Don't Blink | ✓

020

It was like jumping into another world— literally. In order not to get caught riding on the train, the two had to jump out of the cart hundreds of feet before the train actually came to a stop in the rail yard, dead center in the middle of bustling Detroit.

As the hiss of the train wheels behind him grew further away, nearly every other train Justin looked at was covered cart-to-cart in graffiti. The sprayed designs ranged in a multitude of colors, creating layers of overlapped artwork. Some were just big dramatic letters spelling out names or gang signs, others consisted of detailed work of scenes and famous historical figures.

"You ever done something like this?" He spread his arms wide, stopping for a second to look around at the mass of designs.

"You promised to not ask questions this week. Remember that? It couldn't have been made more than thirty minutes ago" Blink chuckled, hopping silently over the knee-high barricades that separated the rail yard from the start of the city.

Justin shrugged before stepping over the barricade too, slinging his book bag onto his broad shoulders. "I thought why not ask one more before I officially step into the city"

Sighing, Blink began walking, looking over her shoulder to motion him to follow. "No, I've never done street art. I'm not very good at it and I'm never in one city long enough to practice."

"Yeah, Caia mentioned you moving a whole bunch when you were little." Justin dismissed Blink's look of wariness. Just how much was Caia telling everyone who asked about me? Did she just blurt out whatever she wanted or did it take a few tries before she spilled Blink's entire fucking life? All these questions were floating through Blink's mind as Justin followed her to the first street of the city.

"I bet she did" Blink gave a false smile.

Silent for the first time in hours, Blink lead Justin down a series of streets, Justin taking note of how she never once hesitated on where she was going or if she was making a wrong turn. It was nearing sunset, the setting ball of fire illuminating the sky and causing all the buildings of downtown Detroit to reflect the bronze light. The creation of lingering shadows was a bit frightening, adding to the city's bad reputation nearing dark. 

That was why Justin was a bit concerned of their leisurely stroll down the streets, as certain stores closed, businessmen finally arrived home, and street lights began to blink on one by one.

"Blink—" she shushed him immediately. 

"Keep your head down," she muttered. "Don't look around too much or at anyone you're not supposed to" she added. "Things get a bit weird around here at this time of the day. Just wait until nightfall and it'll be a whole new atmosphere...better than this"

Crossing the street, Justin saw the corner store named Mo's in bright red letters. A few other people we strolling in, others shuffling out with white plastic bags filled with whatever junk they'd bought minutes ago. "We've gotta stop here for a minute and then we'll be right back on track and be there before sundown."

He wanted so badly to ask where 'there' was but he'd promised her he wouldn't ask any questions all week. That was going to be a very hard task. Especially since he'd been such a curious person all his life, but he didn't think pissing her off for the first hour in the city would be a good idea.

From the outside Justin could already see the row and rows of junk food. Every candy and chip brand sat amongst the black racks, neatly organized away from the slushy machine, nacho bar, and wall to wall clear door refrigeration that housed the drink selection.

Opening the door for Blink, she muttered a quick thanks before she rushed in, walking straight up to the convenience store counter. At the counter stood a man of Arab decent; he wore a red and black Mo's t-shirt and a backwards baseball cap with the logo of the Detroit Pistons on the back. "Blink!" His voice was heavily accented and startled a few individuals in the store. His onyx eyes sparkled in giddiness when the brunette leant against the plastic counter draped in ads and phone numbers for various services.

"You're back in town I see. Gone too long!" He cheesed widely, showing off the crooked teeth on the bottom and the gold tooth cap on the top right.

"Hey, Omar" Blink gave a lazy wave as she checked out the tobacco behind him.

"How long you stay?" He asked, tapping a whimsical beat on the inside counter with his hands.

"Just the week..." she pointed over his shoulder. "I'll take two Marlboro red soft packs, three Camel blues, and what the hell..." she groaned, gesturing to the black ad taped to the wall behind the counter. "I'll take the new menthols too"

Justin eyes nearly enlarged when the man began throwing several packs onto the counter between them, the plastic wrapped pouches sliding unsteadily over each other and one even tumbling onto the floor.

Reaching down to retrieve the pack, Justin made sure to keep a stubborn grip when Blink reached back to take it off his hands. "Justin" she growled, ripping the pack from his hands. "Boyfriend?" Omar questioned, looking over Blink's shoulder to the tall boy who looked like anything but a Detroit native.

"Not even close" Blink waved the silly question off again. Justin chuckled, itching the side of his face while taking a casual look around the store. Tapping a box on the counter in some untimely beat, she pointed one last time over the cashier's slumped shoulders. "And I guess a Marlboro Black," she was almost sure she heard Justin mutter something like 'Jesus Christ' under his breath.

"That's seven for thirty-six" He began pushing buttons on the cash register. "Want to throw in pack of licorice?" He smiled a crooked smile when Blink rolled her eyes. "No Omar, I'm fully stocked at the moment"

Removing her book bag from her back, she removed a couple of scrunched bills, smoothing them out on the counter as she counted their total. "I only have seventeen dollars and..." she searched her front and back pockets for loose change "thirty-eight cents."

"Every time, Blink" Omar groaned this time, folding his arms across his slim chest and fixing a heavy eye on the female in front of him. "You already owe twenty from last two times" his accent caused a few of his words to roll together.

"I'll be able to pay you back at the end of this week, before I go" she pleaded with her hands steepled together and her bottom lip out in a miserable pout.

"You also say that last two time" his eyebrows raised.

In an effort to get this over with, Justin pulled his wallet from his back pocket. Unfolding the many bills, he counted four twenty dollar bills before he took the few steps to bring himself to the counter.

With his warm breath clashing with the hot sweat of Blink's neck, she nearly shivered. It was a good shiver she hated to admit. His shoulder was relaxed against her own, as he passed the money across the counter into the man's hands. "That should cover the purchase and her tab" he flashed the man a smile that lasted half a second before his face returned to its state of indifference.

"I didn't need you to do that" Blink hissed under her breath as Justin held the door open for her on the way out. He merely shrugged as he stuffed his wallet back into his back pocket. She didn't seem to notice how her hands were shaking as they exited, Justin did, but it certainly wasn't from the weather.

Grabbing the bag from Blink's hands, he wanted her to focus on leading them to wherever it was she was taking them...and maybe he could even toss the bag of cancer sticks in the nearest trashcan when she wasn't looking.