Page 102 of Soul So Dark
“I don’t know how to drive a stick,” I sneer.
He motions to his legs. “Sit in my lap.”
“What?”
“You’re a shrimp, it’ll be fine,” he says dismissively.
“Screw you—” I start to admonish him, but he cuts me off.
“You want to drive or not?”
I do.
Adjusting the seat, he helps me over the console and into his lap. I can’t reach the pedals, but as soon as I rest my hands on the steering wheel, every shred of apprehension I have goes out the window.
“All you have to do is steer,” he shifts and lets off the clutch, “just don’t drive us into a ditch. Or the creek.”
Gripping the wheel with white knuckles, I keep the Civic in the middle of the right lane as Colson slowly speeds up. At least we’re past most of the windy roads along the creek. Now, we just have to make it the rest of the way to school, which is on a relatively straight road.
“Watch out for deer,” Colson taps the brake, making me flinch.
“Stop that!” I snap.
If he slams on the brakes, my face will end up a bloody stamp on the windshield. But when I feel Colson snickering behind me, I can’t help but smile. He feels likehimagain. He gives the car more gas and I start to feel slightly more comfortable, keeping the wheel steady as we get closer to school.
“Do you think Mom or Scott would teach me to drive this way?” I snort.
“No,” Colson chuckles behind me. “Dad, maybe.”
He’s right. If we still lived in Colorado with our dad, we would’ve been driving every vehicle and every piece of equipment on that ranch by the end of elementary school.
“But mom will probably make me teach you anyway. Might as well start now.”
Soon, the school appears in the distance. Fortunately, traffic isn’t too bad and there’s a clear path to the senior lot. I take the turn slowly and drift in, heading for the back row like usual.
“You’re going to park, too, so make sure you don’t take off Aiden’s bumper.”
“Aiden?” My eyes dart around until I spy his shiny black Lexus parked next to an empty spot.
He’ll murder me over a broken headlight and Colson will probably just stand there and laugh over my corpse. With this in mind, I focus on the width of the space and carefully turn the wheel. Colson reaches up beneath my hand and gently corrects until the Civic straightens out.
Suddenly, a body flies across the windshield and lands on the glass with a thud. I let out a shrill scream as the figure rolls off the windshield and down the hood. At the same time, Colson clamps his hands over mine on the steering wheel and starts screaming, holding me between him and the steering column so I can’t move.
My eyes dart around in panic before I catch sight of Mason standing at the front bumper, laughing hysterically. I also realize that Colson’s screams have turned to laughter. I collapse back against his chest, trying to steady my nerves.
I should be angry, furious at them both. But I’m not. Before I know it, I’m laughing so hard that I can barely breathe. Mason approaches the driver’s side door and jerks it open.
“Ma’am, step out of the car, please,” he barks with a sharp nod.
I tumble out of Colson’s lap and stagger away from the Civic.
“Sweet moves, Dally.” Aiden pops over my shoulder. “I knew you were into that gangster shit.”
Then Mason grabs my face and tips my head back like he’s examining me. “Have you been drinking?”
“Get off!” I smack his hands away and turn to get my bag from the passenger side.
“Better be careful,” he calls after me, “beingunderageand all.”
