Paper Towns — Chapter no 42

“Go,” Radar votes.

Ben puffs out his cheeks and exhales. “Mostly because I’m prone to

peer pressure: go.”

“Go,” I say. “But I’m sure as hell not driving anymore.”

Ben takes the keys from me. We get into the minivan. Radar guides us

up a slow-sloping embankment and back onto the interstate. We’re 542

miles from Agloe.

Hour Thirteen

Every couple minutes, Radar says, “Do you guys remember that time

when we were all definitely going to die and then Ben grabbed the steering

wheel and dodged a ginormous freaking cow and spun the car like the

teacups at Disney World and we didn’t die?”

Lacey leans across the kitchen, her hand on Ben’s knee, and says, “I

mean, you are a hero, do you realize that? They give out medals for this

stuff.”

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I wasn’t thinking about none of

y’all. I. Wanted. To. Save. My. Ass.”

“You liar. You heroic, adorable liar,” she says, and then plants a kiss on

his cheek.

Radar says, “Hey guys, do you remember that time I was double-seat-

belted in the wayback and the door flew open and the beer fell out but I

survived completely uninjured? How is that even possible?”