Page 10 of David's Chase

‘You can’t put a dent in it if you’re still gawking at it, keys in hand.’

I make a clipped dismissive gesture and growl a curse under my breath.

‘I saw that. And heard that,’she says.

I choose to ignore her.

The door opens with ease after I press the button and unlock it.

The lights come on.

Oh, my.

It smells like a new car.

Let me rephrase it.

How I imagined a new car would smell.

Careful not to scratch anything or put dirt on the floor mat, I slide into the driver's seat and run my fingers over the steering wheel before reclining the chair and sliding it closer.

I get used to the interior and the dashboard, my focus lingering, perhaps too much, on them before the voice in my head starts yapping about me checking the glove box.

I reach over and open it. I notice the car manual and an envelope. I pick it up and look inside, curious about the car's information.

'It must be registered to his firm,’the voice inside my head opines, and I ignore it as if it’s static noise.

I find the car registration and insurance before stumbling over the title. It’s rather unusual to keep here.

My mother and I keep ours in a small box with other important documents back at home.

But this… This is not any kind of title. My eyes tilt down, and my awareness gets quickly rattled, my hand flying to my mouth.

He signed the title over to me?

I check my information. It’s all there. Correct. No errors. He’s done some research, this man.

And just like that, I have officially become a sugar baby.

Does he know about my beat up car?

Certainly not. I hope not. If he did, I’d be majorly embarrassed. Although, why would I be?

I never pretended I was something other than I was.

He just gifted me a car.

Wow…

Okay, okay… I need to let it sink in.

And then, I need to come up with a plan. Whose car is it? What am I gonna tell my mom? Is this a friend’s car? Am I borrowing it?

Will it work? Probably not.

I’ll come up with something else.

I always do.

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