My Partner In Crime

Chapter 1

Hi!!! I only just watching Panic with my family, but I realized that Dodge was played by Mike Faist, so I just fell in love with him,, so I went on a search to see if there are any Dodge Mason fanfictions on here. I only saw one, I so HAD to contribute. And I've never seen Mike play a kid that wasn't dead throughout the thing (the theatre kids know). I'm a near published author, so I'm sure you can trust that my writing will be pretty decent (I'm dyslexic, bear with me if you see any issues). There will be no smut in here, fair warning, in case you were hoping for something along the lines. The only characters I own are probably the ones you don't recognize. A small confedentiality error, Jesse's name was originally Parker. That being said, if you see that name, it's supposed to be Jesse. Here's a key:
- Bold letters: Author's Notes
- Slanted letters: Character's thoughts and emphasized words.
- Bold and slanted letters: When I'm putting emphasis on an author's note.
- Larger space gaps between paragraphs: A total set and scene change.

~Characters That You Don't Know Yet~
Clement (Clem) Andrea Wilcox: Light russet colored hair, brown eyes. 17.
Jesse Parker Wilcox: Brown hair, brown eyes. 15.
Dad: Russet colored hair, brown eyes. Dad age.

"Pictures!" Some guy yelled from across the pavilion, where the high-school seniors were celebrating their graduation. My dad and my little brother were accompanying me. Since I had gotten into a massive fight with my friends just before graduation, they were all doing their own thing. To make a long story short, I don't know what I did and they won't tell me.

"Go take a picture!" Dad urged me. I nodded, grabbed Jesse's hand, and we ran to the photo dude together.

"They're going to be sent to the school, so you'll get them eventually." The guy told us after we had taken our pictures.

"Sweet, thanks." I said, starting Jesse on our way back to our dad. He had divorced our mom when we were little, and for good reason. She had cheated on him with five of his best friends then told both sides of the family that he was hitting her, though I vouched that he wasn't. Even her grandparents could see that she was lying.

Later, when the sun was going down, I left to go to a get some air. I ended up finding some diner that was still open. I did have my wallet in my back pocket with my phone, so I went in. There was nobody in there aside from the guy behind the counter, who was setting some cups up. He turned when I opened the door and pulled out a menu. I sat down wordlessly at the bar.

"I'm not going to get any food. Can I please see the drink menu?" I asked.

"Sure," he said, replacing my menu with a smaller one. "I need to see your I.D."

"No need, I'm seventeen." I said.

"Then I can't serve you anything on that menu." He told me. Now, he was standing in front of me on the other side of the counter.

"Do you do virgin drinks?" I asked, looking up to face up. He wasn't unattractive. He had brown hair that looked almost gray and blue eyes. Interestingly enough, he had brown in a bit of one of his eyes. "Do you have heterochromia?"

"I can try, and yes." He said with a smile. "Choose a drink and I can try to take the alcohol out."

"Can you try whiskey?" I asked jokingly.

"I can give you apple juice." He grinned.

"I'll take it." I decided.

"Graduation night, right?" He checked. I nodded. "I will make it extra fancy for you."

"Thanks, man." I laughed. "I'm Clem, by the way."

"Dodge." He said.

"Dodge?" I cocked my head.

"Yep, Dodge Mason." He nodded, turning around to pretty up my apple juice.

"I have a bit of a problem," I said, unsure of why I would present my biggest issue to a complete stranger.

"Let's hear it." He said.

"If you couldn't quite afford college, what would you do?" I asked, hoping for sound advice.

"I would get a job." He said. "But if you absolutely have to go to college, I know a way you can get some of the money."

"You do?" I looked up, only to be met with his broad back to me as he fixed my drink. He then turned around with a very fancy apple juice, in a margarita cup lined with sugar, with a stemless cherry bobbing around at the surface. He set it down in front of me with a folded napkin resting next to it.

"Thanks." I nodded. Instead of replying, he beckoned me forward, where he whispered in my ear.

"Meet me here tomorrow night, there's a game that you can play and win a ton of money." His warm breath sent shivers down my spine. 

"Panic?" I breathed.

"Yep." He whispered, leaning back. I thought about it for a minute.

"Okay, I'll be here." I agreed, pulling out my wallet. Dodge saw this and shook his head.

"On me." He said. I put my wallet away.

"Thanks." I smiled. "How much was it?"

"Why?"

"I want to know how much to tip you." I grinned, sending a smile across his own face.

"No way." He shook his head again.

"Hey, I could just drop a twenty for tip." I shrugged jokingly.

"Clem, you legit came in here with money problems." Dodge ran his hand through his thin hair. 

"Fifteen dollars." I bargained.

"No."

"Ten?"

"No."

"Five?"

"No."

"Two."

"Still no."

"If I 'accidentally' drop a five dollar bill, I guess you'd just have to take it." I said, still having not dropped my grin.

"No, I'd hunt you down and give it back." Dodge shook his head. I stood up from my seat at the bar and slammed my hands down on the counter challengingly.

"One dollar." I said with a strained serious look plastered across my face.

Dodge copied the movement. "No."

"C'mon, Dodge!" I pleaded. "I'll feel like I owe you if I don't!"

"You're repaying me by being my partner in crime in the game!" Dodge shook his head. "We'll split the money we win, and you can give me whatever this is then."

"Fine!" I succumbed. "Fine. Phone number so I know when to come over here tomorrow?"

"You already have it." Dodge said, nodding at the napkin next to my drink. I unfolded the napkin, which revealed a phone number and a poorly drawn smiley face.

"Smooth." I laughed, slipping the napkin into my pocket. Dodge grinned and turned around again, back to me. I checked my phone to see that I received a message from my dad.

My Dear Father: Back by 11:00, yeah?
Me: Aye aye, captain.

It was 10:20 at the moment. I lived just down the street from the diner, so it was a short walk at most. Dodge turned back around with the same drink in his hand. "I thought it looked good."

"Okay." I smiled.