Hello wonderful readers. I'm testing my muscle memory out today because it's midnight and my parents will be mightly pissed if they find out that I'm writing when I'm suppoesd to be sleeping. I can't let them see the light from my computer, so I'm typing without looking. So far, it's not that bad, but it's sure not very comfortable. You see what I do for you people? :)
'Hope you enjoy the next chapter!
I woke up the next morning to the Vegas sun streaming through the front window of Mr. Rolling Turd the Third. I looked at the clock. 7:21. It was painfully early for summer vacation, but we needed to start haulin' bright and early.
"Casey." I nudged his shoulder a little. "We should get going soon," I whispered. Marissa was sprawled on the backseat, snoring quietly.
"Huh?" he mumbled, slowly creeping out of dreamland. After he was completely awake, he looked around. "Where's Billy?"
"I dunno," I answered. I checked the rear-view mirror and saw Billy sitting on one of the logs, his face turned towards the dirt.
Casey looked, too. "I'll go talk to him," he sighed.
I thought about Marissa and what she had told me. Maybe I could help them, you know, be a middleman. Middlewoman, actually.
Casey shrugged. "Okay. If you really want to," he said.
"I might as well," I answered, softly pushing myself off his lap and out of the car.
I walked cautiously to where Billy was sitting. "Hey, Billy," I started.
"Hey," he replied in a gloomy voice. Uh-oh. This couldn't be good.
"So... what's up?"
"Did I miss something?" Billy asked randomly. That was Billy. Always springing random stuff at you.
"Miss something as in..."
"Like did I hurt Marissa's feelings?"
"Um..."
"Come on, Sammy. Just tell me. 'Cause I didn't mean to do anything wrong,"
"Well... let me ask you something first."
Billy nodded for me to go on.
"Why did you take us to Las Vegas?" I asked, acting like Billy and springing a random question on him.
"Do you really want to know?" he said glumly.
Oh, great. This was it. End of the road. In spite of this, I asked, "Yeah. I do," I said, waiting for the hurt. Anything that would hurt Marissa would hurt me. I mean, Marissa is like my other half! The other pea in the pod. I'm salt, she's pepper. You get what I mean.
"I thought she liked Las Vegas. I really did. But now she's acting like it's some kind of contagious disease," he moaned.
Relief swept through my body at his words, then horror. "She never told you, did she?" I asked sadly.
"What didn't she tell me?" he questioned, suddenly alarmed.
I looked down at the ground. "Three years ago, her dad came here to gamble and lost ninety-percent of the McKenze's money. He had a drinking problem. They were desperate, and that time was hard for Marissa. I know it's hard to believe, but at one point, Marissa was poor. Insanely, horrifying-ly poor. She's still scarred by that, and she knows that if her even richer relatives up in New York hadn't help them get it all back, she wouldn't have a house. Wouldn't be like she was today." I took a deep breath. "So that's pretty much it."
Billy's eyes were wide. "No-freaking-way. So, by taking her here, I reminded her of pain? What a block of wood I am!" he hit his head once. Then twice. Then three times. Then-
"Billy! Stop it! You didn't know. You can't blame yourself!"
"I know. I just feel really stupid-y for thinking that she liked this place. I mean, she and her family used to come here once a month at the very least. I deserve this." He hit his forehead again. "And this." He hit his chest. "And-"
My eyes widened at his next, er, destination. "Okay, Billy, I know you're mad at yourself and all, but I really don't want to see you hit yourself... there. Just don't."
He laughed. "I freaked you out there for a second, didn't I?"
"To the point where I am going to have nightmares tonight."
He slapped my back and grinned. "Well, enjoy." His face turned serious again. "I have to apologize to Marissa," he said, his face turning red. He slowly made his way into the car.
So I sat there for a while, thinking about the events that have happened so far that have turned my life upside-down. I laughed a little thinking about Heather's reaction when she realized she was dropped in the middle of crime-city.
"Get a room!" I heard someone shout in disgust. It was Casey, and he was scowling as he made his way over to sit next to me on the logs.
This could only mean one thing. "They made up?"
"Yeah," he replied, glaring a little at the van. More importantly, what- or who was inside it.
I laughed. "Of course."
"So, what's the plan today?" he asked.
"Back on the road. You got directions from... her," I grimaced. "Right?"
"Yeah," he answered just as awkward.
"Hey! You guys want breakfast?" Damien called, emerging from the tent. Casey shifted a little, wrapping his hand around mine.
"It won't be a bother, right?" I asked.
"Nah. Rae was going to whip out a big batch anyway. Nat and Nolan are back from Tenderloin, and they eat. A lot."
"Okay, then!" I said happily. A little too happily, because Casey tightened his grip on my hand by a smidge.
Once we got a delicious breakfast of pancakes (who knew you could make them out in the middle of nowhere?), eggs and blueberries, we went on our way. The goodbyes weren't tearful, and as for Casey and I, I think they were just relieved goodbyes.
Casey offered to drive, especially since Billy and Marissa were still in there lovey-dovey mode and could hardly even complete sentences. No kidding. We'd ask them questions, and they'd answer half of it, and then get distracted by each other and completely forget about us.
It got annoying, fast.
So I sat in the passenger seat, listening to the radio. I instantly regretted ever turning it on when-
Police are still on the lookout for the young girl who killed rising star Liz Bedford just yesterday. She and her accomplices were last seen in Southern California, after escaping the local police force. A professional team trained for this sort of situation has been hired and are now searching all of California and Nevada. Remember, if you have any information about this girl, immediately call this toll-free hotline-
"No," I moaned, slamming my face on the side window. Big mistake, because when I looked in front of me I came face-to-face with-
A young girl, a teenager, staring at me with wide eyes. After her shock wore off, I watched as she instantly whipped out her cell phone, furiously punching in numbers.
"No. No, no, no, no. This can't be happening!" I mumbled.
"What?" Casey questioned.
"That girl-" I choked out. "She knows."
"So..."
"She's calling the hotline... we have to get out of here!" I blurted out.
"Okay, chill, we have enough time before-"
Sirens. Everywhere. Coming up behind us, coming on the side of us, even in front of us.
"Dang, they're fast," I whispered in a shaky voice.
"No kidding," Casey replied nervously. Then, he gased the engine. We needed to skee-daddle out of there our we would be straight to Juvie for us.
The sleek black cars came up on the side, from the front, and from the back. Crap. rolled down their windows, and gestured for me to roll mine down, too.
There was no way on Earth that that was happening. But then, the officer pulled out a rock-like object and poised to throw. I screamed, and rolled down the window quickly just as he released it so he wouldn't break the window. The object landed with a plop! in between Casey and I. I reached over to roll up the window, when the guy just reached out and stuck his hand out to stop it. Man, he was strong. I've tried to stop a car window from closing, and it really is extremely painful. I tried to smack his arm away, but this guys got muscles- I can see them bulging from underneath his black cotton t-shirt. He's wearing these shades that cover his eyes, so I can't really see if he's hurting or if he's just chilling out.
"Pull over!" Shades screams.
Yeah, right. Like that was actually going to happen. "No!" I cried stubbornly, still trying to get the stupid window closed.
"Pull over by orders from the Government of California!" he screams, and even though he's still wearing those fancy shades of his, I can see it: he's struggling.
"Well, we're not in California anymore!" I cried. Worst. Comeback. Ever.
"Just pull over!"
"No!" I managed to hit his hand hard enough so that he retracted it. Acutally, I used the lovely little rock-like object he threw in to smack that hand of his.
I stuck my tongue out at him, and then he pulls out another lovely rock and throws it at the window. This time, he actually breaks it.
I screamed as shards of glass fly everywhere. A few hit my skin, scraping parts of my skin. Then, Shades reached out, grabbed my arm, and slowly pulled me out. By now, some other guy had been reached out and was now driving for him. Was that even legal? I bet these goons didn't even care, as long as the government gave them their fat little paycheck.
By now, this guy has got the top part of my torso out of the car, and I'm flailing and holding on for my life. I'm bridged between the two cars, and it's mightly painful. And scary.
"Casey, can't you drive up?" I shrieked desperately. Billy and Marissa were holding onto my other arm, trying to pull me back. I was being used as the rope in a vicious game of tug-o-war- again.
"Sammy! Sorry! There's a car right in front of me!" Casey shouted.
Marissa starts chucking random stuff at him, but they're not strong enough to even faze him. The whole top half of my body was burning with pain.
How was I ever going to get out of this?
Sorry guys, but I'm so tired I can't even think straight. This staying up late thing is really taking it's toll on my mental health. I'm gonna stop here before the words start jumbling together and everything stops making sense. But, don't worry! I'll make sure I update ASAP!