Never Lost, Always Found

Chapter Seventeen

 I hate every moment of taking the dang driving test.

They show us stupid clips of people not using blinkers and crashing. I'm so afraid that I lock myself in the bathroom and call Beji, telling him I'm very, very scared and that he should pick me up this very minute. He says that I have to do the test anyway and gives me a positive affirmation before cutting the line.

When it's all over, in the end, I pass.

A few weeks later, my license comes in the mail, and I instantly go buy a used car from the car lot a few miles away. When I finally pull up with a cheap Mercedes to my house, Mom's actually impressed. "You did it," she says. I nod, and I call Benji. He tells me to drive to his house. I sigh and hang up.

I start to drive to his house. I get there, and finally, I know what it's like to drive. At least I've definitely done a lot of illegal crap for myself and my friends, like when I drove without a license for Russell. Now at least I won't get in jail for that.

I pull up at Benji's house, and when I walk in, I see Daniel, Bailey, and Benji all sitting in the living room, quite content and waiting for me. "Hey!" Bailey says. "I like that sweatshirt!" Benji smiles, "Mom got it for Paige's seventeenth birthday a couple of weeks back." "Funny how I've gone to see that musical," Daniel says.

I sit next to Benji on the couch. "So, why did you want me here?" I ask. "To congratulate you!" Bailey cries. "Why are you congratulating me, Bailey? You've only focused on other things and not me," I say. Bailey sighs. "I'm sorry about that. Now, let's celebrate the newest driver in our group!" she cries.

Benji holds my hand and gives me the most romantic kiss I've ever felt, seen, or even dreamed about having. He makes me stand up to do it, and when he grabs my waist and full out kisses me, I wrap my arms around his neck like I'm hugging him and kiss him back. Bailey and Daniel both blush.

When Benji lets go of me, I almost fall to the floor from how weak and trembling my knees are. "I'm so proud of you," he says. "You all want to go in my car?" I ask. "Love you too," I add. He smiles, "I think that would be great." Benji tells his mom that we'll be gone for a while, and we all leave.

I get behind the wheel again, and Benji sits in the passenger's seat. Daniel and Bailey fill out the back. After I pull the car into drive, I say to Benji, "Jeremy and Mom are getting married next week." "First week of June? Wow," he says. Daniel sits forward, "You're going to have a stepdad?" "Yeah," I say.

He frowns. "My parents never get along. They wouldn't marry now if you could just un-marry people." "My parents love each other," Benji says. "Same here," Bailey says, "but fights only happen between my dad and his brain."

We talk a while until we all decide we should probably head back home. When we do, Mrs. Evergreen asks me if I would like to go have breakfast with Benji tomorrow at the local coffee shop. I nod, knowing a Sunday breakfast with Benji would be pleasant, and also just the fact I can blow my gift card there. Most of my money went to buying that old car I have anyway.

The sun's gone down, so I drive home. Jeremy's just gotten home from work, and I can tell by the sheen of sweat he wears over his brow that he was either really stressed to get here or just overall he had a terrible day.

"Hey, Jeremy, hey Mom," I say, passing them in the kitchen. "Where's Russell?" "Russell's at Cassidy's house right now," Mom says. I'm smiling, but on the inside, I want to beat the crap out of Cassidy. And Russell should not be dating somebody like her. Violet Vallegard sounds like a better option in my opinion.

Violet is a brown-haired girl with curls and black, circular glasses that make her cuter than she already is. She has beautifully toned skin and always is smiling. Yeah, Violet sounds so much better than Cassidy anyway.