For the Love of Justice

Chapter Twelve | I Got Ninety Nine Problems But Pussy Ain't One Of Them

Remember the day we first started talking to each other? 'Cause that's what started you and I. - Unknown

* 

One thing I'd come to realise about myself and my sister was that we both had the sometimes underisable trait of being stubborn enough to not let a problem lie until it was sorted out. I wasn't to the point where I would say my stubborness got in the way of apologizing when I should, or submissing to another who's views were more valid then mine, but my backbone definately had that steel rod of determination to succeed.

So that was why I was pacing in front of Archer Lambie's truck right after the bell after school, waiting for one boy and particular to come out and have no choice but to talk to me, because Archer was his ride home.

Stalkerish? Maybe. But like I'd said, getting to the bottom of the situation ran strong in my blood. 

The first person to stop and notice me was Aria, but I shouldn't have been surprised. She'd frowned when she had asked me what I was doing, and I had felt bad for lying to her at the time, but I had to.

"Mind telling me why you're guarding Archer's truck like a guard dog?" Aria's pretty face scrunched in confusion, and I stopped walking momentarily to answer her. 

"I have to give Marley some homework he missed out on this morning." The lie wasn't smooth or even remotely believable, but Aria hadn't pressed and grinned instead, wiggling her eyebrows at me suggestively. It may have also been because Marley had been in both English and Algebra today, so he had gotten the homework anyway, but I'd gotten no chance to talk to him during both periods, much to my frustration.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Only enough to give him his homework."

"Alright, whatever you say." Aria laughed. "We still on for tonight? I'll get the real reason out of you then." 

At this, I had rolled my eyes, but I was already grinning. "Yeah, come around about six, I'm thinking about looking for a job this afternoon." 

Aria nodded, waving at me as she walked away. "You better think up a better lie before six, one I might actually believe!" 

Fat chance, I was terrible at the art of lying.

So here I was, four minutes later, waiting for the infuriating, gorgeous boy who had been in my thought's often during the day, getting more nervous by the second and frustrated by the minute. 

When the school doors swung open to reveal the trio I had been waiting for, I was directly in front of the trucks hood, so I immediately stopped pacing and crossed my arms, trying to calm the flutters in my stomach at the sight of Marley. 

His walk was more relaxed then I had seen it for the past couple of days, and the fit of his shirt only emphasised the rolling shoulders underneath the fabric as he walked. His hair, caught by the breeze, three off more goldish brown highlights and although I'd stared at the enough over the past week, he never ceased to make me slightly breathless.

And just as I thought that, he looked up and saw me.

Here we go.

The moment they were close enough, I opened my mouth, not even giving him a chance to react. "Who do you think you are?" 

"Jag Morale, but thank you for asking." Jag answered from beside Marley, earning a glare from him and a slap from Archer. "Ouch, again with the violence." 

"She wasn't talking to you, asshole."

"Well I figured, but the art of humour must be lost on you too, Archie, as I had just formulated a joke-"