Hidden Valley (D. SWING)

XV. Overpass

The pipes had bursted in sixth period and the school evacuated. As they stood in the student parking lot, Tasha and Cynthia lean up against the trunk of her car. They're waiting on their two other friends to accompany them to visit Don in the hospital. Paulette skipped school to be with Evelyn, making one less person the cause of their delay.

"So, where were you yesterday," Tasha asks.

Cynthia sighs, scratching her forearm. "At home, thank God. I would've had a heart attack if I saw Evelyn drown."

"But Don saved her life! It was amazing when you ignore his bone sticking out of his arm!"

Cynthia didn't know what exactly was wrong with Don. When she'd gotten to the hospital he was sleep and Mrs. DeGrate was losing her mind. Cynthia went down to the third floor to see Evelyn and when she was told that she was doing fine, a pound of pressure was released from her chest. It was not until seeing blood all over Paulette's shirt that she began to panic. The moment she was informed that it was Don's blood, she nearly fainted.

Sighing, Cynthia folds her arms across her chest. "I wouldn't be able to stomach it. No fucking way."

"D was cursing like hell too."

Eyebrows reaching her ponytail, Cynthia's breath gets caught in her throat. Coughing, she stops herself from seeing the light before exclaiming, "What?!" Her shock was beyond the capacity of her beliefs.

Every teenagers has got a mouth. They've all sworn their fair share of swears. Although, Don would never ever in his life swear in front of a child. He's done it on accident in the past and the way it ate him up inside was of a brand new caliber at that time. It was as if a Rabbi had cut his face bear clean, the shock carried that much weight. Don hasn't come to realization that he's done such a thing. As long as he remains completely oblivious to the entire idea, he will be perfectly fine for the time being.

Mission Impossible: Nobody tell Don.

Marlene, carrying Don's backpack approaches the two with Felicia by her side. "Hey guys, we're ready."

Cynthia's eyes fall on the all black backpack. The small purple pin-back button retrieved when they snuck off to the concert of the biggest rockstar of 1984 caught her attention immediately. As Marlene tosses it over her shoulder, Cynthia's senses go haywire.

"How'd you get Don's bag," she questions.

Sensing tense undertones, Marlene finds herself at loss for words. Tasha steps in without a single second thought. "Don's mom gave it to Paulette to get him his assignments so he can still turn them in Monday..." Tasha's trail causes the tension to fall down a well of awkward air.

"And Paulette asked her to get it because she ditched to see Evelyn. She's already with Don right now," says Felicia as she flashes a rubber bracelet that reminded Cynthia of the summer of 1986 in San Fransisco.

Cynthia takes another look at Marlene as her curiosity slowly morphs into a smile. She approves.

"Okay, cool," Cynthia smiles. "We can go now. C'mon!" She skips around the car to the front sear and hops right in without any further questions for her friends. As she finds herself completely content with the route of their adventures, she comfortably settles in the front seat.

Felicia glances at Tasha with inquiry filling her eyes. "I thought you said I could riding shotgun?"

Scoffing in response, Tasha waves her hands in the air. "Whatever. Let's just let it go and go see Don. We have practice tonight anyway and I can already tell it'll be a long night." Her eyes roll as she slides into her seat as the driver. Marlene and Felicia get into the backseat, Felicia carrying a card signed by the cheerleaders that is addressed to Don and another to Evelyn.