Lizzie's New Car

Who Needs a Driver's License? (Chapter 5)

The next week, after getting all of her lessons from Skye, Lizzie scheduled another driving test for herself. A couple days later, she did everything involving the test: the driving and the exam. Later, she learns that she passed and got herself a driver's license. Everyone is happy for her, including her parents and her friends. Just a week after, Lizzie was painting her fingernails red while watching television in the basement of her home. When she finished with her nails, her father walked down the stairs.
"Hey, sweetie, can you come upstairs for a minute?" he asked, stopping in the middle of the stairs.
"I didn't break the other car!" Lizzie reacted.
"I know you didn't. Me and your mother want to show you something."
"Oh, so the other car is fine?"
"Yes, it is."
"Okay. Wait, what do you want to show me?"
"You'll see."
"Is it my birthday?"
"Don't be sarcastic."
"I'm not being sarcastic. Is today actually my birthday?"
"No. Come upstairs."
"But my nails are drying."
"If you don't come upstairs, I'm going to touch and ruin your nails."
"Okay, I'm sorry." She stood up from the floral sofa and kept her arms out from her sides.
She followed her father upstairs into the kitchen, through the living room and out the front door which was open. They walked outside and stopped in front of a parked, red car with Lizzie's mother standing by.
"What do you think?" said Lizzie's father, holding his arms up to point to the car.
"I think it's nice," said Lizzie. "There are no scratches and it looks new. And it's red, which is my favorite color. It's perfect. Who's it for?"
"It's for you."
"For my birthday?"
"Today's not your birthday."
"So it's for when my birthday comes?"
"No! It's for you, as in it's yours, as in you can drive it forever."
"Wait, it's a gift for me?"
"Yes," Her mother replied.
Lizzie squealed. She ran over to the car and tried to hug it by the windows.
"Why did you get me a car?" she asked.
"Well, you did pass your driving test," said her mother.
"And we think we were a bit harsh towards you when you broke our jeep," added the father.
"A bit harsh?" Lizzie repeated. "I busted that thing up. I deserved your harshness."
"Well, this is your car to bust up now," said the mother. "So enjoy driving."
"She's kidding about the 'busting up'," said the father. "But if you continue to drive this car, you can't break ours."
"Oh, thank you, guys, so much," Lizzie grinned. "I don't deserve this."
"Of course, you do," said her mother, rubbing Lizzie's back.
"I know but it's such a waste of money. I know your car is repaired now but what if the damages were unfixable? Then you would've had to buy another car and trust me, the money I made would've not been enough to buy an extra car."
Lizzie's parents paused as they stared at her.
"Well, you don't think you deserve the car," said her father, "then we can just return it."
"No!" Lizzie's eyes widened. "I want it. I don't deserve it but I want it. It's good. I'm sorry."
"Oh, sweetie pie..."
"Ah, I've always wanted a car since I was six."
"Well, you're old enough now," her mother commented.
"And how did you know I wanted a red car?"
"Red is your favorite color," answered her father.
"How did you know my favorite color is red?"
"You told us a billion times."
"Wow, I've really said it that many times?"
"Good lord..."
"Oh, what can I do to repay you guys?"
"Nothing, sweetie," replied the mother. "Nothing at all."
"Just stay away from our cars," the father added.
"That's a done deal," Lizzie nodded her head.
"You're still going to hug the car, sweetie?" asked her mother.
Lizzie closed her eyes. "Mm-hmm."
"Is it the smell?" asked her father. "The guys at the shop said before they give people cars, they clean them with lemon water."
"That sounds nice."
"What is lemon water, anyway?" asked the mother. "It's just lemon juice mixed with plain water?"
"I don't know, sweetie," the father responded. "I don't make lemon water at my job."
"You should," said Lizzie. "It's smells so nice."
"Okay, why don't you give your car a spin..." her mother recommended, "or whatever the cool kids call it."
"Well, I don't want to spin a car again ever," said Lizzie. "But I can just drive it to the mall."
Lizzie let go of the car and got handed the keys to it by her mother. She walked around the car and opened the driver door. She popped in and closed the door, putting the keys in the ignition. She started the car then pressed a button in the steering wheel that made all of the windows roll down.
"Lizzie, don't you think your nails look a little trampy?" asked her mother.
"Mom, they're just red," Lizzie responded.
"And long."
"No, I don't think they're trampy."
"Well, I think they are."
"So you're going to go to the mall?" questioned the father.
"Yeah, but you guys can come along if you want to," said Lizzie. "You know, see my great driving skills."
Her parents responded by a loud mumbling of excuses and disagreements. Lizzie's grin of excitement quickly dropped to a pit of confusion.
"I'm not ready yet," Lizzie's mother had the last word.

Who Needs a Driver's License? (Chapter 4)

After showing her parents how damaged their car was and having to start selling half of her belongings on eBay to make some money, Lizzie begged Skye to continue helping her how to drive. After three days of pleading, Skye finally agreed to help Lizzie with her driving. They decided to use the same parking lot for the lesson and rent a car to drive in courtesy of Skye. So after school, Skye drove Lizzie to the parking lot for her lessons.
"Okay, we're here," said Skye, taking off her seat belt. "To die."
Lizzie took off her seat belt. "We're not gonna die."
"If you say so," Skye said, sarcastically.
They both opened their doors and walked around the car to switch seats.
"You don't have to worry, Skye," said Lizzie, closing the door and putting on her seat belt. "I am less nervous than I was when you were teaching me."
"Let's depend on that," Skye mumbled.
Lizzie turned the keys in the ignition, starting the car. "Okay, teach away," she smiled as she gripped the steering wheel.
"Alright," Skye sighed. "Um, give the ride some gas. But before you do, pull the gearshift to 'Reverse' which is 'R'."
"Okay." Lizzie pulled the gearshift lever to the 'R' position of the selector. She pushed the gas pedal with her yellow boot covered foot, making the car back up slowly.
"Okay, okay," Skye said quietly. "Now make a left turn by turning the wheel to the left then pull the shift to 'Drive'."
Lizzie turned the wheel continuously to the left to make the car turn ninety degrees. Then she pulled the lever to 'Drive' and pushed the gas pedal to move forward at a normal pace.
"Wow, you're driving," Skye stuttered but in an impressed tone.
"Yeah, I'm driving."
"Okay, okay. Stop once you get near the fence in front of you."
Once the car drove close enough to the fence, Lizzie stepped on the brake pedal, making the car stop slowly.
"Oh, my God," said Skye, widening her eyes. "You stopped... without crashing into a fence."
"I know! Oh, I forgot to turn on my indicator for a left turn."
"Oh, that crap doesn't matter. Can-- Can you back up again?"
"Sure, Skye High." Lizzie adjusted her front mirror. She pulled the lever from 'Drive' to 'Reverse' and stepped on the gas pedal lightly. She backed the car up using the side mirror to look at the background.
"Once you get near the back fence, stop."
Lizzie drove back until she got near enough to the fence to which she stepped on the brake pedal and stopped the car.
"Oh, my Godzilla, Lizzie, you're driving. You were driving."
"I was! O.M.G.!"
"Where did you learn how to drive?"
"Oh, I bought this game called, 'Grand Theft Auto'. I pretty much mastered it by the second day of having it."
"Well, that's cool. You still not nervous?"
"No, I'm completely chilled. While playing 'Grand Theft Auto', I beat up some pedestrians. You know, released some aggression and I started to feel better afterwards."
"Did you use a baseball bat?"
"I did."
"That's pure therapy."
"Well, thanks to that, I think I'm ready to take a second driving test."
"At least you're in a good mood."
"Why? Are you sad?"
"Kind of. Remember Leo?"
"The dude who plays the sitar?"
"The guitar."
"The guitar."
"Yeah, he was in that band. I texted him a few days after meeting him. We had a full conversation throughout almost the whole day. Then when I texted him a couple days after, he didn't respond. Then the other days I tried to text him, he never responded."
"Aw, well, what is the first thing you say when you text him first?"
"'Hi'."
"Did you capitalize the 'H'?"
"Lizzie, I really liked him and I thought he liked me as well. So I don't understand why he's not talking to me."
"Well, if his reason is negative, then he's a jerk. You deserve so much better and besides, you've only known him for a few weeks and seen him in two days. Like what Swizz Beats said: 'Onto the next one'."
"You're right. That's very caring of you, Liz'."
"Well, I'm known for my care."
"I'm acting like such a girl."
"You are a girl."
"Yeah, but I'm, like, the coolest person out of our friends."
"I thought Andrea was the coolest."
"Whatever. Thank you so much, Lizzie."
"That is what best friends are for."
"So do you want to continue your lesson?"
"Yes but I'd rather do it tomorrow. I want to learn how to parallel park. Is that okay with you?"
"Well, I don't have any plans tomorrow so I'm okay with it. As long as I don't end up in a body cast afterwards."
"Don't worry; I'll just play 'Grand Theft Auto' again."
"Good. Make sure you buy the other ones."
"Okay."
"So you want to drive us out of here?"
"Sure!"
"And if you break this car, just know it's a rental so a lot of money would be coming out of you."
"Well, I don't want to sell my car but I will try to not break this car. I know what I'm doing now."
Lizzie turned the steering wheel continuously to the right and stepped on the gas pedal gently. The car made a U-turn in the center of the parking lot and Lizzie drove it out onto the deserted road and into the live street.
"And if we get pulled over," started Skye, "we can switch seats before the cop sees us. I have my driver's license with me." 

Who Needs a Driver's License? (Chapter 3)

The day after, during the weekend, Skye visited Lizzie at her house for their driving lesson. Before leaving, Lizzie asked her parents if she could borrow one of their two cars. They gave her approval and the two girls left with Skye driving the car. Lizzie put on different clothes in the car before Skye drove off. She drove Lizzie to a vacant, abandoned parking lot to begin the lessons in.
"This area looks scary," commented Lizzie, looking out the window.
"That's why I like it," Skye responded. "Plus, it's the perfect place to teach you how to drive."
"Well, if you say so."
Skye parked the car in a parking space at the edge of the lot. She and Lizzie got out of the car and walked around it in opposite directions with Lizzie getting into the driver's seat and Skye getting into the passenger seat. They closed the doors before Lizzie placed her hands on the steering wheel.
"Are you ready?" asked Skye.
"Yeah, prepared," replied Lizzie.
"Okay, I left the keys in the ignition as you see right there. What should you do first?"
"Turn them?"
"Yes."
Lizzie turned the keys, starting the car.
"There you go. Now we are going to get out of the parking space. What do you next?"
"Shift to reverse?"
"Yes. This is so easy. Now pull the lever next to you to 'Reverse'."
Lizzie looked at the lever. "I don't see 'Reverse'. Is reverse 'R'?"
"Yes, reverse is 'R'."
"Okay." She slowly pulled the gearshift lever to the position of R of the selector.
"Now push the gas pedal with your foot."
"Which one is the gas pedal?"
"The one on your right."
"Which way is my right?"
"Really? What are the two colors on your shirt?"
"Blue and green."
"Your right is where the green is facing."
"Oh, that right."
"Yeah. Now push the gas pedal that is on the right with your foot."
Lizzie pushed the pedal with her foot but too hard where the car drove back in a quick motion. The girls screamed until the car stopping by hitting the fence with a force to where the girls jumped out of their seats.
"Okay," said Skye, "you did that wrong. But before I claim what's wrong, I think you broke the back of your parents' car."
"Oh, no," said Lizzie. "Maybe we can pay to get it fixed."
Skye chuckled. "I ain't paying for crap."
"You're in this car, too, so it is technically our fault."
"You know what? It kinda is because I forgot to tell you to push the pedal slowly. But when you're speeding fifty miles per hour backwards, one should be encouraged to stop immediately."
"Uh, you never told me how to stop."
"And that is why you passed three red lights."
"It was one and two stop signs."
"Well, whatever. Let's just pull that lever from 'Park' to 'Drive' since you parked when we stopped. And then slowly push the gas pedal so we can drive slow."
"Okay." Lizzie pulled the lever to the D position. "'D' means 'drive', right?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Okay." She slowly pressed the gas pedal with her foot, making the car pull off nice and slow.
"Okay, okay. That's very good; I'm impressed."
"Thank you."
"Now we're going to make a right turn."
"The right turn is where the green on my shirt is facing, right?"
"Yes, yes. Now apply a little bit of pressure on the pedal as you spin the wheel to the right. And when--"
Lizzie pushed the gas pedal with her foot more harder than she was and spun the wheel quickly to the left, making the car crashed into the side fence.
"And when you do so, turn your right indicator on," Skye finished her sentence.
"I'm sorry."
"Please, don't tell me you're sorry. Tell your parents you're sorry. I can tell this car already looks beat up."
"I don't want to pay for the damages."
"Then stop crashing into the fences!"
"I know but when I drive, I get nervous."
"No wonder why you suck at driving. You're not supposed to be nervous. You're supposed to be focused, confident, prepared. You should've told me before I even talked."
"Sorry. I just thought your lessons would help chill me down."
"Well, water wouldn't even help chill you down. Listen, if you want to be better at driving, listen to me carefully."
"Okay, okay, I will."
"Now I want you to back up by pulling the lever to 'Reverse' -- A.K.A. 'R' -- and slowly pushing the gas pedal. Note: if you want to stop, press the brake pedal, the pedal on your left. If you don't know what your left is, it is where the blue on your shirt is facing. So back up."
Lizzie pulled the lever to the R position and lightly pressed the gas pedal with her foot, making the car slowly back up from the fence.
"Okay, okay. Now make a left turn by stopping -- brake -- and turn the wheel to the left -- blue -- as you press the gas pedal a bit harder. A bit."
"Okay." Lizzie, after backing the car up a bit, pressed the brake pedal with her left foot slowly. As she stopped, she continuously turned the wheel to the left while pressing the gas pedal with her right foot slowly. Successfully, the car turned to the left.
"Wow, that was very good, Lizzie. See, as long as you listen, you will be a pro."
"Yeah. To make a left turn: stop, left, brake."
"No, it's stop, left, gas."
"Gas?"
"Yeah, as in the gas pedal. And don't forget to stop."
"Stop is gas?"
"No, stop is brake. Try to remember."
"So it's stop, left, stop."
"No, gas is not stop. Gas is to go."
"Nervous!"
"What?"
Lizzie stepped on the gas pedal with a lot of force until the car hit the back fence.
"I'm sorry," she said.
She pulled the lever into reverse and stepped on the gas, causing the car to back up quickly. Forgetting how to stop, she kept turning the wheel to the right, making the car spin in many circles. The girls screamed with mercy as the car kept spinning and spinning in the center of the parking lot.
"We're gonna die! I just want to live!" Skye hollered.
The car kept spinning in numerous more circles until Skye reached for the gearshift lever and pulled it to 'Park', making the car stop.
The girls panted after screaming for a minute.
"That's it," said Skye. "Get out of the car. I am driving back to your house." She unfastened her seat belt.
"No!" replied Lizzie. "You're not done teaching me how to drive yet."
"Oh, I'm done. I'm not going to give up my life just because you don't know how to work the two freakin' pedals in the car!" She opened the door and hopped out of her seat. After slamming the door, she walked around the car and opened Lizzie's side of the door.
"No, I need to take my driving test again so I can pass," said Lizzie, gripping onto the wheel.
"Go to driving school," Skye growled, "because I'm not teaching you again." She unfastened Lizzie's seat belt and tried to pull her out of the car. "A monkey can drive better than you. No, Lindsay Lohan can drive better than you." 

Who Needs a Driver's License? (Chapter 2)

The next day, Lizzie arrived to the cafeteria for lunch late, making her friends wonder where she were. She came late because of taking her driving test earlier before.
As soon as she sat down in her spot at the table, Andrea said, "Hey, Lizzie, where were you?"
"I was taking my driving test," Lizzie replied.
"Oh, yeah," said Madeline. "How was it?"
"Awful."
"Awful?"
"I failed."
"Whoa, why?" inquired Skye.
"Well, the man examining me said that I passed two stop signs, ran a red light, did an illegal U-turn, didn't turn on my light when I left-turned, text while I drove, didn't use my mirrors properly and backed up into a person's license plate."
The girls paused towards her response.
"So you did nothing?" Madeline said.
"Maddie," Debra started.
"Okay, you did everything."
"At least you didn't run over any pedestrians," said Skye.
"Actually, I almost did that," Lizzie added.
"You're making things worse, Lizzie."
"This is all your fault, Maddie," said Andrea.
"What?" Madeline scrunched her forehead. "How is it my fault?"
"You got her hopes all high for nothing."
"It's called 'encouragement'."
"It's called 'discouragement'."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"I know but I tried."
"I can't believe I failed my test," said Lizzie. "I know that red means stop, yellow means slow down, and green means go. But I don't know how to drive a car. Since when did driving become important?"
"Ever since people started getting jobs," Skye responded.
"Well... at least I was right," said Andrea.
"Andrea," started Debra.
"Debra," Andrea mocked.
"Don't worry, Lizzie," said Madeline, patting Lizzie's back. "You can take another test. And pass that... once you learn how to drive."
"What if I never learn how to drive?" asked Lizzie. "My parents refuse to help me. I may never learn how to drive."
"You can watch some online videos about how to drive," recommended Debra. "You can watch them forever."
"You know any websites?"
"Heck no. I ain't going to drive anytime soon."
"What if they don't help me? What if I never know?"
"I can help you," insisted Skye.
"Help me with what?"
"Driving."
"You're willing to do so?"
"Yeah, I have my driver's license and before getting it, I passed my one and only test. So I don't mind trying to teach you."
"Oh, thank you, Skye!"
"Skye, are you sure you want to teach her?" asked Andrea. "She almost ran people over."
Lizzie grew a tiring look on her face.
"Hey, I don't believe she's that bad of a driver," said Skye. "I mean I believe she's a bad driver. I'm just saying she's probably not that bad of a driver."
"Oh, I think she's that bad of a driver," Andrea commented.
"Listen, if any of you girls want to help me--" said Lizzie before being interrupted by the girls disagreeing openly with that idea.
"I don't want to die," Madeline had the last word.
"Okay, then. Skye is going to help me."
"I don't care how long it will take," said Skye. "But once we're through, you will be driving as smooth as butter. Sounds corny but I had to go for it."
"When do you want to start?"
"We can start tomorrow since it will be a weekend."
"If something happens to you two tomorrow," started Andrea, "I promise that I will send a 'Get Well Soon' card."
"Andy, Lizzie will do fine. I'm smart and I know what I'm doing."
"So you know what you're doing now?" asked Madeline.
"Yes, smarty. Girls, none of you never have seen Lizzie drive so she's probably not as worse as she say."
"'Probably'."
"Words are words so her driving's possibly has a lot of flaws. But I got this. You're going to be a good driver, Lizzie."
"Thanks, Skye High," grinned Lizzie.
"I believe you're going to be a great teacher, Skye," remarked Debra.
"Thank you, Debbie," Skye responded.
"Possibly not enough to not be Lizzie's road-kill," said Andrea.
"Red," Lizzie uttered.
Andrea paused. "What?"
"Red."
"Red?"
"Yeah."
"What do you mean by 'red'?"
"Red means stop."

Who Needs a Driver's License? (Chapter 1)

"I wonder what mulberry taste like," said Madeline, chewing on a blueberry from her container of blueberries.
"Mulberry?" Skye repeated.
"Yeah, mulberry."
"I bet it would taste like a berry," said Lizzie.
"Yeah, but does it have a specific taste?"
"I remember when I was a child," started Andrea, "and I received my first box of crayons. There was one crayon that said it was the color of mulberry. And it was a pink color so there is a possible chance that they could be sweet."
"But mulberry sounds like it would be tangy," said Debra. "Kind of a dirty taste."
"Then why would people eat mulberries if they taste like dirt?" asked Lizzie.
"I've heard if you smoke a lot, every food you eat will taste like dirt."
"That sounds disgusting," said Andrea. "But if you don't eat, you'll starve so there aren't any other choices."
"However, I don't see a lot of people eating mulberries," said Madeline, picking up another blueberry.
"You usually see people eating the most famous fruits like bananas and apples and oranges."
"And people are eating fruits that you would only hear on TV," added Debra, "like mangos and kiwis and pomegranates."
"Maybe there's a chance that mulberries are poisonous," said Skye. "If you don't see people eating them, then they are not something to eat."
"That does make sense," responded Madeline.
"We sound like old people," remarked Andrea.
Madeline chuckled. "No kidding. Let's talk about something that younger people talk about."
"Well, I'm getting my driver's license," Lizzie spilled.
"Get out of town," Debra responded.
"I can't do that unless I drive."
"That's great that you're getting your driver's license," said Madeline.
"Well, I am sixteen which the appropriate age to start driving."
"Yeah, I know. If you pass, you can get your own car and drive me to school."
"Please, Lizzie," said Andrea, leaning forward, " do us all a favor and pass that test."
"Don't you like driving, Andrea?" asked Lizzie.
"When it's under three minutes, yes, I do."
"I feel you, Andy," said Skye. "I passed my driving test a few months ago and got my driver's license. But I don't even drive."
"That's because you don't have a car," said Debra.
"No, it's because I don't want a car."
"Then what's the point of taking a driving test if you don't want to drive?" asked Madeline.
"In case of emergency."
"Oh, if, such as, someone were to force you to hijack a car?"
"Crap happens."
"I don't know how to drive a car but I think I would know if it were to come to that situation," said Debra.
"Gee, I hope I pass my test," said Lizzie. "What if I fail?"
"You're not going to fail," responded Madeline.
"But if you do fail," said Andrea, "that would be embarrassing."
"Don't listen to her, Liz'."
"Don't listen to me? I got my driver's license so I am full of los hechos."
"Yeah. Don't listen to her, Liz'. You're going to pass and I know it. Listen, do you have your learner's permit?"
"Yes," answered Lizzie.
"So you drive with your parents in the car?"
"Yes."
"Do they think you're a good driver?"
"I feel so."
"What do you mean, 'you feel so'?"
"Well, when I drive, they are usually screaming, 'We're gonna die!' or 'I just want to live!'"
Madeline paused. "Okay. That is nothing."
"What do you mean, 'That is nothing'?" inquired Andrea. "That means she can't drive, meaning her parents think she's going to kill them."
"See, parents say the darndest things all the time. They're ninety-nine percent right all of the time but maybe it is their way of encouraging Lizzie."
"They encourage Lizzie's driving by screaming for their life?" asked Skye.
"My parents encourage me in many ways," said Debra, "but they do not do that."
"Girls, we're supposed to make Lizzie feel confident about taking her driver's test," said Madeline.
"We can't make her feel confident if you're lying," said Skye.
"I am not lying. I am trying to feel Lizzie's head with good spirits because we are all best friends here."
"However, when my parents do scream, they take the wheel afterwards," added Lizzie.
"It's a challenge."
"It is not a challenge!" said Andrea.
"Okay, it's not a challenge but Lizzie, you are a great driver... probably. And we should make her feel confident about that."
"Lizzie, you're going to pass your driving test," said Debra.
"Thank you, Debbie," Lizzie responded.
"Lizzie, when your mind says, 'No, you can't'," started Skye, "tell your mind, 'Yes, I can'."
"Did you steal that from Obama?"
"No... I think. No."
"If you fail, Doll, then I was right," said Andrea.
"I appreciate your honesty," said Lizzie.
"See, Lizzie," said Madeline, "we got your back."
"Thank you, girls. Even if this comes with second thoughts, I need the motivation."
"We deeply hope you pass, Lizzie," said Andrea. "I dislike being the only one with a car."
"It's a nice car."
"Thanks but sometimes I wish it was a spaceship. Because I know you girls don't feel safe getting in a spaceship."
"I wouldn't mind being on a spaceship," Debra commented.
"Then I'm lucky that my car's not a spaceship, Debra."
"Or a yellow submarine," Skye joked.
Debra giggled. "I do like that song, though."
"When is the test?" asked Andrea. "Tomorrow?"
"Yep. If there's a wishing star tonight," started Lizzie. "I'm going to wish on it."
"I don't believe in wishing stars," said Skye.
"But why would they call it a wishing star if you can't make wishes on it, Skye?"
Skye stared at Lizzie for a while. "So every rich kid can go to Disneyland."
"I'm rich but I don't want to go to Disneyland," Madeline mumbled. "Lizzie, I do hope for the best for you. I really do."
"Thanks, Maddie," said Lizzie. "But if I don't pass my driving test, I'll always know one thing.
"What is the 'one thing'?"
"The taste of mulberries."
"And what would that be?"
"Death."