T h r e e : Delinquent in Distress

"Chase," I realise aloud, slumping back against the nearest wall. The back of my scalp makes a dull thud as I lean my head back to glare at the ceiling. "How did you get my number?"

"You texted him, dumb-beetle," Miko answers from across the room. She's sat upright on the bed now, eating the bowl of salted popcorn that I cooked for her earlier. I hate salted popcorn, but Miko loves it so my Dad always ensures to stock up. Miko's almond eyes are wide as she watches the phone in my hand, crunching through handfuls of the snack.

"Never mind," I groan before Chase can answer my question. I step away from the wall and walk over to the desk, reaching for a pen to twist idly around my fingers. "You're better off calling somebody else. You haven't done anything for me yet, so as far as I'm concerned, the chances of me helping you are equivalent to the note A0 on a piano. You know- really quite low."

"I need a lift." I hear Chase sigh. "If you want my help, you'll come and collect me from Redwood Avenue as soon as you can and drop me off at Joe's house. I'll meet you at the party at eight, as planned, and we can talk about my end of the bargain then."

I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and jump a little, dropping my pen to the floor. I had completely forgotten that my face was covered in grey mud. "Look, hypothetically I would come and collect you, but I actually have plans."

"Are they plans you can get out of?" Chase asks, clearing his throat. His voice softens a little. "Please, Erika, I need to get out of here and my lift bailed."

"Taxi? Bus? There are options," I suggest cheerily. In my peripheral vision, I see Miko shaking her head adamantly. She outstretches her hand towards me, knocking the popcorn bowl off balance so that the fluffy kernels spread across my bedsheets. I scowl. "Miko wants to talk to you."

"Wait, who's Mi-"

Before I can answer Chase, Miko has snatched my phone away and is smiling brightly with the phone pressed to her ear. "Hi, I'm Miko, Erika's best friend. I heard about your conundrum and I just wanted to let you know that I'm happy to let you borrow Erika for half an hour."

My mouth falls open. That traitor.

"So, Redwood Avenue. That's the other side of town, right?" Miko asks, chucking a piece of popcorn towards my mouth. It bounces from my cheek. She pauses to hear his response. "Yeah, Erika will know where that is. She'll be there as soon as she can. Please don't keep her out too long though; I have a couple of weird back hairs that I need her to pluck before the party."

I perch back on my desk, arms crossed as I frown at my eclectic best friend.

Miko shakes her head. "No, nobody has quite the same technique as Erika. She's very gentle. She's very gentle at a lot of things actually, she'd make an excellent love make-"

"Oi!" My arm swipes through the air to snatch the phone, but Miko dodges.

"Aw!" Miko coos to Chase, angling her body away to block my attacks. "Erika, he just offered to pluck them for me! This guy is a keeper."

"I think that's enough," I grumble as I finally manage to pluck my phone from her grasp. I lean back against the desk again and press the warm screen back to my ear. "You better not be offering to pluck my best friend's back hairs. That's not your jurisdiction, Thatcher."

Miko throws a kernel of popcorn at me, hitting me squarely in the forehead.

"I just wanted to prove that I could be way gentler than you," Chase replies smoothly. "At both plucking back hair and love maki-"

I release a short burst of sarcastic laughter, cutting him off. "I would love...making you stop."

"Are you coming then?"

I groan and shoot a glare at Miko. "Hang tight. I'll be there as soon as I can."

When I finally hang up, Miko is sitting cross-legged on my bed, smiling angelically. Ignoring her, I reach for my car keys from the little hook beside my desk and sit down to slide my sneakers on. I always order sneakers a little too big, because I hate the inconvenience of shoelaces.

"Hey Miko?" I say, finally looking up as I stand.

Her smile twitches. "Yes, beautiful best friend?"

"When I pluck your back hairs, I'm going to leave one, singular weird, curly hair for everyone to see. Of course, you will never know where it is, because you can't reach."

Miko's smile drops, and her eyes narrow. "You wouldn't."

I smile and wiggle my fingers in farewell as I head out of my bedroom door towards the restroom, to wash this stupid face mask away. "Maybe swap out that crop top. Just in case."

*~*~*

It takes me fifteen minutes to reach Redwood Avenue.

While the drive itself should only really take ten minutes, I quickly realised when I climbed into my car that Miko had lied- I had no idea where Redwood Avenue was. The following two minutes was spent finding it on google maps, only to realise that the road isn't even in Lindale. It's in the outskirts of the neighbouring town, in an area known for gangs, illegal drag racing and nightlife. The final three minutes before I started the car consisted of me banging my head back against the seat, wondering why on earth I agreed to go and pick him up from shady-central.

Eventually I left. Now here I am, ten minutes later, cruising around an area that is making my hairs stand up on end.

If Miko was with me, I'm pretty sure those few, straggly back hairs would be quivering too.

I drive slowly down the thin road, with my hands gripped tightly to the steering wheel, attempting to spot any glimpse of a brunette douchebag. Around me, dusk has settled, and the streetlights have only just flickered into life: unfurling an eerie orange glow across the concrete. The buildings here are rundown apartment blocks that sag into the landscape. Even the trees are yellowing. Glass bottles decorate the sidewalks, and there is a daunting number of alleyways. My grip tightens on the steering wheel. A stray dog barks as I pass, and I flinch.

This is not the kind of place I'd expect to find Chase. I shudder as I spot a man watching me from his front window and put my foot down on the accelerator until he's out of view. If I don't find Chase in the next two minutes, I'm leaving.

I'm almost at the end of Redwood Avenue now, and across the junction is a large field. There are a large group of people gathered on the corner of the street- I see hints of their movements, shadows dancing across the tarmac.

Should I get out and look for him? Bad idea. Very bad idea.

I release a groan and pull over on the right-hand side of the road, fighting the urge to hit my dashboard in frustration. Stupid Miko. Stupid Chase. I lean down to grab my phone from my door's side pocket, only to hear a sound which immediately steals all my attention. I stiffen. It sounded like the rumble of an engine, but the road is clear around me, aside from the people. Cautiously, I lean back up and press the lock button for the car doors.

Suddenly, the roar of an engine gets much louder, and I watch a flash of red and white speed across the field in front of Redwood Avenue. One second passes, and more rumbles join the first. The very air seems to shake with anticipation as the engines growl and rip, cars speeding in and then out of view as quickly as they came. Flashes of every colour, lasting only half a second.

Then, I smell it. The sharp, pungent sting of petrol in my lungs. If I could remember to breathe, I would choke on it. Drag racing. This area is known for cars.

When the final cars pass, the road returns to an eerie tranquillity. My pulse slows and I take a couple of rasping breaths, which are now louder than the engines humming in the distance. That was intense. Overall, the show probably only lasted for around fifteen seconds, but it was damn amazing. Scary amazing.

The people on the corner standing just outside of my view are cheering. I hear a bottle smash. The shards scatter across the road only five metres ahead of me.

I decide to inch a little closer. I start the car engine again and sink down in my seat as I crawl the vehicle forwards a couple of extra metres. I can them properly now. There are around twenty people gathered on that street corner. Most of them look to be in their twenties, mainly male. Lots of dark, baggy jackets and hoods. I inch down further into my seat, trying to scan for Chase.

Then, one of the guys spots me, noticeably stepping back in surprise. He looks to be in his early twenties, with olive skin, curly hair and a sharp jawline. I can't see his face clearly from here, but I can see the way he cocks his head slightly to the side. He's curious.

Nope, nope, nope. I'm out of here.

Au revoir, adios, auf wiedersehen Chase. I am not staying here for one minute longer.

Someone knocks sharply on my window and I release a strangled cry. I'd jump a mile in the air if my seatbelt wasn't pinning me down. I turn to my right to see Chase waiting by the passenger door, peering through the window with a smirk. His face and clothes are stained with oil, his hair is sticking up in odd directions and he's wearing a dark shirt that adorns his torso like a second skin. My heart stutters a protest as I unlock the door for him, and he clambers in.

"Did I scare you?"

"No," I say stubbornly. "Clearly I was just happy to see you. It was a scream of joy."

Chase laughs, leaning back in my passenger seat and clicking his seatbelt into place. "There are other ways I could make you scream, too."

Did he just...?

"From trauma maybe," I mutter quickly.

I can't help but relax a little now that he's in the car with me. While he might not be my preferred candidate, there is indisputably safety in numbers. If any creep dares approach this vehicle, I will have no problem chucking Chase out to fight them off. My eyes flit over his lean, muscular arms. Yep. If they want to get some violence out of their system, that's okay. He's a big boy, he can take it.

Chase seems to be following a similar train of thought, because he's frowning at our surroundings. "You shouldn't be this close. You need to turn around."

I release a shaky breath, nod and reverse the car. The guy standing on the corner is still watching me as I swing the front of the car around, to head back the way I came. The uncomfortable feeling doesn't leave me even when I'm back on the safe, familiar roads leading away from Redwood Avenue. A silence settles between Chase and I, a tangible tension that I can feel on my shoulders.

"So, where am I going?"

Before I can get a response, Chase has pressed on my centre console to open all four of the car windows. Swells of wind enter the car as I speed along the roads, whipping my hair around my face and killing all potential for conversation. Chase grins at me, his arm rested casually on the passenger side. Scowling as a strand of my hair smacks me on the nose, I reach out and press the button to close the windows again. The car becomes quieter and quieter again, before finally, the windows seal with a dull squeak.

Chase pouts, reopening his own window. "Joe lives on Mayson Road, number 23. First left when you hit the high street. I can guide you from there."

The distance between streetlights seems to increase dramatically, as I turn onto the country lane leading towards Lindale. My shoulders visibly fall as I relax.

"Okay, good." I smile brightly, keeping my tone casual. "Now why did you ask me to pick you up from that place?"

"Well I-"

Chase hardly gets to speak before I interrupt him again. "You know- the kind of place where a drug dealer runs the local hair salon, or a murderer in an apron sells you gummy bears in the store, or you think you're getting into a cab but bam, it actually turns out to be an illegal drag racing car? You know- that place?"

Chase lazily rolls his head to look at me. "Has anyone ever told you that you're dramatic?"

I shake my head, loosening my grip on the wheel. "I try not to listen to the opinions of others. You're welcome to write it down, put it in an envelope and shove it up your own ass, though."

Chase faces out of his open window again. "Kink of yours?"

"Ew."

He laughs lightly, shifting his tanned forearm. "I didn't have another way back."

He better not smudge that oil on the interior of this car.

"What were you doing there? I saw the drag cars- do you race?"

At first, I don't think that Chase is going to reply, but he speaks after a few seconds of hesitation. "I race." He nods. "Not tonight though. Does that answer all of your questions?"

His gaze feels warm on the side of my face.

"For now," I say simply. The light difference from Lindale's high street hits me the moment that we exit the shadowed forest road. Unlike Redwood Lane, the dusk blankets Lindale with a warm, happy glow and the fairy lights that decorate the high street make it even more enchanting. I may be biased, but I'm happy to be home. Sighing in content, I obey Chase's instructions and take the first left, towards the cliffs overlooking Lindale's beach.

Chase leans forwards and presses the aux button on my centre console.

Taylor Swift blasts through the speakers very suddenly, declaring that she will never ever ever be getting back in a relationship with an ex. The sheer volume of the music is enough to startle even me. With a sound almost resembling a hiss, Chase switches it off again.

"I want that on," I say. I don't particularly, but now that I know he doesn't like it, I want it.

"Are you kidding?"

"No."

He scoffs. "Remind me to teach you a good music taste when I teach you to be a badass."

I lift my eyes from the road to direct a scowl at him. "I'll do that if you remind me to teach you some manners."

Chase stares at me with buttery bright eyes, contrasting with the dark smudges of oil on his cheekbones. I blink at him stupidly for a second, and all I can think about is how attractive he looks with his hair all mussed up like that. My moment of madness is disrupted quickly, however, when he drags a finger down his greasy cheek and then leans over to wipe it on my own.

"Hey!" I screech, attempting and failing to dodge while my eyes focus back on the road ahead. "Driving over here!"

Chase leans back. His tone is smug. "I thought you could use some oil; you seem a little stiff."

I huff out a breath. The grease from his finger feels oddly warm, a tingling trail from the skin just beside my eye to the top of my cheekbone. I scan the street with narrowed eyes.

"This is Mayson Road. Tell me which house is Joe's before I boot you out of this car early."

"Just on the right here."

Thank the heavens. I slow the car to a crawl and glancing over my shoulder quickly to survey the road, pull into the empty space. I'm parked in front of a detached white house, with a birch front door and some pretty flower beds. The boy I recognise as Joe Travis is leaning out of the front window, waving excitedly at us. I barely hear Chase unclicking his seat-belt because I'm waving back.

"Thanks for the ride." Chase says, catching my attention again. I turn around to see him watching me with amusement in his features, his muscled arm stretched across to reach for the door handle. "You might want to wash your face before the party."

"You might want to wash your attitude," I mutter as he gets out of the car. I see the faint trace of a grin on his lips before the door slams behind him, and he's walking in front of my car towards Joe's house. Joe is now waiting on the doorstep excitedly, wearing plaid pyjamas.

"Honey, I'm home!" I hear Chase call.

I bite my lip to restrain my smile and start the car ignition again.

It's time to get ready for that party. Chase Thatcher isn't going to know what's hit him.

A/N: Don't be a silent reader! <3

Question: Why was the waterpark scene removed from the published version of ABBSMB?

My publishers and agent wanted me to tighten the book up a lot, and remove any redundant scenes which weren't necessary for the plot. The waterpark scene needed to be two chapters long (which was quite a lot of words for my word count aim) so I cut it out because it wasn't really necessary for the plot-line. I vastly underestimated how much people liked that part. I didn't realise it was such a fan fave, or I would have made an effort to rewrite it :(

Hope you're all having a good week! Remember to be kind to everyone and support the #blacklivesmatter movement as much as you can! Every person deserves equal opportunities, respect and love regardless of their skin colour (and not simply at one point in the year). It's heartbreaking that we still have so far to go, so much damage to heal. Let's start changing the world.

See you later alligators,

Cherry x