Hey! Don't Stop

NOT FINISHED

It began on a muggy August sixth evening. The family and I had just returned from my Uncle's birthday party. My temper was short, and pretty soon everyone was screaming about pointless things again.

"I'm going for a walk!" I screamed, walking out of the house and making sure the door slammed behind me. Inside, I was fuming. Walking will help. Deep breath...

I ran my hand through my long brown hair, my feet carrying me across the street. The sky was the lightest shade of pink, and the sun was a large red fireball. The hot muggy air had no breath of air. I took another deep breath, doing my best not to cry. The world is against me. I had never been so convinced. I ran my hand through my hair again, biting my lip.

"Whoa," someone said beside me. I nearly jump out of skin and my jaw dropped stupidly in surprise.

"Uh," was the only noise that came from my mouth. I looked inside an old blue Ford car full of teenage boys, who all laughed.

"Where you goin'?" the boy closest to me asked, peering over his black framed glasses. He had pimples scattered across his cheeks and forehead. He wasn’t good looking, but it was obvious that he thought so.

"For a walk," I said, standing up to my fullest height, which isn't very tall.

"Any specific destination?"

I didn't have one. I just wanted out.

"Can you give me a ride to the gas station?" I asked, thinking I can walk to my Dad's from there.

The boy with the glasses opened the door and smiled, "Hop in."

I sat in the center of the car, watching the houses move past in top speed, the smell of weed made my eyes water. "So," said another guy who was sitting to the left of me. He looked a lot younger than the rest of the lot. Perhaps, thirteen. He was a rather thick boy, with short brown hair and blue eyes. "You're single, aren't you?" he said with a smile that revealed his braces.

"Bret!" said the guy driving, glaring at him through the rearview mirror, "Will you shut the fuck up! Aren't you with Piggly Wiggly?"

"She's a bitch. We broke up yesterday," said Bret, "And she wasn’t that fat."

The guy to the right of me leaned into my ear, "He made up the name," and he chuckled into my ear. I smiled uncomfortably back, and crossed my legs.

"Clyde!" yelled the driver.

"Don't let 'em scare you," said the guy in the passenger seat, without a glance back. "They think they're hot shit."

"No, it's okay." But it wasn't.

"So you at Piggly Wiggly broke up, huh?" said the boy driving, looking over his shoulder to look at his brother. He looked like the oldest of of the four. Half of his face was covered by a sheet of black hair, his blue eyes shining with amusement.

"That's what I said," said Bret, looking irritated.

"Now you're trying to score with a girl way out of your league?"

"Looks like it."

"But can't you tell she's not into you?" chimed in Clyde. It was obvious that they all enjoyed picking on Bret.

"She just got in the car."

"But look at her... She won't even look at you."

"We just met-"

"Pussy."

"Shut the fuck up, Dereck!" shouted Bret, pushing on the back of the driver's seat so that Dereck's chest hit the wheel, making the horn sound.

There were a few seconds in which everyone in the car was silent. I was afraid that Dereck might scream, or turn around and slap Bret upside the head, which I thought he deserved. But to my surprise the whole car exploded with laughter.

Dereck's head was resting on the wheel, his fist pounding on the desktop. Bret was slapping his knee, rocking back and forth. Clyde had his head tilted towards the ceiling, and the boy in the passenger seat was shaking. I couldn't help but laugh too. These people were insane. We all were in tears within seconds, and laughed even harder when someone honked behind us for parking at a stop sign.

Everyone caught their breath five minutes later. Dereck took a little longer than the rest of us, and we drove on.

"Ah, shit. Hector," said Clyde, with a small laugh.

I saw each boy had a ghost of a smile on their face at that. "Today would have been his birthday," said Bret, quietly.

"We'll get some treats when were at the gas station." said Dereck, as he swerved into the next lane, apparently oblivious to the rude hand gestures he was getting.

"Can't spend more than we've got," said the passenger, in a serious tone.

Dereck glanced over at him, and I could still see the amusment in his eyes. "I work too, Jess."

There was a silence that followed this. I felt as though they had all forgotten I was there. Dereck was whistling a song I had never heard before. Clyde was staring out the window. Bret was...

"Bret!"

"What!?"

"Don't touch the girl." I could feel him move slightly before I glanced at him. He rolled his eyes, and I bit back a smile.

NOT FINISHED