Out of Step

xi. is that a hickey or a bruise?

It was an exceptionally hot day for the end of September. Wearing black jeans and with the sun shining down hard on everyone outside, Alana couldn't help forgetting not to pull of the dark hoodie she had been wearing and throwing it down next to her.

"Is that a hickey?" Laila asked, poking at Alana's neck as she plopped down on the grass next to her. Alana winched in remembrance at the dark shape on her neck and as she remembered to why she had been suffering the last hour and a half.

"What? No, of course not." Alana grimaced at the lack of confidence in her voice. She swallowed thickly, hoping her voice would sound more confident when she spoke again. She swallowed again, glancing to see if the break they had just started might by some chance be over. "Now why in the world would I have a hickey?"

"If it's not a hickey than what is it?" Eli asked, dropping down onto the grass on the other side of Alana. She shrugged in reply, letting herself fall back in the grass.

"It's, um, a, erm... it's a stamp from this really amazing club I went to last night," she stumbled through her reply and both her friends turned around to give looks that said they clearly didn't believe her.

"You went to a club last night?" Laila asked, raising an eyebrow and Alana nodded, trying not to ooze suspicion. "Okay, well what club let you in?"

"Oh, well you've probably never even heard of it," Alana said, waving a hand. "Once a week they have a 'teenagers only' night. It's very cool. And very exclusive."

"Where's it at?"

"Here," Alana said noncommittedly. "And there."

"Here and there?" Eli didn't look impressed, crossing her arms over her chest with an amused look.

"It's one of those traveling clubs." She waved a hand, hoping if she continued to be vague, Laila would eventually get border and give up.

"Where was it last night?"

"Uh, well." She scratched at the back her neck. "It was in the back of an abandoned warehouse museum in the Abandoned Warehouse District."

"Right. So, what was this club called again?" Laila raised an eyebrow, leaning back onto her elbows so she had to look up slightly to see Alana.

"Like I said, you've probably never even heard of it. Candace Cameron sometimes performs guest set there as DJ D.J. Tanner though," Alana said, letting out a nervous laugh. "She's a really good DJ. And I don't just mean in the show."

"Uh, right," Laila said with a snort. "Now, although I enjoy a good story as much as the next person, tell me, who gave you that hickey? And please, please, please tell me it was Owen!"

"What was Owen?" Said boy asked, sitting down in the grass in front of them. He hadn't seemed to notice the hickey on Alana's neck yet, but her brother, who had plopped himself down right next to him, was glaring at it with such force, as if he was hoping he could make it disappear by doing so.

"Gave Alana a hickey," Laila said, completely straight-forward with the subject, and Alana turned to gape at her. How could she just come out there and say it like that? "Did you give her a hickey? And when? It's not like we're not always around you guys."

He cocked his head towards Alana and raised an eyebrow, a simple gesture she wished she could do. "Yeah, I certainly don't remember doing that."

"That's because you didn't," Alana said, probably sounding a lot snarkier than she meant to. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back until she was laying on her back and staring up at the few clouds that littered the sky.

"Well that's a shame." Alana closed her eyes, breathing out deeply. When she opened her eyes again, Eli and Laila were leaning over her, blocking the clouds, and she could see Owen from the corner of her eye. "So, who did it?"

"None of your business," she snapped, shoving herself up and nearly butting heads with her friends. Eli and Laila dove out of her way as she snatched her

She was filling up her water bottle, feeling slightly calmer, when she heard Owen from the other giant Gatorade jug next to her. "So, you ready for the picnic this weekend?"

Alana smacked her forehead, not paying attention as she filled up her water bottle. "Oh my god. That's this weekend, isn't it? I totally forgot that was this weekend. Oh god, how could I forget?"

"You busy?" He asked, nodding to her hand just as she felt the water overflowing from her bottle and onto her hand. She pulled it quickly away, slurping up the top layer of water before screwing the cap back on.

"No. I just wish I had remembered." She began to walk back towards her spot, with Owen falling into step next to her. "I was thinking of hanging out with Emmett then, but I really want to go to the picnic."

Glancing at Owen's expressionless face, Alana chewed on her bottom lip. "I can't bring him, can I?"

"Band directors said no one who wasn't in the band is allowed," Owen quickly supplied, shaking his head. "It's band bonding time, remember?"

"Right. Right, right, right." Her faced scrunched up as they stopped where she had left her instrument, and she bent down to pick it up, only to plant her butt down on the hard pavement instead. "It'll still be fun. Maybe I'll actually play on my sections volleyball team this year."

Owen snorted, and she was quickly back on her feet, glaring up at him. "What? Do you not believe me?"

"The day you play volleyball is the day the directors win," he said, and her eyes narrowed even more at him as he grinned down at her. "And also, not to be rude, but it will be the day your team loses."

Alana poked her finger into his chest, emphasizing her words. "Oh, I'll show you Owen Jamie Hoook. I can be good at sports. I can be fucking amazing at volleyball."

"I know you can be," he said, laughing. One of the band directors blew their whistle and Owen began to walk backwards, away from Alana, who had turned to grab her instrument.

"That sounds like doubt," she was muttering. "Well, I'll show him and everybody how great I am at volleyball. I will be the one carrying my team to greatness. Without me, they will undoubtedly fail!"

"I'm sure they will," he answered, and she whirled around, the surprise on her face evident. She hadn't realized he could still hear her. "Can't wait for it."

"I still hear doubt in your voice." She wagged her finger at him and he shrugged, nearly tripping over someone who had stretched out on the pavement.

"I'm just not sure you're going to actually play is all," he teased, grinning at her. "I don't think you can."

"That sounds like a challenge."

He stopped and the two stared at each other.

"Why yes, I think it is a challenge." His grinned widened suddenly. "No, let's make it a bet."

"Okay, what are we betting?"

He didn't get the chance to answer though, as the director blew the whistle again and shouted for everyone to get to their spots, so they could run through what they already knew, once again. Owen saluted her before turning to jog to his own spot on the opposite side of the field.

Alana wrinkled her nose at him, bent down tograb her own instrument, and turned to face the front of the field, her body rigid at attention. 

07.17.2020 Currently suspicious of everything going on on Riverdale. Like ugh, please stop half of this. Archie gets on my nerves tbh. It's kinda like he's supposed to be a perfect character and he acts like he's perfect. Also, what's up with all the tickling?

Anyway, I'm here for the mystery. The Farm and the Stonewall stuff and now these tapes are what's keeping me going (also, the minor characters are great). 

I don't remember if I was going to add anything else here, so I guess this is goodbye for now. Let me know what you think and give me your helpful criticism. Thanks bye.