by Joshua Laack
Chapter 22
“Alright, what kind of car are we driving,” Jason asked for the umpteenth time? Andrew grinned at him.
“You will just have to wait and see.” The four of them were in trusty and the ride had been filled with Jason struggling to contain himself. His curiosity was answered as they pulled into the track parking lot.
Jason's jaw was as unhinged as Andrew's had been the first time he saw the car sitting there. By this point, all four were standing beside the car, Johari, Andrew and Mikayla were grinning at the look on Jason's face, though Mikayla gave the car a few appreciative glances as well.
“Um... whoa,” Jason exclaimed! “So whose car is this again?”
“It belongs to one of the owners of that Andrew's restaurant in town. Josefina knows him.” Johari smiled the half smile at Andrew as Jason nodded.
“I still can't believe that he would just let us drive this thing. This is like a three hundred thousand dollar car!” Andrew shrugged.
“The owners of Andrew's are so wealthy that they don't care all that much. We should try to be careful anyway.”
“Well duh. I would hate to see this car damaged in any way.” Jason looked up at Andrew and shook his head. Johari handed Andrew the keys and the two boys climbed into the car while she and Mikayla stepped aside to let them take the first run.
“How in the heck did you manage all of this in such a short time,” Jason asked in a quiet voice as they pulled the doors shut? Andrew knew that Johari would hear anyway, but his friend didn't need to know that.
“I'm not sure. Everything that has happened has been beyond my control. She is an amazing girl and I have been happier and clearer over the last while than I have ever been in my life.” Jason grinned.
“I guess I can't blame you. I have been a little distracted and happier too. Who would have thought that we would find girls that would want to date us.” Andrew smiled the half smile he had picked up from the beautiful creature who had changed him so much.
The engine started with a roar and both boys grinned. Andrew pulled the car out onto the track which was empty of anyone except for them. He looked at Jason, grinned, then he punched the racing mode button on the console. Racing Mode appeared on the dashboard display and a small thrill flowed through him.
Clutch, brake, then gas. The car just sat there revving up as he pressed the gas pedal down closer and closer to the floor. The rpm's hit four thousand and the car jerked forward as the clutch engaged itself. Andrew whipped through the gears as they flew down the track, he hit a hundred and thirty five or so and held it there for a bit. Then he began to let the car slow back down. Beside him, Jason was breathing hard.
“Whoa!” The car coasted down to a reasonable speed and Andrew brought it back to the starting point. “That was insane,” Jason said, then laughed aloud. “I like your new friends and I haven't even met them yet.” Andrew laughed with his best friend. If only Jason knew. For a moment, Andrew felt the desire to share this new life with his friend, but he knew that could never be. It had almost been more than he could take and there had been an amazing reason to help him deal. Not to mention that Johari was already in trouble. Andrew wasn't going to be the one to make it any worse for her. So instead of telling his friend anything, he shared the only thing he could.
“Your turn,” he said. Jason's voice was a bit shaky.
“Are you sure it's okay for me to drive this? What if I crash it?” Andrew shrugged.
“The owner would say that it was only a car and not to worry about it.” Jason shook his head slowly.
“I wonder what it would be like to be that rich that you don't even care about throwing away three hundred grand.” Andrew laughed before replying.
“Probably not as good as we might imagine.” Jason nodded.
“Yeah, I can see that there would definitely be some down sides to all that money, but I think I could handle them.”
“You know, I think I probably could as well.” They both laughed and Jason shrugged.
“Alright, let me give this thing a shot.” They switched places and Jason took his first turn racing the car down the long track. Andrew tried his best not to wince when his friend ground the gears, but noticed that Jason winced too. He didn't go past a hundred and then brought it back to the starting line. There was a big grin on his face as he and Andrew climbed out of the car.
Andrew didn't know if he was just used to holding on to the car door when climbing out or if it was the different shape of the seats, but whatever it was, as he climbed out, he managed to trip himself and fall onto the rough concrete below. He stuck his hand out to catch himself. He could smell the salty iron scent of blood. He pushed himself off the ground and stood up before looking to see how bad the scrape was. He was nervous to look because there was quite a bit of red on the rough concrete.
His hand was tingling like crazy, though to his surprise, it didn't hurt as much as he expected. From past injuries, Andrew was sure that the pain would soon follow. After a short pause, he turned his hand over. There was no denying the tiny sparks of power leaping about in his skin. Everywhere they landed, the skin pulled itself back together and by the time Jason got around the car and Johari and Mikayla made it over to them, there wasn't even a scratch left on the surface of his skin.
Andrew placed his foot over the red splotch on the ground as his companions reached his side.
“You ok,” three voices asked, almost in union? Andrew smiled and nodded.
“Yep, just used to using the door to climb out of a car I guess. I caught myself before I did any damage.”
“That's good,” said Mikayla, “I'm glad you are alright.” Jason nodded, but Johari gave Andrew a strange look. She reached out to take his hand. The ever present tingle at their touch sparked like the shock of static electricity and then settled into its usual rhythm.
Johari turned over his palm and stared at it. The surface was a little more pink than normal, but other than that, there was no sign of the damage that Andrew had just done to himself. Johari's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing about it and allowed his hand to drop.
“Why don't you and Mikayla take it for a run,” Andrew suggested to his friend.
“I'm driving,” Mikayla piped up immediately. Jason smiled and nodded, though Andrew was sure that his friend was surprised that Mikayla knew how to drive a stick and would even have any interest in it. The two climbed in and Andrew had to admit as the car roared to life, shifted gears and took off down the track, that she was better at it than his friend had been.
“How,” Johari asked him as soon as the car had taken off? Andrew shrugged.
“You're guess is as good as mine. I scraped my hand up pretty bad, but by the time you guys got there, it healed itself. I think that whatever that power is that allowed me to destroy the demon is trying to protect me.”
“I really wish that I could talk to my superiors about this. You keep doing these things that should not be possible for a human, some of which not even Blood can do and I don't know what to think about it.” She smiled at the concerned look on Andrew's face. “It doesn't seem to be anything to worry about though. Let's just keep an eye on it for now, and if something else happens, I will just have to risk talking to my superiors.”
“I'm sure that it will be fine, especially if we have each other. I will be with you no matter what happens.” Johari smiled at him and reached around him for a hug. A moment later, she pulled back and turned her face up. Andrew answered her invitation and pressed his lips into hers. As before, the world exploded inside of him and the world outside disappeared.
“You know, if you wanted to be alone today, you could have just said so,” interrupted a voice from the other side of the car. Johari and Andrew both jumped, neither one had heard the approach of the loud car.
“That's alright,” she said after a moment as she smiled at Jason and Mikayla. “We like having you here. We were just waiting for you.” Jason and Mikayla both smiled at her.
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�You sure you guys don't mind us being here,” Jason asked? Mikayla smiled,
“Yeah, we would hate to be the ones that kept you from whatever you wanted to do.” Johari and Andrew both laughed at their friends' teasing. They felt joy flow through them as they considered the friendships they had that neither expected to have.
“We don't mind at all. This is what we were going to do today anyway and it is fun to have you along to enjoy it as well.” Andrew grinned at Johari. “I drive kinda fast with it, but you guys should take a ride in the car with Josefina. She has a little better control of the vehicle.” Jason nodded, but didn't look like he believed that the tiny girl with them could be that much better with a car.
“If you say so.” Jason looked at Mikayla, “You want to go first?” She smiled and shook her head.
“No, you go ahead.” Jason climbed in the passenger seat and Johari climbed in on the driver's side. The doors closed and she started the engine. The engine revved, the clutch engaged and the car shot down the track. It was moving much faster than when Andrew had driven. He knew she was going to take him to the car's limit which was a little above two hundred miles per hour. Mikayla's throat cleared softly beside him and Andrew turned to look at her.
“What's up,” he asked her, seeing the question evident upon her face? She looked a little surprised, but didn't comment on that. She cleared her throat again and then after a moment asked her question.
“Does he like me?” Andrew was a bit taken aback. This wasn't even close to a question that he had expected to hear.
“Definitely! He is happier than I have ever seen him in my life and you are the cause of that. What makes you ask?” Her face turned pink and she didn't answer. Andrew smiled as he realized what she was thinking. “You have to remember that neither my friend nor I have much dating experience. We spent a long time believing that we were destined to be alone so we are both a little uncertain about it. If you want him to kiss you, you either have to make it blatantly obvious or just tell him so. I would recommend just telling him.”
“Am I so obvious,” she asked after her face turned even more pink? Andrew shook his head.
“Not really, I just figured since the question came so soon after you saw Joha...” Andrew caught himself and cleared his throat, “saw us kissing.” Mikayla looked at him a little strangely, but said nothing about it.
“Thanks. I will try that.” Andrew felt like kicking himself. He had almost revealed that Johari was not who she said and that would only lead to more questions. He couldn't afford to slip up like that again.
By this time, Johari and Jason were on their way back. They returned after a minute and Andrew could see Jason's face through the glass. He looked shaky, but there was a grin locked onto his face. After a moment, he climbed out and looked at Andrew.
“Okay, I believe you. She is better at driving this thing than you are.” He laughed, though it was still unsteady. “That was insane.” Andrew grinned back at him and patted him on the back.
“Told you,” he said to Jason.
Mikayla and Johari took the next turn and Andrew took the opportunity to enlighten his friend to the desires that had just been expressed to him. Jason's eyes got big.
“Are you sure? I have wanted to kiss her for a while now, but I was afraid that she didn't want to and I couldn't tell.” Andrew grinned at his friend.
“Yes, I am quite sure. She will let you know when, but even if she doesn't say anything, if you feel like the moment is there, don't be afraid to go for it.” Jason's face lit up and broke into a grin that was even wider and happier than the one about the car had been.
They took turns driving and riding for a while longer and then Johari ended it around five thirty or so.
“I suppose it's time to get the car back to it's home.” Jason and Andrew both nodded though without much enthusiasm for the end of the fun. “I am going to drive it there.” Johari looked at Andrew. “Do you guys want to follow and pick me up?” He smiled at her and nodded.
“Sounds good.” Jason, Mikayla and Andrew got into his car and Johari hopped in the Lamborghini. She gunned it, pulled out of the track and vanished into the distance. Jason snorted.
“She drives as fast off the track as she does on it. Isn't she worried about speeding tickets?” Andrew laughed.
“I don't think so. I doubt there is a cop out there who could catch her.” Jason chuckled.
“I suppose that's true. Do you know where we are going since the car we were supposed to follow is gone?”
“Yeah, I have been there before,” Andrew said with a nod.
They drove in silence for a bit until they got to the driveway.
“This place feels like the middle of nowhere, but it isn't far from town either. That's pretty awesome,” Mikayla commented in her soft voice. Andrew smiled.
“Wait until you guys see the house.” A moment later, they pulled around the corner of the drive and there was the house. Jason and Mikayla both gasped.
“That's crazy. How does someone get so rich,” Jason asked.
“Time and a little smart investing and this is what you can have. Of course, I doubt either of us have enough time or know enough about investing money to get to this point, but some people do.” Jason just nodded. He was still looking at the big house.
Andrew parked on the circular drive in front of the house and all three stepped out of the car.
“Is there anyone home,” asked Jason as we walked up the walk? Andrew shook his head.
“I don't think so. There wasn't anyone else here before.” As they approached the door, Johari opened it and smiled.
“What took you guys so long?” Andrew's face lit up at the sight of her and he smiled.
“Oh you know. Little things like the speed limit.” Johari grinned. She ushered them all into the house ahead of her and pulled the door closed behind. The click of the latch resonated in Andrew's ears and he felt a momentary upwelling of fear as the memory of the last time he had heard that sound came back to him.
This time of course, there was no demon to manipulate him and he knew that the fear had been the demon's not his. That knowledge didn't immediately dispel the emotion in his memory though. He struggled to squash it as they walked into the living room.
Jason and Mikayla's eyes were a little wide as they took in the sweeping grand room filled with expensive paintings and furniture.
“Are you guys hungry? We could order some takeout,” Johari offered as they sat down in the living room area. Jason frowned.
“How well do you know these people? They don't care if you eat in their house and use their cars?” Johari smiled at him.
“This is where I am living. I know the owners well and neither of them would mind us being here at all.” Andrew raised an eyebrow at Johari and she nodded at his unspoken question. His name was on the house as well. In about a month, he had gone from a poor, ignorant high school senior to a wealthy entrepreneur and upper class home owner with a Murcielago in the garage. Yet none of it mattered at all because of the real change that had occurred during that short time. He had gone from darkness to light and loneliness to joy. What more could anyone ask for from life? Well, more time to enjoy it maybe, but Andrew knew that wasn't a possible future for him. What he had would have to be enough, and it was, more than enough.