Be My Bad Boy

I told her.

“See, it will take hours for her to get home by train. And it's cold and dark. You don't want her getting attacked by creeps."
Andy picked up his car keys. "Come on."
I shook my head but Jinxx-Mama pushed me out the door.
I followed Andy to the garage behind their place.
"This is your car? It's really old."

He cocked his eyebrow at me but didn't reply. I guess that came out wrong. I didn't mean old and crappy, but old and wow. I knew nothing about cars but this car must be worth a mint – and cost a mint to drive. The thing was huge and in immaculate condition. The body shone with a red gloss and it had huge fins out the back. It had to be from the '60s or something. When I opened the door, the smell of old leather really hit me. I wondered if Andy had restored it himself.

The drive home didn't take long but we sat in awkward silence. I tried to think of something to say but my mind was a raging pit of blankness. I didn't want to mention the band in case he got snappy again and I couldn't think of anything else we had in common. I wanted to get home and sleep off my food baby but, at the same time, the thought of his thigh so close to mine sent a buzz through my body. These old cars with their bench seats seemed to invite some kind of sin.
He turned on the stereo.

"Do you know this song?" he asked.
"Screw you, dude," I sneered back. "Do you think I’m a moron?"
I might not have known much about music but this was Elvis. Is there a person alive who doesn’t know Elvis?

I curled in my seat and rested my head against the leather. Suddenly, I was eight years old and driving in the car with Dad and Heartbreak Hotel had come on the radio and we’d sang together. I don’t know where we’d been driving to but I’d completely forgotten that time until now, the soft breeze coming in through the car window and the sun making everything outside shine so bright.
"It’s the next left," I said, coming back to the present and realizing I was nearly home.
He pulled over outside.

"You live here?"
"Yeah, I live here. It's cool. And very convenient."
He raised his eyebrow. "Really? And I'm not buying that story about dropping out to get 'real world' experience for a minute. Rich chicks like you don't just drop out of school and move into slummy apartments. Not unless they are playing at being real people."
"I am a real person. Oh, and thanks for the lift home."
I opened the car door and climbed out.

"Umm, Hannah?"
I noticed he called me by name instead of "babes". I don’t know why that made me grin. I ducked my head because I didn't want him to know that made me happy. Instead of answering, he stared at his hands resting on the steering wheel. I couldn't read the expression on his face and waited for some snarky remark.

"Thanks. For organising the gig."
He reached across and shut the door and drove off quickly, leaving me to wonder why I couldn't stop grinning and why my heart was being so stupid.

Notes

And he becomes a softy cx