WELCOME.

[josh sheppard.]

Beep-Boop.

Josh’s ears perked at the beeping of his cell phone. He had a new text message and he’d been expecting it since his school day ended. Unfortunately for him, he was driving and his cell phone was deep in his pockets. There was no way that he was going to try and read the message in New York’s rush hour but he couldn’t help but wondered how it would be replied to. ‘Hands on the wheel; hands on the wheel. You can’t allow any distractions.’ Josh thought to himself as he poised his hands at ten and two on the steering wheel, guiding the car as close to the speed limit as he could manage. Truth be told, he was well over the speed limit but even then it seemed as if he couldn’t drive fast enough. His eyes shifted from left to right in front of him, then in his rear view mirror, then over his shoulder, and then through his side mirrors before turning. Somehow Joshua had become quite calm behind the wheel and he easily got used to New York traffic.

As Josh drove down the street, he took a few glances at his brother, Ben, from the corner of his eye. The car was oddly silent at the moment except for the songs that were playing on the radio which was a bit unusual. Ben was fine, or as fine as he would be after spending yet another day at school, but Josh wondered what his own problem had been. Josh didn’t feel focused at all and even as he drove he could feel impatience rising in him. Dominique Smith, a girl who went to his private school, was sending him text messages but he couldn't read them until he came to a halt. He'd asked the girl to meet him at central park and she told him that he'd text him a reply. Ben wanted to tag along but it didn't bother Josh much at all. Josh had no homework that day and was just looking to have a little fun. His thoughts were not focused on the road as he performed another turn but instead on various other things.

Beeeeep- Beep!

That snapped him out of it. Joshua was not even aware that he had run a red light as he speed down the street toward Central Park. He met the other driver’s honk with a well timed finger slashing the air outside of his window for all to see before turning yet again near his final destination. Even from his car, the park still looked beautiful. It was one of those places in New York that didn’t really seem like New York and yet it defined the city he was in. Unfortunately, just outside of the park was New York and in New York, there weren’t many convenient parking spaces. There was a car crash further down the street and Josh was almost sure that he’d have to go around but luckily he saw another car pull out at that instant. ‘Perfect.’ Josh thought as he pulled up to a black car before attempting to parallel park. He looked over to his little brother jokingly.

“God Ben, can you please move that gigantic head of yours? Don’t you see me driving!”

Beeeeeeeeeep!

A car sped down the road hurriedly and switched to the lane going in the opposite direction to go around Josh in his little, Navy, car. Then a spectrum of New York's sounds became audible as the radio was finally clicked off. Josh put his car in reverse and pulled his car into the space before turning to his brother.

"Well are you going to get out or is your head too big?"

---

((Sucky post, I know, sorry bout that.))

[ben sheppard.]

Benjamin Sheppard was a downright wimp. He was literally praying to God he would live through this tragic experience. His brother, Josh, behind the wheel was an accident waiting to happen. At first, Ben had been optimistic about driving with his brother. He figured it would be fine and he would drive nice and easy, but he ended up being completely wrong! Joshua was a maniac behind the wheel. He had a similarity of raging professional race car driver in the race and a drunk. A very bad combination. Quick twists and turns. Ben barely could take all the fear which continued to surge within him. His teeth cringed and shivers went up his spine out every time Josh would make a sudden turn.

A Toyota. It was Justin’s old car, which was handed down to the middle child. The leather seats and nice coloring was decent, however Ben really could care less about how the car’s appearance at the moment, because he was terrified. Ben’s brown eyes were widened and gazed out the window, watching all the cars fall behind the increasingly speeding mobile vehicle. Justin Sheppard, the oldest of the brother trio, was a much better driver. If only he could be behind the wheel. Or even if he was in the car with the two, Ben would feel a lot more secure, but since he wasn’t… Ben felt extremely tense and scared. As the car made quick and sudden turns Ben let out yelps of fear.

“JOSH! Will you slow down! You’re going to kill us all!” He yelled at the top of his lungs, clutching onto the leather seat which he sat in. His body then calmed down as he scratched his head. “Waitt.. wait… you’re going to kill me and you, I mean you and I. gah, I suck at English,” he said calmly with a wide toothy smile on his face, after feeling completely dazed. The car then turned again. Ben’s eyes shut tightly and he let out another yell. His seatbelt was fastened tight, because it was for certain the car would soon come to a collision, and Ben valued his life.

The cell phone continued to beep and Josh received text messages. The aquatic evolved human let out a slight chuckle as he saw his brother miserably failing to concentrate on the road in front of him. Ben reached into his brother’s pocket with haste, pulling his cell phone out with ease. He let out a few loud chuckles, as he read through all of Josh’s text messages. “Oh, who is Dominque? Your girlfriend?” He said jokingly, sticking out his tongue playfully. As the car performed a sudden swerve, Ben dropped the cell phone and clutched onto his seat once more.

“God Ben, can you please move that gigantic head of yours? Don’t you see me driving!”

Ben quickly directed his head in another direction, listening to his brother. After a few seconds Ben realized it was just a joke and glanced back at Josh with a smirk. He rolled his eyes and spoke, “Very funny.” The car sped horridly as Josh attempted to park the car. Finally! The Toyota came to a complete halt. Out of intense relief, Ben let out a deep breath. He yelled out in enthusiasm, “We’re alive!” A wide toothy smile came across Ben’s face as a result of happiness. “Bro, there is no way I’m driving back with you,” he laughed.

"Well are you going to get out or is your head too big?"

Ben maintained a wide smile as he looked up at his brother and unfastened his seatbelt. “Sorry, just getting over the fact that I was almost killed!” He then stepped out of the car and closed the door behind him. “So, what’s so special about this Dominque?” It was, after all, the reason the two came to Central Park. To meet her. Ben didn’t have to go, but wasn’t busy, so decided to tag along. Hanging out with his older brother was most of the time, enjoyable.

[dominique smith.]

You know what was good about waiting for teenage boys? Nothing.

First of all you could never hold on too tightly to the hope that they might be on time. Second you ended up forgiving them, if they smiled and apologized. Dominique hadn't actually been waiting for Josh that long, only about ten minutes. However, ten minutes was far too long to make a lady wait. From this she'd only assume she either was not a lady in the eyes of a particular classmate, or well he was after all a male. Somethings you just had expect, even if you were standing around alone in a park that was probably filled with perverts. Actually Dominique was sitting on a bench next to a middle aged man. The girl was naturally paranoid, especially with strangers, but he sure was making her wish she didn't were that denim skirt. She could have sworn he was staring at the bare half of her legs, or he really liked her flip flops. Either way she was really creeped out, at least her baby blue tee shirt covered her upper area. Dominique gave a weak uncomfortable smile, and slowly scooted away. I swear if I'm raped tonight I know who to blame.'

If she just walked away with out looking back maybe he wouldn't follow. In fact maybe he wasn't even look at her, he could be gay. Besides what would a middle aged man want with a high school senior? I don't even want to know! Just don't look at him. Dominique repeated that to herself several times holding her eyes shut. Finally she very slowly rose from her seat, and walked away. Over and over again she told herself not to look back. Then again she might need his face to report to the police. You never know, next week he might be on the news. Okay she was definitely being overly dramatic, as far as she knew he was not following. Not that she looked back to check.

Finally unable to take it, Dominique ran, calmly. She wanted it to seem like she had to get somewhere in a hurry, not like she was escaping someone. She didn't even notice the curly haired boy becoming bigger and bigger as she came closer to him until it was too late. Before Dominique knew it, she had knocked into Ben Sheppard causing both of them fall. Dominique rolled her eyes, and got up. She knew it was her fault, but suddenly she had been put into a slightly bad mood. She didn't even notice Josh. "Sorry." she said as she dusted off the back of her skirt. "Didn't see you there." she gave the boy a warm smile. Such pretty hair, it would put anyone in a good mood. "Your hair is so amazingly beautiful." You couldn't see a head of hair like that, not comment.

[josh sheppard.]

Joshua knew that he was late and that if Dominique was there on time, she wouldn’t be too delighted about him being tardy. Even as he struggled to park the Toyota between the Mercedes and the Volkswagen he tried thinking of an excuse as to why he was late. Unfortunately for him, the truth was that there wasn’t an excuse at all and he didn’t want to lie to the girl. Even so, he considered blaming Ben for being so slow or traffic for being so heavy neither of which were true. He was still thinking about it as he removed his seatbelt and reached for his cell phone at Ben’s feet. When he sat back up he looked at his brother with an open mouthed smile almost as if silently laughing at his brother. He shook his head with the smile still spread across his face as he turned the car off.

“Bro, there is no way I’m driving back with you,”

“Oh you’re riding back in this damn car. Plus, what were you screaming about; I’m a better driver than Justin!” Though Joshua was smiling it was clear that he thought of himself as a great driver. He was truly under the impression that Ben was only mocking him instead of recognizing him as the excellent driver he was. Yeah, right.

Joshua looked at his text messages from Dominique and his smile lessened. She was already there at the park and he could see from the messages were sent that she’d been there for at least ten minutes. One thing that worried Josh was a brief mention of a man in one of her messages. Sure, all she said was that she was waiting on the bench next to some guy but from that info Josh could have assumed anything. Was she trying to tell him that she was ditching his late butt for someone else? He let out a sigh, disappointed at himself and somehow angry at the traffic as he opened the driver’s side door to get out. He turned to his younger brother after getting one foot out and nudged the boy.

"Well are you going to get out or is your head too big?"

Ben’s smile as he unfastened his seatbelt brought Josh’s smile back to its wide grin and he couldn’t help but laugh at his goofy little brother. He slammed the door behind himself as he trekked over to the curb and stretched his arms into the air.

“Pfft, Drama queen. Traffic wasn’t that bad.” Josh said as he straightened his blue and white polo shirt. He was, for the most part, still in the wardrobe that he wore to school. He’d changed both pants and shoes but the cargo pants were even the same shade of tan. Josh stretched once more, this time using the button on his key to power lock the navy Toyota Corolla. It was purchased brand new for Justin but at the time Josh didn’t mind it.

“So, what’s so special about this Dominque?”

Joshua pocketed his cell phone and looked around. It’d be just his luck for her to get up and leave. “Well you should know, you read all of my text messages you dork. I should’ve beat the crap outta you.” Josh began to walk but turned to his brother with a lighthearted expression on his face. With Ben having lived with him for fifteen years, he knew that Ben would be able to know that Josh wasn’t serious by his tone and expression. He suddenly grabbed his brother and attempted a brief noogie. Not even ten seconds later, he released him.

“My god, it’s not as fun with you with all of that freaking hair!” Josh pushed his brother in a comical exaggeration of agitation, dropping his keys in the process. Josh bent over to pick up his keys and what did he see when he looked up? A mess. His brother and a blond girl were on the ground and he wondered if it was his fault that it happened. He opened his mouth as if to speak or maybe apologize but knowing him something else may have come out, like how hot the girl was, but fortunately he said nothing. He stood there, mouth agape as she commented on his hair before realizing it was Dominique.

“Hey Dominique. Sorry I’m late…its his fault he had a collision with someone ten minutes ago and we had to take her to the hospital. You look fine though.” Again, this was all said in light hearted humor and Josh’s tone was obviously playful meaning that he wasn’t trying to lie or scare her. In fact, he hoped that he could joke his way out of the doghouse. To be hones, he wanted to say that she was hot but he didn't want to be too forward.