Chapter 7 : Bringing the Key

Chapter 7 : Bringing the Key

I agreed to meet Wesley, Rowan and Jae after school at Jae’s locker. He decided to come along to give me support like the good friend he was. He couldn’t exactly stay while we learned hand signs, driving rules and all that, but he was sending us to the academy, saving us the long walk.

I had mulled over the thought of making a run for it, tell them I forgot about our arrangement when they confronted me about it, throughout the rest of the day, but decided against it. It wouldn’t be fair to anybody. Yes, the great Paul actually has moral values. You shall all cower at my mercy!

The bell rang, signaling the end of school and the beginning of my humiliating revelation.

I slowly picked up my books and made my way to my locker, making pointless stops along the way by saying hi to random people, trying to prolong the process. Carefully, I stuffed my things into my locker and arranged everything neatly.

“Yo, Paul!” I heard a familiar voice yell, “What’s taking you so long?” Whirling around, I realized the guys had decided to come get me.

“Couldn’t find my trigonometry homework,” I lied, fumbling with my papers.

“Isn’t that it?” Jae pointed at my left hand, which, unfortunately was holding my trigonometry homework.

“Oh. Yea.”

Sighing, I followed them to the front of the school where Jae had parked his brand new, extremely shiny and expensive car.

Wesley and Rowan ooh-ed and aah-ed at it in wonder while Jaedrian boasted about it’s power and the special features it came with. Of course, the convertible basked in its glory. Such was the joy of being able to drive, note the sarcasm.

I clambered into the car and waited patiently for them. I had the time. I could so totally wait. Apparently they couldn’t. After chatting away amiably for about five minutes, they joined me in the car and we zoomed off to the driver’s academy, listening to Jae’s favorite kind of music - heavy metal.

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After half an hour of screeching, extremely loud guitar riffs and head-banging, earsplitting music, we arrived. Truth be told, I would’ve endured hours of the terrible noise rather than sit for my driver’s license.

Jae dropped us at the front and promised he’d be back to pick us up when we were done.

The three of us strolled into the building and I began praying.

“Hi, we’d like to register for driving lessons?” Wesley enquired with the lady at the front desk. She smiled and nodded, handing over a few forms and three pens.

Wesley and Rowan got to work immediately while I eyed the papers like they were going to eat me up.

The first few questions were innocent enough - your name, date of birth, identification, race - all that was fine. Until I read the bottom portion.

If you were crippled you had to apply for a separate license. Mental disability wasn’t tolerated. This was the part which got to me most though - you had to sit for a colorblindness test. I knew such a thing existed, but it was still a big blow to me. If you wanted to drive, you couldn’t be colorblind.

At least, not to the extent I was.

I had somehow managed to survive school without letting anyone know I suffered from this, I’m not going to say disease because it isn’t, but rather, this, problem of mine. It took a lot of evasion and expert weaseling and charming, but I’ve managed to get around just fine.

I couldn’t fail now! I was a junior! Next semester, I’ll be a senior and all will be well. So I have to just pretend. One day I’m going to be an excellent actor. Maybe win a few oscars.

Wesley and Rowan had already filled in their forms and were waiting for me to fill mine in. Taking a deep breath, I completed the sheet of paper and handed it in.

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Sunday Summer Shae rolled her eyes as her older sister, Serena Shana Shae, ranted on and on about her fiance and his hopelessness and how she had to plan their wedding without his help while he was busy working.

Sunday managed to refrain herself from pointing out to her sister that if Jake, the poor man who was her sister’s fiance, didn’t work, she wouldn’t be able to plan such an extravagant wedding.

Serena was extremely high maintenance. She spent majority of her time shopping or at the having lunch with her elitist friends. Of course, she could afford to. Jake, a millionaire at only 25 because of his hard work, had no qualms about spending money to make his beloved happy.

Unlike Sunday who was a petite with frizzy bright red, bordering on orange hair, Although they both inherited the same colored hair, Serena’s wasn’t frizzy, but instead, was thick and wavy. Unlike Sunday, she wasn’t petite but tall and willowy.

Yet, despite the differences in their character and looks, the two sisters were close.

Oh. Serena had finally stopped to take a breath.

“Where are we going?” Sunday asked.

“The driving academy.” Serena grinned, “It’s about time you retook that driving test and got yourself another license.”

Sunday grimaced. She had a valid reason for not wanting to learn. But there was no way to weasel her way out of this. Her sister was extremely stubborn.

She sighed and contemplated if she should tell Serena about the cryptic text she had received from an unknown number, presumably their father.

In the end, she decided against it, knowing Serena would overanalyze everything and make a big deal.

Their father, Jack Shae, was a successful businessman who loved his family and worked hard to give them a good life.

Unfortunately, he worked the wrong way. A few months back, Jack was charged with embezzlement and fraud. A fellow colleague had caught him in the act and there was enough evidence for him to be given a life sentence.

Panicking, Jack ran away with a truckload of black money, leaving unpaid debts and vengeful friends to his family.

Lesley, Sunday and Serena’s mother, was forced to find a new job that paid better and had to move from the Big Apple to a small town in Nantucket. Now, she was an auditor for a big company and their small family fared pretty well, gradually working their way through debts and making amends with a few of their friends.

Of course, the fact that Jake was Serena’s fiance made a big difference.

For once in her life, Sunday felt something akin to hatred towards her sister. Why, oh, why did she have to learn to drive!

There was something called public transportation, a safer means of getting around to places. She didn’t trust herself anymore - not after what had happened last time.

“You know sis, I think you’re the only junior in your school that doesn’t have a driver’s license,” Serena babbled on.

Sunday didn’t reply and leaned her head against the sun-warmed window.

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The lecturer stood in front of a board, brandishing a marker and speaking at an amazing speed. I was amazed that I could understand him. I stared aimlessly at a spot on the board, daydreaming about horses and myself in shining armor.

A resounding bang reverberated through the class and the first thing I noticed was hair. Alot of it. Oh no. Here we go again.

Why does she have to go wherever I am?

Does she secretly stalk me or something? Wesley and Rowan, who were busy dozing off on both sides of me, jerked awake at the sound of the noise and their mouths hung wide open when they saw Sunday Summer Shae. Dude, I could almost see the drool forming. She wasn’t that hot.

I mean, I could see the appeal, but. Come on! Show some composure!

I smirked when I realized that, unlike her usual self, she wasn’t smiling. Her face held a glum expression and she looked, dare I say it - sad.

Okay, okay. I’m not that mean. The smirk was an aw-why-on-earth-is-she-sad smirk. Not a ha-ha-she’s-sad smirk.

I have a conscience! The poor kid must’ve had a bad day or something. But it couldn’t have been as bad as mine.

I poked Wesley’s arm with a pencil and he started, glaring at me. Snickering, I did the same thing to Rowan but unlike Wesley who glared, he grinned.

With a roll of my eyes, I stared straight ahead again.

‘Hair’ was talking to the lecturer in quiet tones so I couldn’t hear a thing they both said. But I bet it had something to do with her coming in late. Funny, I always thought I was the only one who couldn’t drive in my grade, save for Wesley and Rowan. I guess since she’s new and all, I didn’t know.

Pathetic excuse, I know.

Suddenly, the lecturer raised his voice a little and I caught one or two of his words, “must sit” and “you paid”.

After a few seconds, the lecturer gestured towards a seat, right in the middle of the rather packed class, and Sunday made her way towards it. She looked even more glum than when she first entered.

Oh well.

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