Lethal Passion (Jeff The Killer)

Chapter 16. Car Trips

After we finished, mom and dad came in, ordered and sat on the table beside ours. I went to the bathroom and once I came back, Marika is gone.

"Where's Marika?" I asked Liu.

"Outside . . . 'exploring'." He said sarcastically.

I nodded and looked for her outside. Where is she? I circled the building and saw her behind it, fiddling with her phone as she sat on the ground under the shade of a wooden board. I gave a sigh and stood up while leaning on the wall beside her.

"Moving sucks, huh?" I yawned.

"Yeah, it's an unstable life." She laughed dryly. "But you know . . . at the very least, I'm glad you guys took me in in the first place. Living in an orphanage would be a lot worse."

"Well . . . Mom does like kids." We laughed. She kept her phone in her hoodie and stared far away.

"Hey Jeff . . . shouldn't you hate me?" She said after a while.

". . . Why?" I was a bit taken aback of her question.

"Well, my mom－my real mom and dad . . . you know . . . had an affair." She sighed.

What's with the drama? She really is becoming a teenager, just like me. Thinking about things like that, I heard girls becomes dramatic over some things and are sensitive too. Just then, an idea popped up, I hid a mischievous smile that was showing up . . .

"I actually hated you from the very start." I said coldly down at her.

【Marika's POV】

What he said caused me to look up at him. Very funny . . .

"It's funny how I . . . how we managed to keep this act for this long though." He looked at me straight in the eye. "Mom and dad were strangely growing apart ever since you came."

I couldn't talk, I couldn't move, I couldn't look away from his cold gaze. I was frozen in place as I listen to him. He can't be serious . . . can he?

"We adopted you just so we can have a proper reputation in the neighborhood. Dad wouldn't want any negative rumors about him, would he? all this time, it was an act." I started tearing up at his words.

"You're a burden."

Tears started flowing out as he said that. I stood up and walked away, I don't even know where I'm heading. A burden . . . one of the names my real mom calls me. I wiped my tears away but it just kept on coming. Ugh, where the hell am I even gonna go? I keep on walking a straight path.

"Hey! I was joking!" Jeff shouted as I hear him running towards me. Oh god . . . I want to bash his face!

"JOKING!?" I shouted angrily. "IT'S NOT A JOKE IF IT ISN'T FUNNY!"

"Oh come on . . ." He pouted as he desperately tried to hold back his laugh. "There is no way that we could ever think of you as a burden." He added.

I rolled my eyes as I turned around and walked back to the diner with my hands in a tight fist, completely ignoring Jeff. I'm just annoyed at him for making a stupid joke, that was hurtful. Idiot . . .

I stiffened as I suddenly felt arms around me. I turned around only to face a grinning Jeff. I was about to protest but he spoke up,

"I will always care about you." He hugged me tighter.

I felt heat rise up to my cheeks as my heart started to beat faster. How can he say that so easily!? And what's with this hug!? 
He pulled away and gave me a warm smile as I blushed a darker shade of red.

"W-Whatever." I said as I looked away from him. A few seconds passed by as we stood there, looking for something to break this awkward silence.

I looked at him and saw him starting to blush as he averted his gaze.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing . . ." He looked down at his feet with a flushed face.

"Okay . . . I've known you for years." I looked at him with a bored face. "I know it's not 'nothing' so why don't you just tell me?"

"W-Well . . ." He hesitated. "For some r-reason, your chest got bigger." His whole face turned red.

"Who the hell says that!?" I shouted to hide my embarrassment.

"Which is why I didn't want to tell you!" He retorted.

"Well- OH! Let's just forget about that! Deal!?"

"Deal!"

We both turned red in the face as we walked back to the diner. What an idiot! Doesn't he realize that I'm growing up? I'm human too! Oh my gosh . . . it's so awkward!

"You were as flat as a board before . . ." He suddenly whispered to himself. I reached over and hit the back of his head. "Ow!"

"Shut up!" I blushed as he laughed at me. Sheesh!

I saw dad through the window, paying the bills for our meals. Jeff and I decided to go inside into the very, very small convenient store beside the gas station. I used my pocket money to buy a few sweets, drinks and chips for the ride although something has been bugging me . . .

"Hey, did mom and dad really grew apart ever since I came?" I asked Jeff with a worried look.

"Nope, I told you it was joke." He rolled his eyes. I resisted the urge to hit his head with the sports drink I was holding. "Actually, they became closer for some reason . . . maybe it's because dad saw how kind-hearted mom actually is?" He added.

"Yeah, mom is awesome for taking in a child from her husband's affair." I grinned. "Maybe dad fell in love all over again after seeing mom's kindness in a whole new level." I laughed.

"Gross, what's with this love talk?" Jeff shuddered as I laugh at him.

"I'm glad though, I never felt left out or out of place, not once in my life. You guys made me fit in." I smiled as I recalled the first time I met them.

Out of the blue, Jeff flicked my forehead.

"What was that for?" I rubbed the sore spot.

"Stop being a drama queen, you sound like you're saying your last words." He laughed. I rolled my eyes as I paid for the things I bought.

We walked outside and saw mom, dad and Liu waiting for us at the car. We hurriedly ran up to them. I opened the door and to my devastation, my chibi doll fell into the dirt. No! Marshall!

"Marshall got dirty!" I panicked as I patted away the sand.

"That stupid doll again?" Jeff muttered

"Shut up! It's special to me!" I got inside and closed the door as I removed the dust away.

"You do realize it looks creepy, right?" Liu added.

"It's beautiful." I said sternly as I glared at the two of them. This doll holds so many memories, it's special to me . . .

It was mom's turn to drive. Luckily, she knows how, I kept my doll in my bag that's containing my laptop and gently closed it. We sped off into the distance, back to being trapped in this car . . .

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They're becoming teenagers... and Liu's becoming an adult 
('･Д･)」

THANKS FOR FOLLOWING ME AND VOTING!!

Next part is where Jeff and Liu gets in trouble... if you know what I mean. 
o(╥﹏╥)o