As soon as they made it out to the car, Clarke let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. It was like she hadn't taken a good breath at all while she was inside that house. Vince was still holding her hand, trying to comfort her in any way he could. She leaned up against the car, putting her forehead up against her forearm. She just breathed in and out, trying her best not to sob. She wasn't a big crier; never had been. In fact, only her mother seemed to bring it out of her. But she needed to suck it up. She forced the tears away and turned around, letting go of Vince's hand and slumping over.
"I know you're upset, but we should probably get out of here," Vince suggested, looking at her sympathetically. That was exactly why she didn't want him or anyone to be exposed to that. She didn't want sympathy, just to be seen separate of all of that drama. She nodded, though, knowing he was right. The last thing she wanted was for her mother or someone else to catch her out there looking upset. She let him help her into the passenger seat and shut the door before coming around to get in the car himself.
"Don't feel sorry for me," she begged through gritted teeth. "I don't want that."
"Okay," Vince agreed with a simple nod. As he started the car the radio came on, but he turned it down as he slowly pulled off of the street. "So, do you just want me to take you home?" he asked. Clarke looked over at him curiously still sniffling a little.
"Not really; what's on your mind?" she asked, surprising herself by actually wanting to know. He had really saved her back there, and it had impressed her a little.
"Well, I thought after that you could use a little fun, but I know you don't like that word very much," he teased with a wink. "I was just wondering if you'd let me take you somewhere for a bit," he clarified.
Clarke shrugged, knowing that she would just go home and sit on her bad mood all night if she didn't go with him. If she was pretending to date him, then why not just let him show her how to have fun? "Alright, but this is not a date."
"Oh, of course not," he answered with a chuckle, and she braced herself as he cut over a few lanes to turn towards the highway.
"So, where are we going?" she asked, eyeballing him suspiciously.
"Have you ever been to Tuckahoe?" Tuckahoe was a town just west of Richmond.