After cleaning my entire house and leaving a note explaining why, I have made my decision and I hope no one will be upset with me. I need this to end.

I grab my backpack and car keys. It will take a while until anyone finds out.

The rain poured against the truck like a thousand tiny fists, a constant reminder of the chaos I seemed to be driving into. I pressed my foot harder on the gas pedal, the worn tires skimming over the muck of the dirt road that twisted and curled in front of me. Visibility was practically nonexistent, a smudged painting on a canvas that could have been beautiful if only the storm hadn't seized it.

Just then, a deafening boom cracked through the air, causing me to jump and grip the steering wheel tighter. The truck shuddered beneath me, its engine groaning a protest before coming to a halt. Panic clawed at my insides. I twisted the key in the ignition, but the engine merely coughed before falling silent.

Cursing under my breath, I flung open the door and stepped out into the rain. It enveloped me instantly, cold and biting, but that was nothing compared to the heat radiating from under the hood. I squinted through the curtain of rain to see smoke curling out, a ghostly spiral in the downpour. It was too dangerous to even attempt to pop the hood without getting burnt.

Great," I muttered sarcastically to myself.

I found myself in a harrowing situation, staring down the headlights of an approaching truck speeding towards me. Desperately, I waved my arms, hoping to catch the driver's attention before disaster struck. But as the familiar pickup drew nearer, I was momentarily blinded by the glaring light, freezing in place like a deer caught in headlights.

The noise of the tires gripping the wet road, the roar of the engine, and the screech of the brakes all mixed together in a chaotic symphony as the truck came to a sudden stop. The heat emanating from the engine only added to the tension in the air.

Taking a deep breath, a lump formed in my throat as I stood there in the rain, the dampness seeping through my clothes uncomfortably.

"Nicole, what were you thinking!" Terry's voice resonated loudly as he yelled from his truck window.

I was rendered speechless, as if my voice had deserted me. Terry's frustration was palpable as he stepped out of the truck, the door slamming shut, jolting me back to reality as raindrops continued to pound against my head.

"You're so careless! I could have hit you!" Terry's words dripped with anger as he made his way towards me.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, taking a step back, the relentless rain showing no mercy in its downpour.

With the only sound being the rain hitting the trees and Terry's truck, I locked eyes with him. My anger grew, heat spreading through my body like a burning flame.

"If you hadn't been speeding like a maniac, maybe you would have seen me!" I shouted, unable to contain my frustration.

"Look, I'm not going to argue with you while there's a storm coming!" Terry said, heading back to his truck.

Without another word, I walked back to my smoking truck, choosing to struggle on my own rather than ask Terry for help. Opening the hood, I tried to assess the problem, but the heat was too intense to touch anything.

As I heard Terry's truck rumble past and drive away, I slammed the hood down in frustration. Climbing back into my truck, I pondered whether to stay put or gather my belongings to embark on a walk.

Terry Richmond

My cell phone rang, and I answered promptly to my mother on the line.

"Terry, have you reached home yet?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"Hey Mama, not yet. What's the situation at home?" I inquired, glancing back at Nicole's truck still illuminated.

"Thanks to you boys, everything's going smoothly," she replied, a hint of a smile evident in her tone.

"Hey sweetheart, could you do me a favor and swing by Pastor Michael's house? I haven't seen or heard from Nicole; she usually stops by the store, but it's been a week," she requested.

Taking a deep breath, I hesitated to share the information about seeing Nicole on my way back.

"Mama, I'm not sure if that's a wise idea," I responded, a slight hint of annoyance seeping through.

"Terry Richmond! I know you both aren't on good terms, but that girl's father just passed away," she scolded me firmly.

Not wanting to upset her, I quickly ended the conversation. "Mama, she's not home; I just saw her truck," I admitted with a touch of guilt.

"Wait, what! Did you stop? Which way was she headed?" my mother's curiosity piqued. "Do you know if she's in trouble?"

Drawing in another breath, I spoke shamefully. "I'm not sure, Mama. I simply drove past without a second thought."

"Terry Richmond! If you don't go back and check on that girl this storm won't be your worry!" my mother spoke as I rolled my eyes.

"Rolling your eyes again I promise you we would have a problem." I could feel the fire burning inside her.

"Ok, mama I said turning my truck around as now I couldn't see Nicole's truck lights...

Fine, Mama," I replied, turning my truck around to check on Nicole. Her truck lights were no longer visible in the storm, and I knew I had to go back.