< HSoS 22 | High School Of Scenes | HSoS 24 >

< HSoS 21 | H So S Timeline | HSoS 24 >

Antares After the talk with Principal Johnstone, Antares is moving through the hall towards the door at a pace just short of running. She slams into Furud as she comes around a corner, not watching where she's going.

Antares At first she looks like she's about to punch him, then slams her fist into the wall instead. "Sorry." She takes off again, headed for the door, wiping her eyes with her other hand.

Furud stumbles back, throwing up his arms, "Whoah whoah! Watch where you're going! Christ!" He pauses. "What are you doing here so late?"

Antares spins, breathing hard. "I didn't promise, right? Less than a week, Furry."

Furud moves to catch up to her, "What, you got detention already?" He seems amused until he sees her face. "Ani... Listen, let's get out of here."

Antares gives a choppy nod. She doesn't say another word until they're well out of the school, staring straight ahead like the pavement would escape if she didn't keep an eye on it. "I'm sorry."

Antares "I can't... oh." She kicks a car in the parking lot as they pass, viciously.

Furud reaches out to touch her shoulder, but pulls his hand back. After a second he does it anyway. "It'll be okay. Come on, let's go for a drive." He points at his car and smiles a little "just don't kick it, okay?"

Antares manages a little grin. "'Kay." She slumps into his car seat, jamming her hands into her jacket pockets and immediately pulling out the bruised one. "Ow. Fuck." A few seconds after he starts to drive, she says, "Conference with the principal."

Furud groans sympathetically. "Didn't go well huh?"

Antares "Dad showed up," Antares says flatly. "But he was being... fuck, I dunno, he was sticking up for me. He was mad." She's still working around to the big thing.

Furud "Wow, I uh, didn't expect that." he says, heading out of town. He waits for her to go on.

Antares "You an' me both." She glares out her window, fists clenched. "Johnstone said he wanted me to get a good start here. They're missing records from my last school because Dad forged the information and paid the school off so they'd let me in anyway." She looks over at Furud like she's daring him to say something.

Furud raises a brow. "Uh." he says intelligently. After a moment, he comes out with, "Did he really?"

Antares returns to staring out the window, an affirmative hanging in the silence.

Furud "Damn, girl." he says, a touch of admiration in his voice. He doesn't push her, though, and they drive along in silence for a while.

Antares starts to relax a bit as the distance grows between them and the school. Then she tenses up all over again and says, "Johnstone knows. I dunno how, but he does."

Furud "He's a weird old man. Knows too much. I swear the man has a fucking spy network."

Antares looks over at him, uncertain. "That doesn't bug you? That we don't even know what's going on with us, but he's paying attention?"

Furud "Honestly? It scares the hell outta me. I've tried to break into his office a couple times after hours... see what he knows." He shakes his head mutely. "The only time I got close to getting through his lock he fucking SHOWED UP."

Antares "Yeah? Fuck." Antares echoes his headshake. "I know I gotta calm down and think about this shit, but I can't fucking concentrate." She hits the inside of the car door, then grimaces. "Fuck fathers, anyway. If they're not no-good drunk assholes like yours, showing up every few months with a new girlfriend, they're..." she carves a hand through the air, lost for words.

Furud pulls up to the trail that leads down to the Hole and stops the car. "Fuck em." He agrees angrily. It takes an effort for him to pry his fingers off the steering wheel, but he parks the car and gets out.

Antares gets out as well, kicking a rock at the head of the trail. "Sorry. That was outta line." She makes herself look at him. "Being scared makes me mad."

Antares She looks like she's expecting him to take a swing at her.

Furud clenches his fists, but jams his hands in his pockets instead. "Yeah. But you were right. Damn them all anyway."

Antares slumps against the car hood, closing her eyes and counting breaths. "I'm not gonna run away this time. I'm staying here."

Furud sighs, and looks into the woods. "I'll help you get around, if you want. I have managed to pull off a couple things under the radar. And we can have hours of fun in detention together."

Antares opens her eyes and looks at him for a second, then nods. "You're good people, Furud. Thanks." It's her turn to reach out, hesitate, then squeeze his shoulder.

Furud smiles a little. "Don't tell anyone."

Antares "Deal."

< HSoS 22 | High School Of Scenes | HSoS 24 >

< HSoS 21 | H So S Timeline | HSoS 24 >