Dedicated to: MissyMelz

      Thanks for your encouraging comment on the last chapter! It means a lot that you support this story! :)

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      September 3rd
    Agents A. Harris and K. Masters left a piece of evidence uncovered when using Special Operations tactics. Agent R. Harris took notice.

      Ch. 4: On Carter Street
      Date: September 3rd

Aaron and Kyle. The two names were almost always associated with each other; those two were basically inseparable for their whole entire lives. It was ridiculous. 

       Personally I didn’t even understand why they were friends in the first place; the only thing they had in common was being good-looking heartthrobs of their schools.

       It was annoying to see them together all the time. Although I’m biased, I suppose. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the shenanigans those two pulled on me. In fact, that dreaded weekend where everything changed is one where they decided to pull another one.

       One that I won’t forget.

           .          .          .

       “I cannot believe I let you do this.” Trying to keep the annoyance out of my tone is harder than I thought it would be. Determined to keep my voice leveled, I shift my gaze away from the hard concrete to glare at Aaron. 

       To my surprise he glares back. “Do what? You mean try to get you to have fun?” 

        “Yes, as a matter of fact, I think that is what I’m referring to.”

       Aaron’s voice becomes sarcastic. “Well, I’m sorry. Next time I’ll just leave you in your room to cry yourself to sleep like you usually do.”

       I hold back the urge to scowl and think about arguing that I don’t actually cry myself to sleep, but instead I chose to say, “That would be great, thanks.” I consider those words to be the end of the conversation and turn my face back to the road ahead of me.

        My eyes scour the area for more light. The dark street that we walk on is illuminated by only one street lamp per block. I have to pay close attention to my footsteps to make sure I don’t end up on the floor. Or crash into a mailbox. 

       Soon my impassive expression turns into one of confusion as I stare ahead. The streets are strangely empty, but I can’t remember why.

        “I just don’t get you, Rachel,” continues Aaron. A frustrated sigh escapes my lips but Aaron doesn’t seem to care. “You don’t even try. It’s like you want to be an outsider. Is that what you want?”

        I spend a few seconds trying to figure out a response. Then, “What if it is?” Pulling my hands out of my pockets, I wrap them around myself to try adding some warmth to my arms. The cool air stings me as we breeze past the next lamp post.

         “Look, we’ve had this conversation a million times,” I say, staring straight ahead. “And I don’t understand why we keep having it over and over again. I told you already. I don’t care what people think of me.” 

        “Yes you do.”

        “No I don’t.”

       There’s nothing but silence for the next few seconds. I assume Aaron is finished by then, but from my peripheral view I can see that Aaron’s jaw is clenched hard enough to break it. That’s when I know he's about to say something I’m not going to like. 

       “You care what Kyle thinks of you.”

       My head discreetly turns to the aforementioned boy. As soon as my eyes spot the ear-buds in his ears, I relax my stance and briefly gaze over Kyle’s tan, impassive face. Slowly, I turn back to my front.

       “No,” I tell Aaron. “I don’t.” I keep my tone emotionless to mask my slight panic.

       Suddenly Aaron’s face is turned towards me and so is his anger. “Oh come on, Rachel,” Aaron hisses. “Remember who you’re speaking to here.”

       Caught off guard, I let my eyes meet with Aaron’s. His gaze is so intense that I can’t hold it for more than three seconds but I open my mouth to say something to him anyway.

         “I think I see the car,” Kyle intervenes, one ear-bud in his right hand. I am then reminded of the moment I saw Kyle's bright silver convertible enter our house's driveway earlier in the day. It feels like it was days ago that Aaron dragged me out of my room in my fuzzy slippers and demanded I get in the car with him to “have a fun night out”. 

       Yes, I had so much fun when I was left inside a room full of horny twenty-one year olds making out and dancing while Aaron and Kyle were off taking care of their own business. 

       Thinking of the events of the day, the reason the streets are so empty slams into my brain. It’s past midnight.

        “Good,” I say to Kyle, increasing my pace to leave the two walking behind me. “Because I was starting to think this whole ‘fun night out’ thing was a bad idea.” 

       No other words are said as I make sure to put one foot in front of the other all the way back to Kyle’s car. Aaron wordlessly gets into the driver's seat, him and Kyle's unspoken agreement to let him drive hanging in the air.

       Inside the back of Kyle’s car, I can’t help but think about what Aaron said. Mainly it’s because I’m hoping he doesn’t know. He can’t. But still, Aaron is smarter than people give him credit for. He may be a stud at his university but back here he is a clever, clever boy. That and a huge icon to the younger girls that went to high school with him.

       I can’t take any more risks. I need to start covering my tracks.

        “Wait,” says Kyle’s voice in front of me. I look away from the window. “Why is the car stopping?”

       There’s a small moment of silence as Aaron presses hard on the gas pedal, but all we get out of that is the car jerking us forward and stopping altogether. 

        “Damn,” Aaron swears. “The gas tank is empty.” 

       I hang on his words for a second until they actually register in my mind. Then I lean forward in my seat to see for myself. Sure enough, the tank is empty. 

       Clearly the two were expecting us to fly home tonight with our beautiful nonexistent wings. 

       “No gas?” I ask calmly. “Well that’s just typical. Great night you’ve planned for us, boys. Most fun I’ve had in years.”      

       “Last time I checked, Ramona,” Kyle starts, turning around in his seat to look at me, “you were in charge of putting gas in the car.” 

       A surge of anger pushes its way into me. All of a sudden, my words aren’t mine anymore; they belong to a girl that doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her and could care less if her next words hurt Kyle Masters’s reputation in any way possible. 

       “Last time I checked, my name was Rachel.” I tilt my head to the side, ignoring Aaron’s gaze on me. “I assume you can’t spell that with your failing grades and all, so I’ll spell it out for you. R-A-C-H-E-L isn’t in charge of putting gas in your car. R-A-C-H-E-L isn’t your little lap dog that does everything you want because she’s delighted to be your slave. 

       “R-A-C-H-E-L doesn’t spell Ramona, or Raquel, or whatever else your little brain decides to call me. It spells Rachel. And Rachel suggests that you quit the lacrosse team and join the cheerleaders, because clearly your spelling could use a little help.” 

       Pushing my car door open, I put one foot on the ground and turn to get out. But before I do, I turn back. “Oh, and by the way. When the pointer is on E, it means empty. You know, because the word empty begins with an E? Or did you not know that before?”

        I slam my car door shut, moving as quickly as I can to get away from Kyle’s car.

        My feet carry me through the dark streets for a while, and my mind is racing with angry, bitter thoughts.

        Sometime after my endless walking, I turn back. After everything that’s happened tonight I just want to go home. I don’t even care about Kyle’s words or how irritating he is; I just want to be in my room and in my bed, snuggling with my stuffed animals.

         The car comes into view just as Aaron’s figure does. Before I can get to the car, I get to Aaron. His dark outline pulls me off to the side and away from Kyle who still sits in the passenger seat, watching us. 

         “Kyle is a jerk,” Aaron says, his head bent low to make sure I return his gaze. “But you shouldn’t take things he says and does personally. He’s not worth it.”

          I send Aaron a sarcastic smile. “Well Aaron, thanks for that wisdom-filled piece of advice. But I already knew that.” I retrieve my arm from his large hand and turn to head towards the car. “Just take me home, Aaron. I just want to go home.”

       As soon as our front door is open I race up the stairs hoping to find my bed closer than expected. But I stop once I get to the top step, remembering something I didn’t pay attention to earlier. 

       I replay the events of tonight in my mind. Something isn’t adding up.

       “You never did tell me, Aaron,” I say, turning to look down at him from the top of the steps. “How did you find a way to get the car running without gas?”

       Aaron shakes his head at my question as if he wasn’t expecting me to notice.

       Resisting the urge to smirk, I raise an eyebrow at him. I may be half deaf from the music at the party I was forced to attend but I’m not blind.

       Not answering my question, Aaron walks into the kitchen and out of my reach. “Good night, Rachel,” he says, and before he’s gone I catch his signature smile. My eyes narrow at it. That’s the smile he has on his face when he knows something I don’t.

          .         .          .

      I have never liked that smile.

       And to this day, I still don’t.

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      There are probably a gazillion mistakes somewhere in there. If you notice any, point 'em out to me. I know if you read the old MID, you guys have read a chapter like this before. I kept editing it to try making it shorter. . . Didn't work, huh?

       Anyway, so what's with Aaron starting a car without gas? . . .

       Some freakiness goin' on up there. 

      Well, comment your opinions, guys! [Commenters do get dedications, as you can see.] And vote if you like it!

       P. S. How many of you wanted to punch Kyle? Aaron did.

       ' AwesomelyBlaze