Cheat Sheets

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Why, oh why did Braeden have to take us to the furthest ice cream bar from town that he could possibly get? Now I’m almost five miles from home and I’m pretty sure it’s going to start raining any moment. And, oh yeah, I didn’t back an umbrella, or a jacket, or money for the bus that seems to drive past me every ten minutes or so.

If I ever see Braeden again I am so going to lodge my foot up his-

The blaring of a car horn makes me literally jump out of my skin. Spinning to face the direction of the noise with a thunderous expression, I glare into the tinted windshield of the Hummer as it slows to a crawl next to me.

Only once the driver’s window crawls down and a smug face appears does recognition strike. “Hey, gorgeous, what on earth are you doing walking in the rain? Get in already!”

Oh, Josh Walters, this is exactly what I need right now. The cheating, slimy, fickle son of a bitch will be the perfect additive to my mood. “Well, it’s not that you don’t need the walk, but I don’t want you walking around town looking like a soggy sponge so hop on up.”

See? You see what I mean; if I climb into that vehicle with that smug son of a butternut squash I might just end up strangling him.

But it’s another five miles to my house on top of the three I’ve just walked, and I really don’t have it in me to walk anymore. As much as I’d like to tell him to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine, I beam brilliantly and pinch myself to try and remember that I’ve got a plan to execute.

“Sure, thanks Josh; you’re such a great boyfriend.” I compliment, fluttering my lashes before rounding the front of his muscle car and hopping up into the passenger seat. The first thing I notice in the foot-well of the car is an open condom wrapper, and I try not to roll my eyes or gag when I catch sight of it. Well, he certainly hasn’t used that with me. I choose to ignore it and act as if I haven’t seen it at all as I turn to Josh and smile.

“Where were you walking to anyway? Don’t you have a car?”

Oh shit. He’s right. “Yup” I answer, perhaps too quickly “I do, but it’s in the garage.” Smart thinking, Keira, I give myself a mental pat on the bat.

Josh scoffs. “No it’s not. It’s on your driveway; I drove past it like, what, half hour ago!”

What’s with the fucking inspection? “I meant I’ve got to take it to the garage. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’ll get my dad to tow it in later, no biggy.” Phew, that was close. And why on earth does he suddenly care?

“I’ll help you take it to the garage. I’m not doing anything right now it’s no pro-”

“No, it’s fine. Honestly.”

“But I insist, seriously, Keira, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t help my girlfriend out every now and then?”

I am not life smart; which explains exactly why I’m stood talking to the mechanic at the garage about an imaginary problem. “It’s, urm, the, urm, tyre’s I think?” I ask more than tell the guy whilst scratching my ear nervously and gritting my teeth.

Behind me, Josh huffs. “Are you serious? Out of that whole rust bucket car of yours, it’s the tyres that are broken? I don’t believe it! The tyres are the newest thing on that piece of crap.”

Spinning on him, I put a hand on the bonnet of my bug. “Don’t talk about lady like that, she’s sensitive!” My car is my baby, and the way that Josh is insulting my pride and joy does not go down well with mama. “So anyway” I spin back to the mechanic “how much will it cost to fix the tyre?” I ask whilst winking frantically to try and get him to catch on.