That Girl

Luka wasn't the type of girl who was friends with, well, many females. It wasn't for any other reason that she just...didn't get along with them. Her sense of humor was warped and most girls at Dulaney didn't care for it. She didn't bother separating the girls into their little cliques; she didn't judge people based on who they hung out with.

If that had been the case, she never would have dated Jack because she wasn't Alex's biggest fan.

But she didn't. Thankfully.

So when Luka was studying in the library during her study hall and saw Finley traipse in, she had no problem motioning for her to join her table.

Finley paused, seeming to contemplate her options before committing to anything. Her hand on her bag tightened before she walked to a different table entirely.

Luka didn't take it personally. She waited a few minutes before setting her pencil down and walking over to Finley, leaving her personal effects at the table. She pulled out a chair, ignoring the glare that Finley sent her, and sat down. "How are you?"

"I was well. Now my reading has been interrupted and I'm annoyed," Finley told her, sliding her bookmark into her well worn copy of Flannery O'Connor and setting it down on the table. "May I help you?"

"You know, I don't like Alex all that much. He's a little too hyper, a little too extreme, and he's impossible to be around when he's drunk," Luka said easily.

"But?"

Luka shrugged. "He's a good person. And I can assure you that he wouldn't be trying to build some sort of relationship if he didn't see something good in you."

Finley shrugged. "I'm sure a guy like him sees the good in all females," she muttered.

"You can say you don't listen to rumors, but I can tell you have. Alex isn't a bad guy. He's...a catch," Luka said. "Girls are drawn to him. He doesn't chase after any female with a pulse. He gets a bad rap, but if he's spending this much time just trying to talk to you, then he sees something in you."

Finley ran a hand over her face. "And?"

Luka shrugged. "And nothing. I just want you to know that he's probably not going to give up. He's stubborn as hell."

"Good for him."

"You know, Finley, making friends isn't a bad thing. I understand, you know? What you're going through."

Finley scoffed. "I'm sure you do."

"I've moved around a lot, too. It's hard to make friends when you don't know if you're leaving soon, you know?" Luka said. "This is my fourth school in the past eight years. But you're going to be spending a lot of time alone."

"Maybe I like being alone."

"No one likes being alone," Luka said with a smile.

"Maybe not the people you know. But I'm comfortable being alone. I like the solitude. Do not sit there and tell me what I enjoy," Finley told her.

Luka held up her hands in surrender. "I didn't mean to offend you. It's just my experience that it's easier to be alone than it is to put yourself out there and make friends."

"I really appreciate this whole afterschool special, my pain is your pain, let's be friends because I understand you approach that you're taking, but I can assure you that I am completely uninterested," Finley snapped. "Are you done?"

"I--"

"Let me rephrase: you're done." Finley pulled her iPod out of her pocket, putting in her headphones and turning her music on. She briefly sent Luka another glare as if to say please leave my table before opening her book and picking up where she left off.

Luka bit the inside of her cheek as she stood up and walked away. She really didn't know what to do.

+

"I'm tellin you, Lex, she's anti-social. She hates everyone. She's probably going to be that kid who brings a gun to school and shoots everyone," Luka muttered as the two of them walked to lunch.

Alex rolled his eyes. "I highly doubt she's going to pull a Columbine."

"Yeah, I bet the kids at Columbine thought the same thing about Dylan and... Eric? Was it Dylan and Eric? Oh, who gives a shit. The point that I'm trying to make is exactly the same. She hates everyone. She bit my head off when I tried to talk to her in the library earlier," Luka told him.

"Maybe she just doesn't like you. Ever thought about that?"

Luka shoved his shoulder. "Don't be a prick."

Alex sighed. "Look, I've been hearing from both you and Jack all day that I shouldn't waste my time talking to her. I get it, okay? I fucking get it. But you don't seem to understand that..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "I don't know. I can't explain it." And he really couldn't. It wasn't one of those I can tell she's different situations. It was just something that he could feel in his gut, something that told him not to give up on her.

"I don't want her to be your pet cause, Alex."

"I don't have causes," Alex said as he opened the lunch door and let Luka walk through first.

"I know you think she's hot, Lex. She's just your type, I get it. But I have a feeling that you're just gonna get hurt."

Alex rolled his eyes. "I don't get hurt, Luka. But thank you for worrying," he muttered sarcastically as he glanced around the lunch room. He was almost relieved when his eyes found Finley in the crowd and he walked over to her table, sitting down across from her. Instead of staring a conversation that would be doomed from the start, he simply pulled out his notebook and started writing.

Finley watched Alex closely for a couple of minutes, as if she was waiting for him to say something ridiculous. When he didn't say anything and just wrote in his notebook, she felt something in her stomach relax. She didn't feel as nervous anymore. And she was loathe to admit that, okay, when he wasn't talking, she really didn't mind his presence.

Just, well, when he was silent. Which she kind of doubted happened often.

+

While Finley was waiting outside after school for her father to pick her up, she saw Alex walking across the parking lot. She watched as he got into his friend's car and they drove off. Alright, maybe he wasn't that bad after all. But she still wasn't convinced that forming an actual relationship with anyone was the way to go. Besides, her mind was still preoccupied with the fact that there was a Federal Marshall waiting at her house. It took all of her energy to stay focused throughout the day and, now that she was waiting to go home, it was all she could think about.

When her father's car rolled up, she got in wordlessly. She automatically changed the radio station to something, well, better and looked over at her father.

"Is he at the house?" she asked.

Robert nodded as he pulled out onto the main road, headed for home. "Yes."

"What's the news?"

He shrugged. "Nothing yet."

Finley bit back a sigh as her father stopped talking and continued to drive. She knew better than to try to bring it up again, but that didn't mean she never would. It was only a few minutes later when they pulled into the driveway, next to a nondescript white four-door sedan meant to be inconspicuous. But Finley had seen enough of those to last her a lifetime. She grabbed her bag and followed her father inside, sending Marshall Walker a polite smile.

"How are you doing, Finley?"

"Well enough, I suppose," she told him. "And yourself?"

"Good," he told her.

"So what's the news?" Finley asked. "Are we good for now?"

Marshall Walker nodded. "We sent in an undercover to watch the guys. So far, all they know is you left Texas. They haven't been able to track you. And we're doing all we can to keep it that way."

"That's what you said when we were in Omaha," Finley told him.

"I know," Walker said. "But now that we have an undercover, you guys should be safe."

"Thank you, Walker," Robert said. "I do appreciate it."

Finley ran a hand over her face before crossing her arms over her chest. "How long are we going to be here?" she asked.

Walker's eyebrows furrowed together. "For a while, I imagine. The only reason you guys would leave would be if your location was compromised."

Finley sighed. "Great. I'm going to be stuck in bumfuck Maryland and it's November and I'm going to freeze to death."

"We'll buy you a jacket," Robert said with a smile.

"Good plan, dad, good plan," Finley muttered.

"Why don't you go for a run?" Robert suggested.

"Good idea," Finley said, though she wasn't sure if it was one or not. She just wanted to get out of the house. She walked down the hall to her room before changing into some workout clothes, just a pair of leggings, a sports bra, a tank top, and her North Face fleece. She dragged on a pair of Nike Shocks and grabbed her iPod. She still didn't know Baltimore as well as she hoped, but maybe the run would help her. Not to mention, it should help her clear her mind.

Which, yeah, was definitely something she was looking forward to.