"Look at what you did! You scared your sister and got a tattoo! I can't handle this, boy!" Daddy yelled. I gasped and Daddy nearly passed out from shock. "You like it?" Mars asked, walking up to me. He held his arm out and I saw my name and mommy's name in pretty cursive. "I love it!" I breathed in awe. "I had them do your name first." He tells me. "Mari did this cursive." He added. I look up to see Daddy pacing the room. "Your mother is going to flip." He said, clearly irritated. "Why? It's in her favorite color." He said and Daddy smacked the back of his neck. "Don't get smart with me!" Daddy hissed. "How are you out?" I asked. Daddy and Mars stopped. "That's a very good question." Daddy said, narrowing his eyes at Mars. "My girls helped me. I'll have to be back in a few days though, the others think I'm in 'isolation' right now." He tells us confidently, using air quotes. "My boy!" Daddy said as I cried out "You slob!" Mars raised his eyebrow at me. "It's a cold world baby girl." Mars said and I crossed my arms. "You used those girls." I said. Mars shrugged. "They don't mind." He tells me carelessly. "Daddy!" I said, shocked. "Uh, son. Your sister is right. Let's go talk about your wrongs in my office and let her sleep." Daddy scratched his head. "Don't come to me when you need a female to fight them." I said, rolling my eyes. "That's fine, I have other females I could call on." Mars sauntered out the room and I scoffed. "Jail changed him, Daddy. I don't like it." I tell him. "Me either. I'll set him straight. Get some rest, baby." Daddy said. "Alright." I sighed. Daddy kissed me on my forehead before following Mars. "What a mess." I whispered. I laid my head on my pillow and quickly fell asleep.
I opened my eyes to see Lars breathing in my face. We stared at each other before I head butted him. "Ugh!" He grunted, moving away from me. He bent over, holding his head. "Good morning, sunshine." I laughed. "Why are you here?" I asked. "Word on the block is that Mars is out. Is it true?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. "Yes." I whispered, looking at my hands. Lars stared at me for a moment. He walked over and closed my door back. "What's going on, I thought you would be happier." He sat on my bed, looking concerned. I sat up. "He just acts different. I don't like this side of him." I sighed. "That's what happens when you get locked up, princess." Lars said knowingly. "You got locked up before?" I asked. He stared at me blankly. "Are you serious right now?" He asked. "I thought you would be able to avoid the law." I said quietly and he sighed. "You don't know me. My bad." He paused. "I've been locked up before, I currently have a case pending against me." He says honestly. "How's it looking?" I asked and he rolled his neck. "It's so-so. If I play nice until trial, I should be fine because they're watching me." He paused. "One wrong move and I'm out of here." He said. "I hope you beat it." I say, shocking myself. His eyes widened. "You do?" He asked incredulously. "Yes." I said. "That means a lot." He said. "It's a nice change of pace." He smiled at me. "Huh?" I was confused. "Usually people says stuff like..." he paused, thinking. "I hope they finally lock your ass up!" He said in a funny voice, shaking his fist. I giggled. "Give him some time, Neptune. He has to adjust." Lars said, holding my knee. "He's not out for long, he's only here for a few days." I tell him. "What if he acts like that forever?" I asked and Lars laughed. "I know for a fact he won't." He said. "This is only a facade so the other guys won't see him as a push over. It's a survival of the fittest kind of thing." He explained. He moved his hand away from my knee before adding, "You have nothing to worry about, Neptune." I watched him as he got off my bed. "I hope so." I said. "See you later." He smiled and walked out. I laid back on my pillow, deep in thought. Did I really just have a heart to heart with Lars, a stranger? A man whose guts I hated when I came back? Mars replacement? What was I doing? He's the enemy, not my ally. At school, at least...
After I got ready for the day, I went down to the breakfast table. "Mars, my boy! You act just like me." Axe said, laughing with Mars. I rolled my eyes. I made my plate as the others swarmed in. "Which one of you is Mars?" I heard, and I whipped around. It got quiet as I realized it was Lars who asked. "Me." Mars said. He grabbed a piece of bacon before he walked to Lars. "Why?" Mars asked suspiciously. "I wanted to meet the famous Mars myself." Lars said as he looked at me. Mars followed his gaze and caught a attitude. "Why are you looking at my sister? You like her?" Mars spat. "He's cool. Chill." I said. I sat down next to Daddy, who was watching them interact nonchalantly. "If you know what's good for you, you'll listen to your sister." Daddy said seriously. "I have to see if he's cool myself." Mars said, smirking. I rolled my eyes. "I'm Lars." He spoke up. Mars stared at him. "You do look like the Lars I heard about." Mars said, finally biting his bacon. "That shoot out you was in downtown. One of the dudes you shot was locked up with me. He just got out." Mars tell him, trying to get a reaction out of him. "And? I'm not scared." Lars said, no emotion crossing his face. Mars smiled. "The dude who looks for trouble and doesn't run from it. I like it." Mars nodded his head. Daddy and Axe started laughing. "What a jokester." Daddy said, laughing harder. "We should hang before I go back in." Mars said and Lars nodded. "Cool with me." Lars said and went to make his plate. I released a breath I didn't notice I was holding. "Neptune you driving today." Lars said randomly. "What?" I asked. "I have to fix my bike and I'm not riding on the back of anybody's so you have to drive us." Lars tells me. "Alright, I guess." I said, faking a attitude. Lars walked over to sit next to me. "It's 7 A.M. There's no way you already have a attitude with me. I'm too charming for that." Lars said, laughing. "You must not know my sister." Mars said, and everybody started laughing. "Shut up." I said, irritated. "Look at what you did, Mars." Daddy said. Mars walked over to me. "You mad at me, lawn gnome?" He teased. "I have to hear the story behind this name." Lars said, interested. "We're leaving now." I said, and got up. "Neptune, wait." Lars called out. Without looking at anyone, I walked out. "Boy!" I heard Daddy exclaim and a slapping noise. I ran to my room to get my bag and keys. "Neptune." I heard behind me. I turned around to see Lars casually standing in my doorway with his plate. "Yes?" I asked. I tried to read his face, but it was nearly impossible. "Are you okay?" He asked, and my mouth dropped. "What?" He raised his eyebrow. "No dude ever came to ask me was I okay when I have a attitude." I tell him. "And why is that?" He asked. "Daddy told them not to." I replied. " I don't listen to the rules." He laughed. "I'm ready to go." I tell him. I walked past him. He caught up to me and wrapped his arm around me. "Me and you against the world, friend." He laughed in my ear. "For a guy with your reputation, you sure do laugh a lot." I said, and he laughed harder. "How can I help myself when I'm around you? You're a comedian, Neptune. You one of the few people who make me laugh." He tells me. I was confused. When did we decide to call ourselves friends?
