you *can't* drive my car

three: friend

The school day had gloriously ended approximately two minutes ago, and I could not wait to get home to put on cooler clothing and sink into the couch.

I booked it to my car, wanting to leave before the parking lot became too crowded.

Squinting through the sunlight as I unlocked my door, I heard a scrawny kid yell at me.

"Nice car!" I glanced over and saw he was giving me a thumbs-up. Well at least he was sincere.

"Thanks!" I yelled back, and finally got my door unlocked. I sat inside the hot interior of my 1973 Plymouth Barracuda, and felt the heatwave take over. With the black paint and black leather seats, it was not an ideal car for summertime. But it was all I had. And to be honest, all I wanted.

I slung my backpack onto the passenger seat next to me and pressed the brake as I turned the key in the ignition.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-splut...

"Are you kidding?" I let go of the brake and took the key out for a moment. I felt sweat drip down the back of my neck and messily threw my hair into a ponytail. It was too hot for this to be happening.

I tried to turn the car on again, but the same thing happened.

"Please?" I squeezed my eyes shut and tried one more time.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-splut.

"Ugh" I let out a long and dramatic breath. Hastily, I got out of the car and opened the hood.

Staring at the engine and all other components necessary for a car to run, I tried to decipher the issue. My gut told me it was the alternator, but I had no way of being sure.

Don't get me wrong, I knew the basics of how a car worked and what it needed to run. I just wasn't a master mechanic or anything like that.

"You know, thanks to you, I no longer have the coolest car in school."

It was a familiar male voice, and I had a sneaking suspicion of who it was. I spun on my heel, and was surprised I had missed the dark green Mustang parked in the spot across from me. Addison was leaned against it, his arms crossed over his chest. His light brown hair was glinting against the sunlight, and I couldn't help but notice that his bronze skin looked even more tan in the direct light.

I tried not to let it affect me, but my body had already made its decision. I was blushing.

"Oops." I smirked and turned back to my car. Since when had I been so sassy with my comebacks? I was normally not this smooth.

"I don't think that's the proper way to treat the only person whose car has a battery big enough to jump yours."

I rolled my eyes, then turned back to him. He was right, and I hated it. I just stared at him, leaning against his '67 Mustang, and was back to my usual self with not knowing what to say. He threw back his head and laughed, then started to walk towards me.

"Let's take a look, shall we?" He was next to me now, intently examining the contents under the hood. But I was slightly offended that he thought I didn't know what was wrong with it. I guess I should have been used to people underestimating me by now, but I still didn't enjoy it.

"I already know what's wrong." I said, and faced him, but then immediately stumbled back once I realized just how close he was standing to me. I became hyper-aware of my appearance, and I remembered that only a minute earlier I had put my hair up into the messiest ponytail possible. My hands went straight to my face, and I started pulling the baby hairs down so they were more tamed and weren't sticking up awkwardly.