A few hours later we were risking our lives in the mall’s dark, empty parking lot.
“You can go faster, there’s no one around.” Roach patted the bulky dashboard, so wide Mona could have stretched out comfortably on its surface. “Bernie likes a bit of speed.” Roach may be driving a rusted old boat, but she treated it like a BMW.
I stepped on the gas. Hard. We shot back into our seats. I panicked at the burst of speed and slammed my foot down on the brake peddle.
Our bodies flew forward.
“Oh, Jesus,” Roach said and groaned as our seat belts locked, stopping our momentum with the force of a brick wall.
“Sorry,” I muttered, pressing tentatively on the gas once more.
“Okay, do a left turn at the shopping cart over there.” Roach pointed. “Signal…good. Brake and then turn…left, Charlie. Left, I said. Your other left!”
I cranked the wheel. I heard Roach’s body bash against the passenger door, followed by her muffled groan. The car spun out on a patch of black ice.
“Turn into it, turn into it…” Roach screamed.
When we finally stopped we were inches from the cart, and now facing the opposite direction.
“So, what do you think?” I wiped my sweaty palms along Roach’s pink furry steering wheel cover. “Not bad, eh?”
Roach cleared her throat. “Well, I definitely think we’ll need a few more lessons before you go for the driver’s test.”
I turned off the car and handed Roach her keys. “Same time tomorrow?”
Roach nodded. “Same time this whole month. If you want your license by spring, we’ve got lots of work to do. If you can learn to drive in the winter, summer will be a breeze.” She cleared her throat. “Are you sure you want to confront Ty tomorrow?”
I’d filled Roach in on the nasty scene at the restaurant. She agreed he seemed to be fixated on making my life a living hell.
“He’s not giving me much choice. It’s only a matter of time before he comes at me again. He’s in predator mode, circling the perimeter, looking for the kill shot.”
“Yeah.” I closed my eyes for a second imagining the disgust on Eric’s face as Ty told him some lie about me wanting that boob shot spread around school, or that I went around getting guys hot and bothered with no follow-through. That wasn’t what I was about, I wanted to do it, and after all I had deliberately set out to rid myself of my virginity.
But I had the right to say no if it didn’t feel…right.
I had a feeling that wouldn’t be a problem with Eric.
I got out of the car, my rubber chicken legs barely holding me up. If I was going to be staying at Monty’s – one of us had to be able to drive. “Next time the ride will be smooth. Like butta.” I slammed the driver’s door shut, ignoring Roach’s wince. We traded spots, shuffling like penguins as we rounded the front of the car.
“We better get going before my parents find out I let you drive,” Road said as I dropped the keys into her hand.
I glanced around the deserted shopping center parking lot. “How could that happen?”
“They have access to a higher power.” She flashed a look skyward. “Sometimes I think Mom’s got a direct line to Jesus and he outs me every chance he gets.”
“Okay,” I said slowly. “So she must know about your prayer meetings with Brother Preston?”
“Of course. Well, she knows I’m helping out at the youth ministry, which I sort of am. And that the band practices there.” We got in the car. “It’s not like it’s a secret. We hang out. That’s all. Preston’s a perfect gentleman.” Bernie started up for her with no complaints and we drove out of the parking lot.
Roach flashed me a look, wagging her eyebrows. “I gotta say, this year we have perfect timing.”
I frowned. “Meaning…?”
“It’s February 14th tomorrow and this time our boyfriends might not be some pictures we nab from the Internet and proudly wave around Science class.”
Good lord.
Eric had asked me out on Valentine’s Day.