songs in for variety!”
Well, Catherine and Hannah’s eardrums were already used to the clashing, experimental music that Regitze liked to try out. The goose honks intermittent throughout the song were certainly… memorable.
Before Catherine could open the door to the driver’s seat, Hannah placed a hand on her shoulder. “I can take over. You’ve already been driving for two hours.”
Catherine paused. “Very well then.” It felt strange leaning on others but she needed the practice. She sat in the front passenger seat. As the car started moving, she stared out the window. Lots of shrubbery dotted dirt as valleys surrounded either side of the road.
She thought of why they were going on this road trip in the first place. The academy had been in chaos after a scandal was disclosed to the public; all activities halted as the headmaster tried to clean up the mess. Catherine figured that it might as well be an opportunity.
As terribly cliché as it sounded, she thought a little trip would be good for soul-searching. She wanted to find out what she wanted to do, away from the influence of her family. Hannah jumped in because in her words, “this is perfect to find inspiration to write more songs!” Catherine was glad that even if neither of them were going to be the lead singer for the opera company they had been trying for, at least Hannah was still enjoying singing.
Catherine stopped since she was never that passionate about singing. She preferred dancing. Regitze came along after Catherine told her about the planned road trip. She had always been a free spirit so Catherine was not surprised that Regitze wanted to come just for the ride.
Catherine rolled the window down just enough to feel a breeze through her hair. Regitze stuck her head out the window on her side, singing her favorite song that had just come up on the playlist. Hannah laughed and sang along with her, although she wasn’t as familiar with the lyrics.
Catherine felt her lips curving up into the hint of a smile. She wasn’t sure how she’d change at the end of this journey but for now, she was enjoying the company.