The Designated Driver

Part 3: The Alley

Sam led me back outside, my empty cider left sitting on a napkin on top of the bar. I couldn't remember if I tipped the newbie or not, but I was missing another $6.

My head felt fuzzy as the blonde head of hair bobbed up and down in front of me, waving me on to follow him faster. The entire situation made my legs feel like lead.

"B, you're walking too slow. Come on!" His soft skin touched my wrist and I flinched away. It felt alien and unfamiliar. He was different. This had to be a dream or some sick prank. I'd kill Two. He knows how much this affects me.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, tugging at my pants. "I'm trying."

We made it to the alley I had passed before, and a specific memory flooded my mind.

~

"Sam!" My voice cracked as I screamed out his name from across the street. The little blonde kid waved at me, a bag of popcorn tucked in one arm. He stood outside the theater, his foster mom talking frantically on the phone next to him. She glanced up too when I called his name, but ignored me.

I watched as Sam asked her a question, that damn hopeful look in his puppy dog eyes. She looked across the street at me again before nodding her head and motioning for him to get going.

Sam's face lit up bright as the summer sun and he looked both ways before dashing across the street to meet me.

"I don't have my bike with me." The first thing out of his mouth whenever he didn't have his bike, which was most times we were together. I didn't mind. The kid fit on my handle bars just fine. "Want some popcorn, though? It's got the butter on it."

I took a handful and popped it into my mouth. "You wanna go scope out that new gas station they're building?"

The kid looked over across the street, but his foster mom had already left. He turned back to me and handed me the bag of popcorn to put in my backpack. "Sure thing! I even heard they already delivered food to it, like chips and cans and stuff."

I put away the popcorn and steadied my bike so Sam could hop up on the handle bars. "Really now?" I knew this wasn't true. The construction team had only just finished moving shelves inside last night, but I wasn't going to put a hinder on Sam's mood. "Hopefully we'll be able to snag some chocolate chip cookies. The little packaged ones?"

Sam smiled over his shoulder at me. "Let's go, B!"

~

"Why are we here?" I leaned against the brick wall once Sam stopped and turned to face me. The darkness did nothing to stop his blonde hair from glowing, and the moonlight did wonders for his skin. I knew I probably looked a little less than presentable.

"I know you're sad, B. I know you can't get over it." Sam's tone grew quiet and sad. "I know you're thinking about it right now." He met my gaze suddenly, and the memory continued.

~

I jammed my fist up against the lock pick I had stolen from my dad's toolbox in the garage last week, and the door clicked open.

"Sweet!" Sam exclaimed. "Let's go get our treasure!"

We slipped inside and shut the door behind us. It wasn't as dusty as I thought it was going to be, and all of the shelves looked to be set up for opening, besides being completely bare.

"Awww!" Sam whined. "I was wrong about the food!"

I patted his shoulder. "How about you go check out to see if they have the cold compartments plugged in yet?"