Noxious

19 | state of daze

Charly

I held my breath. 

Once we had all gotten in, Tommy sped onto a side street and parked his car in between two other vehicles. He shut off the engine and we were plunged into darkness. 

"Get down," Tommy instructed. His seat reclined back, nearly resting on my legs but I didn't say anything. I didn't know him, and I wouldn't take risks. I had no idea why he was helping us but I also wasn't going to complain. 

Rowan and I ducked our heads down when flashing red and blue lights glinted off the windows, cutting the dark in half. The police had arrived on the street where the three of us had collided. I sucked in a small breath before I held it again.

I wasn't sure how long we stayed like that. In uncomfortable positions, while the police combed through the area. Luckily, they didn't start checking parked cars on the street. Only when the sirens faded and the flashing lights left us in the dark did we sit up. 

"Shit, that was close," I breathed. 

"You're telling me," Rowan grumbled, and then his eyes flickered to Tommy. If I wasn't mistaken, even in the dark, there was distrust in his eyes. It was good to know I wasn't the only one. "Why did you help us?" 

Tommy sighed. 

Kyle crossed his arms, stating, "Because he's stupid and he shouldn't have." Tommy's head snapped over, and I was sure there was a glare attached to it. 

"Whatever, shithead," Rowan snapped at Kyle, "Nobody asked for your opinion, so why don't you shut it?" 

"You're welcome to leave at any point," Kyle spun around in the front seat, glaring. 

Tommy started the car, "Alright, that's enough. I'm assuming none of you have any place to go?" His eyes met each of ours in the rearview mirror from the light of the car's headlights, and when none of us said anything, he nodded to himself, "We can crash at my place for the night." 

"What?" Kyle sputtered, "Shit, Tommy, have you lost your mind? What about your landlord?" Then, Kyle's voice lowered, "These two aren't the best people to let into your apartment." 

"Hey, we can hear you!" I snarled, "I could easily strangle you."

Tommy's voice was hard when he spoke, silencing anything the rest of us had to say, "As if you have the perfect track record, right?" He said to Kyle, "Don't pretend you are perfect while everyone else is flawed, it's stupid on your part." 

Rowan and I looked at each other in the backseat. Then, I remembered why I didn't like him, and glanced away. It would take a hell of a lot for old memories and feelings to fade. I wasn't sure it was possible and I didn't care to try. 

But, I knew I was in pain. I had gotten lucky running off of adrenaline but I was slowly feeling the battering I had taken earlier escaping my foster dad. It kept me from popping open the car door and taking off into the night again. 

There was silence from then on. 

Tommy drove through the empty streets while the city was asleep. I didn't recognize where he was taking us. All I knew is he was driving deeper into the heart of the city. I never came in this far because the police were harder to escape. It was easier on the outskirts to avoid the law. 

Before I knew it, Tommy pulled into a parking spot and put the car into park. I took in the decent neighborhood with nice apartment complex buildings. It looked safe.