Burnouts

Whatever It Takes

Scene 1: Danny's Van

Danny Cole

"Want one?" Matt offers me one of his burgers.

"No, and who said you could eat in my van?"

"No one," he shrugged as he bit into it.

I shook my head in annoyance and kept driving. "Where am I dropping you off at?" I ask, considering that we've been cruising around like gas is free.

"Dropping me off?" His eyebrows furrow, "I thought we were hanging out."

I laugh at his response but stop when he doesn't join me. "Wait...are you serious?"

Matt and I don't hang out just the two of us. We haven't since junior high.

Leo is the glue between the three of us. It's either all or one and Leo. Without him, we would've drifted apart years ago. Matt is into slasher films and heavy metal, gore and Gwar. I like cars and money.

"Yeah— unless you secretly hate my guts or something."

"No..." and I don't, honestly. I'd take a stab wound for this kid. There's love here, just not the let's bond kind.

"So, what's the problem then?"

"There isn't one, I guess," I shrug, "but we have to do something light. I can't go on a bender or anything like last time." Once, we were all hanging out and Matt convinced us to drop acid. It must have been laced because I woke up the next day with a new tattoo, no pants, and we couldn't find Leo for like nine hours.

"I've got a gram, we can park outside of Benny's and hotbox the van."

I inhale sharply, "no can do. Val said I can't smoke in the van anymore. She goes to work smelling like bud."

"Oh..."

"We can just head back to my place and smoke it there."

"Won't your dad be mad?"

"He picked up another shift at the station. He won't be back until morning. Plus, fuck him anyway." If I have to raise myself then I will decide what I can or can't do.

"Cool," Matt smiles, "let's swing by the video store and pick up some movies that'll last through the night. I'm staying over."

"Says who?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Me."

"Fine, but we're not watching any scary movies, alright? I hate that shit."

"Pussy," Matt sneered.

"Fuck off," I scoff and reach over to snatch his burger out of his hand before throwing it out the window.

"Hey!" He protests but laughs it off.

"Yeah, yeah, just turn up the music."

He did as I said and then proceeded to question when I started listening to Bush. The tape is Leo's, but I took credit for it anyway.