Tightrope

Fuck the System by Fucking Each Other

The politically correct Lena in my head screamed 'UM, YES.'

She was as annoying as Hartley sometimes.

"Good afternoon, Jace," Liv said warmly. "Hey, Daria. How are you guys?"

Liv and Alec had been the rare kind of older students that managed to befriend everyone in the entire school. She was the older, perfect version of me. Kinder, prettier, funnier, more alluring. Everyone loved Liv. Most people struggled to branch out beyond their own exclusive friendship circles, but Liv managed to have deep and meaningful conversations with 90% of the school body. She was similar to Daria in that way, though Liv's cutting humor was completely absent in her 2.0 version.

If Jace hadn't already monopolized Daria's friendship, I was sure Daria would live here, hanging with Liv and Alec.

"I'm great!" Daria said cheerfully.

"I've been better," said Jace. For such a mediocre statement, his tone was equally as chipper. "Lena made me feel bad about myself. She says I'm not welcome."

I gasped. "You snitch, bitch!"

Jace looked smug. Daria, in rare and incredible form, looked mildly exasperated. Liv looked horrified.

"Lena Katerina-Millicent Montez!" Liv exclaimed, turning to me with a critical frown. Behind her back, Jace mouthed Lena Katerina-Millicent Montez? When I didn't correct Liv and confirm that my name was something less pretentious, Jace was forced to hide his derisive snort in Daria's shoulder. She patted his head sympathetically, recognizing that resisting the urge to openly mock my name was slowly killing Jace.

"Why yes, Olivia Rose Montez?"

Jace had recovered enough to comment. "If you were trying to make her name sound as pretentious as yours, you have failed significantly."

"Shut up."

"Lena!" Liv admonished.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Jace, come in. Don't listen to Lena, you're very welcome," said Liv. "Daria, do you want to stay for a while? Alec and Kaelin are here."

Daria brightened. "Sure, I'd love to. I was going to have to come back to pick Jace up anyways."

I nudged Jace. "Aw, is Daria your chauffeur?"

Jace rolled his eyes, and didn't deign me with a response. I knew as well as he did that he wasn't eighteen for another two months. And honestly? Daria was an excellent driver and those two were completely inseparable; after he sat his test, I couldn't see Jace ever getting behind the wheel again. Daria would drive him around forever.

For all of her kindness, she did that anyway. She grabbed Jace's wrist now, dragging him behind her into the house. I followed them in, shutting the door behind me.

When Jace took in the entryway, his eyes widened. Daria had been over before, plenty of times. It was odd, when I thought about it. I rarely saw Jace without Daria, but I had definitely seen Daria without Jace. I wondered what Jace did without her, especially now that he wasn't dating McKenna anymore. Returned to his shiny, hot corner of hell to plot my demise? Murdered puppies?

And why did I suddenly care?

Nice Jace was sending me for a tailspin, even if he was a suck up snitch.

"Well, now I understand why you're such a lazy shit," said Jace. "You have to run a marathon to if you want to leave your room for a bowl of ice-cream."

I primped my hair. "That's why I have an ensuite kitchen from my bedroom."

"You're shitting me."