TEN YEARS AGO

RAINDROPS PLOP DOWN and spatters on the windshield, obscuring the road ahead. Evans’ knuckles whitens. The scene of Isla with that man on the dance floor still hangs in his mind. He grips the steering wheel so hard that his fingerbone cracks.

     He knows he should slow down. Speeding in the rain isn’t safe, but all all he wants right now is to get home and drop off Isla.

     Outside, the air chills as the night deepens. Fog drifts along the edges of the road like creeping shadows. Isla looks out through the window, her head slumped against the pane. Her peripheral vision tells her Evans is watching her every so often. He’s still angry. The tension is too palpable. Why is Evans even in this mood? Shifting her eyes away from the icy rain, she says, “Are you still upset?”

     He casts her a look without paying attention to the pitch-black road ahead. “I can’t believe you let that jerk kiss you!”

     “Oh, come on, Evans. James is a college friend... and he was drunk. He didn’t kiss me like you’re insinuating. Our lips just—” She trails away.

     He stares daggers at her. “See? You can’t justify what happened in there.” He huffs. “I’m so disappointed!”

     Still, Isla can’t understand Evans’ sudden fury when he saw her and James on the dance floor in the nightclub they just left. She’d been dancing solo while Evans sat at the bar drinking a cocktail. Out of nowhere, James appeared behind her and grabbed her hand. She’d thought he wouldn’t make her out, but he mentioned her name and tightened his grip around her hand before she could shoo him away. Then he’d said something in drawls and as they swayed to the music, James pushed her forward and it happened. A momental incident which shouldn’t have occurred. She didn’t think Evans saw them. But from the looks of things, he did.

     Even so, Evans shouldn’t get angry. They’re only business partners. If he’s upset because James stole a kiss from her, doesn’t it mean that he’s jealous? That’s the sign she’s been waiting for. She can finally tell him her feelings for him, although it took a silly spark between her and her college friend to trigger this moment. Deep down she’s glad it happened.

     Isla tucks strands of her dark hair behind her ears. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

     He presses his fingers around the wheel and says between gritted teeth, “Not now, Isla.”

     A figure emerges from the darkness—a blur in the fog, and darts across the street. Isla’s eyes widens as she catches a flicker in the headlight, and she screams, “Watch out!”

      Evans brakes, but the car doesn’t stop, only slows down, the tires humming against the wet pavement. It happens so quickly there’s little time to process anything. A deft movement from the side, then a sickening thud follows. The car jolts violently as something heavy hits against the hood, rolling up over the windshield and disappearing from view.

     Evans goes pale, as though all the blood in his body has been drained. Frantically, he slams on the brakes. The car screeches to halt on the road. Silence falls. He lets go of the wheel and stumbles out of the car, his booth crunching on the gravel as he hurries over to the man lying motionless to the side of the road in a puddle of blood.

     Isla steps out. Legs trembling, she skitters to the section where Evans stands. Foggy rain hits her face. Her breath is rapsy as she inhales. Her stomach lurches and saliva rises to her throat.

     They share a tense look, then Evans murmurs, “He’s dead,” and runs a hand through his hair, his lips quivering.

      “We... we have to call someone,” Isla says.

     Evans doesn’t respond. He walks back to the car and slips in, then rolls up the windows.

     Isla retraces her steps to the passenger seat. A dead silence ensues. Isla shudders as the image of the dead man flashes in her mind. “What are we going to do?” she asks, her voice cracking on the words.

     Evans heaves a sigh. “I don’t know. We can’t just leave him there.”
    
     “Then we’ve got to call it in. The cops will understand. We’ll tell them it was an accident,” Isla says, snatching up her phone from the pocket.

     Evans holds her hand and snaps, “No, Isla. The guy is dead and we had too much to drink.” He turns to her, beads of sweat slipping down his temple. “I could go to prison.”

     Isla stares blankly at him, clasping her arms around her trembling body. “What should we do then?”

     Evans shrugs. “I don’t know. I’d have to tell them the truth. It was an accident, but—”

     “You’ll still be charged anyway,” Isla points out.

     “I know, but what choice have I got? If we run and leave the body for the cops, they might track it back to us... and that’s worse. I’ll look guilty.”

     Isla hesitates, then spills out, “If I tell them I was the driver...”

      Evans’ brows arch. “No way, Isla! I can’t let you do that. Do you realize what you’re saying?”

      “It’s goin’ to work. There’s no one around. I’ll tell them I was driving. It was dark... and I didn’t see him.”

     Evans face lights up. “No. I’m not letting you take my blame.”

      “I already have. I can’t operate the business with you locked up in prison.” She stares into his eyes and slowly takes hold of his hand, tears snaking down her face. “I care about you so much.” She clutches his face and soothes it. “And I’ve always been in love with you, Evans. I—I... just didn’t know how tell you.”

     His lips tightens and he stiffens. He doesn’t talk. Can’t talk. Does he love her like the way she does? He can’t deny he got angry when James kissed her. Evans blinks, mouth half-open, words failing him. His heart thunders, breath caught as her confession hangs in the air. “I still think it’s a mistake. I can’t let—”

     “You aren’t,” she cuts him off and punches in the emergency number.

     “What if the cops don’t believe our story? There’s still time. I’ll tell them the truth.” He caresses her face. “So you don’t have to.”
 
     “Just promise me one thing; you’ll always be there for me.”

     He smiles at her. “You know I always will.”

     The operator’s voice comes through the line. “911, what’s your emergency?”