As I sort out four of nine digits, the garage door steadily proceeds to move up. I step through the white door to a soft voice out in the distance whispering ¨clean your room¨. I sigh in distress in addition to the 10 assignments due approximately at 11:59 tonight. All responsibilities and commitments consume my thoughts to the point where it feels as if I am running away from a continuous black hole. I lay in bed thinking where my life would be if I took into consideration how to say ¨no¨. How to not commit to everything and to such a great extent. I then reach across the comfort of my warm bed to hold my car keys. Happiness is not only the keys to my car, but the key to all my memories, stress free minutes, and free thoughts. 

The slightly worn out pink and light green leaf pattern stitched individually on the wristband holds the keys to escape from reality. Along the gold keyring, there are three keychains that bring reminisces of smiles that run on for miles. The red and black strung beaded chain holds perseverance of a sport learned through teamwork. Words such as ¨I´ll be there for you¨ stuck on a little chunk of metal sways left to right as I reach to unlock the car. It is what keeps me together. As I step into the car, I glance to my right only to see a familiar face. Her vibrant smile shines brighter than the sun. Her personality shows colors of confetti flying around the room. Her voice echoes throughout the car singing some broken love song out the window as I'm laughing at how offbeat she is. We exchange looks and find ourselves in the same space we usually end up at. A local coffee drive thru. The comfort of her presence allows my brain to let go of all my stress and detach from reality. This face is a reminder of friendship and companionship carried with me throughout the years. Even when she is not physically present in the passenger seat next to me, her presence is still felt. 

The red metal exterior that lies above four black tires is a Ford Focus with a hatchback. The little dent in the rear driver side is from my older brother backing into a tree at a friend's house. As the door opens, the keys slither into its slot, and the rev of the engine is enough to wake up the entire car. With the music turned up to full volume, it is easy to tune out the rattling that lies underneath. With the gentle push of my foot stepping on the black striated gas pedal, the car starts to move and in addition, all my stress is left behind. All of the homework that is due, all of the high expectations of being a highschool athlete, all the drama with friend groups, is all gone. My body relaxes as the fresh new air flows in through the windows and throughout the car. With each inhale and exhale I feel the clean air smoothly surround and kiss my lungs as the stress is being replaced. 

As the wind is blowing my hair around, I am able to come clear with my thoughts. Not the kind where you are thinking about what you want to eat for dinner but the kind where you can finally just think about your present life situation and how none of it will matter in a week, a day even. The kind of thoughts where the gravitational pull on the earth seems to be irrelevant as if you are floating in your own little world. The kind of thoughts that make you smile to a stranger who is just minding their own business on the other side of the street. The pressure released off into the breeze and freely in the wind.

All 100,000+ miles driven and times those keys clicking the faded buttons have created endless memories that will never be forgotten. The laughs play rent free any time that the sound of a rev-ing engine is ignited. The comfort of the cotton seat absorbs the stress right off of my pale skin. The serotonin that pumps through my veins at the thought of being in my car. It may not be a Tesla, however that little red Ford Focus with a hatchback has led me to all the happiness I could have ever dreamed of.