The Anatomy of a Broken Heart //Completed//

81. Santana

It started to rain. I hadn't even noticed the clouds had been closing in on the sun like predatory beasts, vultures of vapor, until we were outside and the sky was turning black. King and the other boys got into his car while the girls tried to fit into Stella's tiny Beetle. Meanwhile, Jasper and I climbed into the familiar beat up convertible. The top was up, thankfully, but the windows were rolled down and when I sat on the old leather seat, I could feel icy water seeping in through my clothes. I shivered as I buckled up and quickly rolled up the window. Jasper left his down and the raindrops like bullets hit us as we sped through the town going nowhere. At least that's what it seemed like. King was at the front of the convoy, driving aimlessly, recklessly through the streets now empty save for a few straggling cars.

It wasn't even that late, but the people of the town must have felt the same thing I did. That something wasn't right. Weather like this incited certain instincts within us, cautionary signals our brains sent out to warn us: turn back or stay away. But we were on our way straight into the storm. The clouds swallowed us whole as we sped towards somewhere only King knew. Just as quickly, the clouds spit us out into the fading rays of sunlight. I guess the rain wasn't ready to drown us just yet.

"Where are we going?" I asked to no one really. The world, God, maybe, if He was still listening to me.

"I'm not sure, yet," He answered in the voice of Jasper.

No, I thought. No matter how I used to worship the ground Jasper walked on, I knew now he was no god. Not my God at least.

As we drove, I felt the car lose speed. We were close. Around us, the dying trees of fall were morphing into concrete buildings. We were surrounded by a bizarre mix of warehouses and nightclubs. I'd been here before, I realized as neon signs flashed past the window of the car, maybe once or twice a few years ago, with Jasper.

The ocean was near. I could smell the brine of the water mixed with the rain.

"We're partying?" I turned to look at him. His mouth was set in a thin line and he shook his head. Of course not. It was a work night.

The boys only ever came here to push whatever new thing King had onto unsuspecting teenagers and adults alike. It wasn't part of his 'jurisdiction,' as he liked to call it, so it was always risky coming here. I had a mounting suspicion King was punishing them for something I had missed out on in the month I wasn't with Jasper.

Jas parked next to Tommy and got out, walking up to him, not waiting for me to get out. I used this distraction to finish my text to Caleb and noticed a few texts from Marlow and Zealand asking where I was. I told and quickly tucked my phone away before Jasper could see.

"Come on, let's go inside," he said as he and Tommy walked up the steps to a club called Cactus. A flashing green sign was the only indicator that the place was even open. The blacked out door and windows showed no life from within, but I could vaguely hear the muted pounding of the bass.

"I'll wait for you here," I answered, still clinging onto the open door of the car. I didn't want to go inside. Not tonight, with them. All I had wanted was to spend the day with Jasper, who had promised me his time, after so long.

"Come on, honey," King said smiling, but through his bared teeth, I could see his impatience. "It'll be fun. Don't be a dull dud."

I looked at Jasper who nodded at me. Gently, I shut the door and walked up the steps. Stella and the other girls were still in her Beetle, looking at their phones, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. King glared at them but didn't insist they come along like me, which pissed me off.

As Tommy opened the door, the blaring music almost unbalanced me and the smell of alcohol and smoke made my eyes sting. The bouncer stopped us and asked for IDs, stamping my hand with an underage 'x.' I didn't mind. I wasn't risking losing my inhibitions tonight with King on the loose.