Soulless

SEVEN

The trunk of the large sedan slammed shut, making Caroline wince. Although she wasn't paying for it, every possible injury the rental car sustained made Caroline's mood worsen.

"Just because it's not your money," she said. "Doesn't mean you need to abuse the car."

Jackie slid into the passenger seat next to her, pulling her door closed with a loud bang. "It's not your money either, so why do you care?" She leaned her seat back and threw her feet onto the dashboard.

Caroline glared. "Off," she hissed. Jackie looked at her. "Off," she yelled.

Jackie pulled her legs down. "Jeez, girl. Chill."

"Don't call me girl."

"Fine, but chill out."

Caroline glared at her as she put the car in gear and pulled onto the road. This is going to be a long trip, she thought as Jackie turned the radio on.

"Something 'bout you-" the radio screamed.

Caroline glanced at her and then turned it off.

She turned it back on.

"A dangerous woman-"

She turned it off.

Jackie huffed. "Okay, we don't have to listen to the radio, but I'm not sitting in here in silence the whole time. So, tell me about yourself." She got no reply. "Okay, fine. I'm Jackie Michelson, if you didn't already know. I live wherever I can find work-"

Caroline cut him off. "I know enough about you. Just shut up."

Jackie blinked. "You know me?"

Caroline's brows furrowed. "Um, yeah," she spoke. "Jackie Michelson, infamous witch of the dark magic..." Jackie pursed her lips, confused. Caroline twisted her body toward Jackie, confusion written all over her face. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Jackie shook her head. "No, I-I don't... I work at a shop that sells black magic stuff, but I don't know anything about magic myself."

Caroline blinked. "You don't... remember?"

Jackie huffed, slightly angered. "No, okay? No. I don't remember anything from the age of sixteen. The only thing I remember is that I had a friend when I was like seven, something bad happened in the town we lived in, and I never saw her again."

Caroline turned away, her heartbeat steadily increasing. "Franklin French," she whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing," Caroline spat. She shook her head, "N-nothing. I was just remembering something, that's all."

"What did you remember?" Jackie asked.

Caroline paled. "It was just... something."

Jackie scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Someone has demons," she mumbled.

"I don't have demons. I just don't want to talk about it. Not with you."

Jackie laughed. "Seriously?" She got no reply. "Oh, come on. Don't you have a problem with your monsters?"

"No," Caroline said. "We have a truce."

"A truce? With your monsters?"

"Yes."

Jackie stared at her, waiting for more. After a moment of silence, she pushed. "Care to elaborate?"

"It's complicated."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "That's bullshit."

"Fine. you really want to know?" Jackie nodded and Caroline smirked. "They don't bother me, I don't blast My Chemical Romance at full volume when it's three in the morning."

Jackie blinked. "Wow," she said, turning her gaze to the landscape behind her window.

They rode in silence for several moments. "Wow, what?" Caroline asked.

Jackie turned to her. "What?"

"You said 'wow' but didn't elaborate. So what's 'wow?'"

Jackie chuckled. "I never would have pegged you for the emo sort."

Caroline furrowed her brow. "Emo sort? What does that even mean?"

"You know. My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, all those punk slash alt slash emo bands." She shook her head.

Caroline winced. Why do I even care what she thinks? She asked herself. She paused, thinking a moment. Damn you, Michael. I don't want to feel this.

"Are you okay?" Jackie asked her. "You seem... sad."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes, stop asking."

Jackie frowned. "It's just that-"

"You're not very good at reading people, Jackie."

Both girls sat back in silence: Jackie feeling insulted, Caroline silently cursing Michael.