BREATHE [✔]

8.A thief and his compainion.

Conrad

"Wait, Cee where are we going?" Chester said rushing behind me.

"To steal a car."

"Ha!.. you are joking, right?"

"Uhuh. . . but you are right maybe a motorcycle is easier to navigate and faster." I said walking in totally different direction.

"Do you even know how to ride a motorcycle?" Chester akaes sounding hysterical.

"No, but I have data and YouTube."

"I swear to God Conrad if you get me arrested I will commit a crime ..." Chester responded with daggers in his eyes.

"Relax live a little. It's my brother's motorcycle he comes to these parties all the time." I said looking amongst the stacked motorcycles.

"You have a brother?"

"More like a pain in the behind but whose checking."

Taking out the spare key I had made for moments like these I swung a leg over and sit on the motorcycle like I did it all the time. Hopefully, fooling Chester too. We needed all the confidence we could get.

"There is no way I am getting not that thing. " chester said looking at me skeptically.

"Come on don't be a wuss. It will be fun."

Chester shifted his left leg then his right then decided to clammer onto the motorcycle hurriedly as if he would change his mind if he were any slower. "I dont do 'fun'.

"Huh I never noticed." I said hading him a helmet.

The ride was as quiet as can be. Chester clung onto my jacket like I was going to drop him any minute now. I couldn't help but smile a bit more as his fingers dipped into my jacket. I didn't have to scream against the wind since his face was buried in the crook of my neck.

"You have to relax, I am not going to kill us." I said to him.

He let out a muffled reply that I couldn't make out.

"What's that?"

"Dying is the least of my worries." He whispered into my ear.

"Don't worry live a little danger never killed anyone." I said smiling as I took a sudden sharp turn.

"It has killed someone actually a lot of people that's why it's called danger." He continued to say by ear.

I liked the sound and shivers he created with just his voice.

"Don't worry I got you. Plus you seemed pretty out of it we going to get you out of your head, a little R n R never hurt."

We arrived at this old amusement park my brother used to take me whenever I wasn't feeling happy. Back then he was still happy to do stuff with his younger brother. I always called it the cooling spot even now after it closed and all the rides were abandoned I still use it to cool off and try and regain my happiness.

A few minutes later after stashing the bike in an alley I picked the lock and managaed tob switch the electricity back on in the old rusting establishment. 

"Is that a no trespassing sign?" Chester said pointing behind me.

"What? I have never saw one." I said lying through my teeth.

"Of course not all precautions and warnings always seem to wash over you. " he answered rolling his eyes.

"Rules are just social constraints that restrict us from living our best lives." I said messing with more controls in the park.

He scoffed "you honestly don't believe that right?"

"Of course I do." I answered him while wrestling with the metal gear thing that switches on the carousel.

"Do you always break rules or are you running away from something. "

"Just get on the bloody carousel will you." I said in a harsh whisper I didn't realise till he winced.

"Okay touchy touchy sheesh." He said getting onto the carousel with a small triumphatic smile. 

I got onto the horse next to his so I could talk to him face to face.

"So why this place anyway?" he said looking at me with those deep silver grey piercing eyes.

"It's the place my brother used to bring me when I needed it."

"Why? Why did you need it I mean?" He whispered.

I gulped letting the question go unanswered some things where not meant to be put out there.

"So are we going to talk about what happened?" I said changing the conversation.

"Talk about what!" he responded. It was not a question more like a warning.

"You know what I am talking about. That night in your room." I replied softly.

"I have a girlfriend Cee." He whispered.

"I know." I replied trying to hide the smile that threatened to show up because he called me Cee.

"So that can not happen. Not now not ever. " He continued. 

"Yeah I hear you. We are friends though right?" I asked

He turned to me with concern lacing his eyes and responded with just a single nod.

Then with that his face turned into a serious scowl and he asked me with confusion in his voice " Why me? Conrad, why me?"

"It's because you clearly needed help." I answered assuming ge was asking about why I was helping him.

"Yeah? There are a lot of other people who need help." He answered voice sounding a little glum. "So why start with me?"

"You got to start somewhere right?" I said placing my fingers under his chin to raise his eyes.

"No tell me the real truth." He said almost sounding like he was pleading.

"It's because I have been there, okay. The vacant stares, the zoning out, the failure to go on." I replied letting out a slow breath. " I know how it feels to be so deep into your mind and not know how to escape and if I could help someone else I would like to do that."

"Oh... And the girl is she your girlfriend?" He said changing pace fast.

"Ha. Well that's umm... Not really?"

" That's not an answer. " he said looking at me enerstly.

"Yes and no. Yes in the sense that Jen and I used to... You know. But back then I wasn't exactly great at the whole monogamy thing. "

"So you cheated on her?"

"Uh no, it was more of a polyamorous relationship and I learnt the hard way that three people can not love each other equally. There will always be a third wheel."

"Oh I am sorry. So you are single now. "

"Are you asking me out Chester." I replied winking.

"Uh wait what... That's not what I meant." he replied blushing furiously.

"Relax I was just joking. "

"So tell me more about your brother." He said smiling now his eyes turning a shinier brighter silver.

"That's a story for another time." I responded laughing heartily.

"You boys know that this is private property right? " I heard a voice in the darkness say.

"Fuck!" I responded clearly shocked.

"Yes boys come on, you coming down to the station with me. "

And that was how we were escorted to to the nearest police station for a fun night in a cell.

Written [05.06.19]

Edited [24.02.20]