Everyone was shouting until Reed screamed to get everyone's attention.
"I did it!" he shouted. "I did it! I scratched your car! Not you, not you, not you, me!" Reed pointed at Ben, then Sue, then Victor, then finally at himself as he said it.
Everyone stared at him for a good minute.
"I don't believe you," said Johnny.
Niether did Sue, Ben, or Victor.
"I did to!" shouted Reed. "I've been sneaking out your car! I've been lying to everyone! I'm the bad one! Ask H.E.R.B.I.E.! He knew all along!"
Johnny pulled out his comlink to talk to H.E.R.B.I.E.
"H.E.R.B.I.E., is it true?"
"It's true, Jonathan," said H.E.R.B.I.E. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I couldn't! Dr. Richards made me not to!"
There was a couple seconds of silence.
"You know when I stepped on the gas peddle and the engine roared, it spoke it me," said Reed. "It said, Drive me, you sexy man of science."
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
"It was you!" exclaimed Johnny.
Reed nodded.
"Impossible!" said Doom. "He's too responsible. In college, everytime I asked him to come into the basement with me to perform some illegal experiments, he said no. He's not a risk taker."
"That's why I did it!" exclaimed Reed. "Everyone sees me as this responsible, sensible person who would never do anything wild, dangerous, or fun. Well guess what! I'm not some boring egghead! There a side of me that has a need for speed! A side of me that that needs to burn rubber."
Johnny looked shocked. "You burned my car's rubber?"
Reed smiled and nodded his head. "You put that baby into gear, crank up the stereo, forget all your troubles, and show that punk in a camarra a thing or two."
"Reed?" asked Sue, shocked.
"Strech?" said Ben, slowly.
"Richards?" said Victor.
"I shall never look at you the same way again," said Johnny.
"Johnny, I'm sorry I scratched your car," said Reed. "But I get it now. I get why you love that car so much. When I'm driving that car, I feel like I'm king of the world. Like I can do anything. That I'm invincible. With the wind in my hair, I feel like I'm on the top of the world. Is that how you felt? Is that what I didn't understand before?"
Johhny was stunned. "That's it! That's right! You got it!"
The others were shocked.
"I'm really, really sorry I took your car without permission. It was wrong of me. And I know I'm going to have to work to get your trust again, but I hope someday you'll forgive me."
Johnny looked at him with an emotionless face. Then he broke out in a smile.
"Awe, I can't stay made at you, Reed."
He gave him hug. Reed smiled as they hugged.
Until Johnny gave him a weggie and he gave a high pitch scream.
Doom burst into laughter.
"Now I forgive you," smiled Johnny.
"Good," whispered Reed, in pain.
"Can we go home now?" asked Ben.
"Yes," said Reed, fixing his underwear, voice back to normal. "And Doom, I'm sorry for this."
"Oh it was quite alright," said Doom, amused. "I enjoyed it."
"Enjoyed Reed getting a weggie I'll bet," muttered Ben.
"Just like in college."
"Let's go home," said Sue, tiredly.
"Yeah," said Reed. "I need to get ready for my date with Kayla."
"Who?"
"Let's go," said Johnny. "I need to go fix my car."
A Week Later
"Keep them closed," said Johnny.
"What is this surprise?" asked Reed, a blindfold over his eyes.
"Well if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it, silly," laughed Johnny.
Reed smiled. "Will I like the surprise?"
"Trust me, you'll love it."
They continued to walk toward the garage.
"Okay. Take off the blindfold."
Reed took it off and gasped at what he saw.
Next to Johnny's fixed car was a car that looked just like it, but painted blue and white and had science formulas painted on it.
"Is that for me?"
"You bet," smiled Johnny. "I thought you deserved your own car to drive."
"Oh Johnny, thank you."
"Your welcome, buddy. Now, wanna race?"
"Yeah. I'll win."
"Oh we'll see about that," smirked Johnny.
"Yeah, we will," smirked Reed.
They got in their cars.
"H.E.R.B.I.E., start the count," said Reed.
"Yes, Dr. Richards. 3. 2. 1. Go!"
And the two were off!
Hoped you all liked this story.