In the past couple of months, she’d changed. There were no more tears. He couldn’t get a single rise out of her, no matter what he did. She would either take what he dished out, or she’d flat-out ignore him.
No comebacks.
No insults.
No violence.
Nothing.
He was used to this kind of treatment from Sean but not from Prudence. Her best friend was a grade-A pussy.
“Dude, this is getting really fucking creepy,” Marco said.
“You got a problem with it, get the fuck out of my car. I don’t have time for you, asshole.”
“Dude, what is your problem?” Nick asked.
Pressing his foot to the gas, he ignored his friends, taking off down the street, nearly hitting a kid on a bike as he did so. He slammed his foot on the brake.
His friends burst out laughing as they always did.
Dismissing them, he sped up, wanting to go as far and fast as he could and never look back.
They were all howling and laughing, loving what he was doing. When he cleared the town, he smirked as he pulled the car onto the opposite side of the road just as a truck was coming toward him.
“Drake, don’t be a dick,” Carl said.
“Come on, Drake, get off the road,” Nick said.
“This isn’t funny,” Marco said.
While they were all moaning and shitting themselves, he relished the fear, the tightness inside him as the truck got closer, blaring its horn.
When he faced death, it was when he felt so fucking alive. This wasn’t a test. This was him challenging another driver. Daring them to hit him, to take out his little car. Car against truck, it wouldn’t survive.
What would death feel like?
Could he handle the pain?
His parents would be so pissed at him for causing trouble, but he liked it, lived for it. This was what got his blood pumping. The thrill and excitement of the unknown driving him ever closer.
Finally, he pulled off the road and drove right past the truck. Up ahead was a small parking zone. No other cars were there, and as he parked the car, he burst out laughing.
“Did you fucking see that?” he asked. His hands were shaking but he kept them on the steering wheel.
“You’re a fucking asshole,” Marco said.
Each one had something to say about their near brush with death. They could all fuck off as far as he was concerned. He wasn’t going to kill them. Death was something he was going to take for himself.
“You want to get out and walk, you fucking can. I won’t miss you,” Drake said.
None of his friends climbed out of the car. They never would. They were afraid of him, just like everyone else.
Pulling back onto the road, he spun around, heading back to town. He didn’t stop at Prudence’s house though. He went straight for home. Parking right outside the house, he saw his father’s car in the driveway. He climbed out, not waiting for his friends, but entered his home in time to hear his mother and father shouting.
“You’re a poor excuse for a man. I don’t know why I put up with you.”
There was a resounding slap, followed by his father’s voice. “You put up with me because I’m the only one here who’ll keep your ugly ass. You like my money and you like being my bitch. You like how you’re the fucking queen here. So shut your fucking mouth.”
Drake rolled his eyes. He’d gotten used to his parents’ violent outbursts. It was nothing new and he certainly wasn’t going to run screaming about it to the therapist. He had used it on the previous school therapist but that was to garner sympathy so he could bang her, which he had done, and then she’d gone.
Drake moved out to the pool to see it had been cleaned per his instructions. His parents would leave in an hour or so and then he could have his party.
“What is going on with you, man?” Marco asked, coming to stand beside him. “You’re quiet and you’re angry all the time. What gives?”
Nothing was wrong with him. He simply didn’t give a shit, but if he said that, people seemed to think there was something wrong with him.
“Are we the kind of guys that sit around and talk now? You grow a pussy since you been banging that chick Charlene?” Drake stared at Marco, waiting to see what his friend would do.
Like always, Marco gritted his teeth and stared down at the floor.
He’d fucked Charlene months ago. Mainly because she’d begged him to. He knew she’d gone through all four of them, with Marco being the last one. His friend clearly thought there was something special between them but the truth was he didn’t mean shit to her. Marco was just a dick and Charlene just a cunt, but he was the bad guy to point it out.