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monthly payments and pay for the insurance myself.”
    “How do you do that? Pay for your own car?” I didn’t know anyone back in Charleston, my age who made their car payments.
    “I work down at the Bantam Chef after school. I’m saving up for when I graduate. I can’t wait to get out of this place.”
    Maybe she and I could be good friends. All I wanted was to go back to Charleston. Not to see any certain person, but to me, it would always be the most beautiful city on the planet. I guess because it was my home. “I used to have a car, but we had to sell it.” I just needed to tell someone the whole truth. “My dad lost his job, and we struggled for a while. We sold a lot of our nice things until we gave up our house and moved here to my grandma’s old place.”
    “I had horses when I lived in Forest City,” she glanced at me as she turned to head for town. “They belong to my Mimi and Papa. We used to live right next door to my dad’s folks. I miss them and riding.”
    “So you’re not from Chesnee either.”
    “No way. We moved here last year after my dad…left. The only thing decent about this place is the cosmetology program at school.” She giggled. “Well that and Brad, my boyfriend.”
    “So that’s why I haven’t seen you at school, you go to the vocational center. Do you like it?”
    “I love it,” Shelby said, her brownish eyes grew wider as she smiled. “I had no idea what I wanted to do before. We’d just moved to Chesnee. I walked in, bummed to be there, you know?” She glanced at me as though she knew I could relate. “I stood by the water fountain dreading the presentation by the people from Swofford Vocational Center. I got some water then walked in and saw Ms. West, the cosmetology instructor. As soon as she explained the program, I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
    I looked out the window. “I still have no clue what I want to major in or do with my life. You’re lucky.”
    Shelby shrugged. “I’m not living with my mom one second longer than I have to, so I need to be able to step out into some kind of career as soon as I graduate. I’ve never even hung a picture or poster in my room at home. I live for the day when I get to leave.”
    We pulled into Chesnee where a million cars inched along the main street. “What in the world?” I looked over at Shelby. “I know there aren’t this many teenagers in Chesnee.”
    “No. The mall banned cruising along with some other towns. Now they all come here.”
    It took us forever to circle the two miles of the city. Boys and girls sat on their hoods along the sides of the road too. Shelby was texting as we inched through Chesnee.
    “I’m going to park and go talk to someone for a minute. I’ll be back in a few.”
    “That’s fine,” I shrugged.
    She parked in the high school’s parking lot and ran over to a large pickup truck. I sat in the car for a while, watching the bumper-to-bumper chaos. When it got a little warm, I stepped out to lean against the car. A guy yelled my way from the street, but I pretended not to hear him and looked toward the school. Theo was there, leaning against the brick watching the street and me.
    I glanced over to Shelby. She was now pressed up against the truck, being kissed by a boy. Someone from the street yelled, “Get a room!” But they didn’t seem to hear or care.
    I walked over to Theo, who’d been smart enough to stay in the shade of the covered walkway.
    “Are you stalking me?” He took a moment to think and then said, “I did say that right didn’t I ? That is what people say when someone keeps showing up where they are…right?” He smiled so I knew he was kidding.
    “No, I’m not stalking you. I’m here with her.” I pointed over my shoulder to Shelby who was still occupied with her boyfriend.
    Theo’s brow’s raised as he looked her way. “I see a lot of that here at the school. I think it’s more popular than football.”
    I laughed. “So, what are you