Love, After Dark

Chapter 4

At 6:30 p.m. sharp, Brenda’s motorcycle was already parked at the curb. Well, not the motorcycle. The instructor car. But the leather jacket, the heavy boots, and the unmistakable biker energy were very much present. Brenda leaned against the car when I stepped outside, arms crossed, short dark hair styled effortlessly like she’d just rolled out of a garage instead of a salon. She had a pretty face-soft eyes, warm smile-but everything else about her screamed don’t mess with me.

“Hey, kid,” she said, grinning. “Ready to conquer the roads?” “Define ready,” I said, climbing into the driver’s seat. “Because if you mean emotionally stable, then no.” She laughed as she buckled in. “Relax. Start her up.” As we pulled away from the curb, the nerves bubbled up fast. “I’m really scared about Saturday,” I admitted, hands tight on the wheel. “What if I fail? I don’t think I could handle waiting to retest. It feels like everything is riding on it.” “Turn right at the stop sign,” Brenda said calmly. Then, “You’re ready, Siri. Fear just means you care.” I glanced at her. “That’s not very comforting.” She smirked. “Give it time.”

As I drove, I told her about my day, gym class humiliation included, and then, hesitantly, about Amber. About Cory. About how small school felt lately. Brenda listened without interrupting, only chiming in with directions. “Left here.” “Slow it down.” “Nice.”

Finally, she spoke. “High school bullies thrive on reaction. Don’t feed it. As for crushes?” She shrugged. “Feel what you feel, but don’t let someone else’s girlfriend or attitude decide your worth.” I nodded, the tension easing out of my chest.

“Okay,” she said a few minutes later. “Pull back in.” I parked, heart thudding, waiting for the verdict. Brenda stared at me for a long moment. Then she smiled. “You’re worried about failing for nothing. You just drove an entire lesson without a single mistake.” “What?” I blinked. “Not one,” she said. “If you drive like that Saturday, you’ll pass easily.” Relief flooded me so fast I laughed. When she dropped me off at home, the sky darkening above us, I felt lighter than I had all day. Saturday didn’t seem so terrifying anymore.