Ali was buzzing as she got off the bus and began to walk home from the bus stop. She figured to walk the rest of the way because the next bus was another 20 minutes away and she couldn't be bothered with the wait. The sun had set and the street lights were now on. Ali noticed a pair of lights coming from behind her. They were van lights. She figured that the van would pass by her and that she'd never see them again. However, she noticed that the van never passed her. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that the car was trailing behind her. This didn't seem right.
Ali picked up her pace and began to walk a little faster. The van continued to follow her. She then pulled out her phone from her pocket and quickly scrolled to the one name that she knew would come pick her up. She placed the phone to her ear and heard the tone begin to ring.
"Why hello gorgeous-"
"Quit the pleasantries, Reggie." Ali cut off his sentence. "I'm being followed." When Reggie heard those words his entire demeanour changed.
"Where are you?" His voice dropped and he sounded serious. Ali's eyes quickly darted to the closest street sign.
"I'm turning onto Mavis Rd. from Barton Ave." Ali heard the revving of Reggie's engine and the rubbing of his tires on the asphalt.
"I'm on my way, Ali. Stay on the phone with me, okay?" Ali looked over her shoulder and saw the van turn the corner, so it could continue to follow her.
"Reggie…can you hurry the fuck up?" Ali noticed that the van began to pick up slight speed, so she began to job.
"Ali, what's happening?" Reggie yelled into the phone when he heard her breathing begin to quicken.
"It's getting closer. Where the fuck are you?" Ali almost yelled into the phone.
"I'm almost there. I'm turning the corner now. I see the van! I see you!" Ali saw Reggie's car turn onto the street and the headlights light up Ali for Reggie to see. Ali hung up the phone and continued running towards the car. When she was in close proximity, Reggie stopped the car, so him and Archie could run out of the car with their baseball bats. "Ali!" The black haired girl saw a red headed boy run past her with a baseball bat while Reggie ran up to her and wrap his arms around her. "You're okay." Reggie sighed.
"Reggie…why are you hugging me?" Ali kept her arms to her sides as she felt Reggie's large arms wrapped around her. His cologne filled her nose and allowed for her brain to relax into her arms.
"Isn't this what happens when the knight in shining armour saves the damsel?" Reggie held onto Ali's shoulders as he looked down at her. Ali sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I'll walk the rest of the way, thanks." Ali pushed Reggie's hands off her shoulders and took a step around him, so she could walk away from him.
"Ali, come on." Reggie called out to her as she began to walk away. She ignored him. "It's not safe."
"I'm good, thanks." Ali stopped walking when she felt someone grab a hold of her wrist and spin her back around. Ali was met with Reggie's face just mere inches away from hers. Her free hand landed on his chest and he looked at her with a concerned face.
"Ali. Stop being stubborn for one minute. Let me help." Ali searched his eyes and only found concern. She sighed with defeat.
"Fine."
"Hey, Reggie! We lost him!" Ali looked over Reggie's shoulder and saw the familiar red haired boy running over to the pair. Reggie let go of Ali's wrist and turned around to see his fried, Archie.
"It's okay. At least Ali wasn't hurt. We'll get him another time." Reggie said when Archie finally reached the pair.
"Did you see anything? What he looked like?" Archie went straight into asking Ali questions about the previous scene.
"No, I didn't see anything. I don't even know if it was a man driving." Ali told the red headed boy. She didn't know this man, so she was confused as to why he was pushing questions onto her.
"Think hard. Are you sure? Maybe when you looked back?" Archie continued to push Ali to answer a question of his.
"Look, Archie. She doesn't know anything." Reggie stood in front of Ali in a defensive stance. "Let's just get her home." Ali noticed how broad Reggie's shoulders were in that instance. Archie sighed and nodded his head.
"Sorry man. Sorry Ali." Archie apologized to the pair. Ali shook it off and walked towards the car. She got into the backseat, so Archie could be in the passenger seat and Reggie was driving.
"I never fully introduced you guys, Archie, this is Ali. Ali, this is Archie." Reggie introduced the two individuals to each other. They shook hands and Ali relaxed in the seat.
"You're dating Veronica, right?" Ali asked Archie.
"Ya and you moved here from England, right?" Archie asked.
"Yup."
"Veronica talks about you. She says you're really nice and that she's looking forward to being your friend." Archie smiled at Ali as he looked into the backseat, so she could see her.
"I don't think you were supposed to tell me that." Ali laughed. That beer was still running through her system or maybe it was the fact that she won a pool game and made a name of herself, but Ali did feel more relaxed today than she did any other day she's been here. Reggie heard Ali laugh and looked at her in his rear view mirror. The sound of her laugh was music to his ears.
"I think you're right, now that I think about it." Archie said. Reggie laughed along with Ali at Archie's secretive sentence.
"Archie, how did you manage to get a girlfriend when you're running around telling people these things?" Reggie joked as he turned onto Ali's street.
"Well at least I have one. Where's your girlfriend?" Archie spat back. Reggie looked at Ali in his rear view mirror. He met her gaze as he smirked.
"I'm working on it." Ali smirked at his words and looked out the window. Reggie pulled into the curb in front of Ali's house.
"Thank you, both of you. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow." Ali thanked the two boys. She opened up the door and stepped out of the car, but she was surprised when she saw the drivers door open and Reggie emerge.
"Let me walk you to the door." Reggie offered.
"I think I'll be fine, Reggie." Ali said. Reggie shook his head and walked around the car.
"Come on, let's go." Ali sighed and rolled her eyes again. Her and Reggie began to walk up the walkway to the house.
"I'm glad you called me." Ali walked up the porch steps and Reggie reached the top of the stairs and stood in front of Ali.
"You're the only person I could call to be fair." Ali said.
"You could've called the police." Reggie said.
"Well, I don't get along with cops, so that's not the best idea."
"Why not?" Reggie asked.
"No reason." Ali shrugged her shoulders.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you…what did you mean about the street racing? Remember? From the other day?" That sentence had been playing on Reggie's mind since he heard it for the first time. Reggie wanted to know more about this mysterious girl. No one knew anything about her, but he wanted to know everything.
"Reggie…" Reggie looked Ali dead in the eye. Ali noticed that he just genuinely wanted to know, but she didn't think that he should know. She knew that it scare him and he'd run away and she wanted to keep him around. He wasn't the brightest light bulb, but she enjoyed his company.
"Please."
"Maybe I'll tell you one day soon, okay?" Ali touched his arm. The two felt a spark fly between them when she did. "I'll see you at school. Goodnight, Reggie." Ali unlocked her front door and went inside, leaving Reggie standing on the porch. Reggie reluctantly walked back to his car. Once he got inside, he saw Archie with his mouth wide open.
"Don't tell me you're trying to date the new girl?" Archie looked gobsmacked.
"Shut-up." Reggie told the red headed boy.
"I swear every guy, who's single, wants her. You think you're going to date her?" Archie asked.
"Oh wait a minute, do you even date?" Archie teased his friend.
"She's different, Arch." Reggie pulled the car away from the curb and continued driving. "I wouldn't do what I do to other girls to her." Reggie admitted.
"Shit, you actually really like this girl, don't you?" Archie asked. Reggie never answered his question. He just focused on the road and the feeling that Ali left when she placed her hand on his arm.
DAMN DAMN DAMN! Reggie likes Ali! Who would've guessed that?! Ali's always managing to stay calm in any situation, huh?