Vitality (Vitality Series #1)

Chapter 8 Whispers

She had conflicting feelings inside over that, and she was forcing herself to let her imagine the image, to let herself dream, let herself feel it.

"See. She don't care." Danny shot a look at Shane. Shane ignored him, throwing the spatula in the pan to go sit at the table next to Ava.

"Fucking perfect." Danny went to tend the abandoned frying pan. "I'll just cook everyone breakfast."

Ava gave Shane a watchful look as he took a seat, in which he was trying very hard not to smile in response to.

"So," he began, trying to be serious and not look directly in Ava's eyes. "We're about to head to a private car show out of town." He started rearranging the berries from a bowl to a straight line on the counter. "Do you like cars?" He looked up at Ava, his face bright with interest, and broke out in a smile. She reacted by doing the same, but was more skilled in holding back the majority of it. "You should come."

Dahlila dropped her hand, coming out of her morning grog. "Yeah. You should come."

Ava lowered her head down, rubbing her thumb between her brows. Please stop.

She desperately wanted to like the whole thing going on around her at the moment, but she needed time — needed some time with herself.

Shane's chin contracted in uncomfortable hesitation to say anything else, but Dahlila quickly added, "Of course, if you're tired from last night, we — "

"No." Ava stopped her. "I'm not tired. I just have a few things to get done today. And I'm still trying to get settled in, you know?"

They nodded.

"Don't you guys have class? Or are you on the every other day schedule like me?"

"I'm not — I prefer less hours a day in a classroom. Thank you," Shane answered. "They are. But what's the point of being an adult in college if you can't skip class if you want?"

"I can name a few." Dahlila rubbed her head. "We'll only be gone until tomorrow morning. And this isn't someone you turn down an invitation for. Danny's showing his car, as well — 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible. It's the only time he drives that thing." She fell half back to sleep.

"The only time he drives, period." Shane popped a raspberry in his mouth from his line of berries.

"Yo, fuck you. I drive. Drove your ass here, didn't I? And what do you mean by, that thing?"

"There are exceptions. And motor-boating doesn't count." Shane flinched as if he was about to be hit and looked behind him for Danny, who had just ignored him. He turned back to Ava with a joker smile.

"Someone needs to put you in the corner," Ava told him, and he broke out with a ridiculously funky laugh; it was almost too much.

"Danny loves cars," Dahlila continued. "He's going to be a car designer like his father." She sounded proud.

"Step. Father," Shane corrected.

"Father," Danny groaned.

"His father works for Jordan's dad, who is the global head of design for Chevrolet. He could probably get him in easily if Jordan..." Dahlila paused.

"The leader of the posh pack?" Ava asked, and Dahlila snorted with a nod.

"Well, that was the plan before we stopped hanging out. But I dated him for a couple years, so I know him well enough to wager he'd still keep his word for Danny." Dahlila looked at Danny. "I hope so, anyway. And then Jordan's mom is the dean of Agatha College; that's why most of them are getting their prerequisites there. They're all set... We're all set. Our plans have been laid out for a while by our parents."