Casting Bones

Chapter 8 - Part 1

"Whatever the fuck you wanted to happen from running off like this, I don't know... but you got my attention, ok? Now would you please stop being a fucking drama queen so I can get the cops off my ass?" It was his third call to Ashley's cell, all three of them forwarded to voicemail before even ringing. She'd either blocked him or had her phone off. Or it was out of battery. She was always terrible at remembering to charge it.

It was probably hard to charge a phone while unconscious in a ditch.

"Fuck." Desi swallowed down a knot of anxiety, letting out a shaken sigh into the speaker of his phone before adding with a deflated tone, "please just call me, Ash."

Hanging up, Desi let another swear slip from his lips, not looking forward to the walk back to campus to pick up his car now that he had additional bullshit to stress about, and no more weed to dull the anxiety. They couldn't have at least driven him back? Fucking cops.

He got about half a block away from the police house when he heard a honk from across the street that stalled his gate. It took him a moment to identify the car it had come from, only realizing when a cloud of smoke escaped from the driver's side window of a little black sedan parked on the side of the road.

Desi crossed the street to the driver's side window, resisting a smirk until he was able to get a teasing comment off. "I didn't take you for owning such a mom car." He really shouldn't be talking. It was at least newer and nicer than his piece of junk.

Casper didn't react, finishing his drag and flicking the ashe out at Desi's feet. "It's a mom car because it's my mom's car. Now get in, would you?"

Humming, Desi set a forearm on the burning roof of the vehicle to lean over and add playfully, "I don't think you can afford me, Papi."

This time he got a reaction, Casper's flat expression twisting into a laugh he fought down to just a scoff. "Just get in the car, convict."

Desi didn't joke further, rounding the front of the sedan to the passenger side, unable to help releasing another sigh as he sat. Casper had the air conditioner on blast, and the inside of the car was like settling into a fridge, goosebumps pimpling over his arms with the chill. Desi's air conditioning hadn't worked since the first summer owning his car. It was probably his fault: they used it too much and it was a old car, but how else were he and Ashley supposed to fool around in the otherwise metal hotbox?

"I have to admit, I was starting to worry that I was going to have to post your bail." Casper commented, distracting Desi from an unwelcome memory while stowing his cigarette between his lips and pulling them out onto the road.

Desi forced a laugh to help brush off the negativity he'd unintentionally dwelled on, replying, "Nah. I told you, they just wanted to ask questions." Casper acknowledged with a nod but didn't pry further. Even so, Desi could tell he wanted an elaboration. Or... maybe Desi just needed to say something about it himself. "I guess Ashley is missing. Since Friday night."

"Oh." The cigarette hung a little from Casper's loosened lips with his reaction. He snatched it with his fingers and took another drag while turning out onto the main road, the smoke exhaled out his open window before he added, "shit."

Desi shrugged, scratching at his chilled arms. "I don't think it's a big deal. She's probably just being an attention whore." His choice of words stung at him after saying them.

Shouldn't speak ill of the—

No. He wasn't going to go there. Not yet. If something had happened they wouldn't just be asking questions, right? Is something had happened, Desi would already be arrested for the shitty non-answers he'd just given them.