CHAPTER FOUR

Chasing Cars Chasing Me

***

I rollerbladed fast into the school car park, but it was no use. I knew I wasn't going to make it. I couldn't believe I was going to be late. The last thing I needed was detention tonight…oh Primus, Fran would KILL me!

A stray bandicoot suddenly jumped out in front of my path. "Out of my waaaaaay!!" I yelled, jumping over the startled marsupial, and continuing on my way. "Sorry," I called back to it. "I'm late!"

I could hear the morning announcements being announced over the PA system. It was Nacho Day at the canteen, the head of the gardening committee was retiring, whoever had graffitied the principal's car was in big trouble, etc.

I grabbed onto a pole with my left hand, and used it to swing me around a corner. There was no one outside of class now, I knew I had about three seconds to get to class – no time to stop at my locker – and my class was all the way across the other side of the school!

Oh, for Primus' sake!!

I needed a slagging miracle if I was going to avoid detention, and save myself from two kinds of wrath.

Anything…

An alarm suddenly went off, scaring the slag out of me, followed by a voice on the PA system declaring a Code Alpha.

Alpha?

Armed Intruder!?

Armed Intruder!!

ZOOM!! I was across the other side of the school in a flash, and stumbling through the door of our homeroom, which is in the library.

The librarian, and our homeroom teacher (Lisa Downman) were huddled together talking to a few other teachers, and so no one saw me slip onto the floor next to a desk more quietly then I'd entered the library, and take off my rollerblades.

As I slid into my shoes, I caught snitches of conversation all around me.

"Aww man, I hate Code Alpha." Someone said.

"Let's see what's going on." Another boy said, and stuck his head up to look out the window.

"Sean!" A nearby girl hissed.

"Hey, there's the gardener!" Sean exclaimed.

We could all see the head-gardener strolling by, without a care in the world. By now, everyone was looking out the window. Even I was.

"Oh well, he's retiring, he doesn't care if he gets shot." Doyle Banes declared.

"No way, it's totally him man," Sean disagreed. "He's the armed intruder. He's leaving, and he's taking us all out with him!"

Everyone was laughing by that stage, and finally Ms. Downman came over and told us to be quiet.

I bit back on my grin, and sat back up when the drill was over.

It was going to be a normal day.

Thank to that miracle.

***

Or so I thought. At lunch time, I went to HJ's (Hungry Jack's) for lunch. Senior students are allowed to do that. I sort of walked with a group of kids from my own school, a group which included the twins which is why I didn't walk with them.

We had to walk across train tracks to get to HJ's (which is a very popular hang-out spot for high school kids from around here), and I was the last one across.

I was listening to my Bachelor Girl on MP3 Player, and not really paying attention, so I didn't really see the train until it was nearly on top of me.

I did hear screaming, though. No one wanted to see anyone, even me, get hit by a train. I didn't have time to think or speak. I just jumped back, and the train came three inches close to me, as I stared at the strange purple and white express train that sped on by.

Everyone was staring at me, and then people began asking if I was alright.

I didn't answer them, for all I could hear was: A man can kill and still be the sweetest love. So I walked under a bus, I got hit by a train…

***

I left school that afternoon, intent on heading straight for Carlotta's Café (named after Fran's Mum). I suppose I should mention here that the restaurant is in my Daddy's name but, since he's dead, Fran gets it.

This is very unfair.

I crossed a street, and then I spun around and stared at the yellow Voltswagon bug parked across the street from me.

I stared at it, and it seemed to stare back at me.

Suddenly…I had no doubts in my mind that it was the twins' car.

Bee-Bee.

For some reason, this freaked me out, and I spun on my bladed heel and skated off fast down the street.

I didn't have to turn around to know that the car was following me.

For some reason, this freaked me out even more. I thought…well, I don't know what I thought. It never even crossed my mind that it could be the thief chasing me like this…

No, my mind was completely off the deep end.

I was being stalked by a yellow car.

"Stop following me!" I cried as I skated at breakneck speed down a busy street, and the car somehow managed to follow me.

And, I swear this is true, I heard a response. "I caaaan't!"

So I answered: "Yes you will!"

And that was when I saw Carlotta's Café. "Yes!" I cried, for once happy to see the restaurant that used to be known as Sparky's Diner. Happy to see the white and pink chequered design, and the…okay, maybe not that happy.

But I sailed through the doors anyway, and straight into the arms of the co-manageress of the café, Jasmine (Jass) Finchley. She is twenty-two years old, and just about the coolest person ever. She's also like the big sister I never had.

I would totally hate work if not for her!

Also, she reminds me of Jazz from Transformers Animated.

"El!" She exclaimed, somehow managing to keep us both balanced, despite the fact that she was on roller skates and I was still on my rollerblades. "What's wrong girlfriend, you look like you just seen a ghost!" See? She's a female, non-robot Jazz.

"I…car…follow…me…" I panted, unnaturally out of breath for some reason.

Jass guided me into the kitchen and into the back room, where my uniform was hanging up and about a katrillion stock-take lists were stacked. "Take ya time El, getcha breath back." She said soothingly. Her black hair, which is braided, was tied in the compulsory bun. I made a mental note to tie my own hair up, as I sat down on a step-stool, and caught my breath. I decided to take two minutes, before changing into that hideous maid uniform and roller skates.

Daddy would have never wanted the place to turn into a Japanese-American diner/café thing. Slag, I never wanted it to!

***

"Bumblebee, what's your status?"

"We've got a situation, Prime – she just went into a place named Carlotta's Café. And she's still got a strong Decepticon signal on her."

"Find a way of getting in there. Make sure you find out what the signal was, but do not let her know who you are."

"Affirmative."

***

"Hello!" I said, hoping my cheerfulness didn't sound fake. Because, standing on white and pink rollerblades, and wearing a white and pink maid outfit that makes me look like Berry from Tokyo Mew Mew A La Mode makes me feel very fake. "Welcome to…Carlotta's…" I trailed off. I stared at the boy who had just come into the café. Then, I tried again. "Uh, welcome to Carlotta's Café!" I said quickly, and then I zoomed back behind the counter, where I flung myself down onto the ground and pretended to get something out of the cupboard.

My heart was racing. We get a lot of different people coming into the café (since we're located in Fremantle and all) and sometimes we get some fairly cute guys coming in.

But this boy took the cake!

I dared to look up again, peeking up from behind the counter, so that only my hair and eyes showed.

"Yikes!" I whispered, ducking back down again, unsure why I was so unable to compose myself.

Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I jumped up, to see Jass smiling at me in an amused way. "El?" She asked.

I put my hand to my heart. "You scared me!" I accused her.

"Well, you scared me." Jass replied. "What were you doing?"

"Did you see that boy who just came in?" I asked her in a hushed voice.

"Honey, I see thousands of boys who come in." Jass replied.

Hurriedly, I described this particular boy to her. Around 5'8", with spiky blonde hair streaked with black, and electric blue eyes. Wearing black jeans and a yellow jacket, about my age…

When I got to the part about him being about my age, Jass began smiling, and I guessed what she was thinking.

"Jass!" I complained.

She smiled more. "Sorry El. But, I think you scared him off, cause' he ain't here anymore…"

I glanced around. Omigosh, she was right! I blushed.

"I won't tell Fran if you don't," Jass said cheerfully, and her gaze drifted over to the drinks fridge. "Hey, El, can you stock up the fridge for us?" She muttered something about needing to ask Fran to buy more drinks, and then decided to just do it herself.

I nodded, and headed out the back, but I tripped on the way.

"Oh damn it!" I cursed. I hated these roller skates, I just couldn't handle them. "Jass..?"

"Put your blades on honey, your step-mum won't be in today." Jass suggested, as she began counting money out in the till.

"Yes!" I said in relief, and took the horrid skates off. I tossed them into a corner, and headed into the back room to put my blades on.

I sat down and strapped them on, but I got the feeling I wasn't alone.

I happened to glance up then…and saw the boy from before.

He was standing in the corner of the room, his electric blue eyes piercing into me.

In his hand was my MP3 Player.

My eyes narrowed, and I stood up quickly.

The boy and I faced each other.

I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could the boy pushed past me and ran out of the storeroom.

He was fast!

Without thinking, I gave chase.

I streaked out of the restaurant, not bothering to worry about my maid's outfit, and followed the boy out onto the road.

How he managed to run so fast, I knew not, but there was no way I could let him get away.

I was not going to let him get away. For reasons I couldn't explain, I felt that it was in my best interests to follow him.

And not just because he had my MP3 Player.

Oh…he was wearing rollerblades too.

Okay, that explained a lot.

But I still followed him.

I was determined to find out who he was…

Because he had NOT been wearing those rollerblades before.