i drive better than i walk

[self_composed]

Bella leaves school that afternoon not having had any notable conversation with Delaney before or after gym. She's just making a beeline for the blue station wagon her dad found her, cheap and functional if not very loveable. She's got homework to pick through and an email to Renée to write. She might go to a movie with Jessica later.

Comments

[self_composed]

"I'm not actually sure I could bring myself to yell 'Alice' when referring to you in the first place. It's pretty hard to scream in a crowded room at all, and the difficulty increases when what one wishes to scream will predictably seem strange to the audience. Maybe I'll just call you Alice when talking at a normal volume, like this, and I'll call you 'belligerent idiot' if I have to break up another fight."

[edgeofyourseat]

"Works for me," he says cheerfully.

[self_composed]

"Well," she says. "Now we know each other's names. And nicknames. See you around, Alice." She mocks a salute, and hops into her car.

[edgeofyourseat]

He waves cheerfully to her as she drives away.