"So the story goes, I think I'll take her for a ride." -Cheap Trick

He's A Whore

Nighttime came around, and Laddie and Rosalie were still on the boardwalk. She sat beside him in a little ice cream parlor, watching as Laddie downed a hot fudge sundae.

"Laddie," Rosalie said, sighing as she wiped his cheeks, "You're getting that chocolate everywhere."

"But it's so. Good." He dived right back into the sundae, and Rosalie turned her attention out the window. She was keeping her eyes open for the four men who usually hung around and struck fear into the people on the boardwalk. The jacket was on the free seat beside her, laying there as if waiting for someone to claim it as their own once again.

"Hey, Rose!" She looked back as she saw Cindy walk into the little parlor, followed by Alan and Edgar. She rushed over and took the spot beside Rosalie, nearly sitting on the jacket before Rosalie managed to move it out of the way. Alan and Edgar pulled up chairs. "What's up?"

"Just taking Laddie out for some ice cream," Rosalie responded.

"That sounds fun," Cindy said, smiling over at Laddie. "I'm in the mood for some ice cream myself; Edgar, go and get some with me?"

"Do I have to?" Edgar asked, sighing as Cindy stood up. She scoffed and grabbed his arm, pulling him up and dragging him to the glass window holding the different flavors of ice cream.

"Are those two dating?" Rosalie asked, shaking her head as she watched Cindy playfully shove Edgar and watch him shove back in the same way. "Because I really think they are."

"I'm not sure," Alan said, looking at them himself. "Maybe."

"They certainly like each other," Rosalie replied, turning back to look out the window. She nearly leapt from her seat as she noticed one of the men standing outside, leaning against the boardwalk railing. It was Paul, and his eyes were directly on her. But then they landed on the boy beside her, and his head tilted just a little bit.

"Yeah, they do," Alan agreed. Then Cindy turned around and sent Alan a foreign look that Rosalie didn't recognize. He gave a little cough, and Rosalie noticed Paul shift a little and his eyes widen just a bit. "Listen, Rosalie . . . what're you doing next Saturday?"

"Well . . . nothing, that I know of."

Fuck, he better not be asking me out.

"Do you want to go out on the boardwalk with me?"

Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh my fuck.

"Like . . . on a date?"

". . . Yeah. A date." Rosalie glanced outside, and Paul looked like he was ready to storm into the parlor. But he didn't.

"Sure," Rosalie said with a small smile. "I need to go, though. I have to get Laddie home and make sure he gets to sleep."

"Okay."

"Bye, Alan." Alan's eyes were on the jacket in Rosalie's arms, but he drug them up to look at her face again. She gave him a small smile as she wiped Laddie's face again with a napkin and disposed of the little plastic dish he'd been eating out of. They walked out of the store, past Paul, who had opened his mouth to say something. Instead, he followed her down the boardwalk until she reached a secluded spot where very few people lingered.

"Why're you watching me?" Rosalie asked, stopping beside the railing to look out at the dark blue waves. Paul stood was on her right side, looking down at her.

"We told you why last night."

"Yeah, but it's just kind of weird." Paul sighed and turned so his whole body was facing Rosalie.

"You really don't remember me?" Rosalie brought her eyes to his.

"No, I don't. But . . . you were in my dream last night."

"Sex dream?"

"What? No!" She went beet red in the face and Paul laughed as the ocean breeze picked up, blowing through his hair.

"I just had to ask. So, Alan Frog?"

"How do you know him?"

"I have ways." He smiled. "But what are you doing agreeing to go on a date with someone like him?"

"He's not that bad," Rosalie said defensively. "He's just . . . a little strange."

Yeah, for asking me out.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself." Paul looked over at Laddie, who was climbing up the railing to get a better view of the ocean. "There's people that like you and all of your flaws."

"Okay, how do you guys keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"You know what I think. How," Rosalie replied. "Seriously, it's annoying."

"Do you think I'm going to tell you?" Paul asked, smiling a little with a shake of the head. Rosalie frowned and sighed. "By the way, you look pretty cute when you frown."

"You flirting with me?" Rosalie questioned with a furrowed brow. Inside, she was more than flattered.

"What if I am? I'm a natural flirt."

"As I can see."

"And I know you secretly love it," Paul said with a smirk. His eyes glanced down and stopped on the leather jacket in Rosalie's arms. "Is that Dwayne's jacket?"

"Yeah, actually," Rosalie replied, lifting it up. "He let me borrow it last night after I fell in the creek."

"Oh, he mentioned that. I must not have been playing close attention."

"Not surprising." Paul rolled his eyes and pursed his lips.

"Well, I was going to give you some advice, but since you're being so mean . . ."

"Advice?" Rosalie asked, looking over at Laddie as he let out a little squeak of joy. Paul gave a nod and turned to her with a mischievous glint his eyes.

"Yeah."

"Well . . . can I hear it?" Paul gave a sigh.

"I suppose." He took the jacket from Rosalie's arms without warning and unfolded it, holding it up. "Definitely Dwayne's jacket. Anyways . . ."

He then went behind Rosalie and put it on her shoulders, grabbing her arms and putting them in through the sleeves. Rosalie gave a slight gasp as she saw something in her mind.

Paul in her vision, doing the same thing years ago when she was younger - when her arms were half the length. He had been smiling as he helped her put on the jacket.

"You alright?" Paul asked, eyebrows furrowed as Rosalie leaned heavily against the railing.

"I saw you. I don't know . . . I saw something in my mind. You were helping me put this jacket on, but . . ."

"You were younger," Paul finished softly. Rosalie was surprised by the sudden change. "Anyways . . . just keep the jacket on. No one'll both you tonight if you wear it."

"I was going to give it back to Dwayne."

"He'll survive one more night without it." Rosalie nodded and Paul sighed and stretched before turning to her again.

"You wanna have some fun?" he asked.

"If you think I'm letting you in my-"

"I didn't mean that. I'm kind of hurt you thought that." He held a hand up to his heart and acted as if hurt. Rosalie just frowned. ". . . Okay. Maybe that was expected. But anyways . . . I just wanted to see if you wanted to go for a ride."

"A ride?"

"Yes. You and . . ."

"Laddie. My brother," Rosalie finished as Laddie jumped down from the railing.

"Yeah, you and him. We'll drive well."

"Depends," Rosalie said cautiously.

"Please, Rose? It'll be fun!" Laddie spoke up, jumping up and down. "Please, please, please?"

". . . Oh, alright." Paul smiled and Rosalie took Laddie's hand as he led the siblings away. They walked across the boardwalk to another part, this one much more livelier, until they reached the four motorcycles Rosalie saw the first night she arrived in Santa Carla. Dwayne, Marko, and David all sat on their bikes, checking out the passing girls and watching all the different people. They all looked at Rosalie, some with envious eyes and others with fear.

"Look who I've got with me," Paul announced, walking over and wrapping an arm around Rosalie's shoulders. "Found this hottie and her little handsome brother."

"Do I look like the Sun to you?" Rosalie asked, raising an eyebrow. Marko gave a laugh and Rosalie smiled a little. Dwayne's eyes were on the jacket she was wearing over her shoulders.

"Pretty damn hot, yes." She rolled her eyes and David spoke up.

"C'mon, boys; let's go home."

"He can ride with me," Dwayne spoke up, nodding his head to Laddie. Rosalie nodded a little and Laddie ran over to Dwayne, smiling as he did so. Dwayne grabbed his arm and helped him onto the bike.

"You can ride with me, Rosie," Paul said, smirking as he got onto his bike.

"Don't call me 'Rosie'," she replied as he held out a hand to help her onto his bike. She sat down behind him and Paul turned his head slightly to her.

"You might wanna hold on."

"As if." Rosalie crossed her arms, and Paul shrugged.

"Suit yourself." Then he started his bike and David led the group from the boardwalk, riding down the stairs and across the beach quickly. Rosalie understood why Paul had told her to hold on and did just that, her arms going around Paul's torso. He laughed, turning his head slightly to look at her as they went flying down the beach. "Scared?"

"No!" Rosalie said, although her mind screamed yes.

"You're about to be." They then reached the forest, and Rosalie had to admit that Paul was a reckless driver. She held on for dear life as he flew through the air on his bike, nearly (but never) hitting trees and taking sharp turns and following his brothers, all of which were whooping and hollering and laughing.

Then . . . she heard Laddie laughing, and Rosalie turned her head to look at Dwayne behind her and Paul. She could barely see Laddie behind Dwayne, but she saw his little arms around his waist. She couldn't help but smile at the two before turning back around, her head on Paul's shoulder as she looked in front of them.

You know, she thought, Maybe this isn't so bad after all.