"I can't even describe it if I wanted," his dad says. "It's an underhanded slight of tone, the way he turns any conversation around and puts the blame somewhere else. In two breaths I'm arguing, and the original topic is forgotten."
"So, he controls you?"
"Yes, I suppose he does." It confirms what Grayven already knows, he's a master manipulator. Like the child who lies so much they believe they're telling the truth, he has honed his persona perfectly.
He slams the door and comes around the corner, "What's for dinner?"
"Not even gonna say hello to your mother?" his dad still has attitude.
"Hi mom, what's for dinner?"
"Chicken and vegetables."
"I hate chicken," says Grayven which sends his dad storming out of the room.
"You can have water if you want."
"Fine he says, but hurry up. The school's having War Games and then a dance."
"You haven't even asked to go," yells his dad from the living room.
For one second he puts on his nice face, "Can I go to the school sanctioned sporting event tonight, please?"
"As long as you do your chores tomorrow."
"Thanks mom, can I get some money?"
Later that night, he makes a perfunctory appearance at the school's massive sports arena. The thing is lit up like a Christmas tree, using enough energy to power the town for a year, but no one seems to mind. Grayven doesn't really have very many friends so he chats with his PE teacher, just in case his parents ask around. After that, he steals someone's hat and plugs the incinerator chute, which brings out a small army of repair bots. Satisfied his alibi is secure, he cuts across the field and heads for the exit. At the last minute, he looks up into the stands and catches Liberty's eye.
She flashes him a smile and even from this distance it hits a place inside he is unaware of. He knows she's wearing red nail polish and light lipstick today, because with her he pays attention. She had two waters and a meat sandwich for lunch, which she spent with Bradly and Ranada. Ranada is ok, as long as her mouth is shut, but she's part of the package. Liberty and Ranada are inseparable, so he has learned to tolerate her.
"Are you okay?" comes the encrypted message over his neural net. He can hear her voice in his head and he likes the way it sounds. She's using Integry, an obscure site with sensitive filtering algorithms and strict monitoring protocols. It's far from what most of the kids use, and he only downloaded it because she wasn't on any of the more popular sites.
"Why do you care?" is his sharp reply before he can think. He always operates out of impulse and now he's mortified. Looking away, he rushes for the exit, then stops dead in his tracks. He's mad and doesn't know why, a mix of emotions flooding through his overstimulated mind. Betrayal, hurt, longing. No one's ever asked him that before, ever.
"Don't be embarrassed," her sincerity rings clearly inside his head and he imagines the glint in her blue-gray eyes.
She's playing a practice joke on me,he thinks, some obscene prank to draw him in then pull the rug out, like hewould do. "Nice try, Liberty, catch you later." He runs out and disappears intothe night, intent on the task at hand.
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