Speed of Life by J.M. Kelly Read Free Book Online Page A

magically waking up.
    â€œYeah, of course I can. But it’s gonna cost us for the part. I wanna kill those bastards.”
    â€œThey’re not worth it. Forget them.”
    I know she’s right. I always let them get to me. But tonight it’s not what they said. They messed with my car. If I could run them over without anyone knowing—​not really kill them, maybe just break a couple of legs—​I totally would. But if I did and I got caught, it would really mess with the plans me and Amber have, so except for a little fantasy on the way home—​where both jerks end up in traction for about a year—​I try to put the idea out of my mind.

Chapter 7
    We spend Sunday out in the driveway, since David has my shift at the garage. It’s sunny and even kind of warm for October, perfect for working on my car, but I’m pissed that I have to. Once I checked out the taillight in the daytime, I wanted to run those sonofabitches over even more. They managed to break the bulb and take a chunk out of the lens on the right side. It’s probably gonna cost me more than a hundred bucks to replace it. And that’s
if
I can score a deal on eBay or at a swap meet. At the parts store, I ended up getting that red plastic tape that’s supposed to be temporary. Hopefully it’ll be okay with the cops.
    The way the engine’s been surging when it idles is annoying me, so when I picked up the tape, I got some throttle valve cleaner, too. The baby’s in her car seat in the driveway, and Amber’s sitting in a raggedy lawn chair next to her, reading me beauty tips from a magazine she found in the bathroom at the Glass Slipper, while I work on the car. Neither of us brings up last night.
    â€œCheck this out,” she says. “Revitalizing eye cream with moisturizing beads . . . only a hundred and ninety-six bucks. Gotta get me some of that.”
    â€œI’m the one who needs it. Too many late nights doing your homework.”
    â€œDon’t talk about school. It’s the weekend.”
    Unfortunately, I’ve got school on my mind. I can’t stop wondering why Ms. Spellerman had to talk to me about college. It’s not like I want to go, but now that she’s brought it up, I can’t seem to forget about it, either.
    â€œDo you know the new guidance counselor?” I ask Amber. “Ms. Spellerman?”
    â€œNope. Why?”
    â€œShe called me to her office.”
    â€œWhat’d you do?”
    I spray the cleaner into the valve and wipe out all the black gunk with a paper towel. I don’t know if this is the problem, but it’s gotta be part of it—​it’s really gross in there. When I’m done, I sit down on the cement next to Amber’s feet to let the engine air-dry for a while.
    â€œI didn’t do anything. She thinks I should go to college.”
    Amber laughs.
    â€œI know, right?” I shake my head and my hair falls out of its rubber band. My hands are filthy, so Amber scoops up my curls and redoes the ponytail for me. I lie back onto the cracked concrete, staring up at the sky. Our neighborhood doesn’t look too bad if you keep your eyes up.
    Bonehead whines, wanting off his chain. “Forget it,” I tell him. “You can’t be trusted.” Yesterday morning, I was fifteen minutes late to work because he ran off when I opened the car door to let him out to pee. Amber gets up and crosses over to him, rubbing his dopey-looking head, and I snag her lawn chair. Gil won Bonehead in a poker game. He’s part German shepherd, part anyone’s guess, and he’s got one blue eye and one brown one, which makes him look adorable and also slightly crazy. I’m hoping any idiot who might want to steal my car will think he’s totally whacked.
    Amber abandons Bonehead and scoops up Natalie. She raises her into the air, making faces, and Nat giggles. “What would you study in