The Joys of Arson

6

Walking to Judd's shit-green range rover, Alix enters the passenger side, with Judd following on the driver's.

"You still have yet to actually hang out with me, retard"

"Ugh, do I have to?"

The devious boy glimpsed at Alix from the rear view mirror, smirk forming across his face, while she looked out of the window longingly.

"Who shit in your cereal this morning?"

"Life"

"Ouch- sucks to suck"

As Judd speeds through the school zone, almost running over 7 pedestrians, and finally drifting into a parking space, more horizontal than vertical, the pair slowly walk to their shared home room, but not without people staring and whispering to one another.

The embodiment of a blonde, ditzy bimbo blocks your path

"Oh, hi! You must be new!"

"I- yeah"

"Fuck off Lia, I've already claimed her"

The blonde scoffs at Judd's remark but continues to try and make conversation with Alix

"Aaaanyway, I'm Lia, and you should join theatre!"

"You really think she'd be into that gay shit? Puhlease"

"You don't get a say in this Judd, I'm my own person"

Once Alix stood her ground, Judd's eyebrows furrowed whilst glaring at Lia

"I'll consider it, but don't count on it"

"Yay! We love fresh meat down at the theatre, I'll text my friends right now to tell them the news. Meet me at the quad during break, kay?"

"It wasn't officia-"

And just like that, Lia scurried off to text her friends who were within feet of her but just had to text them.

"Hey, Judd?"

"What?"

Scowl still plastered on the boy's face, Alix thought it would be best to let him cool off for the time being.

As the summoning bell rang, Judd grabbed Alix's wrist with a firm grip and the two trudged to an abandoned shack near the track field used for old equipment.

"I don't want you talking to Lia"

"And why's that? She's overbearing but probably means well"

"You don't know her like I do"

"What do you mean? Is she like your ex or something?"

"Ew, god no. I don't feel like explaining"

Alix looked around at her surroundings, some rusted chain link fence and grass patches filled with weeds beneath her feet. Gross.

As the girl was observing the scenery, she was oblivious to see Judd pulling out a cart of Marlboro reds from his back pocket and lighting up.

"Dude, we'll get in trouble if someone finds you with cigarettes!"

"Ok, and?"

"AND? Judd! It's only my second fucking day of school here! I don't plan on being expelled within the first week"

"If you do get expelled, it'll up your cool factor for sure, I sure as hell know that you don't have any street cred in this district, my friends think you're a pussy"

"Just because I have a pussy, doesn't mean I am one!"

Hearing that retort, Judd choked up while taking a drag, briefly coughing, followed by a small chuckle

"Maybe I should bring you around my group, they'll either hate you or love you"

"That's comforting, not giving me an option to make friends myself"

"I wouldn't trust you to"