Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
Pilar
I couldn’t stop laughing at the show my brother was putting on as he got inside my sparkly red sports car. He was acting like his car wasn’t just as luxurious. I shook my head from behind the wheel of his SUV and placed my phone on the magnetic holder he had tucked into the air vent. We all had them, a gift from Joslyn last year, so that when we were driving, we could still talk on the phone. I dialed my brother and saw him do the same thing with his phone in my car as he answered.
“Your seat is up to the steering wheel.”
“That’s because I’m much shorter than you.” I snapped on my seatbelt and fixed his seat so that it was closer to the steering wheel. “This is a safe car. A total dad car, if you ask me.”
“Dad car?” He chuckled. “I guess my Range Rover would be lame in comparison to this R8.”
“I agree.”
“We’re going to your place, right?”
“Yep. Unless you want to go get dinner. Or go to Eli and Addie’s.”
“Didn’t you just get in? Have you even been home?”
“Not yet.” I watched as the brake lights of my car flickered on, which meant he was about to start driving. I put the SUV into drive, as well.
“Are you hungry? We can get food delivered and tell Eli and Addie to meet us there.”
“That sounds like a better idea,” I agreed. “I’m going to call the little Chinese place by my house and order.”
“Okay. I’ll call Eli.”
We hung up and started to drive. Aramis peeled out of the parking spot with a loud rev of the engine, and I tried to follow with as much gusto, but his Range Rover wasn’t up to that kind of speed—too heavy. We reached the first light and passed it, then made a right. As we approached the second light, which crossed between a major street and the exit of the highway, I saw that we had five seconds to beat the yellow light that was approaching, and knew Aramis would slam the accelerator. I prepared to do the same, adrenaline coursing through me as we neared. I heard the engine of the car in front of me, felt the one of the vehicle I was in, but knew we wouldn’t beat the yellow. It would turn red as we passed, if we were lucky. It all played out in slow motion, the way one watches a movie that’s both terrifying and intriguing, a train wreck you can’t quite look away from.
Aramis floored it. The vehicle, which was the safest in its class, swerved left and right before spinning out of control in the middle of the red. I slammed on my brakes, gasping as my heart hit my throat, watching in anticipation, hoping like hell he’d regain control before the intersection opened up to the street.
I felt as if the world stopped as one vehicle, then another crashed into the car Aramis was driving. The car I was supposed to be driving. I didn’t think about my surroundings as I got out of the car and ran over to him. I didn’t think about how crowded the streets were or that I myself could also be hurt doing this.
The only thing I could think about was my brother.