The air in the car only became thicker the longer the journey continued. I couldn't help but look at the bright screen of my phone every now and then, hoping that time would pass by quickly and we'd be at the mall soon, but the more I checked, the time seemed to be stagnant.

　　I glanced out the window, hoping for a change of scenery to distract me from the stifling atmosphere inside the car. The endless stretch of highway seemed to mock my ...