I ran through the open front door with my new driver's license in my hand. I screamed “Mom I passed!”  She came running out of the kitchen. She's in her mid thirties. She's a little shorter than me. She has long black hair and sky blue eyes. She looks younger than she is and I get into fights with her a lot.

“That's great!” She said.

“Yeah. Let's go get the car now.”

“What car?”

“My car.”

“Oh your car. Yeah I don't think so.”

“What?”

“You heard me I said no.”

“Why not?”

“Because your going to drive my car with me the first couple of times.”

That's my life. Every time something good happens to me my mom ruins it. Especially driving. Ever since my brother died in a car crash with his new license and new car my mom's been extra safe about driving. My name is Jake. I'm 16 and I just got my driver's license. I've got black hair and blue eyes too. I'm tall for my age. I always do the opposite of what my mom tells me to if I don't like what she says. With that bit of information you might be able to guess what I'll do next. If you can't you'll just have to wait and see.

That night I waited until my mom went to sleep. Then I tied a rope to the bedpost and threw the rope out the window. I climbed down the rope from the second-story window. I had the keys to the house and the keys to my mom's car. I went through the garage door as quietly as I could. It was easy because I had done this so many times before.  I opened the garage door and got in the car. I turned the car on and drove out of the garage. I got out and shut and locked the garage door. I got back in the car and drove away from the house as fast as I could. Then I headed straight to the car shop.

By the time I was halfway to the shop I remembered that I left the rope in the window. I figured if I hurried up and got home fast I could get back in the house before my mom woke up. I sped up a little bit and almost ran a red light. I slowed down a little bit and paid more attention to the rode. I couldn't afford to get pulled over. The cops would bring me home and my mom would freak out. Then I would get grounded for the first time in my life. I got to the car shop without getting pulled over.  When I got there I called my dad. I told him that I was at the car shop and Mom wasn't with me and asked if he would help get the car home. He said he would walk over.

He only lives a few blocks away. Dad and Mom are divorced. I wish they weren't.  Doesn't everybody who have divorced parents. If they weren't divorced I probably wouldn't have to do this. When I was little I was so good that I didn't get in trouble. When my parents got divorced I never got in trouble because I was so good at not getting caught. I changed completely when my brother died and my parents got divorced. I changed from a good little boy to a sneaky fun boy. It's more fun being sneaky but it won't be fun if I get caught.

When he got there he asked “Why didn't you get the car earlier?” 

"Me and Mom were to busy celebrating that we forgot to get to the best part.”

“And what's that?”

“Getting a car.”

“Oh. Do you think you could come and celebrate with me tomorrow?”

“Maybe. Do you think I can drive my car there?”

“I think that's a very good idea.”

“Thanks Dad.”

“Your welcome.”

I can't believe it. I got the car. I was $75.00 short and Dad said that he would pay the rest. Dad drove Mom's car while I drove my car home. My car. I loved saying those two words. I was the happiest I had ever been since my parents got divorced and my brother died.

I hated remembering that night. Mom and Dad started fighting again the night before. The next night they were signing the divorce papers. My brother went out for a drive in his car to get away from my parents for a little while. The next thing we knew the cops were at our doorstep with news that my brother was dead. I hated my parents the next few months and blamed them for his death. I tried to force myself to stop blaming them for his death but then I had no one to blame.

So for the next two years I blamed them for his death until I became mature enough to take it all in and face the facts. He was dead and it wasn't my parents fault. I never said it was his fault because I just couldn't believe that. Then I started blaming the other driver because it was his fault.

Before Dad left he told me “You didn't have to lie to make me let you get the car.”

“What?”

“You didn't have to lie to get me to let you buy a car. I knew your mom wasn't going to let you get car when you passed your driving test.”

“Then why did you let me get it.”

“Because I know that it wasn't your brother's fault that he died. It won't make a difference if your in your mom's car with her or if your in your car alone. If your going to get into a car crash it won't matter what car your in you have a good chance of dying. If your in your mom's car with her you'll both have a good chance of dying. Now let's wrap it up and I'll sign it.”

I was so surprised that I just stood there for a couple of minutes. Then I got the wrapping paper from Mom's car and we wrapped the car up. Dad wrote something on the wrapping and I knew it wasn't just a From: Dad because it took him a while to finish writing and he isn't a slow writer. When I looked it said: From: Dad. Then a P.S.

        The P.S said:  Don't ground Jake because I let him get the car. He has a right to have the car. I want him to drive     over to my house tomorrow in his car alone and I want him to stay for a week or two. I want to spend a little time with him. I want him to come visit me while he's not mad at me. If he doesn't show up by 10:00 A.M I'm coming to get him. I have to have him over again.

                                                                                Dad

I drove Dad home in Mom's car. I said thanks and left.

I couldn't believe what Dad just did. It was awesome. He just told Mom what he did. She's gonna be mad. Really mad.

The next morning Mom woke me up to go to Dad's house. She wasn't to mad. In fact she wasn't mad at all. I drove to Dad's house alone in my car. It was fun. We went to Hawaii for six weeks. I drove as far as we could drive. Dad just sat there and let me drive the whole way. When I got home Mom was so happy. We went to the movies that night. Just me and Mom. She let me drive the whole way in my car. She sat there and watched how good I could drive. I had got a lot better on the way to Hawaii. She let me drive back to. Mom and me lived together without as many fights from then on. I liked my new life better. I didn't have to sneak out as much. It was better because I didn't put my fun in jeopardy so much. I still snuck out sometimes. Mom expected it though. My record was still clean. I have never got grounded still. I still wish my brother was here and my parents weren't divorced but what can I do. I still have a pretty good life full of fun, not getting grounded, and still not knowing what grounded means.

The End