WHY THEY LEFT (#Wattys2015)

3. He Made Me Weak In The Knees

Rosalie
River by Joni Mitchell

I laughed a bit under my breath. The nerve of that guy! To say I'm 'the customer from hell' more like he's the devil himself. Needless to say, I was a bit worked up once I stepped out of the car. I wasn't sure if he caught my name before the jackass hit the gas and took off. The car had disappeared down the road and into the darkness.

Then came my next dilemma. There I was, soaking wet in cut offs and a t-shirt with nothing more than a thin jacket over it, at three in the morning, smack dab in the middle of rich kid territory. I scanned the street to check and see if people were any where to be seen. As I let my ears focus, I swear I heard the faint noise of the bass of a song coming from Jake's party. I couldn't go home, I was meant to be at Carmen's, who, by the way, was most likely sucking face with an equally drunk and stupid teenage boy. If I told my dad I left Carmen's he would ask why and I couldn't lie to him, he'd see through me, and the truth to this situation, including that I wrecked the Bentley, would be one situation that some dry humored, sarcastic comment couldn't dig me out of.

"So fucking cold." I mumbled to myself. Jamming my hands into my jacket pockets, I started walking towards the back of the neighborhood, no better idea crossing my mind. The rain kept showering down, each rain drop thudding down on the rooftops and asphalt with little, sharp noises. I kept my eyes fixed on the dip between the street and the raised sidewalk where the water rushed to storm drainage pipes. Leaves and rocks were being swept away as the water rushed down the narrow stream of flowing water.

The house lights were all off, the world seeming completely asleep. That was until I passed Jake's house. At 3:15, according to my phone, the party was still carrying on. Music was audible from the down the road. As I crossed in front of it, I observed through the windows, each intoxicated adolescent sipping from solo cups and grinding on one another. Glad that I had escaped that, I kept on walking. My shoes were uncomfortably filled with water and my socks were beginning to fall, blisters starting to form more and more as I took each step.

The streetlights were scarcely working. Frat boys liked to knock them out when they would leave their parents houses drunk. I never liked that crowd, but my 'friends' did. They were all into getting hammered and doing illegal things on Friday nights. That wasn't me; I didn't choose to live here.

All the houses had the classic fences around the freshly cut grass, some having pools or hot tubs, with trampolines for the kids. But the houses were truly more like mansions. Every single one was double story, some with lower levels added, and perfect on the outside. They all had flower gardens and sprinkler systems, complete with door mats and little statues in the grass or gardens.

The wind had picked up a bit and I zipped my jacket so it was completely up. My legs had goosebumps lining them as the wind whipped against my exposed skin. Putting on my hood had no point; my hair was already soaked and the hood was probably filled with water itself. I was nearing the back sector of the neighborhood. All the rich chiropractors with gold digger wives and spoiled young children lived in this sector.

I arrived at a little park area with a play ground set in the center. This was where the spoiled kids came to get injured, the mothers came to gossip, and drunken teenagers came to vandalize things. The pebble filled gravel that lined the ground was flooded and muddy, soaking my shoes even more and adding a nice layer of mud to them just for convenience.

I sat on the driest piece of equipment, that being the swing set. It had an awning over it, half protecting it from the rain. I pulled out my phone, attempting to wipe off some of the water from the screen but only making it worse. 3:45, it read. Stars were now the only light around, the moon covered by thick storm clouds. My eyes were heavy, but sleep was impossible. I decided to do the one thing that could keep me awake and alert; I pulled out my phone and started playing Crossy Roads.