Chapter 1:

Chapter 1:

Welcome to My Life

City wind whipped through my pony-tailed strawberry blonde hair. Swarms of bodies came at me, bumping and pushing me causing me to feel more and more claustrophobic. Stop! Let the cars go, sending more city stink at me. It was all so new

I, on my new polished skate board, raced down State Street to my new job at the heart of Chicago. By other’s standards Chicago was grand city. I despised it. This place both gave and took my life- and my family’s too. Do I sound too melodramatic? Too bad, it’s true.

I don’t mean give and take life as in life and death. I am still alive and I was not born in Chicago. I was born in Springfield, Illinois. Although they’re only a few hours apart they’re polar opposites. Now it’s very important that you understand that I DONOT like this place and that I DONOT want to be here.

Off the subject of my repressed anger and onto the car about to hit me.

While I was trying to narrowly avoid all those city people, I’d forgotten to look at the sign signaling me not to cross. In Springfield you didn’t have to worry about stuff like that. It’s roads and sidewalks are no where near as crowded as the Chicago ones. Again I had to remind myself that this was not Springfield and that I didn’t live there anymore.

What is surprising is that no matter how many movies you see and say, “Oh yea, I’d never freeze up like that.” When that car’s about to hit you, you stop and wait for it to come.

Like every good action story though, I didn’t get hit. How? I still have no idea how he got there or where he, came from. All I know is that he did and I’m alive.

Time just stopped; me on my skateboard, the Sedan a foot away, all the people that had finished crossing. My throat was clenched; there was no breathing, no moving. I was frozen.

When it started again I was swooped up. Only the sight of the Sedan splitting my skateboard at 50 miles per hour was in my mind. Next was the thud of another body taking the impact of the sidewalk for me. Dizziness filled me as we -?- rolled into an alley, leaving behind confused people. We probably just made their day.

“Are you all right? What the fuck were you thinking?” His voice was a whisper but his tone was harsh. Amber eyes searched my face for signs of insanity.

We lay behind a rusted dumpster. Whoever this guy was he obviously did not want any attention from the public eye or anyone else. Screams fallowed our escapade, “Oh, I was hit!”, “Oh, oh somebody!”, “Why is there to be these woods in my mink! Help!” That was my favorite one. I could just see the rich old Greek lady screaming her head off.

“Hey! I’m asking you a fucking question!” the boy almost yelled as he was still hiding.

“My skateboard is busted, isn’t it?” I asked quite calmly. The first thing out of his mouth was, “Are you alright?” So I wasn’t exactly afraid of him. Plus he just saved me.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You nearly got fucking hit by a fucking car and all you’re fucking worried about is your fucking board?” Now he raised his voice a bit. His complexion matched his eyes, beet red. I found it kind of funny, but that’s just me.

“Thanks for the save, really, but stop with the questions,” I sighed. All he did to that was stand up, finally, rub his face, and pace.

“Look,” he said matter-of-factly, “Just … what the fu- … what the heck were you doing in the middle of the street. Did you see the fu-, his voice was edgy and pissed, but again he lowered it calmly, “Did you even think.”

“Look I appreciate you saving my life, I mean who wouldn’t? But you’re not my father!” Could this get any more annoying, I nearly got hit by a freaking car, I’m shaking so badly that I can’t stand, and daddy dearest here wants to question me on the consequences of my actions. Oh, I sure hope I don’t get grounded.

Again he sighed, just as my parents would if I wasn’t getting why I couldn’t go out on a Friday night.

To my surprise though, he held out a hand to help me up. Another surprise, I took it. Sadly I seriously couldn’t stand up on my own.

“Name’s Jet.”

“Cassidy.” Why I told a total stranger my name, I will never know. There was something about Jet that even my father would trust.

As he helped me up I got a look at his watch and the time on it.

“Crap! Look, eternal thanks for saving me and sorry for starting off on the wrong foot, but I gotta go!” I cried and started to run.

“I can give you a ride!” he yelled after me. This got me, so I turned. There was no way that I was going to be any later for work.

“On what? A car? No offence but you don’t look old enough to drive.” I called.

“No. Do you want a ride or not? If you’d rather fight your way through the crowds and get hit by another car, that’s fine by me. Really,” he mused. I scowled at his sarcasm but kept my thoughts to myself. My shift had started, I was too late to argue or turn down a free ride. Slowly I nodded.

“Alrighty then!” he cheered happily. Helmets were pulled out of no where and one was stuffed on my head. Jet smiled, now he cocky. Why? Because he pulled some strings and got me right where he wanted me, and I had a feeling that it was only about to get worse.

Putting his arm around me, he spun me around. A red sleek motorcycle was just there when I turned around.

Professionally he kicked up the kick-stand and swung his leg over all in the same movement. His black leather coat gently parted so that neither of us would sit on it.

Revving up the engine he masterfully turned the bike in the tight alley, stopping right beside me. As a safety measure he checked my helmet which was undone the said: “Hold on tight.”

There was barely enough time for me to lock my arms around him before he blasted off. Immediately the bike shot straight and skidded sideways across all four lanes.

Jet zoomed through, swerving around all the seemingly slow cars. Once or twice I swore we were going to have a real car crash on our hands.

The city wind turned into gale force torrents ripping at my clothes. By all this you’d think Jet’s stubby brown pony-tail would lash out in front of me, but no. Nothing seemed to have any effect on Jet; except in the alley.

“So where am I going?” he asked as casually as if we were having a nice little chat at a Starbucks, which there were plenty of here.

“To… Toni’s Pizza,” was all I could manage.

“Speak louder Cas.”

“Toni’s!” I screamed feeling like I just blew my voice box. Seeming to give up on my screaming abilities he took off his helmet and stashed it under his left arm. With his right he lifted my helmet off.

“Don’t give me that look,” he mocked as I scowled dangerously at him.

“Isn’t it illegal to not wear a helmet?”

“Not in Illinois it ain’t. So where am I going?”

“Toni’s, and how are you even steering?” I wondered pointlessly.

“I’m not,” he answered plainly. With that he slammed the helmet back on my head making me see those funny little spots, as he replaced his and sped up.

Now quiet literally holding on for dear life I hopelessly tried not to think about how we kept on coming so close to crashing, how late I was going to be to work, and what my father would think. Instinctively I looked at a hidden street camera in the Mac Burger’s sign as Jet ran yet another red light.

I really hope your not looking Dad, I prayed.

All of a sudden the winds stopped-I looked around-my vision wasn’t blurred.

“Earth to C! We’re here and if you don’t mind I gotta split,” Jet roused. Words hit me like bricks, steadily my eyes adjusted to the light with out the tinted helmet.

The scene before me was one I had seen many times before. It was the alley behind Toni’s, the same dumpster that I had taken trash out to countless times. Jet was good. This was a perfect way to get in and the cops couldn’t fallow here-I already heard their sirens.

“Am I going to get my helmet back or not?” Jet nagged

“Right, right,” I mumbled. Why was I so shaken up? I’ve been on military bases; tanks have nearly run me over. This should have been a walk in the park for me.

With eyes closed I shook my head and counted; deep breaths. This was a trick my father had taught me. He used it more than I did.

Once my adrenaline was back down, I turned to thank Jet. It was impossible, absolutely impeccably impossible. There was just no way. As much good as my calming trick was all the peace of mind I had was gone. It was making me want to rip the hair out of my head.

I’m getting ahead of myself.

The sight I saw when I turned to thank Jet, it was crazy. There was nothing but alley. Twisting and turning I searched every inch. No Jet to be found, no motorcycle. This is why I say impossible.

Now that I seriously thought about the ride though, I hadn’t heard his motor only the cars around us. Could it be possible that the motorcycle could be that silent? What was up with this guy?

“Crap, I’m so late.”