I watched her walk away down the driveway.
She lingered by the bus stop sign.
What are you doing? I soon got my answer.
An old pickup truck rolled up to the curb. It was rusted around the wheel wells and had a dent in the tailgate. Emily yanked the passenger door open and hopped in.
My pulse turned into a drum solo against my ribs. My first instinct was to call the authorities. I was reaching for my phone… but she’d smiled when she saw the truck, and he’d climbed in willingly.
The truck pulled away. I followed them.
Emily yanked the passenger door open and hopped in.
Maybe I was overreacting, but even if Emily wasn’t in danger, she was still skipping school, and I needed to know why.
They drove toward the outskirts of town, where the strip malls give way to quiet parks. They eventually pulled into a gravel lot near the lake.
« If I’m about to catch you skipping school to be with a boyfriend you haven’t told me about… » I growled as I pulled into the lot behind them.
I parked a short distance away, and that’s when I saw the driver.
They drove toward the outskirts of town.
« You have got to be kidding me! »
I was out of my car so fast that I didn’t even close the door behind me.
I marched toward the pickup truck. Emily saw me first. She was laughing at something he’d said, but her smile dropped the moment we made eye contact.
