said waving his hand at me like it was no big deal. "You studied with Maddy when she was going to take hers. And you're a natural driver." He was right. Maddy and I had been practicing driving for a couple months and there was no doubt that I was good. But now I wasn't sure I wanted to drive just yet. After all, that had been what killed her.
"Yeah, but…"
"No buts," he said. "You're taking your driver's test and you're passing it."
"Yes sir," I said saluting him. And so I did. I took my permit test and I passed it, with a 100 percent. I walked out the proud new owner of a driving permit, and Cael insisted that I drive us home. I felt like kissing the ground when we all arrived at Cael's house in one piece. He stood almost beaming at me once we stepped out of the car. He didn't know how terrified I was of driving and that I wasn't planning on putting my permit to much use. And I wasn't about to tell him.
Chapter Eight
"Where have you been?" Margaret yelled when we walked into Halley's house.
"You said we could hang out," Halley said.
"I didn't say you could drive off to god knows where with some strange boy. You don't even know him. Haven't I taught you anything?" Halley only looked at her in disbelief. "Yeah, that's right. I saw you drive off with that hoodlum."
"Mrs. May," I said trying to calm things down, "Cael is not a hoodlum."
"Cael? Oh is that the dirt bag's name?"
"Mom!" Halley screamed. "You have no right to talk about him that way! You know absolutely nothing about him. Who are you to judge him like that?"
"And you know absolutely nothing about him either!" Margaret screamed
"But I do," I said, slightly raising my voice. Margaret stared at me. "Cael is my best friend. I've known him since I was in kindergarten. I grew up with him. He's the best guy I have ever met, and you'll never find better. Trust me, there's absolutely nothing to worry about."
She continued to look at me, trying to read my eyes. "Where were you?" she asked more calmly, directing the question at Halley.
"Nevaeh went to get her permit. Today's her sixteenth birthday," Halley said.
"Oh is it?" she said, suddenly her usual cheerful self. "Well why didn't you tell me before? Happy birthday!"
"Oh, thanks," I said forcing a smile. "Well, sorry but I better get going."
"Oh, I thought you were going to stay for lunch," Margaret said.
"I really appreciate the invite, but I remembered I have plans with my dad," I lied.
"Oh, that's too bad. We'll have to do it another time," she said.
"Oh, definitely," I said. "Well, I'll see you later. Bye Halley."
"Bye Nevaeh," Halley said.
"Good bye honey, come again," Margaret called.
I practically ran across the street away from Halley's house and her crazy mother. When I got inside I was surprised to find Cael sitting on my couch. He smiled when he saw me.
"Hey baby," he said.
"Hey," I said sitting down next to him. "What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting," he said. "Am I not allowed to come see my best friend?"
I smiled. "Sure you are."
"So how's it feel to be the owner of a new driver's license?" he asked.
"Permit. Halley's mom was pissed," I said, trying to change the subject.
"She was? I told Halley she could go ask if it was okay," he said.
"I know you did."
"She probably hates me now," he said with a sigh.
"Well she did, but I think I set her straight."
"Oh you did? What did you say?" he asked.
"I told her you were the best guy I ever met, and she'd never find better. I told her that she had absolutely nothing to worry about."
"You said that?"
"Sure I did. It's all true," I said.
He grinned. "You're the best."
"I try." Cael and I just sat on the couch for a while watching TV. We didn't really say much. It was a time not meant for words. We fell asleep after a couple hours. I wasn't sure how it happened, but when I woke up my head was resting on his stomach, near his chest. I wasn't sure if Cael was awake or not, but I didn't feel like sitting
"Yeah, but…"
"No buts," he said. "You're taking your driver's test and you're passing it."
"Yes sir," I said saluting him. And so I did. I took my permit test and I passed it, with a 100 percent. I walked out the proud new owner of a driving permit, and Cael insisted that I drive us home. I felt like kissing the ground when we all arrived at Cael's house in one piece. He stood almost beaming at me once we stepped out of the car. He didn't know how terrified I was of driving and that I wasn't planning on putting my permit to much use. And I wasn't about to tell him.
Chapter Eight
"Where have you been?" Margaret yelled when we walked into Halley's house.
"You said we could hang out," Halley said.
"I didn't say you could drive off to god knows where with some strange boy. You don't even know him. Haven't I taught you anything?" Halley only looked at her in disbelief. "Yeah, that's right. I saw you drive off with that hoodlum."
"Mrs. May," I said trying to calm things down, "Cael is not a hoodlum."
"Cael? Oh is that the dirt bag's name?"
"Mom!" Halley screamed. "You have no right to talk about him that way! You know absolutely nothing about him. Who are you to judge him like that?"
"And you know absolutely nothing about him either!" Margaret screamed
"But I do," I said, slightly raising my voice. Margaret stared at me. "Cael is my best friend. I've known him since I was in kindergarten. I grew up with him. He's the best guy I have ever met, and you'll never find better. Trust me, there's absolutely nothing to worry about."
She continued to look at me, trying to read my eyes. "Where were you?" she asked more calmly, directing the question at Halley.
"Nevaeh went to get her permit. Today's her sixteenth birthday," Halley said.
"Oh is it?" she said, suddenly her usual cheerful self. "Well why didn't you tell me before? Happy birthday!"
"Oh, thanks," I said forcing a smile. "Well, sorry but I better get going."
"Oh, I thought you were going to stay for lunch," Margaret said.
"I really appreciate the invite, but I remembered I have plans with my dad," I lied.
"Oh, that's too bad. We'll have to do it another time," she said.
"Oh, definitely," I said. "Well, I'll see you later. Bye Halley."
"Bye Nevaeh," Halley said.
"Good bye honey, come again," Margaret called.
I practically ran across the street away from Halley's house and her crazy mother. When I got inside I was surprised to find Cael sitting on my couch. He smiled when he saw me.
"Hey baby," he said.
"Hey," I said sitting down next to him. "What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting," he said. "Am I not allowed to come see my best friend?"
I smiled. "Sure you are."
"So how's it feel to be the owner of a new driver's license?" he asked.
"Permit. Halley's mom was pissed," I said, trying to change the subject.
"She was? I told Halley she could go ask if it was okay," he said.
"I know you did."
"She probably hates me now," he said with a sigh.
"Well she did, but I think I set her straight."
"Oh you did? What did you say?" he asked.
"I told her you were the best guy I ever met, and she'd never find better. I told her that she had absolutely nothing to worry about."
"You said that?"
"Sure I did. It's all true," I said.
He grinned. "You're the best."
"I try." Cael and I just sat on the couch for a while watching TV. We didn't really say much. It was a time not meant for words. We fell asleep after a couple hours. I wasn't sure how it happened, but when I woke up my head was resting on his stomach, near his chest. I wasn't sure if Cael was awake or not, but I didn't feel like sitting
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