Chasing Danger

2- my best friend Chris

His car was about fifteen years old and had been passed down to him when his older sister bought her own. Chris, being practical and cheap, just cared that it had a working motor. Most of the time, anyway.

"We should have just drove my car." I said for the fifth time today as he struggled to start the engine.

"She's gonna work, trust me." He said stubbornly as he turned the key again. I could hear the engine clearly as it choked before dying again.

"If we get stuck out here, I wanna be the one to destroy this thing with a hammer."

"I cannot believe you'd say such a thing." He said with a hand over his heart. Then he turned to the steering wheel, caressing the dashboard as he spoke, "Don't worry, baby. She didn't mean it."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. Boys and their cars.

After about twenty attempts, the car finally sprung to life and we drove out of the lot. For a while, neither of us said anything and just listened to the old dump chugging it's way along the road. Even the radio didn't work.

"What are you doing tonight?" I asked him.

"Nothing, why?"

"Let's go out."

Chris shot me a look, confused. "Really?"

"Yeah. Come to the bars with me. It's been too long since we've drank together." I reminded him. Chris was my adventure friend. Aka the friend I did almost everything with, since he enjoyed the same things. Sports, shooting ranges, skydiving, and video games. All of the stuff my roommates had no interest in.

"Why?"

"Jess and Carly have to study tonight and I want to go out, that's why." I said, only partially lying. The real reason happened to begin with a 'T' and end with an 'yler'.

"Oh I get it. I'm last pick."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "No. But yes. Please?" I clasped my hands together and looked at him with puppy-dog eyes, begging. "We can watch football."

He sighed. "Fine. I'll cancel all of my plans just for you."

"Sweet. You're the best."

********

By eight o'clock, I was ready to go. This time, I went for something far more casual but still put the same amount of effort into my makeup. I wanted to look good without looking like I tried too hard. The same thing every girl wants, right?

"I'm here." Chris' text was short and to the point. He didn't come in cause he didn't get along with my roommates, so I met him outside after waving goodbye to Jess and Carly. They were sitting at the kitchen table with books surrounding them, sipping coffee and listening to music. Thank God I was majoring in English. I didn't get nearly as much homework as those two.

"Sup." I greeted Chris as he got out of his car, leaving it parked on the side of the road.

"Sup. You look good." He said after quickly taking in my black jeans and tight grey tank-top.

"Same to you."

Chris and I embarked on the walk to Dave's, struggling through the wind and the cold. Winter was coming, that was for sure.

The bar was far less packed on a Sunday night than Saturday. There were still college students hanging around the bar and a couple playing pool, but there was maybe twenty people in the entire place. Finding a table was easy, and we got one close to a TV so we could watch football.