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I said nothing as I ducked back out, and felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out, and scoffed, wondering if she’d planned this or something. It was a message from my sister, asking if I was okay. She did it often ever since she left home. I sent her a quick text back saying I was fine. She didn’t need to know Mom and Dad only got worse after she left, because all they were left with was me, and I couldn’t measure up to Harper.
Jumping into my car, I tossed my bag on the passenger seat, slammed the door, and leaned back against the headrest, closing my eyes and breathing slowly, relieved at the silence.
Then, I had an idea. Instead of sitting in the driveway until it was time to go to school, I could give Anita a drive.
I don’t know exactly where she lives, though.
I looked at the time on my phone, wavering. I decided to go anyway. It was early enough; if I didn’t see her, I’d just have to wait around for her. Mind made up; I drove to her area from memory. I didn’t make it to the place I dropped her off, because I saw her walking on the sidewalk. She was staring right at my car, frozen, and I grinned as I came to a stop beside her, lowering the window.
“Hey. Would you like a ride to school? Hop in.”
Anita gave a slow blink. “Sure.”
She hesitated, staring at me, as if wondering why I was there, but she hurried around the car and jumped in.
Chapter Eight
Anita
“So, what do you like to do in your free time?”
I was surprised he was talking to me. Hell, I was surprised he’d driven all this way just to pick me up for school. I’d even wondered if I was dreaming and pinched my arm just outside the door before I jumped in, and I was subtly rubbing the small red mark.
“I read,” I said after a minute. My tone sounded normal, but I couldn’t be any further from calm. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, but I was a better actor than I thought.
“What do you read?”
“Um,” I frowned, thinking quickly. “I’m in the middle of a book called Christine right now. I circle different authors, and when I find ones I like, I go through the backlist, but not all at once, and I’m back on Stephen King for now. After that one, I’ll read Carrie and The Shining, then find something else to read.”
“Really?” Evan said, glancing at me, a wide grin on his face. Before I could ask why he was so happy, he told me. “I love Stephen King books. There are some newer ones out, but some of my favorites are some of the older ones. How did you get into it? It’s all horror stuff. Most people get squeamish.”
I shrugged. I got squeamish about bugs and snakes, but what’s there to be scared of from a book?
“I found one of his more recent books when I was shopping for new stuff; now I’m going through his backlist. I watched some of the movies based on his books, too, but I didn’t know they were from his book until I saw the lists.”
“Hey, let me know what you think when you’re done reading,” he said excitedly. “I can recommend the ones l like to you if you haven’t read them yet.”
“I’m surprised you even read,” I said honestly.
Though, mostly surprised, and secretly delighted, that we had something in common, even if it was just books we liked.
We chatted as he drove the rest of the way to school, and I didn’t realize we’d even arrived until I looked up after realizing we weren’t moving. He chuckled, looking a little sheepish as he ducked his head down.
“Sorry. I’m talking too much, right? Most people just don’t get why I would read when I could watch.” He shrugged his shoulders, looking away.
Though I felt the same, I smiled, because reading was one of my favorite past times. I’d been watching TV less than when I was a kid.
“I’ll bring you the books you want tomorrow, all right? I have a bunch of hardcovers I’ve been collecting at home.”
“Thanks,” I said, sm
iling when he grinned.
He opened his car door, before pausing and turning to me.
“I almost forgot my bag.”
“Oh,” I jumped, looking down as I moved my feet. His bag had been shoved to the floor when I got inside. “Okay.”
