I shook my head, staying low in my seat as the cops got out of their cruiser. My view was blocked when Kent’s body came over mine, his head ducking between my neck and shoulder. His breath on my skin tickled and caused me to giggle and push him away. I tried, anyway, but he was too heavy. “Kent!”

“Just pretend I’m making out with you, weirdo.”

“Won’t that make them stare?”

There was a pause before he pulled away and started the car. “You’re right.” He tugged on my seatbelt and then pulled out of his parking spot. I wasn’t sure where we were going now, but with alcohol involved it was sure to be a good time regardless, right?

We drove for fifteen minutes, through the city, past the suburbs and onto a few winding roads until we stopped in front of a very tall metal structure.

“You are lucky that I know you well to know that you don’t want to kill me. Please tell me this isn’t where you take Jen on dates.”

He laughed as he got out of the car. He came back in, his hands on his seat as he leaned towards me, “No. Jen knows nothing about this secret spot of mine. And you’d better not tell her. It would be a friendship-breaker.”

I raised one brow, he was being weirder than usual. “Alright. I don’t think you have to worry about that. I’d have to actually talk to her first.”

He leaned over more and kissed my forehead quickly before grabbing the bag. I wiped his kiss off my head and then got out of the car too. I took a step back so that I could look all the way to the top of the tower. This could be fun.

Luckily it wasn’t too windy and the cold chill of fall had yet to settle. It was a warm night, perfect for being up high where the bugs would leave you alone. “So you’ve been here before?”

“Yep. And it’s completely safe, unless you jump off. I can’t guarantee that you’ll live if you do that.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

He chuckled and led the way up the metal ladder. He was a little slow because of the booze he was holding. When we got to the top, I took a few minutes to walk around and check it out. I got down onto my belly and pulled myself to the edge to have a look all the way down. Just as my neck was clear of the edge I felt something clamp around my calf.

“Don’t jump!”

I screamed and kicked my legs. I heard Kent laughing behind me. He loved scaring me, the jerk. I rolled over and sat up. “That was not funny!”

“Says you. You couldn’t see the look on your face.”