Meet Alex: The Reckless Brilliant Idiot
“I hate you! I hate you so much right now Alex!” My best friend Jimmy shouted sounding almost as if he was going to pass out. I gave a heart-filled laugh as we turned a corner in an alley, and continued to run away from the cops. The loud sirens echoed through the city of Chicago and it seemed no matter how much we ran, they just seemed to get even closer.
“Aw, come on Jimmy,” I said in between heavy breaths. Geez I should work out more, running from the cops used to be a piece a cake. “We’ve gotten into worse trouble,” I tried to reason, though it didn’t seem to work because Jimmy’s head quickly turned towards me and gave me one of his ‘Shut-up- or-I’ll-Smack-You’ looks.
“Oh shit!” I shouted as we slid to a stop, watching as a cop car swerve to a stop. The bright headlights blinding us for a second. Holy crap, I felt like we were in some type of action movie or something. This was freaking awesome!
Snapping out of my gaze, I pulled Jimmy up by the arm. “Come on, this way!” I shouted, pushing my tired buddy towards the opposite direction, before forcing my own numb legs to keep moving. The car behind us was creeping closer to us. I heard Jimmy mutter some very colorful language as we found ourselves approaching a dead end. We stopped momentarily, looking at large wall before looking at each other, not knowing what to do next.
There had to be another way to escape these cops.
My head darted to my left and saw a small pathway leading out of the alley. Way too narrow for a car to fit through. A devilish grin split my face.
“This way!” I cheered, grabbing Jimmy’s wrist and beginning to drag him with me. Turning my head back around, I watched the white car come to a stop, as well as the two idiots who came out of it.
“Hey, get back here!” I heard one of them yell, causing me to laugh.
“Better luck next time!” I chimed. Jimmy shook his head shamefully.
“I swear Alex, you’re going to be the death of me. You insane woman.” He muttered distastefully. I rolled my eyes at his comment.
“Yeah, yeah whatever. Just keep running will ’yea?” I replied as we turned another corner. We ended up running another block or so before Jimmy finally gave up.
“I done!” he gasped, almost looking as if he was a fish out of water. “No more! Just let them take me!” I looked at him unsatisfied, before putting my hands on my hips, trying to steady my own breathing.
“Oh come on Jim. I thought you said you were good at this kind of thing. Didn’t you run track or something?” At this, he gave me a stupid look.
“Yeah, in the 5th grade Alex.” He announced. I groaned, looking up at the sky irritated, before looking back at my brown haired friend.
“Ok, that doesn’t matter. Point is, we need to hurry.” I argued back in a hasty tone.
“What’s the point, we’re gonna get caught anyways.” He muttered. Shrugging, I put a hand on his shoulder as he stood back up.
“Listen buddy. I love you alright? But you really need to work on your optimism. It’s bringing me down man,” I stated, motioning my hands to look like I was grabbing the air with my fingertips, and then slightly pulling them down. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned away so his back was facing me. Almost instantly, a bewildered look appeared on my face and my jaw dropping.
“Seriously Jimmy? You’re giving me the silent treatment now?!” I asked. He said nothing causing a groan to slip my lips. “Ok fine! I’m sorry alright?” I admitted, but he still didn’t face me.
“Trust me. We will get through this stupid thing, then we can go get some chicken and waffles, go home, go to that hell hole we call school, and live the rest of their lives like any normal high schooler, ’kay?” I promised honestly. I saw his head turn midway, as if wanting to turn around but didn’t.
“You promise we’ll get some chicken and waffles?” he asked silently. I couldn’t help the amused smirk that appeared on my lips. That was Jimmy for ’yea.
“I promise.”
He finally turned around and looked at me. I could tell how he was trying to stay mad, but was failing miserably.
“Fine, let’s find a way to ditch the cops and then we’ll crash at my cousin’s place, and deal with this tomorrow.”
A smile reached my lips before sniffling and placing a hand on his shoulder again. I sighed as I looked up at him proudly. “I’ve taught you so well.” I announced, using my finger to wipe the fake tear from my eye. He gave me a look before pushing me lightly causing me to smile wider. Whatever crazy crap Jimmy and I ended up getting ourselves into, I could always count on him to have my back in the end.
“Alright!” I smirked. “Let’s get the heck out of here, before those idiots find us.”
“Idiots, are we?” a voice echoed behind us, causing us to freeze in our tracks.
“Uh-oh...” we both muttered, turning around just to see a tall guy wearing a tan suit and shades, followed by two other police men holding up guns towards us. We quickly held our hands up showing we surrendered.
“Busted.” I muttered under my breath. I saw Jimmy roll his brown eyes again. I gave a nervous laugh and smiled at the man before us.
“Uh...H-Hey Uncle Randy,” I greeted. I felt as if I was a kid being caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
“Did you do something new with your hair old man? It looks....” I paused thinking of what word I should use. “Incredible?” I stated before giving him an innocent smile. Jim just shook his head and sighed, “We’re so screwed.”
Uncle Randy sighed and took of his sunglasses, giving me a disappointed look. Though I shrugged it off of course. I was used to those kinds of looks being given to me.
“Why are you so addicted to getting in trouble?” My uncle asked me, before putting his sunglasses back on.
“I will answer your question with another question.” I replied in a very smart a-lack tone. “Why are you wearing those ridiculous shades, when it’s pitch black outside?” They all looked at me as if I was stupid, before Randy began to shake his head and pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Get them out of here,” he mumbled, not hiding the tiredness that hung in his tone. The men besides him nodded before putting their guns away and coming towards us.
