We Make Mayhem [boyxboy]

Chapter Nineteen

By the time Josiah and I locked up the studio and said goodbye to Megan Liu, whose feminist history podcast we'd just recorded, I had already forgotten the whole session. My mind had been racing the whole time I was pressing the buttons and adjusting the dials. I fucked up the gain and Josiah hid his smirk behind his hand.

Megan left through the school's front door, heading for her bus stop, while Josiah and I traipsed through the empty halls to the student parking lot. It was five minutes after five. Every step I took toward Noah made my stomach flutter with nerves. Josiah was happily yapping away about the Dungeons and Dragons campaign he was going to be playing with his friends that night, and I was too polite to interrupt him.

We burst out the door into the late afternoon sun, and Josiah interrupted himself.

"And then the Dungeon Master was like—holy shit, Noah drives an Edison X3? They aren't even on the market!"

Noah's gleaming black Edison was parked next to my car, making it look like Archie Andrews' ancient, rusted jalopy in comparison. I felt the same in comparison with him: Noah leaned against the car, hood up, sunglasses on, looking devastatingly cool... until he saw me and his mouth went from pouting to grinning.

"Damn," Josiah whistled, charging ahead of me to circle the Edison. He admired it from every angle. "This car is amazing! I've never seen one up close before. They're super rare!"

"I know," Noah said, but he didn't sound like an asshole about it. He actually sounded kind of embarrassed. "It was a birthday gift from Dad."

"Could I see under the hood?"

"There is no hood to see under."

Josiah smirked. "So it's true, then?"

"Wait, what?" I said. "Repeat all that for the car noobs among us. Also known as me."

Noah gripped the edge of the car's hood and gave a tug, but it didn't move. I noticed then that there was no crevasse between the body of the car and the hood.

"There are no user-serviceable parts on Edison cars," Noah said. "Other than charging, there's no maintenance required."

"Is it true that the company only calls them in for service every ten years?" Josiah asked.

"Yep."

"Meanwhile my rustbucket burns oil so bad it needs a change every couple months," I said.

Noah made a sad face. I wanted to suck on his protruding lower lip.

Josiah ran a finger over the chrome rims on the back driver's side wheel. "I don't suppose... if it's not too much to ask..."

"Do you want to take it for a spin?" Noah asked.

"Could I?! Could I use the autopilot?"

"I insist." He opened the driver's door with a single touch. Josiah climbed in. "Simone, take him for a spin around the block."

"Yes, Noah," said Simone's cool, artificial voice.

Josiah looked like he'd died and gone to heaven as the door closed. The car pulled noiselessly out of the parking stall, and took off on its own out of the lot and up the block.

Noah turned to me, then. "Well. We have a minute or two."

I wanted to crush him against my shitty car and kiss him until he was drunk from it. I settled for a quick touch of our hands, fingers entangling for a second before parting.

"What are we going to do?" I asked. "What are your Plans?"

"You'll see."

"Aww, you can't give me a hint?"

He rolled his eyes, grinning. "Okay, fine: we're going for a long drive, to start. How's that?"

"I like long drives."

"You'll love this one."

I got chills from the idea of him knowing I'd love something.

"Tell me more," I said. "I'm desperate."

"Please stay that way."

Not kissing him was the hardest thing I've ever resisted. My whole body wanted to lunge forward and devour him.

The Edison rolled back into the lot and reversed itself back into the parking space. Josiah popped out, and by the look on his face you'd think he'd just gone to the moon instead of around the block.

"Holy shit, that was amazing! The A.I. is so seamless! It drives so smooth, the suspension feels absolutely perfect." He whistled, admiring the car again. "Your dad makes one hell of a car."

"Thanks," Noah said. "It's my baby."

I waited for Josiah to mention the whole, you know, see-through interior part, but he never did. Just kept waxing poetic about the usual car junkie shit. I guessed, judging by Noah's coy smile, that Josiah didn't know the half of what made this car special.

Prototype, indeed.

"Well, I've gotta get going," Josiah said. "See you tomorrow, Riley. And thanks again, so much, Noah. Seriously!"

Noah nodded. "Nice to meet you."

Josiah walked backwards across the parking lot to his little truck, still staring at the Edison. He gawked at it until he had turned the corner and left the parking lot entirely. It was kind of annoying—I was dying for the moment we would finally be alone, and that could have been a whole minute sooner if Josiah wasn't obsessed with the stupid car. Every minute counted.

Finally, Noah winked at me and gestured to the Edison. "Shall we?"

I jogged to the passenger side and hopped in. Once again, the car seat subtly shifted under my weight, molding to my body, automatially crafting the most perfect sitting experience I've ever had.

"Welcome, Riley," Simone said.

"Thank you," I said, not really sure how to react.   

Noah chuckled. "I love that you're polite to A.I."

"It feels weird not to be, doesn't it?" I asked. "I always feel a jerk, getting Siri to Google random shit for me all the time. I'd better say thank you. What if she fucks off and leaves me to Google my own random shit?"

"The horror!"

We laughed for a minute, Noah resting his hand on the steering wheel, his torso turned toward me. It was the closest we'd been since Friday, when we kissed so hard I lost track of both time and the boundaries between our bodies. My heartbeat was out of control, being just inches away from him again. I hesitated, but it was like Noah read my mind. He leaned forward and kissed me.

Fireworks burst behind my eyelids. Shivers chased up and down my spine. My whole body shook, only relaxing once I had wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. I exhaled through my nostrils, not wanting to disconnect from him, not even to breathe. My breath came out shaky. All I could think was finally. This was all I had wanted since he dropped me off on Friday—since the minute we stopped doing exactly this.

Noah disentangled himself.

"We have to get going," he said. "Simone, engage autopilot."

"Autopilot engaged. Destination?"

"Secret Location Number One," he said.

"Now departing for Secret Location Number One. Estimated time until arrival: one hour, twenty-two minutes."

The car pulled out of the parking spot and Noah took my hand. I've never been happier to have to spend over an hour trapped in a car.