Freaks

7- Invisible Knives, Real Guns

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Harper keeps her back bent over, hiding down in the truck. Hopeful Jackson won't see her. The windows being her exposure.

Luka stares at her intriguingly as they drive past his house. She eyes him from the side, not convinced to talk to him.

Malakai glances at her from the rear-view mirror, "Sore back or what?"

She breathes but her backpack stabs her chest so she rises straight, "I told Jackson I cut you guys off so...you know."

"Did what you had to."

I'm sure Luka will love it. "Yeah." She replies, "Jackson's easy to lie to anyways."

"Don't get used to it. Lying is my job, it bothers me too but I can deal. I just don't wish that on anyone else."

"I don't feel too bad about it yet. Mostly because it's Jackson."

He nods, "So, no after-school hanging out anymore?"

"Nope. Not even car rides."

Aster turns her head slightly, "We'll miss you, Harp."

"I know." She smiles and looks over at Luka whose arms are crossed, "Won't you?"

He tilts his head back in amusement, "You wish I would."

"Mh." She shrugs, "Not anymore. Which is what you wanted, right?"

He smiles, almost genuinely, "No, you're still here." Harper stares at him with an empty mind of comebacks and his smile disappears as he looks to the ground, "I don't know why you won't just leave. Completely."

Aster twists and scrutinizes him, "Luka, shut up."

"These are my friends." Harper continues.

"Don't expect me to ever be yours." He mutters back.

Aster sighs annoyingly and gives up, turning back to the front.

"I just said I don't." She bellows, "I don't want to be friends with you either."

"Oh." He chuckles, "Really? Why? Because I made you mad? That's exactly how it works for you."

"Because that's what you want. You want me to stop trying to be friends with you." She pauses, "Or do you not? Do you just like me chasing after you? You like the attention?" His shadowed eyes start to deliberate her words, "You act like you're so flawless, Luka, but yours show just as easily as mine."

He shrugs off his focused eyes and raises his angled brows, "Sometimes. But I was just asking if I was on your dirt list yet. Wish I was but it sounds like you're still doing something for me so...obviously I'm not."

"Did you just admit to liking attention? You're such a piece of shit."

"Then why are you giving me any of yours? If it's such a problem, why keep doing it? Giving up on trying to make us friends because it's what I want? It's stupid. You shouldn't want to be friends with me." He laughs, "But it makes sense. You can never do anything for yourself, can you?"