The Backseat Man

Chapter 3  The Backseat Man  

There were several pens, a charger, a power bank, bottled water, and a Maroon-colored notebook with the children’s writing, “Irene Miles” engraved on the top of its cover.

  

“How common my name was?” 

Thought to herself. 

Irene Miles Centeno, that was her full name. Now that she thinks about it, she felt as if her parents hadn’t thought about her name properly. Aside from those things, suddenly she felt a goosebump crawling up to her neck not knowing what could be the reason. She ignored that and just focused on pointing in directions towards Jaden. 

Every second, she seemed like something was off around her. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see that it wasn’t Jaden, causing the odd feeling. He was just silently focused on driving while his head sat on his fist, pressed against the window of the car door.  

Irene just shifted her gaze back to the front and let go of the unpleasant feeling. Until the silence, she had in her mind has broken, when she felt a movement of her seat. It was as if someone had kicked her chair from the back. 

Jaden turned the radio on to distract Irene and to cover up his not-so-secret from her. Until she heard a loud and hostile growl coming from the back seat. The noise it made caught Irene’s attention and hesitantly look behind her. 

Her eyes widened as she discovered a man who's blindfolded. It had a mouthful, and both hands were tied behind its back, and also its feet, as it lays there. He grunted loudly again and create more noise as he protests about his condition. Jaden tries to get Irene’s attention by snapping his fingers in front of her face.  

  

“Miss, eyes on the front. Just concentrate on the road and don’t mind him.”  

  

He stated as if it was nothing.  

  

“Shit.”  

Said to herself, realizing how her instinct keeps flashing red flags a while ago.  

Jaden notice what she looked like and by that, he can’t stop laughing. 

“Don’t think any wrong assumptions about me. That’s a bad person right there, so you don’t have to worry.”  

He added as he glanced at Irene while driving. Thinking that she would buy his excuses.  

Meanwhile, Irene was still spacing out from what she saw in the back seat. She can’t even think straight about what she is witnessing right now and what situation she put herself in. 

  

Honestly, she’s not worried about the man behind them. But to the person who was sitting right beside her. He acts like everything was normal as if the situation doesn’t matter at all. She doesn’t get the feeling of any danger to the “Jaden guy,” but what’s happening right now was too strange for her. 

  

“Take a deep breath, calm down. Now, focused on thinking about how you can get out of this situation.”  

Convincing herself as she uttered that over and over in her mind. Closed her eyes for a few seconds, and opens her eyes back as she calms down. She remembers the Saint Benedict pendant and took it out of her sling bag. Maybe it will help her out by giving her strength and will to keep her mind at ease and avoid her from danger. When she pulled it out, her phone came along with it. Thought that it will fall to her lap, but it never happens. Jaden caught it first and kept it from her.

“Wait, it doesn’t seem right for you to take my phone.” 

  

She stated as she was taken aback by what happened. 

  

Surprised by what he did, Irene’s annoyance prevailed more than fear. The thing she doesn’t like the most is when people or someone touches her things without her permission. She extended her hand to Jaden, showing him that he needs to give him her phone back. But he only gave her an expression as if to say “you can’t get what you want” and he just shakes his head saying “no”.

  

She still keeps asking him about her phone, so for her to stay still and be quiet, he dug into his pocket. He handed something to her, which caused her to frown at what she saw. A chocolate bar is now on her palm rather than on the expected mobile phone. 

  

Irene just tilts her hand and the chocolate bar fell at his feet. Jaden raised an eyebrow at what she did, but he just released a sigh. He took his own phone, and that was all he can give to her. 

  

When he took Irene’s phone, his view was that he had no intention of risking the safety of all. He doesn’t trust her at all, so he will keep her phone for now and return it later. He had no motive for harming her also, but then he just took precautions carefully, without fail. With the girl’s help across town, he will pay her an enormous amount of money instead just to keep her mouth shut about what she saw in the car. 

  

“This is not my phone.” 

  

She said, once again tilting her hand to drop the phone purposely. She was even more dissatisfied with him. Jaden sighed then and picked up all the things that had fallen to his feet.

  

Irene has taken by surprise when Jaden let go of the steering wheel and crouch over to gather the things she dropped at his feet. Their vehicle turns to wobble on the road, causing her an intense panic. She grabs the steering wheel immediately so they could avoid a casualty. 

  

“HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!” 

  

She announced as she wailed at Jaden while she manages the steering wheel for the supposed driver. 

  

“Calm down, I almost had it and I’ll be back in a sec.” 

  

He spoke calmly as if it was nothing. 

  

Irene glanced for a second at the guy in the back and noticed that he had fallen onto the car’s floor. She faced back forward and made sure they hit nothing. But no matter how deafening the sound of the tires on the asphalt road, nothing could beat the strength of the roar of her heart. 

  

“You’re telling me to calm down, CALM DOWN? Are you insane! Do it faster before we had trouble here!” 

Jaden got up as soon as he picked it all up and pulled Irene off the steering wheel so that he could continue driving then. He throws two objects on Irene’s lap that he struggles to pick up at his feet a while ago. 

  

“You can give me back my phone when I give yours back. Is that ok? And one more thing, just think of that as your ticket until we get to town.” 

  

Irene couldn’t respond because she was still busy trying to calm her heart down from beating immensely. This guy caused her great fear she never guessed would happen to her. She was so disturbed and furious at the same time she considers murdering this guy right then and there just to end this chaotic experience she had. Because Irene believes she hitchhiked with a crazy person.