Page 27 of Drifting

Silence fills the truck.

After a minute, his brows pull together in a frown. “I’m missing something. If you only lived with your aunt and uncle until you were eleven, who have you been staying with since then? I know Patty’s been searching for you, and she mentioned once that you don’t know your dad.”

Shit, do I want to tell him my whole story? I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and start twirling it. How much does he know about Patty? How much do I want to tell him? He’s a nice, sweet guy. Someone I could open up to in the future.

He takes his hand off the wheel and holds it up. “You don’t need to tell me.”

I squirm in my seat. “What do you know about Patty?”

“They told us how they met. If you’re asking if we know Patty used to be into drugs, Dad told us. Just a warning, but I’m pretty sure Hannah told the whole school already. I love how you keep calling her Patty and not Mom.” Shaking his head, he pushes up his glasses. “I could never call my dad Peter.”

“The day she left me at my Aunt and Uncle’s house is the day she stopped being my mom. Are you sure you want to hear my story? It’s not pretty.” I bite my bottom lip.

“If you want to tell me, then I want to know all about you. You’re my family now. Plus, it makes it easier to blackmail you,” he deadpans while peeking over at me with a smirk.

I snort at that. “Just try it, buddy. Here are the down and dirty cliff notes about me. When my cousin Cin turned six, Patty got it in her head that we needed to stop by to say happy birthday. She stayed for an hour, then left, saying she’d be back by midnight. She didn’t show up again until I turned eleven. She came back saying she was clean, and we headed out of state, taking me away from everything I knew. Her clean act lasted for about six months, then I spent the next two years in and out of group homes while she fell on and off the wagon.”

I let out a deep breath, rubbing my hand down my overalls before peering out the passenger side window into the night. “The last time she got busted, she did time, then went to rehab, which I guess is where she met your dad. When she was charged, the court sent me to a place called Ashland Group Home. I stayed there for a year, then ran away after some really bad shit went down that I refuse to talk about, so don’t ask. I slept on the streets for a week or two before I called Cin. Her life sucked, too, but that’s her story to tell, not mine. We met up and lived in her car until we got enough money and found a run-down, shitty ass place to rent. We stayed there for three years until the accident.”

Nick drives in silence. Maybe I told him too much?

When I glance at him, his mouth hangs open. “That’s a lot to take in. Dad didn’t tell us where you’ve been. Does he know? Does your— Does Patty know? I knew they were searching for you, and Patty got upset when they went to Ashland and found out you weren’t there. I figured you were living with other family.”

“I was with family, my family of choice. Tell me the truth, Nick. Has Patty been clean all this time?” I hold my breath.

“As far as I can tell, but I’m not an expert.” He shrugs and gives me a half-smile.

I can’t understand why I feel so at ease with him. I’ve told him things I’d never tell someone I just met.

We pull off the road and head down an old, dirt road.

“Wasn’t this a school bonfire?” There’s no school around here, and now, I do get nervous. “You’re not taking me out to the middle of nowhere to kill me, are you?”

He laughs. “Na, I’m not going to kill you, yet. Hannah and I told dad it’s at the school because we know he’ll never show up. This party’s on private property. As long as we don’t get too rowdy, they don’t care if we use it.”

Nick heads right for a bunch of trees, and on the other side, it opens up. To the right sits an old, falling-down farmhouse, the faded black doors hanging off their hinges. Boards cover the top window, and some of the panels at the bottom have been pried off. Graffiti is sprayed all over the old house. Farther back sits a barn that looks in good shape.

Expensive cars fill the grass parking lot, and Nick finds a place to park among them. Definitely not in the city, anymore.

“If we get separated, meet me here.” He turns off his truck and sticks out his hand. “Better yet, give me your cell so I can add my number.”

“Don’t have one.”

He scratches the back of his head. “Wow, okay, I guess we need to change that. But, for now, we’ll just meet here.”

“Okay, Daddy. I can take care of myself.” I lift the arm with the cast. “I even come with a weapon.”

Nick rolls his eyes and cracks a smile. “Well, since that weapon is helping you heal, try not to use it.”

He helps me slide out of the truck, then walks beside me, grabbing my elbow a couple of times when I stumble. The grass is more slippery than it looks. A large fire lights up the night, and music plays from somewhere, with tiki torches placed everywhere. Different groups of people are spread out everywhere, and girls dance provocatively, trying to catch the eye of the guys playing football. Camping chairs and large logs sit at different stages around the fire.

A girl runs past me, shirtless, and I do a double-take before I glance over at Nick, who just shrugs and smiles sheepishly.

Nick stops at some seats away from the mainstream of the party. “Do you want a beer? Or something harder?”

I sit, straightening my leg out. “Stumbling around drunk with a cast on isn’t a smart idea, but if there’s a Coke, I’ll take it.” I scan around for a keg or cooler, sick of people waiting on me. “I can get it myself.”

“I’ll get it while you keep our seats.” He walks away.

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