Host.

The explosive pizza~ Chapter one.

AJ Ben Cooper
October 27th 2017.

The same afternoon that AJ Cooper and his two best friends, Jaime Lee and Charlie White attached a Tesco's finest meat feast pizza to a rocket style firework in Mrs Dawsons field, was the same afternoon his parents kicked him out of the house, completely. I mean, sure, they've kicked him out once or twice before now, but AJ always found a way back in through the windows or the back door. In spite of that, when the police van pulled up on the gravel outside his tiny, council estate excuse of a 'home' and their son was sitting in the back seat with a smirk plastered on his face, that they had had enough and were going to expel him from the house. Forever.

In all fairness, for Mrs Dawson to phone the police on the trio was a colossal over- reaction. Besides, the haggard woman had always disapproved of the bunch. This time she had had enough.

"Charlie, look no offence but you're going about it completely wrong" Jamie spoke, awkwardly attempting to swat Charlie's small hands away from the rocket. " I mean, do you honestly expect cello-tape to securely stick to freaking pizza" he added, wringing his skinny fingers nervously, glancing over his shoulder every so often.

"Well, I suppose you have any better ideas?" challenged Charlie throwing his hands to his sides in fustration.

"Guys,come on be quiet! We don't want to attract any attention to ourselves... yet" as a devilish grin brightened AJ's face he leaned in closer to the two boys, they watched sheepishly as he smashed the middle onto the pointed top of the rocket.
"See?" He exclaimed in modesty.
"But what if it falls off?" questioned Jaime, marvelling at the creation, inspecting it as though he were an officer at boarder control and the pizza rocket was a clear plastic bag of white powder.
"What does it matter, it's about to be blown up into smithereens, anyway." AJ stood back to examine their masterpiece, whilst fumbling in the back pocket of his torn black jeans for a lighter. As his pizza base stained hand grasped around the neck of the lighter he pulled it out and said" Voilà!" holding it up for Jamie and Charlie to see. The time was nearing 5 'o'clock, and although it was not dark enough for anyone to actually see the firework in all its glory, it was more than guaranteed that people near the village would hear it.

The suns lowly lit rays were resting upon the naturally sun kissed complexion of Jaime's skin, brightening the dark purple circles below his icy blue eyes. In all truth ,Jaime had not been sleeping nor eating consistently for days, and his lankiness and non- stop yawning were a reflection of that. The continual pressure Jaime's parents were pushing on him to 'do well in school' were finally beginning to take its toll. This saddened the boys very much, notably Charlie.

"So, who will it be to stand forward and volunteer to complete the orders of our mission?" gestures Charlie dramatically, a cheeky grin flourishing across his flushed face.
"Well," AJ started, "considering that the lighter does belong to everyone's favorite trouble maker- moi" he pointed to himself, "I personally believe it's only fair to let me do the honours."
"Hang on, AJ didn't you steal that light-" Charlie finished in mid sentence, his chapped lips parted when-
"AJ bloody Ben Cooper, I swear if that's you and your bloody cronies in my field again, I warned you I wouldn't hesitate to phone the police, I have Officer Jefferson on speed dial!" as if she appeared out of thin air, Mrs Dawson and her loud screeching emerged from the small bungalow at the far end of the grassy field.

Slowly wading her weak legs through the strong tufts of green she shouted once again,
"What have I told you boys? Haven't any of you heard of privacy? Jaime Lee, I thought better of you, just wait until I tell your mother!" now waving her walking stick.
"AJ quick, light it up!" Charlie was jittering, readying himself for a quick get-away. In the meantime Jaime's long legs had already carried him halfway across the field.
"I'm trying Charlie! It seems like its empty though..." Adrenaline surged through AJ's nerves, electrifying each individual cell, infusing him with endorphins as he clumsily fumbled with the battered stolen lighter with his calloused fingertips.
Mrs Dawson's disapproving mutters were drawing in closer and closer.
"AJ, she's getting really close, now" charlie nervously stated, "if she has actually phoned Officer Jefferson we're going to have to lea-"
He didn't have enough time to finish, as a mere blue flame emitted from the tip of the lighter and attached itself to the string of the firework. It began to make a fizzing sound that resembled someone opening a soft drinks bottle, climbing higher up the short string.
"Run!" AJ half chuckled, half choked. The young rebellious pair howled with laughter, grinning, running wild across the grassy land like a pair of hyenas. Jaime was waiting for them at a safe distance, the soft, crisp autumn wind was blowing through his ill- defined curls. Despite him being the 'most sensible' out of the trio (and i say that lightly), he too had a wide grin plastered on his sullen face as he admired his friends.
"Guys, look!" He had one bony hand pointing in the general direction of the cloudy sky and the other composed over his brow, sheltering his eyes from the light giving him a better view. Charlie smiled at him,glancing down, he noticed the hem of Jaime's sweater rising up his torso, revealing a fraction of his alarmingly slender frame. Charlie blushed and looked away. He joined his friends to face the firework, bursting with anticipation. Even Mrs Dawson had come to a halt.

It happened within a matter of seconds. To put a long story short, there was silence; and then there was not. The rockets bang bounced off the fields emptiness, dazzling sparks of faint colour scattered among the space in the white sky, making it look like somebody had effortlessly splattered flecks of paint over a white canvas, even though it was accompanied by odd bits of torn, flying pizza. For a few seconds after the rockets final bang had escaped, Mrs Dawson simply stood, staring at the three boys who were trying their hardest to not laugh. Most of the pizza remains were spread on her what was once white bungalow. Her hand twitched in her pocket, as she pulled out her ancient phone, the boys knew exactly what it was for. They ran.
After aimlessly running for what seemed like five minutes, Jaime spoke,
" AJ where are we going to hide?"
"I'm not sure yet, head for the gates at the end. I'll think of something" he replied.
"What about hiding in a tree or a hedge?"suggested Charlie, gasping for air. The boys looked at him like he was crazy.
"Are you stupid? We did that last time and got caught. Besides, we'd never all fit" protested AJ
"Yeah actually, he has got a point Charlie" agreed Jaime, giving him a sympathetic look.
"Well, I suppose you two have better ideas?" He challenged them. AJ gave a signature chuckle.
"Yeah. Actually..." AJ was looking directly at the three large bins located at the side of the gates.
"AJ, no..." detested Jaime, giving him a pleading look.
"AJ, yes..." he grinned, wiping mud on his black leather jacket. The two boys stared at him as he began to heave himself over the gate.
"You can't be serious" said Charlie.
"Correct! I'm not serious, I'm AJ Cooper. Now, hurry up and get yourself in the bin before Jefferson finds us."

Charlie and Jaime looked at each other, charlie for a little bit longer than Jaime. The three wedged themselves into the empty waste bins just in time for the blazing siren of the police car to come speeding around the corner of the narrow country lane.

"Thank God" muttered AJ under his breathe loud enough for the boys to hear him.
"I wouldn't thank Him just yet son, lets see what God has to say when I take you to the police station" said Officer Jefferson, "come on, out you get."