#swaingels

It works? Ish? 

Carpool Lane

written by: supernaturalzealand

Summary: Rob is a parent of a girl, Morris, who just turned 13. He is kinda new to this sort of thing. Morris is having trouble getting out of a bad mood. Rob notices this mood change and confronts his daughter.

Word Count: 866

Third person

Morris takes a deep breath as she slings her book bag over her shoulder. “Hey, Morris, what you doing this weekend.” Her friend, Cade, asks her as he closes his locker. “Nothing much.” She simply responds. “Is your dad performing again?” Case continued. “Yep, my dad is booked every weekend for two months, doing concerts and going to cons,” Morris tells him.

The two walk down the hall and to the front of the school. “If you need to talk, I’ve got you. I always get you.” Cade tells his friend. Morris smiles and leans on his shoulder. “Thanks, Cade, you are the best.” She says. “I know,” Cade says, making Morris laugh softly. A couple of kindergarteners runs in front of the two friends as a car pulls up in the carpool lane.

“Hm, weird,” Morris states, getting off of Cade. “What,” Cade asks. “That’s my dads' car, I thought he will be getting ready with the band already.” Morris answers. “Well, I guess I’ll see you on Monday?” Her friend asks. “Yep, peace you chicken nugget!” Morris giggles, flipping Cade. Cade flips her off right back. “Potato.” He laughs, a big smile tugging at his lips.

Morris gets in her dad's car and closes the door behind her. “Hey, dad.” She says, leaning over and hugging him before she put on her seat belt. “Hey baby girl, how school?” Rob asks her. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

“One-word response? Again?” Rob asks, looking over at his daughter. “Like, nothing really important happened today,” Morris tells him. “Do you want me to say, ‘Oh, it was so great dad! I have so many friends and I love talking to them at lunch.’ and everything? I mean, I don’t want to lie to you. School was okay.” Morris continues.

Rob sighs and pulls out of the parking space. “What has gotten into you, before this school year started, you were always hyped up. Now, school is almost over and you barely talk to me, I feel like a stranger to you now.” Rob tells her. “Dad...” Morris mutters. “There is something up.” Her dad says. “Nothing is really up, dad,” Morris mutters.

Being a teenager is tough. Puberty, school, first heartbreak, everything a kid thought they knew comes crumbling down. Their childhood, the pure innocence, all that. But, there’s always a way to a kids heart. The hard part of that is, that every kid is different.

“You’re acting like it, sweetheart,” Rob says, pulling out of the school. “Dad, will you please just stop. Nothing is going on. Can we just change the subject?” Morris pleads. “Morris.” Her father raises his voice. “What?” She questions. “Tell me right now!” Rob says. But Morris stays quiet.

Rob sighs and stops at a red light, soon looking over at his teenage daughter. “It’s not about school is it?” He asks. “It’s not.” His daughter replies slowly. “Is it...your...month thing happening?” Rob asks. “No, I’m not on my period.” Morris kinda laughs at her father. “Then what is it?” Her father pleads.

The light turns green and Rob starts driving. “What is it?” Rob repeats. “I want my baby girl back, I want my Morris.” He continued. Silence. The only noise was cars hunks and light music.

“Can you please stay home for a little while?” Morris breaks the silence. “I can’t do that Morris, you know I have rehearsals,” Rob tells his daughter. Morris looks out the window and it starts to rain. “Okay.” Her voice cracks. Rob glances over at her. “Do you want to come?” He asks. A little smile appears on Morris’s face but doesn’t let Rob see it. “You would always want to come with me. You would sit in you Uncle Norton’s lap and pretend that you were this big star. Your hair was all over the place.” Rob says.

Morris giggles a little bit. “That’s my girl,” Rob says with a smile. “Now, since schools officially out, l will bring you to every rehearsal till you get back to that hyper kid I know.” He demands. “Really?” Morris asks him. “Yep,” Rob tells her. “Alright.” His daughter softly says. She continues to look out the window. “I miss them.” Rob hears her say. Rob smiles widely as he hears Morris start to sing, quietly, to a Louden Swain song that came on. Carpool Lane.

It's a vast change, in the carpool lane, uh-huh

A subtle lane shift and I'm caught amidst, high speeds

The soccer moms and me

Stuck in overdrive

It's a long ride

But I'm right by your side

No one told me, that there'd be a test, uh-huh

I never studied, but I did my best, I think

The answers were in ink

The message was inscribed

"It's a long ride

But I'm right by your side"

I'm right by your side

Oh this mediocrity

Sign says got no vacancy

I know that's just complacency

Calling me...

It's a fine line, marking the divide, uh-huh

I could exit, ride into the empty space

But then I see your face

And now I can't describe

It's been a long time

That's right guys, girls, and everyone in the inbetween! (Even you Leviathan in the back. Yeah you, don't point you look stupid )