822 words
"School is fucking killing me."
"I know, right?"
". . . Wanna run away? Like, just for the night?"
"Yeah!"
...
The sun was barely setting when Celia and Incubux hopped over the back gate. They knew their parents would hear if they used the front door, and besides, that's boring. The warm summer air brushed against their cold hands.
"Dairy Queen?"
"Dairy Queen."
The two walked down five blocks to the nice-kreme store, talking occasionally along the way. The sun cast a harsh, golden shadow. "I'm finally taller than you." Celia spoke proudly.
"Oh? Really?"
"Yup~!" She pointed at their shadows. She was walking ahead of him, so her shadow was taller.
"Oh noo, I have been bested!" Incubux looked away at the horizon dramatically. He turned around and shoved her lightly.
"Hah! Yes you have." Celia grinned. They had arrived at the store by then.
Incubux walked forward a little more to the pathway while Celia turned and went through the way cars drive through. "That's where the cars go." Incubux called out to her.
"Beep, beep." She continued walking. Incubux laughed and caught up to her. They walked into a store. A little bell informed all the customers and workers that they've come in. "You already know my order." Celia sat on the bar stools on the side of the store, right next to the window. She put her backpack on the seat beside her.
Incubux reached the beginning of the line. "May I take your order?" The employee asked.
Incubux could tell they couldn't be any older than him. "One large Oreo Blizzard and one large Cherry Misty Slush." He let one of his backpack's straps fall. Turning it so it was on his side, he zipped open a pocket to look for G.
"Right away." They smiled and went to the back. Incubux swayed on his feet, waiting. "Here's your order." They came back, holding out two cups. "That'll be eight G." Incubux placed the coins on the counter as he took the cups. The cold made his hands feel numb. "Your change is two-"
"Keep it." He looked over his shoulder momentarily as he walked away. The employee smiled and put the coins in their pocket.
Celia moved her bag when Incubux placed their orders on the table. They began to eat, not really talking to each other. Celia looked over instinctively, there were humans their age looking at them and whispering to each other. They went back to their food when Celia grinned widely at them. "We have quite the reputation, huh?" She asked, knowing Incubux also saw that.
"Yup." He chuckled, taking another spoonful of nice-kreme. "It's fun."
Celia agreed. Incubux suddenly stopped chewing. "What's wrong?"
"I just crunched on something. . ."
"Oh shit."
"Wait, wait." He 'chewed' his nice-kreme a bit more. "Ohhh. . ." His shoulders dropped. "It was an Oreo I didn't see."
"You can watch and read the Hunger Games with no emotion, but freak out when you actually chew on something."
"Shush."
...
It was dark by the time they left Dairy Queen. With the street lights lighting up their way, they walked to the underground train station. "Why're we here?" Celia asked.
"You'll see." Incubux gestured to her to follow him on the train. She did. He looked up at the map of the train tracks. "Pick a number between five and. . . Thirty six."
"Twenty one."
"Alright, we're stopping at twenty one then." He took a seat. Celia sat beside him. Incubux pulled out a book while Celia got her earphones (and tape).
...
Celia stepped off the last step to the train station, looking around. "Oh, we're downtown." She gasped. "There's a plaza!" She dragged Incubux to it. "Oh my stars, it's a Denny's parking lot. Are you-"
"Yes, I'm thinking what you're thinking. Wait, we don't have swords." Incubux sighed.
"Damnit." Celia huffed. "Ooh! There's this." She grabbed a stray shopping cart and jumped into it. Incubux took the handles. They almost crashed at least five times.
...
"Playgrounds at nighttime are so much more fun." Celia stated, swinging herself high. She jumped off, landing with a thud against the rubber-like ground under her. "C'mon, let's go to the round-a-bout."
"Sure." Incubux mimicked her, jumping off and following her. Celia hopped on it, gripping the railing. Incubux took the one across from her. He ran clockwise, getting faster and faster until jumping on.
...
"This is fun."
"Mhm." Incubux agreed, one of his feet swaying off the rooftop. They both were sitting up on one, at the edge, sipping soda they got from a vending machine just below them which they climbed to get there.
"What time is it?" Celia asked.
Incubux pulled out his phone from his pocket, Celia doing the same after seeing he was taking a while. They opened their phones at the same time, freezing when they saw the notifications they both had.
Fifty six missed calls.
