Drivers Ed

"Turn the wheel to the left. To the left!"

"I am turning it to the left!"

"Since when is right left?!"

Autumn slammed on the brakes and sent herself and her driving instructor flying forward.

"Watch it, Autumn! This is my mom's car!"

Autumn couldn't afford an actual driving instructor, so her best friend, Rhino, was filling in. If you asked her, he was doing a terrible job.

"Rhi, if you yell at me one more time I'm going to lose it."

Rhino ran his hands down his smooth, dark chocolate skin,

"I'm sorry," Rhino said softly, "let's try backing out again."

Autumn put the car in drive and returned to the parking spot. She then turned to look out of the back windshield of the green Camry. She stepped on the gas and...

...Flew forward

"Autumn!" Rhino screeched.

"That's it."

Autumn slammed on the brakes again, angrily parked, and ripped out the keys. She threw the door open and was halfway across the empty parking lot before Rhino could even register what happened.

"Autumn, wait!" Rhino yelled as he ran to catch up with her.

Autumn didn't slow down.

"Autumn Renee Wilson, wait up!"

"I don't want to talk," Autumn said as she finally slowed.

Rhino drew closer to her, "I'm sorry, okay? My mother's African, you know she'll go crazy."

Rhino chuckled, expecting to at least get Autumn to crack a smile.

She didn't.

"Autumn..."

Rhino reached out, grabbed Autumn's shoulder and gently turned her around.

She was crying.

Rhino's face dropped. He immediately pulled his friend into his arms and buried his head into her hair.

There was a slight pause before Autumn said, "It's not you."

"It's not?" Rhino asked as he slightly pushed her back.

Autumn looked down at the ground, "Cars make me nervous."

Rhino's head cocked, "They do? Why haven't you told me?"

"Because you love cars."

"So?"

"You like girls who love cars." She blurted out.

While Rhino's eyes widened, Autumn's heart began to race – she didn't mean to say that.

She continued, "I'm also afraid of, you know, other drivers, running someone over, getting into an accident – "

Rhino clasped Autumn's face with his strong, smooth hands,

"Stop, you can't think like that." Rhino said, "Trust yourself. You're the smartest person I know. If anyone can crush driving, it's you."

Between the closeness of Rhino's face and the way his thumbs were rubbing away her tears, Autumn couldn't find the words to say.

"And as far as other girls, I talk to them about cars, sure, but that's it."

Autumn sucked her teeth, "I've never seen you light up the way you do when you talk to Clarissa about that old Ford she's fixing up."

"Then you clearly haven't been paying attention when I look at you."

Autumn's heart lept and so did Rhino's faith; he swiftly brought his lips to Autumn's.

He pulled away, "Now, what do you say we get back to the lesson?"

Autumn smiled as Rhino interlocked his fingers with hers.

She was ready to take on that green Camry.