That Girl is a Problem

Arthur’s Outfit

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Arthur had spent his Saturday at the theater, picking up yet another shift from a coworker desperate to give them up. Frankly, Arthur didn’t get it. Why work a job when you were constantly giving the shifts up? But that gave him the night off, so after 3 PM, he drove his and Susan’s shared car back to his apartment.

It was new to him, and still severely under furnished. He had a couch, an older TV, and his bedroom all set up. A few pictures were on the tables in the living room but most of his shit was still packed away in boxes. Arthur was in the middle of playing a video game – Undertale, one of his favorites even though it was a few years old now – when he got a call. He glanced at his phone, expecting Susan to be calling him. To his surprise, it was Maxine.

He and Maxine had somehow become close over the past year. Ironic, given he hated her guts every time he had to listen to her and Chad screwing. He still hated her sometimes, but a part of him couldn’t really leave her alone, too, especially after he saved her from dealing with some really nasty people in that alley by the shady bar downtown.

He swiped to accept the call and paused his game. ”The fuck do you want?” He asked. He recalled her saying that she was going to go and do something illegal today. He made a face. He didn’t really approve of illegal substances.

Arthur blinked when she responded. ”If you didn’t think I’d pick up why the shit did you call me?” He asked. There was a pause between them that made Arthur shift, and glare up at his ceiling. Something was wrong, she wasn’t teasing him the way he usually did. If she had, he would have hung up on her.

When she said she was stuck in some ghetto town, Arthur made a face. ”You fucking serious?” He asked, running his hand over his face. When she said she had no way back to Salem, Arthur knew she needed a ride. There were likely no buses that ran this late and, even if there were, they likely didn’t travel long distances. And there was the option of a train, but he doubted Maxine had money on her if something went wrong.

”Where are you?” He asked, ”And don’t just say some ghetto-ass town, because there’s a fuckton of those outside of Salem.”

Arthur could tell by her tone that she was serious, she sounded resolute and hopeless. It was a weird feeling, hearing her sound to empty. Arthur was used to her sounding full of life and banter. He didn’t like this tone very much.

When she said Bucketsville Arthur made a face. ”Whoever named that town wanted it to fail,” he said, pulling his laptop off of his game and opening Google Maps. After asking for a street address, Arthur plugged it in on his maps and got directions. He choked on air. ”Two hours and fifteen minutes?! The fuck are you so far away for?!” he practically yelled, aghast. He remembered she said she’d had some illegal activity planned and shook his head. ”This is why I told you that you shouldn’t do whatever you were planning.”

Arthur stared at his laptop screen, as it blinked the directions to get to Buckettown or whatever the fuck it was called. The weather alert on his screen said severe thunderstorms were passing through the area and he heard the tell-tale rumble of thunder from Maxine’s end of the call.

”Yeah. Well clearly it was worth it,” Arthur said sarcastically, a bit too cruelly, wondering what exactly went down at this drop. Did she get mugged, her things stolen? Well, she clearly still had her phone she was calling from her own number. Was the stupid drop the only thing they hurt? Did they hurt her? God, he was going to kill her for putting herself in this shit a situation. ”I know I can’t tell you what to do Maxine, but fuck, I -- ,” He exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. It was like 11 at night. He wouldn’t get back home until at least 4, and then he opened the theater the next morning at 10 AM.

Whatever. He could buy a coffee on the way to work.

”Are there any buildings near you? Any landmarks? Like that – “ He saw a little building not too far from the address he had, ”That 24 hour laundromat. Is it still open?” He asked.

Arthur frowned, though he knew Maxine was giving up. In a sense he hated it. She never gave up or agreed with him. His voice was softer when he continued to speak. ”Get to the laundromat. It’s open all night and it’ll give you shelter. I won’t be able to get down there for two hours and fifteen minutes, and I don’t want you to catch a cold, Maxine.”

He exhaled and ran his finger through his hair, standing up. He grabbed the plaid shirt off of his couch and buttoned it up to his collar over the white tee shirt he wore, for more warmth against the cold. He threw on his jacket and zipped it up, the sound faint through the phone. ”I’m going to use my phone for directions, so I’ll have to hang up. Call me if anything happens when I’m on my way,” Arthur said.

Arthur didn’t expect for her to thank him, but when she did, it sent a pleasant warmth throughout him. So she did appreciate this. She had to, if she thanked him so sincerely. And honestly, Arthur didn’t think he’d ever heard Maxine so honest with him before.

He hung up his phone and grabbed his portable charger in case he needed it. He exited his apartment to the assault of rain coming down. Fortunately it wasn’t as awful as it seemed initially. He unlocked the 2002 volkswagen he was currently borrowing from Susan. The gas tank was half full so he made a quick stop to the station, filling it up. He then hooked his phone up to the dashboard and put on his GPS, giving it a moment to register before he had it spit out directions.

He kept the radio at a low volume to hear the directions from his phone, faint pop music playing and not really registering in Arthur’s ears over the sound of rain against his roof. After about an hour on the highway, Arthur had to take backroads to get to Bucketsville, in the dark, alone. It was honestly a daunting drive and scared him – what if he broke down or his signal went out? Just in case he pulled over and screenshotted all the directions. He made it, though, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the town of Busketsville greeting him an hour and twenty minutes later.

The thunderstorm was in full swing now, and lightning flashed overhead. Arthur drove through the run-down streets, noticing most buildings were boarded up. A few cars were on the side of the road and ironically Arthur’s car was one of the newest ones he saw. He eventually reached the laundromat, and parked outside. Out of instinct he locked the car and stretched his legs, before he spotted a familiar girl sitting just beyond a window.

Arthur pocketed his phone and entered the laundromat, heading towards Maxine. But when he got closer he saw her shirt pressed against her eye and his eyes widened, before he knelt down in front of her. ”Maxine? What the fuck – “ but when he did that he saw the rest of her – visibly injured, damaged, scraped up. He blinked, feeling a surge of anger. ”Maxine, are you okay?”

Arthur wasn’t amused by her joke, or by the wince she gave when she tried to laugh. They really got her good, and it pissed him off. It pissed him off that she’d come down here with no backup, even if she was as tough as she was. When she said she had worse that made him frown. He reached over and touched her chin to get a better look at the eye. She had the right idea with the rolled up shirt.

”You saying that doesn’t make this better,” He sighed out. He narrowed his eyes at her. ”and you having had worse doesn’t make me feel better, either.”

She explained she got jumped and Arthur rolled his eyes. ”Well that’s what happens when they think they can overpower you,” he said. He scowled as she flexed her hand. ”Fucking cowards, cornering you and then mugging you. This is why you don’t go places alone,” he grumbled. ”Well, I have a first aid kit and dry clothes at my apartment. No way I’m bringing you back to your place when you look like that.”