Page 33 of Sweet Temptation

I was only more convinced our little adventure was doomed to fail once I sat behind the wheel. All the buttons, switches and dials on the dashboard were enough to overwhelm me before we even got started. Anna spent a while making sure my seat was in the right position and I knew where the lights, wipers, air-conditioner and radio controls were. If she thought I was going to be able to think about all of those things while also watching the road for stray dogs, she was sadly mistaken.

When she thought I was ready, Anna told me to start the car but then laughed at the blank look on my face as I searched for the ignition.

“It’s push to start,” she chuckled, pointing at one of the buttons on the dash. “Put your foot on the brake.”

I did as she instructed, and when I pushed the button, the car rumbled to life. I jumped slightly at the sudden noise of the engine. As if I didn’t already seem pathetic enough.

“Okay, let’s go,” Anna said.

I lifted my hands and cautiously placed them on the wheel. It had been so long since I’d driven a car, so it wasn’t a familiar feeling. I wondered if my hands were in the right place, and as I stretched my feet out to touch the pedals, I worried they were too far away. The car was much bigger than any other I’d driven before. Through the front window, the clean black hood of the car seemed to reach out so far in front I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to see the road ahead.

I took a deep breath and gently pressed my foot down on the accelerator. The engine hummed, but the car didn’t move. Perhaps I was being too gentle. I tried again, pushing a little harder this time, but still the car refused to move. What was I doing wrong?

“Isobel...” Anna’s voice was calm next to me. “You forgot to take the handbrake off.”

“Ah, right.” I shook my head, trying to shake the fog clouding my thoughts and the redness I could feel rushing to my cheeks. I took another breath and released the handbrake. This time, when I tapped the accelerator, the car rolled forward out of the parking space.

“That’s it.” Anna sounded like she was smiling. “Now, let’s head for the exit.”

I was too focused to speak, so I just nodded.

“You’ve got this, Isobel,” she added.

It took us an age to get to the school entrance. I drove at a snail’s pace as we left the parking lot. The car was so big I felt like there was barely space to move it between the rows of cars, and I was terrified of brushing up against one of them. They were all so shiny and expensive looking. When we finally got to the exit, I was relieved to find the main road outside the school was empty of cars and, with Anna encouraging me, I pulled out.

Once we finally got going on the open road, I felt a little more comfortable. I made sure to keep well below the speed limit so I’d have plenty of time to react should something untoward happen. Much to Sawyer’s amusement, cars slowly began to pile up in a line behind me, but I did my best to ignore them.

“See, it’s not so bad, is it?” Anna asked, as we came to a stop at a set of traffic lights.

“Yeah, nothing bad can happen when you’re moving at ten miles per hour.” Sawyer laughed from the back seat.

“Quiet back there, Sawyer,” Anna snapped before turning to me. “Don’t listen to him. You’re doing great.”

“Thanks.” I nodded. “Maybe I just needed a bit of practice.”

I jumped as the car behind us beeped its horn, and I realized the light had turned green. I quickly tried to gather my thoughts and get moving again, but the driver behind was still blasting their horn. I glanced up at the rearview mirror and saw a sports car waiting behind me. The driver was waving his arms through the window in frustration as he banged on the horn again.

“Isobel,” Anna said. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sorry, I just got distracted.”

“Ignore the jackass behind us. Just pull forward and we’ll get going before the light changes.”

I nodded, took another deep breath and pressed down on the accelerator. As the car started to move into the intersection though, the sound of the car horn filled my ears once again, and the sports car flashed past my window. The guy was overtaking me at the lights, and as he swerved back into the lane right in front of me, I had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision.

“What the hell!?” Anna shouted after him, as the car sped off into the distance.

“Yeah, that was not cool,” Sawyer added. “He was so close to hitting us.”

I was shaking as Anna reached out and touched my arm. “Are you okay?”

“I knew this was a bad idea,” I replied. “I’m done.”

“But you were doing so well.” She protested, but I was already getting out of the car. I hurried around to the passenger side, barely noticing the other cars that were now overtaking us like nothing had happened.

“Isobel, we’re right in the middle of the intersection.” Anna gasped, as I opened her door.

“Then get in the driver’s seat, quick. I’m not driving another inch.”

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