Poprocks and Coke: If I Can't Have Both, Which Do I Choose?

"What the hell..." Tre mumbled softly as you both turned your attention to the riot that was running out of the building.

It was a huge riot. People who weren't even involved in watching the fight inside were running and screaming.

As you watched everyone run and scream, you felt anxiety go through your body from overwhelming emotions and it felt hard to breathe.

"Tre..." you said shakily as you noticed blue and white lights from multiple cop cars hastily arriving closer.

Your legs started to shake as the cars kept getting closer, brighter, and louder. You were frozen on the pavement in the parking lot, staring at the sight of the lights.

MOVE YOUR LEGS!

I can't...

"Nikki..." Tre had gulped, "run."

It was as if you were too frozen to make actions from his words. You heard him but still couldn't move, and by the looks of it, Tre was in the same boat.

"We gotta get out of here!" Tre grabbed your arm and pulled you.

When you turned your body around from his force, you knew you had snapped out of your state of shock.

You instantly pulled your arm out of his grip; "NO! BILLIE! WE HAVE TO GET BILLIE!"

You left Tre standing there as you went running up to the building to get Billie out before the cops had found him. However, before you even got to the stairs to go into the building, you felt arms wrap around your waist that made you stop.

"TRE, BILLIE'S STILL IN THERE! LET ME GO!" you shouted at him as you tried to get out of his grip, but he was too strong.

He grabbed your arm again and you had no choice but to run with him at the other end of the building and across the street into a field that only had long strands of grass poking out of the ground.

You finally had enough strength to pull your arm out of his grip again and you stopped where you stood; in the grass that went up to your knees.

"TRE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

He put his arm around your shoulder and used that hand to cover your mouth to mute your scream at him as he noticed cops getting out of their cop cars with flashlights and walkie-talkies.

You turned your body around towards the cops when Tre had put his arm around you. You stared wide-eyed at the men in uniform as they were pointing their flashlights at the back of the building.

You stood frozen once again, except this time, Tre kept his arm around your shoulder and continued to use that hand to keep you quiet.

"We caught a bunch of teens down the street from Gilmans. They've been talking about something about a fight" said the voice on the officers walkie-talkie.

The officer put the walkie-talkie close to his face and said; "Ten-Four."

"After they leave or get distracted, we get Billie, I promise. If they catch us before we get to Billie, they will throw us into jail whether or not they help us get him out," he whispered very closely and quietly into your ear.

You kept yourself frozen as you watched the officer.

As the officer walked more towards the building and farther away from Tre and your surroundings, Tre felt safe to take his hand and arm off of you.

You sniffled as you felt the tears that you were crying previously start to slowly fall down your cheeks again.

"Tre..." you whispered, hoping your voice was at a good volume only Tre could hear, "does he plan on leaving?" you asked shakily, referring to the police officer.

He was silent as he kept his eyes on the cop, but spoke quietly; "From situations I've been in, it might take hours before he goes..."

Your heart stopped beating and more tears began to roll down your cheeks.

What if it'll be too late by the time we get Billie out of there? He could be in there seriously hurt and we're unable to help him...

"Get down!" Tre whispered in a panic as he pushed both you and himself into the grass.

He kept his arm around you to keep you still as any movement could be caught by the cops eye as he flashed his flashlight into the area you were hiding.

You kept your head down but eyes on the officer, waiting for the moment he would stop investigating and put down his flashlight. Although he wasn't flashing the light at the exact location you and Tre were hiding, he was still close enough to see anything.

"Nikki, can you hear me?" Tre whispered straight into your ear, his lips touching your cartilage.

Yes.

You nodded, too shocked to speak.

"Do you understand me?"

Yes.

You nodded again.

"Do you trust me?"

More than anything.

You nodded.

"Do not make any noise, okay? One false move and they will catch you," he whispered slowly into your ear, wanting you to understand every word. "Can you do that?"

You nodded.

"Okay, good. Once this cop leaves, I need you to keep your head down, run as fast as you can - don't stop - and especially don't look back no matter what" you could feel his breath hit your ear and his heart-rate rise up on your shoulder blade where he had you down on the ground.

You unfroze as his words had processed into your mind and memory, and you turned your head to look up at him; "What will you do?" you whispered.

He looked at you; both your faces were very close; "Don't worry about me. No matter what happens, keep your head down until the right time, keep your eyes and mind forward, keep running, and don't look back no matter what," he whispered, each word made his breath dance upon your lips.

Your heart-rate started to quicken as your body began to pump with adrenalin caused by your nerves.

But Tre, what are you going to do?

He stared into your teary huge eyes as he said; "I know you can do this, and I know you and Billie will make it out without a problem."

WHY JUST ME AND BILLIE?! WHAT ABOUT YOU?!

He had such love in his eyes as he looked into your own that it literally took your breath away, because you could sense how much he cared for you and wanted nothing more but to have you happy and safe.

"Tre..." you whispered even more softly with your voice shaking.

"Goodbye, Nikki..."

NO!

He quickly, without warning, shot up from the grass and yelled as loud as he could; "YOU THINK YOU CAN OUT-RUN ME, YOU MOTHER FUCKER?! DON'T YOU HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO OTHER THAN GUARD AN ARCADE?!"

TRE, NO!

'No matter when happens...'

The cop whipped his body around and pointed the flashlight your direction.

'keep your head down until the right time...'

You laid your head straight on the ground as the flashlight beamed powerfully over to the grassy area you occupied, and instantly the light hit Tre's face.

Once the light hit Tre's body, he ran as fast as he could out of the grass and onto the stoned road, and once he ran for it, the cop ran after him.

Tre obviously knew what he was doing, and he was risking his own life to save a friend - a friend that had in some way betrayed him.

You looked up once you heard the sound of footsteps disappear into the darkness and the light fade away.

'Keep your eyes and mind forward...'

Billie! you thought to yourself as you remembered everything Tre had directed you to do.

'Run as fast as you can...'

You forced yourself onto your feet and began to ran as fast as you could towards the building.

An outburst of sirens and gunshots were heard in the distance behind you.

Your heart stopped, thinking that possibly the gunshots were directed towards Tre.

NO! TRE!

'and especially don't look back no matter what...'