37: Larissa Biel stood on the corner of West Chicago Avenue and North Damen. Every time someone opened the door to Pierre’s Bakery behind her, she fought the urge to run inside and eat her weight in cookies, cake, and other assorted yummies. Was it even legal to vent that smell out into the streets? The Valentine’s Day dance was tonight at school, and she had to fit into her dress. It was tight as is, and one or two donuts would push her over the edge. Kevin Dew would be there, and she knew the moment he spotted her in that strapless black dress he’d forget all about chasing Kiesha Gerow and ask her out instead.
The bakery door opened again, and an old guy wearing a fluffy blue coat and green scarf with little elves climbing on Christmas trees came out eating a breakfast sandwich. Steam rose from the thick bagel with eggs and bacon, and her mouth began to water.
No!
No more. She walked a couple more feet down the sidewalk, closer to the corner. The icy wind reached around the building, and she shivered.
Where was this guy?
She stomped her feet and began running in place. Ten minutes ago she would have cared what the other people on the sidewalk thought, but not now. Now she was freezing her butt off, and if she didn’t keep moving, she’d become a human Popsicle.
She saw him then.
He pulled to the curb directly in front of her, sliding between a FedEx truck and a beat-up SUV with the flashers on.
Larissa tugged at the door handle and pulled the door open the moment he stopped moving. She dropped down into the seat and shut the door behind her, holding her hands up to the heater vent. “You’re twenty minutes late. I almost left.”
He scratched at the side of his black knit cap. He looked like he was bald, but it was hard to tell under the hat. “Do you have your paperwork?”
Larissa nodded and handed him a printout from her pocket. “So, how does this work?”
He offered her a thin smile as he attached the paperwork to a clipboard and tossed it onto the backseat. “The contest you won entitles you to one free lesson. If you decide to continue, the cost is four hundred dollars. That will buy you thirty hours of in-class instruction as well as eight hours behind the wheel—the minimum the state of Illinois requires in order for you to obtain your license. We have other programs ranging up to seven hundred dollars if you have trouble with something specific like parallel parking or questions on the written exam.”
“And you can pick me up here each time?”
He nodded. “We pick up students all over the city. We can drop you off anywhere within city limits too. Ultimately, you’ll be doing the driving.”
Larissa smiled politely. The instructor had trouble saying the s in students and the c in city. She thought it was kind of cute, reminded her of Kevin.
“Shall we get started on your complimentary lesson?”
Larissa tugged the seat belt across her chest and snapped it into place. “I’m ready when you are.”
She watched as he placed a Student Driver placard on top of the dashboard before pulling back out into traffic. This seemed a little silly, considering it was painted all over the outside of the car too.