I’m hoping for the last one, even though it’s not really a question, but after a long drawn out silence, all she ends up saying is, “What’s the bet for the race?” She sighs at the end, like she was going to say something else—maybe something important.

I have to take a deep breath before I speak, otherwise all the emotions on the brink of exploding inside me will show in my voice. “I think, like, a hundred bucks.”

“Who are you racing?”

“Danny and his Challenger.”

“You’re totally going to win it.” Her lips turn upward and I think it actually might be a real smile.

I relax as I line up to race. I’m nervous and Ella can tell because she turns up a little “The Distance,” by the Cake, because she knows it’ll settle me down. When the lyrics and beat bump through the speakers, I look at her.

“Only you know the way to my heart,” I say with a tense, nervous smile. “Thank you, pretty girl.”

“Of course,” she replies, relaxing back in the seat, looking comfortable there, like she belongs there, which she does. “What are best friends for?”

I force a smile, then push in the clutch and shove the shifter into first. Danny’s in his Challenger to the side of us and he throttles up his engine. I return it, pressing the gas down so hard the car vibrates from the rumble of the engine. Then Danny’s girlfriend comes strutting up between the cars. There’s a rule that the girlfriend of the instigator of the race has to start the race. When I do it, I always have to pick some random girl from out of the crowd, because I’ve never had a girlfriend—never wanted one. I’ve tried to get Ella to do it a few times, but she always rejects me, saying it’s a sexist rule, when really I think she’s worried people will start to think we’re dating, even though a lot of people do already.

“You know you can always tell me to slow down,” I tell her, letting her know she’s safe. “If you get scared.”

“You know I don’t get scared.” She slips her shoes off and props her feet onto the dash for support.

The way she looks so comfortable makes me grin. “I know, but I always want to make sure.”

Seconds later, Danny’s girlfriend throws down her arms, and just like that we’re off, kicking up a large cloud of dust that smothers the audience. The longer we drive, the more relaxed Ella becomes, her head falling back against the headrest and she looks so relaxed as she shuts her eyes and breathes in the cool air blowing through the window. She looks so beautiful at that moment, so touchable, so fucking perfect, and I almost forget I’m racing.