Hidden Monster

Chapter Eight

I clicked my seatbelt in and stared ahead. I knew he was mad at me. When Blake asked if he could give me a ride home, I called my mom to let her know she didn’t have to come get me. As the engine purred to life, Blake flipped the heater off. It was still on high from the morning. Now his car was warm from sitting in the sun all day. It felt good to me, but Blake turned the AC on low. I wasn’t sure what kind of muscle car it was. The black leather interior was comfortable and soft. Even the floor mats were meticulously clean.

“Is this the Dukes of Hazard car?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“What? The Dukes’ car was a ’69 Dodge Charger.”

“Oh, it’s orange like it though.”

He glanced over and grinned. He didn’t seem mad.

“Sorry, about Jen and everything,” I admitted.

“Don’t be. You got your wish. I’ll be forced to wear tights all night. But you do know you owe me, right?” He threw the car into reverse, his feet working the clutch, brake, and gas pedals.

“Owe you? As I recall, you weren’t completely honest about this whole thing.”

 “I suppose you’re right, but in my defense, it was all an innocent mistake. I started school and didn’t know anyone. And then Jen’s all over me. And she wasn’t bad to look at.”

I rolled my eyes. “And you flirted shamelessly.”

“I was nice to her. If she mistook that as flirting, it’s not my fault.”

“Well, when you look like you do, being nice is flirting.” Oh gosh, did I say that out loud?

Blake glanced over. “You think I’m good looking?”

“No! I mean, some girls might, okay, whatever, back to your story,” I stuttered, sinking lower into my seat. I can’t believe I just fed his humongous ego!

Blake chuckled softly. “So, back to my story. Jen asked me before I’d really gotten to know you. I wouldn’t count meeting you in the woods as a great intro.”

“Wonder why…”

He glanced over at me. “I didn’t know about everything then. I thought you were high or something.”

“What?”

 “Well you were out in the woods barefoot. Looked like you just woke up. You have to admit that wasn’t exactly normal.”

I felt myself bristle.

“Come now, don’t get like that. You’re the one who rejected me, remember?” he quipped. I opened my mouth and snapped it shut. When he put it like that, he was sort of right. “So, what are you going to tell the douche?”

“He’s got a name, you know,” I said. He waited, and I mumbled, “I guess my lame-o excuse of ‘let me ask my parents’ won’t get me far, will it?”

“Nope. You tried and failed with me with that one.”

I grimaced. He wasn’t going to let me live this one down, was he? “Well, I’m just not going, that’s all.”

“Oh no, you aren’t going to weenie out of this. You’re going.”

“But that means I’m Jeremy’s date.” Blake was quiet. I glanced over, and we locked eyes long enough for my pulse to quicken. Then he stared ahead at the road again. We were on our county road now. I’d be home soon.

I forced a smile. “It’ll be fun. We’ll be in a group this way.”

 “Yippee.”

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