Little Red

Good Times Gone Wrong

     You look out the window as Kye drives, singing along to the music playing. 

     "We're almost there," Kye said as an ad played. You nod, looking over at him.

     "What?" Kye asked, giving you a quick glance. 

     "I'm just glad you're here," you replied, smiling at him.

      He groans before replying, "Don't get all sappy on me now." 

      "I'm just saying that because I won't have to face those guys alone again," you said while turning back towards your window, looking at the stores as you pass them. 

      "You're a dumbass," he responded with a chuckle, shaking his head at your comment. The car slowed to a stop, as Kye parked. He looked over at you, his tone soft and sincere.

"Do you really think we'll run into those guys again?" He asked, his tone soft, worried and sincere. There's no more joking. just genuine concern. 

"I mean...they seemed real determined to kill me. I wouldn't be surprised if they came back for round two," you reply with a shrug. Of course you were concerned with the situation, but you didn't want to worry Kye more.

There's a moment of silence as the moment and the thoughts of everything that has happened sinks in. You decide to change the subject.

      "You wanted to go to the park?" You asked, giving Kye a quizzical look. 

      "Yeah. Wait, no. There's a shop just down the road, but there was no parking," he explained, already getting out the car and starting to walk in the direction of the shop.  

      "Oh," you said, before jogging to catch up to him. 

      The two of you walk to the shop. After nearly five minutes and many wrong turns, Kye stops. One thing you had forgotten about Kye was he was terrible at directions. 

      "You wanted to go to a barbershop?" You asked, looking at him in confusion. 

      "Yup. Wait no," he says while taking a couple steps to the right, until he was in front of a café. 

      "Oh," you said, walking in front of him, entering the café. The first thing you noticed was a rowdy group that appeared to be around your age. 

      You both take a seat at a small table in the far corner. You notice one of the guys from the group talking while gesturing in your direction as you both ordered. After you finished ordering, the guy that was staring walked over. 

      "Hey, are you new to town?" He asked, looking between you and Kye. He pulled a chair from a nearby table and took a seat next to you. He's tall with black hair and dark brown eyes that nearly look black. He has a sharp  jawline and is tanned. He has freckles over his cheeks and nose. His hair is short and curly, almost in a mohawk. He wears a loose, plain black shirt with black jeans. He has on a studded belt, a few rings, dangling cross earrings and a silver chain.

     You look over at Kye, hesitant to talk to him. There was something about him that gave you a bad feeling. You could admit, you were never the best at reading others' emotions or intentions, but something about the way he looked at you and Kye left you with a bad feeling.

      "Yeah," Kye responded, looking at him. 

      "How about my friends and I show you around town then," he said, looking at Kye with a smirk. 

      "No thanks. We're good," you said apprehensively. He glared at you then scoffed, standing up. 

      "Your loss," he said, walking back towards the group he was with. He said something to them, glancing back in your direction. After a minute they left. 

      After finishing your pastries and coffee and paying, you and Kye leave the café, your conversation drifting to the previous interaction. 

     "That guy was pretty weird, right?" Kye asked.

      "Yeah," you respond, putting your hands in your hoodie pockets. You paused, not feeling your phone in your pocket. 

      "Hey, I think I left my phone at the café. Wait up," you said, as you turned, jogging to the café. Finding your phone on the table you were at, you grab it, before leaving. You walk back to the spot you left Kye, only for him not to be there. You sigh, figuring he didn't hear you. You walk down the street back to the park. As you get to the car, you notice the guy you had talked to earlier leading Kye into the woods behind the park. 

       Panicked, you run to the spot you think Kye went in. Without thinking, you run through the woods, trying to find your friend. You keep running farther into the woods, searching for Kye, until you can't run anymore. You lean against a tree, spinning in a circle, trying to figure out which direction you had come in from. You take your phone out of your pocket and call Kye. 

      "Great. No answer. This is fan-fucking-tastic," you say, putting your phone back in your pocket. Turning in the direction you think you had come from, you start walking.