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Because I hate hurting people, I’ll reply, but only so much because in the end there’s this deep, dark voice that whispers, Why does he care and what right does he have to ask?

"You don’t have your driver’s license" Eli returns to one of his previous and safer topics "How is that possible?"

"Where are we going?" I ask, not even bothering hiding the exasperation

"Somewhere," he answers "Why don’t you have your license?"

"I don’t kno to drive That’s how it’s possible"

"Do you want to learn?" he asks

"Yeah," I hedge, then nibble on my bottom lip Dad attempted to teach as when I should have chosen the brake I creamed a row of bushes in our front yard and totaled the front of Dad’s Mercedes Since then, neither Dad nor I have been eager to resume my lessons "This past year has been busy You know, school and stuff"

"Stuff," Eli says, as if he’s trying the word for the first tiers tap the steering wheel The cords of muscles in his arms ith the motion and the tattooed stars move Hmm Never noticed before that not all the stars are shaded in

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Eli doesn’t look at me like he has with the two million other questions since we left Olivia’s

"Yes," I answer "We’ve been together for a month He’s the captain of the football team and he expected sex on our first date Initially, I said no, but then he was a little grabby and I figured everyone ht why not? I went home and told Mom and she put me on birth control so she’s cool e do it in my bedrooainst the seat belt then rams back into the seat The two bikes in front of us U-turn and there’s a loud grumble as the three behind us fly to catch up

Colares at me with black, soulless eyes "What did you say?"

"No," I tell him calmly "I don’t have a boyfriend"

Eli blinks and directs his attention to the steering wheel

One of the bikes pulls up beside us The name Hook is sewn on the front of his vest "We okay?"

Eli nods then presses the gas "Are you shitting me on the boyfriend or on the no boyfriend?"

"I don’t have a boyfriend" I don’t knohy I ran ht to askhe wants and how he expects a response Year after year he visits Florida and year after year I try , but why he craves an inside scoop on my life and why I owe it to him, I don’t understand