Chapter 2 - The Mystery Kid.
So we dropped Danny's friends off at home then made our way back to our own house. His phone started ringing not ten minutes after we dropped Harry off.
No surprise there.
In one swift motion he pulled it out of his pocket, flipped it open, then placed it to his ear, "Yeah?"
I stared out the window as my brother talked to whoever was on the phone. Then his phone clicked shut and he turned to me, "Listen, I have to leave school early tomorrow, okay? So I won't be able to pick you up."
"Alright," I shrugged, "No big deal I'll just walk."
"Over my dead body you'll walk!" he scoffed.
"Danny, it's like twelve blocks at most. Not exactly a big deal." I told him simply. He shook his head, "You aren't walking home by yourself. There's no way."
"Danny, you sound like mom! I'll be fine." I was getting annoyed. I loved Danny to death. He was one of my best friends to be honest. But this was getting ridiculous.
"I'll get someone to drive you home," he told me making things final. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag then shoved the car door open with my shoulder after he had parked in our driveway.
"You're not mad at me are you?" Danny asked following me inside. I didnt answer. He grabbed my arm, "Shay, look. I just don't want you getting hurt, got it? People know you're my sister and if there's someone out there with a problem with me then they'll do anything to get to me. Even if that means jumping you. Got it?"
I sighed. He really was only looking out for me and I understood where he was coming from. "Got it."
He smiled and hugged me. "And...?" he waited for more, "Are you going to thank me?"
"Thank you, Danny." I rolled my eyes, "You're my hero."
I ran to my room and got started on my homework. My brother was out of the house just a half hour after we had gotten home. He was always running around with Harry and Tom and one other kid, but I can't remember his name. I'd met him once, but he doesn't hang around our house as much as Tom and Harry. He's one of Danny's best friends, I just hardly see him. He doesn't talk much either, well that's what I hear anyway. You could call him shy, or even slightly weird, but I preferred mysterious. Danny'd talk about him every once in a while but I could never remember the kid's name.
Danny was home around ten. He never came home for dinner, though we hadn't actually had a family dinner in a while. That's because my parents were constantly fighting and my dad was never home as much anymore. So I ate by myself or sometimes I'd walk with friends down to a restaurant for dinner.
Around the time I got ready for bed, my parents would start fighting. This time in the day was sort of a love/hate kind of thing. I hated it because I hated hearing my parents fight. But I loved it because in the room next to me I could hear Danny playing his guitar and singing softly. He didn't sing in front of me much, but I loved to hear him sing until I finally fell to sleep.
The next day after third period I stopped at my locker. There was a boy there already. He was kind of short, maybe a little taller than me but that's not saying much. He had light hair hidden by a white baseball cap turned backwards and a lip ring. I eyed him as I got closer to my locker.
"You Shayna?" he asked me as I spun the dials on my lock. I nodded.
"And your brother's Danny right?"
I nodded again.
"And you're on your way to English?"
"What are you some kind of stalker?" I laughed. He laughed lightly, "Something like that. Just wanted to make sure I got my subject right before I went in for the kill." he laughed again. "Kidding, I swear. Listen, your brother told me I'd find you here. I'm driving you home today."
I knew he'd send one of his minions to bring me home but I assumed it would be Harry or Tom. Not this kid.
"Alright..." I nodded.
"Meet me back here after school?" He asked. I nodded and he walked away.
After seventh period, the mystery kid was already waiting at my locker, a half smile on his face, "Ready?"
I nodded and gathered my books and we headed to his car.
"So you're a freshman then?" The kid asked me. I nodded but didn't say much. I barely even knew this kid and I didn't even know his name. As if he could read my mind he smiled. "Sorry, I never properly introduced myself to you. Name's Dougie. Just Dougie. Not Douglas. God, does that piss me off when teachers call me Douglas."
I smiled when he finished his rant. Well at least I knew his name now.
"So you're a junior, right?" I asked him as I opened the door to the passenger's side of the car. He shook his head, "Nope. Sophomore."
Sophomore? I counted in my head but he spoke before I could finished, "Yep. Turned fifteen last November."
"So wait...You're fifteen...You can't drive."
"Well this," He pulled his wallet out of his pocket, "Says I can."
And there in his wallet was his face on a driver's license. I sat there confused, just staring at it. He laughed and shut his wallet, "Fake license. I know a guy."
I slowly put my seat belt on. He laughed again, "No worries, kid. I've never gotten in a crash. Never even been pulled over before. Your brother and Harry and Tom have been teaching me since the three of them could drive. I was bout thirteen when I started learning."
He sped away from the curb and took a sharp left turn at the corner. Never been pulled over? Hard to believe with this kid. I sat quietly for a while. The silence was kind of awkward so Dougie turned the radio on letting Blink 182's song All the Small Things blare through the speakers. I smiled and sang along.
"Hey, you like Blink?" he asked me above the music. I nodded and he rolled down the windows singing loudly to the song and waving at random kids walking home from school.
"So how do you know my brother?" I asked when the song ended and he turned the volume down again. He turned to me, a serious look on his face. "I'll tell you later," he said simply, "Remind me and I promise I'll tell you. Just....later. Okay?"
I nodded slowly, "Sure. Well can I ask another question then?"
"Ask away," he grinned cheekily.
"Why did my brother have to leave early today?" I asked him. Danny never really said why, but I didn't think much of it. I wondered if Dougie knew. He just laughed to himself, "He had some stuff he had to take care of."
I wondered what he meant by that. I knew it had nothing to do with drugs. Danny didn't do drugs or deal them for that matter. Said it was stupid. Sure he smoked every now and then and got drunk on occasions but I knew it had nothing to do with drugs.
Probably just another fight. Dougie must have sensed my worry because he put his hand on my shoulder and laughed, "He's fine. I promise."
"Sure," I nodded and Dougie pulled into my driveway.
"Well, thanks," I smiled as I grabbed my bag. He nodded once, "No problem. See you around, Shay."
"Sure. See ya," I shut the door behind me and walked inside.