Joseph Edsall is a middle school Language Arts teacher, web writer for NewRetroWave, and musician currently residing in Pennsylvania. His work has previously appeared in so glad is my heart and Kutztown University’s Shoofly Literary Magazine.
You’re riding shotgun because Danny wanted to drive and control the radio and his steering wheel controls both. Mara is sitting in the back. You look in the rear view mirror to glance at her for a moment as she ashes her cigarette out the window and hugs herself with her other arm. Her jacket is thin and she shivers gently.
She told you she loved you once, two weeks ago at a party after you both had a few drinks and were in the back room watching a DVD on your laptop. She tilted her head and rested it on your shoulder as her hair enveloped your torso. Then she just said it, and you said nothing.
“What are you thinking about?” Danny asks you.
“Nothing really.”
“How about you? You okay back there?” He asks Mara.
She doesn’t say anything.
“Mara?”
“Nothing,” she answers. “I’m not thinking about anything.”
in parentheses 
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