A burst of red and blue light cut through the trees like a siren song.
Then the sound followed—the wail of police cruisers, sharp and unmistakable, slicing through the music like a blade.
"Shit!" someone yelled. "It's the cops!"
Panic spread like fire. Kids dropped drinks, shoved through the crowd, scrambled to find their stuff. The makeshift DJ booth crackled and died mid-song, plunging the forest into a frenzy of stomping feet and nervous yells.
Aiden felt Jessica jerk away from him, her eyes wide now with something that wasn't drunken flirtation.
"C'mon!" she said, grabbing his hand again.
They ran.
Past kids climbing over fallen logs. Past discarded bottles, a toppled speaker, someone trying to grab their jacket off a branch. Then Aiden spotted a familiar van—beat-up, yellow, with cracked decals on the sides.
Tyler's van.
Jessica yanked the side door open. Inside were Eric, who looked panicked but mostly sober, Ben and Angela still clinging to each other, and Tyler, slumped in the driver's seat, mumbling something unintelligible.
"He's wasted," Eric said quickly, looking at Aiden. "Dude, we need someone to drive. Like, now."
Aiden blinked, then nodded. "Move."
He climbed into the driver's seat, pushing Tyler over to the passenger side. The guy was a mess—half-asleep, grinning like he didn't understand the chaos around him.
Behind him, the van door slammed shut. Jessica climbed over the seat and sat shotgun beside Aiden, panting, her eyes still wide.
"Can you even drive this thing?" Ben asked from the back.
"I can drive," Aiden muttered, already twisting the key in the ignition. The van coughed, sputtered—then roared to life like an angry beast.
Spotlights danced across the trees behind them. A voice shouted over a loudspeaker: "THIS IS THE POLICE. DISPERSE IMMEDIATELY."
Aiden hit the gas.
Tires kicked up dirt and gravel as they peeled out of the clearing, bumping over roots and uneven ground. Jessica clung to the door, Eric swore, and Angela gave a little shriek when they nearly clipped a tree.
But they were moving. And getting away.
"Holy crap," Jessica whispered, a laugh of adrenaline escaping her lips. "You're actually kind of badass."
"Just hold on," Aiden growled, keeping his focus on the narrow dirt trail ahead.
And in the rearview mirror, the flashing lights slowly disappeared behind them.
The van bounced along the dark roads, the adrenaline slowly draining but the tension still thick in the cramped space. No one said much, the silence heavy with the weight of what had just happened.
Aiden kept his eyes on the road, hands steady on the wheel as the others caught their breath behind him.
"Where to now?" Jessica finally asked, breaking the quiet.
Aiden glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "My place. Steve's on night shift—won't be home for a while. We can crash there till morning."
A collective sigh of relief echoed from the back.
Angela stretched out, running a hand through her hair. "That actually sounds perfect."
Tyler slumped further into his seat, muttering something about never drinking again.
Ben chuckled softly. "Yeah, sure, Tyler."
The van rumbled to a stop in front of a sprawling house that looked more like a mansion than a typical home in town. Tall windows glimmered faintly in the early morning light, and the manicured lawn stretched wide, giving the whole place an air of quiet luxury.
Jessica's eyes widened as she looked up at the impressive façade. "Wow… you live here?"
Aiden shrugged, trying to sound casual but feeling a little self-conscious. "Yeah, I guess. It's actually Steve's place—my dad's. He's the one who pays for all this."
Ben whistled low. "No wonder people think you're super rich."
Angela gave Aiden a knowing smile. "I didn't realize Steve was loaded."
"Not exactly," Aiden said with a shrug. "He works hard, that's for sure. But yeah, this is his house."
They climbed out of the van and slipped quietly inside, careful not to wake anyone. The inside was just as impressive as the outside—sleek furniture, polished floors, and a calm order that felt almost foreign to Aiden but somehow comforting.
Tyler collapsed onto a plush couch, eyes half-closed. "Okay, this is nice."
Jessica laughed softly. "Yeah, you'd never guess he's just a regular kid."
Aiden sank into an armchair, finally allowing himself to breathe out. Despite the grandeur, this place felt like a refuge tonight.
After shedding their jackets, Aiden led the group toward the sleek elevator tucked in the corner of the grand foyer. He pressed the button for the second floor, and the doors slid closed with a soft hiss.
The ride was brief, but the quiet hum of the elevator contrasted sharply with the noise and chaos they'd just escaped.
When the doors opened, Aiden stepped out first, motioning for the others to follow. They found themselves in a wide hallway lined with framed photos and modern art. At the end was a door slightly ajar, soft light spilling out.
Inside, the game room stretched wide—pool table, foosball, and a massive flat-screen TV mounted on the wall with a stack of video game consoles beneath it. Beanbag chairs were scattered around, and a mini-fridge stood in the corner, stocked with drinks.
Jessica's eyes lit up. "This is awesome."
Tyler flopped onto one of the beanbags, groaning. "Finally, a place to crash."
Ben and Angela exchanged a grin, already moving toward the pool table. Aiden leaned against the wall, glad to see the others relaxing after the night's craziness.
"Make yourselves at home," he said quietly. The night wasn't over, but at least here, for a moment, they could breathe.