𝔯𝔬𝔠𝔨𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯𝔰 𝔫𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔡𝔦𝔢 [𝔥𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔰𝔶𝔩𝔳𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯]

𝔴𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔡

★★★

"𝔎evin, what the hell were you thinking?" I asked, shuffling around my room to get a pair of shoes and my spare car keys. I had just gotten out of the shower about ten minutes prior. My hair was still wet, and I was wearing loungeclothes. I suppose it didn't matter, though, since I was only swinging by to pick him up. I guess he got a ride from the other band members.

"Sorry, I thought that - thought, drive..."

I rolled my eyes. "Just about every time you're somewhere other than your house or with one of us, you're fucking wasted." He didn't respond. "Can you at least just give me the address, or send me your location?"

"Yeah, man, this was... this great!" He exclaimed. I could tell he was holding his phone away from his face. I waited. "Yeah. See you soon," he slurred.

"Alright," I sighed, hanging up. He messaged me almost immediately, and his location popped up on my screen. It was ten o'clock and chilly outside. I was trying to be quiet so as not to wake my parents.

I backed out of the driveway and turned down the street, following the directions my phone was giving me. It brought me to a huge building. A fountain was in the center of a brick walkway. I grew nervous as a security guard stepped towards my car. I reluctantly got out, holding up my phone.

"This is private property," he said, hand on his baton. I nodded. I knew that.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, sir. My friend called me to come pick him up, he needed a driver," I explained. He nodded, moving his hand away from his weapon. I fired Kevin a text letting him know I was out back. Within a few minutes, he was outside with his suit jacket laid over his arm.

"Have a good night," the guard said, waving. I never liked security guards. Kevin slumped into the passenger side and buckled in. I drove away.

"Why didn't you call Hunter or Emily?" I asked him. In all sincerity, I wasn't mad. I was only curious. He wiped his glasses.

"Hunter... uhm, wouldn't answer. And Emily went to bed. I didn't want to... to wake her," he told me, sliding his glasses onto his face. I noticed his hair was wet. I thought about it for a moment. Hunter usually answered his phone. Maybe he was asleep, or arguing with his dad.

"Did you go swimming?" I questioned, "It's a bit chilly for that."

He nodded. "Hot tub."

I turned onto his street, pulling up to the curb in front of his apartment building. He started to get out, garbling out some sort of thank you. I waved, not pulling off until he was inside. I drove back home, attempting to call Hunter a few times. He didn't answer. I left a voicemail, even though he hated them.

★

I hated algebra. Everything about it, the teacher, the classmates, the subject itself. I drew circles on my worksheet, not bothering to look up at the board where Mr. Whats-his-face was writing. It's not like this would get me anywhere. In what world would I need to know the speed at which a wrist rocket was flying?

The end of the school day was quickly approaching. Only about ten more minutes. I drew more circles, listing off what I would do when I was at home. I thought of my fish; I was still jealous.

The bell finally rang. I hurried out of the classroom, heading down the hall towards my locker. Per usual, there were crowds in the intersections, groups of kids hanging out and waiting for stragglers. I ducked behind a really tall kid to get to my locker.

I was more or less shoved into the row. I was stunned. Spinning around, Kevin caught me by the shoulders. I shook my head, perplexed.

"Sorry about that, some kid ran into me. Hunter's in that stupid rehab center. That's what his dad said." Kevin was talking rather quickly. On our way out to the parking lot, he intensely explained the situation. I was having a hard time following.

"Wait, he what?" I asked, my mouth forming a small o shape. I was shocked.

"Okay, so, his dad found out about the stolen American Express -"

"He stole it?" I was in disbelief. I knew Hunter got himself into trouble sometimes, sure, but to outright steal his father's credit card and buy a whole drum set with it?

"Yeah - and, and, he got sent to that... oh, what's it called? Safe Passage! Apparently, the other day, before you came to pick me up, he tried to trespass on the wedding venue. He wouldn't listen to the security guard," Kevin briefed, unlocking the car doors. "His stuff was confiscated. That's why he wouldn't answer his phone."

I put my head in my hands, letting out a groan. How could he be so stupid? I couldn't believe he didn't even try to talk to Kevin or me. I couldn't believe he didn't just ask for help, or to talk, instead of just up and going wild. This wasn't the same Hunter who let me shower and borrow his clothes after that one party.

"Yeah, we, uh, we gotta go get him," Kevin continued, "I have a plan, and if you could help, that would be great." He started the car and we were off, speeding down the road. I nodded; we were already on the way there, and by now, what choice did I have?

"I mean, I've seen how his entire attitude changes around you. You can lecture him, right? Knock some fucking sense into him."

Kevin was going on a complete rant. Yeah, I could. No doubt about it. But one thing still wasn't clear: how we were actually going to get him out of there. He made a sharp right. I held onto the JC bar.

"Kev, what exactly are you gonna do to get him out?" I questioned, letting my hand fall back into my lap. He adjusted his glasses as he slowed at a traffic light.

"I'm just gonna... go get him. Maybe trip up the person at the front desk, I don't know. I've never been in here," he said. He sounded so calm about it. I looked at him. The light turned green, and a look of determination took over his face once more. I couldn't grasp his strategy.

"You have to have a definite plan, Kevin," I debated. We pulled into the parking lot of the place. He didn't even bother parking correctly. He just pulled in all sideways.

"Come on."

★★★