Proving Webster Wrong

Chapter Eight -- Drew

"I still do. Please tell me that you broke up with her." She cupped her hands under her chin, her eyes wide.

I nodded. It wasn't going to stay a secret for long but that didn't change that I had wanted to more time. More time to make sure it was permanent? Yes, more time to make sure that I wouldn't wimp out and show up on her doorstep begging her back. The fact that was even a possibility was scary, but I couldn't deny myself that truth.

Lauren threw her hands up in the air and even squealed a little. "Finally!" She leaned back across the seat and gives me an awkward hug. I patted her on the shoulder and tried to recover my lane. Thankfully there were no other cars on the road. "I am so proud of you!"

The squealing over with, she sat back up and threw her hair over her shoulders. "She was so horrible. Mom and Dad will be so happy to hear! They didn't like her at all. I think they disliked her more than I did." The words tumbled from her mouth and her hands flew around in the air.

"Don't tell Mom and Dad yet." I nearly yell the words but hold on to some control.

"Why?" She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.

"Because I want to be the one to tell them."

She grinned. "So what was going on with Chloe? I always did like her better than Crystal."

I reached out and ruffled her hair. "Look at my little sister trying to control my relationships."

Her face lit up and her mouth pulled back in the biggest smile I had seen from her in a while. "Are you and Chloe? This just keeps getting better and better!" More squealing and flying hands followed.

I waited until she calmed down to give her the answer, the answer she wouldn't be as happy with. "No, we're not anything like that. We both just miss the way things used to be."

"You mean you do. With the way she walked off after service she doesn't care anymore." Her eyes were burning into my head again. I resisted the urge to reach for my watch. She slowly raised and eyebrow as she waited.

"It's none of your business," I finally declared. None of it was her business. I shouldn't have even told her what I had. She was going to run home and tell Mom and Dad everything. Then I would have to answer more questions. And sit through a Crystal smashing or lecture or something.

"Call her. Call her and tell her whatever it was." Lauren picked up my phone from where it sat on in the middle of the seat and shoved it in my face.

I looked down at the object below my nose. "I can't. I'm under eighteen, it's against the law for me to use a phone while driving. And I don't even have her number."

Lauren took out her own phone and started scrolling through it. She dialed a number into my phone. "Pull over."

"I can't just pull over on the side of the road." It was all ditches and woods around this road. What if someone were to drive by and ask if there was something wrong? Or what if I got stuck in one of the ditches and then no one came by. I would have to call Dad and the whole situation would be too embarrassing.

She gives me that look that Mom likes to use when she is telling me to do something. I never realized before how much she looks like Mom, but it was obvious sitting in that truck with her holding a phone in my face commanding me to pull over.

I sighed and did as she said, pulling over onto the flattest section of land beside the road. "How do you even have her number?" I asked as I took the phone from her hand.

"Youth group directory. All the numbers are in my phone. You never know when I'll need them."

With another sigh and a shake of my head I pressed the call button. It rang for a very long time before she finally answered. "Hello?" her voice was so uncertain, so different from how I was used to it sounding.