Falling From Cloud Nine (Third Book in The TNB Series)

Chapter 15 ~ Regionals Time!

Enjoy!

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"Say cheese, Ms Berry." A photographer says behind the camera.

"Cheese!" Ryley says with the cheesiest smile. Today was the day she passed her driver's test and got her license. Her dads' were giving her a present of a car when she got home so she was so happy.

And after a few minutes, they were passing Ryley her driver's license with a smiling picture. She smiled to herself as she walked out of the DMV and over to Hiram's car which was in the car park. Leroy and Hiram were sitting in the car, waiting for her. She got into the back with a smile on her face.

"You get it?" Leroy asks as Hiram begins to drive home, being more careful than when he got into the accident.

"Yes," Ryley says, "I can finally drive myself places and not need to borrow rides or walk or run." 

"And when we get home, we have your first car waiting in the drive way." Hiram says.

"Please be a Beetle or a Mini or a Convey van." Ryley mumbles to herself.

"You'll wait and see." Hiram says.

Ryley eagerly sits in the backseat of the her dads' family van car and she just listens to the music playing on the radio.

They pull up in front of the Berry house and that's when Ryley sees it; a black ute, similar to the one that Patrick and Sam had in The Perks of Being A Wallflower movie. She actually likes it. She surprises herself by running out of her dads' car and over to the ute.

"It's awesome." Ryley says as her dads' finally get out of the car and over to her.

"We're glad you like it," Hiram says, "It's only a first car so when you get some more money, you can buy a better car." 

"I love it. It's exactly the same as the one in The Perks of Being A Wallflower." Ryley says, still looking at the car.

"Why don't you take it for a spin?" Leroy asks, throwing her the keys. She catches them after fumbling with them a bit then gets into the car. She takes her phone out of her pocket and texts Angie to meet her outside of her place and to text Gabe too.

She waves to her dads' as she carefully backs her way out of the drive and drives down the street. She plugs her iPod into the nice car speaker that her dads' added into the car. She comes across the song she wants to play and leaves it until she gets to Angie's place.

Angie is standing on the front yard, talking with Gabe and when Ryley pulls up, they study her car.

"Awesome. Just like Patrick's and Sam's in The Perks of Being A Wallflower." Angie says.

"That is what I said so get in." Ryley says.

Angie gets in first, sitting in the middle of the one seat/three seats. Gabe gets in last, closing the door after him.

"Please tell me we are going to do the Tunnel Song ritual." Angie says.

"We are. Not in a tunnel though. Just down the street." Ryley says.

"What if cops catch us?" Gabe asks.

"Don't be a buzz kill, Gabriel." Ryley says.

"Yeah, Gabriel." Angie says. Gabe rolls his eyes and Ryley begins the drive down the street. 

"You ready, Angie?" Ryley asks.

"Yup." Angie says, nodding.

Ryley presses play on the iPod and Heroes by David Bowie - aka the Tunnel Song - plays.