Page 21 of Rejection Overruled

Brooke ignored me as she continued to press the gas. My eyes were still glued to the speedometer as I watched the needle rise from sixty mph to eighty. When she hit one hundred, I swore I would piss myself. But Brooke wasn’t done. The car continued accelerating even when the needle hovered around one twenty.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I swore that I would kill Brooke myself if I made it out of the car alive. I was certain that she was on a suicide mission to slaughter us both. There was screaming in the car, so loud that I was tempted to slap that person silly. Only to realize in a second that the screaming came from me. Not only was my psyche shattered from such an experience, now my manliness was on the line as I heard myself screaming like a scared child.

Feeling the car decelerating, I cracked one eye open to peer at my date. She was wearing a wide grin as she looked across at me. The feeling of dread pumping through me quickly transformed into rage.

“You alright, Jamal?” Brooke had the guts to ask.

With a deep crease in my forehead, I gave her an incredulous stare. “Are you seriously asking me if I’m alright?” I snapped. “You damn well near killed the both of us.”

“Stop being a drama queen, Jamal.”

“Oh no, you didn’t just call me a drama queen, Brooke Owens. You’re fracking crazy!”

Before I knew it, the car came to a halt inside the restaurant parking lot. I’d been so preoccupied with the stunt she pulled to realize we had arrived for our date. However, the churning in my stomach told me that I wouldn’t be able to keep my food down. Moreover, I had no interest in keeping this date. The game was over as far as I was concerned. Brooke could do whatever she wanted… I was done playing her game.

“It wasn’t as bad as you’re making it out to be,” she said.

Unlocking the car door, I stepped from the car. The urge to shake some sense into the woman was almost irresistible, except that my knees were gelatinous and my head was spinning like a cartwheel. Gulping some fresh air did settle my stomach so that when she came up to me I was somewhat composed.

“This dinner date is off, Brooke!”

Her big brown eyes widened. “What do you mean?” she asked. “You were the one who insisted on this dinner tonight.”

“I knew you’d lost a screw or two, but I never imagined you’d lost your complete mind.”

“What are you going on about? A little speed never killed anyone and look, you’re all in one piece.”

“I can’t believe you put our lives at risk like that. What were you thinking?”

She started walking towards the restaurant. “Oh, stop whining like a baby. I’m hungry.”

“You go on by yourself,” I said, standing my ground. “I’m calling a cab.”

Brooke halted and turned, looking at me with narrowed eyes. “You’re serious.”

“Yes, I am. And don’t start that macho challenge mumbo jumbo with me. It won’t work this time.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea that a little car ride would make you feel this way.”

I closed the short distance between us, brining my face close to hers. “A little car ride? That’s what you call going at 160?”

“I’m sorry, allow me to take you home.”

“No!”

“What’s wrong, this can’t be about just one car ride with me. 160 isn’t that fast. I promise, no speeding. Just let me drop you home, it’s the least I can do after your car broke down at my apartment,” she pleaded, her hand on my arm was warm and comforting. “I promise, I will drive within the limit.”

Before I knew what was happening, Brooke was leaning in, her lips brushing mine. She smelled so damn good and her lips were so soft. After what just happened, I needed to relax, at home. Her charms wasn’t going to convince me to stay for dinner and I made that quite clear.

That little stunt brought back too many memories that I had long ago buried. Not only did I lose out on my scholarship, I lost one of my best friends. Being in that car a few minutes ago was like reliving the past. She cupped my face and kissed me again and I was tempted to forget. Just for a moment, my tension eased and my shoulders relaxed.

“I promise to be careful,” she whispered against my lips.

I found myself agreeing that she could take me home. “And stay away from the drag track.”

“Promise.”

There it was. Now I knew that Brooke could get me to agree to anything.

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