Chapter 6: Trouble

Zayne's viewpoint

The frightened skip of my heart, the first in three months. I caught her before she landed on the hard ground. Although death was impossible from such a distance, injury was not.

"Whoo! You did it, brother!" She shrieked, throwing her hands wildly, and smacking my face with no care. "That was like a crazy trust suicide… Aaaah!" She screamed as her body went down to the ground. Her actions were unnecessary and chaotic to my years of practice-hardened heart. I do not need anyone to evoke any slight reaction than the given.

"Walk," With that order, I spun on my heels, heading back to my car as calmly as possible. I was not.

"Well, that was rude," I heard one of her friends say, not sure who, but the guy found comfort in laughing. Zyaire still stood by my car, waiting while the others went to his. He raised a questioning brow at me.

"I'm not leaving her behind," I said, glancing back at her. She wasn't there. Zyaire shrugged, pushed himself off the door of my car, and walked past him, slipping something into my hand and patting my shoulder before leaving. I raised and unfolded my palm to see a pack of flavored condoms. Groaning, I turned and threw a glare at his back which he knew due to his laughter.

"Idiot," I muttered. I hid the pack in my zip pocket. I looked around, no Larissa. Guess she ran away. I was far behind schedule so she would be dealt with later. Dipping my hand into my front pocket for my key, I furrowed my brows when I found nothing. I searched my pockets, but nothing. I went over to the car to look in through the window, maybe I locked myself out again. To my utter and unbelievable surprise, I found Larissa inside my car, sniffing it.

How did she get in?!

"Larissa?" I knocked on the window. She raised her head, grinning boyishly when she saw me. "Open the door," I said, gesturing for her to open the door. She climbed over from the passenger seat and manually unlocked the door. She could have just remotely opened it. She climbed back to her seat while I slipped into the car, already figuring out how she got in. She stole my key when I caught her. "And why did you steal my key?"

"Why is the moon white?" She mused and then shrugged. "Nobody knows just like I don't know, case close, problem solved!" I slam the door shut, shaking my head. She went back to sniffing my car and I dare not ask why. I started the car and drove off. I need to pick up my sister's medicine or I will be dead before sunset.

Running out of time.

"So, these sisters of yours, are they cute?"

"Yes."

"Are they nice?"

"Depends."

"Are they married?"

"No."

"Ooh, what does this button do?" I smacked her hand away from the air conditioner button. "Oomph, sorry… Ooh, What about this?… Ow… Okay, no touching, got… Hey…"

"Don't even think about it, Justice," I warned.

"You know, you can just call me Larissa, Justice is too formal."

"Yes, too formal for two people who have shared a brief intimate moment, isn't it?" I teased, smirking when she clamped her mouth shut, her cheeks pinkening. Blushing has never looked cute on someone, especially when the person is her. "Do you want to tell me why you kissed me?"

"No." She said before she even registered the question.

"And why not? Do I not have the right to know why a random girl walked up to me and kissed me?"

"It's not like it's the first time,"

"But it is the first time the girl kissed me with hair all over her face and scooted for the hills afterward. Now, that isn't normal, is it?"

"Nothing personal!" She shouted, unnecessarily. "My friends and I always play a game, a dare game. Each one of us makes a request every new semester and the pack follows through. The consequences of not doing it are running naked in the boy's locker room and indirectly inviting rapists. After seeing you, the punishment would be worse. I would have to run naked in the middle of the first game and that is a very, very, bad idea! I can't run naked in front of everyone, the entire school, and more! My dad would skin me alive and force my dead body to chew my skin, I can't!"

I smiled. "I know," she gasped outrageously, causing me to chuckle.

"If you knew the whole time, why make me live in fear?" I shrugged. "Let me guess, you enjoy watching me pretend?"

"Somewhat,"

"So you don't like my lips?" She murmured, though she didn't intend for me to hear that. I looked over to her when she sighed and looked out of the window. There's a backstory to that statement. Do I care enough to know? No, sentimental stories would get me into trouble. I looked away, continuing the drive to pick up my sisters.

~~~

I parked the car carefully in the parking lot, glancing over at Larissa. Unfortunately, the peace didn't last. Just two minutes into the silence, she went back to singing, unfortunately. The more I told her to be silent, the more she sang.

"Zayne!" I smiled, shutting the door behind me. She ran towards me, throwing herself midair, a move that would get her killed one day if she didn't learn to throw herself at those who would actually catch her. Her unusual laughter meant something good happened. Jewels is too much of a shy person to laugh this much. She jumped on and attached herself to me, locking her athletic legs around my waist and almost unremovable grip on my neck. "Zayne, guess what? I got a lead role for my school's upcoming drama!"

Knew it.

"Really? And what lead role is that?" I asked, drawing her skirt down to cover her lap.

"Well, you were right, I got the character of the quiet green snake antagonist, but it's a start, right? My first big role! Isn't that just wonderful, big brother?"

"Yes, wonderful. Can you get off me now? Rihanna is impatiently waiting for her turn," I smiled, looking over her shoulder to my youngest sister, impatiently tapping her foot, waiting for her turn to hold me. Unlike Jewels who was more glued to Zachary, I was Rihanna's favorite. The moment she gets her hands on me, no one else can. Hence the rule, she always holds me last because hers is almost forever.

"Oh, right," Jewels slipped down from my body and moved aside. Rihanna giggled, running towards me with arms spread wide apart. I picked her up and carried the giggling four-year-old in my arms.

"Bunny Bunny, I learned a new word today and something amazing. Do you know that claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed places and claustrophobic is someone suffering from claustrophobia?"

I gasped. "No, so the fear of tight places is called claustrophobia? Who would have thought," I said with fake bafflement. I walked around to the passenger seat, she always sits in front. I forgot Risa was sitting there, but she wasn't there when I opened the door and dropped Rihanna.

"Phobia entirely is the fear of anything, do you know that, Bunny Bunny?"

"Wow, no. Riha, you are a sheer genius,"

"I know, right," she said smugly. I smiled before shutting the door. I walked around to the driver's seat, got in, and slammed the door shut. Riha was looking at the backseat, kneeling on the seat and holding the headrest with her little palms. "Bunny Bunny, who's the pretty lady?" That was unfortunately when I remembered I came with someone, and that someone was staring at Rihanna like she was the missing ingredient to her pie. Touching Rihanna would be the biggest mistake of her life. Just like Zachary, she hates physical contact with any human other than her chosen few.

"That's my classmate, Larissa. The one I mentioned this morning,"

"Ooh, ooh, I've always wanted a friend whose name is Larissa, can we be friends?" Jewels asked excitedly, excitement pushed by her recent success because she would never be that bold.

I drove off as Rihanna gave her 'the eyes'. Result of having Savia as a favorite big sister.

"Sure, why not? It's nice to meet you…?"

"Jewels, age thirteen, and the girl who is still unsure of her future!" She squealed. I rolled my eyes. Rihanna raised her hand like a student in class.

"Larissa, how old are you?"

"Seventeen, you?"

"Four,"

"Can I hold you, please?"

"No." She deadpanned.

"Awwn," Risa awned disappointingly, "but you are so cute,"

"I am not a squishy toy, young lady, I'm a woman. Big women don't get squishy hugs from people," says the kid who still sleeps while hugging her mother. "And I don't play with strangers. Mommy said beware of strangers. Plus, strangers are unpredictable and covered with germs. What if you haven't washed your hands? What if you smell? What if you're sweaty? No, no touching. I have a phobia of close physical contact… Hey! Do you know what phobia means?"

"The fear of spiders?" Larissa asked. With that look on her face, I wasn't sure if she really didn't know or was just acting. With the kind of person she is, I wouldn't be surprised.

Riha giggled. "No, silly, it's the fear of things like claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces. Can you spell it? Claustrophobia?"

"I think I can," she scrunched her face in exaggerated thoughtfulness. Definitely pretending. "C-l-a-u-s-t-r-o-h-o…"

"Wrong!" Rihanna shouted with glee, "This is how you spell claustrophobia. Ahem, c-l-a-u-s-t-r-o-p-h-o-b-i-a, repeat after me, you can do it,"

"Wow," Risa cupped her cheeks, "you are a sheer genius, puffball. You can spell it so well!"

"I know! Hey, pretty girl, can you cook? Do you like ice cream? Do you like cartoons?" Riha asked with eyes twinkling wide with curiosity.

"I know how to cook, who doesn't like ice cream? And cartoons are the best. Have you seen Sofia the first?" Riha nodded, "Clover is my favorite, you?"

"I like James, he's nice and pretty too. Have you seen SpongeBob?"

"SquarePants,"

"Paw patrol?"

"Love the boy,"

"PJ masks?"

"Owlette's powers are the best,"

"Vampirina?"

"Not a fan of the blue skin but love her mother, pretty awesome bloodsucker," And she officially found a place in Rihanna's heart.

"Eek! You know everything! I like you, will you be my new friend too? I can show you my Monster High collection! Big Zee bought it all for me and Bunny Bunny bought my collection of Pony princesses! Wanna see?" Riha never shows people her collection, how did Risa make it there so fast? They got into a conversation, Jewels included.

Larissa knew how to speak both the language of a kid and teenager, she knew exactly what to say and how to react to their every statement. Everything about her is intriguing, every moment makes me more curious. What exactly makes her tick? What dark secret does she conceal? Everyone has a dark side, what is hers? Why do I feel like she should only be with me? Like she is the only one that can fish me out from the sea drowning me?

Larissa Justice is different, weird, and intriguing. She is trouble.