𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 ~ 𝘼 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚

"Turn on the radio, would ya Sid?" Tatum asked Sidney as she focused on the road ahead.

"Sure". Sidney pressed the button and the radio blared to life, nothing good was on, just some mindless commentary about a new indie movie.

Tatum rolled her eyes and exhaled in frustration. "I've got a couple of CDs, pick one", she told Sidney.

The brunette opened the compartment and rifled through Tatum's collection. She glanced at each and every one of them, back to front, she was trying to pick the one she hated the least. She grabbed one of the albums and gestured at it. "Billy Idol?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"What? He's hot", Tatum shrugged her shoulders.

"You've got poor taste in men", Randy commented from the backseat. He was, at this exact moment, lying down and chewing a stick of gum, very loudly.

"Sid, would you hand me my purse please?"

"Sure", she patted the ground and retrieved the tiny bag. She placed it in Tatum's outstretched hand.

"Thanks", Tatum smiled without taking her eyes off of the road. She felt the bag and made sure there wasn't anything breakable in it. She checked its weight and decided that it would do. She held it tightly and flung it backwards.

"OUCH! What the fuck did you do that for?" He grabbed his forehead in agony, he was no longer lying down.

Tatum chuckled and gave him a condescending smile in the rearview mirror. "Serves you right".

"FUCKING...OWW!" He cried out.

"Tatum, was that really necessary?" Sidney asked.

"Yes, Sid, it really was".

"Randy, are you okay?" She turned her head to watch the agonized Randy. An angry welt began to form on his head. She grimaced in response.

"What?" He asked in worry. "I'm deformed aren't I?!" He frantically glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror. "That's it, my life's over".

"Stop being so overdramatic, Randy. You can just tell everyone that you got into a huge street fight and won", she paused for effect. "Although, I don't know who would ever believe that after taking one good look at you". She laughed with great mirth, clearly amused by Randy's bruise. "Fucking dipshit", she continued to chuckle.

"Tatum". Sidney warned.

"What? He totally deserved it. And he doesn't know what he's talking about, I have great taste in men".

"As evidenced by your current boyfriend", he fired back.

"He's way more attractive than you'll ever be".

"Ouch, Tatum", he clutched his chest and feigned a heart attack. "That really hurt my feelings".

"Go to hell".

Sidney stared out the window in an effort to block out their bickering voices. It was dark now, she checked the clock on the dashboard, it was fifteen minutes past seven. The world outside was so quiet, a couple of people walked by as they entered the coffeeshop and the neighboring grocery store. Most of the young people were nowhere to be found, they were probably gearing up for the party tonight.

"Oh shoot", Tatum snapped her fingers as she saw the grocery store. She slowed the car down and made a turn. "I forgot", she began to explain. "Stu wanted me to bring some food".

"That's alright, we're not late or anything".

Tatum strategically parked the car and turned around to look at Randy. "Well? What are you waiting for? Go get the snacks", she ordered.