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Hope’s is brand-new whereas I got mine from my grandma. Sigh. I miss my car.) Then she takes off toward my house. She’s the craziest driver in the world, I swear, so I close my eyes and pretend I’m traveling by Transport Tube.
    “Okay, close your eyes!” Hope says, not noticing my lids are already clamped tight.
    The car jerks to a stop and I hear Hope unbuckle. “Okay, you stay here and I’ll be right back.”
    I give a fake impatient sigh but smile. I’m a sucker for surprises.
    After a few minutes, my door opens and a hand wraps around my wrist, pulling me out.
    “You can open your eyes now!”
    Mom is out here in the driveway and shouts, “Ta da!”
    I’m really trying to be happy about it. The car is shiny and it’s silver, which isn’t a bad color, but it’s old. Like, ‘Watch out! Old lady on the road!’ old. Compared to my cute sports car Sierra wrecked, this is a downgrade. And not good for my social status.
    But Hope looks happy about it. So maybe it’s not as bad as I think.
    I give Mom a forced smile. “For me?”
    She nods so fast I think her head might jiggle off her neck. She hands me the key and I can’t hide my shaking hand.
    Why am I such a brat? She bought me a car! I try to snap myself out of the bad attitude. It’s not her fault I humiliated myself with sex noises in front of twenty strangers. And definitely not her fault she gave birth to the devil. AKA, my sister.
    I cozy into the driver’s seat as she bounces in next to me. Hope crawls in the backseat and squeals. The interior is nice, it’s clean, and who can’t love a new car? Now I’m squealing too. My smile isn’t forced anymore as I shove the key in the ignition.
    Nothing.
    I look down, trying to figure out what the crap I’m doing wrong. When I rest my hand on the shifter, my stomach drops.
    “Um, Mom?”
    “Yes?”
    “You bought me a manual?”
    She nods.
    “Did it cross your mind I may not know how to drive this thing?”
    “There’s no better way to learn.” She’s still smiling, and I’m trying real hard not to break down. I’m so not talented enough for this, and I can’t even imagine driving this thing to school without making a fool of myself. I blow up my cheeks and close my eyes.
    Mom lets out a huge sigh. “Zoe, I’m sorry. I wish we could have gotten you a car you wanted, but this was the only one we could afford that wasn’t on its last leg.”
    I stay quiet, imitating a blowfish.
    “We’ll teach you how to drive it. It’s not hard.”
    All the air I’ve been holding in my cheeks explodes out. “When? You and Dad are so busy. Hardly ever home.”
    She seems to be struggling with the answer. I raise my eyebrows exaggerating my point.
    “We’ll try to make ourselves more available, but I’m sure some of your friends know how to drive a stick.” She gazes back at Hope who shrugs.
    I guffaw which is so unattractive, but I don’t care right now.
    She ignores my dismissive laugh. “What about Keira?”
    “No.”
    “Does Cody know how?” Hope asks.
    Ugh. “No.”
    Mom sits biting her lip for a minute. Then a huge gasp of revelation fills the car.
    “Zak! You can ask him. He drives that truck.”
    I think I’m going to die. In fact I can feel the combustion starting in my gut. Fake it, Zoe, fake it! Hope is in the backseat and she can’t know you even talk to him. “Ew. No.”
    “Why not?”
    “We’re not friends, Mom.”
    “Doesn’t he take you to school?”
    Oh gosh. “Just that one time. I walk.”
    “Well, it was just a suggestion,” she spits. Great, now she’s upset. “Be happy when your father gets home. He’s really excited about this, and he’s trying to say he’s sorry for yelling at you.”
    She gets out of the car, leaving me feeling like the horrible person I am. I wish I could escape my company too.
    “Um,” Hope stutters, “I’m gonna head out.”
    I nod and try to push back my tears. Maybe pretending to be a bitch has made me into a real