by Laurel Veil
We took a couple of turns off the highway and found the address with no problem. I knew we were at the right house before I saw the number, because there it sat, shining in the sun—a shiny, red 2000 Eclipse. I didn’t realize just how much I wanted a car until the opportunity to have one was right there in front of me. I wanted that car!
“How can this car only be a thousand dollars?” I asked Trent.
Trent looked at the paper. “Because it has almost two hundred thousand miles on it. Let’s take a closer look and hear what they have to say.”
Mr. Cook came to the door moments after we knocked. He was very friendly, and his potbelly more than filled his overalls. He shuffled his feet as he stepped across his front porch. He talked as slowly as he walked.
“She’s got a lot of miles on her, but they’re all highway. None of that stop-and-go city stuff.” He turned and spat some tobacco juice into the grass. “She’s always been mine, so I know she’s been well taken care of. I did all the maintenance myself. No one’s ever smoked in her either. She still smells brand new.” He handed me the keys. “Take her for a spin.”
I couldn’t quit smiling as I took the keys from him. I just couldn’t imagine Mr. cook driving this car. They didn’t match up. He needed an old pickup with a dog in the back.
My heart raced as I reached for the door handle. Mr. Cook was right; it still smelled brand new inside. It had pristine gray-leather interior, and the carpet was spotless. I was very pleased with everything I saw.
“Well, what do you think?” I asked Trent as we rode through town.
“I think you were meant for this car. It suits you.”
We drove around a little longer, and then we found a bank, and I went in and cashed a check. Who would have thought I’d have fallen in love with the first car I looked at? I knew I’d better act fast; it was a great deal and wouldn’t be around long.
When we got back to Mr. Cook’s house, I gladly placed ten crisp one-hundred-dollar bills in his pudgy palm. Then he signed over the title.
I was thrilled! He went inside, and Trent and I got ready to leave.
“Oh.” I stopped in my tracks.
“What could possibly be wrong?” Trent asked me.
“I just realized I don’t get to ride back with you.”
He smiled.
“I don’t know if I like this freedom stuff,” I told him. “I like riding with my friends better.”
Trent brushed a few strands of hair behind my ear, and my knees almost buckled. Then he opened the door to my car. “Let’s hurry and get back. Then we can go for a ride together.”
On the highway, Trent and I took turns passing each other. My car handled well. It was really easy to maneuver.
We were back at my house in no time. My mom and Chase were there and came outside when they saw me pull up.
My mom looked at me quizzically. “What do we have here?” she asked.
I explained what I had done. She wasn’t thrilled, but she seemed OK with it. She liked the car, and she loved that this meant my short obsession with perky noses was officially history.
Before I gave her a tour of my car, I introduced her to Trent.
“Mom, this is Trent…my friend from school,” I clarified awkwardly. As they shook hands, I considered not introducing him to Chase; after all it should have been my father standing there and not him.
I took a deep breath. “And this is Chase, my mom’s…friend.”
As they talked about the car, I thought about how glad I was to have the whole introduction thing behind me now. I’d been dreading it for a while.
Chase and my mom finally went back inside, and I drove Trent around like we’d talked about.
We stopped by Bri’s so I could show her the car. We didn’t stay long, though, because Cole was there.
Before we left, I yelled out the window, “Bri, tomorrow I’ll pick you up for school!”
She gave me a thumbs-up, and Trent and I headed back to my house.
As soon as we turned into the drive, Trent said, “I need to get going.”
All my joy evaporated at the sound of those five little words. I didn’t want him to go, but it was getting late.
I looked at him. “Thanks again. For everything.” He held my gaze, and I couldn’t look away. Then he leaned in slightly. I could barely breathe. I just knew he was going to kiss me. Was there any way he couldn’t be feeling what I was feeling?
Honk! Honk! Honk! Honk! Honk!
I jumped. The alarm on Chase’s truck was going off. He was trying to get in so he could leave. Nice timing!
He waved as if to say, “Oops. Sorry.” But I couldn’t help think he’d done it on purpose.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Trent blurted, and then he jumped out of my car and into his without looking back.
XI
65 %
Thursday was uneventful. I was thrilled when Friday finally rolled around. Bri was on the way to my car before I could even finish honking. I’d offered to drive again; I owed her.
As she got in, I told her, “Hey, I just realized it’s Friday, and we’re not going to get to ride with the top down on the way home from school.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Bri said. “Isn’t that sacrilegious or something? It’s been our tradition for so long. From now on I drive on Fridays.”
I pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later. “It’s so beautiful today,” I said, stepping out of the car and heading toward school. I told Bri I wished we didn’t have to work that night.
“We don’t.”
“What?” I asked her, hoping I’d read the schedule wrong and we were off.
“You do. I don’t, though. Mack said things are going to be a little different now that you have a ride of your own.”
Angel walked up beside me. Evidently he had been behind us, listening. “Cheer up, Ash. You get to work with me tonight.” He playfully slung his arm over my shoulders.
Our beanbags were arranged in a circle today. I sat between Bri and Angel. Trent sat across from me on the other side of the circle. And of course Lacey seized the opportunity to sit next to him. Oh, well. Maybe she’d have better luck getting him to kiss her. My stomach knotted at the thought.
Ms. Elliott had Jason hand out the beanbag lap desks, and we took a quiz. It took more than half the period to complete, but it was easy. I knew I got all the questions right. Ms. Elliot collected our quizzes, and Jason picked up our lap desks.
Ms. Elliott sat at the head of the circle. “I had a few more things I wanted to cover concerning Poe, but you can do that on your own this weekend.
“Next week we’ll begin Shakespeare. With the few minutes of remaining class time, let’s talk about forbidden love—the essential theme of Romeo and Juliet.” She cleared her throat, and then she continued, “In this day and age, we have the freedom to love whomever we wish. But…what if, for whatever reason, you were forbidden to be with the one you love?” She paused for effect. “For example there was a time when it was taboo to marry outside of one’s race.” She looked around the room. “Please feel free to comment at will.”
Angel spoke up first. “Well, I for one am all about interracial dating.” He cut his eyes at Lacey, and the class responded as he’d hoped they would.
“Settle down,” said Ms. Elliott calmly. She looked around the room and observed that Trent was the only one not laughing or making comments.
“Trent, you’re awfully quiet. What do you have to say?”
He looked at her for a moment. “What exactly are you asking me?”
Ms. Elliot did something funny with her mouth while considering how to restate her question. “Do you think you could be kept away from the one you loved?”
This ought to be good—I hoped.
He was thoughtful for a moment then responded with a simple “No.”
Great, I thought. That was very insightful. It was as if I’d just gotten a glimpse into his soul. And his thoughts had been so well articula
ted too.
She waited a moment for him to elaborate. “Well, Mr. Novak, you are a man of few words.”
The bell blared. “Read ‘The Raven’ and ‘Lenore’ this weekend, class!”
Everyone, including Bri and Ms. Elliot, dispersed in a matter of seconds. Trent came up to me and held out his hands. I took them, and he pulled me up.
“I’m leaving early today,” he said.
The disappointment I felt was such an overreaction. But I was careful not to let it show.
“Why?” I asked hoping that I wasn’t going to annoy him.
“I’m going to hang out with my cousin before I have to go to work this evening.”
I nodded. “Speaking of work—where do you work anyway?”
“With my uncle. He does AC stuff. I get to come in pretty much whenever I want or when he needs me.”
“No wonder your hours are so good.”
“Anyway, be careful while you’re out driving around in your new car.” He smiled sweetly down at me.
“You’re starting to sound like my mother.”
He didn’t laugh. He seemed genuinely concerned.
“OK. I will. I promise.”
As I sat in art class, mindlessly doodling, I wondered how it was even possible that I could miss someone so much—someone I’d known for such a short amount of time.
The dismissal bell was about to sound, and I couldn’t wait to see Bri. As I was gathering my things, I got a text from her.
Got a ride with my honey!
No Trent and now no Bri. That was OK, though. I knew exactly what I was going to do—head to my dad’s place. And this time I hoped he wasn’t there. I wanted to do a little snooping.
XII
70 %
I drove by the police station first, but my dad’s truck wasn’t there. This could be a problem, I thought. I decided to go to his house anyway.
I did a drive-by first and didn’t see any vehicles. Things just got better! I parked a few houses down and walked the rest of the way.
My heart sped up the closer I got. I went around to the back of his house and gently tried the knob. The door was locked, but the blinds were open, and I was able to peer in.
I saw a kitchen table and a couch. Only the bare necessities. Hopefully this meant he didn’t plan on staying long. I was also happy to see there weren’t any photos of people I didn’t know hanging on the walls.
I walked to the next window and had to duck quickly. My dad was in the room! His truck must have been inside the garage. I waited to see if he had spotted me. How could he not hear my heart pounding?
When I realized he hadn’t seen me, I very slowly inched my eye just past the window’s edge. He was now in a tight embrace with a woman in a tacky blue blouse with pink tiger stripes. His hands were tangled in her hair.
I ducked back down. I wanted to poke my eyes out.
I ran to my car as quietly and quickly as I could.
I panicked when I realized I couldn’t get in. I had locked the door. I fumbled in my pockets for my keys. They were gone! They must have fallen out.
A car drove by. I looked down, willing myself not to be noticed.
When it was clear, I ran back toward the house, where I saw something shiny in the ditch. My keys! I wouldn’t have to go all the way back to the window. I grabbed them and held on tightly. I never ran so fast in my life.
I was so grateful to be safely inside my car. I locked the doors and put on my seat belt. My fingers trembled as I attempted to stick the key in the ignition. Then I sped home.
At first I was too nervous to be upset. After I’d driven a few miles, I calmed down, and then I cried. My poor mom.
Luckily my mom wasn’t home when I got there. I could put off seeing her for a little longer. But I’d already decided I wouldn’t say a word.
I piddled around my room then got ready for my wild Friday night. Having money was great, but sometimes I really hated having to go to work. My job was fine, I just would rather be somewhere else.
I heard a car door slam. A few minutes later, my mom walked in. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw she was in unusually high spirits.
“You look pretty, Mom,” I said. She was wearing a navy skirt, with a cute, matching, short-sleeve fitted sweater.
“Thanks, sweetie!” she said happily.
“You’re in a good mood,” I observed.
She grinned. “Yes, I am.”
“Well, I have to go to work now.”
“You have your phone and—”
“I got it covered, Mom,” I interrupted.
She smiled as she slipped off her heels and unbuttoned her sweater. “Of course you do. I’m sorry.”
I was almost out the door when I realized I’d forgotten my keys. I spun back around to get them and almost freaked at what I saw.
“What’s the matter, honey? Forget something?”
I finally managed to close my jaw. Then I grabbed my keys from the counter. “Not quite used to having to keep up with these.” I jingled my keys and smiled.
“OK, hon. Well, be careful.”
I turned to go but spun back around. “New shirt, Mom?”
She looked down at her blue blouse with pink tiger stripes. “Yes! You like it? I wasn’t sure if it was too…you know…wild.”
“It’s…great.” I closed the door behind me.
XIII
75 %
My mom and dad might get back together! I was thrilled, but I decided not to mention this to anyone; I didn’t want to jinx it.
I found a spot in the far corner of the parking lot. Mack didn’t like us using the spots up front. “Those are reserved for paying customers!” he’d told us time and again.
I quickly walked to the café. Erica was already there getting things ready.
“Do you like working here?” I asked, trying my best to be friendly.
She smiled. “So far, so good.”
As I helped her refill the napkin dispensers, we chitchatted, and she asked me to hang out after work. Just as I was gently trying to tell her no, Lindsey walked in. I looked at my watch.
“You’re almost ten minutes late,” I pointed out.
She didn’t respond, but her body language spoke volumes. She didn’t apologize then plopped herself down at a booth.
“You mind giving Erica a hand over here? The silverware needs to be wrapped in the napkins.”
With almost zero enthusiasm, she got up to help. I decided the only thing she had going for her was her looks.
While Erica and Lindsey were busy, I went to Mack’s office to get the money drawer for the register. On the way I ran into Blake, who had a big grin plastered on his face. Poor guy. Isn’t he ever going to get over me?
“What’s up, Ash?”
“Just heading to the office.”
“You got plans to go to the Road House tonight? There’s gonna be live music. A couple of bands are playing. One of them is from Memphis. I heard they’re pretty decent.”
I didn’t have plans, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by telling him I wasn’t going with him.
“I have some things I need to take care of,” I lied.
“Well, if you get done, maybe we’ll see ya there later.”
I didn’t miss it. “We’ll?” I asked.
“Lindsey and me.”
“Lindsey?” I questioned. Was there another Lindsey I didn’t know about?
“You work with her…Lindsey,” he said, like I was slow.
I made a funny expression.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.” I paused. “She’s just not the nicest person I’ve ever met.”
“I can’t believe it,” he said in a surprised tone.
“What?”
He gleamed. “You’re jealous!”
“I…am…not,” I said.
“Methinks she doth protest too much!” he said smugly. “I’m reading Shakespeare in Mrs. Landry’s class. It means—”
“I kn
ow what it means, Blake. I gotta go back to work.” I walked off before he could irritate me beyond repair. Some people!
I got the drawer from Mack and returned to the café—just in time too; we were opening in five minutes.
I gave everything a quick once-over, and we were ready for business. As I gazed toward the kitchen, I thought I saw Lindsey cut her eyes at me before she went through the swinging door. That’s when it suddenly occurred to me that maybe some of her hostility was due to the fact that she knew Blake liked me. Knowing him, he may have even told her that I liked him. I made a mental note to fix this later.
I was very grateful when the last customer finally left. It was time to go home. But I was sad that my favorite customer never showed. I missed Trent so much.
My heart pounded when I spotted a Challenger in the far corner of the lot. As soon as I started my car, though, it disappeared. I guess it wasn’t Trent after all. I began to daydream about him when Bri texted me back into reality.
Cole and I going 2 RH!
Meet us there?
I texted her back and said I would. I was excited. After all, the last time I’d gone to the Road House, I’d met Trent.
I dashed into my house. My mom was out. I didn’t have time for a shower, so I primped as quickly as I could and slipped on my tightest pair of jeans with my dark-leather boots with three-inch heels. I pulled on a silver tank top that flashed with sequins. The club’s lighting would make it look awesome.
When I pulled up, the fairgrounds were dark and eerie and would remain so for the next several months. It was funny how such a short time ago the place was alive with activity, and now it was a ghost town. The large hall that soon would come to life with the annual Halloween carnival looked ominous.
The Road House, on the other hand, was welcoming. Its bright neon signs invited me in, and the place jumped with energy. It was the first Friday of the school year, and everyone needed to let off some steam.
I found Bri and Cole right away. They were standing with a group of kids from school. Birds of a feather, I guess. With Angel, Kayla, Lacey, and even Jason here, it was almost like my English class was taking a field trip. It looked as if Kayla and Lacey were BFFs now.