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"No one drives ree with the Princess here" Roed "The crowd’s already seen you two race They want to be entertained If you two have any interest in settling this score so people can get paid, then you’ll play itline in fiveaway, but stopped and turned "Oh, and you can ride shotgun if you like…you know, for et the last words out without cracking up He probably expected the poor girls to wind up in tears before finishing the race

Zack walked off, and whispers broke around the crowd Roman stalked ahile Jared walked over to us

"This is bullshit" He ran his fingers through his hair

"Hey, man I could drive for you," Madoc chimed in "We’d just have to tell them about our secret relationship" He hooked his ared hinored hiround in front of us He was probably trying to think of a way out of this, but when he stopped and let out a defeated sigh, I kneas cornered

I looked over at Roiving her instructions on a manual transmission

Oh, boy My cheeks sucked in as I tried not to laugh

"Jared, I can’t race for you," KC laughed out "There’s got to be someone else"

He looked up to the sky and shook his head Even though I didn’t want to see his car get trashed, I found the situation aht

"There’s only one other person who I’d even slightly trust driving my car" He raised an eyebrow and turned to lock eyes with me

All the air left my body "Me?"

"Her?" Madoc burst out, and Ben and KC echoed

Jared crossed his aration room "Yeah, you"

"Me?" I peered up at hiht I’d do hi at you, aren’t I?" Jared’s snotty tone and condescending stare made me want to say "yes" and then crash the damn car in the hopes he’d be the one to break into tears

I blew hiet an early start to that bonfire? I’ Ben’s due of the crowd

A hand hooked ently pulledto meet my eyes

"Can I talk to you?" His voice was hushed, and his deotten how huet how horrible he’d been, either

"No," I spat out the sao when I’d asked him to turn down his music

He took a breath "You kno hard this is for hed, sounding defeated

I sucked in a breath at those words He needed h his nose and wouldn’tthose words Part of me wanted to help him, but the other part of me just wanted to walk away Where was he when I’d needed him in the past?

I hated ive hi those three simple words Too little, too late

"And tomorrohen you don’t need rier than I’d planned I resented how easily I foundto him

"She’ll do it," KC called out over Jared’s shoulder I hadn’t realized she was standing near us, but when I looked up I noticed Ben and Madoc crashing our conversation, too My heart sped up again

"KC!" I chastised "You don’t speak forit!" I directed the last to Jared

"You want to," she retorted

And she was right

I wanted to drive his car badly I wanted to show all of these people what I was

And it was that thought thatto him I kneorth, and I didn’t need his approval

"Perhaps," I conceded "But I do have pride He’s not getting a da from me"

"Thank you" Jared cut off KC before she had a chance to respond

"For what?" I shot back