Katie McGarry - Crash Into You

I clear my throat as Ethan automatically doesn’t buy anything that involves me and malls.

“Parking lot,” adds Abby. “Mall parking lot. I had a flat. She helped. It was all serendipitous. I like bunnies. She likes bunnies. We totally clicked.”

Ethan’s eyebrows furrow together as he assesses me. “You like bunnies?”

“My brother dropped me off,” Abby continues, “because our school gets out before your school and you promised we could do girl stuff at your house.”

“Abby,” I interrupt before she says anything else. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll meet you at home, Rach.” Ethan continues to eye Abby.

With Ethan safely in his car behind us and Abby in the passenger side, I let the questions flow. “What are you doing? How did you get here? What is going on?”

“Did you snort crack? Don’t answer. Isaiah said you lost your way out of the house past curfew. We bought these clothes, he dropped me off here, and ta-da...I’m your new best friend—private school–going, new in town, rich Abby.”

I glance in my rearview mirror. Ethan is hot on my tail. “I don’t get it. How is this supposed to help?”

“Introduce me to your parents tonight and then I’ll invite you for a sleepover tomorrow.”

My entire body feels lighter. Isaiah thinks of everything. “Serendipitous?”

“Do you like it?” She waggles her eyebrows. “I learned it for today.”

Isaiah

LOGAN HOVERS OVER THE ENGINE as I slide myself underneath. I’m changing the oil in my car, again. The engine’s been acting funny, and my gut tells me she’s close to overheating. The continued drag racing is aging my baby.

“I’m not feeling the cash flow tonight,” says Logan.

“Me, either.” The types of people we race do it for shits and giggles. Side bets are for those who feel cocky. Logan and I have kicked ass for two weekends straight. Tonight, we’ll have plenty of people who will race against us for bragging rights, but few will put up money.

“Explain bracket racing,” he says.

My hands hesitate as I work. Bracket racing. The thought has circled in my head. “They do it on Sundays. If you think you can hit an eighth mile in 10 seconds then you race against other cars that can do the same. Same rules apply at the line. You can’t go before the green, but they will give you a handicap. If the competition is a second faster than you, then you’ll get to leave a second faster. Whoever crosses the line first without breaking the green wins.”

“Sounds fair enough,” says Logan.

I roll out from underneath my car. “But if you say you can hit an eighth in 10 seconds and you take the finish line at 9.9 seconds, then you lose. You have to stay above 10 seconds.”

“What?”

“You pick your target, man. It’s like a game show. You pick the number you think you can take the finish line in without going over. If you go over that number, you lose.”

Logan scratches the back of his head. “That means we have to have an insane reaction time at the line and watch that we don’t go too fast, but fast enough to beat whoever we’re against all in a matter of seconds.”

I nod.

“And the world got complicated.”

“Always does.”

“What’s the draw?” says Logan.

“There’s a pot for the first three finishers. The pot for a street car like mine isn’t worth the investment, but if we add a nitro system, then we could compete in a class where the money may be worth it.”

Logan gets that crazy glint in his eye anytime we discuss something that involves the cars going faster. “Then we should add a nitro system. I can’t think of anything holding you back.”

Both of us turn our heads to the sweet sound of Rachel’s Mustang pulling in. Sitting on the rolling board, I rest my arms on my bent knees and watch as my angel glides into the garage.

Logan glances at her then me. “Think I discovered your issue.”

“Yeah.” Nitro can be dangerous, and I don’t want the system in her car.

In the used designer jeans and soft blue sweater we bought at the Goodwill, Abby looks like a completely different person.

“Her brothers are hot. Annoying, but hot,” announces Abby. “Just saying.”

I stand, and Rachel weaves her arms around my neck. I kiss her lips. “Hey, angel.”

“Hi.” Red touches her cheeks. Either because she hasn’t seen me in a week or because she’s staying the night with me.

“You look nice,” says Logan. Rachel and I turn to see Logan checking Abby out.

“Did I mention her brothers aren’t nearly as hot as you?” Abby flashes a sexy grin. She doesn’t release that smile often and flags shoot straight into the air.

I roll my eyes. Logan and Abby hooking up is not a good idea. She destroys guys and...I like Logan. “Logan, I forgot my seed money. Wanna come back with me to pick it up?”

“Sure.”

I kiss Rachel’s lips again. “Be back in a sec.”

Rachel

FIDDLING WITH A WRENCH, I listen to Abby gush about my family. How insanely nice my parents are and how crazy it is that all of my brothers are good-looking. I’ll admit, I’m blessed. I have so much more than others, and on the outside my family is absolutely perfect.

“Hello, Rachel.”

My head snaps up and Abby falls silent. My heart drums, and a cold sweat breaks out over my body, onto my palms. I swipe my hands against my jeans the moment I see the face that haunts my nightmares. “Eric.”

He strides into the garage as if he owns the place. His green army jacket engulfs his bony body. “Making new friends, Abby?”

Abby straightens beside me, and gone is the girl that I’ve come to know over the past couple of weeks. All emotion drains from her face and leaves a hardness that frightens me. “This isn’t your block, Eric. It belongs to me.”

“No, it belongs to the person you pay off to keep you and your family safe.” Eric makes a show of glancing over both of his shoulders before leaning into Abby. His nose nearly touches hers. “And I don’t see him here.”

She doesn’t flinch. A creepy smile eases onto her face as she tosses her hair so she can stare him straight in the eye. “One phone call, Eric, and it’ll be raining fire and brimstone.”

If I didn’t know better, I would have thought fear flashed in his eyes. “You’d let Isaiah be caught in the crosshairs? I don’t think so.” Eric switches his sights to me. “How’s it going with my money?”

“Fine.” I rub my arms. The skin crawls as he invades my personal space. He’s so close that I smell his breath.

“Word on the street is that you might make deadline,” he breathes out as his eyes linger near my chest.

I cross my arms, trying to hide what he’s focusing on. Adrenaline begins to leak into my bloodstream, and I silently pray for Isaiah to stride back into the door. Isaiah can fix this. He knows how to make me feel safe.

“Don’t let him get to you,” Abby says. “He’s like those damn annoying dogs always starved for attention and begging for scraps at the table. It’s best to pretend he doesn’t exist.”

“Watch your mouth,” he mutters.

“You’re pathetic and transparent. Isaiah won’t fall for your intimidation shit, which is why I’m guessing you’re here.”

Eric tears his eyes away from Abby and this time stares at my lips. “How close are you really to paying me off? We could make a deal. You do something for me and I’ll provide a discount for you.”

Abby appears at my side. “Step back, Eric.”

He smirks. “Or what, Abby? You gonna jack up the prices on the drugs you sell? I’m aware of the service charge reserved only for me. You need to start rethinking your business practices.”

My head jerks and Abby falters. Our eyes meet and her calm, cold facade cracks.

Eric laughs. “She didn’t know that you’re a drug dealer, did she?”

When Abby says nothing, Eric inches closer. I inch to the side, but Eric follows. Without thinking, I trapped myself against a wall. I don’t like how Eric looks at me. The panic begins to claw at my chest and I swallow. I need to stay in control.

“Did you know that Isaiah is an addict? Uses like the rest of us street rats.” His eyes wander up, then down. “What kind of currency are you paying Isaiah to take on this debt? Not cash, I’m guessing.”

Eric raises his hand and all the air squeezes out of my lungs. I gasp right as he moves to touch my skin. He can’t touch me. I won’t let him. My hands thrust out and I push at his chest.

Anger explodes in his dark, soulless eyes. He grabs my wrist, slamming it over my head into the concrete wall. I scream.

Abby screams.

And with my free hand I’m hitting and kicking and so is Abby and suddenly...

He’s gone.

The world spins, and I can’t find my bearings. There’s more yelling and more voices. Gravity overtakes me as I can’t inhale. Abby appears in front of me—dark eyes and hair. “Rachel!”

Abby is free of Eric. We both are. I grab her, still struggling for air, and drag both of us as I stumble into the office. I need to make sure we’re safe—me and Abby. She’s my friend and I can’t leave her behind.

She says things, things I don’t understand, and she strokes my hair while she talks. I can’t breathe. I can’t.

She disappears and in her place are gray storm clouds. “Breathe, angel. Come on.”

Isaiah. I wrap my arms around him, and he holds me—tightly. I listen to his heart: the steady beat, the steady pace, and within a few seconds I start to match his breathing. I inhale deeply one more time. “Isaiah.”

He cups my face and forces me to meet his eyes. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Eric?”

“Is gone,” says Logan from the doorway of the office.

Isaiah helps me walk back into the garage. Logan’s right. It’s only the four of us. With her shoulders hunched, Abby stands beside Logan. She lifts her head only to share a wary glance with him, then Isaiah, but not me.

“What’s wrong?” I ask. Because I can feel it. A heaviness that wasn’t here before.

Isaiah swears under his breath. “I’m sorry.”

I hate the prickling in my stomach, a sensation foretelling doom. “For what?”

“I hit him. Eric. I came in and saw the two of you fighting him off, and I hit him. Hard.”

“Good.” I mean it. If I could have socked him in the jaw and caused the bastard to bleed then I would have, but I’m not that strong.

“You don’t hit Eric.” Abby nudges her foot at the concrete. “Not without repercussions.”

My stomach cramps. “Is he going to hurt you?” No, please no. My hands flutter near Isaiah’s face, terrified of Eric hurting him. “I’ll apologize. I’ll...I’ll...” I have no idea what to do.

Isaiah takes my hands. “He moved up the due date. We have to pay him in one week.”

My head becomes light and I sway. Isaiah places his hands on my waist to steady me.

“It’s unexpected,” he says. “But not impossible. We’re close to the total. Let’s race tonight, count our winnings and see where we stand.”

Okay. He’s right. Plus Isaiah would never lie. “All right.”

“Abby!” Logan calls out. “Where’re you going?”

With her hands in her pockets, Abby walks away from the garage. Isaiah holds on when I move to go after her. “I’m okay,” I tell him. “I need to talk to her.”

Isaiah releases me, but keeps his arm near my elbow in case I drop. “Abby!”

She continues to walk away and I quicken my pace. “Abby!”

Abby stops on the sidewalk and doesn’t turn around. I slow as I approach and think of Eric’s words and Abby’s description of her job. She’s a drug dealer.

A drug dealer. My first real girlfriend is a drug dealer. My entire world feels upside down and sideways; yanked inside out then pulled back out again. With new eyes, I look at Abby. She’s exactly the same as before: black hoodie, braver-than-I-could-ever-be jeans and long brown hair. She’s a beautiful girl—a mystery to me, and bold, but what I’ve never seen is how seventeen she appears. How...young, like me.

She’s what I should hate in the world, yet she’s come to be someone I love.

“Thanks,” I say.

She flips her hair over her shoulder. “For what?”

“For helping me with Eric.”

“He’s an asshole.”

“Yes. He is.” I hesitate. Eric called Isaiah an addict. He called her a drug dealer. Drug dealers are bad and Abby isn’t. She’s good. “Why?”

She shrugs, not even pretending she doesn’t know what I mean. “I inherited a mess, and someday, I’m not going to do this anymore. But right now, there are problems with my family and I’m the only one who can fix them.”