Influx (Book Four)

Chapter One

Hello everyone!! Welcome back to the fourth installment of The Mavericks Series. You may be asking who is Influx, why does the summary say the name Beta instead of Influx, and who is Calikta/Click?? I promise all will be revealed in time, but let's just say, you've never seen the side of the Mavericks that this book uncovers. 

I actually had to write this book three times to nail the MC, but I am really proud of how it finally turned out!! Beta is one of my favorite characters next to Aviva 👀👀 and I know how much everyone adores Aviva lol. This is going to be a wild ride for sure.

Without further ado, Influx.

Chapter One

All I wanted was to be alone after everything that happened. I couldn't stand the small talk, the superficial nature of every question, the fake interactions with people who would never know, who would never actually care. None of it mattered anymore, the only thing I cared about was getting my degree and getting a job and doing the one thing they could never take away from me. Science became the only thing I could focus on for years. I didn't care about making friends, I never wanted to give anyone that sort of power over me again.

But that was it until she stumbled into my life. Glancing over at Calikta who is working hard on fixing one of the boards she broke, the faintest hint of a smile twists onto my face from behind my scarf. The irony and the truth of the ideology that crazy attracting more crazy is not lost on me when it comes to our friendship. She is just chaotic enough that she can put up with me. She's also incontestably intelligent and it's comforting to be around and makes our communication seamless at times.

As if feeling my gaze, she glances over at me and gives me a big, crooked smile. She lets down her massive bush of unnaturally red curly hair before yanking it back into a messy ponytail and continuing to work. Her ponytail snaps after a few moments and I toss her another one before trying to focus back in.

Glancing at the blueprints in front of me in mild despair, I push them away from me and get up to go for a walk. Stretching my legs and arms out, the lack of sensation that is in my neck and my part of my face reminds me of what made me of why I live in this garbage place and I try to keep my temper from simmering. Now is not the time to stew in my rage, I have things I need to do today. Turning off the news in the background, I head outside and see a few squatters nearby. They don't even react at the sight of me, they just continue what they are doing. Click and I have mastered the art of mutually existing with most of the people around here.

I do detest living in this shitty part of town for certain reasons, I am always concerned with Click getting hurt, but the building is free, and we don't need to pay for anything but water considering what I can do. Glancing back at the decrepit warehouse, I lock the massive front door before taking a spin around the block. I see a mugging in progress and just keep walking; it's none of my business.

For a few moments, I enjoy the isolation the abandoned part of the city offers, my thoughts run wild as I think about the project waiting for me. Rounding the corner, I see Click on the roof checking if her board is working and I smile at the sight of her. Some days it's hard to believe she is significantly younger than me but it never feels that way when I talk to her. She's also the only person I can tolerate being around anyway.

"Calikta," I call to her and her almost black eyes are brimming with excitement as she hovers clear above my head. The faint breeze kicking off from the board ruffles my grown-out bob.

"I fixed it!" She says excitedly.

"You sound surprised, you always end up fixing them. If not, we can just make a new one," I say, and she spins around over my head. I will always order her whatever she needs.