DAZED AND CONFUSED | VANCE HOPPER

.Chapter 05.

HE SHOOK MY HAND carefully, as if I were a walking virus. "Okay," he said. "Tell me your secret."

"Well, see, I shoot the ball, hit it, and don't let myself lose. That's all." I smiled fakely, licking melted chocolate off of my thumb.

Vance huffed and hit my dash with his fist. "Seriously? I'm out a dollar fifty, for you to tell me you just 'don't let yourself lose'?"

I nodded. "I know my way around a man's head... you can get out of my car now."

He shook his head and crossed his arms. "I'm not leaving until you tell,"

"Buy me another chocolate bar." I tested.

"No," Vance stared holes through my window.

I shrugged and buckled my seatbelt in. "Then I'm not telling you."

He copied me, buckling the passenger seatbelt as well. Stubborn bastard.

"Get out." I spat behind gritted teeth, as I put my key into the ignition, turning the car on.

Beth by KISS came blasting through the car speakers, and it was incredibly hard to sing along.

I reached across Vance's lap and pulled the lock from his door. "Get out."

He shrugged and tapped the window sill along with the beat.

"Beth I hear you callin',
But I can't come home right now.
Me and the boys are playin'
And we just can't find the sound."

The radio continued to play the slow, solemn love ballad over our argument.

"Why should I?" He asked, ignoring the lock.

"Because it's my car!" My hand found the handle, and I pushed the door open as best I could, without unbuckling my seatbelt.

Vance simply grabbed the handle, and pulled the door shut.

"What is your problem?" I let out a frustrated sigh and sat up.

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm the King of that fucking machine, so I need to know how you beat me."

I flipped him off. "Well fuck off, because the Queen's in town."

"At least you have good music taste," he mumbled, leaning his head against the window, resting his feet on my dashboard.

I panicked, trying to pull them off. "Don't put your feet there! It scuffs Penny up!"

"You named your car?" Vance asked, turning his head to laugh at me.

I nodded. "I did, and I'm not ashamed. Her name is Penny Lane, after the Beatles song."

He rolled his eyes, and dropped his feet down. "Great. Where are we going?"

"I don't know where we are going, but I'm going home." I scoffed.

God damn, this boy was nosey. When I turned to look at him, he was digging through my center console.

"You smoke weed?" His hand froze on a baggy of a green substance.

"Yeah, I do. Now put that back." I slapped his hand and pointed to the passenger side door. "Now get out!"

"No," he said, crossing his arms again. "I'll tell the police you have this."

I shrugged. "Are you blackmailing me, fuckwad?"

"...Maybe?" Vance grew visibly upset at how unphased I was, and put the baggie down, shutting the consol. "I know a place."

I raised an eyebrow at him, and pulled Penny Lane out of the parking lot.

------------------------------------------------------------

!AUTHOR'S NOTE!

I'm sorry for such a short chapter, but there are longer, more eventful ones to come. These first few chapters are purely world building, so please don't come for me!