The Soulkeepers

Chapter 20: Birthday

Chapter 20
Birthday

“Did you ever think we would make it through this year?” Malini asked.

Jacob followed her through the double doors of Paris High School, exhausted from a full week of final exams. “No, not really,” he said. Between Dane, Dr. Silva, and Katrina, he was happy to survive most days. The year seemed a lot to ask for.

“I guess it could’ve been worse.”

“How exactly?”

Malini stopped walking and looked at him.

“Flesh-eating spiders. There could’ve been spiders.” Malini always did know just what to say. “So, how do you think you did?”

“You first,” he deflected.

“Unless I absolutely bombed that one, straight As.” She grinned. “Second year in a row. How about you?”

“I didn’t do as well as you, but I passed everything,” he said, embarrassed. He hadn’t felt much like studying with everything else going on, and eked by with three Bs and two Cs.

“Oh, come on. Tell me,” Malini said, as they walked toward the Laudners’ shop.

“Not a chance.”

He kissed her lightly on the cheek. Grades aside, nothing made him happier than knowing they had three months free from Dane Michaels and his posse. Even better, the graduation party last weekend for Katrina was a happy reminder that she would be gone at the end of August.

“Admit it, you actually miss school during the summer, don’t you?” he asked Malini.

“Sometimes. But you know what I won’t miss?” She beamed at him.

“What?”

“Walking. You turn sixteen in a week don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. And, I suppose once I can drive you’ll want to mooch rides off of me.”

“When you can drive? How about now?” She leapt onto his back.

He carried her piggyback style halfway to McNaulty’s.

* * * * *

With his sixteenth birthday just around the corner, Jacob practiced driving every spare minute. John came along on trips into town, but since the Laudners lived in the country he also practiced alone on the back roads where there wasn’t any traffic. By the time June 9th rolled around, Jacob was sure he was ready.

He arrived ten minutes before The Department of Motor Vehicles opened and shifted restlessly in front of the door until a squirrely looking man with greasy red hair let him in. Since he was first in line, the man sat him down in front of a fat computer terminal. Jacob worked through each question slowly, relieved when he passed with only two incorrect. Then another man with a potbelly and a gray mustache called his name for the driving portion. He tested Jacob in a small hatchback, far more maneuverable than his uncle’s truck. The gray mustache wrinkled with the man’s smile when he told Jacob he’d passed with a perfect score.

“Let’s see it, boy!” John said, pulling the driver’s license from his fingers.

“Finally! You won’t have to drive me around anymore,” he said.

“Well, I didn’t really mind, Jacob, but I can see why you’d be excited to have some freedom. You’ve worked hard these last couple months to pay off your debt and to learn to drive. I’m proud of you, not just for earning this but for adjusting as well as you have.”