She was unsure whether this would end well. But she had to look.

The computer ran Windows. Elena had only used

Apple

since college. She found it charming how a subset of boomers only used 

windows

. Tolerated it's terrible user experience. Using the computer took her back to freshman year. Of college.

she had shown up to campus with a HP laptop. It was several hundred dollars cheaper than a 

Macbook Pro

, so she couldn't justify buying the latter.

But after a few weeks use it was obvious. This HP wouldn't even last the four years of college. It was past the free return date at 

Best Buy

so Elena ended up having to pay a 149 dollar fee. Got a Macbook Pro instead. Ended up using that even throughout grad school.

She didn't tell most people that she had a 

phD

.

People responded funny. Some would try not to offend but still try to figure out why she was working at a grocery store. Others would skip straight to saying you're too good for this job!

She had her reasons. She wasn't interested in explaining to others. So she never mentioned grad school.

She had told Marc though. He didn't say anything about it besides the fact that he might like going to grad school someday.

Elena looked in the system for Stephen. Found his address. Took a photo of it using her phone. Closed out of the program and logged off the computer. And then went out into the store and walked out of the store as casually as possible.

She walked around the town square rather than going straight back to her apartment. Kevin would be free to go to Stephen's with her in about an hour. She had time to kill.

As she passed the Social Cantina she craved for a house tequila. She wasn't looking to get drunk. Instead wanted the feeling of alcohol, salt, and lime in her mouth.

Inside she had two shots of it. It was a quiet night. The students were out of town. She paid the bill, left a large tip. And went outside and made a few laps around the square until Kevin called her.

"Where you at?"

Kevin picked her up in the parking lot of the county library. As soon as she got into the passenger seat and closed the door, he lifted his shirt and showed her his gun.

"I got this baby to keep us safe tonight."

Elena felt uncomfortable. Thought few things. Maybe just not say anything. Or to say she didn't want to do this tonight. And then finally decided to say, 'look i don't feel safe with that."

A dejected look from Kevin. That look went away as he said, "I'll put it away. And then we can go?"

Elena thought. Then agreed.

Kevin lived only four blocks away. North where there was nothing but student housing.

Elena wasn't sure why Kevin even had a gun. She thought only country folks had them. But apparently not.

She thought of the neighbors she had had when living in such housing. Did any of them have a gun on the other side of those paper thin walls without her even knowing?

The heater was on. The air was dry. 80s rock played at a reasonable volume as the engine roared from stop sign to stop sign. The brakes grated and the car came to a stop.

"I'll be right back," Kevin said.

Elena nodded. Watched Kevin as he walked up the outside stairs. The kind that looked like those motels. She tapped a rhythm using both hands on the console in front of her. Then she turned the volume up a bit. Bon Jovi.

Ohhhh we're halfway there.... ohhhhhhh ohhhh living on a prayer

BANG BANG

What the hell, Elena thought. That was. Those were gun shots?

BANG.

A man ran down the stairwell. A man who wasn't Kevin. He noticed that the car's engine was running, ran towards the drivers' seat. Elena tried to get out of the passenger seat. But the handle was jammed.

The man pointed a gun at her. "who the fuck are you?"

"Nobody. I don't want trouble."

"Get out of the fucking car then."

"I'm trying! This handle's jammed!"

"Well I don't got time to stick around here. I'm leaving."

He put his foot to the pedal. Tires screeched against the asphalt.  Elena stopped trying to open the handle once the car was going past 20 mph. Gripped on to her seatbelt for dear life. It was fastened wasn't it? She was paranoid that it had come undone.

Honks blared at them. The man with the gun was speeding and swerving more. Bon Jovi kept singing.

We got to hold on, to what we got, it doesn't matter if we make it or not

Elena gripped at the seat belt. Sweating. She was unsure whether this would end well.