Page 78 of Twisted Minds

Two of Derrick’s friends light cherry bombs and tiny rockets in the field. We’re in town and it’s only a matter of time before the police will be called, I’m sure of it. We’re in the community field, drinking, at the last summer party before school starts.

Derrick leans in, whispering something to the girl. My attention stays on them. She’s smashed and Derrick is probably on his way. She pulls back with a grin and they both stand up, and my stomach drops watching her loop her arm through his. “Hey, Derrick.” He stops, turning to look at me. “Getting her a ride home?”

“Getting her a ride somewhere.” He winks as she giggles at him.

I pull up rideshare app, calling and getting a ride and paying her fare. There’s no way I’m letting him go off with her anywhere. “How about I get her a ride?” She whines, clinging to Derrick.

“I want to go with him,” she whines.

Gently, I grab her hand off Derrick’s shoulders and pull her toward me. “You’re in no state of mind to make any decisions, sweetheart. Come on. Come with me.”

“Aren’t you gay?” I bristle, turning my head to glare at Derrick’s friend.”

“What’s your fucking point?” I challenge. “She’s drunk off her ass. She needs to go home and sleep it off.” I look at the girl she came here with. “You need to get your friend home safe.”

Bleary-eyed, she blinks up at me. How did they get so drunk? We’ve only been out here for a couple of hours, and there aren’t even that many drinks. “Hey!” I snap my fingers at her. “Get your friend home.” I see headlights splitting through the trees. “Get home. Get her some water and make sure she falls asleep on her side.”

“What a fucking pussy,” Derrick mutters. I ignore him, watching the two girls stumble across the field to the car. “Thisisn’t a gang bang. We won’t fuck you just because we’re out of options.”

“Oh no, whatever will I do without the STDs that would probably come from that?” Derrick holds his friend back as I ignore them both, sitting in a lawn chair and desperately trying to act like they don’t bother me. Internally I’m shitting myself. I am very much aware I’m alone with Derrick and his friends. While there are businesses right outside these trees, we’re still alone right now. I just want to go home.

His friend sets off another firework near me, trying to intimidate me. I don’t let them shake me. If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s how to fight bullies. I’ve done it my entire life. I may have been smaller than most kids in high school, but I took every fight, every shove into my locker, and every trip in the halls as a lesson. “I need to piss.” Derrick gets up, disappearing down the field and through the trees.

“You fucked up now,” his friend mutters.

“He’ll be fine. You both should be happy. Now’s your chance to suck his dick.” I shake my head, taking a pretend sip of my beer and ignoring their murderous stares. I play idly with my watch. It’s the only thing keeping me grounded right now. The only ounce of comfort I have.

“Here, try one.” I look up as Derrick’s friend hands me a firework. Shaking my head, I give it back. “Are you just allergic to fun? Don’t be a bitch. Try one.”

“Peer pressure? How very high school.”

“I don’t even know why Derrick hangs out with you. You’re fucking boring.”

Whatever. If it gets them to leave me alone, fine. I’m going to call a ride. I need to get out of here. I am so over this. Standing, I light up the little rocket and back away. They’ve been lighting them all evening. I watch the rocket shoot up about fifteen feet before exploding.

“So electric.”

Kade grabs one, lighting it up. This one’s a bit bigger, with a bigger explosion. Devin grabs another, and I sip my drink as it shoots a bit higher, almost above the tree line, straight up. “One more,” he says, handing the last one to me. I light it, and patiently wait for it to soar up into a bright explosion.

Only . . . this one doesn’t.

At all.

It goes sailing off across the field like a tiny missile, exploding with a thunderous boom in the surrounding trees. Smoke singes my nose. “What the fuck was that?”

“Holy shit, that was amazing.” Kade whoops, punching the air, but looking at the trajectory, something feels off. That’s when I smell it. Smoke.

“What the hell is that?” Confused, I see someone running in the distance. Derrick. He’s flying through the field, running fast. “What’s wrong?”

“Shit, run!”

“What?” He nearly collides with me, grabbing my wrists. “Who lit that fucking firework?!” he screams.

His friend points to me. “It was Mark.”

“What’s going on?”

“The fucking firework hit the restaurant, dude!”

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