Quarter After One

A Stupid Stunt

 "Aight, lez' do thiz!!" He revved his motorcycle, and the crowd surrounding him went absolutely wild.

 I couldn't control the overwhelming sense of dread and panic that had welled up inside me. "MONDO OHWADA, YOU GET DOWN FROM THAT MOTORCYCLE RIGHT NOW!!" I jumped out of the car and tackled him to the ground, which successfully knocked him off his bike. 

 "What? You know I'm tss-the best at cycling! S'why I went to-"

I cut him off, putting a hand over his mouth. "I know," I said, keeping my voice low. "But you weren't DRUNK when you'd cycle in your free time. Get up. Let's get you home."

 "C'mon man, he was just havin' a little fun! Lighten up!" 

 I stood up and face the man. I must've intimidated him, because he took a step back when I advanced. 

 "The 'little fun' he was about to have could've killed him. And I highly doubt any of you could help him. Or call for help, for that matter." I turned, then bent down to pick Mondo up, slinging his arm around my shoulders. He made some sort of noise in protest, but he didn't resist. I could smell the alcohol in his breath, even from where he was. Oh goodness, when he recovered, he was gonna get it. 

 He was rambling on about having to leave early, and it was taking everything I had to not lecture him on the spot about the fact that he was thirty minutes late to begin with. The whole reason I'd even thought about coming here in the first place. 

 "I wasn't even causin' any trouble, I'on even know... t-what the deal is..."

 I couldn't restrain myself. After taking my place in the driver's seat, and even as I checked to make sure I'd fastened his seatbelt correctly, I began:

 "'The deal' is that I let you go to a college party ONCE unsupervised, after you LECTURED ME on 'not trusting you enough', and you immediately get DRUNK and almost KILL YOURSELF over a DUMB, PEER PRESSURED, UNDER-INFLUENCE STUNT!! Mondo, if I had gotten there a MINUTE LATER, you could've been SERIOUSLY HURT, or WORSE! I really don't think you want that, and I certainly don't..." 

 He seemed unfazed.

 "Yeah, but 'cha didn't. An-an I didn't. So we're all good, nnright?"

 I sighed, knowing none of what I was saying was getting to him right now. Gripping the steering wheel a little tighter, I just stopped talking and focused on the road in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him looking at me, frowning. 

 "Ey, don' worry 'bout it Ishi! I'm fine, an yer fine, nothin' happened, t-and, we're all good." 

 It was weird having a very drunk man counsel me, but I could tell Mondo was trying to get me to calm down. I was still mad, but at least my knuckles had their natural color back. I was sure my face had gotten a little red as well, but weather it's was out of anger or embarrassment, I couldn't tell. 

 "I know, but if it did-" 

 "Well, it diiiiidn't. Jeez Ishi, you worry too much. 

 Despite being intoxicated, it seemed as though he was still Mondo when it came to my emotions.

                                                                          _-*-_

 We were back to the dorm in no time, with still no sign of Chihiro. Not that I expected any different, but I knew if she got that worried, she'd come home early. She's always that considerate. Come to think of it, I couldn't quite think of a time when she wasn't that way. Not around us, at least. But it seemed she had actually listened to me, and stayed there for the time being. I unlocked the door, and Mondo staggered in, oblivious to everything he was knocking down on the way. I followed behind, keeping an eye on him and trying to make sure he didn't fall over, and picking up the mess he'd made along the way. Needless to say, you can't avoid the inevitable. 

 At least his bed broke his fall. 

((Ahhh, jeez, sorry these chapters are so diddly darn s h o r t -