Bend on Asteroids

“Light it!”
Sparks flew across the rope, sizzling into it's pocket.
“Duck! Chett, RUN!”
Rockets shrieked their way into the night sky, exploding in brilliant bursts of colour.  Chett skittered wildly underneath them, dancing between the shower of sparks. A group of four watched him from a safe distance, laying flat across the top of the hill.  Flashing lights lit up their faces, mischievous grins filled with laughter. Chett struggled up the hill after them.
Sally lifted herself onto her hands, folding her legs underneath herself.
“You okay speedy?” she giggled through her teeth.
A muscle twitched under his eye, his feet turning to carry him in front of her. He stomped to a halt, bending over to catch his breath.
“Sal, if you! If you ever, pull that stunt again.” he pointed his finger at her face, shaking his head with a wheeze. “I swear.”
She patted his head comfortingly with a smile to show she'd ignored every word he'd said. Their friends chucked along with her, Charlie reaching forward with a long arm.
“Giver her a break.” he pressed the neck of a bottle into Chett's temple. “She put together a hell of a show.”
Chett lifted his head enough to growl, swiping the bottle with a quick jerk, collapsing onto his back.
Leaning his head back, he scanned the stars. His eyes twinkled with the colours of the fireworks, the firelight dancing on his pupils moving side to side.
Sally pressed her feet against his, working them like pedals.
“Good legwork though.” she congratulated him, tipping her drink mockingly. Her smile widened as he tried to glare at her up over his chest. She buried it in her drink, stifling another fit of giggles.
Julie stood up with a start, pointing through the sleeve of her yellow jacket. A red and blue glow at street level parked itself on the far side of the field.
“Parties over.” Charlie grumbled, kicking out to follow Julie, taking a few uneasy steps downhill.
Sally stepped onto Chett's shoes, pulling him onto his feet.
“Same time next week?” she patted her jeans clean. Charlie and Julie laughed in reply, waving goodbye as they split apart.
In the distance, a flashlight stomped his way unsteadily across the park.
Chett shifted his gaze to the sky one last time, wrinkling his nose at the cold.
Sally bounced a twig off his skull, hauling him along by the front.
“You coming?”
He let her drag him along, the firelight dying in the corner of his eyes, one final shriek as the embers disappeared into the moonlight.

Chett blinked at the sunlight, clutching the doorknob for support. His free hand held up a baggy pair of pyjama pants.
“Can I help you?”
The officer stuck  his thumbs into his belt loops, swinging his wieght forward.
“You are, Chett Andrews. Correct?”
Chett nodded, pressing his cheek against his knuckles.
“Yes. Can I help you.” the words had begun to lose their sincerity.
Stepping back, the officer swung his oversized belly at the squad car parked along the street. Sally waved at him as enthusiasticlly as her handcuffs let her.
“Morning.” she chirped, a wide grin stretched across her face.
Chett's heart plummeted in his chest. He looked back at the officer, suddenly aware of how heavy his head felt on his shoulders.
“You're serious.”
The officer twiddled with a second pair of handcuffs, twirling them around one taunting finger.
“You're choice.” he grunted, flicking the tip of his hat. His eyes flashed with an unprofessional excitement.
“For fireworks?”
“I'm more concerned with how she got them, but yes.” he nodded solemnly. “For fireworks.”
Chett's eyebrows rose on his forehead with a smile of amazement.
“Fine.” he shook his head with a sigh.
Leaving the door open wide, he slipped on a decent pair of slippers.
“Les go.” he yawned, lacing his fingers behind his head for extra measure.

The officer's partner watched the two through the rear view, Sally perfectly at ease leaning against Chett like a pillow.
“I'm sure you'll be fine.” the partner smiled reassuringly. “I thought it was a great show.”
Chett nodded respectfully, wincing at the look the officer gave his partner.
Sally nuzzled her cheek into his shoulder with a contented murmur. Chett turned his attention onto her with a growl.
“You mind telling me what happened?”
She fixed a sleep heavy eye on his face.
“They knocked on my door this morning, looking for dangerous delinquents. So I told them the truth.”
“And you sent them to me because?”
She closed her eyes, settling back down against him.
“I would've been lonely alone.”
Chett grimaced, the partner blushing with a sympathetic smile.
“Aren't you just the sweetest thing.” Chett growled, palming his chin to glare out the window.
“I'd rather be spice than sugar.”
“You don't get to choose!”
“I spiced up your morning didn't I?”  she clasped her hands together, folding them together behind her head.
Even the officer couldn't hold back a grin.
“That's a winner you got there.” he slapped the steering wheel with a guffaw.
“Anything but nice.” Chett muttered to himself.
He settled himself in for the ride, hoping the police chief didn't remember their faces from the month before.