Then I glance to the road and realize the Challenger has died in the middle of the road and we’re about to slam into it. “Shit,” I mutter and one of the gears grinds as I downshift and the tires skid in the dirt, the car swerving a little. I know if I don’t get control of the car something bad could easily happen. It’s not the first time this sort of thing has happened, but Ella is always the first thing to come to mind, which makes it more important for me to regain control.

“Micha…” Ella says as I crane the wheel to the side and downshift again.

The car fishtails, the back end winding a curvy path against the dirt as we swerve to the right. I hold my breath as we veer sharply around the Challenger and just about over-correct, but I use force to straighten the wheel out. I get it under control, but there’s little time for a celebration as the end of the road appears.

“Damn it.” I jerk on the e-brake and the tires screech.

We spin out of control, the engine making a lot of noises, but I get everything under control and in the end we’re racing back toward the finish line.

I release a breath as I floor the car, even though the Challenger is still stalled.

“Faster or slower?” I ask Ella playfully, because I’ve pretty much won the race.

She grips onto the door handle. “Faster of course.”

I grin because I’m not surprised by her answer and she laughs as I slam my foot on the gas pedal. The trees and dark sky blur by as the headlights light up the dirt road ahead of us. I shift gears, increasing the speed, and people scatter out of the way, worried I’m going to lose control because sometimes it happens. But I easily make it over the finish line, winning, and Ella looks so happy that it makes all the tension between us dissipate.

I smile this really stupid, goofy smile that makes Ella giggle and then I lean my head back against the seat, relaxing for the first time tonight. “Fuck, I thought I was totally going to slam into the back end of him for a moment,” I say with a laugh.

“I didn’t,” she says and I turn my head and give her a doubtful look, but still smile. “What? I knew you had him.”

“We had him,” I say. “And we have one hundred bucks to split.” I get really excited over the fact that I just won and she’s with me and she’s smiling, which was sort of the whole point of the night anyway. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I say, amped up as I pound on the steering wheel.