Chapter 86
Meredith.
I had barely finished strapping myself in before Dennis slid into the driver’s seat beside me, fingers already dancing over the controls.
The engine hummed to life, smooth and easy, as he glanced at me with a cheeky grin.
“So,” he said, wiggling his brows, “watch closely. This is how you wake up a sleeping beast.”
He pressed the clutch, shifted into gear, and let the car roll forward a little before bringing it to a stop again.
I watched him carefully. It was so easy.
Then he got out, motioned for me to take over. “Your turn,” he said.
I didn’t hesitate. We traded places. Slipping into the driver’s seat, I adjusted myself, rested my palms on the steering wheel and waited.
“Start it,” he said, grinning.
I did. Effortlessly. The engine purred. Dennis clapped, like I was some child who had just solved a riddle.
“Brilliant. Look at you!” he said. “I have such an enthusiastic student.”
I wasn’t flattered.
I raised an eyebrow. “What’s next?”
He leaned back against the open door. “Next? We go back in. Class dismissed.”
I glared at him. “What? That’s it?”
He chuckled, backing away from the car. “Yes, Miss Speedster. You’ve graduated.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Then I suppose I will rate your tutoring skills as extremely underwhelming. One star. You teach nothing.”
That wiped the smirk off his face.
“I was joking,” he said, chuckling again, more nervously this time. “Alright, alright. Back to your seat.”
I moved to the passenger side. He settled into the driver’s seat again, adjusting the wheel.
“Now,” he said, “Repeat the basics.”
I obliged. “Start the engine. Press the clutch fully. Shift into gear. First gear to move. Second when you gain momentum. Keep both hands on the wheel.”
“Perfect,” Dennis nodded. “You are a natural.”
He started driving slowly, explaining things as he went. How to guide the wheel. How to hold the brake without jolting the car. I followed his every word, absorbing.
“Can I try?” I asked suddenly.
Dennis looked at me like I had asked to fly the car instead.
He laughed… then stopped. “No.”
I scowled. “Come on.”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No—”
“Dennis.”
He groaned. “Fine. Just once.”
We traded places again. He made me buckle my seatbelt first before doing the same.
Then I looked at him. “You are not afraid I will crash us both into the fence?”
He gave me a flat stare. “At least, it’s better to die together than stand outside and watch you crash alone.”
He turned serious. “How would I explain it to Draven when you are important to him?”
I didn’t believe that.
Dennis made me repeat the basics again, and I did—slowly. My fingers followed the motion, clutch in, shift, guide the wheel.
The car rolled forward.
I grinned. “We are moving. Look at us!” I was so proud of myself that I couldn’t help boasting about it.
“Eyes on the road!” Dennis yelped. “Don’t look at me, Meredith!” He smiled so weirdly, making me think he was afraid of me driving him.
I giggled, then faced forward.
Ten seconds passed I was still crawling like a snail. And that let me unsatisfied. I needed to speed things up.
I cleared my throat. “So, what now? Can I increase the speed?”
“No,” he said quickly. “Stop the car.”
I turned to him slowly. “I… I think I forgot how to stop.”
His eyes widened. “What?!”
The panic that flashed across his face made it so worth it. His was face was distorted, similar to how Draven always looked when he felt I was talking nonsense.
Dennis didn’t argue me. He was just turned. But then, his lips moved a bit.
I knew he was going to tell me how to safely bring the car to a stop, so I laughed. “Just kidding!”
I stepped on the brake gently. The car stopped perfectly without a jolt.
Dennis exhaled. Loudly.
“Turn off the engine,” he said dryly as he pointed at the keys.
I did.
Then without a word, he reached across and plucked the key out of the ignition like he was rescuing it from danger.
“Step out of the car,” he instructed as he unclasped his seatbelt and opened the car door.
I blinked. “What?” But he didn’t look at me.
He got out. I followed, confused. “Is something wrong?”
“Should something be wrong?” he asked flatly as he walked over to my side and came stand in front of me. “Did you do something wrong?”
I lifted my hands. “I don’t think so?”
Then he pointed to the passenger door. “Get in.”
He sounded so much like Draven.
I didn’t argue this time. I ran over and climbed in. He got in, started the car, and began to drive.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Home.”
“What? Why?”
“Because,” he said, “the lesson is over.”
I frowned and folded my arms. I knew why Dennis was mad at me. It was probably because I had claimed not to know how to pull the car to a stop.
The car was silent for the rest of the short ride.
When we reached the parking lot, he stepped out first. And followed. He didn’t wait for me and started walking towards the house as soon as he locked the car.
I felt guilty not knowing he would take my simple prank so seriously. At least, he wasn’t like Draven when he was furious.
I rushed after him and grabbed his arm. “Are you mad at me?”
“No,” he said simply. “Instead you made me feel afraid for my life for a tiny second.”
My smile vanished. “Sorry.”
He glanced at me without stopping in his steps. “Until I’ve fully recovered from that fright, no more lessons.”
I pouted and swung his arm. “I said I was sorry.”
He withdrew his gaze and walked me all the way to my door.
Then, at the last second, he turned and smiled cheerfully. “See you at dinner.”
I narrowed my eyes as I watched him leave, realizing he had been entirely joking and pretending to be mad at me all along.