Fawkes

A New Feeling

I sat on the curb a ways away from Lauren's house, so that I could still see the kids walking across the front lawn (most of them puking) but they couldn't see me.

I had left my jacket inside, but I was sooner about to kiss Clayface than go back there, so I opted to sit in the cold of the night and call Dick, staring at my feet in shocked shame.

I could still feel Lukas's hands on me, even more than I actually felt it when it happened. I heard the sound of my zipper unzipping, and it made me sick to my stomach. If I wasn't getting sober before, then I was now. I only felt slightly woozy as the familiar voice greeted me through the phone.

"Hershey! How's the homework going?"

"Can you come pick me up?" I asked pathetically, my voice merely a whisper. I shifted on the curb, clearing my throat and continuing, "Please?"

"What? From Sandy's?"

"No." I internally groaned, "From Lauren's."

There was silence, and I awaited his reaction, bringing my knees to my chest to stay warm.

"You went to Lauren's party?" He asked, his voice monotone, but laced with anger that he was trying to smother. My heart sank.

"Yes. I'll explain. Just . . . please come."

"I'll be there in five."

It was hard to read Dick's voice on the phone, which left me even more nervous as I waited for his car to pull up. When it did, speeding onto the road and coming to a screeching stop in front of me, I wasn't in any mood to question the fact that Dick was behind the wheel. Even though he was only fifteen, I didn't second guess anything. I was too scared of what was to come.

I entered the passenger seat, glancing at Dick as his unreadable expression looked the other way.

"Thanks for coming," I muttered uncertainly, but he didn't say a word, just putting the car into drive once my seatbelt was on.

"Why'd you end up going?" He asked suddenly, breaking the short silence that had felt much longer in my head.

I turned to him, my voice quiet as he began driving, "I don't know. I had a bad day and needed a distraction."

I didn't want him to know what had happened to me, so I had to play it cool.

"Let me rephrase that. Why did you go, when I specifically told you not to? You promised you wouldn't. Promises mean a lot, Hershey." The calm that masked his anger strangely reminded me of the Bat, "It's like you don't know what trust even is."

No matter what had happened that night, and how shitty I felt about it all, I couldn't help the irritation that bit at me. Despite how in the wrong I was, I did nothing to stop the retort that sat at the tip of my tongue.

"Hate to burst your bubble, Grayson, but you don't exactly control my life," I said, my voice still quiet but managing to stay firm.

I wished I had agreed with him, because he said nothing in return, not arguing like I wished he had. I could handle arguing. I always had a witty comeback up my sleeve, but one thing I hated more than anything was the silent treatment. The cold shoulder.

"You know nothing about how things work here," He sped down the road as he spoke again, hands clenching the wheel and anger seeping into his tone, "You act like you can handle yourself in every situation, but in reality you can't. You think you're tough enough to take on everything, but you wouldn't have to if you just knew when to listen to people. God, Hershey!" He scoffed, looking over at me for the first time since I entered the vehicle, though my gaze remained straight ahead, "You're so—"