Page 45 of Old Acquaintances

“Can you drive a little faster?” I begged.

He gripped the steering wheel. “No. If I get in a car accident and you die, your mother will kill me.”

“Well, you’d get a great view of my ass down in hell, so it might be worth it for you.” I threw him a sarcastic smile. I collected my dance bag and flipped Tucker’s rearview mirror down. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I said, “I’m going to have to change in the backseat. Keep your eyes on the road.”

Changing into my leotard and tights meant that I’d have to become completely nude. I climbed into the back and reiterated, “Seriously Tucker,do notlook back here.”

“Oh, calm down,” he grumbled.

I stared at the back of his head when I pulled my shirt off. I tried to angle myself behind him, out of his periphery. I took my shoes and pants off. “Turn the music up,” I ordered.

Tucker scoffed, “Ella, I’m not going to bust a nut from the sound of you changing your clothes.”

An image flooded my brain, and I closed my eyes to force it away. I peeled off my bra and rested it on his right shoulder. “You can hold on to this, since I know how fond you are of me wearing it.”

He let out a sound, somewhere between a grunt and a sigh, but didn’t move his head, hand or my bra. I finished changing and climbed back into the front seat, stuffing my clothes into my bag.

As I started twisting my hair into a bun, he said, “It’s not a big deal if you’re five minutes late.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Your parents pay these people money, they’re not going to turn you away.”

“You’d think so, but…” I pulled a bobby pin from between my teeth. “The auditions are about being fair. If I’m late, it looks like I don’t care, and then they can’t give me Sugar Plum because it wouldn’t befairbecause I waslateto the audition.”

“That’s not sound logic.” I felt the car speed up. Tucker added, “You know you’re getting whatever part you want anyway.”

“I don’t know that.”

Tucker looked at me sideways. “I’ve seen you. You’re the best dancer there.”

I squeezed a pin into my hair elastic. “When have you seen me dance?”

“Well, there’s every time you’re in a kitchen. Any time we’re walking anywhere. The courtyard at school. The beach, the park, Johnny’s basement -”

I clarified, “When have you seen me dance with my ballet company?”

He fixed his rearview mirror and switched lanes. “I went toyour fairytale thing with Johnny.”

“Sleeping Beauty?”

“Yeah.”

“You were there?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

I remembered seeing Lori and Christian after one show. I remembered Steven and Gracie and Hattie sitting in the front row. I remember the opening night that Johnny came with Sarah Reilly, his girlfriend. I asked Tucker, “Did you leave early?”

“No.”

“Then how come I didn’t see you after the show when Johnny came back to bring me flowers?”

“Did Johnny sayhebrought them for you?” The tone of his voice careens quickly into anger.

I shrugged. “I mean, I guess I just assumed.”

Tucker took a beat. He clenched his jaw. “What did the note on the flowers say?”

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