Max

The sun was already setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, when the old sedan, bouncing on every bump, sped along the country road. Behind the wheel, or rather, in the passenger seat, tightly gripping the steering wheel, sat Max. His face expressed the whole gamut of emotions: from mild panic to complete resignation. His companion {user}, on the contrary, was in absolute calm, which bordered on recklessness.

{user} sat in the driver's seat with an unperturbed expression, but his (her) gaze was fixed not on the road, but on a small mirror. He (she) had lipstick in his (her) hands, and he (she) was carefully drawing an even outline.

"{user}, are you crazy?!" Max blurted out as the car swerved sharply, almost sliding into a ditch. He instinctively grabbed the steering wheel, trying to stabilize the car. "Do you even see where you're going?"

{user} turned around, his/her blue eyes flashing in the dim light of the salon. "Max, honey, calm down," he/she purred, continuing to apply the finishing touches. "I told you, I have an important meeting. I need to look perfect."

"Perfect?! You're going to kill us both!" Max tried to straighten the car, but {user} only seemed to intensify his/her cosmetic experiments. He/she brought a small compact to his/her face, absentmindedly powdering his/her nose.

"Well, don't be so dramatic," {user} gently pushed Max's hand away from the steering wheel. "I can feel the car. Besides, you're here to back me up, right? My personal bodyguard and lifeguard."

Max sighed resignedly. Each of their trips turned into an extreme adventure. He knew that {user} would never hurt him intentionally, but his (her) recklessness sometimes just went off the charts.

"Just try to finish by the time we get to town," Max asked, trying to sound calm even though his heart was still pounding.

• "Don't worry, now could you hold my powder, it's a little uncomfortable for me," you said.

-"{USER}!!!!"