the BMW, not once jerking to a sudden stop or grinding the clutch. What surprised her was that she found it quite sexy the way he changed gear and handled the steering wheel. She had never, ever, found driving a car sexy before.
“You’re staring at me, babe,” he said with a devilish grin. Stella blushed and was glad for the darkness of the night. “What is it? You don’t think I’ll drive you home safely?”
She did trust him, although she didn’t know why. Trusting someone who drove a car was not something she thought she’d ever do.
“You just admitted being in an accident. I wanted to make sure you knew what you were doing.”
“It wasn’t my fault. The stupid fuck had been drinking and cut a red light, slamming into us. There was nothing I could do. Thankfully, the car took all the damage and we got out without a scratch.”
“We?” Stella felt her pulse quicken once again. This sounded so much like déjà vu; the driver who had killed her family had cut a red light and been drunk. And Max hadn’t been alone.
“Yeah, me and Lisa.”
No, no, no, no!
“I thought she’d told you ...”
Stella couldn’t speak, because her throat had completely closed off, so she just shook her head. Lisa had been in a car accident recently. What was wrong with this world? Did everyone she loved have to be killed in a car crash? That was her worst fear coming to life. Just when she thought she’d managed to overcome it.
The car slowed down and pulled to a stop. Stella tried to push her anxiety down and, looking out of the window, realised they weren’t in front of Lisa’s house yet.
“Why are you stopping?” she asked Max, turning to face him. He had that look again – worry mixed with regret. He didn’t say anything, just unbuckled his seat belt and brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
Stella hadn’t even realised she was crying.
Perfect. Can this get any more embarrassing?
He didn’t ask if she was fine, because obviously she wasn’t. There was no point any more in denying how she felt. But still, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him exactly how she felt right now.
They stayed in silence for a few moments before Max spoke.
“When my dad died, I went off the rails, big time. I drank and partied every night, slept with every girl that showed a remote interest in me. I wasn’t interested in anything or anybody. My mum was grieving in her own way, burying herself in work, and was rarely home. Gia was busy trying to graduate with good grades and applying for colleges. I felt everyone had deserted me. I started getting into fights and causing trouble everywhere I showed up.
“It lasted more than two years. I was a mess and didn’t see any way out. Until one night I got into a fight, and the guy I beat up ended up in a coma for a week. He barely survived. No charges were raised against me, because I had run off and left him for dead. He’d had drugs on him and had been stoned out of his mind when the ambulance came. He didn’t even remember who’d put him in hospital.
“I’d almost killed someone, and I didn’t even remember why. That was the wake-up call I needed to try and sort myself out. It was either that or end up in prison, or worse. I needed to deal with my father’s death. Accept it and move on. So I quit drinking and partying and found a support group for young people who’d lost their parents. I figured I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. That’s where I met Lisa, and her friendship has been a vital part of my recovery.”
The whole time he’d been talking he’d looked straight ahead through the windscreen. Stella couldn’t see his eyes, but she imagined they were full of emotion. She also thought that he didn’t tell this story to just anyone. He’d done it to pave the way for her to share her own feelings with him.
She reached over the gear shift and took his right hand in hers. Max turned his head towards her and he seemed surprised. He hadn’t known
“You’re staring at me, babe,” he said with a devilish grin. Stella blushed and was glad for the darkness of the night. “What is it? You don’t think I’ll drive you home safely?”
She did trust him, although she didn’t know why. Trusting someone who drove a car was not something she thought she’d ever do.
“You just admitted being in an accident. I wanted to make sure you knew what you were doing.”
“It wasn’t my fault. The stupid fuck had been drinking and cut a red light, slamming into us. There was nothing I could do. Thankfully, the car took all the damage and we got out without a scratch.”
“We?” Stella felt her pulse quicken once again. This sounded so much like déjà vu; the driver who had killed her family had cut a red light and been drunk. And Max hadn’t been alone.
“Yeah, me and Lisa.”
No, no, no, no!
“I thought she’d told you ...”
Stella couldn’t speak, because her throat had completely closed off, so she just shook her head. Lisa had been in a car accident recently. What was wrong with this world? Did everyone she loved have to be killed in a car crash? That was her worst fear coming to life. Just when she thought she’d managed to overcome it.
The car slowed down and pulled to a stop. Stella tried to push her anxiety down and, looking out of the window, realised they weren’t in front of Lisa’s house yet.
“Why are you stopping?” she asked Max, turning to face him. He had that look again – worry mixed with regret. He didn’t say anything, just unbuckled his seat belt and brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
Stella hadn’t even realised she was crying.
Perfect. Can this get any more embarrassing?
He didn’t ask if she was fine, because obviously she wasn’t. There was no point any more in denying how she felt. But still, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him exactly how she felt right now.
They stayed in silence for a few moments before Max spoke.
“When my dad died, I went off the rails, big time. I drank and partied every night, slept with every girl that showed a remote interest in me. I wasn’t interested in anything or anybody. My mum was grieving in her own way, burying herself in work, and was rarely home. Gia was busy trying to graduate with good grades and applying for colleges. I felt everyone had deserted me. I started getting into fights and causing trouble everywhere I showed up.
“It lasted more than two years. I was a mess and didn’t see any way out. Until one night I got into a fight, and the guy I beat up ended up in a coma for a week. He barely survived. No charges were raised against me, because I had run off and left him for dead. He’d had drugs on him and had been stoned out of his mind when the ambulance came. He didn’t even remember who’d put him in hospital.
“I’d almost killed someone, and I didn’t even remember why. That was the wake-up call I needed to try and sort myself out. It was either that or end up in prison, or worse. I needed to deal with my father’s death. Accept it and move on. So I quit drinking and partying and found a support group for young people who’d lost their parents. I figured I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. That’s where I met Lisa, and her friendship has been a vital part of my recovery.”
The whole time he’d been talking he’d looked straight ahead through the windscreen. Stella couldn’t see his eyes, but she imagined they were full of emotion. She also thought that he didn’t tell this story to just anyone. He’d done it to pave the way for her to share her own feelings with him.
She reached over the gear shift and took his right hand in hers. Max turned his head towards her and he seemed surprised. He hadn’t known
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