Trapped with a Way Out

by Jeffery Martinez

  "Fuckin' Hell."

  Rodriguez was caught between a smirk and a glare as he looked at the boy sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Vincent was gawking at the building and the people around them, close to being horrified of the sight.

  "Oh my fucking God! Shit, Rodriguez! Why in fucking God's name did you bring me here? HERE? WHY? You dick! You fuckin' bastard rich ass bastard, Rodriguez!"

  "Okay." Rodriguez growled, fists squeezing his steering wheel as he forced himself to overlook the language. "Enough with that, Vincent. Let's go in."

  Vincent pushed back into his seat and gaped at Rodriguez, his hands gripping the handle of the door, as if to hold it shut himself. "No way in hell! This is a fucking police station, you God damned bastard! I hate you, Rodriguez. That's it. I hate you, and you are taking me to a street corner away from this place and letting me out so I can go home. Now."

  Rodriguez opened his door and pushed a button on his key chain that would unlock Vincent's door. Vincent just locked it again, making Rodriguez scowl.

  "You said you were taking me to a party, Rodriguez, not to jail, you freaken bastard. Damn you." Red darted about to the different uniformed persons and he gritted his teeth and sunk deeper into his chair, as if to hide. "I hate you." He mouthed with burning eyes cutting into Rodriguez's frustrated expression. Rodriguez huffed and pulled Vincent so that he was sitting normally.

  "This is the party. My mom's work party. You aren't going to be arrested. I promise…like with the shoes…and as you can see, I was right about that, wasn't I? Let's go." He sighed when Vincent hissed at him like a feral cat. "Don't do that while you're here. People will think you're crazy or high on something…'kay? No weird hissing sounds. Now out. Out of the car before I have to get my mom out here."

  "Fuck you." Vincent hissed again and his hands melded to the sides of his seat as he held himself down. Rodriguez muttered to himself and stalked over to a nearby cop who smiled and greeted him friendlily. Rodriguez gave a half of a smile and informed the policeman and the other man he was standing next to, that his friend had a phobia for police stations and was afraid he was going to be arrested if he got out of the car. Vincent, who could hear him from the open car door, snarled and tightened his grip on the seat as the two policemen came to the car and then went to his window. They took one look at him and lost their cheery mood. One pulled out a flashlight while another set his hand instinctively on his walky talky. Vincent glared at the light that stung his eyes while the man holding the flashlight sighed at the red eyes he saw.

  "Are you currently under the influence of any…" He began, but was cut off when an infuriated Vincent hissed, his red eyes going to Rodriguez who was taken aback by the new development.

  "See! I'm not even out of the damned car yet and I'm already getting arrested, Rodriguez! You dumbass! I'll even let you take me home if it means getting away from here!" Then he glowered up at the policeman, still holding onto his seat. "And you! I am not on any goddamn drugs! This is my natural eye color, you bastard! I haven't done anything illegal! Let me go home!"

  The ruckus was slowly attracting the attention of other officers and they alerted those inside that there was a dangerous and confrontational individual, whose hands were hidden from view, screaming at cops from inside a car. Richard, interested in the news, came out as well, and then stared at her son's car and the growing number of police that were coming to look at it.

  The flashlight was removed from Vincent's face but he continued to snarl at the faces and held onto his seat. "Rodriguez! You stupid fat ass! You're a freaken retard! You took me to a fucking police station! I hate cops!"

  A loud laugh turned heads and quieted Vincent as he found Richard moving to the door that her son had left open. She leaned in, shocking the other police officers, and patted Vincent's stiff shoulder and sat down in the car with him, smirking and chuckling as he frowned at her, refusing to let go of his seat. "Come on out, Vincentimir. You're welcome here, too. You're not going to jail tonight."

  Tonight? A few thought as Vincent slowly relaxed his grip on the seat, but his cautious eyes continued to sweep about to the individual cops surrounding him. "Your son's an idiot for bringing me here." He muttered, causing the woman to chuckle and find Rodriguez with her eyes.

  "He knows our Christmas parties are fun, Vincentimir. Come on. We have food and soda, I have beer for myself and others over twenty-one, you can't have any, but we also have a Wii and a projector set up. Have you ever played Wii?"

  Vincent stared at her blankly, as if she were a lunatic being carted off to an asylum. He hesitantly shook his head to say he hadn't played Wii before. She tugged on his shoulder again and chuckled before getting out of the car. She went to his door and knocked on it. He received the wordless order and unlocked the door after a moment. Satisfied, she opened the door and smiled warmly at the pale face before undoing his seatbelt and grabbing his black sweatshirt. Richard pulled him all the way out of the car and left him sprawled out on the wet parking lot asphalt. Ignoring the stares she received from those watching, she turned and went inside.

  Rodriguez helped the stunned boy to his feet and he escorted him passed the sea of uniforms, and into the police station.

  "God fuck it all to Hell." Vincent murmured with a cough he didn't bother covering as he slunk into the shadows by the walls inside the police station, and pinned himself up against one, hoping to blend in like a chameleon. Rodriguez stood in the dead spotlight where he was in plain view of the stares the two were receiving. The green eyes narrowed into a glare at the disgusting new curse phrase Vincent had come up with. Vincent coughed again, muttering to himself crossly. "Damn it. I shouldn't have agreed to this…I need to get home, damn it. Who knows what's going to be left when I get there? The rent… Goddamn it all…"

  "Shut up Vincent." Rodriguez shot off the end of the boy's sentence with his sharp words, earning a hiss. "Get away from the wall. You look like a…loon the way you are." He had almost said freak, but there was such a bitter aftertaste in the word that he couldn't spit it out.

  Vincent grumbled something that Rodriguez couldn't make out and then darted further along the wall, aiming to follow Richard as he brushed off some dirt that still clung to his sweatshirt. Rodriguez sighed but caught up and walked beside the teen as they continued. The staring police officers were quiet, but they began to return to their festivities gradually as time went on and the tub of ice that was keeping the drinks cool began to melt. It started to rain outside, as the boy's heard it hit the roof and a nearby window. The clouds darkened the sky as stars began to appear.

  "Do you want to get some food? You didn't eat lunch, did you?" Rodriguez offered, in an attempt to draw the dark haired teen away from the wall. His eye twitched at the abnormal behavior.

  "Stupid fat ass, all you think about is food… You're a retard for taking me here…. And I still hate your guts for this." Vincent denied his suggestion, his eyes darting around cautiously as the shadows thinned out and he was left exposed in the raw light.

  Rodriguez sighed when he saw that the boy was tempted to go backtrack just to remain in the wall's shadow. "Oh, come off it, Vincent. You're being stupid…" His mouth jerked up at the edges and he stealthily approached the unguarded back. "Enjoy the party." He smirked with these words, taking hold of the thin shoulders and steering the boy quickly into a darkened side office.

  Vincent stiffened as he saw the collection of people playing a video game, and even though it was much darker in the room, he wished that he could go back into the bright part of the hallway. Anything but this small space with only one escape route.

  Richard was pouring herself a little wine that had already been passed around amongst most of her officers. She swirled it in her stubby glass, eyeing the bottle before she decided to take a sip. But when the glass reached her lips the bottle was lifted from her desk by a familiar, pale hand, and she frowned, lowering her glass to look at the boy. "What do you think you are doing, Vincentimir?"


  The boy smiled wryly and swung the bottle in a tight circle, then stopped it to hear and feel the liquid move. "Can I have some?"

  The frown deepened and Richard's blue eyes narrowed dangerously, but the boy just grinned as if his question was something pure and innocent. "No, of course not. You're underage."

  "But it's just like Church, right? It's just wine."

  The woman's eyes widened and then she snorted with amusement, sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs as she observed the gutsy boy who was behaving much more boldly than the night before. She set her glass on her desk. "You're horrible." Richard smirked darkly, despite herself. She had to admit, the boy was quite a character.

  Vincent chuckled and swished the wine again. "All I want is a taste."

  "No."

  "No?"

  "No." The woman ensured, flatly.

  "Not even if I say please?"

  "Not even if you were dying." Richard smiled warmly.

  Vincent snickered at this and held the bottled by his side. "I just want to know what good wine tastes like."

  "You're going to have to wait for a few more years…" Her gaze swept across the wall near the door where Vincent was standing in front of her desk. She blinked. "Where's my son?"

  "Wii game. I don't know how to do it so I suck." Vincent's humor faded a little as he began to frown. "It wasn't fair."

  "You lost?" The woman smirked at the frown that finally arrived on the boy's face. Vincent looked at the wall and made a move as if he was going to get the chair that was leaning against it to make himself at home in the office, and sit down. Richard caught onto the movement and shook her head quickly. "No Vincentimir. You need to go back out there…" She pointed at the door. "…and learn how to play Wii."

  Vincent delayed following the order until Richard scowled at him to leave so she could enjoy her wine and then go out to the party as well. When he slipped out through the doorway, she smiled and let her eyes fall to her desk where her glass was. When she took a sip and held the glass in her hands, she realized that the table was empty. But…it wasn't supposed to be empty. The wine bottle was supposed to be… The woman's face deadened and she gazed blankly at the desk. Mechanically, the woman's eyes rose to where Vincent had been standing. With a hasty curse, she got up and marched to the door, catching the frame in her gloved hand to swing herself around to stride down the hall so she could find the teenager that had stolen her wine. But she stopped at the doorway, surprised to find Vincent waiting for her with the wine bottle suspended before him in an outstretched hand. She scowled and snatched the wine away, then shook at finger at the amused face, annoyed by the smug look. Unable to speak, she decided to give the teen a final glare and then retreated into her office. Vincent turned as well, walking down the hall to find Rodriguez as he lifted a plastic cup to his lips and took a sip. He passed the refreshment table on the way, void of people, and turned into the next doorway. Rodriguez was leaning against the wall in the darkened room, watching as two cops played a gun and war video game, shooting at each other madly as a small crowd watched, entertained when the men reacted as their digital selves were shot, growling and cursing lightly, swearing to get revenge. It was all in the name of good, wholesome fun.

  Green flashed with the light of the projector casting this image on the opposite wall when something blew up in the video game, and then dimmed when the eyes moved to Vincent who was waiting by the door, halfway out of the room. Rodriguez went to him and then followed the boy out as Vincent moved to a less lively location. They went outside. It was raining, but a generous ledge kept the two nice and dry while the wind was blowing into the back of the building, so it couldn't reach them. Vincent took another sip from his cup and he hummed contently after the liquid went down his throat. Rodriguez noticed and squinted at the drink curiously.

  "I thought we were out of punch."

  Vincent shrugged, only glancing at Rodriguez, and then he smiled to himself. "I'm not sure. I didn't check."

  Rodriguez blinked, watching the cup as it rose again. "Then what are you drinking?"

  "Mn?" Vincent swallowed and held the cup to the other teen with a brash smile. "I think it's some kind of grape juice."

  "Grape juice? … I didn't see any grape juice…." A tan hand accepted the plastic cup and Rodriguez tilted it to peer down at its contents. It sure looked like it could be grape juice. He moved the plastic cup to his nose and he sniffed it. He started and tore the cup away from himself as if it was a toxic poison, and he gasped, sending round green eyes to Vincent's chuckling face. "Where…? Where did you get this? This is wine! Vincent! How in God's name did you…? Just where…?"

  "I got it from the Chief…" He chuckled again. "…a.k.a., your mom." Vincent smiled and reached to take the cup back. He froze, surprised when Rodriguez moved it away from his hand and glowered at him.

  "My mother did not give you alcohol, you lying runt."

  The boy gave a crooked smile, watching Rodriguez's anger for a moment to see just how far he could push his joke. "Who ever said that she gave it to me?" Red glinted at Rodriguez's aghast expression.

  Rodriguez gaped, astounded. "You stole it! You thief! You pistachio, wine stealing thief, Vincent! Not cool! Not at all, so stop laughing! I'm being serious!"

  Vincent continued to laugh anyway and reached for the wine. "She was drinking it right in front of me…and she saw me pick up the bottle. All she didn't see was me pouring it. I gave her back the bottle with the cup in my hand, and she didn't care…or didn't notice. Either way, I only took a little and what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

  Rodriguez moved it away again, switching it over to his right hand, furthest from Vincent. "No…" He shot back, a deepening simper weighing down his features. "But it can hurt you." He moved to the wet asphalt, where the ledge didn't stop the rain, and poured the wine out onto the parking lot where it splattered and was dissolved into a harmless puddle. Vincent's jaw dropped, desolate eyes gazing at the wine as if he was watching Rodriguez pour out his life's blood. He gawked as the irritated teen washed the cup out with the falling rain and then returned to the wall to throw the cup at Vincent's expression, real rage growing brighter in his eyes with his mounting disappointment. "You idiot, Vincent. You're an idiot!" He wiped off his wet hand with his other sleeve, glowering at it while his teeth grated together, unable to shake off his anger.

  "No…!" Vincent snatched the cup from the ground with a growl and then chucked it at Rodriguez who jerked to dodge the attack, but was too slow. "You're the idiot! That stuff was good!"

  Rodriguez growled as well and retrieved the cup so he could throw it at Vincent. The boy got out of the way in time and the plastic cup rebounded off the wall with a dulled hollow sound. Both of the teens dove for the rolling cup, but Vincent was the one who got to it first and he raised his arm to throw the projectile again. Rodriguez retreated back, away from the armed individual, and he ended up in the rain, forced to stiffen with shock when the cold water hit him. With an evil laugh, Vincent threw the cup and nailed the other teen in the shoulder. He continued to laugh when Rodriguez went under the ledge again, humored by how wet the boy had gotten. The cup forgotten, Rodriguez grabbed the black sweatshirt and dragged Vincent out into the rain, almost ripping the it from his back as the skinny teen struggled. They fought to keep the other from a place that was dry, pushing and chasing and hissing, and at times, laughing. With time, they returned to their original place by the ledge and one of Vincent's converse crushed the cup, distracting him for a moment….which was long enough to allow Rodriguez to catch him in a headlock. The struggle ensued.

  Vincent was still in a headlock when a gruff voice from the door told them that a cop had found out about their battle in the rain. They looked up as the man spoke. "What's going on here? Is there a problem?"

  Vincent snorted at the familiar words, commenting on the limited vocabulary a cop has, or something along those lines, earning a good choke from Rodriguez that made him gag.

/>   "Nothing. It's just for fun…I swear. Nothing's wrong." Rodriguez's earnest smile and truthful tone, along with his superior position in the fight with the delinquent, convinced the man to leave them alone and he went back inside without questioning them further.

  "Dumbass cop. Take one look and it's obvious that a Neanderthal is trying to kill me." Vincent snickered weakly, but the humor turned into a broken cough when Rodriguez choked him again with an irritated growl.

  "Stupid…stupid…!" He struggled to come up with an original insult that would rival Vincent's new name for him. Black hair was plastered to Vincent's face, and he spat out a few strands that made their way into his mouth. The pale teen tried to laugh as he fought with the constricting arms.

  "Neanderthal Rodriguez…can't even think of something to say." He jerked to the side with a grunt of effort, but his slick shoes slid over the asphalt, forcing the boy to lose his footing, and he was left hanging from the headlock. The pale face was reddening as he struggled to stand again while his black converse continued to slip, pushing up waves of mucky water. Vincent realized, as spots appeared before his eyes, that he was in a puddle. The puddle where Rodriguez had poured out his wine…which was now seeping into his socks. …Fantastic.

  "Leroy! You're suffocating the poor boy!"

  Rodriguez jumped at the voice, dropping Vincent who collapsed to his knees in the water, and the green eyes searched for his mother. Richard stood before them under the shelter of the ledge after walking from the door, having been told of their fight/game in the rain. The woman glared at her son until he squirmed under her intimidating gaze. Then, he finally realized that he had dropped Vincent in the water, where the teen was still on his knees gasping and coughing.

  Oops.

  Rodriguez went forward to help Vincent to his feet and then walked with him to get under the ledge, holding onto his sweatshirt. "I didn't realize…that I…I swear I didn't mean to do that Vincent." The red eyed teen hissed at him and then was struck by a coughing fit. Rodriguez's eyes grew. "Hey, are you okay?"