The rest of Jessica's week was uneventful considering her and Brad had sat in on an unofficial lunch date. He and she occasionally messaged each other, casually throughout the day and night about topics just as random as the times they sent and replied. Sometimes stray thoughts or feelings. One day he messaged her," we need to grab dinner," but the plan never fully stuck.

Brad had been put on a swing shift and suddenly was working nights. Now she began to understand the "hashtag adulting" complaint many younger adults would use in everything from a Facebook post to verbal conversation. She was feeling the "hashtag adulting" curse of not being able to get a proper date.

A full week had passed by and she was once again at the market. It was chilly out that day, and the air was wet from the previous rain, so it wasn't half as busy as it had been a week prior. George had decided to stay with his mother and sister, who was leaving the next day, so Alex had been her only help loading and unloading produce into the vehicles.

Her phone beeped as she and Alex had been taking down their stand, and she paused to see it and smiled a little.

*Just woke up. Not looking forward to working in the rain. Perhaps a coffee would warm me up come the morning, if only you would partake at the diner? *

Rolling her eyes, she texted back* if you expect me to not attend my duties on the farm during one of our largest growing seasons you are insane. But I would be up for something later tonight if you can take a lunch/dinner/breakfast. . . .meal.*

She and Alex were finished disassembling the stall by the time Brad responded*Sorry had to rush in.

Lots of calls. How about I call you when it slows down if you don't mind a late call?*

*I don't mind. Call me.*

A cat call and she rolled her eyes pushing Alex away," It's just a meal."

"Another date it sounds like. Though poor man needs to start working a normal shift, watching you two try to plan a get together is as frustrating as watching paint dry on a rainy day." Alex and her began walking back to their cars which were parked behind the large building their stall had been in front of. They were one of the few, many sellers had left early due to slow business. That was the nice thing about owning your own business: you set your own hours.

"Wonderful analogy," she said deadpanned to the farmhand," compared to wet paint. How delightful."

Alex stopped before he shot back an answer his easy demeanor hardening into a tense stance smile wiping from his face. She quickly swung her gaze in the direction he was looking.

Her rusty old truck was the first they could see, parked next to his SUV and next to it crouched a large figure of a man in all black.

"Hey!" Shouted Alex stepping in front of her picking up his pace in the direction of the truck," Hey what you doing down there friend?!?"

The figure, for as large as it was, suddenly stood and bolted up before Alex or Jessica could even think to run. Alex attempted to catch the crook, as did Jessica though she stopped upon reaching her truck while Alex pressed for a while longer before returning huffing and frowning.

"Did they steal anything?" He asked as she stood in the door of the beat-up cab.

Shaking her head, she shrugged," not from what I see not that there is much in here TO steal. They even left my chips," she lifted the half-filled bag of Cheetos as proof.

"What the hell was he doing then?" he panted leaning on the side holding a stitch in his side.

She looked into the cab one more time biting her lip," Perhaps he was trying to open the door and didn't manage to pick the lock or something before we came?"

"Awful stupid to be trying to pick a lock from the bottom of the door," He commented," see if she starts.

We just put that new sparkplug in, should start right up."

And it did. No misfire and no sputtering. It began to sprinkle before picking up to heavy droplets of rain. It was now quite dark out.

"I don't know," he said finally after she tried waving him off to go home," I'm not sure about this. Something doesn't smell right."

"Yeah," she shivered in the rain," you smell like a wet dog. And I am going to as well unless I can get in the truck. Go home, I'll be not far behind. I may see if Brad wants to meet up for dinner."

Alex stood silent for a moment, pondering before she looked up at him smiling," Go. May probably has dinner all ready for you. "

He cracked a small smile at that, though it shadowed his normal cheery demeanor.

"All right all right. Still. . . it doesn't feel right. Something feels off."

Her phone chimed," see! There is Brad. He probably is wondering if I am home already. He will be happy to hear I am still in town."

This made Alex relax and he took another look around the dark parking lot before nodding a goodnight and heading to his own car, only leaving once she had locked her door and buckled in.

Looking down to her phone to see it wasn't Brad but May wondering where she was.

 A quick response and she switched to Brad, quickly texting," Dinner a possibility anytime soon-try again later?*

After waiting for a few minutes her phone chimed and she got a heart heavy response of later. They where short staffed and he was helping redirect traffic where a 6 car pile up had happened and then a warning the highway would be slow going back to her place.

*Its okay, we can get together later.* she answered before glancing at her dying battery.

Stomach grumbling, she tossed the phone to the passenger seat and reversed out of the lot making it out of the small neighborhood and onto the highway already deciding on a drive through for dinner. While she absolutely loved to be spoiled by Mays exquisite recipes, sometimes greasy junk food called to her. 

Plus being alone and not around the love struck couple was a breath of fresh air.

She saw the turn off of the brightly lit fast food eateries and slowed, frowning when her breaks seemed to be very light. She put a heavy foot down and felt her truck jerk some, causing her heart to pound before going back to a normal pace. Frowning Jessica merged into the lane that lead to the nearest greasiest eatery and pulled in no issue.

"Must have been all the water on the road," she murmured uncertain.

Pulling through the drive through she ordered a small meal before heading back out on the highway. Now that she was headed back and had waited through the line of other hungry patrons, there were more cars on the road. More than once she had to kick the break peddle to stop the truck before it hit anything.

"What the hell, I just replaced the stupid brakes" she grumbled as she drove home slowly. People honked and swerved past, quickly moving the larger part of the late group of drivers ahead of her.

Her hands were beginning to sweat as they gripped the steering wheel. Another car passed horn cursing her as someone gestured rudely, though she dare not pick up speed.

"What the heck is goin' on?" She pushed the break peddle again, realizing the last time she had there had been no difference in speed. Heart beginning to race and eyes widening Jessica realized that her breaks were not working at all. And of course she had been lucky enough to have just made a large hill, and was now going down speed gaining with every second.

Slamming her foot down a few more times her breathing becoming more labored she looked up and swerved just in time to miss a small car in front of her. Straightening her jaw she held the wheel mind racing. The speed must have been 90 miles an hour now, since she was passing most people honking and hoping someone understood she was out of control of her truck as she approached many who had past her before.

"Oh man Jess. What to do, what to do- don't you panic girl," she was beginning to shake as she saw a string of vehicles up ahead just where the ground began to level. She knew she would never slow in time to miss them all, so she began hitting the horn. Setting her shoulders, she gritted her teeth as she swerved past another truck, blaring her horn the whole way as she saw blurs of people cursing and flipping her off, though she didn't take much care to them.

A truck tried to jump in front of her suddenly, probably thinking it could race her or have fun messing with her, and she honked while swerving only to see a minivan in the other lane. Narrowly dodging the truck and the van she flew to the shoulder of the road, screaming and cursing as she drove on the dirt and grass the whole truck rumbling as she bounced along off road. Trying to pull up to the road again, because she had now slowed but she didn't think it a good idea to get stuck in the ditch, she had a sense of vertigo before the beater truck groaned one last time and tipped over, tumbling down the small hill that made up one shoulder of the road before hitting a tree at the beginning of the tree line that separated the highway from a small neighborhood.

There was a distant hissing noise and shouting but she was too disoriented to find out from where. Hanging upside down, with her head throbbing she was too disoriented to do much but groan. Flailing a bit she felt around, eyes slowly coming into focus. The windshield was caved in, and her roof seemed to be closer to her face then she remembered. She reached up to her belt buckle trying with fumbling fingers to unlatch it while they slipped over the button.

There was shouting, and the blinding flash of red and blue lights blinded her causing a sharp pain to go behind her eyes.

Her door was thrown open and a bearded man was poking his head through.

"Ma'am are you hurt?" again a flashlight pointed her way. She groaned as the throbbing in her head worsened and she tried to turn away though it hurt even more to do so.

"Ugh no, I'm fine. I'm fine but I'm stuck," She heard her voice come out thick and slurred. Rubbing her wet hand across her face didn't help her wake up either.

The guy sucked in a breath," Ma'am you're bleeding. Where does it hurt?"

"Mah head," she said though slurred as if drunk. Vaguely she realized that the sticky stuff on her hand was blood, and it was coming from the top of her head where she must have hit it while rolling down the hill.

There was a voice behind him, though to her it was muffled. He ducked out and was replaced by a familiar looking cop.

"Jessica, are you alright? I'm going to get you out of here." 

It was Brad, with his strong jaw and large shoulders. He was frowning at her and shined his flashlight in her eyes on and off," can you see me? Am I blurry?"

Groaning she heavily smacked it away, "Shtalp it you are goin' to go makin' me sick," it wasn't a lie. Her mouth felt thick with saliva and it was becoming hard to swallow and it was as if her tongue was in the way, "Can yah help a girl down. I am gettin' awful light headed n' my belt seems to be stuck."

He nodded and got out of the car before shedding his jacket and leaning over. She distantly smelled spiced cologne on him as he lifted her up and unlatched her with a jerk. She collapsed on him heavily while he fell back on the dashboard. There was more yelling outside but she was unable to distinguish any voices from one another. She was more concerned about the pressure that seemed to give way suddenly from her head and she sighed as she passed out on the broad shoulder of Brad who kept talking to her, his baritone voice coaxing her to stay with him.