Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High #1)(39)

“I’ll show you,” he says. “Start it up again.”

With a groan, I start up the engine, making sure to put my feet on the clutch and brake. “Come off the break,” he tells me. I look at him with wide eyes. “Relax,” he says. “We’re on a flat. The car isn’t going anywhere.”

“Ok,” I say slowly before doing as he asks.

“Alright, now come off the clutch just a bit,” he says.

I do as I’m told and release the clutch just a little when I feel the car respond. It almost feels as though it’s talking to me, telling me it’s ready to go. I come up a little higher and the car screams at me to lower the clutch again. I do just that and I instantly get it. “That’s the sweet spot.”

“Mmhmm,” Nate says. “Once you find that, then you can go.”

An hour later, I drive up and down the length of the parking lot like a pro. Before I got in this thing, I was terrified of it, but now, I feel giddy with excitement. I change gears and push my little R8 faster. “Shit,” I laugh. “I bet I could whip your ass at the races.”

Nate scoffs and I see him shaking his head out the corner of my eye. “No chance in hell,” he says. I hear a smile in his voice that pulls deep within me and has butterflies circling my tummy. I find I really like it, though. I mean, it definitely beats him scolding me and being a prick.

I pull up beside his Camaro and look over at him. “Thanks,” I say with a smile.

“Trust me,” he says with his signature attitude. “I didn’t do it for you. I couldn’t stand seeing you treat this thing like shit.”

“Uh huh,” I grunt as I watch him climb out of my R8. He stops and turns back around. “Are you coming back to my place tonight?”

“I think I might,” I tell him. “Besides, I need to kick Jesse’s ass for breaking into my locker.”

At that, Nate nods and pulls himself the rest of the way out. A moment before he closes the door, he bends down to look at me. His eyes sparkle as he smirks at me with mischief written all over his face, a look I’m finding looks really good on him. “Who do you think gave him the combination?” he says, closing the door and dropping into his Camaro.

I should have known. I can’t help but grin to myself as I take off like a bat out of hell. I peel out of the old parking lot and I find myself looking up into my rearview mirror and watching as Nate follows right behind me.

He usually drives a whole lot faster but he doesn’t move out from behind me, not until I pull up at a red light. He brings his car to a stop right beside me and I grin across at him before revving my engine, a taunt that says I’m more than prepared to whoop his ass.

A smile cuts across his face before he laughs to himself while making my heart do flips inside my chest.

A second later, the light turns green and Nate takes off, calling my bluff. His wheels squeal against the road and I watch in shock as he takes off like he’s in one of the ‘Fast and Furious’ movies, and I have to say, I’m mighty impressed and maybe just a little turned on.

Holy crap. I need to learn how to do that.

I take off at the green light like a regular human and find myself approaching the school. There’s still another hour until school lets out for the day. I’ve never ditched class before and I hate the thought of getting in trouble, yet, for some reason, I just keep driving, wanting nothing more than to go back to Nate’s place as right now, I’m reminded of the old Nate, not the asshole he later became.

Besides, I can either chill out at Nate’s place or try to avoid having Josh and Elle put their atrocious plan into place.

I keep myself driving and pull into their long ass driveway, pleased that Nate left the gate open. I find Nate’s car pulled up by the front door and I bring my Audi to a stop beside it.

I reach across for my handbag when I realize I left it in Nate’s car earlier. I get out of my car and look through the window of the Camaro, only to find it’s not there. My eyebrows furrow. I couldn’t have left it at school.

With a shrug, I walk up the stairs and into their home to find my handbag sitting on the hallway table. My heart skips realizing that he brought it in for me and I feel… giddy.

I grab it and walk deeper into the house. I don’t see him anywhere but I expect that he’s in his room. so, I head for the den.

I flick on a movie and pull my phone out of my bag. I hit the screen to find a few texts from Brooke.

Brooke – WTF! Where did you go?

Brooke – HELLO????? Tora! Are you alive? Did Jesse take you away to steal your virtue and make lots of sexy Ryder babies?

Brooke – Holy crap, Batman! You just got in Nate’s car. You’re ditching! I never thought I’d see the day. I’m so proud of you, though I’m kind of jealous. You better spill the beans, I want all the details. Where is Mr. Broody taking you?

Brooke – I hate you! You suck at this!

I laugh as I read through her texts and decide I should probably let her know I’m still alive and that the broody asshole didn’t try to humiliate me in some twisted way like he usually does.

Tora – Still alive!

Brooke – Ummm….. I think you owe me a better explanation than that.

I grin down at my phone before hashing out a reply.

Tora – The devil wanted to teach me how to drive.