Stealing Bradford

“Really?” His voice sounded like he didn’t believe her.

She stopped walking now, turned and stared at him. “No!” she practically shouted. “Do you think that I did?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t know.”

She shook her fist at him now. “You did, didn’t you?”

“Maybe…”

“You cannot be serious! You actually thought that I was the one coming onto you like that? Like I was the one crawling all over you?” She glared at him. “Oh, Conner Alberts, you are so full of yourself! I don’t know what I even saw in you in the first place!” And then she actually began to run. She almost expected him to chase after her. But he didn’t. And when he didn’t, she wasn’t sure whether she felt relieved or disappointed. Mostly she felt mad. Just plain mad.

So, that was the reason he’d given her the cold shoulder. Because he thought she was to blame for their passionate make-out session in the back of Eliza’s car? Like she’d been the one to encourage it! Well, that was just too ridiculous. Maddeningly ridiculous. She was so angry that she ran all the way home, arriving at Carter House out of breath and frazzled and sweaty and a great big mess.

“What happened to you?” asked Taylor. She was sitting on the porch smoking.

DJ just growled as she stomped up the steps. “Don’t ask!”

“Come on,” urged Taylor. “What happened? Did you get axed from the volleyball team on the first day?”

DJ turned and glared at her. “No! And if I were you, I’d keep a safe distance.”

Taylor made a face and pointed her nose in the air. “Yes, I can see why.” She laughed. “But once you’re cleaned up, I’d love to hear all about it.”

Fat chance, thought DJ as she opened the door.

“And then I’ll tell you about my little surprise…”

DJ turned and looked at Taylor. “What kind of surprise?”

“Go, get cleaned up, and then come down and I’ll show you. I might even take you for a ride.”

“A ride?” DJ frowned. “Don’t tell me you have a car too?”

Taylor gave her a sly look. “Even better.”

5

WELL, MAY BE DJ WAS A SUCKER, but Taylor had her hooked. Now, despite her anger at Conner, she was curious. She hurried to take a shower and then put on outfit that she knew Taylor would approve, combed her damp hair into a ponytail, and put on a little lip gloss and mascara. She was glad that Casey wasn’t around, since she suspected Casey would give her a bad time for “primping,” although this seemed pretty minimal compared to the time that Taylor and Eliza took. She wondered where Casey was; hopefully, not getting into trouble or beat up by the thug girls.

DJ hurried downstairs to where Taylor was still sitting on the porch. “So, you are interested?” said Taylor.

DJ tried to act casual. “Maybe…”

“Come on,” said Taylor as she hopped out of the whicker chair and headed down the steps. “It’s in back.”

DJ followed, and just as they turned the corner back by the garage, she saw it parked off to one side. “No way!” she shouted as she stared at the lime green Vespa. “Is that really yours?”

Taylor grinned. “Yep. My daddy had it shipped to me. It was supposed to be for the first day of school, but it got here after we left.”

“Do you know how to drive it?”

“Of course. My boyfriend in LA had one. He let me use it. I’d been begging my mom for one, but she kept freaking that I’d get in a wreck and kill myself. Part of the deal for coming here was that I’d get one. She made Dad buy it for me.”

“Man, you are so lucky,” said DJ. “I love Vespas.”

“Wanna take a spin?”

“Really?”

“Sure.”

“Is it okay? I mean do we need helmets?”

“Yeah, but we’ll just go around the neighborhood, and I won’t go too fast.” Taylor was already getting on it. “Come on.”

So DJ climbed on behind her. “Do you need a special license?” she asked.

“I have a driver’s license,” said Taylor as she started the engine. “Hang on.” Then she gunned it, and DJ had to grab her to avoid flying off the back end.

“Careful!” warned DJ as Taylor took a sharp corner.

“Woo-hoo!” yelled Taylor as she shot down the street.

And, once DJ got used to it, she had to admit, it really was fun. Of course, she didn’t want to admit that she was jealous—lime green jealous. Why was it that Taylor always came out on top? She wasn’t even a Christian. Still, DJ pushed these thoughts away as they breezed through town like a couple of celebrities. Seriously, who would’ve thought that by the end of the day, DJ would be sitting behind Taylor, flashing around on a Vespa?

Then, just as Taylor was turning off Main Street, DJ heard the sound of a siren behind them. Not a long whine, but just a couple of little pops. She looked back to see a patrol car directly behind them. The cop made a gesture that was unmistakable. “Uh-oh,” she said to Taylor. “I think that cop wants you to pull over.”

Taylor used a bad word, and then pulled over and they both got off. “Hello, officer,” said Taylor in a sweet voice. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Several things,” he said.

“Oh…” She made a sad face. “I’m sorry. I just got this Vespa today, and I guess I wasn’t being as careful as I should.”