Midnight Rose (completed)

Chapter 6

After I pulled into our driveway, I turned to my dad. His motives for purchasing the car weren't lost on me. "Thanks, Dad. I get my first paycheck in two weeks."

"Consider it a belated birthday present. Now you don't have to worry about working." He hopped out of the car.

Quickly unbuckling, I jumped out after him.

"What do you mean? I want to work."

He spun around, his laid-back demeanor disappearing.

"But now you don't have to," he challenged, his reaction stern.

Clenching the car keys in my hand, I knew the Jeep was too good to be true. I tossed the keys to him.

"Then I'll buy my own car," I barked, walking past him into the house. I slammed the front door, cursing under my breath.

"How was your first driving lesson?" My mom popped out of the kitchen, drying a mug, her smile fading when she saw me scowling.

"Like you weren't in on it," I snapped and stormed up the stairs, shutting myself away in my room.

My parents not wanting me to work was ridiculous. They were just trying to keep me away from the Hunters. From Wes. Had I gotten a job anywhere else I bet it wouldn't have been an issue. I stomped over to my desk and snatched up the car magazine, flipping it open to the dog-eared page. Who was Elijah? There was something mysterious about him, and he seemed overly interested in me. The Hunters were making me paranoid. Before they returned, everything was imperfectly boring, and now everything was perfectly chaotic.

I tossed the magazine into the trash and sat at the window, staring down at my new Jeep. It was my dream car, but driving was still terrifying. After the accident, my parents had me see a therapist to work through the nightmares. She had diagnosed me with PTSD. The accident haunted me and so did those eyes. I knew I couldn't avoid driving forever, but now that it was time, I wasn't sure if I was actually ready.

Kendra jogged up the driveway, her exuberance touching every perfect part of her face as she drooled over my car. She made it hard not to smile. When I opened the window, she looked up.

"Can I lick it?" Her tongue was inches from the door.

"Sure, but I already marked my territory. Just got back from driving it."

"I can't stop touching it," she said as her hands explored every smooth, snow-white surface.

It was uncanny how she always cheered me up.

"Seriously, what are you waiting for? Come down here and show me this thing." She was trying to open the locked door.

"I can't." I looked back at my bedroom door as if my dad would walk in on me and hear the disappointment in my voice. Whatever. It wasn't like we could return it. "I'll be right down."

I tiptoed down the stairs and peeked around the house. My parents were sitting on the back patio, and my car keys were on the entry room console table, taunting me. It was my car, after all. Rushing over, I scooped them up and ran out the front door, closing it quietly.

Kendra squealed wildly, jumping up and down.

Laughing, I dangled the keys in front of her. "You are ridiculous."

"And why aren't you more excited? This is your dream car. Hello."

She ran up to me and snatched the keys, running to the car already unlocked by her persistent button pushing. She leapt into the passenger seat.