That earns him a chuckle against my own will. “Don’t make me regret it,” I say.
“Yeah yeah. Well, I unfortunately have to take some intro to finance classes for Summer B, courtesy of father dearest, and I’m dreading them.”
I make a sound of acknowledgment, and not for nothing.Am I actually enjoying talking with him?
Half an hour later, I’m washing down a couple of painkillers thanks to the discomfort from the tattoo I got a couple days ago. I grab my car keys and twirl them around my pointer finger while smoothing down my better-looking sweatshirt. Jogging down the stairs, I walk into the kitchen for some more water and find Mom and Dad.
“Hey, guys.” I wave before my phone rings, and I pick it up, not bothering to look at the caller ID. “Hello?”
“Hey . . . Are you busy?”
As that amazing voice flows through my phone, a smile comes onto my face and I clear my throat. “No. Nope. Not busy,” I say. She giggles slightly and a blush comes onto my cheeks. Mom and Dad look at me suspiciously.
“Oh okay. Well, I was calling to ...” She trails off while I wait with bated breath. Grabbing a water bottle, I move out of the kitchen, faintly hearing my parents laughing as I leave. Bianca clears her throat and confusion flows through me. “W-well. I remember you talking about helping me with my driving permit. I’ve always known it would be hard for someone I don’t know to teach me, and Mom and I aren’t really ...” My heart jumps, and I rush to stop her rambling when I already know my answer.
“If you’re comfortable, I’d love to teach you, Frec—Bianca.” She doesn’t say anything, but there’s a low rustle. “Bianca?”
She inhales. “Yeah?”
I grin at the pull between us. No matter how much time, no matter how much has happened between us ...
“I know Jamie’s visiting, but if you’re up for it, we can start today.” There’s athud, followed by a playful giggle.
“She’ll be ready in five.” Jamie’s voice floats through the speaker before she hangs up and a small chuckle leaves me. Even though the call ended, I’m still holding the phone to my ear as my heart takes off in a sprint. Glancing over, I see my reflection in the hallway mirror, noting a sparkle that only a certain person can bring out. My eyes have been dull, pained, and yet ... having her in my life, even if we avoided each other in the beginning ...
Yeah, that part of me she’s got?
I don’t ever want it back.
Walking back into the kitchen, grinning my butt off, my parents both look at me like I’ve grown another head. “What?”
“That smile definitely seems brighter,” Mom teases.
Dad adds, “Maybe it has something to do with a certaingirl?”
I roll my eyes and go to kiss Mom on her temple and give her a small side hug.
She looks up at me. “Have a good day, amor.” I wave at them as I turn to leave. Eagerly closing the front door, I get in my car and roar it to life, ready to drive to her house. I walk up her driveway in time to see Bianca walking out. Jamie stands at the doorway and sends metwo thumbs-up, causing me to chuckle. Bianca’s wearing mid-thigh black shorts and a flowy pastel-purple shirt with embroidered tulips on it. She looks up at me and smiles and I mirror the expression. Though, as she gets closer, the fear and anxiety she hides behind her eyes is clear.
“We can do this another day if—”
She interrupts, “I got it, I promise.”
“Are you sure?” She doesn’t answer for a bit and rolls her shoulders. I move to give her a hug, but then back away, realizing I don’t know if the circumstances are the same. She wraps her arms around me and sighs, almost expelling all her nervousness. I hug back, glad I can help her feel a little better. The accident is still very much a trigger for her, and I hope that I can be a good teacher. I drop my keys into her hand and she exhales sharply. “At your own pace, okay?” I reassure once more, and she nods.
“I promise not to damage your car,” she says, nerves getting the better of her, and I shake my head.
“I can get another car, but I can’t get another you, so don’t focus on that, okay?” She nods, and we walk to the driver’s side, causing a confused glance to be thrown my way. “After you.” I open her door, and a blush comes onto her face. I can’t help but smile at that. She climbs in and I close the door for her before jogging over to the passenger side. “Alright, when you’re ready to start the car, put your foot on the brake and press that button right there.” I point, then look back at her. She isn’t paying attention at all.
Her posture is stiff and she’s trembling slightly as she fidgets with her thumbs. I look at her, concerned. I slide my thumb against her straining forearm, and the touch seems to relax her a bit.
“I just—I freeze when I’m in the driver’s seat. Give me a second.” There she goes, always overexplaining when she has no need to.
“Take your time. If you want, we can learn the basics without actually driving.”
She shakes her head. “No, I can do it.” I nod, hoping she knows I think she can do anything she sets her mind to. She closes hereyes for a brief moment and grips my hand tighter. I rub my thumb across her knuckles, one by one, not knowing if this is crossing a line of our friendship.
“You’ve got this, okay? You’re the bravest person I’ve ever known.” Her head tilts as if she doesn’t believe me, but I don’t break eye contact, hoping she feels as reassured as I can possibly make her feel.
