Chapter 37
Camila POV
The parking lot was practically deserted as I helped Tess limp toward her car, the sound of our shoes scuffing against the asphalt the only thing breaking the silence. The afternoon sun beat down relentlessly, making me squint as I glanced
at her car.
As we approached the vehicle, Tess paused and glanced at me, a mischievous smirk tugging at the corner of her bruised lips. “You’re driving.”
I froze, my hand halfway to her car door. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” she said, leaning against the car with a wince. “I’m in no shape to drive, so you’re gonna have to take
the wheel.”
I blinked at her, trying to process her words. “Tess, I don’t… I’ve never-”
She raised a brow. “Don’t tell me you don’t know how to drive.”
I crossed my arms defensively. “Well, I never listened to my mom when she insisted I learn, okay? So, no, I’m not exactly confident behind the wheel of a car that probably costs more than my three years allowance.”
Tess groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “Seriously, Cami? You’ve never driven? Like, not even once?”
I shrugged. “I’ve maybe backed out of a driveway before. Once. And I nearly hit a trash can.”
She stared at me for a moment, then sighed dramatically. “Unbelievable. Fine, I’ll drive.”
“Absolutely not,” I said, grabbing her arm as she tried to open the driver’s side door. “You can barely stand without wobbling like a baby deer. There’s no way you’re getting behind the wheel.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve driven under worse conditions.”
“That’s not reassuring!” I shot back, glaring at her.
“Cami,” she said, her tone suddenly serious. “We don’t have a choice. Unless you wanna sit here until my parents send someone to pick me up, which would definitely result in a lecture and way too many questions, you’re gonna have to suck it up and drive.”
I hesitated, chewing on my bottom lip as I weighed my options. She wasn’t wrong- her parents were notoriously nosy, and the last thing Tess needed right now was a guilt trip from her mom.
“I can’t believe I’m letting you guilt me into this,” I muttered, snatching the keys from her hand.
“That’s the spirit,” she said, grinning despite her injuries.
I opened the driver’s side door and slid into the seat, immediately overwhelmed. The leather was buttery soft under my fingers, and the dashboard looked more like the cockpit of a spaceship than a car.
Tess climbed into the passenger seat with a groan, buckling her seatbelt and leaning back with a s be fine. Just pretend it’s a go–kart.”
d sigh. “You’ll
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Chapter 37
- me.
“A go–kart doesn’t weigh a ton and cost more than my soul, I muttered, gripping the steering wheel like it might bite
She chuckled, wincing slightly. “Just start the car, Cami. It’s not rocket science.”
I took a deep breath, pressed the button to start the engine, and jumped slightly as the car roared to life. “Okay. Okay, I can do this.”
“Damn right, you can,” Tess said, giving me an encouraging nod.
I shifted the car into drive and cautiously pressed the gas pedal, the SUV lurching forward a bit too quickly for my liking. “Oops. Sorry!”
“You’re fine,” Tess said, her voice calm. “Just go slow.”
I nodded, focusing all my attention on navigating the parking lot. My hands were sweaty on the wheel, and my heart was racing like I was about to take a final exam I hadn’t studied for.
“Turn left here,” Tess instructed, her voice surprisingly patient.
I managed to make the turn without crashing, which felt like a small victory. “See? You’re a natural, Tess said,
smirking.
“Don’t jinx it,” I muttered, my knuckles white as I gripped the wheel.
The drive was nerve–wracking, to say the least. Every car that passed us felt like it was getting too close, and I was hyper–aware of every bump in the road. Tess, meanwhile, seemed entirely unbothered, casually scrolling through her phone like we weren’t one wrong move away from disaster.
“Where am I even taking you?” I asked after a while, glancing at her briefly.
“Just take me home,” she said, rattling off her address like it was the most normal thing in the world.
As we pulled up to the gate, I parked the car as carefully as possible, letting out a huge sigh of relief when the engine was finally off. “Thank God that’s over,” I said, slumping back in the seat.
Tess grinned. “See? You survived.”
“Barely, I muttered, handing her the keys.
The car door barely had time to shut behind us before a loud, incredulous voice rang out.
“Tess! What happened to you?”
I jumped at the sudden noise, turning to see a tall man storming toward us from the house. His face was a mix of anger and worry, his eyes darting between Tess and me like he was trying to figure out what kind of trouble we’d gotten into. His features screamed protective older brother, and judging by the way Tess groaned and rolled her eyes, I was guessing he was exactly that.
“Jesus, Jake,` Tess muttered, leaning more heavily against me. “Can you not yell? My head already feels like it’s been run over by a truck.”
Jake ignored her protest, his sharp gaze zeroing in on the bruises blooming across her face and arms. “Don’t brush this 2/3
Chapter 37
oft Tess. Who did this to you?
I stiffened under his glare, feeling like I was about to be interrogated by the FBL
Relax, Tess said, waving him off weakly. “I’m fine. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” he repeated, his voice rising. “You look like you’ve been in a bar fight! Who the hell did this?
Tess sighed, her patience clearly wearing thin. “I told you, it’s fine. Just drop it, okay?”
But he wasn’t having it. He crossed his arms and turned to me, his expression demanding answers. And you? You’re just gonna let her brush this off? Who did this to her?”
I froze, unsure of how much to say. Tess was glaring at me, silently warning me to keep my mouth shut, but Jake’s piercing gaze made it impossible to lie.
“It’s… complicated,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
Shit!
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