Hero On the Run: Butterflies and Moths
After delivering a few packages with relative ease (since he knew the town from countless hours hovering over Max), Zack returned back to Jam Pony. Things were in a state of chaos, and it was clear that "Normal" was losing any control he might have possessed at one point in time. He listened to the bickering, until his alias was brought up.
"Well, what about your new boy, Sam?" came a smart, somewhat rhetorical question from the guy named "Sketchy". "I thought he was the great white hope."
"Hey, that young man is worth the rest of you bums put together," replied Zack's "boss". He smirked to himself and decided to play the fool. These people hated "Sam"… he figured he could use that to my advantage.
"Hey, 1535 Eagle. Eagle street is where, exactly?" he questioned, barely able to keep a straight face.
"It's just past Wurlitzer, south of North Jesus Avenue," said Sketchy.
"Between Proctor & Gamble," chimed in the woman with the funky hair, whom he got a funny feeling from. There was something different about her…
"Yeah, right across the street from... Power Nipple," some smart-ass random person added.
"Excuse me, sir do you know where...?" he asked again, before he was interrupted by Max. She was her usual self: cool and confident on the surface. He knew something was going on behind those brown eyes, though.
"I've got to be in sector two at 3:30. You got anything for me?" she queried, a slight tension present in her voice (though it was masked by her usual, nonchalant tone).
"Here, follow her. She's headed that way," Normal commanded.
This is way too easy… he thought, and followed Max on my bike. "Appreciate you helping me out," I told her, a bit more vulnerably than I intended.
"Don't get used to it. Normal's your mentor, not me," she replied, cold as ever.
"Look, I didn't get your friend fired, okay?"
"Nope, but don't expect an outpouring of love from Jam Pony anytime soon," she said distractedly. "I'm taking a break."
We pulled into a coffee shop and parked our bikes.
"What is this, part of the slowdown?" he asked sarcastically.
"No. A girl's got to pee," she replied, matter-of-factly, and headed off to the bathroom.
Quickly, he scanned the surroundings, taking in all the possible exits and figured out the quickest escape route. It was a habit from Manticore, and he didn't even notice it anymore. He just did it. Soon, Max came out of the restroom. She came back to the table, eyes never leaving the payphone in the corner.
"Expecting a call?" he asked adventurously.
"You never know," she replied and got up. She headed to the payphone, where a couple girls were chatting and giggling. "All right time's up. There's another phone down the block. It's on me," she declared annoyedly, handing the girls some change. The girls left, and Max put her gum in the coin slot of the phone. She headed back to the table with a loud sigh, eyes roaming.
"You seem nervous," he said. It was supposed to be a thought, but the words slipped past him.
"Compared to what? You don't even know me," she retorted, full of that Max attitude.
"Maybe we knew each other in a past life," he replied, trying to keep his confidence without betraying himself.
"I don't believe in that stuff," she said distractedly and shrugged.
"It doesn't mean it's not true," he argued, eyes glued to hers.
"Oh, please tell me you're not one of those people: Because a raindrop fell in the ocean 10,000 years ago and a butterfly farted in India you and I are sitting right here right now enjoying a cup of coffee that tastes like goat piss," she replied sarcastically.
God, she's gorgeous when she's cynical.
"Anything's possible," he stated, trying to keep a straight face.
"Unravel this mystery, grasshopper," she smiled, until the payphone began to ring. "What is the sound of one hand hitting you upside your head, hmm?" she asked, then smacked him upside the head. She was a hard hitter, even when just goofing off.
He laughed a little and watched her as she walked hurriedly over to the phone. He found himself admiring her as she walked away, and as soon as he grasped control again, turned away. It wasn't for long though. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.
"Punk ass here," she stated coolly as she answered the phone.
"I've got it," she replied to the unknown caller after a few seconds. "How do I know you're not setting me up?"
The person on the other line obviously said something that didn't please her. "Then give me something else, to help your credibility."
A few moments passed, and her eyes got wide. It was the first time he'd seen her truly vulnerable since the night of our escape. "Zack...what tattoo parlor?" she asked.
His eyes got wide, too. She was close to him, and she didn't even know it. He knew right then that he'd have to be careful with her. She was gonna be trouble… she always had been. But he loved it.
She sauntered back over, not even bothering to sit back down.
"Good news?" he asked as unobtrusively as possible.
"Yep, and it's none of your business," she replied, the softness gone from her face.
"Let me get this," he offered, taking out his wallet.
"I was thinking maybe later me..." she said in a sickeningly fake, girly voice, then stopped and smirked. "Don't even try to hit on me."
"No, I was just..." he started, acting innocent.
"Don't." she said, and walked out the door. He pulled out his money and paid for the coffee, then exited after her.
A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Please read and review! I don't care if you tear me to pieces… just give me some sort of feedback. I'll try to keep this up (unless you're sick of my horrible writing… then I can spare you, I suppose). More mushy stuff next chapter. Poor Zack.
