Tag Along by Tom Ryan

something.”
    â€œPublic art? Give me a break,” I say. “Since when is vandalism art?”
    â€œIf you feel so strongly about it,” she says, “why don’t you just make a citizen’s arrest?”
    â€œLadies,” says Roemi. “Puh-leaze. Enough with the catfight. We have an adventure to go on.” He stands up. “Let’s get out of here.”
    My head is spinning, and I’m not sure what I did to make Candace hate me so much, but I don’t want to stick around to find out.
    â€œSorry, Roemi,” I say. “I think I should probably go home now.”
    Candace laughs. “Go ahead,” she says. “Prove my point for me. The minute someone shakes you out of your comfort zone, you’re racing home to Mommy and some well-deserved punishment.”
    â€œDon’t leave, Andrea,” says Paul. “I can give you a ride home later.”
    I don’t even bother responding. I just grab my backpack and walk out of the room, hurry down the stairs and push through the heavy wooden door and out of Roemi’s house.

PAUL
    I don’t know what made Candace go off on Andrea. It’s true that Andrea plays by the rules, but it’s not like the rest of us are big lawbreakers or anything.
    â€œWhat was that about?” Roemi asks Candace after Andrea leaves.
    â€œI don’t want to fucking talk about it, okay?” she says. “I don’t even know where I am. Can you drive me to my grandmother’s house?” she asks me. “Please? One-five-five Highview Street.”
    â€œIf it’s okay with Roemi,” I tell her.
    â€œYeah, whatever,” he says. “We should go back to the Ledge first though. We need to get the ladder back. Also your backpack.”
    â€œShit!” says Candace. “I forgot all about my pack. It’s probably been stolen by now.”
    â€œDoubt it,” says Roemi. “Andrea took great and delicate care in hiding it for you.” He tilts his head and stares at her, his eyes wide and innocent.
    â€œWhat?” she snaps at him.
    â€œNothing,” he says. “Just thought you might like to know.”
    â€œCan we just go?” she asks.
    â€œSure!” he says. He turns to me. “Isn’t this fun?”
    Roemi’s parents’ garage is nicer than my parents’ living room. It has heated floors and shiny chrome overhead lights. It also has a gleaming new Land Cruiser and a goddamn Audi A4.
    I walk slowly around the Audi, standing a few feet back so I don’t drool all over it.
    â€œRoemi, this is an Audi A4.”
    â€œOh yeah? Is that good?”
    â€œUh, yeah,” I say. “This is a supernice car.”
    â€œHuh. Yeah, my dad loves that car. I don’t like the color.” He grabs a set of keys from a hook on the wall, double-clicks them to unlock the Land Cruiser and tosses them at me. “I’m obviously shotgun,” he says to Candace.
    Candace climbs into the backseat. “This is bigger than my bedroom,” she says. I stand at the SUV, my hand on the door handle, but I’m still staring back at the Audi. Roemi reaches over and opens the door from the inside.
    â€œCome on, Paul! Let’s go, dude!” he says.
    Reluctantly I get behind the wheel and slide the keys into the ignition. Roemi reaches over and presses the garage-door opener on my sun visor. The door slowly rolls up, and Roemi jacks the volume on the stereo. “Let’s roll, bitches,” he says.
    The Cruiser is totally pimped out. Leather seats, wood veneer, a kickass stereo. But as sweet as this ride is, as we pull out of the garage I wonder if I’ll ever have the chance to drive anything half as nice as the Audi.
    It doesn’t take long for Roemi and me to get the ladder and strap it to the roof rack. Roemi tells Candace where to find her pack, and she runs to the quarry to get it. She comes back just as I’m hooking the last