Page 52 of The Last Special Thing

She stepped back a foot, prepping for another attempt, when a flash of red and blue lights penetrated through the other side of the building.

“Oh shit,” Art muttered. He jumped off, landing with a hand on the ground.

“Follow me.” He took off, his long legs extending with every step. Amelia barely had time to react before he raced past her.

She sprinted to catch up. The police lights rounded the corner, silent and alarming.

Her heart raced faster than her legs. After the weed and the thieving and the salvia, their good luck had to be running thin.

“Down!” Art hissed, then dropped to his stomach on the street, hidden behind a dark green sedan, or maybe it was grey. She had trouble distinguishing colors in the black of night. She crept down beside him, then lay flat against the ground. The loose gravel scratched against the side of her hair, smelling of dirt.

The police car slowed as it passed, but didn’t stop. She inhaled sharply.

They waited.

She released her breath. In the dead of the night, her pulsing heartbeat felt too loud.

She counted to ten. Then fifty. She moved her hand and pushed herself up half an inch when Art grabbed her wrist.

He shook his head, eyes firm, and she released back down.

The police car circled the block another time.

Fuck, how did he know? Anxiety built, and a tense silence stretched between them. It was the stillest she had ever seen him.

She counted to a hundred.

A hundred and fifty.

At two hundred, Art spoke, “We’re clear.” A vindicated smile slid across his face.

She slapped her palm against his arm playfully. “You did not enjoy that!”

He reached over and ran his thumb across her cheek, then leaned in and kissed her.

“I wouldn’t have enjoyed it if we got caught,” he responded. “Now let’s go.”

He rose and extended his hand to hers. She took it, then dusted off her jacket.

“That was insane.” Amelia crossed her arms.

“That was exhilarating.” He kissed her. “That was intoxicating.” He kissed her again. “That was-”

“Asinine.” Amelia finished.

“Great way to keep up the alliteration. You could be a songwriter.”

“You’ve hidden from the cops before.”

“A few times.”

“Have you ever gotten caught?”

Her question hung in the air as they walked.

After an infinite stretch of time, he answered, “I was there when Asher got arrested.”

“Oh shit, what happened?” She reached for his hand.