I was sure the laughter at the Loop could be heard all the way to the Benson house. Some people cheered at the Race Master's innovative solution, while others bitched about their bets. But everyone seemed to agree that a race by two dimwitted teenage girls in high performance machines would be hilarious.
"Dude! That's not happening!" Roman glanced over to his girlfriend, a petite Mexican girl with more weight in her chest than the rest of her body. Knowing Roman, they could've been dating for two months or two minutes. Who knew?
"Zack, I don't have a girlfriend. I never have a girlfriend," Lauren stated point blank to the Race Master, emphasizing the word "never."
"What about the pretty little thing you arrived with?" Zack asked.
Lauren's stare flipped over to Dinah, and her eyes bulged.
Swallowing hard, Dinah yelled, "she's just my rebound." The crowd let out a
loud "ohhhh," to which Dinah smiled at her own tenacity. Lauren raised her eyebrows to Zack in a "you see?" kind of look.
"No one drives my car," Lauren clarified to Zack.
"I agree with the Princess here." Roman jerked his head at Lauren . "This is stupid."
Zack shrugged. "The crowd's already seen you two race. They want to be entertained. If you two have any interest in settling this score so people can get paid, then you'll play it my way. Be on the starting line in five minutes or leave." He started walking away, but stopped and turned. "Oh, and you can ride shotgun if you like. . . .you know, for moral support." He couldn't get the last words out without cracking up. He probably expected the poor girls to wind up in tears before finishing the race.
Zack walked off, and whispers broke around the crowd. Roman stalked away, while Lauren walked over to us.
"This is bullshit." She ran her fingers through her hair.
"Hey, Laur. I could drive for you," Madoc chimed in. "We'd just have to tell
them about our secret relationship." He hooked his arms over my and Ben's shoulders playfully, but I shrugged him off.
Lauren ignored him. The wheels in her brain were turning as she paced the ground in front of us. She was probably trying to think of a way out of this, but when she stopped and let out a defeated sigh, I knew she was cornered.
I looked over at Roman, who was leading his girlfriend to his car, apparently giving her instructions on a manual transmission.
Oh, boy. My cheeks sucked in as I tried not to laugh.
"Lauren , I can't race for you," Dinah laughed out. "There's got to be someone else."
She looked up to the sky and shook her head. Even though I didn't want to see her car get trashed, I found the situation amusing. Serves her right.
"There's only one other person who I'd even slightly trust driving my car." She raised an eyebrow and turned to lock eyes with me.
All the air left my body. "Me?"
"Her?" Madoc burst out, and Ben and Dinah echoed.
Lauren crossed her arms over her chest and approached me like a cop in an
interrogation room. "Yeah, you."
"Me?" I peered up at her like she was crazy. If she thought I'd do her any
favors, she was crazy.
"I'm looking at you, aren't I?" Lauren's snotty tone and condescending stare
made me want to say "yes" and then crash the damn car in the hopes she'd be the one to break into tears.
I blew her off and looked at my date. "Ben, can we get an early start to that bonfire? I'm bored here." Turning around, ignoring Ben's dumbfounded look, I headed for the edge of the crowd.
A hand hooked me at the crook of my elbow and gently pulled me to a stop. I looked up to see Lauren struggling to meet my eyes.
"Can I talk to you?" Her voice was hushed, and her demeanor gentle. It had been so long, I'd forgotten how human she could be. Though, it wasn't enough for me to forget how horrible she'd been, either.
"No," I spat out the same, flat response she'd given to me weeks ago when I'd asked him to turn down her music.
She took a breath. "You know how hard this is for me." She looked away and then back again. "I need you," she sighed, sounding defeated.
I sucked in a breath at those words. She needed me? By the way she breathed through her nose and wouldn't make eye contact, I knew she was uncomfortable
saying those words. Part of me wanted to help her, but the other part of me just wanted to walk away. Where was she when I'd needed her in the past?
I hated myself for, even a moment, considering that I could forgive her for everything after uttering those three simple words. Too little, too late.
"And tomorrow when you don't need me? Will I be shit under your boot again?" My response was angrier than I'd planned. I resented how easily I found myself caving to her.
"She'll do it," Dinah called out over Lauren's shoulder. I hadn't realized she was standing near us, but when I looked up I noticed Ben and Madoc crashing our conversation, too. My heart sped up again.
"Dinah " I chastised. "You don't speak for me. And I'm not doing it!" I directed the last to Lauren .
"You want to," she retorted.
And she was right.
I wanted to drive her car badly. I wanted to show all of these people what I
was made of. I wanted to show Lauren that I was worth something.
And it was that thought that made me want to walk away. I didn't have to
prove anything to her. I knew my worth, and I didn't need her approval. "Perhaps," I conceded. "But I do have pride. She's not getting a damn thing from me."
"Thank you." Lauren cut off K.C. before she had a chance to respond. "For what?" I shot back.
"For reminding me of what a disappointing, self-serving bitch you are,"
Lauren gritted through her teeth as she got in my face. Heat rose to my head as I started to feel like words weren't enough anymore.
