Chapter 8 #2
The top of the Porsche is down, and Parker’s arm is casually resting on the door. Dark sunglasses cover his eyes. He doesn’t even acknowledge me as he turns to Scarlett, who leans toward him and kisses him. Finn has a girl, too. She’s practically in his lap, her mouth attached to his.
I honk my horn and yell out the window. “Move out of the fucking way!”
“You’re just pissing them off,” Calvin says.
“They’re not pissed off. They’re enjoying this. But if they don’t move, I’ll run them over. This truck would crush that Porsche.”
“Learn anything?” Parker yells at me as Scarlett messes with her hair.
“Meaning what?”
He just laughs, then speeds out of the parking lot. Finn pushes the girl off his lap and takes off, going just as fast.
“What was that about?” Calvin asks.
“I’m guessing that was their attempt at an insult, implying we don’t know how to kiss.” I roll my eyes as I gun the engine and take off. “They’re such assholes.”
“Then why are you always talking to them?”
“I don’t talk to them. I stay away from them.”
“Not Briggs. You’ve been talking to him all week.”
I glance at Calvin, wondering if I shouldn’t be giving him a ride. “Have you been watching me?”
“No, I just noticed you were talking to him.”
“Talking to him doesn’t mean I’m friends with him. He’s been giving me shit since we got back from break and I’m trying to get him to back down.”
“What kind of shit?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. You said to go left?” I ask, turning out of the parking lot.
“Yeah, and keep going for about five miles. I’ll tell you when to turn.” He looks out the side window. “Sorry about this. I didn’t know who else to ask. I’ll give you gas money.”
“Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind. So what happened to the car?”
“I don’t know. It just wouldn’t start.”
“Is it new? I don’t remember you having a Ferrari.”
“I got it for Christmas,” he mutters. He doesn’t sound very excited about it. Most people would be thrilled to get a gift like that.
“Why a Ferrari? Trying to get girls?” I say in a kidding tone, giving him a smile.
“No.” His jaw tightens, and I notice his hand clenching up. “It was from my father. He picked it out.”
“And you don’t like it?”
He just shrugs. I guess that means he didn’t want it. Why would his dad give him a car he doesn’t want? Seems like a waste of money.
“You said your dad’s out of town?”
He nods. “In Germany. He won’t be back for a week.”
“What about your mom? Did she go with him?”
“They’re divorced. She lives in Australia.”
“Really? That’s a long ways away. How often do you see her?”
“Never.” He stares out the window. “She has a new family. New kids.”
“Oh.” I feel like I shouldn’t have asked. He seemed uptight just talking about her, and now he’s nervously tapping his hand on the side of the door.
“He’s gonna fucking kill me,” Calvin mutters.
“You mean your dad?”
He looks at me. “What?”
“You’re worried about your dad being mad about the car?”
He shakes his head. “Just forget it.”
“I don’t know why he’d be mad. It’s not your fault it didn’t start. My dad says new cars always have problems, although sometimes I think he just says that as an excuse to only buy used ones. I think he secretly wants to buy new but he doesn’t want to spend the money.”
I look over at Calvin. His eyes are focused on the road, blankly staring at it.
“Calvin?”
He blinks a few times. “Yeah. New cars are great.”
I laugh. “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”
“Go left at the stop light.” He points to it. “Then follow the road up the hill. My house is at the top. You’ll have to stop at the gate.”
Another gated mansion. Does anyone at my school live in a normal house?
“So you and Briggs,” Calvin says as I drive up the hill. “You aren’t like... doing stuff with him?”
“With Briggs?” I choke out the words, coughing a little. “I hate him. He’s the absolute last person I’d ever be interested in. You saw how he tortured me sophomore year.”
“But then he left you alone.”
“Only because he ran out of ways to torture me.”
“I’m sure he could think of more stuff to do to you.”
Yeah, he could ruin my future if I don’t do what he wants, but I’m not telling Calvin that.
“Why does he keep talking to you?” Calvin asks.
I look at Calvin. “Why do you care? It’s between Briggs and me and I’m handling it.”
“So he’s bullying you again.”
I don’t answer as I slow down at the iron gate at the top of the hill. It’s surrounded by shrubs that are so high I don’t even see the house. “Is this it?”
“Yeah. I can just walk the rest of the way.” He opens his door, even though the truck is still moving.
I slam on the brakes. “Calvin, wait. I’ll drive you.”
He closes his door and points to the left. “The entrance is there.”
I turn and pull up to the metal box in front of the gate. “You want to get out and punch in the code?”
“It’s 2798.”
I’m surprised he gave it to me. He always seems so secretive, like he doesn’t want anyone to know anything about him.
I punch in the code and wait as the gate opens. Looking ahead, I see the sprawling mansion set far back from the road. It’s all white and is a long rectangular shape. It’s not the least bit warm and homey. It almost looks like an institution.
“Nice house,” I say, thinking maybe it’s nicer inside than out.
“I hate it,” he says, looking at it with disgust.
I stop and park in front of the black metal door. “Hope you get your car fixed.”
“Yeah, bye.” He hops out of the truck and goes up to the house. He punches numbers into a panel, and the door opens. He glances back at me, and I quickly look away and drive off.
I’m not sure what to think of him. Everyone at school thinks he’s crazy, and he does seem a little odd, but I think he’s just someone who’s more comfortable around computers than people. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it definitely doesn’t mean he deserves to be picked on.
I’m so sick of that school and the people who go there.
I can’t believe someone took my assignment.
Getting an incomplete on that paper could’ve dropped my grade enough to lose my first-place ranking in class.
I don’t know how close Briggs is to catching up to me, but I’m not taking any chances.
I need to do everything possible to make sure I’m still ahead, which means keeping a closer eye on not just him, but everyone at school.
From here on out, I trust no one.