Free Joyride by Anna Banks

too,” he says. He makes his rounds of the store, grabbing some gum and some chips and some beef jerky for Glass. When he circles back to the register, Carly has already dug back into her homework.
    â€œI thought it would be nice to check on you,” he tells her, chucking his purchases on top of her graph paper. “Heard you got robbed the other day.”
    She lifts her chin. “You heard wrong. Mr. Shackleford did. Of his dignity.”
    So much for trying to be cute. Nothing works on this girl. “Does the owner know you do your homework on the clock?”
    She shrugs. “He doesn’t care as long as I get my work done and my customers are satisfied.”
    â€œWell then, maybe you should put the pencil down and ring me up.”
    This pisses her off, he can tell. But he’s tired of giving miles to someone who won’t budge an inch. Carly uses her scan gun to ring up the items. He pulls out one of the twenties in his wallet to pay for it, which seems to irritate her more.
    I’m never going to get this girl figured out . “You’d prefer I stole it?”
    She bags it all up for him without asking and hands the plastic bag to him along with his change. “Have a good night, sir.”
    â€œDid I mention we could be friends?”
    Her face softens. “We are friends. That’s why I gave you half off on your gum.”
    â€œThe sign said it was buy one get one.”
    â€œBut the point is I remembered.”
    â€œAlriiighty then.”
    He grabs the bag then and turns to leave. Just before he pushes the door open, Carly says, “Arden?”
    He turns, waiting to be blasted for something else. What, is she going to dissect the way I walked to the door? “Yes?”
    â€œThank you for checking on me.”
    â€œYou’re welcome.”
    He returns to the police car then, unsure whether or not progress has been made.
    *   *   *
    Arden is the first to social studies for once in his life. Even Mr. Tucker is surprised to see him, peering over his reading glasses from his desk to get a better look. “I’m not offering extra credit, Mr. Moss,” he says, pressing his glasses back up his nose.
    Arden grins, holding up his empty hands to show he hasn’t even brought his book to class. “I’m not asking.” Not from you, anyway . He takes a seat in the back row, which will give him a panorama of the class. And hopefully, the perfect view to study Carly.
    He feels like a spider lying in wait for a precious, elusive fly to finally land in the intricacies of his web. A skittish fly with long black hair and the gift of impulsiveness and a penchant for retreating from him.
    Carly is one of the first five to arrive to class, do-gooder that she is, and when she appears in the doorway her gaze immediately connects with Arden’s. She gives him a confused half smile and takes her seat on the opposite side of the room from him. She even picks the opposite corner. Arden wonders if they’re starting from square one again. I knew she was full of it when she said we could be friends.
    How can I get this girl to talk to me?
    His friend Jake takes the seat next to him in the back row and offers him a pencil and paper. “Nah, man,” Arden says. “I take notes with my phone.”
    Jake snorts. “While you’re ‘taking notes,’ you should look up the last video post on Mudslide. The guy has your same truck.”
    â€œWill do.” Mudslide is a Web site dedicated to trucks and mudding. Arden uses it sometimes for ideas on how to get out of the giant mudholes he’s put his 4 × 4 through—and his future plans to do the same.
    As soon as the bell rings Mr. Tucker is on his game. “Homework, please.” Arden has nothing to pass up so he gives the girl in front of him a high five when she reaches around for it. She smiles like she’s just been given a hundred dollars. He’d