Chapter 3: Highway

Adrien drove his new car out the garage. It sparkled in the sun, the black automobile revved up as Benita stood idly beneath a tree, watching in awe. Adrien was particular about his tastes, especially when it came to cars. He had plenty garages full of cars he dared not share. And he seldom took anyone for a drive in them. But, since it was a special occasion, an experience of a lifetime with someone he didn't have much fond memories with, he took his favourite one. A duesy model J with white rimmed tyres.

"Come on! Get in!" he said, his eyes pressed thin as his lips spread wide across his cheeks in delight. Benita walked over, her hands shaky, ogling the silver handle as she carefully opened the door. The click of the door opening had her jump back, eyes wide, carefully easing herself onto the leather seat. She closed the door, then stretched her hands out onto the dashboard, fingers skittling over the gold embellishments etched into the leather.

"Oh my!" she beamed. "It looks even better in real life!"

"I had it customized at the factory three weeks ago. It cost a lot, but it was worth it," he smiled, stroking the steering wheel as a proud father would.

He drove out into the driveway and signaled the gates men. Watching them push the iron gates open, as he revved up the engine. Benita was still gushing in her seat, fidgeting about as she popped open the glove compartment and played with his rings that lay inside. Trying them, slipping on and fitting perfectly as oddly enough they had the same size fingers. The silver rings looked better on her actually, blending in with the cool tone of skin. He was looking at her fingers when he noticed she hadn't put on her seatbelt. Adrien leaned over and buckled it up for her, making sure it wasn't too tight around her waist.

"Thanks," she cooed. "I wish I could drive too. Down to the theatre, the wind in my hair. Ugh! That would be the life."

"So why don't you? I know a couple of people who can get a real beauty for you."

"I already have a car," she chuckled.

"Really?" he asked, raising a brow. "What kind? A turbo?"

" A vintage Rolls-Royce Phantom."

He blanked, face twisting as he blinked twice and stared at her. He could tell from her smug expression that she wasn't joking, and that was a bit off putting. Just to image Benita standing next to a Rolls-Royce didn't look right. In his head, she looked like a car thief trying to sell it off to some drug dealer at an elevated price. He could hear her snarky voice shout, ' limited edition Phantom! Has only been used once!'

But then again, it wasn't impossible. Benita had money, she just never used it always resorted to getting cheap knock offs of items. Practically a money hoarder as she always worked to earn more but never spent it. It took a moment for him to picture it, at a car dealership buying a used Rolls Royce. That sounded more plausible to him.

"Young Master Vernon!" The gatesman shouted. Adrien blinked twice and saw the worker waving at the gate.

He changed gears, his ringed hand jostling the knob, "How did you get it?" he asked, driving down and out the gates.

"Remember when I went to the Khans for work. As part of my payment, they gave me a Rolls-Royce."

"Well, aren't you a lucky duck then. I actually thought you might have pawned it off someone."

"I could never," she said. Her eyes were following the clouds, thick in the sky like bundles of candy floss. Adrien, as much as he tried to focus on the road, couldn't help but steal glances of her, the child-like smile she wore as the wind played with her waves of thick hair. A precious sight he wished to capture forever, a sight he wished he could see her have every day.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Helsing," he said, turning at the street corner and into Blue Town. The smoke burning and being chucked out the factories was thick. The scent of oil and petrol quite pungent, mixed in with the putrid fumes of poorly constructed latrines. He watched as the hard-working men lugged around bags of coal, running up and about as the factory managers relayed a series of commands. The sweat glazing their brows was enough to leave trails of salt running down their cheeks. He couldn't turn away, though he wanted to. It always made him uncomfortable to drive through this area. The piercing gazes of the men as they stared at him like prowling animals. Wanting to pounce on him, but having their collars tightened just enough to keep them at bay. Nonetheless, the animosity was avid. All he could do was act like they weren't there, like he couldn't see them. It would only be a few minutes till they left the city anyway.

Benita quickly shut the window, leaning over and looking at Adrien as he drove through.

"You reckon we'll get the chance to go to one of those theatres?"

"If we have the time," he said. "Helsing is a beautiful city. Problem is I have too many enemies and other associates I'd like to avoid."

Benita cupped her cheeks, "You mean ex-girlfriends?"

"I wouldn't even call them girlfriends. That's thinking too highly of them."

"Flings?"

"No."

"One night stand?"

"More like one week stands," he said as they were leaving the bustling city and driving out into the open countryside. "I was in the moment. Things were great, but they just weren't the type of girls I'd bring home to meet my father."

"I don't get it," Benita said. Adrien stole a glance of her and could see the confusion in her eyes. Why would he commit to someone for a week, and then try desperately to avoid them?

"I just don't feel that way," he said. "Not that you'd get it but...."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she furrowed her brows.

"You get attached to things so quickly. People especially. Every time you have to leave your host family you cry. I don't quite get that."

"They're just nice people. I find it really sweet for them to care. And knowing I'll never see them again just makes the moment sad."

"Well, I couldn't care less," he said quite bluntly. "Thing is there's only one thing i value them for. Pleasure. To be single in Helsing bothers me. It's like a sin. It just feels wrong, and I feel empty. More so when I go to casinos or clubs. I have to do something, feel something. A temporary connection and ecstasy that..." he saw her grimace from the corner of his eyes.

"The point is they aren't girlfriend material. And they're annoying and clingy as hell."

"And you don't want them to block you from Alora."

He cleared his throat," No," his voice was a little shaky. "That's not the point."

She raised her brow; a curious smile tugging at her lips. "Adrien," she sang his name.

"It's not like that," he fussed, gripping onto the steering wheel. "I'm just not interested in having a serious relationship. I can't be weighed down by a single person for the rest of my life."

"And yet you cling on to her for dear life. The only issue that you're failing to acknowledge is that she's blind. She can't see you or your feelings for her. Even when she's looking into your eyes and you tell her how amazing she is, she just brushes it off. Talk about friend zoning."

"I told you, it's not like that."

Benita leaned back into her seat, smiling happily, her nose crinkling up her face. "Love is a strange thing...."

"I'm not in love," he rolled his eyes.

"And Helsing is just as strange," her smile went sly. Adrien knew that nothing good could come out of her mouth if she looked at him with that smile, her hazel eyes drilling into his skull like she could read him. Her deep, deranged Hazel eyes seemed to see everything. "I think to solve your problems and enjoy your time in Helsing without being blocked from potentially being with Alora, you should break those girls' hearts once and for all."

"Well, that just sounds evil," he said, the car going up over a knoll.

"I learned from the master of not caring," Adrien found that smug look on her face annoying. You teach her one thing, and suddenly she thinks she's mastered everything in life.

"You spend way too much time with Nilla," he said with thin eyes. "That might become a problem for me."

"All I'm saying is move on. Stop hiding, we're going to freaking Helsing!"

If it were that easy, he would. Adrien knew it better than anyone, and it surely wouldn't be the first he'd done it. But, above his feeling, he had bigger things to put first. There was something he needed from them that he couldn't let go off.