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to shift.”
    Whoa. Lot of words. “What?!”
    “Don’t freak out. You’re doing fine.”
    The car bumps off the curb as I turn onto the road. I try to remember what he said, but in my haste I put the clutch through the floor and slam on the brake.
    At least the car’s still running.
    Zak doesn’t say anything about my jerky stop, but purses his lips together and shakes with silent chuckles. He moves my hand.
    “Do it again.”
    If he means stall, I comply.
    “Sorry.”
    “Don’t apologize, it’ll happen more than once. Try again.” He leans over me to start the car. I consider stalling it on purpose if he’s going to come this close to me when I do.
    I’m pretty good once the car gets going. Shifting from first to second to third isn’t as hard as when I come to a complete stop and start going again. I try to avoid stop signs and traffic lights.
    “Pull into this parking lot,” Zak says pointing out my window.
    I do, then park the car in a spot overlooking a giant field.
    I cut the engine the way I’m supposed to this time. Zak releases his hold on my hand, and I realize how sweaty his must’ve been because the breeze instantly catches on my skin.
    “Ready to do it by yourself?” he asks, gazing around the vacant lot. “Pretty sure you won’t kill anyone out here.”
    I want to give him a playful punch in the arm, but I’m still too nervous slash exhilarated from the drive.
    “Maybe in a minute.” Crap. My voice totally shakes.
    “Are you okay?”
    I nod.
    “Really, you did just fine. Especially for your first time.”
    I lean back on the headrest, taking deep breaths. If only he knew it isn’t just the driving making me all flustered and crazy.
    The tension in the car must make him flustered too, because he stammers out his next question, which comes out of nowhere.
    “So, you and Levi, huh?”

Chapter 9
    Hi, Zoe. It’s Zoe. We haven’t spoken for a while.
    “It’s not like that,” I say, opening my eyes and grinning. I can’t help but feel happy he’s interested, even though I feel more guilty about the whole make-out-with-random-guy thing.
    “Not like what?”
    “We’re not dating or anything.”
    He puckers his forehead and his dark eyes narrow. Whoops, maybe not the right thing to say.
    “You always kiss guys you aren’t dating?”
    Yeah, definitely not the right thing to say. I can hear the double meaning behind the question and my insides turn to mulch. “It was just… a mistake. That’s all. I’ve had a bad week.”
    That’s the understatement of the year.
    “Want to talk about it?”
    Yes. I want to be back in his living room with the Nintendo controller, spilling my guts about how fake and stupid I am, how Cody assaulted me, and how every night I cover myself and read comic books. But nothing escapes my tongue. It’s too much, and I’m not allowed to dump it on him. Since he’s not my friend and all.
    “I’m sorry I asked,” he says, shifting in his seat. “I just—”
    “Worry?” A smile forms on my lips, but I don’t look at him.
    “Yeah.”
    “Why?” I keep my eyes locked on a speck on the window.
    “Why what?”
    “Why do you worry about me?”
    I hate it when he hesitates. Every breath I take during the silence I get more and more self-conscious and question why I say the stupid things I say.
    “I dunno. I guess I-I’ll always worry about you, Zo.”
    It doesn’t answer my question, but I don’t care. I can’t help the smile that glues onto my face as I finally look at him.
    “Nice.”
    He furrows his brow at my amused tone. “What?”
    I poke his shoulder. “Episode 34?”
    He raises his eyes to the ceiling and smirks. “Yeah. I think you’re right. I didn’t mean to steal the line, though. I meant it.”
    I laugh and he smiles with me.
    “I still can’t believe you remember all of it.”
    “I don’t have amnesia. And it hasn’t been that long.”
    He nods. “Feels like it has though.”
    There he goes, sucking the fun out of the