such a waste of time!’
‘Mom says it’ll help me get into college or whatever.’ I defended her half-heartedly, but made a face. ‘Anyway, if it makes my mom happy –’
‘–it’ll keep her off your back.’
I laughed. ‘Exactly.’
It was a weird thing we’d started doing lately. Madison would make fun of some stupid rule my mom had, and I’d say at least it kept her off my back.
Madison and my mom had never really gotten along. It wasn’t like they fought, exactly. My mom was way too nice for that. She was a worrier, overprotective, but she wasn’t a hater. But Madison was always throwing shade.
I shut my locker and gave Tyler a quick peck on the cheek. ‘See you tomorrow.’
Outside the sun was splitting the sky, cheerful puffs of cotton clouds wafting overhead. The air had that sharp, grassy smell to it, like somebody had just mowed the lawn. I walked around the side of the school, cut across the track and into a residential neighborhood, then ducked into Derek’s car.
His black leather biker jacket creaked as he turned toward me.
‘Hey,’ he said, a molasses-slow smile creeping over his face.
I was being a stupid girl. Of course my insides weren’t melting. Okay, my heart sped up a little, but that didn’t have to mean anything. I loved my boyfriend. I did. Derek was just a friend.
Anyway, it wasn’t like I could tell Madison we were friends. She’d told me some crazy shit. Like, that he’d threatened a guy in New York with a knife. She’d majorly freak if she found out I was hanging with him.
‘Hey yourself,’ I replied, grinning at him like an idiot.
‘Where to?’
‘I thought we could find the Starbucks in Mercer Island. If her friends are anything like mine, that’s where they’ll go after school.’
‘Good thinking.’ Derek nodded like he was impressed. ‘Here, do you want to drive?’
‘What?’
‘Drive.’ He waved at the car. ‘Do you want to?’
‘Uh, no. I don’t know how,’ I admitted. I was the only one in my class who didn’t have a license. Considering I’d be seventeen next month, it was totally mortifying. ‘You think my mom would let me do something as normal as drive? She made me wear a helmet in T-ball. I’m surprised she doesn’t make me take a snorkel to swim meets.’
He snorted a laugh. ‘D’you wanna learn? I can teach you.’
I hesitated. I did want to, but I also wanted to talk to Kendall Montgomery.
Derek made the decision for me. ‘Drive it is.’ He got out, walked around to my side of the car, and opened the door.
‘What about Kendall?’ I asked.
‘We’ll talk to her another time.’
‘Okay,’ I agreed uncertainly. ‘But don’t let me forget to text my mom at four. Otherwise she’ll freak.’
‘Why?’
‘She just worries.’ I couldn’t help the note of defensiveness that crept into my voice.
He didn’t say anything, which I liked. It was pretty annoying when Madison and Tyler made fun of me for still having to call or text my mom.
I got into the driver’s seat and clicked my seat belt on.
‘Let’s do this!’ Derek said, trying to pump me up. ‘Ready?’
I inhaled, already aware that he could probably get me to do just about anything. ‘Ready.’
I put my hand on the stick shift, and he put his hand over mine. It was warm and rough.
‘A bit of enthusiasm, please,’ he joked.
‘Woo-hoo!’ I shouted.
Derek threw his head back and laughed. The afternoon sunlight spilled like melted butter across his face, lighting his dark-blue eyes. They penetrated deep inside of me, promising something different than the safe, sheltered life I’d lived so far.
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