PK / PETER KAVINSKY

6.

Genuinely, I was a little shocked at how much I enjoyed the guy's company. Sure, his cockiness and sense of humor was a bit dodgy but he set me at ease in the truck and kept up a steady stream of chat.

"So," He started, putting on his turn signal, "I know you're super smart, but how come you never come to any of the parties? You're invited to almost all of them."

I interrupted him by clearing my throat heavily,

"Not Gen's." I smiled through gritted teeth and he laughed,

"Didn't realize you were so bitter about that." 

"Oh, I'm not." I replied hastily, "Honestly, any party she's hosting is a waste of my time."

I caught his wry sideways smile.

"No offence to you of course." I added.

"None taken, none taken." He dismissed my comment casually and tactfully said, "She's not everyone's cup of tea." 

"You can say that again." I sniffed. "Somehow you two match perfectly."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Peter asked indignantly and I met his eyes briefly to check if he was actually annoyed by what I had said. The dimples that were beginning to appear on his cheeks told me otherwise.

"Well, it's true. You're just the classic douchebag jock and she's the classic basic bitch." I said seriously, now knowing he would play along with the game of insults I had started.

He scoffed,

"Brutal. I'm actually quite hurt." He mimed a pain in his heart which made me restrain a smile. 

"Two hands on the wheel please." I teased and Peter made a big fuss of putting his other hand back up onto the wheel.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, enjoying the warmth of the truck and the comfortable silence that had settled over us. Glancing over at me after a few minutes Peter said,

"Hey, shoes off my truck Hughes."

I stuck out my tongue and he grinned, resuming his focus on the road. I had no clue what "the diversion" was that he'd mentioned earlier but I knew this side of the neighborhood pretty well and so wasn't too worried.

"You know," Peter said thoughtfully after we'd passed a few more blocks, "you're very good at dodging questions." It seemed like he had been thinking this for a while.

"Oh yeah?" I rested my head on my knees, turning to face him, "How so?" 

He studied my face at the next stoplight, 

"You never answered my question, why do you never come to parties? It's not like you're not cool enough."

"Why thank you, I really appreciate your seal of approval."

Peter gave me a "for real" kind of look,

"Answer the goddamn question Hughes."

"It's never really been about that. The whole "cool" thing I mean. I've been there, done that in 7th grade." 

"Oh right, I see, so it's that you're too cool for them, I get it now." He ran a hand through his tufty hair, loftily smirking at me.

"You know what I mean." I muttered.

=>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

After another ten minutes, Peter pulled up to a cafe not far from where I lived, maybe a 20-minute walk, if that.