Page 64 of The Spotlight Effect

“Ouu, does this mean I’m like in the inner circle.” I smile.

“Of course.” Gray starts to look outside his rearview mirror very closely and it’s kind of scary.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“I think we are being followed,” he states.

“How do we get rid of them?” I ask, looking behind us once again and seeing a Starstruck magazine van behind us.

“Back roads,” Gray answers. “Reach in the glove compartment and pull out that map,” Gray says, glancing in the rear-view mirror. I follow his instructions and pull out a big map. In all honesty, I have no idea how to read this thing, especially at night with bare minimum light. During the day maybe I could help. But I’m more of a once I see where we go or know it, I can get you there anytime, but this is unfamiliar.So many times to try and get rid of them, I have no idea where I’m at now, and I don’t know anything about getting around California. We are definitely screwed.

I turn on my phone flashlight and shine it over the map. I flip it around many times before giving up and just pulling out my phone and openingMaps.

“I think you can turn up here to the left,” I say, turning my phone all around trying to be sure it’s a road. We are going to get lost. He turns down the road and just keeps going. There aren’t many houses out here, just nice nature. If it was daytime, it’d be a lovely place to go on a walk. Eventually, the map says we're about fifteen minutes from Los Angeles. I consider that a win, considering I have no idea where I’m at.

Then there's a pop sound that causes the car to kind of lose control until there’s another. Gray pulls over best he can and stops. We end up in a small patch of woods with nothing around, just trees and the night sky.

“I think there is a flat tire,” he says, grabbing his phone before getting out. All the lights are on in the car and I can see around us it’s nothing but trees, hills and a long ass road.

I unbuckle myself to get out of my seat and I cross over the middle to the driver's seat. Gray is going through the trunk, and I can see the light shining from his flashlight. “Fuck,” he says and walks back around the car. “There’s two flat tires and I only have one spare, there’s also no cell service and we can’t walk because it’s night,” he tells me. Shit. “We’re going to have to sleep in the car tonight and wake up tomorrow then walk back,” Gray adds. He leaves the driver's seat doorway and goes back to the trunk and pulls out blankets then closes it. I move back over to my seat, and he gets inside with them and closes the door before locking us in the car.

“You can take the back seat, I’ll sleep up here,” Gray says.

“I’m sorry about your car,” I say.

“It’s just a car.” He holds out a blanket for me and I take it and toss them in the back. I crawl into the back seat with my purse and set up for the night. I text my mom telling her what happened even though it won’t send but just in case it does, she knows what happened.

Neither one of us fall asleep but we also don’t speak much. Gray turns around every so often and asks If I’m okay or If I’m cold then I answer, and he turns back around and lays back in his seat.

I’m scared.

I’m hoping nothing or no one comes out and tries to kill us. The air is swirling outside, and the night animals are out making noise, creating a creepy ambiance.

“Just stay calm,” Gray says.

“How do you know I’m not calm?” I respond.

“I can hear your loud ass breathing,” he answers.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“Here, hold my hand,” Gray says and reaches his hand behind the seat.

“It’ll be uncomfortable for you,” I state.

“Don’t care if it’ll help you. I’ll make it work,” Gray says. I wait a few seconds and wipe my hand on my pants, thinking they might be sweaty. “Alexia, take my hand,” Gray says. I take his hand.

“We’re going to be okay,” Gray tells me.

“I know,” I reply shakingly. I believe him, I know I’ll be fine but I’m still nervous. I stare at the roof of the car for a while, not focused on anything but I’m slightly in my head. I start to feel sleepy even though I’m really paranoid and Gary assures me he’ll stay up and keep watch. I don’t want to leave him awake alone but I’m falling asleep.

“Goodnight, Grumpy.”

THE SECOND BIG BANG

ALEXIA

We left Gray’s car thirty minutes ago and I’m already tired. I know it's ironic, considering I’m a center flyer on an all-star cheer team and I stunt and tumble for hours straight. Maybe even days, butthisis hiking.

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