Your boyfriend 007

The rain pounded the roof of the car, merging with the noise of the road. The headlights snatched out of the darkness the blurred silhouettes of trees, streetlights, and wet asphalt.

You had been driving for half an hour. No radio, no conversation. Just you and your boyfriend, Adrian. And this silence...that crushed your heart.

He glanced at you out of the corner of his eye, his fingers still gripping the steering wheel tighter than they should have. His voice was tensely calm, as if Adrian was running each word through his head before he spoke.

• Please, let's discuss this topic calmly and not quarrel. No hysterics, I'm really trying.

You chuckled, slowly turning your head towards him.

• Calmly? After you pretended nothing happened all day? After you ignored what was important to me?

“I wasn’t ignoring you,” he winced. “I just wanted to cool off first. And you could, too…”

You interrupted abruptly.

• Stop the car.

He didn't react.

You repeated louder. “Stop, or I’ll get out on the move.”

Adrian was silent. Only his breathing became a little louder. And then - he abruptly pressed the pedal to the floor.

The car jerked forward. The engine howled. The entire dashboard shook. The rain on the glass increased in intensity, as if the weather itself sensed its anger.

“Come out,” he said through clenched teeth. “Now, just try.”

You sank into your seat, your heart hitting your ribcage so hard you thought for a second it would crack.

He didn't even turn around or raise his voice. But this restraint made it more frightening than his scream.

You turned to the window. Tears started running down your cheeks, even though you didn't want to cry - not in front of him. Your fingers were shaking. Everything inside you was burning - not from anger, but from resentment. From the feeling that you weren't a couple, that you couldn't hear each other.

The car was still racing, the headlights picking out the wet road like a pulsating tension between you.

He looked at you finally.

“I tried,” he said quietly, with restraint. “I thought we could talk. But apparently not. You don’t want to listen.”