Page 13 of I Blame the Rival

Wesley gasps, “Don’t listen to her, Lola. You’re just as beautiful as the day I got you.”

Using his sneaker to kick the door seal, he yanks the door handle until Lola pries herself open. I wince at the metallic screech, the rust flying off the door making me wish I was brave enough to ride the bus.

Wesley runs a loving hand over the dented roof, “Lola just needs some tough love to get going, that’s all.”

“Uh huh.”

I wait for my brother to get in and kick open my passenger door from the inside. The handle nearly comes off in my hands when the door finally creaks open. I climb in with a smile.

“Don’t say it.” Wesley looks at me with pleading eyes, “Whatever you do, don’t say it.”

“Okay.”

He sighs, “Thank you.”

“Did you know they make cars that have working doors? Sometimes they even have keys that can lock the car from the outside.”

Wesley groans and knocks his head against the steering wheel, “Every. Time.”

I widen my eyes innocently, “Apparently there’s even cars that start before you even get inside! Can you imagine?”

“Nope. I cannot imagine.”

My brother winces as he turns the ignition and the car shudders beneath us. Nothing happens for a good ten seconds beforethe ancient beast roars to life and he jerks the gear stick into drive.

I can’t help opening my mouth one more time as Lola groans her way out of the parking lot, “I heard there’s even cars that can parallel park by themselves.”

“I’m tuning you out now.”

My heart is pounding with anticipation by the time we pull up to the nondescript building in Silverwood.

“Thanks for the ride. Love you, bye!”

I go racing out of the car the second we pull to a stop. My feet propel me along the gravel path towards the vibrant bellflowers running alongside Karen’s front entrance.

Veering off the trail, I slow my vigorous pace and scan the beautiful garden for the unmistakable flash of yellow. Karen does a lovely job with her front garden, the bright flowers add a splash of colour to an otherwise bland backdrop, but I don’t pay the flora any attention as I hunt for the sunshine tissue.

The usual hiding spot turns up empty and my heart starts to sink. Maybe this will be the week Skylar doesn’t respond.

No. She wouldn’t do that to me.

Refusing to give up, I drop to my knees and start pushing aside roots and fallen leaves, looking for another crack in the flower bed where Skylar always hides the tissues.

It has to be here.

It has to be.

Panic starts to replace my determination as my hands grow muddy and the damp grass starts to seep through my jeans. Tears start to build up and I desperately blink them away, refusing to believe that another person would let me down.

“Lacey? Are you alright?”

A warm hand touches my shoulder and I jerk away. The first tear that hits my cheek feels like a sign of defeat and it doesn’t take long for more to follow.

“Lacey, what’s wrong?” Karen peers at me, her concerned gaze bouncing from me to the mess I made of her garden, “Did you lose something?”

A hiccup escapes me as I hunch over, trying to protect myself from the outside world as the broken organ inside my chest starts to weep.

“Come on, dear. Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

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