Michael, Austin, and Jasmine, were standing on the edge of the mysterious man's property. Derek was knocking on the door, and I was behind Derek. The man answered the door.
"What do you want?" His angry voice said. "Who are all you kids?"
"You have to pay me." Derek stated.
"Hell, I'm not paying you!!" He said as he took a drink from a tall glass bottle.
"Yes, you are." Derek demanded. I wanted to leave. It was getting dark.
The man flung open the door and threw the bottle on the ground beside us. It shattered and made me jump. I stayed hidden behind Derek, I was so scared.
"YOU LITTLE TWERPS, MIGHT JUST WANT TO GET OUT, OR I'M CALLIN THE COPS ON YO ASSES!" He yelled walking mighty close up to Derek. I could hear the man breathing.
Jasmine, Austin, and Michael just stood there, they didn't look afraid.
"Just pay!" Derek spat into his face. The man grabbed a stick that was right behind him leaning against the wall. He held it as if he'd hit us. Derek didn't even flinch.
"Hey! What's goin on?" A neighboring voice sounded through a screen door. It was some old lady, but I couldn't see her. The man ignored the lady, and came down on Derek with the wooden stick. He hit Derek so hard, I could feel Derek trying to not look hurt. He stood there still.
"GET OFF MY PROPERTY!" He screamed. We just stood there. I wanted for everyone to just leave the man's yard.
Then through the dark I saw red and blue lights. That lady must have called the cops. They pulled up along the road where we were. The man hit derek again and again right in front of the cops. Derek still just stood there like he was frozen.
I watched from behind Derek as a cop ran to the man and got him to the ground. Derek and I walked over to the others, and sat with them. Derek was rubbing his eye. He's face was bruised. Then a cop walked over.
"This man say's you guy's aren't leaving." The cop said with his flashlight pointed at the ground. I knew this wasn't going to end well. Cops talked to the man then talked to us. He started calling all our parents. The man, as drunk as he was, told the cop everything about us. The last time I saw the man was in handcuffs heading to the back of a squad car.
"You guys been selling illegal drugs?" The cop asked us. We all just sat in silence. The cop pulled Derek onto his feet and asked again "You guys been selling illegal drugs?!" I didn't like the situation, so I thought I should leave. As the rest of the group stood up I started walking away.
"Hey, don't walk away! I'm talking to you!" The police officer yelled after me. I don't know why, but I continued to walk faster until it turned into a run. I ran as fast I could. But It didn't take long before I was down on the ground, unknowing on what was happening. I sat on the curve with my head down on my knees.
I thought about what Derek had told us on the way here, he said to not say anything at all. Don't move. Don't talk. Don't give ourselves up. I thought about how much trouble I'll be in. I wasn't suppose to be here. I'm suppose to be in my bedroom all alone drawing pictures of my cat. I didn't belong in these situations.
I thought about the first time I meet these kid's at the lunch table. They were so nice to me, and they didn't ignore me like everyone else. I thought I had found my place, but this can't be my place, I don't belong in the back of police cars.
It was dark out and police cars were heading off. Slowly Derek, Michael, Austin, and Jasmin were taken off in separate cars driven by their parents. We got off easy I guess. Then I saw my dads truck pull up. He got out and walked over to me.
"I can't believe you'd do such a thing." Dad said looking disappointedly at the ground. I stood up quickly.
"It's not my fault. I didn't want to get in trouble. That's why I ran." I said without looking at him. He was thinking deeply about something. I stayed there standing in the dark grass.
"I've had it with you!" He said through his clenched teeth. "You are not allowed to hang out with those kids anymore." He put his hands on his hips. "And don't you ever run away from policemen again. You shouldn't even have a reason to run. You do exactly what people tell you to do from now on. Don't even think about those kids!"
"How?" I said exhaustedly.
He came close to me. "Self!" He said sternly, gripping the collar of my shirt "Control!!!" He finished, I could feel him breathing. There was a pause until he finally released the tight grip. He didn't say one word to me for the rest of the night.
