The Reckless and The Brave

Zack opened his eyes quickly, without moving a single muscle in his body. There was movement in the room, and his spidey-senses were on high alert. He listened intently to the breathing throughout the room, finding that someone's was somewhat hindered, in a panic, maybe. He looked up to the couch above him and saw Jack snoring soundly, but something was missing. Then, Zack heard the sound of socks moving into shoes, wiggling around to get the heel in. He glanced farther down the couch to see Daliah there, putting her vans on, biting her lip and taking her time. His eyes slammed shut as Liah jumped around him and up the stairs, and just like that, she was gone. He stayed quiet for another minute though, just in case she came back, but she never did.

Zack lifted his head and discovered that his neck was sore, but that was expected. He unfolded his arms and crawled up into a kneeling position, stretching his back like a cat on the way. Despite the soreness in his neck, he felt damn good, even after drinking almost as much as Alex and Jack typicaly do. He sprang to his feet and simply walked up the stairs and into the house, not bothering with a jacket, and he had fallen asleep in his shoes. Zack wiped his hands on his pants in effort to get some feeling back into them after cutting off their circulation all night, and walked out the front door, past the post-party mess, on light feet. He caught sight of Daliah driving away in her little grey bug, and ran down back into the basement as fast as he could to grab his skateboard and his messenger hat. He retrieved the items with ninja-like agility and soundlessness, and pumped his legs as fast as he could to catch up with the run-away.

Just as he thought he might of lost her, he found her once again on the corner of Hask and Citrus, headed downtown. Zack slowed so it didn't seem like he was following her, and she kept going, rushing to get there, but it felt like no matter how fast she pushed her piece-of-shit bug, it wasn't fast enough. After another eight blocks, Daliah turned into an alleyway behind a small block of stores, very old buildings. She got out of the car and rushed to the back door that was only labeled with a sign that said in jagged writing, "If you're late, don't bother." It was old and frayed at the corners, but Daliah knew the message stood no matter what.

She pushed the door open, inhaling the smell of dish-soap and cardboard, immediately turning to the right into the small hallway and in front of the door at the end of it. Zack knew where he was going now, after seeing Daliah go into the back of the shop. He came around the front of the vintage businesses, seeing there was an old clothing shop, a record store, and a coffeeshop all in one little corner of the world. Zack approached the glass and cupped his hands around his eyes in effort to get a glimpse of each room with the little light he had to work with. The clothing shop was closed, with absolutely no light coming from the inside. He moved on to the next window, the record store. Zack was pretty sure that this was where she went so he entered the shop quietly, ruffling his hair to calm his nerves.

Zack had never been good at confrontation or public speaking, but he was driven by the fact that one of his best friends could wake up broken hearted. His footfalls were quick, hurried as he made his way to the register in the back. There was a guy there, with long arms painted with various album artworks, and a wing peeking out of his grey t-shirt. "Hey," Zack nodded to the man.

"What's up, man?" The clerk held his hand out and they did a bro-shake.

"You don't happen to have a girl named Daliah working this morning do you?" Zack asked as he distractedly looked about the room as if she'd manifest any second.

"Nah man. Only girl that works here is Sassy and she only works three nights a week." The clerk said as he shook his head.

Zack's face fell and he rubbed his face in his hands, suddenly tired. "Fuck." He mumbled to himself, thinking of Jack and the disappointment in his eyes. Zack started walking out while still wringing his face.

"Hey," the clerk called back to him, and Zack turned back with raised eyebrows in hope.

"What's she look like?"

"Taller than me, pale, dark hair?"

The clerks face widened in realization. "You don't want to get tangled up in that girl. At all. You don't want to find her either." He looked down and shook his head.

"But you know where she is??" He was so damn hopeful, the clerk felt sorry for the poor kid. He gave in to Zack.

"She works in the coffee shop."