“What about presents?” I asked. There was no pile of wrapped gifts at the end of the table like there usually was. We all knew I was getting a car. That’s what Crestie kids got on their seventeenth birthdays. It wasn’t like I was going to pout if I didn’t get one, but I knew my mother well enough to know that if everyone else on the Crest was going to be getting a car, she would be physically unable to buck the trend. I’d been hinting about wanting a Je ep Wrangler for months. Now I was curious to see if my parents had gotten me what I wanted, or if my mother had decided that a Je ep wasn’ t upscale enough for her son to be driving around town. “Presents?” My dad looked at my mom with a fake frown. “Did we get him any presents this year , Linda?” “Not that I can recall, Ted,” she said. “I feel just horrible. How can we have spaced on such a thing?” “You guys,” I said as Jonah snorted a laugh. “Come on.” “I know. Why don’t you take these and go to the mall?” my father suggested. He tossed me a set of keys. “Get yourself something good.” The Je ep logo stared up at me from the key chain. “Shut up,” I said. My parents grinned. I dropped my cake and ran out the front door. Sitting in the driveway was an army green Je ep Wrangler with a removable hard top. It was so clean it shone under the full moon. “Happy birthday , kid,” my dad said, ruf fling my hair . I ducked away but then hugged him. Then my mom. “Thanks guys. This is insane. Y ou didn’ t have to do this.” “Take her for a spin,” my dad said. “I’m coming!” Jonah announced. “No. No way,” I said, stopping him as he tried to get into the passenger seat. “Come on!” he protested. “I’ll take you out tomorrow , Jonah, I swear ,” I said. “Mom!” he whined. “Jonah, it’s his birthday ,” my mother said. “He told you he’d drive you around tomorrow .” Jonah’s head drooped, and he moped back into the house. “Fine. But I’m eating all your cake.” “Go crazy, dude,” I r eplied. “Thanks, guys,” I said again. Then I jumped into the car and shoved the key into the ignition. The rev of the engine
rattled my lungs, and my fingertips sizzled. It was official. I was free. I could go out whenever I wanted to. Drive to the mall. Drive to the shore. Drive anywhere I wanted and take along, or not take along, whomever I wanted. Suddenly my phone rang. My heart stopped. Was she psychic? I fumbled it out of my back pocket and looked at the screen. The call was from Shannen. Oh. I answered. “Hey,” I said. “Did you get it?” she asked. “I did. Army green. It’ s fucking awesome,” I r eplied. “Then get your ass over here and pick me up. I have to get out of here.” “Your dad?” I asked, holding my breath. “He’s not home yet, but they had a huge fight last night, so I’m expecting round two.” “I’m sure it’ll be all right. Maybe it won’ t even happen.” “Yeah, right. Why aren’ t you in my driveway yet?” I felt a twinge of guilt and tried to ignore it. “I can’t. I’ve got some stuff I gotta do.” “Stuff? What stuf f? It’s your birthday .” “I know . I just . . . I gotta go. I’ll call you later .” “Jake. Y ou better not—” I ended the call and silenced my phone. I felt guilty for bailing on her , but right now she was not the person I wanted to see. She could handle her dad when she needed to. And if not, she had four other houses she could run to. My parents were still standing there, arms wrapped around each other against the cold, their breath making steam clouds in the air. I lifted my hand in a wave and pulled out of the driveway . It felt weird to be driving by myself. No parent or instructor telling me to stay to the right, slamming their feet into the floor as if there were brakes there. My heart was pounding as I made my way slowly down Vista View Lane and put my blinker on at the bottom. My skin felt alert, and the hair on my neck stood on end. My hands were actually shaking. This was what freedom felt like. I drove slowly up Harvest toward Twin Oaks Drive. Parents were just getting home from work. A couple of kids played basketball in one driveway . Someone was taking his garbage to the curb. Every time something moved in my peripheral vision, I flinched, but I tried to sit back
and look cool just in case anyone saw me out their window . In two minutes I was there. I pulled my car into the driveway in front of the huge brick house and took a de ep breath as I cut the engine. My maiden voyage. No accidents. I got out of the car feeling as if I’d just come home from some kind of crusade. My knees were shaky as I strode up the st eps and rang the bell. Every inch of me was on fire with nerves. The door whipped open. Dr . Nathanson stood in front of me, confused. “Jake?” “Hi, Dr . Nathanson. Sorry to interrupt,” I said. “Is Ally here?” His brow creased, but he smiled. “Uh, sure. Come on in.” I’d never been inside Quinn’s house before. It was decorated all country- style, with plaid and leather and flowers. There was a fire going in the living room, which we passed right by. As we got closer to the kitchen I heard someone laughing, but it wasn’t Ally. When we came around the corner, I saw Ally’s mom and Quinn at one end of the table, cracking up over Chinese food containers. Ally was at the other end, poking her food with chopsticks. “Ally. You have a visitor.” Dr. Nathanson still sounded surprise d. I guess he wasn’t used to people dropping by for Ally. But she had texted me that she was going to be here, and a guy had to do what a guy had to do. She looked up and her whole face changed. It completely lit up. That reaction made me feel happier than I’d ever felt in my whole life. “Hey,” I said. “W anna go for a ride?”
“Mom?” I said. “Can I?” My mother set her fork down. “Ally, we’re guests of Gray and Quinn’s tonight.” “I know , but—” “It’s my birthday ,” Jake interrupted. “Oh. Happy birthday ,” Gray said. “Thank you, sir,” Jake r eplied with a nod. “Anyway , I just got a car, and I thought maybe Ally and I could go get some cof fee or something.” My mom raised one eyebrow . I guess she didn’t buy the coffee story. But what did she think I was gonna do? W e were just going to go for a drive. “Please, Mom?” I stood up and reached for my coat. “It’ s his birthday .” My mother exchanged a look with Gray, and I bristled. Was she consulting him on parenting decisions now? God, now I really had to get out of there. From the corner of my eye, I saw him nod and shrug. I held my breath. “Fine,” my mom said. “Y ou can go.” “Thanks! Bye, Gray! Bye, Quinn,” I said as brightly as I could. “Just drop her at home before ten, please!” my mom shouted after us as we headed for the foyer . “I will! Thanks, Mrs. R yan!” Jake called back. I was kind of glad he’d made a point to say her name. She was, after all, still Mrs. R yan. Apparently she needed some reminding of that. Outside, I jumped into the brand-new Je ep with its dealer plates and had barely even inhaled that new car smell before he’d whipped out of the driveway so fast the tires squealed. He slammed on the brakes and swallowed. “Sorry.” “It’s okay. Let’s just get out of here,” I said. He hit the gas and we were gone. I had wanted out of there so badly that I actually felt like we were on the run. Once again, Jake was my white