Page 225 of Small Town Firsts
“Do you drive?” she asks before slapping her palm to her forehead. “Blonde moment! It’s not like you teleported from Texas.”
“We all have them,” I assure her, twisting a lock of my dark brown hair that’s escaped my braid around my fingers. “Even those of us on the dark side.”
“You’re cool driving us, though?”
“Yup. I’m in the lot in front of the dorm.”
Like an unwanted companion, anxiety churns in my gut as we near the parking lot. Stella seems cool, but what if she’s the kind of girl who will think less of me because my car is out of date?
No, Emmy, stop it. Don’t self-sabotage out of fear. You’re better than that and Stella doesn’t deserve to be the victim of said fear.
“This is me.” I stop at the trunk and dig my keys from my bag.
“Nice ride,” she says, skimming her hand appreciatively over the body.
If she were anyone else, I’d assume she was being disingenuous, but Stella’s face is completely open and honest. She truly believes my little old Honda is nice.
“Thanks. Bought her myself,” I say as I duck into the driver’s seat.
“Does she have a name?” Stella asks once she’s buckled.
“No...” I hedge.
The bubbly blonde to my right gasps. “What? Youhaveto name your car. Everyone knows that, Em.”
My heart slams against my chest in tandem with my foot slamming against the brake pedal. Stella braces herself on the dash as the momentum of my sudden stop sends her forward.
“What? What is it?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly.
Embarrassment renders me mute.
“Emmy, are you okay? You’re totally freaking me out.”
My breath stalls in my chest and my hands sweat against the leather of the steering wheel. I pinch my eyes closed and try to regulate my breathing.
Sensing something is deeply wrong, Stella softens her voice when she speaks again. “Hey, it’s okay. Deep breaths, right?” She says each word slowly, with a deliberateness that tells me this isn’t her first rodeo with panic attacks.
“Everything is okay. You’re okay.”
I nod as I exhale.
“Do you think you can pull the car to the side of the road?”
I nod again before peeling my lids open and guiding my car to the shoulder. Thankfully there are no other vehicles in sight.
“What happened just now?”
So much for her thinking I’m normal. Now she knows I’m a freak.
“You don’t have to tell me, but I’m a great listener.”
“It...” I swallow hard. “It was the name. I, um?—”
“Say no more.” Stella waves a hand in the air. “I’ll never use it again. Promise.”
Relief washes over me instantaneously. “Thank you.”
“We all have our shit, girl. No worries. Now, if you’re good to drive, I need some cinnamon-sugar goodness, stat.”
