I look on the side table, but they aren’t there, either. They’re also not on the coffee table in the living room. Sighing, I check the clock. It’s almost eight, which means I have thirty minutes to get to school and pick up my schedule. But more importantly, I have to find Whitney, Lin, and Raegan. I know when I see them the craziness of these last twenty-four hours will dissolve.
I pop my head back into the kitchen. “Where are my car keys?”
My dad chews his bite of pancakes before answering. “I don’t want you driving with your Oregon license. Everything on that car is registered in Texas.” He sets his fork down. “I’ll take you to the DMV and then you can start driving yourself. How’s that sound?”
He must be joking. I’d rather consume Bran Flakes for the rest of my life than sit through a torturous trip to the DMV withmy father.
“Besides,” he continues, “I let Saylor borrow it this morning. He has an interview.”
“That’smycar.” I know I sound ungrateful, but I don’t care.
His face grows serious. “Driving is a privilege, Kira.”
Now he chooses to play the authority card? Right. He didn’t seem to care how I got to school all those months ago. I’m surprised he even knows I have my license. Aunt June must have told him. She’s the one who enrolled me in Driver’s Ed over the summer.
I cross my arms. “You could have asked me.”
His eyes harden. I know I’m pushing it. “I figured I would drop you off on the way to work.”
Anger slides up my veins. I’m going to be the only junior whose parent still drops them off curbside along with the rest of the freshmen and sophomores. No way. I refuse to look like a loser on my first day back. Besides, juniors and seniors have their own parking lot. That’s where everyone hangs out before school starts. I can’t just waltz up without a vehicle. I’ll look pathetic.
This was my one opportunity of freedom. I can already picture my dad hounding me at the DMV about everything I learned in driving school. And—oh no. Will I have to retake the test? If I do, it’ll just be another hassle that he’s caused me.
“I’ll give you a ride after breakfast,” he tells me.
I am so not ready to endure another car ride with him. “I’m walking.”
Before he has the chance to argue, I head out the door, slamming it loudly behind me.
FOUR
I DON’T WALK. AT LEAST,not all the way. I text Lin from the bus stop, and she happily agrees to come get me.
As I wait for her in the humid morning sun, I can feel my hair frizzing in the damp air. What a waste of a blow dry. I use a hair tie from my wrist to pull it back into a ponytail. Trickles of sweat fall down the back of my neck. I silently curse my dad. If he’d let me drive, I wouldn’t be standing here melting like the Wicked Witch of the West.
It doesn’t take long for Lin to arrive, and when she does I seek haven in her air-conditioned Explorer. It’s her mom’s car, but Lin’s allowed to borrow it if her mom doesn’t need to run errands.
Lin squeals and launches over the armrest to pull me into a hug. I squeeze back, swelling with happiness. Her straight black hair is a few inches shorter than the last time I saw her, and she’s wearing the same deep-purple cat-eye frames that she’s worn for ages. She also has on a blouse that’s patterned with daisies. For as long as I’ve known her, she’s loved wearing anything with a fun pattern. Her lips are slathered in a sassy shade of pink lipstick and her eyes are lined in heavily winged eyeliner. I remember how strict Mr. Pham used to be about her makeup, but I wonder if that’s changed since I’ve been gone.
“I’m so glad you texted!” She pulls back onto the road. “What happened to your car?”
“My dad won’t let me drive until I get my Texas license,” I say. It’s part of the truth, anyway. “How have you been? And everyone else? I feel like I’m so behind.”
Lin’s smile fades a little. “Uh, well, same I guess. Raegan is President of Leadership Council this year—oh, but you probably knew that. She posts, like, a zillion status updates about it. But I’m still a part of Academic Decathlon and Earth Club. Oh, and the dance team is getting new uniforms this year—at least that’s what Whitney and Raegan told me.”
I nod along, but something feels off. Lin nervously flicks her gaze over at me every few seconds like I’m a chemistry experiment and she’s studying me for a reaction. It feels awkward. I don’t want it to feel awkward. WHY does it feel awkward?
“What about you?” she continues. “How was Portland?”
“Lonely,” I admit. “I made one friend the entire time I was there. It wasn’t home, you know?”
“Yeah.” Lin has lived here her whole life, too. We’ve never found Cedarville’s small town constraining. “How’s your dad? Is it weird being home with him?”
Weird is an understatement. The current state of my living environment is borderline bizarre. For half a second, my brain wants to spit out the truth. I want to tell Lin how Saylor stole my car and about Nonnie’s funky cat slippers and how Peach’s personality is like a creampuff, sickly sweet. I wish I could tell her how strange it is having a dad who’s acting like, well, an actual dad.
But I don’t.
“Yeah,” I say instead. “It’s weird.”
