‘Nah,’ Ryker protests. ‘We’ve got some good juniors who can lead the team into finals. They’ve just gotta get into Empire City’s heads before the game. We’ll teach them the ways of The Prank before we leave.’
‘What do you guys have planned for that?’ Booker Bay University always gets buzzing about the Kingsmen’s pranks.
‘Jace has got it all covered,’ Ryker answers. He leans in, lowering his voice to a sinister level. ‘But if I told you any more, I’d have to kill you.’
My head whips to him and for a moment, I forget I’m driving, jolting the steering wheel left. I’ve never heard him sound so chilling before.
‘Whoa,’ he laughs. ‘I was just kidding, Gianna.’
I quickly straighten up the vehicle with an apologetic grin. ‘Aren’t you afraid of getting into trouble?’
He shrugs, placing the origami crane he’s made from his gum wrapper on the dash. ‘Saying,do you remember when …?is always better thancould you imagine if …?’
I’ve never thought of anything that way before. A sigh escapes my lips as a breeze comes through the window, cooling my warm skin.
‘I wish I could be more like you,’ I admit, pushing back a few stray curls blowing across my face. ‘Everything is so clear to you, and if you want something, you take it.’
‘Gianna.’ Ryker regards me sternly. ‘You can own the whole universe.’
I laugh. There couldn’t be anything further from the truth.
‘What if no one goes with you to do all these crazy things?’ I press, ‘Surely you wouldn’t do them alone. Would you?’
‘If you wait for other people, you’ll always be waiting. Not everyone is gonna understand you, Gianna. Time goes on regardless. So if you want something, go and take it.’
Sharpness slices my insides as I suddenly think of Pa. He was always my cheerleader, supporting me no matter what I decided to try. But Ryker is right. I’ve been waiting for someone to come and lead the way … but I guess I don’t have to.
The backs of my eyes sting with the threat of tears, though they’re not from fear or sadness. They’re from relief. The relief of having someone understand and tell me it’s okay to want something. Anything. Everything. And maybe even to have a little fun while doing it. The relief of finally being seen.
I blink the tears away, not letting them spill over. Turning the wheel left, we round the last corner when—
‘Oh shit.’ Ryker jerks upright in his seat.
‘What?’
‘I guess there wasn’t a line at The Green Apple today.’ I follow his eyeline to where the security guard’s car is pulling up. ‘Floor it, Gianna!’
Slamming down the pedal, I peel over the last of the dirt road. As we pass the security car, I see that Dellenty has a mouth full of sandwich. A large bite drops to his lap as his mouth gapes at us. Without even looking for oncoming traffic, I veer left at the end of the driveway. Our bodies jostle in the seats from the sharp turn.
I only exhale when there’s no one in the rear-view mirror and the speedway is shrinking into the distance.
With arms full of tension, I focus on the road ahead. I turn right down Summer Street and take the next left, followed by a right turn that leads us down a suburban street with soccer balls and tree swings in the front yards. Ryker whips his head around, glancing out the windows for any sign of the officer.
‘I think we’re good,’ he says and I slow down. My shoulders droop and I release the breath that was lodged in my throat, but then there’s movement in my side mirror. The security car rounds the corner onto the street. ‘Give it some gas!’ Ryker shouts.
I push down on the clutch and shift into fourth gear, thinking the truck will go faster. But when I hit the accelerator, it feels like it’s lost power.
What?
Ryker turns to face me, his eyes moving to the shifter.
‘No, no,’ he says. Even through the panic, there’s mirth in his eyes. ‘Go back to third. Now is when you’ve gotta listen and feel. The truck’ll tell you when to change.’
After downshifting, I hit the accelerator again, and the power is back. I give it more and … I can hear the motor screaming. I can feel that I need to upshift, just like he said.
‘Hear that?’ he asks.
I nod, changing to fourth.
