Heat Haze

Don't Look Back

Author's Note:

This does contain swearing. And sorry if the characters are OOC. I tried.

"Don, get your ass to Lady Land Park by twelve. I don't care if you're early." Dashlie's voice mail abruptly ended when his phone went dark. Why did she want him to meet her at Lady Land Park? Did this have to do with Duni? Whatever it was, he didn't care. Dashlie owed him one after this. The time read Saturday, July 12th 9:46 AM. Don opened his closet. Identical hats lined the wall. No matter what they said, he needed all of them. He shoved it onto his head harshly, ignoring the way it displaced his tawny hair. This better be good.

Don felt uncomfortable as the summery sunrays beat against him. His sweater suffocated him as he approached the playground of the park. He could see a bright crimson figure sitting on one of the swings. Don didn't understand how Dashlie kept herself cool in that outfit—he couldn't himself. The park was packed with people running around and having fun. He hated being in public, but Dashlie had asked him to come out. He approached her when her red eyes met his citrus ones.

"What the hell took you so long? I had half the mind to leave," The girl's voice grit on Don's nerve as he inwardly cringed. Her expression was twisted in a way of anger and disappointment. This act was getting too old.

"Drop the act, brat. No one's around," Dashlie's face softened. Her frown turned into a grin, which then turned into laughter. He loved the sound of laughter; it was a sound he almost never got to hear. Whether it was Dashlie's loud and boisterous laugh or Richard's reluctant chuckle, he couldn't help but feel fuzzy inside. He had always wondered what it was.

"Drop yours too, you jerk," she choked out between laughs. Why did she have to swear all the time? Don refused to smile but took a seat next to her. Don could never comprehend his relationship with Dashlie. He had waited until she stopped her fit of laughter.

"So why did you call me here? It better be for a good reason," he asked.

"Richard was being a little shit and didn't want to hang out today. I think he's afraid of burning up," she joked, the two ending it with a laugh. Everyone thought the brunette was a vampire, no matter how much he detested it. It became such a joke that Richard gave up on trying to prove them wrong. "I had a picnic ready, and since he didn't want to come, I invited you," she finished, pulling out a basket from the right of the swing.

"I made sure to make sugar cookies," Dashlie stated, showing him the contents of the basket. As soon as the basket was opened, sweet and savory scents burst out from inside. There was half a loaf of bread, cheese, fruits, two cans of juice, and a container full of sugar cookies inside. Underneath all of it was a picnic blanket. Don could tell that the baked goods were homemade.

"I hope you didn't undercook the bread like last time," the shorter male replied. He remembered when Dashlie had purposefully undercooked the bread for her two friends.

"You're in for a surprise," she commented. Don couldn't remember the exact events, but it ended with Dashlie's oven being dismantled for a week.

"You're an asshole, you know that?" he asked her before she stood up and grabbed the basket.

"You're one to talk," she simply responded. Both insults wrung true. "It's too busy here, let's go to the area across the street," Dashlie suggested. Don nodded as the two began walking to the crosswalk. It was only down the road, so it did not take long for them to arrive there. The orange haired male pushed the button. The two waited. The roads were strangely empty, but the light still said not to cross. What was taking it so long?

Dashlie sighed. "Screw it, let's just cross already. There isn't a car coming." Don whipped around to stare at her.

"Are you insane? Or are you just as dense as you look? There's no way we're crossing!" He exclaimed.

"You're just scared," she teased. How dare she! He stuck his tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes and groaned before making her way across the street. What was she doing? "Hold up, you're not leaving me behind!" he found himself yelling, running towards her. What was he doing? He cut in front of her, walking ahead while she stared him down from the back. He didn't care that she was glaring at him. If he made it across first, he could say "I told you so." He knew that what he was doing was dangerous, but the albino had forced his hand. She was the one to blame-

"DON, LOOK OUT!" And it almost didn't hurt when the truck came crashing into him.

A/N

I already have the next two chapters written.