…………………………………………………………………………… Chapter Twenty-One: A PHONE CALL. “Justin. Justin, we’re there.” CAUTIOUSLY, THEY STUMBLE out of the car and onto the sidewalk. It is around 3:00 in the morning, and still there are many people walking around. Pretty much all of them look like they’re drunk and high as kites. A tall muscular blond creepily smiles at Justin and eyes him the wrong way. Justin quickly grabs Brian’s arm to be protected. Brian gives the angry fuck-off-Kinney-stare as they cross paths and the tall blond walks away. “Come on we have to find Emmett,” Brian says. They’re both restless and impatient because of it. “Maybe there's a phone in there,” Brian says, pointing at a place with a sign saying Woody’s. They walk up the stairs and enter the small bar. Brian goes straight to the bartender with Justin close by his side. “Can I use your phone?” Brian says, a little ruder than he had intended to. “If you want to use the phone, you have to ask this guy,” the bartender replies as he points to a dirtily dressed guy sitting on a stool. “Him?” Brian raises his left eyebrow and looks in his direction. After the bartender nods, Brian takes hold of Justin’s hand and walks over to the guy. “Hi,” Brian smiles courteously. “Can we use the phone?” “If you want to use the phone you gotta pay, honey.” The man’s voice is rude and deep. “Okay?...” Brian raises his left brow. He looks at Justin and takes out his wallet from his back pocket, but the man stops him. “I never said in money.” He crooks a smile in a repulsive way. His laugh comes from deep inside his throat. “The fuck-” Brian says. “I just want to use the phone.” The guy makes an I-like-it-when-they’re-rough kind of look in Brian’s direction. Brian arrogantly takes the phone from the bar counter and turns his back to the guy as he dials Emmett’s number. He takes the phone with his right hand and puts it against his opposite ear. Justin waits while Brian’s telling Emmett where they are. “He’ll come to find us,” Brian informs Justin. “Em, what were you saying about Justin earlier?” Brian asks. “I can’t tell you right now, there are too many people around me.” Emmett answers, covering his intercom of the phone. "Okay, see you, I have to go.” Click. Brian hangs up and turns to Justin, giving the man one last glance before they leave Woody’s. It’s cold but the ambiance of the street makes them feel safe. They walk around, trying to look for the place where Emmett will meet them. “Where is it again?” Justin asks, feeling a cold breeze hit his skin so he wraps himself in his shirt more and gets closer to Brian. “He said a diner with lots of colors and rainbows.” “Like over there?” Justin points to a diner situated between two porn stores. “I don’t think so, he said it was on a street corner.” “Well there’s gotta be like twenty diners around here,” Justin says. “Fuck Emmett and his lack of information.” Brian’s curses float in the air while he searches for the diner with rainbows. On the corner of a street, they look up to a sign saying Liberty Ave. ……………………………………………………………………………