How to date a Nerd

Chapter 7

"Um, hello? Where are you going?" There's that smile again, sending waves of tiny butterflies in my chest. "You walked to the driver's seat. I thought you were going to take me somewhere secluded so I don't kill anyone."

Her laugh is so addictive. "I was opening your door for you, silly."

"Oh." I'm so stupid. I cross around, and she holds the door open. "I guess chivalry isn't dead."

"For some of us it isn't." She shuts the door and walks over to her side. Gosh, I'm freaking nervous. My hands shake so badly you could put a paint can in them and I'd have it mixed within seconds.

"Okay," she says as she buckles. "You ready?"

Heart still going way too fast. Maybe this isn't such a good idea. But I nod anyway.

"You've got your foot on the clutch?"

I nod. I know that much about manuals. "Let's start her up."

I can't get the stupid key in. My hands won't stop shaking. Lauren smiles, reaches over, brushing my hand, and turns the key.

The car vibrates up my butt and I let out a yelp.

Lauren grins, totally holding back her laughter and says, "Nice. What kind of engine does this have?"

I shrug. I don't think my voice can function right now. "Okay, let's put the car in reverse." She looks down at the shifter and laughs. "You've got a funky one."

"What?"

"You see the 'R'?" I look down, squinting at the tiny letter in the upper left corner next to the number '1'. "Yeah."

"Well, that means you have to push the shifter down before going in gear. Watch me, and keep your foot on the clutch."

She shifts so fast I blink a couple times before saying, "Wait. Show me again."

She chuckles as she pulls it out of gear, then back in. "Did you see that time?"

I throw her  a look. "Yes."

"Okay, now feather the clutch."

"I wanna what now?" She shakes her head, stifling her laughter again. "Do you remember on Star Wars—"

"You're seriously going to go there?" Now I'm stifling some major giggles.

"Let me finish. Millennium Falcon. Does Han Solo whip the lever down when he puts it in hyper drive?"

I totally know the answer. I still watch it every other week. But am I ready to be one-hundred percent Geek Camila ? Well, maybe right now. I mean, we're not in school. And I know Lauren won't make fun of me or anything.

"No. He does it kinda slow."

"That's feathering. Ease your foot off the clutch."

Okay, so the Star Wars reference works. Damn girl knows me better than I know myself. I "feather" the clutch, my foot shaking either from nerves or the vibrating engine, and the car rolls back.

I pull my foot off the clutch, startled from the sudden movement and the car lurches to a stop. "It moved!"

Lauren bends over, cackling between her legs. "It's supposed to move, Camz." She wipes tears from her eyes. My defenses pop in, but I can't help but laugh with her, so I know she's not going to take me seriously.

"Well, I'm sorry. I got scared. There are too many things to concentrate on. Shifting and the clutch, not to mention all the other stuff like the speed limit and you know, people in the road." I shake my head, trying to get the smile off my face. "I can't do this."

"Relax, Camz. This is your first attempt. Everyone stalls. I still do sometimes."

"There's too much crap going on," I say, folding my arms across my waist, my smile finally disappearing. I don't feel like embarrassing myself anymore today. Especially in front of her.

"Tell you what. Put your hand on the shifter." I glare at her.

"Just do it. Trust me." I huff, but I slam my hand down on the stupid thing.

"Okay," she says before setting her hand on mine. She weaves her fingers in between my own, and I swear I swallowed a drummer with the way my heart pounds in my throat. I steal a glance at her, and she looks like she's about to sweat a rainstorm. "I-I'll shift, you worry about the clutch." She gulps and her grip tightens on my hand.

If she thinks this is less distracting, she's dead wrong.

She goes to start the car for me again, leaning so close her breath tickles my neck. My head goes fuzzy as I picture her closing the distance between our bodies, forgetting I'm supposed to be doing something. Her lips form words, but I don't hear them. Her scent is intoxicating, pulling me under. Holy crap! I'm going to pass out!

"Camila?"

"Huh?" She chuckles. "Did you hear me?"

"Um, sorry what?"

"I need your foot on the clutch to start the car." I shake my head, wishing the fuzziness would wear off, but she smiles, and it makes everything blurry.

Somehow I concentrate enough to press my foot down. She starts the engine and leans back, taking the mouthwatering air with her. She moves my hand on the shifter.

"All right, take the Millennium Falcon into hyper drive."

I chuckle and ease out the clutch. When the car moves this time, I don't jump.

"What do I do when I get to the road?" I ask as I near the end of my driveway.

"Push down on the clutch, put your foot on the brake, and wait for me to shift."

Whoa. Lot of words. "What?!"

"Don't freak out. You're doing fine."

The car bumps off the curb as I turn onto the road. I try to remember what she said, but in my haste I put the clutch through the floor and slam on the brake.

At least the car's still running.

Lauren doesn't say anything about my jerky stop, but purses her lips together and shakes with silent chuckles. She moves my hand.

"Do it again."

If she means stall, I comply.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize, it'll happen more than once. Try again." She leans over me to start the car. I consider stalling it on purpose if she's going to come this close to me when I do.

I'm pretty good once the car gets going. Shifting from first to second to third isn't as hard as when I come to a complete stop and start going again. I try to avoid stop signs and traffic lights.

"Pull into this parking lot," Lauren says pointing out my window.

I do, then park the car in a spot overlooking a giant field.

I cut the engine the way I'm supposed to this time. Lauren releases her hold on my hand, and I realize how sweaty her must've been because the breeze instantly catches on my skin.

"Ready to do it by yourself?" She asks, gazing around the vacant lot. "Pretty sure you won't kill anyone out here."

I want to give her a playful punch in the arm, but I'm still too nervous slash exhilarated from the drive.

"Maybe in a minute." Crap. My voice totally shakes.

"Are you okay?" I nod.

"Really, you did just fine. Especially for your first time."

I lean back on the headrest, taking deep breaths. If only she knew it isn't just the driving making me all flustered and crazy.

The tension in the car must make her flustered too, because she stammers out her next question, which comes out of nowhere.

"So, you and Shawn, huh?"