There is a 'Good' in 'Goodbye'

Chapter 1

"Today is your lucky day, sweetheart." My dad touches my shoulder with his fingertips and looks at me with a little smirk. I'm confused, but I don't say anything. He looks down at his fist and I realize he is holding something in his hand. I see something glance through his fingers and then he opens up his hand. It's his car key. I laugh.

" You are not actually letting me drive your car, are you?"

"Why not? I mean, that's what you always wanted, right? You'll be able to drive to school on your own from now on."

"Well, yeah, but...I didn't know that you..."

He interrupts me. "Oh for god's sake! Do you want to learn how to drive or not ?"

This doesn't feel right. My dad would never let me drive his car. I don't trust him being so nice. But he is right. I'm really desperate to learn how to drive and I have been since last year. Everyone has a car by now and I'm still the only one who has to cycle to school with the oldest bike in world history.

"Okay", I agree, " When will we start?"

"Now. But I'm warning you. One scratch on my Volkswagen and...", he strokes the edge of the car key along his throat. A small shiver runs down my back, but then he laughs loudly. I force a little giggle out of myself, even though I didn't find it funny at all. He hits my back and pushes me out the door. "Have fun and be careful!" I hear my mum yell, before the door shuts behind us.

***

After a few rounds around the parking-lot my dad says,"Good job, Jayne! You're not as bad, as I thought you would be!" I smile a little, "Thanks." He cracks up, as if what he just said was the funniest thing ever. "No, but I'm serious. Let's try the road." I stop the car with a full break. My head gets pulled forward with one violent jolt. I feel a stabbing pain in the back of my neck, but I try to ignore it and I stare at him with disbelieve. "OK, dad, that's enough. What do you want from me ?! Why are you allowing me this?!" "Why not?", he smiles at me and whispers," You are my daughter and you should have all the things you want." I gaze at him for a long time, without saying anything. After, what seems to be ages, I slowly step on the gas and drive out of the parking-lot, onto the road.

"Finally! I thought you fell asleep with your eyes opened, back there!" Again, he cracks up laughing at his own joke. I ignore him.

"Oh, come on, Jayne! Cheer up!"

"If you don't mind, I would like to concentrate on the road."

"You're right. Driving on the road is dangerous."

"It is."

The next moment, I lose control.