✮⋆˙ Rafe’s driving lessons
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you were standing in the driveway, eyeing the truck with more hesitation than you cared to admit. rafe was leaning against the side of the vehicle, arms crossed. you weren’t sure if he was mad at you for putting him in a situation where he didn’t have it in him to deny you, or just annoyed at the type of situation—he wasn’t exactly a fan of playing the role of the “teacher,” but here you were, about to learn how to drive.
“alright, you ready?” rafe sighed, almost as if mentally preparing himself.
“yeah,” you said, but your stomach was a ball of nerves. you hadn’t driven before, and the idea of being in control of a truck —his truck— felt like a massive responsibility.
rafe let out a heavy sigh. “don’t look so scared. it’s not gonna bite you.”
he opened the driver’s door for you, then slid into the passenger’s seat with a grunt. “first thing’s first. you’ve got to actually get in the car.”
you rolled your eyes, feeling the tension building, but you followed his instructions and got in.
“good. now, seatbelt,” he added, and you quickly pulled it across your chest. “i’m not gonna let you drive this thing like some idiot who doesn’t know basic safety.” he adjusted his seat, checked the mirrors, then turned to you. “so pay attention.”
you nodded, trying to remember everything he said. rafe wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy when it came to teaching, but you knew he wouldn’t let you fail. he explained you about the importance of mirrors, putting on your seatbelt correctly and not just around your waist, the importance of using the blinker if you wanted to avoid getting cursed on, and so on.
“now, put your foot on the brake. and no, don’t just rest it there like you’re unsure. commit,” he said, a sharp tone cutting through the air.
you did as he said, pressing your foot firmly on the brake.
“good. now, shift into drive,” he instructed.
you fumbled a little with the gearshift, but eventually, the car lurched forward, making your heart race.
“whoa,” rafe grunted, his hand gripping the armrest as if you were about to drive off a cliff. “ease up, alright? this isn’t a cheap truck.”
you shot him a sheepish glance. “sorry baby,” you muttered, trying to get the car to roll smoothly. his eyes softened for just a split second, but it was enough for you to notice.
“don’t apologize. you’re learning.” his voice was still gruff, but there was something genuine in it.
as you eased the car forward, rafe continued barking instructions, his demanding demeanor hiding the fact that he actually took this seriously.
“stop sign ahead. stop, STOP, jeez— then go left. you have to watch for cars on the road. always check your mirrors—god, i can’t believe i have to teach you this.”
you obeyed, making the turn a little awkwardly but managing to stay on course. as you navigated around the block, your hands clenched around the wheel, trying to control your nerves. rafe wasn’t exactly a figure of encouragement, but you could tell he was paying attention.
“you’re doing fine,” he muttered under his breath, though his eyes remained focused on the road ahead. “for someone who can’t drive for shit.”
you couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh, and despite his gruffness, you could feel his pride in your progress.
“now, let’s try parking. you know how to parallel park?”
you stared at him, wide-eyed. “no.”
“you don’t know how to park? seriously?”
“i don’t know how to drive, so i’ve never had to do it before,” you said defensively, but you couldn’t help the embarrassment creeping up your neck.
he sighed, then, with a huff, pointed to the space in front of you. “alright. pull up next to it and turn the wheel. you’re gonna back in like i taught you.”
you tried, and the car jerked a little as you maneuvered. your heart was hammering in your chest, but you followed rafe’s instructions, inching the car into the space with more precision than you expected.
once you were parked, rafe hummed, clearly unimpressed. but when you glanced at him, his lips twitched up ever so slightly.
“not bad. for a first-timer,” he muttered, his voice rough but laced with a note of approval. “next time, don’t look so terrified. you’ll get it, princess. i promise. you just have to stop being so fucking scared of the truck. you control it, it doesn’t control you. once you get past that… it’ll get better.”
you smiled, feeling the smallest sense of pride. despite rafe’s tough-love approach, he actually gave you some encouragement, even if it was buried under layers of sarcasm and annoyance. you’d take it.
“alright, now get out and switch places. my turn to drive.” but when you reached for the door handle, he stopped you. “and don’t start thinking you’re done and that i’m gonna keep driving you around 24/7, princess. you still need to get this shit down.”
“i know. thanks, baby,” you said, though it came out a little sarcastic, like you were joking around with him.
“yeah, yeah you fuckin’ brat,” he muttered and gave you a side-eye, but there was a hint of something in his eyes, like maybe, just maybe, he didn’t mind being there after all.
