Page 44 of On the Bright Side
“About time,” my dad interrupts, not wanting to discuss the Urgent Care visit in front of someone else, even if they are family. He sets his utensils down on his empty plate and wipes his mouth with the napkin from his lap. “I can take you out on the road, too.”
“Right,” I say, scrambling for an excuse since I’d much rather have my cousin for a teacher. “It’s just that Anthony’s car is smaller, probably easier to start with.”
After we finish eating, while the sun is lowering in the sky but not yet set, Anthony asks me, “Want to do a quick loop around the block? See what we’re working with?”
“Sure,” I say, standing from the table and trying to hide my nervousness. “Might as well jump on in…”
I help Mom load the plates into the dishwasher, then meet my cousin on the driveway. He tosses me his keys, which land a little harder than I would’ve liked against my fingers.
It’s weird getting into the driver’s side of Anthony’s car. There’s some religious medal dangling from his rearview mirror.
“Oh, one of the aunts will gift you one once you get your own car, for sure,” Anthony says. “Easy enough to just hang it up.”
“Yeah, I get that.” But still, even though I’m set on getting my license, I don’t think driving is going to be for me. I want to go to college in a city with a good transit system. I’m just doing this to have options.
As I start backing out of the driveway, my cousin says, “So, you’ve never shown interest in your license before. But let me guess: Now there’s a girl?”
“You and Darius, man,” I say. “Not everything has to do with relationships. Maybe I want to do this for myself. Get it sorted before college.”
“Okay, okay.”
There are a few cars parked along the curb, but none driving opposite me as I go slower than slow down the winding neighborhood road and brake about ten feet too soon for the stop sign. “But yeah…there is someone.”
“I knew it.”
“She mentioned something about it being good to learn,” I explain, squinting ahead at the road. I don’t like how dark it’s suddenly getting. My field of vision doesn’t seem to stretch as far to the right as it normally would. “Even if I don’t actually plan to ever get a car.”
Anthony is chill, not nervous at all about being driven by someone whose only experience is from video games. “That makes sense.”
“Best to get it over with.”
“Then don’t be begging to borrow my car all the time,” he teases. “I’m a great cousin, but not that great.”
Trying to go a smidge faster than ten miles per hour, I round a turn a little too tightly, feeling woozy all of a sudden. “Eh, I think this is enough for now.”
“We’ve barely started?” Anthony looks around, trying to understand why I wouldn’t want to continue. “At least do a second lap or something. There’s no cars out.”
“That’s all right,” I say, trying not to let on how nauseated I’m feeling and resetting our course back toward home. “Just hit me up the next time you’re free.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Ellie
Technically, I spendthe week deciding whether or not to go to the football game, even though my mind is mostly made up. If it were anything other than a football game, I would’ve said yes, no hesitation. So I’m not going to let any hang-ups with Cody stop me from having a good time with Jackson. During study hall Friday, I let Jackson know I’m good to tag along.
But, in all my indecision, I haven’t packed anything yet. It’s going to be a tight turnaround racing home to get my things after school since the bus leaves from Amber High at 4:30.
Dad is back from work a little earlier than usual and watching something on TV when I stop by after classes are done. Rushing up to my room, I quickly throw some pajamas, clothes for tomorrow, and toiletries into a tote bag. I’m halfway down the stairs when I decide to change out of the outfit I’ve worn all day. A skirt doesn’t really scream“football game.” I’d rather wear something comfy. It’s probably going to be cold all night, too, so I opt for jeans and a sweatshirt.
Then I check the time on my phone.Shit.
I include the socks I just finished knitting for Jackson in my bag. I debated myself on color for ages before settling on gold.
There’s seventeen minutes until the bus leaves. I live fifteen minutes away.
“I’m going to a school thing!” I shout, racing back down the stairs. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”
With a confused look on his face, my dad meets me at the front door. “You’re going to what?”
