so this request by SurvivingWithDaryl came at a perfect time bc i turn 21 in 4 days and i'm super nervous bc with turning 21 comes me being forced to finally get my license and also i start my new job at chipotle in a few days :-) so i'm super anxious and 100% not ready to be an adult in any way and i've already had my mid-life crisis. i wish barley were real and we could hang out

ok i hope you enjoy

/ / /

"Barley, I'm not ready," you said, shaking your head. 

"You're ready." 

"No, I'm not." 

"You are," he said. "You have to be." 

Your throat burned as you shook your head again. "That isn't a good answer."

"That is the only answer, now take a deep breath, okay? And sit up straight. Feel your own strength!" 

You glanced over at the passenger seat, where Barley was sitting. Normally you would think about how cute he looked, but currently all you could focus on was the anxiety stinging you along your ribs, under your arms, and on the back of your neck. You couldn't sit still. Whether it was squeezing your legs together or pressing your nails into the heels of your hands, you were desperate for relief. 

You were only a few days from starting a brand new job. You needed to learn to drive. You'd put it off too long. Barley, your extremely supportive boyfriend, was first to offer to teach you everything that you needed to know. But you were scared.

The road wasn't particularly busy, and the weather was pretty nice. It wasn't rainy or windy, snowy or icy. It was just a normal warm day. If you were going to drive, right now would be time to do it.

You sucked in a deep breath and turned towards the steering wheel. You put your hands on it. It seemed too heavy, too much. You couldn't breathe. Your hand went to shift Guinevere out of park---

"Hold up!" Barley said. "Seat belt."

"Oh," you said, feeling stupid. "Right." You fumbled with your seat belt, unable to snap it in. Barley's hand covered yours and he clicked it in with ease. 

"There you go," he said, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. He locked eyes with you. "Hey, relax and take a deep breath. You can do this." 

"Can I?" you asked. "I mean, really. Can I?" 

"Yes," he said. He took your hand into both of his and held on tightly. "I know better than to doubt you, because you've proven to me time and time again that there is a mighty warrior inside of you!" He poked you in the stomach, making you smile. "Just let her out!"

"I'm not so sure there is, Barley," you said. "I don't have much faith in myself." 

"Well, you should," he said, sighing, "but that's okay. I have faith in you. Now come on."

He was bent forward in his seat, eagerly watching as you gently pressed on the gas. The van sputtered forward and you clutched the wheel tightly in both of your hands, and then your lesson was beginning. 

Barley guided you. He helped move your hands on the wheel to a comfortable and safer position. He told you how hard to touch on the gas and on the brake. He helped you learn how to read the mirrors that hung around you. He taught you how to merge, he taught you how to park. And before you knew it, you had been driving around the emptiest part of town for an hour, stopping at stop signs, lights, letting people cross in front of you, turning into parking lots, turning out of parking lots --- you'd done almost everything that you thought would be far scarier than it ended up being. 

Of course, when you were finally able to park and turn the car off, you dropped your face in your hands. You were trembling so bad. 

"Look at you," Barley said. "You've made it pretty far today. I'm super proud of you." 

"You are?" 

"Uh-huh. Babe, we've got a few days of lessons planned. Let's take it one step at a time." 

This made you feel better. So you were done today. "That sounds great, actually." 

Barley nodded. "Oh! Actually, I'll cut you a deal. If you drive across the street and right to that little ice cream shop over there, I will buy you whatever you want and we can have an ice cream date. Wait, hang on---" He fumbled for his wallet and pulled it out, then counted the wadded up bills he had shoved inside. "Yeah, I can cut it. Jeez, that would've been embarrassing."

You laughed softly, nervously. "Just... drive over there?" 

"Just drive over there," he said. "I'll walk you through the steps."

You inhaled and nodded. "Okay. Okay, I'll do it."

You put the van in drive again and eased off of the brake. Once again you were in motion, and once again your fingers were locked around the wheel. You gulped as you turned out of the parking lot and onto the road. 

"Okay, great!" Barley encouraged, "now just merge to the left lane---"

"Okay." Turn signal on. You checked behind you. You merged. 

"One more lane to go," he said, "you're doing awesome."

You licked your lips nervously and looked again. You started to turn into the next lane---

And then the car in front of you cut you off, making you gasp and slam on your brakes. The cars behind you honked. You froze. 

"It's okay!" Barley said. "Keep going, just ignore the other drivers." 

"Ignore them!?" you shouted. "They're honking at me!" 

"That guy cut you off! That isn't your fault!" 

"Oh jeez, I could've caused an accident!" you said, shaking your head. "I suck at this, Barley. I suck at this! I'm so horrible at everything that I do. I can't do anything right---"

"That isn't true," he said seriously, his eyebrows pulling together. "You are just learning and one small thing going wrong doesn't make you horrible at something!"

"It's true," you whispered. You merged and the car slowed to a crawl as you waited for your light to turn to the ice cream shop's parking lot. You dropped your head against the wheel.

"Listen to me, you've got this," he said, and there wasn't an ounce of doubt in his voice. "Now here's your turn. You turn now---"

Okay. Okay. You turn now. You breathed in and turned the wheel, but the car behind you was so impatient with you now that he turned with you, right on your tail, honking up a storm. You jumped and hit the gas, jerking forward. You slammed on your horn too, looking out the window as you shouted, "I'm learning, buddy!" 

Barley laughed loudly and grabbed your shoulder. "Yeah, that's my girlfriend! My girlfriend is fearless!"

That wasn't true, but it was enough to make you smile at him --- and get too distracted to realize that the wheel was a little close to the curb. The van hit it and you bounced, a shout bursting out of you. Barley smacked his head on the roof and you winced at the sound as the glove compartment came flying open and a million parking violations came bursting out of there. You screeched as they blocked your vision until you pulled into the parking lot and parked the van. They fluttered lifelessly to the floor. You fell against your seat, exhausted. "I don't think I handled that properly."

"I think you handled it awesomely," he said. He gave you a high-five and then he intertwined his fingers with yours and gave you a quick kiss. "Now my love, I will go get your ice cream. What would you like?" 

You told him your favorite flavor and asked for it on a cone. He nodded and smiled. "And I will get a banana split. Then I will take you to a movie!"

"Really?" you asked. "You're the best." 

"Anything for my lady," he said, bowing. He opened the door and as he got out of the van, a couple dozen parking violations came with him. "Whoops. That's a little embarrassing."

You laughed and shook your head, wondering if it was really such a good idea to let him teach you how to drive.