Cinders

~54~ Joy Ride

I'm at dad's for the next couple of days. We're about to head to a game, when there's a knock on the door.

It's Taylor.

I know from past experiences that when Taylor shows up at dad's, I'm normally in trouble. Did he find out about me stealing his keys and driving his new car the other day? I'm so dead.

"Hey Preston! Come on in!" Dad says, happy to see him.

"Hey, Alex. Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asks, glancing over at me.

Crap! He does know!! Crap, crap, crap.

"Ok, just let me explain first, before ya start yelling!"

Taylor just looks at me for a moment, trying to decide what to say.

"How much shit do you actually do that we don't know about, Liam?" Taylor asks, a little amused, but mostly annoyed.

"I really need to start letting you say what you wanna say before I interject. Rookie mistake on my part, dude. Continue."

I mimic zipping my lips and throwing away the key, and both dad and Taylor look at me with a blank stare. After a moment, Taylor looks at dad and sighs.

"I think we're raising a delinquent, man."

Dad chuckles and squeezes my shoulder. "Come over to the dark side, Taylor—Where ignorance is bliss. Want a beer?"

"No, thanks—I have to get back in a minute. I'm supposed to be picking up take-out, and I don't wanna make her suspicious."

Now I know why he's here.

Taylor takes a deep breath before he starts talking.

"I know that you and Ellie are a package deal; I've known that from the beginning. I also know that I will NEVER have the relationship with her that you do, and I'm 100 percent ok with that. But Alex, I want to marry your best friend, and I need your blessing before I ask her. I promise you that I'll take care of her, and that I'll never interfere with the relationship that the two of you have. I also need you to know that I will do anything for your kid, and that I love him."

Taylor's voice starts cracking towards the ends as he stares at dad and waits for him to speak.

Dad looks at him hard for a moment, and then I notice tears forming in his eyes. "I hope that you do interfere with our relationship. She was never mine to have forever. What the two of you have is something I didn't really think actually existed. Besides Liam, you're the best thing to ever happen to her, Taylor. There's no one I'd rather have as a step-dad to Liam."

He goes over and shakes Taylor's hand. "I wouldn't give my best friend away to just anybody. Actually, I'd put up a fight if it was anyone. Anyone except you. You have my blessing, without a doubt."

Taylor gives dad a huge hug, with a smile across his face.

"I appreciate it, man. I love that girl with everything I have. Now I just gotta hope that she says yes."

"She will," both dad and I say together.

Taylor grins as he claps dad on the back. "Ok, I've really gotta go. She's going to get suspicious soon. Liam, I'm on your trail. One of these days, I'm gonna figure out what you keep doing."

He shoots me a smile as he comes over and gives me a hug. "Love you; I'll see you in a couple of days," he says as he messes up my hair.

"Love you too," I say, shoving him off of me with a grin.

Once he leaves, dad looks at me and smiles. "You good with this, champ?"

"Yeah—He asked me the other day. I'm so excited!"

"Good," dad says simply as he goes to grab his keys.

We have a great time at the game, but I can't get my mind off of my mom getting married to my best friend.

I'm pumped

~*~

The next week I'm eating lunch in the cafeteria, and I get a funny thought. "Someone should totally steal the Driver's Ed car and park it on the football field. I think that would be the BEST senior prank in history," I laugh to Duncan as I take a bite of my burger.

Complete silence.

All my friends apparently overhear and are now staring at one another, their eyes getting wide with excitement. "Dude! How do you come up with these things?!? You should totally do it!" Dax shrieks, giving me a high five.

"Me? No, man. My mom would KILL me. I was just kidding," I say, shaking my head and taking a drink of my soda.

"Seriously? Because you might get in trouble with your mommy, you're seriously gonna pass up the opportunity to be a legend?" He asks in disgust.

"I don't see you jumping up to volunteer," I say, pushing Dax and throwing a fry at him.

"Come on, Liam—Seriously....I'll even do it with you if you want."

"I'll think about it," I say.

It actually would be pretty cool. I still get comments about my frog prank. Stealing the Driver's Ed car is on an entirely different level.

"Ok, I'll do it...Tomorrow though. I've gotta work up the nerve."

The cheers erupting from the table brings attention to us. Dax is right: this will make me a legend!

I'm at dad's tonight, which helps. It I was at mom's, I'd probably be feeling pretty guilty. Especially since I was on the phone half the night figuring out the plan with my friends—I hate letting mom and Taylor down.

~*~

The next day I get to school, and we decide to do it while Dax and I both have PE. It just so happens that the Drivers Ed teachers' break is also during that same time.

We get into the room and to our relief, Mr. Walker isn't here. We grab the keys he foolishly left on his desk and hustle to the car.

"Clark, this is gonna be amazing. Let's make History, my man!" Dax says as he buckles up and claps his hands.

I buckle up and turn on the car, my adrenaline racing. Before I can think about anything, I see Mr. Walker and Mr. Scott coming over to us.

We can't get caught before we even drive the car!

I floor it—Pedal to the Medal, baby. I'm weaving in and out of cars like a freakin' ninja. My reflexes are on-point. Dax is cheering and hollering, making my adrenaline pump even faster. The original plan was to park the car on the football field, however, we didn't take into account the PE classes running on the track.

I want to be a legend, but I don't want to kill anyone.

So instead, we take a little joy ride on the highway. It was amazing, and totally worth the spanking I'm gonna get once Taylor and mom find out.

I'm already in trouble: Might as well make the most of it.

By the time we get back, we're pumped—That was the coolest thing I've ever done.

I still haven't come down from my high as I'm being dragged into the principal's office, listening as he talks to mom on the phone. I can't hear her on the other end, but I have a pretty good feeling I'm going to be hurting pretty soon.

Worth it