Lost Minds

17

"Why are you in such a good mood today? You're kind of humming." Daxon asks, sitting beside me at my table in the noisy ever-crowed cafeteria.

"What are you doing sitting next to me?" I ask, tilting my head at him.

He grins at me.

"Where else would I sit?" He says, scooching his chair closer to my side. I sigh.

"Not next to me, try the trash can." I wave him off, turning back to the war victim book I picked up from the library earlier.

"You don't have to act like you don't want me around." He nudges my shoulder and I swat him away.

"You're right, only I'm not acting." I train my eyes back down at the pages of the book.

"So I was thinking that we could go back to my house today. It's been a while." He smirks as I put my book to the side.

This is the only thing I like hearing from him.

I smile, nodding.

"It's only been 2 days, yesterday felt pretty long." I whisper the latter part of the sentence.

'Why did it feel long?" I scoff, looking up at Daxon's curious face.

"Maybe Daylight savings happened, I don't know." Shrugging, the lunch bell rings and we get up, leaving the café.

My eyes glance up at Daxon. His bubbliness from just now has faded and a scowl rests on his face.

I'm always seeming to forget that I don't know this guy, nowadays. I'm getting too caught up on his wavelength and I'm forgetting what mine used to be.

Things I would swear on before, are hypocritical now. If anyone asks me a couple of weeks ago what I thought of having friends or even getting along with someone a little, I would've laughed in their face, but after Daxon...

I guess everyone needs someone to push all their frustrations on to and if that counts as getting along with someone then sure, I have someone like that.

I don't trust him but I can tolerate him, which is a lot.

Maybe it's cause he's no good for me. He's worse than I am.

And I love that.

***

As the dismissal bell rings proud, class ends and I pack up my things, heading off to my locker. Daxon stands beside it as I round the corner.

"Do you leave class early or something? The bell just rang." I say, reaching him and the locker as he chuckles.

"I'm just a faster walker. Hurry up." Rolling my eyes, I stuff my books into the metal box and we head to the main exit.

"I think we're friends," Daxon says, breaking the silence.

"I don't." The fresh early summer breeze hits us.

"You do." He says. I glare up at him.

"I don't do friendships." He unlocks his beaten-down car and I hop into the passenger side, while he does the driver's seat.

"Then what are we?" He turns to me in the confined space, with those cold eyes betraying his words.

"You're my employer." I state, tapping at his hand so he can start the car. He shakes his head as the engine comes to life.

"I'm not paying you." He turns the corner, as I set my cheek against the window.

"Yes, you are. This is an exchange of services. I keep you safe and you let me hurt people. We're both scratching each other's back." I say, as we drive down the road.