Reckless Entitlement

Chapter 12: Nick

"Maya," I said looking down at her engine. "I'm going to ask you something and I don't want you to get offended."

"Uh, okay," she replied from the driver's seat. She sat with her leg propped onto the seat, and her head resting on her knee. She'd been watching me as I surveyed this mess. "What is it?"

"How are you not dead?"

The engine was held together with electrical tape and who knows what else. There seemed to be one large leak, that I couldn't pinpoint the source of. I feared that it would burst into flames as I looked at it.

She laughed. "Good fortune, I guess."

I would say so. "You can't drive this."

She hummed, "I hate to break it you but I have to drive it."

"And I hate to break it to you-you can't." I would not be held responsible for her car blowing up on the highway, and with the way this engine looks that's exactly what would happen if she continues to drive this thing.

"How do you expect me to get to work?" She asked. " Or the grocery store? Or anywhere else I need to go? I can't afford to buy another car, and I'm too young to rent."

I hadn't thought about that. "You can just borrow one of mine."

"What if I wreck it?"

I closed the hood, my heart filled with sorrow just looking at the thing.

"I have insurance." I stood next to the open driver's side door. "Come on, I'll take you to pick one."

"Nick, I'm not comfortable with this," she said unsure. "I can't just borrow a car."

"Would you be more comfortable in the hospital or a morgue?" I asked. "Because that's where you'll be if you continue driving this car."

She frowned, "No."

"That's what I thought." I unlocked my car that was parked next to her death trap. "Come on, get in," I said holding open the car door for her. She was hesitant at first but once she saw that I wasn't backing down she got in murmuring something about me taking unnecessary precautions. I chuckled under my breath as I walked to my side of the car.

This meeting had started off interesting to say the least. Beginning with me banging on the door for five minutes only for it to be answered by a sleepy, pants less, Maya. It had been hard for me not to stare at her bare shapely legs. Her underwear was covered by the end of her too big t-shirt. After realizing that she was half-naked she slammed the door in my face. It was only then that I was able to get my bearings about myself.

It wasn't long before she opened the door again this time in shorts that still didn't hide much. We'd agreed to pretend that never happened, but I doubt that I will ever forget it.

She invited me in and I began to tell her about the things I planned on doing to her car. And despite that she was staring at my face so closely, I don't think she was listening.

Once we were both in the car, I noticed her looking around.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No," she replied. "I've just never been in such a fancy car before."

"Oh." This is just so normal for me that sometimes I forget that not everyone has the luxury of riding in a Porsche everyday if they want to. "Well, if you like this one you can borrow it."

She looked over at me her brows furrowed. "I'm not driving your Porsche. I'd look like a drug dealer."

I rolled my eyes, that's a bit dramatic. "Do I look like a drug dealer?"