∆Clay∆

       You would think my job was done, but it wasn't. We had only made it to level one. With Fuller, we were stuck on level zero for the longest. He was a piece of work, that's for sure. And I still had other things to deal with.

       I lit a cigarette after turning off my phone, before pulling up to my high school. I would be leaving this dump soon enough.

       "Smoking, again?" A voice said, making me turn my head in its direction. Arlo quirked an eyebrow at me, clearly annoyed with their nose turned up.

       "Hop in, I just lit it so I'm not putting it out." I talked around it.

       They glare at me for a while, before pulling their shirt up to cover their nose and getting in. They slam my door shut, throwing me a glare as they put their seatbelt on. Once their settled, I pull off from the school and turn on the radio.

       "You skipped, again." Arlo said shooting me a look, unamused by my behavior.

       "I had work, you know this. I don't just skip to skip- all the time." I corrected myself before they did, as they sighed.

       "You're wasting free education, this job can't be that important…. I just hope it's legal." They said shaking their head, as they changed the station from punk to a station that played a variety of song genres.

       "I'm a senior. All I'm trying to do is get the rest of my credits, and walk across that stage." I replied while making a turn. "And it's not illegal, I told you that already."

       "Anndd I'm supposed to just take your word it?" They turned their head in my direction, with a quirked eyebrow.

       "Absolutely, or you'll be walking home. Or worse, taking the bus." I nodded with a grin stretched across my face, but their poker face told me they weren't shaken up about it.

       "That's one strike for skipping." is all they say before turning to look out the window, with a huff.

       "Does that mean we're not celebrating?" I asked glancing at the back, where his backpack was and something covered in a drape with a blue ribbon it.

       "Why are we going to celebrate? I won by luck, anyone can make a building with a working clock out of macaroni." They said with a shrug.

       I moved away from him roughly, causing the car to jerk a little. They quickly turned to look at me with wide eyes, obviously bewildered.

       "Sorry, didn't want to get struck by lightning from your lie." I muttered and quickly got punched in the arm, making me crack a grin as I winced a little. "Don't abuse the driver, we could get in a car crash if you did that."

       "Good, I'm tired of you and this car."

       I gasped and shot them a glare, "What did Frankie ever do to you?"

       They scoffed, "Exist. The same goes with you also."

       I immediately made a turn off the street, to park it and scowl at Arlo. They breathed heavily, gripping onto the door and their seatbelt. Eventually they turned towards me scowling right back.

       "You're nuts!" They shouted as they took their seat belt off flimsily.

       Before I could respond, there was a knock on the window on Arlo's side. We both turned to look. A mix of brown, green, and gray eyes stared into mine. I blinked for a while then quickly rolled down the window.

       "Uh...yes?" I said quirking an eyebrow, as they glanced in multiple directions.

       "Is everything okay...here?" The person said, glancing between Arlo and me.

       I would have thought they were a police officer, if it weren't for the apron covered in dirt. And a shop filled with plants right behind them. But hey, maybe they had two gigs.

       "Yeah…" I said narrowing my eyes at their face. I was trying my best to read them, but they just kept smiling, it was creeping me out.

       "Okay." The person said, their smile only growing as they started to move away.

       I was about to start the car, when I heard them mumble. It was obviously toward Arlo.

       "Are you alright…?" The person asked, and from the corner of my eye I saw Arlo nod.

       Eventually the person left, but did throw a few glances my way. I rolled my eyes as I hear snickering next to me. I glanced to my right to see Arlo smirking.

       "You almost got in trouble." They said looking right back at me.

       "What's he going to do? They're about small as you, maybe even more." I scoffed as I was about to drive out of the parking lot.

       "I meant with the law. Anywaaay, you said something about celebrating." They said opening the car door on their side a little.

       "And you said you didn't want to." I replied, but they were already out of the car and heading inside the shop.

       I sighed as I once again put the car in park, before turning it off. I still had a job to do, and that was to keep an eye on lover boy.