You Will Be More Chill

Chapter Two; Reasons Not To Get Into a Jeep with Rich

I fiddled with my hands, waiting out by Rich's car. He told me to meet him here after school at the end of 6th period. He refused to give me any more answers than that, but for some reason, I trusted it. While he targeted kids to bully, I knew I wasn't one of them. For some reason, it was almost like I even scared him. I knew that wasn't true, but I liked to think it just in case it was. Soon, I saw Rich walking towards me and his jeep.

"Hey!" He greeted me when he got to me. I was surprised to see that there wasn't anybody else with him, but I chose not to question that fact. "Get in, Lily, we're going for a cruise,"

I knew he meant drive, so I got into the passenger side car. I had told Michael and Jeremy that they could just leave without me. They asked questions, but I simply brushed it off as 'plans with another friend came up at the last second'. They believed it. I was in pretty much every social cliche, but I strayed mostly towards the 'geeks/nerds'. (look it up, there's a difference)

Rich started the car, and I buckled. He began to drive, and I nervously tapped my foot. "So, you like Headphones, right?" He asked me, smirking because he already knew.

"How did you know? Is it really that obvious?" I buried my face into my hoodie, sure I was a bright red.

Rich snickered. "It's so obvious. Now, that's part of the reason why I wanted you to come with me. You're a loser, a nothing," I frowned at his choice of words because, as much as it was true, it stung. "I know how to change that,"

I raised an eyebrow, looking at him. "You do?"

Rich parked his car in front of a Payless shoe store. "Do you remember me freshman year?" He asked.

I paused. "You didn't go here freshman year?" Or, at least, that's what I thought was true.

" I did!" He countered, staying in the car and looking at me. "You just didn't know because I was a loser like you!"

That was pretty funny, but I didn't dare to laugh. "You were?" I asked, once I realized that he was being serious.

"Freshman year; I didn't have a girlfriend or a clue. I was a loser, just like you! Good times would only sore by," He explained.

"Okay, but how are you popular now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I got a SQUIP," Rich explained to me, grinning ear to ear.

I pursed my lips together. "You got a squid? What...what does a squid have to-"

"Not squid! SQUIP!" Rich pinched the bridge of his nose, flinched, and he let go of his nose.

"What's a SQUIP?" I asked. "Is it like drugs?"

"It's better than drugs, Lily. It's from Japan. It's a gray, oblong pill with quantum nano-technology CPU. The quantum computer in the pill will travel through your blood until it implants in your brain, and it tells you what to do." Rich grinned, tapping his forehead. His veins began to glow with a bright blue color, causing me to stare.

"Rich, oh my God, you're glowing!" I exclaimed, still staring at his arms and then his face. This wasn't normal.

"It's the SQUIP," Rich snickered. "You need one,"

I frowned. "Things like that must cost a fortune! I don't have that kind of money,"

His veins stopped glowing. "Six hundred dollars, but since I know you really, desperately need it, I'm going to pay for it. You have to pay me back eventually, though,"

"Will small amounts over time work?" I asked.

Rich nodded, getting out of the car and gesturing for me to follow. I did, and we walked into the Payless shoe store. There wasn't anybody else at the store, and this felt pretty illegal. Then again, it probably was. He said something to the guy at the counter, who looked over at me and nodded. Then, Rich grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the back of the store.