Ringing in the Sane

“Hang up the receiver while you still can.”

Jared hung up the phone and turned to me, asking “How much time do we have?”

“Um, what?” I wasn’t concentrating, God, there was bomb in here and he wants to know the time? Someone’s a little too calm if you ask me.

“The timer, bumfuck.” He pushed me aside to look at the blinking display.

“Oh,” I replied stupidly. “It just says ten… No wait, nine…Ah.” Now I get it.

“Well don’t just stand there morons, let’s get out!” Luke shouted at us and we headed towards the door. He fumbled for his keys, trying to find the right one. He must have had at least twenty on that ring, I thought absently.

Five.

“Hurry up!” Jared and I yelled at him.

Four.

He finally got the stupid door open, thank God, and we all bolted out the door; tumbling down the stairs onto the cold wet road.

Three… Two… One.

I covered my head with my arms, and crouched into a little ball. I felt splinters of glass and wood hit me, leaving angry red marks on my skin, feeling the heat of the blast on my body. I opened one eye slightly, getting a little peek at the flames. Wow, it looks just like it does in the movies... Jared shouted over the all the noise to 'put my fucking head down'. When I didn't obey, he covered my body with his protectively.

“Come one, the authorities will be here soon,” Jared said quickly. We all got into what I presumed was Luke’s car. It smelled repulsive - like cigarettes and too strong perfume, but I wasn’t complaining. It was better than running my guts out down a street I didn’t know the location of.

After a while of driving, I was guessing maybe half an hour, Luke turned to Jared who was in the passenger seat and asked, “Where the hell am I going?”

Jared looked at him quizzically. “I thought you knew? You’ve been driving for the past half an hour. You do realise that, don’t you?”

Luke laughed sarcastically. “Seriously.”

“Ok. You know where headquarters is, right?”

Luke scoffed. “Nahh.”

“Go there. He’ll be fishing for answers for days... we’ll be the ones that got away...”

“We could go to hell and back for this one... hell and back,” I muttered to myself.

Luke laughed, and I looked up shocked; I didn’t think I had spoken that loudly. “Cheer up um... what’s your name?”

“Pete,” I supplied and he turned in his seat.

“I’m Luke,” he shook my hand.

“You’re also driving, idiot.” Jared put his hand on the wheel while Luke scrambled to get back into his driving position.

* * *

Luke had gone into a bank to get some money, leaving me and Jared in the car in the deserted parking lot. I heard Jared sigh and I tore my gaze away from the window to look at him.

“You should get out of here, Pete,” he said quietly, not looking at me.

Wow, he used my name. Usually it’s just dumbass. “Why?”

“You’ve already seen the things you shouldn’t see. You’re an alright kid; you should get out of here.” He sighed again, still not looking at me.

“No! Not after all this!” I burst out angrily. I paused before saying softly, “I can’t let you go...” Crap. I shouldn’t have said that. Now he’s gonna think I’m gay for him!

Oh, wait. I am.

A long, awkward silence passed before he asked suspiciously, “Is there something else you should be telling me?” He turned around to look at me hunched in the backseat.

“No,” I said shrilly, blushing furiously.

“Tell me,” he said forcefully.

“What’s the worst threat that you could give me?” I tried to sound tough as I replied. It didn’t work though, because mice aren’t tough.

“This.” Jared pulled out his gun and aimed it at me. Great, I just love staring down the barrel of a gun.

“Ah.”

“You like me, don’t you?” he asked, matter-of-factly.

I looked at my hands as I blushed furiously, replying with a small “No.”

He leaned awkwardly across the car seats so our faces were close. “It’s not such a bad thing,” he said, kissing me. Then, before I had a chance to return his kiss, he pulled away laughing. “Moron.”

He went back to staring through the dirty windscreen, and I went back to feeling like a complete idiot. What was all that about anyway? Why does he have to be so damn confusing! Can’t he show his emotions clearly for once!

“Start the car!”

I looked outside the car, and saw Luke running towards us at full speed.

“Start the fucking car Jared!” Luke yelled as he fired a few random shots behind him. A few police were coming out of the station.

How convenient. He had to choose the bank right next to the police station? Great job, Luke. Real smart.

“Jesus Christ,” Jared muttered, rolling down the car window. He pulled out his gun yet again and fired outside, just missing the police officers in pursuit of Luke.

Luke reached the car and got inside. “You’re an idiot, you do realise,” Jared said angrily, pulling his head inside the car to speak to Luke.

He poked his head out of the window again, aiming his gun at the nearest officer. “Now. Nobody move, and nobody gets hurt.”