Love, After Dark

Chapter 5

Saturday morning arrived like a dare. I woke up already anxious, my stomach twisting as if it knew exactly what was coming. I stared at the ceiling for a long moment, listening to the quiet hum of the house, my heart thudding like it was already running late. Driving exam today. The words echoed in my head as I finally rolled out of bed, my legs shaky as if I’d already failed something.

Downstairs, breakfast was waiting like a test of its own. Eggs, toast, orange juice- but the sight of it made my throat tighten. “I really don’t think I can eat,” I muttered, poking at the toast like it had personally wronged me. My dad looked up over the rim of his coffee. “You absolutely can eat,” he said calmly. “You should eat. Your brain needs fuel if you’re going to focus.” “I feel like I’m going to throw up,” I said. “That’s just the nerves talking,” my mom said gently, sliding into the chair beside me. “You’re prepared. You’ve practiced. You’ve got this. Take a few bites. Slow.” I forced down a few bites, each one a battle. The closer the clock crept toward our departure time, the worse the anxiety got. My leg bounced under the table. My hands wouldn’t stay still.

That’s when Sia chose violence. She leaned back in her chair, hands laced behind her head. “I mean, it’s not like if you fail, you’ll have to wait six months to retest,” she said casually. “And then they’ll probably sell the car you’ve been saving up for, and you’ll be the laughing stock of the school, and every guy will be embarrassed to date you-“ I shot her warning look. “-and you’ll end up an angry old cat lady,” she continued, enjoying herself, “who needs transportation to get to all her appointments because you never got your license and there’s no one around to take you-” She paused. “Oh wait.” Then she snorted with laughter, nearly choking on her juice. I growled. Actually growled.

“SIA,” “That’s enough,” my dad snapped, finally losing his calm. “Not funny. Apologize.” She rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” she said, very much not sorry. Mom cleared her throat. “For what it’s worth,” she said, smiling at me, “you’re beautiful and smart. Someone will absolutely marry you. I didn’t drive when I met your father either.” Dad smiled at her. “Didn’t matter. I was already gone.” She squeezed his hand. “Still are.” They leaned in and kissed. “Gross,” Sia and I said in unison.

At the BMV, my nerves spiked all over again. The building smelled like paper and old carpet, and the waiting room hummed with low conversations and anxious energy. They sent me to a smaller inner room while my parents and Sia stayed outside. My phone buzzed.

Sia: Don’t f**k this up for me! I’m tired of Mom tagging along when my friends and I go to the mall. I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt. Kayla: GOOD LUCK!!! Can’t wait to ride around like the cool kids 😎 Then another buzz. Brenda: You’re going to kill it. You’re ready. Breathe. I smiled just as they called my name. “Phones off,” the examiner said.

The exam felt like it lasted forever. Every stop sign, every turn signal, every mirror check. My hands stayed steady, though my heart raced the entire time. When we finally pulled back in, the examiner made a few notes, tore something from her clipboard, and handed it to me. “Congratulations,” she said. You passed. I walked back out in a daze, clutching the certificate in my hand like it might disappear. I lifted the paper, rereading the words as if my brain couldn’t comprehend the words to be true. There in bold print was all the confirmation needed. Passed. My mom gasped when she saw it. “You did it!” She hugged me so hard my feet nearly lifted off the ground. My dad pulled me into a proud, solid embrace. “We’re celebrating,” he said. Dinner at Al’s tonight!,” he announced. I floated the whole way to the car.