Page 116 of Prove You Wrong

‘Yes, but no boom boxes or flash mobs.’ I wince as I pluck up the courage to ask her. ‘I have an idea, but I need your … approval.’

‘What? Now I’m starting to get concernedIneed to have anal.’

‘Stop saying anal and I’ll tell you!’ My voice is raised with mock irritation and somehow a smile breaks through.

Deep breath, Ella. You can do this.

‘He wanted to share something with me a few weeks ago, something special to him, and I totally shut him down. We kind of laughed about it. He was fine afterwards but my point-blank refusal to not even consider it probably hurt him.’ I worry my lip with my teeth. ‘So I’m thinking maybe if I can do it for him, he’ll give me another chance.’

Josie raises a cunning eyebrow and starts to open her mouth.

I interrupt. ‘If you ask if it’s anal, Josie, so help me I will wound you!’

‘You got me.’ She snickers. ‘What is it? What could you need my permission for?’

I take both of her hands in mine. ‘I made a promise — ’

Suddenly a back door opens and Jamie bowls into the car. ‘Thanks sis, I owe you.’ He clicks his seatbelt in place. ‘You joining us, Ella?’

Totally flummoxed, I drop her hands, rubbing my sweaty palms on my thighs and mumble an unsure, ‘Er, yes?’

The silence is heavy as we all sit in the parked car, Josie gripping the wheel.

‘Sooo,’ Jamie lengthens the syllable, ‘we waiting for anyone else?’

‘No, no.’ Josie starts the engine and pulls out of the space.

‘Kinda feel like I’ve interrupted something back here. Something about a promise? Talk amongst yourselves. Pretend I’m not here.’ Jamie starts enthusiastically tapping on his phone.

Josie’s eyes roll and she mouths, ‘Sorry.’

With a lower tone, I try to formulate the words.

‘Eight years ago, I made you a promise … To never get on a motorbike.’ I watch her jaw tighten as I speak. ‘But now I need to retract that vow.’ My saliva almost gets stuck in my throat as I swallow. ‘Please can I get on a motorbike?’

‘Ells, they’re fucking death traps.’ Josie’s eyes don’t leave the road.

‘I know, I know. I don’t ask this lightly. Marcus … that motorbike accident … I … I can’t imagine. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have — ’

‘Oh, bloody hell, I can’t give you my permission.’

My breath catches.

Josie’s lips tweak. ‘You don’t need it,’ she clarifies, sounding exasperated.

‘But I made a promise?’ I repeat, guilty about breaking my word.

‘Eight years ago. When we were kids.’ She gives me a bemused frown. ‘I’m hardly going to hold you to it forever.’

‘Wait.’ Jamie sits forward, gripping on to Josie’s head rest. ‘You made Ella promise never to get on a motorbike?Ever?’

‘Yeah,’ Josie scowls, like, of course she did.

‘And you were just going to follow along with that?’ His eyes flick to me.

‘Yes.’ Marcus’s accident was horrific. Devastating. He got T-boned on a stormy night. The driver just didn’t see him, apparently. At the tender age of fourteen, witnessing my best friend’s world upending, I didn’t need convincing riding a motorcycle was something I should avoid. Even now, I still freak out a little when I drive in the rain.

‘You promised as well.’ Josie flashes Jamie a quick look in the rear-view mirror.

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