𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐 ↣ 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

fourty-four - one thing

[he wore a smile
like a loaded gun]

_______________________

I met Riley at my locker the following morning. "Hey," I said.

"Hey," she said, "you look tired."

"I was recording late last night," I explained casually, pulling my psych textbook out of my bag and moving to hang it on the hook. I missed, and it thudded on the bottom metal a bit too loudly that early in the morning. 

I slammed the locker shut and leaned against it, looking at my newfound friend.

"Oh, that's rough," Riley said. I shrugged and we started our walk to class. On our way there, I could feel people staring. Riley noticed it too. "Are people always looking at you like this?" She laughed.

"Yeah," I laughed. We slipped into our classroom and sat down. "They'll get used to me being here eventually."

"You and Me, Mickey? We live different lives."

"You gotta remember that I grew up in a small town, not famous at all. We're not as different as you think," I said.

Riley nodded her head to the front. Professor Fox was about to start her lesson. I sighed, adjusted in my seat, and opened my book.

-

"Mickey," Donte called. I sighed and turned around.

"I'm trying to go home, Donte. What could you possibly want?" I laughed.

I was almost out the front doors and everything.

"Can you give me a ride somewhere?" Donte asked, talking quickly.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class-"

"I don't have time for an interrogation. It's important. Please?" Donte ran a hand through his hair and looked behind him.

"Uh, yeah, okay," I said, "come on."

Donte grabbed my hand and literally pulled me to my car. I got in the drivers seat and hadn't even turned the key when Donte started requesting for me to drive! Go go go!

"Jesus, okay," I said. I pulled out of my parking space and Donte slid down in the passenger seat. A group of kids were outside looking for him when I drove past. "What did you do?" I asked.

"Hey, don't look down at me, that's suspicious. Keep driving."

"Bossy," I laughed. I pulled out of the school parking lot and let Donte know he was good to sit up. He wiggled up into his seat and bursted out laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Look at this," Donte said. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a baggie.

"Are those-?"

"Blunts. Want one? You know, for a thank you gift?"

"I don't smoke," I said. He put one between his lips. "Hey, dude, this is my brothers car! Don't light that!"

"Okay, jeez," Donte said defensively. He put the blunt back in the bag with the others.

"Why were those kids looking for you?"

"If you know it makes you a target for them to go after. I'm not telling you anything you don't need to know," Donte said. I looked over at him, and then back to the road.

"Where are we going?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Just keep going straight," Donte said. He leaned back in his seat.