𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝟿𝟶𝚜

004

(warning - mentions of child abuse)

los angeles, california
1990s

ARLEY FLETCHER

"are we allowed to skate here?" stevie asked, when they arrived at the skatepark. "fuck no, it's super illegal." ruben answered. "it's one of the only parks around though." arley shrugged.

"here's the rules kid: if you hear anyone yell out 'five-o' just fucking take off, alright kid." emerson clarified as she looked around the skate park, she gestured slyly to a couple of shady looking guys. "and if those guys offer you anything to smoke, do not fucking take it, got it?"

stevie nodded and the group mostly disbursed. emerson, fuckshit, and ray heading to one side while fourthgrade followed arley when she told him she was going to finally do the stairs.

arley stood at the top of the stairs, before trying to do her now fourth attempt of a sucessful jump down the stairs. she rubbed her scuffed up-hands together, before running and releasing her board and letting herself jump in the air, the board following after her, she hoped to land it this time and in a instant she was back on her board, rolling carefully past the stairs.

she silently cheered to herself, and skated towards fourthgrade who recorded it.  her excitement was cut off by a kid yelling, "aye, five-o! five-o!"

as a cluster of cops came into view, arley began to run with her skateboard safely under her arm, like the other skaters around her. she saw emerson in the crowd and pumped her legs faster. she grabbed emerson's hand and the two ran. arley looked back, suddenly remembering stevie. she looked around the skaters for him and didn't spot him, "shit!" emerson cursed, thinking the same thing. "we forgot the kid."

later                   

arley waved to ruben as he left the car. stevie turned and watched as ruben detoured to the opposite way of his apartments. stevie looked at arley, who also saw ruben leave. "don't ask about it..." she told him, messing with the wheels on her board.

next, they dropped off stevie, and now they were at arley's house, where she sighed when she saw only one car in the driveway. emerson looked at her, "door's always open, buggie."

"so is the store if fuckshit and emerson are banging." ray offered. emerson swatted him calling him an asshole. "you know where the key is."

"thank you, manny and ray." arley smiled, before climbing out the backseat and waving at the rest of the group. she smiled and walked to her front door hoping the air she felt around her friends wouldn't fade too quickly.