Danger Town

•9•

Alice' POV

"Hey mom can I go out? I was wondering if I could take the car."

"Of course. Who with?"

"Um. The boy who moved in next door." I figured that she would find out eventually.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. But don't be go getting pregnant!"

"You know I would never mom." I said, rolling my eyes. She has a quirky sense of humour.

"I know. Have fun sweets. Would ya bring me back some candy?"

"Would you lend me some money?"

"There's $10 in my wallet. I want change and candy!" She called out her last demands as I scooped up the cash and keys throwing the items into my purse. I slipped my shoes on and walked out to start the car. I quickly pulled up to his driveway and he was standing there with his leather jacket and gorgeous brown wavy locks.

"You're late." He rested his arms on the open window of my moms Honda looking at me with those puzzling eyes.

"I am not. I have one minute to spare. You are just early."

"Fair point." He seemed a bit hesitant to get in so I reached over and opened the door. "So, where to?"

"Seatbelt."

"Huh?"

"Put your seatbelt on." He looked at me with a look that told me he thought I was a goody goody.

"Whatever happened to danger town?"

"A little danger is all fine and good. But I would prefer you don't die on account of not putting your seatbelt on."

"Alright alright." He clipped himself in and I started heading into town."

"So, did your mom let you go?" His face went stony and I realized that it was going to be hard to get through his shell.

"She didn't really have a choice. Her and Jack are out and they won't come home until 1 am drunk and loud. Wakes me up every time." He went quiet for a second and I decided not to pry. "She was never like this with my father. Jack changed her. She used to be kind and gentle. Now she's wilder and not in a good way."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay." I found that this impromptu get-out-of-the-house thing was not going as smoothly as I thought it would.

"How about you? What's your story?"

"Not much. My mom is pretty awesome. My little sister Emerson is four and I've been teaching her to read lately."

"What about your dad?" The dreaded question. The father inquiries. Four years ago it was all people talked to me for. I almost didn't open up but he did for me. I had to reciprocate if I was going to learn more about him.

"He died four years ago. He had an accident on his way to the hospital while Emmy was being born. She reminds me so much of him. She has his eyes, very dark blue fleck."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"It's okay."

"Wow, for an escape-the-world night it's getting kinda heavy."

"Well, then let's lighten things up."