Terry looked at her watch before trying to settle her mind back on task. She was driving home from a late class and was stuck in traffic. She looked at the next exit and made a decision. Even if this way was a few miles longer the back roads had no one on them while the highway was packed.
She made her way into the next lane and pulled the car onto the exit ramp. This was one thing she could never get used to about Orlando. There could be traffic at any given time during the day or night, especially on I-4. She stopped at the first light and rubbed her face.
"I am so tired," she said to herself. "I think I need to turn the radio up."
The light turned green and she stepped on the gas pedal of her 1996 Nissan Sentra. She mouthed along to the song on the radio and began snapping her fingers.
"...and it's sealed with a kiss," Terry blew a kiss into the air, "and a thank you, miss."
Terry put her blinker on and shook her head to clear it. She had stayed extra late at work and she now saw, and felt, how bad of an idea it was. She shook her head again to keep her eyelids open. Crazytown's "Butterfly" ended and a commercial started. Terry rolled down the windows in hopes of the wind helping her stay awake.
"I wish more stations came in out here." Terry half watched the road as she changed radio stations before going back to the original station. "And why do they all have commercials at the same time?"
Terry drowned out the voices in the commercials and soon blackness threatened her vision as sleep entered her mind.
~~~~~~
Terry snapped her head up and steered her car onto her side of the road. She had no recollection of the past few moments and had no idea when her car had crossed the line. She took a deep breath and smiled at the song on the radio.
"...Without you in my life, babe, I just wouldn't be living at all."
Terry pulled into her apartment complex and parked by her apartment as the song came to a close. She gathered her belongings and trudged to her second floor apartment. Once as she locked her front door she turned on the kitchen light. The light spilled into the living room where Terry took out *N SYNC's "No Strings Attached" CD. She removed the liner and opened it to a specific page and began talking to the picture.
"So, JC, at this moment I am alive because of you. I 'wouldn't be living at all' if it weren't for you. I've always been partial to Lance's low voice but now I can definitely see how yours might come in handy." She sat on her couch and sighed. "I've never been this close to dying while in a car and it's all my fault. I fell asleep at the wheel and had crossed the lines, JC, and it was your voice that woke me up. I owe you my life, JC. Thank you.”