Perfect

Chapter 2

Head lights on passing cars, and flickering street lights were the only forms of light given to guide through the dangerous streets of the nights. Cars screeching as their driver performed a burn out, or last minute turn and emergency vehicle sirens blared somewhere in the distance. Dogs sang barks as we passed by their houses. Wind whispered amongst leaves on the trees that towered above our heads.

"Do you even think he's up?" I finally cracked the silence, speaking to the backs of Star and Joan who had been walking silently holding hands.  

"Gage? Hell yeah he's sleeping.  But that's why we wake him up." Joan said continuing to face forward, speaking to the roads that lie ahead.   Taking a turn onto Cadbury Street, we were now in the homestretch.  Gage lived somewhere on the street.  

"How?" I spat, 'You know he's a heavy sleeper." I couldn't understand why this whole last minute plan couldn't wait until morning.  After all, we all still needed cloths, food, some form of warmth, sanitary products; we couldn't just ignore that, could we?

"Romeo and Juliet style, except, I'm throwing a rock.  That's Romeo and Juliet right?" Joan asked with a chortle. 

"You'll break a window, don't do that." Starlene advised, but any fool knew Joan wouldn't consider her words.  

I rolled my eyes to his back as Joan lead us up Gage's driveway.  "Look Joan, this won't work." I finally spoke my mind, though I truly wanted this plan to work, there was no way it could.   Police would begin searching, and in a matter of time they'd find us; it wouldn't be too hard to find a group of teens. 

"And why is that Bren?" Joan spun around to face me, his voice raised.  

"Joan shush! You'll wake somebody!" Starlene warned grabbing his arm, pasting herself to his side.

"Well Joan, because we're all a bunch of fucking dumb asses first of all.  And second, where are our cloths? Our food and water? Huh? Whataya think we can just walk into a store and buy something when our faces are everywhere and we're labeled as runaways?" I matched his volume, taking a few steps forward. 

Joan shook off Starlene from his tan arm, abandoning her for a rock.  After selecting his rock he turned back to me, "I knew you would hold us back." He growled, narrowing his eyes, "You always do." Turning around he walked deeper into the yard, disappearing into the night as he went to the other side of the tan sided house leaving Starlene and I in the aftermath of his words.

"Fuck it." I muttered, turning around, I wasn't going to put up with Joan's, or any of their shit.  I knew my place in the group was minimal and my absence wouldn't cost them a damn thing.  With these thoughts in mind I began my way back down the driveway, ready to walk back to hell, back to home when another hand caught  my own.  

"Bren.." It was Starlene's soft  voice which brought other thoughts to mind.  Why was she always the one apologizing for her boyfriend? Why was she the one always mopping up his mistakes?  

"No Starlene." I said sternly, making a believable charade that I truly wanted to abandon them for home.  I wasn't going to give in, I tugged away from her hand, stumbling forward from the detaching advance.  

"Bren, he doesn't mean that, you know how he gets."  Starlene continued to press her words to me, once again reaching for a limb, which I swiftly denied when I shied away.  

"Yeah, I know how he gets, and I don't like it!" I shouted.

"Nie-" Starlene began when a flicker of light caught my attention from the corner of my eye.  My raised volume most have woken somebody in Gage's house up.  

I reacted quickly, grabbing Star's thing hand and pulling her light weight body behind a growing shrub to shadow us into the night's blanket.  I peaked through the leaves, cautiously awaiting for the light to turn out.  "What the fuck?" Starlene shouted in a whisper.

"I think I woke them up." I explained quickly, not bothering to look at her, I wouldn't dare risk us getting caught trespassing again.  

"Fucking great Bren." Starlene complained, keeping her volume low; I could tell I was about to receive a lecture.  "Did you not learn from last time what happens when you shout, or raise your voice when we're trespassing!? Last time we got fined!" She didn't fail to let me forget.  

"Hey, we almost got away." I smirked, sighing in relief once the light returned to darkness.  We'd wait it out here for a bit longer, just to make sure.

"Yeah by running from the fucking police." She muttered, sighing "Where are they?" She rhetorically asked impatiently.  

I shrugged, finally looking away from the window where the light once penetrated from.  "Stay here." I hushed as I slowly stood up.  

"Where are you going? You can't just leave me alone!" She said in protest of my actions, standing to her feet.  Starlene was just slightly taller than me, she had more leg than I did.  

"Fine." I groaned, giving in without much of a brawl,  "We're going around back to see what Joan's dumb ass is doing." I informed, "Move quickly." 

She nodded, but I couldn't trust her to follow my instructions on fast movement.  I grabbed her hand, pulling her with me in my jog around the house, into the back yard.  Movement only a few feet away caught my attention.  Shuffles of bodies, and muffled voices cursing as one dropped from the second story window into the other's arms.   I heard Starlene gasp from behind at the stunt.  I had to admit it was quite dangerous, and Gage could've ended up with a broken limb.  

I tuned my head, saying to Star from over my shoulder, "Come on." with a nod we made a short and quick jog over to the two boys.

"Sup?" Gage grinned, flicking his chin up. 

"Stupid idea's is whats sup." I muttered, folding my arms across my chest.

 Before Joan could add fire to words Starlene spoke, "Look, Bren and I saw a light go on inside the house while you guys were back here.  So we need to move and get out of here."

"Shit.  Yeah, lets bounce.  My mum was drinkin' t'night and ya know how she get's when she has a few." Gage said, his blue eyes highlighted by the light of the moon.

"Wait!" I whispered in a shout, "First we need to get food and water along with cloths." I wasn't going to go anywhere with at least those necessities. 

"Fine." Gage agreed quickly coming up with a plan, "Okay, Joan and I go to his place.  We'll pick up some snacks and cloths for us.  You and Star go to your house, since ya know ya parents are prolly' passed out drunk.  Get sum' cloths and water bottles, throw em' in a bag and meet us back..." He paused there looking to Joan to finish the plan.

"The playground." Joan said flatly, obviously not happy with the change in schedule.  

He'd appreciate it later.  "Sounds good." I said with a nod.

"Got it." Starlene added, looking to me, "Let's go." She said taking my hand in hers, "Run it'll make things quicker." she grinned, I began to see her loosen up to the idea of vanishing from this town.

"See you guys in a few." I said with a wave, turning around in the other direction homeward bound with Starlene.

"See ya!" I heard Gage call back.

Running into the night star filled horizon, with my best friend in tow, knowing we wouldn't be here for another night like this ever again, began to settle in my stomach forming a smile on my lips.