Her way ✧ (Richie White)

1.

New Granada. East of Denver, Colorado - 1978

I stared out of the window at the coloured blue and orange sign that read 'Welcome to New Granada. Tomorrow's city...Today'.

"We've arrived! Aren't you just excited Adrien?" Mom babbled in the passenger seat. "Over the moon" I replied a little too flatly. "C'mon now kiddo, it'll be great" Dad insisted, his hands gripping the steering wheel.

Turning onto the next street, we finally parked in the driveway of our new house. It was bigger than the last place we lived but there was something oddly dystopian and remote about the location. We clambered out of the car and my parents began unpacking as I stood glancing around curiously.

"You know honey, I heard there's a Recreation Center for the local teens. Why don't you go check it out, and make some friends?" Dad suggested. "I'd rather stay here-" he put his hands on my shoulders and cut me off.

"We love that you want to hang with us but don't you think it might be time to get out there in the social scene and meet some kids your own age?"

"Sure, I guess so."

"You can take your skateboard for a ride, only if you wear your helmet," Mom dug through the trunk, fishing it out. "I don't know how, you already know that," I sighed. That didn't deter her. "Practice makes perfect," she handed it over with an encouraging smile.

Defeated, I clipped my helmet on and braced myself. I started off slow and easy, heading down the street in search of the so-called teen Rec. On the way, I took in the intricacies of my surroundings. New Granada seemed whack. All the houses and buildings looked the same, there was no personality anywhere.

Riding the skateboard was proving to be difficult for me. I couldn't steer properly and I was wheeling so slow that even people walking were going faster than me. "I wish Alex were here to teach me" I muttered, staring at the ground.

Getting lost in my thoughts, I hadn't even noticed that I just passed the Rec, let alone the boy on the bike approaching me until he hollered "Cops! Cops! You better get in the bushes!"

He sped past startling me back to reality, so much so that I fell off the board and into the overgrown bushes. I groaned, patting myself for injuries. I couldn't feel any but I knew I was going to end up with a bruise somewhere.

"Are you okay?" A voice called out.

A boy wearing a black shirt leaned over me worriedly. I responded "Peachy keen," as he helped me to my feet before passing my skateboard over. "Man, that was one tough fall. Good thing you got a helmet on," he chuckled. "Mama knows best" I broke into a small smile.

Beside him was another boy. A cute one, might I add. He stood a few inches taller than me, had long brown hair that almost reached his shoulders and he was wearing a green crop top that showed off his toned abdomen. A cheeky smirk plastered his face, his fists were stuffed into his jean pockets.

The sound of police sirens forced us to duck down. "Ah hell, it's Doberman," the first boy huffed. The police car screeched to a halt across the street, and the officer got out and stormed over to us. "Anytime you two get through making out in there, I'd like to talk to ya."

The three of us slowly rose to our feet, the Sgt. Doberman looked a little surprised to see me there. "Go ahead," the boy in green spoke. "You got any special reason to be hiding there?" Doberman asked. "Yeah, we heard you were horny man," the boy fired back.

I'd never heard anyone speak to the police like that before.

"I lost a contact lens in there" the boy in black lied. We were ushered forward where the officer peered into his eyes. "You don't wear contacts," he said. "I lost both of them," the boy insisted. Not falling for his bullshit, officer Doberman walked us over to his car where he spoke sternly "Assume the position. Get your hands up there."