polarize :: [hood]

[iii.viii. the kids aren't alright (remix)]

She clears her throat, attempting to push away from him. She's glad half of her face is not only hidden beneath a hat, but behind her oversized glasses, today. "I am nice to you."

"No," Luke replies. "You're not."

"I am," she exclaims, wriggling in his grasp. "I'm so nice--"

"Kennedy."

She pouts in his arms, "What?"

"Stop."

And to his surprise, she does, shoulders drooping.

"Are you ready to go?" She exclaims. "We're gonna be late to schoo--"

But, Luke turns her slowly in his arms, forcing her to face him.

"Kenn," he says, hands on her shoulders.

"What, Luke?" She grumbles, hating now that she's got to look up into that wide-eyed, concerned face of his.

He shakes his head, eyebrows pinched. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't fucking tell me nothing, Kennedy," he exclaims. "It's like, everytime we're together I do something wrong," he frowns, chuckling softly. "What'd I do now?"

"Luke, it's nothing--"

"Kennedy," Luke exclaims, frustration growing. "What the fuck, Kenn? Why can't you just tell me the truth?"

"'Cause you'll laugh at me!"

"Laugh?" Luke shakes his head. He wasn't expecting that. "What makes you think I'd laugh at you--?"

"Look," she shakes her head, "it doesn't matter. Can we drop it?"

"We haven't even talked about anything?"

Kennedy pulls away. "Exactly," she nods. "And we should keep it that way, okay?"

Luke shakes his head. "Whatever, Kenn," he steps away from her. "Honestly, it's whatever."

__

The ride to school is pretty much silent, save for the sounds of the radio and Luke's, "Thanks for the ride," that he mumbles halfway out of the car as Kennedy parks in the school lot.

"No problem," she calls to deaf ears.

He's halfway across the lot, backpack over his shoulder.

"Solid start to the morning," she mutters, rising from her car and grabbing her books. She's grateful to see Lola, as she fixes herself in her mirror, swing into the space beside her.

Boys are hard. And complicated. And honestly, Kennedy just needs to vent. Everything always seems to go wrong with Luke every time she thinks things are actually going right.

She needed some girl talk.

And she shifts her bag upon her shoulder, leaning against her car to wait for Lola, when she realizes that her friend isn't alone.