Chapter Two: All Along the Watchtower
"Where the hell were you last night?"
Xiaoyu strode the length of her room, barefoot, while placing on her long dangling crucifix earrings. She stopped in front of her bureau, picked up an Aztec medallion, and placed it around her neck. She then took a seat in front of her mirror and began to weave flowers into her hair.
"Don't flip your wig. I was out partying last night, daddy-o!"
"Out partying?" Lei slammed a fist against her open poster covered door and stormed toward her as she gently entwined a dandelion behind her ear. "What were you doing 'out partying' last night? You told me you were going over Miharu's!"
"Which I did," she steadily finished her hair with a forget-me-not, then buttoned up her thin, tie-dye shirt. "We hung out until seven last night, then I got called up to some house party."
"Whose house party?" Xiao rolled her eyes and buckled closed her bronze belt over her red vinyl pants.
"I don't know. But a lot of guys gave me free stuff," she stood up and picked up her novel, The Hound of Baskeville, which she hadn't quiet finished yet, but had to return to the library.
Lei placed a hand over his forehead. "Please, Xiao… please tell me you aren't doing anything illegal," he moved his hand down over his mouth, starring at her.
"I'm on my way down to the library. I wanna pick up The Bell Jar. Then I'm gonna go to this little Indian shop I discovered. I wanna buy moccasins."
Lei stared at her, tapping his heel lightly against the wood of the floor. "Then come straight home. No late night partying or I'll send the entire police station after you," he paused. "You know I will."
Xiao adjusted the red, black, and turquoise rings on her fingers. "I don't know what time Ill be home tomorrow night," she began as if he hadn't said anything. "This guy I met asked me out this morning when I ran into him at the newsstand to pick up your paper," she started her walk outside the room, still barefoot.
"I was up until one this morning waiting for you. What time did you get home?"
"Two," she called. It looked to Lei as if she wasn't wearing any shoes that day. He slowly followed her down the hall. "Don't wait up for me!" she yelled, heading out of the apartment.
Lei sighed and tugged at the long sleeves of his light blue shirt. He couldn't help but worry for her. She was this tiny barely sixteen-year-old girl who looked more ten than anything else. She hung out with exotic crowds, dressed eccentrically, listened to outrageous music…all he could do was hope she didn't get into a bind bigger than she could handle. He couldn't control her, yet he was the best cop on the west coast; how ironic. Oh, well. It was Sunday. She'd be back in time for the Ed Sullivan Show. There was something about pandas on that had an iron grasp on her attention.
He took a seat on the couch, propping his feet up on the glass coffee table, and flipping on the television. He figured he could catch a rerun of Rebel Without A Cause and a quick nap before a tragic reunion later on in the evening. Including a meeting with his new employer. But for now he'd relax, and watch James Dean and Natalie Wood dance across the television screen.
This is supposed to set off the issues for the rest of the story. Review please?