Growing Up

3.0

Kit drove a yellow 1972 Ford Capri that looked as though it had seen hell and back. Despite being his 16th birthday present, he still looked at it with the same sparkle of excitement and appreciation in his eyes. Aspen waited by the back door of the shop, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, trying to protect herself from the chill bite of the Manhattan air. Kit had a large, black garbage bag in his hand and was quickly shoving rappers, bottles, and unidentifiable objects into it- he had clearly not been expecting company. Once he was done, he dumped the bag into the large green dumpster beside her and gestured her toward the car, her teeth chattering and lips cracking in the process and the clicks of the heels of her boots fading into the distant sound of city bustle. 

Kit shrugged off his large black coat and draped it over her shoulders, walking around the front of the door and into the driver's seat. Aspen shot him a thankful look and slid her arms through the sleeves as she sat onto the chair. After a few tries, the old engine screamed and they were off.

Aspen was texting Catherine like crazy trying to get the address to whatever club they were planning on going to. Something told Aspen that her friend had managed to convince many men to buy her a drink, and that she was probably either puking onto the bathroom wall or pressed up against it. 

"Fuck.." She muttered, throwing the device back into her bag and gnawing on her right thumb. She had tried everything, but ever since she was 6 she had been a nail-biter in times of stress. 

"What's up?" Kit asked, making a concerned face but keeping his eyes locked onto the bright lights ahead of them. 

"My friend isn't answering- I don't know where they are right now." She explained, resting her head on her hand and giving him a defeated look. 

"Isn't there anybody else you can call who you know is with her?" He asked as if it would have been the obvious next move.. which it was of course.

"Yeah.." She muttered, embarrassed. Auden. She dug up her phone again and called him, crossing her fingers and hoping he would pick up.

"Hello?" a familiar, musky voice breathed into the phone. The loud, rhythmic pump of EDM pulsated in the background, making his voice barely audible. 

"Yes- Auden? It's Aspen. Where are you guys right now?" She yelled into her phone in her loudest, clearest voice. 

"We're at the club right by Jordan's apartment- we went for a little pre game. It's called Adonis." He yelled back at her, loud enough that Kit had been able to hear it. 

"Adonis, I know where that is." He confirmed, merging into the lane to go left. 

"Okidoki," She chirped at Kit. "I'm almost there!" She yelled back into the phone before hanging up. 

"What's the plan for tonight?" Kit asked, trying to make conversation after the car had grown silent for what had felt like an hour but was only 4 minutes. 

"We're going to a club and then a little party at this guy's apartment nearby. You can come if you want..." She added hastily, guilty that he was going through all of this trouble to drop her when he wasn't even invited himself. 

His laugh vibrated through the car like a wind chime. "Thanks, but no thanks. Not really my crowd." He explained. 

She understood what he meant- it wasn't necessarily her crowd either, but it was all she had in this city. Besides, Kit had always shown a certain discomfort whenever university was mentioned. What would he have studied if he had the opportunity to attend?

The car suddenly jolted to a stop as Kit floored down on the brakes outside of the crowded club, a long queue wrapping around the side of the tall, matte black building. A neon sign with the name, Adonis, gave of a hazy blue glow onto the people downstairs. The long carpet along the side was a similar shade of blue with black symbols and swirls decorating it, and the large bouncer stood with his earpiece in, arms crossed, and clipboard in hand as he glared out directly in front of him from behind the red velvet rope.