Night and Day

Chapter 21: Bonnie

Nathan said nothing. He only grinned, and then he shook his head, seeming to laugh at himself. "I won it in a contest."

"What?" I could scarcely hear him over the deep-throated hum.

"I won it by accident. In a random draw!" Nathan shouted.

I stared at him, and then he seemed to come to.

With three quick steps, Nathan was on the other side of the vehicle. He clambered in, and then he turned the key. The car went silent, and birds were again audible. I felt nervous.

"So, what do you think?"

I was gaping. Some part of me was warning me away. Nathan's eyes had grown darker. Yet I knew that I must be going mad; Nathan had never given me reason to doubt him.

"Bonnie...you don't like it?"

I shook my head. "It's really cool. Wow. You just...you took me by surprise!"

Nathan smiled, and I was reminded of why I loved him. "I didn't mean to startle you. Like I said, it was an accident."

I came to stand beside him. "So, who drove you?"

"I drove myself." By now, others were coming to watch. Delilah was already examining the car, meeting Nathan's gaze periodically as she did, and her mother was there too, her arms crossed.

"You don't have a license," the boss stammered, appalled.

"No, but I'm getting one. I found this place. They can practically train you overnight. Then you just take the test...and ta-da! You have a license!"

"That doesn't sound credible," Veronica muttered, coming to admire the car. "I had to train for around two years."

"Still, this is a sweet ride." Darren was behind me now, his thoughts of me forgotten. I wondered if Nathan had forgotten me too.

"Wow, she's beautiful," said Delilah's dad in obvious awe.

The boss glared at her husband. "This isn't legal."

"Part of the training is meant to be independent." Nathan grinned. "Of course, I'm supposed to have somebody else in the car with me."

"So you came to kidnap someone?" Delilah joked, smiling all the while.

"I could go with you around the block." Darren's eyes were hungry.

"So could I," muttered Delilah's hapless father, a known vehicle nut.

"You guys all have rides," Nathan said. "I was going to take someone who didn't."

Veronica edged forward. "I could use a ride."

Frowning, Delilah rushed back into the shop.

"Oh." Nathan appeared to be lost for words. "Well, where do you live?"

Veronica's gaze had gone blank. "Actually, never mind. I'm going to get dinner first. And I have some clean up to do too. You go on ahead. Maybe next time."

"Bonnie?" Nathan had turned to me.

"I shouldn't impose."

"Did you read that comic book?" he asked, leaning forward.

A part of me wanted to recoil. "Yes. It was good."

"Spiderman is pretty cool," Delilah remarked, coming out to stand beside the car. "I think Guardians of the Galaxy has to be my favourite, though."

"Look, if you don't want to come, that's fine." Nathan almost sounded hurt.

"No, I'll come." I climbed into the car, shuddering as I sank into the fine leather. "I'm just tired. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Well, the breeze should wake you up."

"Do you have a license, Bonnie?" My boss had come forward and was peering from one to the other of us.

"Yes," I murmured.

"Okay. But see that he stays out of trouble. I don't want to have to bail him out if he gets a ticket."

"I'll keep an eye on him," I promised.

"Let's go." Nathan was already pulling out and everybody watched with eyes aglow. The fiery gleam of this beast seemed to linger in their eyes and my heart danced as we roared away, leaving behind all that was safe and familiar.