Kai Rosado-Prince Homecoming Start
Kai had never intended to go to the Homecoming dance. He had work that night. None of his sparse friend group were going, to his knowledge. His aunt and uncle had prodded him a little about it, but he'd fended them off with the promise that he would go to prom in the spring.
This late in the year, it was already well past dark when he got done with work. Kai liked cruising slowly along the city streets with the radio turned up just loud enough to drown out most noise from outside his truck. He would sing almost mindlessly along, letting his voice harmonize with whoever and whatever came up on the radio. There was a comfortable and insular feeling to it. Solitude wrapped up in a pleasant cocoon of noise.
The truck's headlights caught on a glimmer of gold on the sidewalk as he rolled along. Kai had been watching the road of course, but he snapped to sharper attention when he recognized the figure. He had already passed her when he came to the decision to pause and pull over.
It was near-freezing out, if not below it by now. It was dark. He didn't know what she was doing out, walking by herself in conditions like this. It wasn't really his business. Still, he rolled down the window as she approached and just hoped that he wasn't about to come off as a mega creep.
"Cali," he called out to her. "Do you need a ride?"
Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Tagging Deamon!
Paradise By The Dashboard Light
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
California had been asked if she was going to Homecoming and her answer had been a simple no. It didn't hold any interest to her, she would have been older than everyone, didn't have anyone to go with, and wouldn't have enjoyed the socialization. So she had decided not to bother. She was sure Salem was attending so as to fulfill the social obligations that came with actually being a proper part of the year group. Which meant that she had been left alone at home, she had started off the evening well, working on God Stomper—she had reached the part where Maya had encountered and fought Batara Kala for the first time—for a few hours until she got stuck with how to proceed. Normally when she got stuck she would ask Salem for his opinion on what to do, but he wasn't in the house meaning she was stuck. As she had sat staring at the page a feeling of frustration had come over her and eventually developed into restlessness, so she announced that she was going for a walk to an empty room and set off.
She had been going for a lot of walks since the new year had started, she found that it helped with her insomnia. It didn't get rid of it, but it lessened it, and California was at the point where getting an extra fifteen to forty-five minutes of sleep was a good deal. Going for a walk also gave her an excuse to smoke, as her parents still refused to allow her to smoke in the house, and only tolerated her smoking on the stoop. Although even when California did that she could sense their disapproval. The atmosphere of Salem at night was also something she appreciated, she could walk at night without being bothered, and there was occasionally a passing car that would illuminate the buildings in interesting ways with its headlights. A few had already gone past as she had walked.
There was always a distinct feeling in the city that she partly put down to its history. As she walked California took out her phone—meanwhile a truck drove past—and considered messaging Jamilla to see if she wanted to get some alcohol and go for a drink somewhere. She had already graduated and had decided to take a year before going to college to work and California knew she regretted it. They couldn't get through a single conversation without her saying something about how boring Salem was and that she couldn't wait to go to UCLA and see the sea lions. Although California had to keep reminding her that the sea lions were in San Francisco, not LA.
California had just sent off a message to her asking what she was doing when she heard someone call out her name. Looking around she saw the truck that'd driven past her earlier had pulled over and Kai's head was sticking out of it. California hadn't been expecting to see anyone she knew and blinked in surprise when he asked if she needed a ride. As she considered her answer her phone buzzed in her hand. Glancing down she saw that Jamilla had replied to her message:
"Nuthin, just finished work. U wanna go for a drink?"
She looked back up at Kai, considering her options.
"Sure," She said, tapping out a response to her friend.
"Sorry, something come up, next time."
Then she slid the phone into her pocket and approached the truck.
She had been going for a lot of walks since the new year had started, she found that it helped with her insomnia. It didn't get rid of it, but it lessened it, and California was at the point where getting an extra fifteen to forty-five minutes of sleep was a good deal. Going for a walk also gave her an excuse to smoke, as her parents still refused to allow her to smoke in the house, and only tolerated her smoking on the stoop. Although even when California did that she could sense their disapproval. The atmosphere of Salem at night was also something she appreciated, she could walk at night without being bothered, and there was occasionally a passing car that would illuminate the buildings in interesting ways with its headlights. A few had already gone past as she had walked.
There was always a distinct feeling in the city that she partly put down to its history. As she walked California took out her phone—meanwhile a truck drove past—and considered messaging Jamilla to see if she wanted to get some alcohol and go for a drink somewhere. She had already graduated and had decided to take a year before going to college to work and California knew she regretted it. They couldn't get through a single conversation without her saying something about how boring Salem was and that she couldn't wait to go to UCLA and see the sea lions. Although California had to keep reminding her that the sea lions were in San Francisco, not LA.
California had just sent off a message to her asking what she was doing when she heard someone call out her name. Looking around she saw the truck that'd driven past her earlier had pulled over and Kai's head was sticking out of it. California hadn't been expecting to see anyone she knew and blinked in surprise when he asked if she needed a ride. As she considered her answer her phone buzzed in her hand. Glancing down she saw that Jamilla had replied to her message:
"Nuthin, just finished work. U wanna go for a drink?"
She looked back up at Kai, considering her options.
"Sure," She said, tapping out a response to her friend.
"Sorry, something come up, next time."
Then she slid the phone into her pocket and approached the truck.
Kai leaned back from the window and popped open the passenger side door so that California could climb in easily when she reached the truck. He belatedly thought to turn the radio down as well. She looked a bit surprised, either at the offer or just at seeing him. Mutual surprise, he guessed. That was why he'd pulled over.
"Are you heading home?" He asked in lieu of greeting once she had climbed in. He didn't know where she lived. Hadn't asked, in the few times they'd hung out in person so far. He didn't know where most of his classmates lived really, aside from Kitty. Being inside other people's homes always made him extra aware of all of his movements. The risk of breaking something. The thought of whether his clothes or shoes or skin were dirty.
The idea of leaving traces of himself where other people could find them had always unsettled him. Driving around at night was safely anonymous. Just another vehicle on the road. Having a passenger disrupted that, just a bit. Kai figured that Cali might be the kind of person who understood that feeling though, from what he knew of her.
"Are you heading home?" He asked in lieu of greeting once she had climbed in. He didn't know where she lived. Hadn't asked, in the few times they'd hung out in person so far. He didn't know where most of his classmates lived really, aside from Kitty. Being inside other people's homes always made him extra aware of all of his movements. The risk of breaking something. The thought of whether his clothes or shoes or skin were dirty.
The idea of leaving traces of himself where other people could find them had always unsettled him. Driving around at night was safely anonymous. Just another vehicle on the road. Having a passenger disrupted that, just a bit. Kai figured that Cali might be the kind of person who understood that feeling though, from what he knew of her.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
California hesitated at the door for a moment before taking a deep breath and climbing into the passenger side of Kai's truck. She still got uncomfortable whenever she had to be inside a car but she'd had enough practice keeping the her feelings in check. So she could manage it. Although her heart rate did start to speed up. Once inside Kai's truck, she took a quick look around the interior. The backseats were kind of cluttered with some random items but luckily he kept the front was neat and tidy. Her boots weren't resting between various Starbucks coffee cups or takeaway bags, which she appreciated. The seats themselves were a brown color and faux leather; it was actually quite a nice truck.
"Nah," She said in reply to Kai's question, adjusting how she was sitting so her elbow rested by the window with her head against her palm. She didn't take her eyes off the road ahead of them though. "Was just out for a walk."
The radio was on but turned down low enough that she couldn't make out what was playing. She sat and tried to catch exactly what it was but it sounded generic enough to her ears that she assumed he was on KISS FM or something similar. After a few more moments of silence, California spoke up.
"Why aren't you at Homecoming?"
"Nah," She said in reply to Kai's question, adjusting how she was sitting so her elbow rested by the window with her head against her palm. She didn't take her eyes off the road ahead of them though. "Was just out for a walk."
The radio was on but turned down low enough that she couldn't make out what was playing. She sat and tried to catch exactly what it was but it sounded generic enough to her ears that she assumed he was on KISS FM or something similar. After a few more moments of silence, California spoke up.
"Why aren't you at Homecoming?"
"I had work." Kai pulled away from the sidewalk, easing forward on the gas until he was sure nobody was coming up behind. "Don't think anyone I know was going, anyway." Not strictly true, he guessed. People he knew would be there. As much as you could "know" anybody from just seeing them in class day after day. He assumed Cali got that too.
Knowing that she didn't have a destination in mind threw him a little. He'd started mentally adjusting his route home for a detour to drop her off, but that branch had been cut off almost as soon as it formed. "I was just heading home actually, but-"
The sentence just kind of died as Kai spoke it. That happened sometimes. Start saying something, realize you don't know how to finish it. Don't finish. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.
"You wanna go somewhere else?" As an afterthought, because he didn't have a destination either now, he added, "Or just drive for a bit."
Thank God there were no witnesses to this. Kai didn't know just how many ways you could fumble asking if somebody just wanted to hang out for a while, but he was finding at least a few of them.
Knowing that she didn't have a destination in mind threw him a little. He'd started mentally adjusting his route home for a detour to drop her off, but that branch had been cut off almost as soon as it formed. "I was just heading home actually, but-"
The sentence just kind of died as Kai spoke it. That happened sometimes. Start saying something, realize you don't know how to finish it. Don't finish. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.
"You wanna go somewhere else?" As an afterthought, because he didn't have a destination either now, he added, "Or just drive for a bit."
Thank God there were no witnesses to this. Kai didn't know just how many ways you could fumble asking if somebody just wanted to hang out for a while, but he was finding at least a few of them.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
California found it hard to believe that Kai didn't know anyone who was going to Homecoming. But he may not have been close to anyone who was going, which was similar to the situation she was in. She'd had her chance at Homecoming and Prom the previous year when all her real friends had gone through their senior years. California was also supposed to have gone through and experienced all of those things but unfortunately, she hadn't.
They continued to cruise around and they drove California didn't take her eyes off the road. Whenever they passed a streetlight her eyes could be seen scanning and jumping from object to object. Her breathing was steady but in a way that suggested it was actively being focused on. She was trying to keep her discomfort under wraps and didn't want Kai to notice. So she was grateful when he continued talking as it gave her something to focus on.
He was asking if she wanted to go anywhere in particular and now that she had his company California could think of a couple of places she liked to go with friends that she wanted to take him. But at the same time, she didn't want to seem overly keen, especially not with someone she didn't know very well.
"If you want to cruise around for a bit that's fine," She started, "I have a couple of places we could go visit."
They continued to cruise around and they drove California didn't take her eyes off the road. Whenever they passed a streetlight her eyes could be seen scanning and jumping from object to object. Her breathing was steady but in a way that suggested it was actively being focused on. She was trying to keep her discomfort under wraps and didn't want Kai to notice. So she was grateful when he continued talking as it gave her something to focus on.
He was asking if she wanted to go anywhere in particular and now that she had his company California could think of a couple of places she liked to go with friends that she wanted to take him. But at the same time, she didn't want to seem overly keen, especially not with someone she didn't know very well.
"If you want to cruise around for a bit that's fine," She started, "I have a couple of places we could go visit."
Kai noticed the change in Cali's breathing, or maybe the lack of change. He could tell when someone was actively trying to calm themselves down. He knew why she'd be doing that. He didn't know what to say about it, though, and thought that the best course of action was probably saying nothing at all.
"Sure thing. Just let me know." It was easy enough to switch tracks and start thinking about his usual route for just driving around town now that he knew that was what they were doing.
Kai didn't go out for late night drives that often. There was something a little off about the way things looked just slightly different at night, but it was an odd sort of faint discomfort that he enjoyed. The roads didn't change, but it felt like slipping into a different version of the world.
"You didn't want to go to Homecoming either?" He asked, after another minute or two of the low drone of the radio and the tires rolling over the pavement being the only noise.
"Sure thing. Just let me know." It was easy enough to switch tracks and start thinking about his usual route for just driving around town now that he knew that was what they were doing.
Kai didn't go out for late night drives that often. There was something a little off about the way things looked just slightly different at night, but it was an odd sort of faint discomfort that he enjoyed. The roads didn't change, but it felt like slipping into a different version of the world.
"You didn't want to go to Homecoming either?" He asked, after another minute or two of the low drone of the radio and the tires rolling over the pavement being the only noise.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
"No," California replied. "Don't know anyone."
She left out the other details, like how she didn't want to go because she'd already been once before, that she didn't want to go stag, that she just wanted to get through the year and get out. She elaborated on none of those details because she thought it would have been an awkward conversation and probably would have colored Kai's opinion of her. Instead, she focused on watching the streets pass them by as they settled back into silence.
After a few more minutes it occurred to her that Kai would have picked her up expecting her to offer some sort of company. Unless he was just that worried about her getting home safely but she didn't see that as much of a reason. Her eyes stayed focused on the road for a little while longer until another car sped up to and past them and she felt her heart rate spike and she leaned further back in her seat. Her eyes quickly darted over to Kai to see if he had noticed her own discomfort. Her left hand fiddled with the zipper on her jacket.
"Do you like pool?" She asked, abruptly.
She left out the other details, like how she didn't want to go because she'd already been once before, that she didn't want to go stag, that she just wanted to get through the year and get out. She elaborated on none of those details because she thought it would have been an awkward conversation and probably would have colored Kai's opinion of her. Instead, she focused on watching the streets pass them by as they settled back into silence.
After a few more minutes it occurred to her that Kai would have picked her up expecting her to offer some sort of company. Unless he was just that worried about her getting home safely but she didn't see that as much of a reason. Her eyes stayed focused on the road for a little while longer until another car sped up to and past them and she felt her heart rate spike and she leaned further back in her seat. Her eyes quickly darted over to Kai to see if he had noticed her own discomfort. Her left hand fiddled with the zipper on her jacket.
"Do you like pool?" She asked, abruptly.