For Sale By Owner

Story by Kanja on SoFurry

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It was a picturesque suburban Sunday. The sky was iridescent sapphire, broken only by an occasional sleepy cloud. The smell of fresh cut grass permeated through every open window, light traffic providing soft ambiance and life to the community. Life was a tribute to the mundane. Along a cul-de-sac populated with humble, clean homes, a heavyset raccoon waited by his mailbox outside of a modest white colonial. He was about to check his watch again when an ostentatious beige sedan finally rolled down the street. He forced a smile. Trying to create a pleasant atmosphere he pushed his guests tardiness out of his mind. The engine died. Two doors silently opened, and a pair of foxes emerged. He squinted, blinded by reflections off of the car's disproportionate amount of chrome. There were two red foxes, both male. One appeared a bit older than the raccoon, in his 40s perhaps. The other was in his teens.

"You must be Mr. Thompson." The senior fox eagerly shook the raccoon's paw; a movement likely rehearsed in many a corporate boardroom. "I'm Peter, and this is my son Chris." The junior fox nodded silently, preferring to brood in his father's shadow.

"Please, call me Michael. Pleasure to meet you both." Michael paused uncomfortably. "Would you like to see her?"

Peter nodded. "Where to?"

Michael led the pair the short distance up the concrete drive to his detached garage. "Here she is."

Peter briskly approached the vehicle. "Ah, beautiful. A blast from better days if I've ever seen one. This is definitely a man's automobile, wouldn't you say Chris? I think this car would be perfect for you."

Gazing lazily up, the adolescent shrugged and returned to his cell phone.

Outside the garage, a vintage, cherry red muscle car gleamed in the sunlight. The design oozed testosterone, bold angular lines declaring power, torque and speed to all who gazed upon it. It glistened proudly in the drive, not a speck of dust to be found on it. Michael had made sure of its cleanliness, he had spent the day detailing it. He began to regret his decision not to clean up his appearance before greeting the prospective buyers. Peter could have come from a high-end catalog, neatly dressed in designer business attire. His son, though wearing tasteless gaudy attire, shared his father's silky fur and manicured looks. Michael became suddenly embarrassed of his grass stained blue jeans and ancient college t-shirt.

Peter studied the coupe as he leisurely revolved around it. "You say you've had this car for, what, fifteen years?"

"Eighteen this May." Michael replied. "Gosh, I remember working all year to save up enough for it. I'd dream about driving, counting down the days until I could afford it. Cost me everything I had. Ironically I couldn't afford to buy any gas, as I had spent all my money on the car. Had to wait even longer to drive. Boy was I beside myself." He smiled to himself at his youthful mistake, but it seemed he had been rambling to himself. The two foxes had been examining the car the whole time, the younger only after being ordered to by his father.

Peter stood, brushing his paws against his spotless slacks. "What prompted you to put her on the market? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Michael's smile faded. "Economic conditions I guess. Hours cut, bills to pay, basically I guess I'd rather have the security. It's a relic from younger years, and sadly those days are gone." He examined their faces, seeing looks of incomprehension. The raccoon sighed, trying to lighten the mood by changing the subject. "Anyway, what do you think of the car?"

The juvenile fox shrugged again, becoming increasingly unenthusiastic with his current situation.

Peter smiled politely. "She is a fine automobile. There are some issues I thought I'd address though..."

The raccoon's spirits began to fall.

"The paint has several minor chips and scratches, we'd need to have those repaired. I noticed a small dent in the hood, I don't know if that could be repaired easily. Also, I noticed that the rear bumper has been replaced?"

Michael assured him it was a mere fender bender.

"It's not functionality I'm concerned with, it's originality. Any replacement part subtracts from the original value of the car."

The fox's list seemed to go on forever, naming each and every possible imperfection he could find in the car. From a miniscule crack in the leather upholstery to a non-original glove box light bulb, nothing seemed to evade the fox's omnipresent eye.

"While your car is in good condition, I cannot simply ignore these issues. In order for this purchase to be feasible, the asking price would have to be decreased. I think it would only be fair, seeing as there are numerous issues with the vehicle."

At first Michael couldn't believe what he was hearing, but as the fox continued, he began to wonder if it was a mere sales ploy. "I'll admit she may have a ding or two, but it is an original vehicle. It hasn't been sitting in a museum; the car saw plenty of use. Of course there will be some signs of wear and tear. It's what makes up the character of the car."

The elder fox's face remained uncompromising. "I'm not in the market for character, plenty of cars rusting in junkyards have plenty of character. I need a car that is showroom worthy. I'll admit your car has potential, but there is still much work to be done."

The raccoon blinked strongly a few times, pondering the fox's words. "Well, let's talk numbers, shall we? I'm sure we can reach an agreeable number."

Peter took little time to come up with a number. "I could comfortably offer you 7,000."

Michael almost laughed. "7,000?" The fox's face remained firm. "That's... That's significantly less than the listing price."

"7,000 is a fair offer. You said yourself the economy is terrible. If I don't buy this car, who else will?"

Michaels face twisted. As insulted as he was by the offer, the fox spoke the truth. The car had been listed for over a month now, and he had only had a single offer. He thought of all the bills 7,000 could pay: Electricity, Taxes, Mortgage, the list went on.

A synthetic beeping erupted from the junior fox's pocket. He fumbled at his phone, eventually accepting the call. Michael noticed the 'thug' slang he used when talking, rolling his eyes at the youth. Chris walked over to the car and, apparently tired of standing, hopped up and sat on the hood. Michael gasped at one of his oldest pet peeves, feeling his temper begin to rise.

Peter leaned closer to the raccoon. "Look, I realize that times are tough. Perhaps I was a bit conservative in my estimation before." He paused for effect. "I guess I could raise my offer to 8,500. That's more than fair, wouldn't you say? After all, it is only a car..."

Michaels mind began to race. "Only a car?" he thought to himself. Had nobody heard of respecting the property of others? Michael looked at the teenager lounging on his car. "I guess kids never change." He thought to himself. He glanced at the small imperfection on the hood, hoping he wouldn't have to add another ding to his collection. The first one had never been taken care of, and that had happened years ago...

It had been very dark out, but the dent was still visible. The sun had set hours ago; the only light had come from the stars and a small fire near the river. The flurry of voices near the party had dissipated into murmurs and random laughter a mere hundred meters away.

"I can fix it, trust me. I've got some tools, we can just pound that sucker right out."

A much younger Michael turned to face the grizzly bear. "You'd better fix this! God, Dan, what on earth could compel you to jump on my car?"

Dan shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

Michael tried counting, hoping his anger would subside. He didn't want his evening spoiled because of this one accident. "If you can't fix this yourself, you're paying for it."

The bear nodded. "Alright, alright, it'll be fine. Just chill out. Do you have the beer or not?"

The young raccoon walked to the passenger door and began his search. He lifted a dirty t-shirt, smiling on the discovery of twelve brown bottles. He lifted the cases from the floor, exclaiming to his friend, "Got 'em."

The grizzly glanced over. "It's about time, toss me one."

Michael slammed the door shut, heading back towards the party. The throbbing headache of car repairs disappearing as he returned to his friends. He walked slowly through the darkness, avoiding the black silhouettes of trees and brush. He eventually made his way back to the fire. He sat on a dirty blanket, placing himself next to a mocha rabbit in a navy blue and white letterman jacket. His jacket. She looked up, noticing his return, and smiled. He returned the gesture, leaning close to her. She rested her head on his shoulder.

Summer had been drawing to a close, and the impromptu gatherings were the perfect way to milk every last hour of fun they could. The raccoon sat, enjoying the antics of the furs surrounding it. All classmates of his, he noticed how different some of them seemed outside of the stifling walls of the high school. An Arctic fox plucked at a guitar, the folk songs resonating throughout the empty woods. Voices were talking, laughing, singing and shouting together, but the words ran together into an unintelligible garbled mess. Michael didn't mind though, he enjoyed the company of his friends. Most of all, he enjoyed the company of Kim, the bunny currently nuzzling his neck.

Dan interrupted the group, holding one of the six-packs over his head, taking offers on the remaining five beers. Several furs called out, the bear cheering as he passed them their bottles.

Kim lifted her head from Michaels shoulder. "Those wouldn't happen to be yours, would they?"

Michael feigned surprise. "Me? Oh no, they couldn't have been mine."

The bunny smiled, her large porcelain front teeth shining as bright as the stars. "You're barely seventeen." She raised her hand, and Dan threw her the last of the bottles.

Michael laughed. "So are you." He kissed her neck and made a grab at the beverage.

Crickets chirped a syncopated rhythm with the acoustic guitar. The fire smoldered and popped occasionally, harmonizing with the cool sound of the black river flowing. Time stood still as the students congregated around the fire. Their minds were not concerned with assignments, or college applications; they simply existed in the moment. The hours had faded away, memories of the night lost thanks to a combination of alcohol and time.

A cool breeze blustered through the gathering, causing Michaels fur to stand on end. As Kim had been wearing his jacket, he had only a t-shirt to protect him from the increasing cold. He tried to put the cold out of his mind. He didn't want to move and disturb the perfect moment between himself and Kimberly. Besides, with every breeze she snuggled up next to him more. He could endure the cold for that.

The elements had seemed to want to test their prowess that night, and much to Michael's misfortune the gusts of wind intensified, near extinguishing the fire and chilling just enough furs to kill the festive atmosphere.

"This must be that storm they were talking about. It wasn't supposed to hit until tomorrow morning." Kim stood, gathering her few belongings. "But I guess it may technically be tomorrow morning..."

A low rumble reverberated in the distance. Thunder? Perhaps. The once peaceful scene had become a frenzy of activity. The fire was being doused with river water, and belongings were being crammed into the trunks of random cars. Another chilling breeze accompanied another, slightly more audible rumble.

Michael turned to Kim. "We should probably get out of here."

"Well where would you suggest we go? I can't go home yet, I'm supposed to be at a sleepover."

Michael grinned mischievously. "Well, I guess we're in a bit of a jam then, aren't we? Every where's either closed or not worth going to... Hey! Do you want to watch the storm?"

A fluorescent strobe light up the sky momentarily, disappearing with another rumble. A cool, almost moist blast of wind ravaged the abandoned campsite. Luminous red taillights began to appear in the darkness.

"What do you mean watch the storm?"

"C'mon, it'll be fun." Michael took Kim by the paw. "I know just the place we can go." The raccoon and the bunny disappeared into the car.

"Don't go to fast, I'll be a miracle if we survive the night the way you drive."

The raccoon revved the engine, slamming the car into gear. "I'll be careful, promise."

Michael raced along the two-track road for about ten minutes, eventually stomping on the brakes at a slight clearing atop a hill. The dashboard clock read 1:48 AM. He retracted his key, the engine instantly becoming silent. All was still. Much could be seen from atop the rise. A faint glow of light marked the small town below. The sky above was a mixture of liquid black ink dotted with vivid stars and ominous charcoal clouds. The wind could be head howling outside, but inside the car the two teenagers found themselves safe and warm.

Michael unbuckled his seatbelt. Kimberly did the same. He gazed upon her intently. The dashboard lights illuminated her light brown fur. Michael could see her delicate long ears tucked behind her back, her playful eyes returning his gaze. He wanted her, and from the look she was sending his way he was pretty sure she wanted him. He folded up the armrest between them, and quite forwardly scooted over to her. He paused momentarily, judging her reaction to his advance. He saw only excitement and anticipation in her eyes. The raccoon continued. He wrapped his arm around her, grabbing her far shoulder and pulling her in. She offered little resistance. He pressed his black lips against hers, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, caressing the fur on his upper back. His tongue entered her mouth, as did hers to his. The tongues wrestled against each other as the bunny positioned herself on top of the raccoon, sitting on his legs as she wrapped her arms around his back. He tasted her saliva, felt it on his lips. He embraced the wet kiss, pulling the bunny closer to him.

Kim broke the kiss, taking a deep breath and smiling. "So this is 'storm watching'? I could get used to this."

Michael grinned naughtily, and Kim adopted a seductive voice.

"Well it seems I have found myself a nice little raccoon to play with." Her eyes sparkled naughtily. She marched her fingers from his chest. "What am I to do with you?" Her slender fingers now rested over the button to Michaels fly, teasing the raccoon as she undid his pants.

Michael playfully held up his paws. "Whoa there, I think I need to see a higher level of commitment on your part before I let you down there."

The bunny grinned. She wriggled out of the navy and white jacket, revealing the form fitting top beneath. She then proceeded to strip away the skimpy top, exposing her entire torso.

Michael raised his eyebrows. "No bra today huh?"

Kim stretched her arms sensually above her head. "Didn't think I needed one."

The raccoon grinned. "I like it." He stripped off his own t-shirt, presenting his gray torso covered in lean muscle. He leaned up against the bunny once more, starting another wild kiss. This time though, the feel of fur on fur enhanced the experience. Michael could feel himself growing more and more aroused, his length beginning to strain against his jeans and the bunny sitting on his lap.

Kim took notice of the situation pressing against her hamstrings. She broke from the raccoons kiss once again. She stared him in the eye saying, "It's time for you to loose the pants."

Michael scooted back towards the drivers seat. He unzipped the bronze zipper, awkwardly shimming out of the denim in the confined space. He threw the pants in the cramped back seat, turning to the bunny. "I was about to suggest the same for you."

She followed suit, gracefully sliding out of her own jeans. Michael nearly fainted when he saw the tight pink panties against her coffee and cream-colored fur. She noticed his attention, stretching naughtily as she lay down on the seat. Michael quickly climbed on top of her.

Outside the car, the wind had picked up considerably, whistling fiercely through the treetops and around the car. The flashes and rumbles were much closer together, intensifying, as the storm grew nearer. Across the valley the hazy lines of rain could be seen berating the landscape.

He looked at Kim. Her hair was messily spread across the seat; her tall ears were propped against the door to avoid being crushed beneath them. She looked perfect and ready. The two had been making out, grinding their crotches against one another. This was as far as they had ever gone before. Michael smelled her sweat against the leather of the car, his own musk mixing into the aroma. Her scent was stronger than ever before. He looked once more between her legs, noticing that the pink cotton had soaked through. He was captivated.

Kim had noticed his attention on her. She sat up, momentarily debating whether or not to let him proceed. She looked into his hungry eyes, and felt desire make the decision for her. "Could you give me a hand with those?"

The raccoon could barely believe his ears. His black paws shook as he reached forward, venturing into unknown territory. He grasped the moist pink panties and pulled downward. They easily slid down her milky thighs. Once they were off, he threw them back with the rest of the clothing. He turned and gazed upon her naked body for the first time. She was uninterrupted mocha, except for the creamy white fur across her chest, stomach and nether regions. It was better than he could have possibly imagined. Her taught fur bristled in the cold, anticipating the raccoon's touch.

Another crash, this one accompanied by the metallic clink of raindrops hitting steel. The precipitation, quickly bombarding the surrounding earth quickly filled puddles and sent insects fleeing for cover. Streaks of rain tiger striped the windshield; the design lost on the two due to the fog covering the interior of the glass.

Michael noticed Kim's yawning thighs, exposing the perfect pink slit. His heart began to beat faster, thinking off all the times he had dreamt of this very moment. He adjusted himself, leaning in with his head to examine the new territory. He cupped her rear in his paws, feeling her small tail flick against his paw. He pressed his nose against her lips and inhaling deeply. Her scent was strong. Kim seemed to shiver with his every touch. He pressed deep inside of her, venturing forth with his tongue. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. She was an explosion of indescribable aroma and taste. She was tart, sweet and tangy all in one, and the raccoon couldn't get enough. Kim moaned and twisted with pleasure at the new sensation, feeling Michaels cold wet nose and warm tongue probing her. She submitted to the exhilaration. The feeling of raccoon tongue flicking around her depths drove her crazy. She felt herself growing hotter, loosening up as her body prepared for the act she craved.

After a beautiful eternity, Michael pulled his muzzle away from her nether regions, face dripping with her juices and beaming brightly. This was his first time going down on the bunny, and he prayed it wouldn't be his last.

Kim moaned with pleasure, eyes pleading with Michael for more. "Please Mike... I...I'm ready..."

"Ready?" he thought to himself. He noticed her staring at his boxers. A light bulb went off in his head. It was the only thing on his mind, yet for some reason it had escaped him. He pulled his underwear down, feeling the cool air caress his freed package. He tossed the boxers at Kim, landing them awkwardly on her head. She smiled and inhaled his male musk from them, tossing them in the back when she had finished. He eyed her opening once again, and began to position himself above her.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Kim nodded, breathing quickly with anticipation.

Michael leaned forward and arched his back. He could feel his tip pressing against the bunny's cream-colored lips, inviting him inside. His head spun with the sound of their combined breathing, the cool moist feel on most of his body, and the sound of raindrops doing kamikaze runs on his car. It was a sensory overload. He had to focus. He looked once more at his head slowly becoming covered with the milky white fur of the bunny's nether regions. With a deep breath he slowly pushed forward.

Kim gasped at the feeling of Michael penetrating her. She felt herself clamp down on the length filling her, felt her body begin milking the raccoon. It was what her body had been designed to do, and it felt wonderful.

Michael felt incredibly alive, as if electricity had shocked his body into hyperactivity. Once he had hilted himself in Kim, he looked into her pleasure stricken face. He heard her moans of passion beneath him, invigorating him onward. He began to pull back, feeling Kim's tight walls hold him in, pressing forward again when he had retreated sufficiently. Each thrust felt better than the last. He felt Kim grow hotter, wetter, and louder with each plunge. He noticed his ringed tail unconsciously raising, prominently swishing back and forth in a feral mating display. Feeling the cool air nip at his exposed tailhole, he clenched his cheeks together. The motion seemed to intensify his pleasure up front, sensation crackling electrically along the taut pink flesh of his shaft. He glanced down at the scene of their connection, gray fur meshing with cream, fluid covering them both as he thrusted. The smell of their sex began filling the car, the aroma awakening a dormant feral desire to breed.

The car began to rock with the raccoons increased thrusting. He was panting and sweating, incomprehensible words spewing from his mouth. His mind was racing, and he felt a familiar pressure building in his loins. He looked down at Kim, the bunny spouting garbled words as well.

"I...Fuck.... Cumming! Oh god..." Without warning, an explosion of fluid hit the raccoon's crotch. Bunny juices began running down his gray thighs, dripping onto the leather below. She moaned loudly with her release, fading into a new state of consciousness.

Michael's pressure had become a full on explosion. He felt he could hold back no more, and thrust deep into Kim, pistoning quickly. Release came like a tidal wave. He felt three powerful spurts, tickling as the erupted. The fluid filled the bunny's walls, surrounding the raccoon's member. His mind was hit by a thousand messages of ecstasy, blocking out all senses except for pleasure receptors. He collapsed onto her, both teens reveling in their orgasms.

He lay atop the bunny for minutes. Or had it been days? He couldn't have said. Finally free of their orgasmic stupors, the teen's had cuddled in the aura of their lovemaking. Michael finally pulled out of Kimberly, his rapidly shrinking member happy to return to its furry gray sheath. They both sat upright, looking upon each other with newly opened eyes. Kim noticed her pubic region, dripping with her own lubricant and raccoon seed.

"Quite a job you did huh Mike?" she said in surprise, running a finger through the sticky mess.

The raccoon shrugged with embarrassment. "It may not be pretty but it sure was fun."

Kim smiled again, showing porcelain teeth. "That it was. I... I still can't describe it."

"It was mind-blowing."

The bunny hit the stereo knob, playing the cassette tape Michael never changed. Rock music began to blast from the speakers. "Anyway, I think it's time to clean up."

Michael was about to ask what she meant, when she flung open the door and stepped into the rainstorm. She began an improvised dance. It was both comical and beautiful at the same time. He was momentarily worried about water damage to the panel, but he then noticed the puddle of juices on the seat. He grinned. He could clean the car later, and he did quite frankly reek of sex.

Kim poked her soaking head through the door, ears acting as funnels for the water. "Are you coming or what?"

Michael smiled, turning up the stereo volume. He threw open his own door, and stepped into the wall of water, joining the bunny in a naked-rain-dance.

"9,000 Mr. Thompson, I simply can't reasonably go above that offer."

Michael was violently torn from the past. He shook his graying head, trying to remember where he was. He noticed the young fox, still lying on the hood of the car, thumbs rapidly tapping his phone. "Could you PLEASE get him off of the car?"

The older fox was surprised at this sudden outburst. He softly suggested to his son that he join him. The junior fox grudgingly slid off the car, barely looking up from his texts. The older fox forced a smile. "Probably just eager to drive it, that's all."

Michael cringed at the thought of the sullen teenager driving his precious car. He could feel his temper beginning to boil, a youthful rebelliousness he had forgotten he possessed.

"Look, Michael," the fox said smoothly. "We can sit around all day, throwing numbers back and forth at each other, fighting it out over nickels and dimes, or we could act like adults and agree that 9,000 is a more then fair offer. Especially in this market."

The raccoon shifted his vision between the fox's ego, the obnoxious, spoiled youth texting, and at his beautiful, if scratched and dinged, sports car. He wanted to think his decision over, but in reality he had already made up his mind. He turned back to the pair of foxes. "Well gentlemen, as you know this car means a lot to me. I thought maybe if I had to sell it, I could rest easy knowing that it could end up in paws similar to mine eighteen years ago. However, after seeing such an extreme display of disinterest by Thug McDuff here, I just don't think I could bear to let her be treated with such nonchalance. You said yourself that this was just a car. Well, to me it's more than that, and if I were to ever sell it, the buyer would have to share my point of view. Furthermore, you insult me with an offer far below what it's worth, using the economy as a scapegoat for your greed? Frankly, sir, you could offer me 90,000 and I'd still turn you down. You don't deserve this car. These negotiations are over. Thank you for your time."

The words hit the fox like a brick wall. He apparently wasn't used to being told 'no.' Michael could tell the fox was straining himself not to display the anger and surprise he was surely feeling. His face was still, but there was fire in his eyes. Apparently the speech had gone right over the head of the younger fox who was lazily waiting for some sort of alert from his phone.

In perhaps the most difficult display of business etiquette he had attempted all year, Peter extended a paw to Michael. "I'm sorry you see things that way. We'll be leaving now." His words were cold, and his grip limp. He ushered his son down the concrete walk, back to the luxurious embrace of the sedan. Michael watched as the car started up, and pulled away down the street. He scoffed at them as they left. "I'm sure he'll be fine with a fancy import, god forbid."

He stood in the yard watching the traffic pass, thinking on the days that had gone by. He glanced at the car again and smiled. So many memories were tied up in that old thing. He started for the car, but was hit by a sudden burst of inspiration. He turned on his heels and walked to the front door of the colonial, throwing open the door as he stepped inside.

It took a second as his eyes adjusted to the lower light inside. It smelled of laundry inside. The wood floors shone in the bits of sunlight, walls adorned with photographs of memories and family portraits. He walked from room to room searching. Living room? Empty... Study? Empty... He felt a collision with his leg, followed by a faint thud. He looked down, smiling widely at the tiny child at his feet. "What are you running for, Jake?"

The little raccoon looked into his father's eyes, holding up a plastic truck. "Jenna was gonna take this so I have to hide it!"

Michael lifted the child onto his feet. "Go play with your trucks outside. She'll probably go back to her own toys soon."

The child bolted out the back door, forgetting he had ever crashed.

Michael walked into the light blue kitchen, finally finding the one he had been looking for. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

She gasped loudly. "God, mike, you almost gave me a heart attack." The bunny set down the tray of sandwiches and lemonade. She turned to face him, a gray speckled face so different, yet very much the same as he had remembered. "How did the offer go? Any luck?"

Michael shook his head. "No, I'll tell you about it later. C'mon, there's something I want to show you." He grabbed the bunny's paw and pulled excitedly.

"What is it?" Kimberly stumbled out the door. Michael led her to the glistening car. "Yes, what about it?"

The raccoon opened the passenger door for her, gesturing for her to enter. Sudden realization hit the nervous mother. A free spirit controlled her actions in younger years, but family responsibilities did now.

"Mike, the kids..."

"I already asked Shirley to keep an eye on them from next door. They'll be fine, we won't be gone long."

She bit her lip and decided to enter the car. Michael grinned and dashed around, entering from the other side. Quickly fishing the key from his pocket, he started the engine. Its throaty low sound was so different from the modern engines. Kimberly felt herself relax into the familiar seat. Michael reached under the seat, hoping it had been where he had left it. Kim raised an eyebrow suspiciously. His fingers brushed the plastic, and he triumphantly pulled the cassette tape out. Kim's eyes grew with surprise.

"Surely that isn't..."

Michael pushed the tape in, and suddenly all to familiar rock music blasted from the speakers. He smiled goofily.

Kim relaxed back into her soft leather seat, letting herself reminisce. She turned to Michael, eyes gleaming youthfully. "Just TRY not to kill us."

Michael smiled wildly. "I'll be careful, I promise." He revved the engine before throwing the car in gear and quickly pulling out of the drive. He turned onto the street, and the two disappeared into traffic.