Side Hustle Contest Entry

Untitled Part 1

The fireworks sailed through the sky, Taylor, a fellow queer with pale skin, blue eyes, and short blonde hair, smiled and sketched out her hand to me under the rainbow explosions. 

"Pass me the flashlight, would you?" They asked. 

I did.

"Come on," They stood up. 

"Wait, what?" 

"They gave me a grin, "Let's do something fun. Now, move your butt."

My butt stayed firmly on the red blanket that we brought out to watch the fireworks. 

"Ugh. Come on coward."

"Where are we going? If this has something to do with-"

"It won't get you in trouble, it's just a small prank. Now come on, do you want me to yeet you all the way over there?"

I threw my head back, "Ugh, fine."

We walked to the exit of the park, keeping our tickets with us so that we could get back into the park. We passed the stands selling cotton candy and rewarding people with cheap plastic prizes and cheap tats that you worked way too hard for. The air was cool and smelled of the smoke of barbecues and fireworks. Lightning bugs floating around the less populated areas, getting away from us homo sapiens. Though pretty, all it meant that there were mosquitos to deal with as well. 

I scratched a bug bite on the back of my neck as we neared docks. 

"Come on," Taylor said.

"You sure we won't get in trouble?"

"Live a little, will you?" They started to reposition the second set of fireworks. It hadn't been connected. "If all goes well, they'll go off in rainbow order."

"Seriously? That is what you're worried about?"

"Yep."

We made our way back. "You know, that seemed too easy. Isn't there supposed to be some sort of staff there or something?" Taylor remarked.

"Considering the fact that God loves his ironies, I think you just screwed us."

"Haha." They gave a dry laugh. 

The fireworks we'd rigged for the pride works went off. We passed by the entrance, flashing our tickets to the person "guarding" the entrance. In reality, it was just an emo girl browsing on her phone chewing gum. 

We settled on the blanket and watched the fireworks. Red shot up, then orange, then yellow, then green, then blue. Each exploded in little pops of sparkles. But when it came to the purple, it went off to the west side of the park. It whistled off into the docks area that the park happened to be next to. We wouldn't have thought much of it until there was a flame being ignited with a woosh in the distance. 

Taylor and I glance at each other, "Liam, I think we're screwed."