Where There's Light | ✔

16. Here We Are

Nolan rode through a neighborhood that wasn't too far away from the high school. The houses were all the same: one story homes with garages and large front yards. Each house was a different color with painted shutters to match.

He pulled into the driveway of a grey house with bright red shutters framing the windows and a large lemon tree in the yard. When he cut the engine I climbed off the bike, taking the helmet off.

My legs didn't feel as wobbly as they did the first time. To be completely honest, I wasn't even half as terrified as I was the first time I rode on his motorcycle. The way we speed off, leaving those jerks behind us...I understood the why it was his mode of transportation. It was thrilling and exciting. There was an overwhelming sense of freedom.

Nolan propped up his bike then got off, standing in front of me. He looked over me, as if inspecting for injuries.

He pointed to my leg. "They got you."

I looked down a sure enough there were white eggshell and a gross yellow stain on my jeans near the ankle. Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through me or the stress of the day catching up with me. Whatever it was sent me into a laughing fit.

Nolan stepped back, his brow furrowed. "Are you crying?"

I shook my head "no", but I doubted he could tell since my entire body was shaking with laughter. He just stood there, unsure of how to handle the situation. He looked spooked, which made the whole thing funnier.

"They tried to egg me!" I exclaimed as I sobered up.

He seemed to relax and pointed at my leg again, a ghost of a smile on his face. "They did egg you."

Another wave if laughter hit me. My giggling infected Nolan as well. He tried hard to hide it and keep his face straight, but he was breaking. Before he completely gave into the laughter he started towards the house.

"Wait here," he instructed before pulling his key out and entering the house.

Weird that he didn't invite me in. Still, I did what he said and waited. The garage door roared to life and slowly began to open, making the most obnoxious rattling noise.

There was a black minivan inside the garage. It wasn't at all the kind of car I imagined Nolan Chambers driving. The motorcycle was more fitting.

Nolan came out of the garage and wheeled the motorcycle inside. "You coming or what?" He asked, climbing into the car.

Once we were both buckled in he pulled out into the driveway and hit the button on the remote to close the garage.

"I live on—"

"Bradley, I know," he said easily as he turned down the road through the maze of houses.

Right. He had been there before. A few moments passes before I broke the silence that had fallen between us.

"Thanks for warning me," I said. "Again."

He kept his eyes ahead. "Yeah."

Another silence filled the car. The reality of everything settled in mind. The students, my peers, the very people who we were supposed to earn votes from, they hated me.

"You still think this is going to work?"

He glanced over at me. "What do you mean?"

"I was literally just chased out of school by people throwing eggs at me."

Nolan turned back to the road, his features softening as if it probably just dawned on him that maybe I wasn't the right girl for this plan.

"We have months to work on this," he said, shrugging a shoulder. "People will forget and move on to something else soon."