Sunlight streaked through my window as I heard the agitated sound of my dad's voice in the kitchen. Usually this early in the morning I'd ignore it, but the tone of his yelling kind of told me I needed to get my butt out of bed. I rolled out of bed and groggily walked into the kitchen.
"I just don't see how they could've gotten in!" my father yelled, taking the dustpan and emptying it of what seemed like ash.
My first thought was that maybe raccoons had gotten in, but this is California. Not little old Mississippi where wild animals always seemed to venture into everything.
"I'm sure we just forgot to lock one of the windows is all." my mom yelled from the bathroom. I ventured to the back of the house to see my mom scrubbing the shower. She looked over and saw me, "Well look who's up before 1:00." she mocked. What can I say, I like sleep.
"What happened?" I asked examining the tile floors. There was soot all over the tile and Mom was trying to get it out. " Did you guys offer free showers to some firefighters?" I laughed.
Mom pushed a strand of her hair out of her face back into her ponytail, "I wish," she groaned grabbing her back, "I wouldn't mind cleaning up for some sexy firemen, maybe I'd get to watch." she said mischievously.
I shuddered at the thought of that comment, "Nasty old woman!" I teased playfully, "What would Gerald have to say?" I said dramatically, throwing my hand on my heart.
"Your daddy ain't got to know." she muttered at me with a wink. I shook my head with a giggle and sat beside the sink.
"Really though, what happened?" I asked noticing something red out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and saw a bandana hiding in plain sight beside me.
"Oh, someone broke in and took a shower." Mom said stepping out of the shower and sliding the door of it shut. The way she said it she made it sound normal. I cocked my head and grabbed the bandana out of curiosity.
"That it?" I asked observing the bandana as if it were the knife found at the scene of a murder.
"Yeah, nothing seems to be missing besides some of your dad's microwave pizzas," she huffed putting her hands on her hips, "I think they were homeless or something, but your dad's pride seems to have taken a hit." she shrugged her shoulders and noticed me messing with the bandana. "That yours?" she asked.
I looked up at her and nodded, "Yup, it's mine." I grinned lightly and walked out of the bathroom. I decided not to tell my parents because , well, my dad would flip at the sight of evidence. Besides, I kind of wanted to keep it, maybe I can find out who's it is at the boardwalk. As I walked past the kitchen I stuck the bandana in my tank top to hide it from Dad, the honorable Gerald, new Chief of Police here in Santa Carla.
I hauled tail passed my dad and back to my bedroom, quietly shutting the door. I pulled the bandana out of my tank top and set it on my dresser. Some poor homeless guy is probably walking around wondering if he left his dear red bandana in that house he snuck into. Well homeless guy you're going to get it back today! I opened my closet door and pulled out a light blue button down shirt and some cut off shorts. I threw on the shirt and rolled up the sleeves to mid arm, put on my shorts, and went on with my morning ritual of brushing my teeth and hair.
As I evaluated myself in the mirror I had to admit to myself I l looked really good. My strawberry blonde hair was glistening and my green eyes were glowing. "Seems like it might be a pretty good day today." I said to myself. As I grabbed my bag and stuffed the bandana in it, the doorbell rang. "I GOT IT!" I yelled rushing on some flip flops. I ran to the door and opened it greeting my two friends Breagan and Haven.
"Ready to go Jet?" Breagan asked fixing her large brown hairstyle. Breagan was the first friend I made in Santa Carla when we moved here two weeks ago. At first I thought she was really snooty but when she came up to me and began being nice I learned looks can be deceiving.
"Yeah, just got to say bye to my parents," I turned my head over my shoulder, "BYE MOM! BYE DAD! I'M GOING TO THE BOARDWALK!"
"OKAY! BE SAFE! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR POCKET KNIFE!" Dad yelled in return.
"I DO! LOVE Y'ALL!" I yelled while I walked out the door. I turned around and saw Haven laughing like I was the funniest person alive. "What?" I asked confused.
"Y'all?" she giggled. Haven was wild, Lord help her. She would do anything for a laugh or if she just wanted to. She kind of frightened me at first but I couldn't help but become her friend.
"Yeah, yeah I'm from the South ,sue me." I smiled ,sticking out my tongue at her. I still hadn't gotten use to the language up in Santa Carla and I doubt I ever would, 15 years of being raised in a backwoods town of Mississippi and I feel like I'm thrown into a whole new world. We hopped into Breagan's car and her mom drove us to the boardwalk. The boardwalk was the only real place I liked in Santa Carla, the lights and carnival rides just gave me the feeling of being back home and going to the county fair.
After Breagan's mom dropped us off , Haven sprang into action. She wanted to ride every ride down there and I was up for it, if only I had enough money. Dad's job pays well but I didn't like asking my parents for cash, I don't know why I just never really liked it. We went to the ferris wheel and waited in line.
"So why was your dad all worked up?" Breagan asked as we stood in a line of 20 people. The boardwalk was always packed but it wasn't so bad in the afternoon, at night is when the real fun begins.
"Some homeless guy broke in, took a shower, ate some pizzas," I shrugged, "No biggie, besides my dad needs to chill, it's not like he stole his wallet and Mom's jewelry." I said walking forward as the line moved. The man working escorted us into a cart and shut the door.
"Well, your dad never struck me as the type of guy to let things go." Breagan said walking backwards so she was facing me.
"He's not. It's a pride thing, he feels like someone intruded on his turf and he won't give up 'til he finds whoever it was," I rolled my eyes, "Which he thinks is going to ruin his rep of top dog in the police station."
"Your dad solved four murders in a record of four months back in Mississippi though. How could his rep get ruined?' Haven asked kicking a rock as she walked.
"Yeah we need your dad here, crime rates are sure to drop." Breagan said hopefully.
"Psh, we're the murder capitol of the world, one new chief isn't going to stop anyone." Haven scoffed. Haven had a point, I mean my dad has been racking his brains with these cases. The wheel started to move and it jolted us all back into reality.
"Anyway, have you met any guys yet?" Breagan asked with a grin.
"I've been here two weeks and made two friends. Give me a couple of weeks," I laughed, "I told you though, I'm not looking for a relationship." So far I enjoyed single life, it wasn't the end of the world if I didn't have a boyfriend.
"Who said she was talking about a relationship?" Haven asked with a perverted smile. Her and Breagan laughed and I smiled a little.
"Ha-ha, but I'm not like that," I said letting out a small laugh, "What is it with you guys and the dirty minded thing?"
"It's fun!" Haven said with a big grin. Breagan and Haven were perverted, but I can't say much because I can be like that as well.
"Anyway, I found evidence with this break in," I said reaching into my bad and pulling out the bandana, "Behold, a homeless guy's bandana!" I held it up like it was a gift from the heavens. Haven snatched it out of my hand and looked at it.
"Bandana… I know someone who wears a bandana." Haven said stroking her chin comically.
"Really, who?' I asked excitedly, maybe she knew the homeless guy.
"Rambo." she grinned and we all started to laugh and then Breagan's eyes got huge.
"Oh my God. I know who owns that bandana!" Breagan exclaimed as she snatched the bandana out of Haven's hand. It really didn't surprise me that she knew, Breagan was an extreme socialite but she only had a few close friends, including Haven and I. The ride came to a stop and Breagan immediately jumped out of the cart grabbing hold of my hand. "Follow me!" she chattered excitedly to herself as she ran through the crowd with her tight grip on my hand. Haven grabbed my other hand.
"WEEEE!" she yelled in a child-like tone. We stopped in the middle of the crowd right outside a comic book shop. I grabbed the bandana out of Breagan's hand.
She pointed inside and bounced up and down still full of energy, "In there!"
I looked inside and saw a guy with light brown hair wearing a camouflage vest and a t-shirt, I noticed he had a blue bandana tied around his head. "Who's he?" I asked, still looking at the guy.
"That's Edgar Frog, totally hot, but totally wacko." Breagan explained, "Him and his brother, Alan, think the town is infested with vampires." Breagan said pointing to her head and twirling her finger.
"Well I'm going to talk to him." I proclaimed and I started walking to the store. As I walked closer, I noticed he was reading a comic. I stopped right in front of him and he glanced up and put down his comic. He seemed less than happy to see me, and when I saw him up close he really did remind me of Rambo, no wonder Breagan had a cow.
"Can I help you?" he asked with a tone of sarcasm, he had a pretty deep voice and , damn, it was hot.
"No, but I can help you," I said holding out the bandana, "red is more your color." I said dropping it on his comic book . He just looked at me then back at the bandana with a kind of Oh-that's-what's-missing look.
He grabbed the bandana and continued to read his comic.
I put my hand on the comic and pulled it down, "Um, hi, yeah, did I happen to mention that I found that in my house that was broken into last night?" I said with a glare.
He looked at me and put the comic book down "it's not technically 'breaking-in' if the window is unlocked." he said casually.
"So it was you! Now I'm curious… are you homeless? 'Cause all you did was eat, shower, and take-off." I asked putting my hands on my hips.
"I never said I did it." he defended crossing his arms.
"Answer the question." I demanded.
"I'm not homeless, me and my brother got locked out of our place, so we went to a house and the windows were unlocked." he explained, still defensive.
"Why were you covered in ashes and soot?" I asked noticing he was hiding something.
"It's none of your business, I don't even know you." he said walking to the counter in the back. I followed right behind him and jumped in front of him.
"Well then, hi, I'm Jet." I stuck out my hand,"now next time you break in you can greet me properly." I joked still holding out my hand, he didn't take it. I rolled my eyes and put my hand down. "Anyways, what's your name?" I asked, I already knew, but I wasn't trying to come off like a stalker.
"Edgar." he said trying to walk past me, but I blocked him. I don't know why. But he didn't strike me as a guy who was talked to often. I took a good look at the comic he had been holding and thought…
"Superman? I'm more of a Marvel comics kind of girl, but DC is ok." I said turning away slightly.
He looked at me kind if shocked, "You read comics?" he said raising his eyebrows in question. Bingo.
"A little, I read the occasional X-men comic from time to time." I said giving Edgar a half-smile. Now I get I probably look like a total flirt, but this guy wasn't telling me the whole truth about what happened last night, I could tell.
"Have you ever read horror comics?" he asked taking a comic out from under the counter and nudging it towards me. I took the comic, it read "Vampires Everywhere". I got a feeling he was hinting at something.
"I've read them, there ok." I said glancing at the book then back at Edgar.
"Take it. You'll need it." Edgar said walking over to who I assumed was his brother. I took it that the conversation was over so I held the comic tightly and met Breagan and Haven outside.
"Ok, I get your not looking for a relationship, but you seemed kind of flirty over there." Haven said with a grin.
"He's not telling me something about what happened before the break in, and I'm going to find out." I said with determination. I looked back at the comic in my hand and remembered what I saw a week ago. I swear I saw someone fly above my house and it was someone, not something.
Maybe Edgar's not crazy after all.
ere...