Freaks

1(Continued)

They sneak their way out of the back door. Malakai's old rusty, baby blue truck waiting like a finish line in the alleyway. All of them spring inside, Malakai and Aster in the front, Luka and Harper in the back.

The gray-clothed seats are torn up just as bad as the rest of the truck, slowly wearing away, showing pieces of the yellow cushion underneath. Along with the stench of heat and gasoline as Malakai starts it up, is cigarette smoke and heavy cologne filled in the air.

They all sit in silence. Considering what they've just listened to, what they've just heard, what they've just witnessed.

"Let's talk about this...later?" Aster suggests into the lingering shock.

The back stays quiet, Harper's confused as to why they wouldn't call anyone but she knows she doesn't have room to talk, she's already let a possible crime slip through her hands because she was just as scared as they are now.

"I think that'd be best," Malakai says as he shifts the lever into reverse and slowly pulls into the dim, empty streets.

Aster ends her worries and gives a frowny smile at Malakai and the others, "Does anyone have gum? I swear the crap on the floor somehow ended up in my mouth."

The two in the back shake their heads, still in fear. Malakai turns his head slightly to her, "How do you taste it? Did you like...lick it or something?"

"No," She peers, "it's because it fucking evaporated into the air and now I've breathed it in...taste like...radiation."

He frowns, "Gross. Floor licker. We can get you some tomorrow."

She laughs, not exactly enrolled in his joke but now his features. Her eyes wander the bridge of his nose which has a little bump in the middle. A perfect head, she thinks, he has a slightly larger forehead but it's never been a problem to her. Muscles, broad shoulders, a little tummy underneath his collared jacket, she knows every detail about him, even the way he smiles, such a pretty smile. She knows well of that smile, when he uses it, how he uses it, and what it does to her. When he doesn't smile, she still memorizes his lips, every time he talks she can imagine kissing them.

She finally strips her eyes away, digging her hand in the cupholder to bring out a cigarette box and lighter.

"Who wants one?" She asks with a hopeless sigh.

Malakai tilts his head again as his eyes stay on the road, "Me."

She sticks one in his mouth, watching his lips bite onto it as she flicks the lighter and burns it until the gray smoke starts to pour up. He puts his head back normally and she turns to Luka, he doesn't say anything, just takes the lighter and the stick, stamping it in his mouth, lighting it.

She holds one to Harper, who stares at her repulsively, "No thanks."

"Against the rules."

"What?"

"Three out of four, you lose, take it." She wobbles the stick in the air.

"I need to learn these rules apparently," Harper murmurs as she grabs it and places it in her mouth. Aster turns as Luka hands Harper the lighter.

She uses both hands and puts her thumb on the wheel and flips it. A few more times. "My god." She mutters to herself. The cigarette teeters in her mouth, even if she did get it started, the cigarette wouldn't catch the flame very easily. Again, it clicks but doesn't flash.

Luka gets aggravated. Just as stressed as her, he takes the stick out of her mouth and trades it in with his already fired one, snatching the lighter from her hands, "You're so helpless." He lights his then throws back the box and lighter to Aster who quickly lights hers and dumps it all back in the cupholder.