"Thank God there's no school today." Veronika wipes the rear-view mirror with a purple cloth. She puts on lip gloss while turning on the engine.
"Why are we going there anyway?" I ask nervously. My body is shaking so bad.
"Is there an earthquake?"
"What?" I respond with confusion.
"Correction: STOP sawing through my car floor with your legs! Chillax babe. It's only for two hours, not two years. Plus, you might like the reason why we're going there." I cross my legs uncomfortably. Not another guy. "And no. We're not meeting up with a random hottie. I promise with a chocolate covered pinky." We entwined our pinkies in a knot.
The moon casts a shadow in the parking lot. Leaves that hang from thin branches seem to be hanging from a thread, which is weird considering it's April. But this is Bo's arcade, a place that can scare little school girls like me. Vee is another story. She has a lean, very curvy figure but she has more muscle than an average teen female... with an attitude to match.
People say that this area in Coldwater is for criminals (that statement is definitely not a lie). It has a reputation for rape, crime, gambling, drugs, etc. Men with plenty tattoos roam about the streets giving evil glares to innocent city people. And they even beat up someone who needs to get handed to. Yup, definitely not a place for me.
"Act cool, alright. Don't look vulnerable. If someone comes at you sexually, run, but only if they're ugly."
"If they're hot?"
"Well, my answer could be debatable." I look around the suffocating room. Smoke from cigarettes and weed cast over us like smoke from a fire. Dang it. I accidentally left my asthma pump on my bed. My lungs constrict for a second until Veronika pulls me downstairs.
A bar's to the left of us. There's about twenty men in here, most of them are crowding around three pool tables. "Who are these lovely ladies?" Someone asks staring directly at us. Oh boy. My eyes widen, but not at his "question". That boy from school is taking a sip of vodka, later returning to his pool game. "Um, that creep is here," I whisper in her ear. A big grin is glued to her face. "You idiot, you!" I snap my mouth shut. Now everyone is looking at us. Vee slightly steps to the side. "Ta-da. Suuurprise." Her voice is loud enough for me to hear.
HE grins at me showing his perfectly straight, white teeth. The Creeper. Suddenly, they all go back to their pool game. Except one. At the exact moment I turned to speak to Vee, my phone rings. 'Hey babe. What I brought u here for was so u can talk to Patch. I heard from someone that someone said that that Patch guy goes to Bo's. Ttyl, love ya. Give me da 411 l8r'. For the first time ever she's going down. How will I get home!? "Need a ride?" a familiar voice asks. I can smell Patch's scent- mint and a hint of cigarettes. Also some vodka in his mouth.
"Not from you." He extends his arm to touch my brown curls. "Don't touch me, thanks very much."
"Feisty aren't you? What is a girl like you doing here? This isn't the place for you, Angel." His black eyes stare into mine. I got lost in his gaze, they are a simple color but seem to a hide one million secrets.
"Try telling that to Veronika. She's the one that dragged me here. And what did you just call me?" I place my hand on my hips.
"Angel," Patch repeated very slowly.
"I know what you said. Don't treat me like a kid." He switched from one foot to the other.
"Then why'd you ask?" My face heated up with annoyance. Why is he so ignorant? The faster I get out of here, the further away from him I'll be.
"Whatever, jerk. Goodbye." I turned around to walk away, but his grip on my wrist stopped me. Something about his touch made a sensation walk right through me like a ghost. My heart beat picks up. I feel so... different. Oh, stop! I don't even know the kid and I'm thinking of him as if he were my boyfriend or someone important.
"You're not going home alone. Wait until I finish my pool game and I'll take you."
"Who in the hell are you to tell me what to do? And if I wanted to I could get anyone here to take me home..." I trailed off as his laugh grew over the loud music. "What's so funny?"
Patch walked back to his pool table, still laughing.
My feet have a mind of their own. Within seconds, I find myself next to him. He's about 6 feet 2 inches. Compared to him I look like a shrimp in the sea.
"You hungry?"
"Wha-what?" I studer as I tilt my head up. My heart starts to beat irregularly again.
"Are you in the mood for Enzo's?" This time he places the pool stick on the gutters of the table. Smoke begins to make its way downstairs. Stupid asthma.
"Sure." I finally say. But it's not because I want to go with him, I wanna get out of here before I die of an attack.
We reach the parking lot. Rain falls on my face. Patch took off his leather jacket and places it on my head. His jacket is so big on me that it reaches my hips. "Aren't you cold?" Instead of answering he shakes his head, 'no'.
Once we enter his black Jeep, he says, "you look better when you're wet," and grins at the look on my face, what I imagine is ugly. "You're beautiful," he says. And I am positive that I didn't call myself ugly aloud. I let it slide as to knowing how absurd it would be to think that a human could read minds.
It is so dark outside that I can barely make out the trees. The only light is the moon, that seems to be frowning. A dark figure runs across the road. But then it comes again this time around meeting the front of the Jeep with a loud BAM. Someones screams fills the car. It's mine. The deer's face is smashed through the front window. "Patch!"
"Nora, wake up." I open my eyes to see everything blurry. My face has gone cold with fear and tears.
A wave of harsh reality washes over me. The window is intact, not one thing out of place. "Bu-but the deer was THERE. And it hit the ca-car!" Patch stares at me while rubbing his chin.
"Um, Angel? Nothing hit the car. It was probably a nightmare. Because you did fall to sleep before we got here." It was real, no matter what anyone says. "So, let's go?"
I step out of the car into a much pleasant weather; humidity.