The tired feeling Ryan had been plauged by suddenly vanished as Brendon lead the way out of the window once again. There was a certain rush that came with the act, was that what felt so good about it? Ryan didn't stop long enough to think about it. He quickly followed after Brendon, who was running in a crouch towards the inner campus of the school.

"Where are we going again?" Ryan questioned as Brendon peaked around a corner.

The darker haired boy flashed a grin, choosing to gesture Ryan forward and start running rather than answer. Ryan's eyes widened before he began to run after Brendon. They were sprinting across the open area of campus. The space was a mixture of concrete and dirt with a few shade trees sprinkled around; it was a nice alternative to the cafeteria during the lunch hour, but Ryan preferred to stay indoors.

"Here!" Brendon's feet slide as he shifted his direction.

Ryan attempted to follow suit, but he wasn't nearly as smooth. He tripped, falling and skidding on his elbow. "Fuck!" He hissed, quickly trying to push himself up on shakey arms. He could feel blood trickle down from his elbow as it began to sting.

"Come on!" Brendon laughed. Ryan's face heated up, but Brendon was reaching down to help him back up to his feet again. "Try not to die." He said once Ryan was back up. He brushed off Ryan's arm and flashed a grin.

Ryan grinned back, willing the heat in his cheeks to fade. Brendon started off again at a brisk jog that Ryan easily kept up with. A short time later, they rounded one of the buildings. A group of kids stood in a circle around Ashley and a boy with dark, buzzed hair. The crowd was whooping and cheering them on.

"You ever been to one of these?" Brendon asked, nudging Ryan with his elbow as they slowed.

"I've never been to much of anything." Ryan admitted. He usually had to be home to help his mother before she got really bad. Even now, he was trapped in the same routine as her health continued to decline.

Brendon raised an eyebrow before a sly grin tugged at his lips. "I can change that." He winked. Before Ryan could say anything, Brendon grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the group. Ryan couldn't contain his grin.

The boy Ashley was challenging wore a complete poker face as she spewed out her rhymes. He listened, keeping his hands behind his back. When it was finally his turn, a grin flashed over his face.

"This is where it gets good." Brendon leaned into Ryan's ear to relay the message.

"There's an infestation in my mind's imagination

I hope they choke on smoke cause I'm smoking them out the basement-"

Ryan's jaw dropped. The kid's lips were moving so fast it almost seemed unreal. The crowd around them was close to losing their minds.

"Hey!"

Everyone turned to see a teacher approaching. "Scatter!" Someone yelled before the group did just that. Students practically flew in every direction, much to the teacher's irritation.

"Stop right there!"

Ryan felt a tight grip on his wrist. "Let's go!" Brendon said before setting off into a run. Ryan hurried to keep pace, determined not to trip again. Ryan followed behind Brendon, who never released the grip on his wrist. There was a small group surrounding them, following the same path. Ryan didn't have time to register who they were.

As Brendon's truck came into view, he finally released Ryan's wrist. "Let's go!"

Ryan rushed to the passenger side of the cab. Someone followed him, while two others followed Brendon. They hopped over the side of the pick-up's truck bed and ducked down. Ryan jumped into the passenger seat, scooting in so that whoever was behind him could get in too. When the door slammed, Ryan turned to see Ashley sitting next to him. She flashed a grin through her heavy panting as Brendon started his truck.

To say he drove out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell would be an understatement.

Brendon cheered, tapping the back windshield. "Made it out again!"

"You're always good for it, Urie." Ashley laughed, stretching her legs and crossing her arms behind her head. "So, who's got food?"

"Josh and Tyler were the only ones detention free today." Brendon replied, "My vote's on one of them."

"I bought last time!" Someone hollered from the truck bed.

Ryan looked in the back, catching sight of outstretched legs and swirling leaves.

Brendon just laughed, keeping one hand on the wheel and his arm draped over the top of the seat. His hand hung over just beside Ryan. Ryan tried to play casual about it, but he could feel his heart beating faster.

Eventually, Brendon pulled into an empty parking lot across the street from a local burger place. He parked in the furthest spot from the street. To their left was an empty field that seemed to stretch on for forever. As soon as he stopped, Ashley pushed her door open and jumped out. The two in the back also popped up, fully realizing themselves as the rapping boy and a boy with brightly dyed yellow curls on top of his head. Ryan turned to Brendon, who hadn't made a move to leave the truck yet.

"What now?"

Brendon turned to him. "We eat. What else do you do after outrunning some campus security?" He patted Ryan's shoulder before turning and opening his door.

Of course Brendon made that seem like the only logical step to take next. Ryan let out a silent laugh, shaking his head as he slid towards the passenger side door.

"I'll buy, but you're getting it next time, Urie." The boy with dyed hair said as he stretched.

"Hey, I'm the getaway driver." Brendon laughed, "That should be enough."

The boy flipped him the bird while wearing a lopsided grin. The other boy, Tyler, nudged him. "C'mon, Josh, I want a milkshake and fries!"

"Ditto!" Ashley yelled from where she stood in the back of Brendon's truck, raising her hand in the air.

"Two for two." Josh noted before turning to Ryan, "What about you?"

"Aauuhh..." Ryan drew a blank. He didn't really get fast food often anymore. He couldn't remember the last time he had been to the place they were going to eat.

"Shakes and fries all 'round." Brendon answered for Ryan. He walked over and drapped an arm over Ryan's shoulders. "You're not lactose intolerant, right?"

Ryan shook his head.

"Good." Brendon nodded, "It's settled then."

"Alright, got it." Josh nodded. He turned to Tyler. "Need a lift?"

Tyler grinned. Without a word, he hurried behind Josh as he crouched and jumped onto his back. Josh stumbled, but easily straightened and grabbed hold of Tyler's legs. Without another word, he set off across the lot with Tyler riding piggyback.

Ryan let out a laugh as Brendon retracted his arm from around his shoulders. These were the hardcore detention kids that rap battled after school?

Ryan turned back to the truck where Brendon had wandered. He was lowering the tailgate. Ashley walked around in circles in the truck bed.

"I can't believe how easy it is to duck out of Howell's detention!" Ashley laughed, plopping down and crossing her legs. "At my old school, it was damn near impossible."

Ryan walked over as Brendon hopped up on the tailgate. He leaned against the side of the truck bed, crossing his arms and resting his chin in a comfortable spot. Brendon let his legs dangle over the tailgate as he laid flat in the back of the truck.

"Yea, he's real easy to slip past." Brendon grinned.

"How long you in for, cafeteria kid?" Ashley directed her gaze at Ryan, "One hell of a punch you managed to get in before he clobbered you."

Ryan laughed, despite the wrench in his stomach at the mention of the fight. "Two weeks."

"It's not the worst." Ashley shrugged.

"Especially for a faculty duche kid." Brendon added, his grin falling to a frown.

Ryan bit the inside of his lip. "Still more than I've ever gotten."

Brendon tilted his head towards him. "You're doing just fine." That grin was back on his face, as if it had never left. "Your sentencing will be done in no time."

"Another one bites the dust." Ashley sighed.

Ryan almost felt sad about the end of his detention time. He had been so free during the 'sentencing'. He had been swept into those teenage experiences he had only ever seen in movies. He ditched detention through a window, he had gotten tattoos, and now he was hanging out with other detention kids in an empty parking lot. This was more than he had ever gotten to do. Patrick had always been a good friend to him, but ge was always too afraid to break the rules.

It felt amazing to break the rules after being sufficated by then for so long.

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard!"

Ryan turned around as Josh and Tyler were coming back to the truck. Tyler was still riding piggyback, holding bags of food and a tray of drinks. "And one girl." He added as Josh slowed down.

Ashley cheered, throwing her hands in the air. "Yea, gimme them fries!"

Josh set Tyler on the truck's tailgate. He set the food and drinks beside Brendon and crawled further into the truck bed. Josh quickly followed after, sitting beside Tyler. Brendon sat up and slid the food to the middle of the group.

Brendon turned to Ryan. "Get your ass in here." He gestured Ryan over, "Let us show you the magic that is milkshakes and fries."

Ryan didn't hesitate. He hurried over and climbed up on the tailgate beside Brendon, feeling extremely included in this group that he may never have known if he hadn't of gotten into that fight at lunch. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to get around after all...