Riot Night

1

   I was driving my Jeep down 99, going into Seattle with my friends. We had spent the afternoon making signs and getting ready for protesting. We made sure to wear our masks, thanks covid for that, a cooler in the back full of cold water bottles both for drinking and for tear gas, and made sure our faces were painted up to screw with facial recognition. My friend Dana was up front with me, snap chatting our ride and Paul was in the back with Chester. We had our combat boots on, dark jeans and jackets. I looked back to see Paul run a hand through his shock of green hair.
"Man, do you think I'll get a pair of Yeezy's?"
"Excuse me?" I said, pumping the brakes a little hard, he lurched forward and looked embarrassed for a second when he caught himself.
I kept driving.
"I mean, if someone breaks a store open in gonna grab them."
"Loot and I'll beat the piss out of you," I growled. I truly meant it.
"We aren't going for money or cool shiny things in the stores. Police brutality is serious and affects many Americans who live under the bunk legal system's boot. Now do you really want to soil our message because your pompous white ass wants to get a fresh pair of sneakers?"
He avoided my eyes in the rear view mirror and mumbled an apology.
"That's what I thought. Anyway, we're nearly to the bridge, we'll be seeing the goth building soon."
The goth building was nothing more than a giant black glass skyscraper in Seattle, it seemed really fitting for a place that was so rainy and dreary. We decided that would be our meeting place if we were separated.
When we got close enough, i parked and we got out. I could hear a chant in the distance and felt my heart drum to the beat.
My own sign said, "Racist Cops Are Ruining America". Dana went more the route of "Amerikkka". Paul went with "Fcuk Trump" and Chester had "ACAB!" In red paint.
  We found a group of people being pushed back with bikes by the police and a news camera to which I faced my sign to.
"This is pretty tame! Here I thought maybe--," Paul didn't get to finish his sentence before one cop knocked a woman flat on her back. Dana rushed to help her up and I went forward and yelled in his face
"How does it feel to get to do that with immunity? Do you treat your family this way?!"
I backed up, knowing he wouldn't say anything now that a camera was pointed at us. They didn't see it happen at all, and that made my blood boil. Dana pulled out her phone and began recording ,telling her sc what happened. Then I heard glass smash and a tear gas cannister flew over my head.
"Go!"
Dana and I grabbed the woman under the arms and helped her get the hell away. I wasn't sure where Paul or Chester went but at this point we needed to get away. Chester could handle himself and Paul? I'm not sure but I hope so.
We took the lady to an alley and I pulled an extra bottle of water out to give to her from my backpack.
She thanked us and was walking around fine again. I heard shouting and police were in a small struggle with some black clad people. I looked to where the glass broke and saw the stupid green hair of Paul. I ran to him with a bottle because he was huddled on the ground, a pair of white Yeezy shoes in his arms. I wanted to kill him so bad.
I poured the water on his face from where I stood. I didn't bother kneeling.
"You bitch," I snarled. He tried to stand, to stutter an apology.
"I thought they didn't see me!" He moaned sadly.
I couldn't resist giving him a left hook and he fell to the ground. Suddenly police swarmed me and took hold of my arms.
"I'll go! At least I actually did something worth getting arrested for," I growled. The police huffed and puffed their stupid miranda rights bs as I was hauled away to to a police van.

In my new little cell I sat on the bed with one of my knees pulled up under my chin. How would my roommates react when I called them to pick me up? No way was I gonna get my bail paid. What would they think when I didn't show up the next morning?
  A cop walked by the bars of my cell, jangling keys in his hand.
"What's up, Officer Apple?"
He shook his head and turned red yet again. This is why I named him Apple. I suppressed a grin at his expense. I was just messing with him of course.
He was unlocking my cell!
"What the hell is this about?!" I demanded.
"Your bail was paid, Miss. Hernendez."
"Excuse me??" I stared at the cop, wondering if this was some kind of trap.
"By who?"
My parents certainly weren't paying it. They disowned me.
"Well who didn't? You knocked a looter out on live television."
" I did what?"
I knew what I did, but that was actually televised??
"It went viral. You've caused a lot of grief," he explained, opening the door wide for me.
"Your savior is even here to make sure you get out safely, aren't you special?"
He was being sassy and I almost respected it, maybe if he weren't in uniform.
  I got up and jogged a little to catch up behind him. When he finally lead me to the lobby where more Protesters were being processed. I filled out paperwork and the woman behind the counter told me the guy who paid my bail was outside waiting. I ran my hair nervously through my hair as I pushed the door open.
There stood a towering man with shaggy black hair and a dark jeans jacket. He turned around and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I couldn't believe it. Joe Jonas!?