BANGERZ (2014)

4. Alleyways

Jason can't get out of detention until tomorrow - Mr. Anderson holds grudges, I see - so our tutoring session for today is on hold. Fine by me.

I tell Danny that I have to stay after school anyway, just so he doesn't pick me up. I'm feeling pretty antsy from my meds and I need some alone time to clear my thoughts. This is a side effect of the Adderall: anxiety. Normally I would have plenty of reasons to be anxious: I'm at a new school, senior year will start getting stressful, Jason McCann gives me butterflies that won't go away. But I know the pills are making it worse, to the point where my anxiety fuels my spitfire. Meaning, I snap at people and get bold when I'm like this. It's better if I'm just by myself until it wears off.

I decide to walk home after school (and walk off the side effects...). Danny and I don't live far from North Shore - the townhouse is only fifteen minutes, right? - and this area is mostly suburban anyway. I'll be alright.

I put my headphones in and leave the school zone, passing graffiti walls and an industrial block before entering a neighborhood on North Shore Boulevard. And I only walk for about five minutes before I realize I'm not alone. A car has rolled up beside me, blasting hip-hop music.

Somehow I already know who it is before I look over. Jason is smirking at me from the driver's side, cruising slowly to match my pedestrian pace. The seats are low and the windows are down in his sleek black car - it's almost as sexy as he is. Obviously expensive, too.

Jason cuts the music abruptly so it's quiet in the street again.

"That's dangerous, you know," he says, coming to a stop as I do. His voice is muted but I can still hear him.

I pull my headphones out. "What's dangerous? You?"

He laughs, to my surprise. He seems like he's hard to amuse, and only gives smirks and grins. "Yeah," he admits. "But I meant walking around with your headphones in. You can't hear anything and you're not fully aware of your surroundings. What if someone snuck up on you?"

I glance around at the deserted neighborhood. There's no one on the sidewalks or in the streets, and the houses are still.

I turn back to Jason. "I heard you."

"No, you heard my music. I was playing it loud on purpose to see if you noticed."

I don't understand his concern, but my heart flutters anyway. "What are you even doing here? I thought you had detention."

"How could I forget, with you reminding me so much? It doesn't start until four o'clock. Now get in. Walking alone isn't a good idea. You think I'm dangerous? Try these L.A. streets and alleyways."

I blink at him, stunned. He can't be talking to me. I must have an invisible twin who's bolder and badder and better. She's standing right behind me, and Jason sees her right through me.

Jason raises his eyebrows and leans over to open the passenger door. As it hangs wide, inviting me in, he leans back in his seat expectantly.

"I have time to give you a ride, baby girl, but I don't have all day," he says. "You coming or not?"

He has time to give me a ride? Yum. Am I coming? I want to, just at the sound of his voice. Oh my fuck, you little nasty! I want to slap myself. Why, why do I let him do this to me? And twice in one day?

My bolder, badder, better invisible twin gives me a little push from behind, and I find myself getting into Jason McCann's car. It's lower than I expect and I almost fall into my seat.

He snickers and cruises down the road. We don't say anything for a couple minutes, and I study his profile inconspicuously. He leans back as he drives, one hand on the steering wheel and the other arm resting against his door. There must be about twenty tattoos on his left arm alone, and about three on the other. I can make out a compass, an owl, and a rose amongst the sleeve. The Rolex hugging his wrist matches the chain around his neck, and this close I can see that he's also wearing a chain with a cross at the end. So he believes in God, like me? Makes sense. The boy was crafted by the angels of heaven.