Skipper's Heartbeat (PRN)

thirteen

Jaws! That movie was far out, man. Prince and I sat dead in the center of the theatre and you could see the whole thing like everything was happening in our face! Dinner and a movie was the plan it had worked out perfectly. Next thing we knew, we were sitting in the booth of a nearby restaurant laughing up a storm.

"I'm just saying I'll never trust not a damn other lake ever again! No way." Prince shakes his head in disgust at the idea of swimming in another lake. "Would you?"

I shrug with my pop in my hand. "I don't know. Am I in a boat or swimming?"

"Doesn't matter, that motherfucker is still gone get you!" We laugh and he reaches for my hand across the table. Rubbing his thumb over my knuckles, he admires me in my natural state. "You are all of that, Monica. You know that?"

Taking my hand back, I dramatically flip my hair over my shoulder. "Of course I do." He laughs with the shaking of his head. I'm picking through his plate when I see a tall figure approaching the table.

"I knew I'd find you here." The guy says with the shake of his head. He looks over and notices me. The freckle faced gentleman reaches out to shake my hand, "Name's Morris."

Prince clears his throat, "This is Monica."

"I remember you! You were at the mall right, with the red head friend?"

I nod my head as I politely smile. "Yeah, I thought you looked kind of familiar." He chuckles before looking at Prince.

"I hate to ruin your date and all, man, but it's a free slot at the club. You set to go?"

Prince face lights up and his posture straightens. I can tell this is something that seems to be important to him. "You mean right now?"

Morris eagerly shakes his head. "Yes, right now! We got fifteen minutes to be there or the spot goes to whoever's beneath. They called us first!" With no words, Prince digs in his wallet and throws a couple of bills on the table. He slips out of the booth and pecks my lips quickly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mo. I promise!"

"Wai–Wait! Can't I go?"

Morris looks at Prince, who looks at Morris, then nervously looks back at me. "There's an age requirement and I don't think you fit it, babe," Morris says. He's looking just as on the edge as Prince.

"Okay. What's the requirement?"

Stepping back Prince says, "Eighteen or older."

My defensive tone raises as I begin to make a scene in the restaurant. "But you're only seventeen."

"Bending the rules for one year and four years is a big difference, Mo. I'm sorry. I told you I'll be back tomorrow."

With every second he is standing in front of me my tone raises in a more harsh manner. "So I'm a kid?"

"No, we're all kids to them but–"

Morris sticks up a finger as his way of asking for attention. "Time is a tickin', if we don't get there by 7:45 for sound check the spot is free game to everybody else but us."

"Monica, I've gotta go." He runs out of the door with Morris and I don't even try to stop him. I pick up the money Prince left on the table and count it.

$15.23

Raising my hand for a waitress, I request a check. After paying, I notice that it is getting dark outside and I am an hour's bus ride from home. I throw my purse over my shoulder as I run over to the payphone that resides beside the corner before the establishment's restrooms.