Never Have I Ever

Chapter 19

We power down the highway, and Thomas just concentrates on keeping his eyes shut as we fit into the smallest gaps, constantly sliding down the packed streets.

“You seen your mom recently?”

“Not since I left. We spoke on the phone recently, but other than that there’s been nothing. She bailed me out when we were in Chicago.”

“Excuse me…”

“Scott Tyler.”

“Scott, how’re you getting back from the airport?”

“I had business a few miles from where Seraph here asked me to meet her with the truck, so I got an Uber. A friend of mine’s meeting me at the airport.”

“Is he as dangerous a driver as you are?”

“You get used to it,” I laugh. “I’ve been in worse. What were we in, a Jag, when you jumped that barrier and fell a floor in that spaghetti junction?”

“Holy shit.”

“I’ll write a book someday. Every single bit of shit I’ve ever gotten up to.”

“Don’t name us. We’re on this ice with the FBI already. One more slip up.”

“It’ll be fine. I’ve got college first.”

“Where?”

“New Haven, Connecticut.”

“You’re going to Yale?”

“Law school. I’ll bail you all out when it goes to shit. You’d trust me on that, right?”

“You were always too cautious for your own good.”

“Because I figured my luck would run out eventually and my mom would stop bailing me out.”

“Nice. right, we’re here. Don’t gamble your money away.”

“I’m not legal yet.”

“I’ll see you when you are. August eighth, right?”

“Yeah. bring everyone. We’ll trash the apartment. I have to go now though. See you soon.”

We walk into the airport, and Thomas turns to me.

“I don’t like that guy. He’s sketchy.”

“He’s a car thief. Of course he’s sketchy. Look, I’m friends with a lot of dodgy people, and I’m okay. Look, we need to find this desk.”

“You mean that one?” he asks, pointing to a desk where a guy hold up a sign with my name on it in massive letters. We walk over, and I remove the sunglasses.

“Hello, Miss Summerfield. We managed to score you and your friend an upgrade on the place, as well as space for all of your luggage? Is this acceptable?”

“Perfectly. Which check-in desk?”

“Speed access, desk 140. You can go now, skip the queue and give them this pass.”

“Understood.”

Thomas and I walk through the airport and drop the bags. Someone hands me a book and a pen, and I look around at  ten-year-old girl.

“Titania Summerfield? You’re my idol. A girl who’s grown up in a fancy home but is still her own person. I’ve heard a lot about you. I love your livestreams with Cecelia Montgomery under the name Seraph Daelynne. They’re gorgeous..”

“Don’t try any of that at home. Especially the last video. But it’s lovely.”

“I haven’t seen the other one. Will you sign my autograph book?”