Into Thin Air

"You have a ride, right Darcy?" Kristina pulled her keyring out of her over sized purse, turning them around until she found her car key.

"Yeah, Rayden's coming to give me a ride." I said, flipping open my cell phone and reading the new message:

Almost there :)

Kristina and I walked out of the building, closing the door behind us with a thud. The main source of light disappeared behind us, and I pulled my jacket tighter over my body. The summer weather was heating up, but two days of rain had caused a deep chill that made it feel cold.

"You sure? It's pretty dark out here. Come wait in my car." She said, pointing to the honda civic in the back of the parking lot. I looked in the opposite direction, the front of the parking lot, where Rayden's car would be pulling up.

"I can just wait up there . . ." I said, turning away from Kristina.

"Come on, just-"

"Hey baby!" Kristina and I turned in unison to the voice directed at us. In the dark parking lot, about three yards away, two men shouted out to us. "Do you two work here?"

"Piss off." Kristina spoke before I even had the chance. The two men, both dressed in black, began to take a few steps towards us.

"Hey, hey! No one wants to fight here. We just wanted to know if you girls wanted a little extra work. Something off the books, maybe?"

"Were not intrested." Kristina reached into her purse, fiddling until she found what she was looking for. I looked down and noticed a bottle, which she turned around in her hands. Pepper spray.

"Alright, maybe not you, but your friend here?" The space between us was getting smaller and smaller with each step.

Before any of us had the chance to respond, a car pulled into the parking lot. Rayden's red audi. I let out a breath of relief. It pulled up to where Rayden usually picked me up, before noticing us driving further into one of the parking lots. He stopped near Kristina's car, opened the door and hopped out.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked, approaching behind me and placing a hand around my waist. The men looked from Rayden, to me, to Kristina, seemed to think a minute, before agreeing.

"There's no problem. We were just leaving." They turned and began walking away, turning back to glance at Rayden one more time. Only when they got into a car and pulled away did I relax fully into Rayden's arm. I turned to look at Rayden finally, who's expression was hardened. One arm rested on my hip, the other hand at his side, holding something. He turned it away from me.

"Kristina, let us walk you to your car." We did, saying our goodbyes at her car. She told me she would text me tomorrow before driving off, and Rayden and I got into the audi.

"You're okay?" He asked, checking me over. I nodded, but he glanced me over anyway, brushing a piece of hair out of my face before seeming content.

"I'm really fine, Rayden. Just glad you pulled up when you did." Rayden reached across the seat and opened the glove compartment, putting something inside. He closed it quickly, but not before I saw the a glimmer of silver reflection.

"Was that a knife?" My head whipped to look at Rayden, who started the car. He seemed hesitant at first, but he answered.

"Yes." Rayden's eyes stared ahead reluctantly.

"How long have you had that?" I eyed the glove compartment hesitantly.

"Since I moved out from my Dad's. It's been away, of course. I was thinking it might be good to have around in case something like tonight were ever to happen." I wanted to tell him he was being ridiculous, but it occurred to me that a fight might have broken out if Rayden hadn't had the upper hand. The idea of Rayden being outnumbered was revolting, and I quickly decided to drop the topic, thankful the knife was there.

"How was work?" Rayden asked. Work had become a comfortable topic as Rayden had grown to know more about it. He was fairly accepting, only contributing negative comments in the role of a protective boyfriend. It was cute.

"It was good. Nothing new." Rayden nodded, turning the radio on quietly so that we could still talk over it.

"How's Kristina?"

"She's seeing someone new." I shared all the information I had learned about this mystery man. "They went out to dinner for the third time last night, but she still won't tell me his name. She says I can meet him soon though, he's supposed to come by the club tomorrow after work. Did you call your Dad?"

"Yup. Everything is all set for our visit. He sounded really excited to meet you." Rayden turned and looked at me, showing me his warm smile.

"I'm excited to meet him." I answered, biting my lip."But mostly nervous."

"I told you your being ridiculous." He laughed and reached out to put his hand on my knee. "He already loves you and he knows nothing about you. Besides, he's so nervous about making me happy that I could probably bring in anyone and he'd approve."

"Hmm. You could probably bring in a stripper." I said, raising my eyebrows.

Rayden's face hardened playfully and he gave me a look. "Hey. Don't make fun." He leaned over and gave me a kiss.

"Oohh I love this song!" I reached over, turning up the volume.

"Now that she's back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, he-ey"

"This song?" Rayden asked, raising his eyebrows. "I remember this song. From when I was ten."

"She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's a time to change, he-ey"

"I don't know what your talking about. This song is amazing."

"Since the return from her stay on the moon, she listens like Spring and she talks like June, hey hey"

"Train, right?" He asked, and I nodded. Rayden rolled down his window.

"But tell me, did you sail across the sun? Did you make it to the milky way. . . " I sang softly, trailing off. Rayden turned to me and nodded.

"What are you doing, keep going!" He said, nodding seriously. I laughed, leaning my head back against the seat.

"And that heaven is overrated! Tell me, did you fall from a shooting star? One without a permanent scar!" Rayden sang loudly and off-key, sticking his head out the window.

I laughed, throwing my head back. "Rayden!"

"Go with it, come on. I got the harmonies." He pushed a button, opening my window too.

I started. "Now that she's back from that soul vacation. . ."

"Tracing her way through the constellation! he-ey!" Rayden's off-key singing filled the car. It was loud enough to send questioning looks our way from any people in close proximity, but looking out the window the dark streets seemed almost empty. I watched as our car rolled past the entranceway to Oak-Hollow Private School, heading three blocks down towards the apartment. When my Dad first went to rehab, I was able to move back into the dorms with the guys while still paying for the apartment. Luckily I only had to manage this for a month or two before school ended and I could move back into my apartment. Rayden had decided to stay in town instead of heading home for summer, but we planned three trips out to see his Dad. The other boys had done the opposite, and planned on flying in from California to visit us as often as possible.

Rayden pulled into the parking lot and we got out, climbing the stairs till the third story and unlocking our door. At first it had been weird coming home with Rayden, because when I first met him this was a part of my life I was desperate to hide. But Rayden was supportive of my job, and never complained about the broken elevator of the kitchen window that won't close. Occasionally he would tell me a story about the apartment he lived in when he moved out of his Dad's place. It sounded worse then mine.

There were still a few boxes around the entrance way, and another box of clothes in the bedroom, but Rayden and I had found little ways to make the place more cozy. There was an elephant statue that we had bought at a flea market which now sat on the kitchen window sill, and a quilt from a department store on the couch. As run down as the place was, it was slowly turning into home.

"Are you hungry? Theres leftovers in the fridge. I'll heat something up for you." Rayden offered as we walked in. He closed the door behind me and I headed to the bedroom to change.

"I'll heat something up for myself. Why don't you find a movie to watch?" I unpacked my work clothes and changed into shorts and a tank top before heading into the kitchen and reheating some food. Rayden sat on the couch, wrapped in our quilt, flipping through channels. When the microwave beeped, I grabbed the plate and headed over the where he sat, and he tapped the empty spot next to him. I sat down and he put the quilt over my lap.

"Okay, we can watch 17 Again, or She's the Man." Rayden said, flipping through channels.

"She's the Man." I stabbed a vegetable with my fork and chewed. Rayden leaned over, putting his arm around my shoulder, and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

And this was how we spent our evenings.