The Tales of Flesh and Blood

Barbeque And Drive-Ins

"Was it Landon?"

Jaxon asked as he drove, his eyes firmly fixed on the road while I sulked in the passenger seat. It was true, he was not driving the same car as he had when he went to my apartments. Rather, he was driving a decent enough pick-up truck that couldn't have been older than perhaps five years. I had been dozing off, the sun just behind us, when he'd asked the question. I startled, carefully rubbing my eyes.

"What?"

"Landon," Jaxon repeated, briefly taking his eyes off the road to look at me. "You're not the only one that gets word around school."

I focused my gaze out the window.

"If you already know, why'd you ask?"

"Because rumors are not facts."

Good point. Without looking at him, I replied,

"He didn't do this, if that's what you're asking."

"So then what's going on?"

"Nothing that you want to get involved in."

Jaxon grunted disbelievingly. "Suddenly you're an expert on me, now."

I just snorted in response. I heard him sigh.

"Tria, I've seen how you walked around in the halls this past week. You're stressed as hell, and you look like you decided to be someone's punching bag for a few hours."

I winced at this remark.

"You really know how to talk to a girl," I muttered, not caring that he could hear.

"Is it Frenice, then?"

Ah, so he did know.

"I did my research on him," he added, if not hesitantly. "I know who he is."

I scoffed out a laugh, finally turning to face him.

"Then why the hell are you asking about him, hmm?" I challenged. "You trying to be a big tough guy? I can't think of many who tried and succeeded at that."

"Tria-"

"No, Jaxon," I interrupted. "Let me make this clear. I'm not in a trusting mood, and I can assure you that if I ever do decide to trust those around me, the son of a businessman is not going to be at the top of that list."

"That's a little much, coming from the daughter of a prostitute," Jaxon snapped, and I saw on his face that he regretted it as soon as the words came out of his mouth. "Damn, I didn't-"

"No, Jaxon, you're right," I agreed, if not a bit sarcastically. "Neither of us are in the trustworthy sorts. So, if you mind, give yourself a few more years before you decide to try getting involved in my problems."

The heavens knew how much I wished I could do just that. I wouldn't want to have my problems, either.

The sun was completely down by the time Jaxon stopped the truck. I had fallen asleep - again - and it was the sudden silence of an engine being cut that startled me awake. We were off the road, parked on a steady rise with a series of other vehicles below us. Confused, it did not immediately click with what we were doing until I noticed the huge screen further out in the clearing, and turning around, my suspicions were confirmed when I saw a projector on a higher rise than us.

"A drive-in?" I said, incredulous. Jaxon, a smile curled at his lips, nodded.

"There's a few locations that hold them every now and then. This one is playing The Beetle and the Fool, I think."

I frowned, trying to wrack my brain over the familiarity of the title.

"Isn't that movie like, forty years old?" I asked, straining to remember what it was about.