?I feel that a question mark is intensely appropriate for my situation at the moment. I wait in my dark green Starcraft at the intersection at Fourth and Allentown Ave. Gray skeletons of Mayhaw trees line the street. Next to me, Tinsley lights a Malboro and narrows her eyes at the traffic light.
“Dude, I hate red lights. Perfect time to get busted.” She mutters through a small gap between her lips. I keep my eyes on her, curious.
“You mean like-- smoking underage?” My fingernails etch squares in the leather steering wheel.
“Ha, sure.” Tinsley gives a wicked laugh and takes her cigarette out of her mouth, puffing dark smoke out of her nostrils. Okay, so Tinsley wasn’t the greatest friend I could have. Her lack of self-esteem was severely overwhelming and whenever I hung around her I ended up having to pick up the pieces. That meant one thing: trouble.
“You know what I hate more? Red and blue lights.” Tinsley nodded toward the rear-view mirror. I looked-- and sure enough, the city sheriff was making his rounds, sliding easily behind us in our queue of one. Behind the tinted gray glass, his mouth twitched with anxiousness. No doubt ready for his shift to end. I wasn’t necessarily worried, but the thought of Tinsley in the car changed my mind.
“You dare me?” Tinsley giggled.
“Wha--?” I turned my attention toward her as she began rolling down the passenger window. “Tinsley, no!” Too late. Cool autumn air whipped at my face. Tinsley twisted herself out of the window, sitting on the door.
“Heeee-eeeeey, Mister Policeman!” Tinsley cooed. Her thin body wavered as I tried to pull her in. She ducked her head inside to sputter, “Stoppit, Nora!” I gave in and she clenched her cigarette in her teeth, beginning to climb to the roof of the van.
“Tinsley! I thought you hated red and blue lights.” I moaned, helpless.
“Nor-ahhhh. Hate is thrill. Lighten up!” She growled. Her sneakers, crusted with dirt, wrinkled as the stood on her toes to get to the roof. In the rearview, the sheriff spoke through gritted teeth into his radio. My fingers tensed on the steering wheel. From the corner of my eye, I saw the traffic light glow green. I panicked, not knowing whether to drive or to stay and wait for the policeman to get out of his car. Intoxicated with fear, I chose to drive.
“Hold on!” I called to Tinsley. I pressed the gas a little harder than I wanted to and hit twenty immediately. I heard Tinsley’s body lurch and was relieved to see that the hadn’t fallen off and hit the road behind me. I increased the speed to thirty-five. “Hate is thrill.” Tinsley had said. I hated red and blue lights too, and the red and blue lights behind us exploded into a frenzy of colors, more than the two that made purple. I saw neons and metallics as my van revved to fifty. I heard Tinsley scream with delight above me. At least, I hoped it was delight. The sidewalks were empty and the street ahead was mine.
“Seventy…” I muttered, as the miles per hour arrow shot right. Tinsley popped in the van and cackled.
“Who knew you were so good at being bad, Nora?” Tinsley threw her cigarette out the window. “None of my other friends have tried to outrun the fuzz before!” Whoa. And Tinsley hung out with some skeevy people.
I let out a, “Heh.” All of a sudden, two police cars showed up at the end of the street, blocking my way. I had no choice but to stop.
Tinsley swore. I jerked my van to a stop and sighed. Tinsley swore again.
“How bad will this be?” I asked.
“Gah, I don’t know. I don’t know.” She clenched her teeth.
“A speeding ticket, right? You might get it worse than me.” I was fairly calm, but my adrenaline was burning away quickly.
“Ohhh, I don’t think so. Not this time.” Tinsley breathed. I rolled down my window and looked out for the sheriff. He was approaching steadily. I heard the glove box open and slam.
Why’d Tinsley mess with the glove box? I began to ask her why she was freaking but the sheriff caught my attention.
“Step out of the vehicle. Now.” His voice was firm. “You, too.” He said to Tinsley. She obeyed with a sneer. Why was she grinning? Another police officer directed Tinsley to put her hands up and I did the same. The sheriff kept his eye on me.
“You’re the mayor’s granddaughter, aren’t you?” He asked. I nodded, closing my eyes and swallowing the nervous bulge that had erupted into my throat.
“Shame.” He said under his breath.
“Turn!” The other officer directed both Tinsley and me now. The sheriff regained whatever he had lost while questioning me and quickly cuffed my wrists behind my back.
I… thought I was getting a speeding ticket. They sat us on the sidewalk. The sheriff investigated our pupils while the officer searched my van.
“Dilated!” The sheriff called after examining Tinsley, and moved to me. Dilated? Why hadn’t I noticed Tinsley’s eyes?
“Uh, sheriff?!” The officer called.
“Yeah-hm?”
“Ecstasy in the glove box.” A bag of pills emerged from the passenger’s side and fell to the ground.
The sheriff turned to me, “Your car?”
“Y-yes.” I said.
“Shame.” He muttered again.
