"When the hell did you get that?" Eli asked as Alaska showed him the small hawk wings tattoo on her index finger.

"Few days ago." she said with a laugh, "My bagger ring covers it pretty well around my parents."

"Badass, Laska." he grinned, kissing her knuckles and handing her the red solo cup, "Whats going on with them?"

"Same as always I guess, my dads pretty pissed at me joining karate." Alaska said honestly as she took a sip of the strong drink, coughing slightly, "Said he wanted to be the one to teach me how to fight."

"You're grown, he's had all t-" Hawk began before he stop his conversation, eyes focusing on something behind Alaska with a faint smile. Alaska turned her head, finding Moon walking down the hill with a smile his way.

Alaska rolled her eyes as she sighed, "You should go talk to her."

Eli looked at her in disbelief with a blink, "What?"

"Moon." Alaska said, trying to not seemed so annoyed and off putting as her arms crossed, "You should go talk to her. Just try to complement her, make her feel good about herself and make her laugh."

Eli stared as her for a second, opening his mouth before shutting it again, "You really think I should?"

"Yeah." Alaska said with a shrug, looking away as annoyance danced within her eyes, "I mean, what's stopping you anymore?"

He looked hesitant for a moment before a wide grin spread across his lips, "I'll meet up with you in a bit."

Alsaka gave a sarcastic smile as he ran off, rolling her eyes as he did so before exhaling.

"What the hell is going on with him?" Demetri asked as he came up by Alaska's side, coca cola in hand.

"I can't explain in, Metri." Alaska said as she sat down on one of the logs and downed the rest of her drink with a wild cough, "He's just different now, I guess."

"Different? That's beyond different." Demetri said in disbelief while Alaska nodded in agreement, "Don't you miss him?"

"Of course I do. But I can't just sit here and tell him I miss when he was a shy and scared guy when he likes himself now, that would be the most selfish thing." Alaska spoke annoyed, her ankles rubbing together as the bandage made friction, the new place she'd been shooting up at.

"It has nothing to do with confidence or anything else." Demetri said as Alaska looked at him with a sigh, "He's nothing like he use to be, personality wise. I know you see it too."

With that, he left her on the log, making Alaska sigh.

As the sun fell down the Lee girl disappeared behind a tree, resting her foot on her leg as she pierced her skin with the needle. She needed it, not that she was in any pain considering, she'd already done it just before she got here, but because she needed something, anything. Demetri opened her eyes a bit more, said what she'd been thinking this whole time but was too afraid she'd look selfish if saying so.

She wasn't selfish, she just missed the person that use to be her best friend.

"Hey, where are you going?" Aisha asked as she saw Alaska head out toward the lake, "It's freezing out there."

"It'll be fine." she said with a laugh, pulling her shirt off. She wore her baiting suit underneath just incase. Aisha gasped at the sight of Alaska's stitches, while they should have healed weeks ago, they looked torn and inflamed.

"Alaska, stop." Aisha said as she tugged her arm to stop her from getting in the water, "You're gonna get a infection, why haven't they healed? Why haven't you been taken care of yourself?"

"Leave me alone!" Alaska snapped at her, pulling her arm free.

"Hey, what's going on?" Miguel asked as he stumbled slightly, three beers in, over at the pair.

"Jesus Christ, why can't anyone just mind their own damn business?" Alaska snapped as she threw her shirt at Miguel's face, pushing past him and walking away. The scene drew enough attention for Eli to tell Moon he'd be back, running after Alaska.

"Alaska! Hey! Get over here! I'm talk to you!" he yelled at her, following her up the hill.

"I don't care." she rolled her eyes, ignoring him until his hand wrapped around her wrist and spun her around, "Leave me alone, Eli!"

"No, what the hell is the matter with you?" he snapped at her quickly, Alaska yanking her hand from his grip, "You're being such a bitch right now."

"Oh, how sweet. I really could care less what you think." she said annoyed, trying to walk away again as he pulled her back with a annoyed expression, "Leave me alone!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded to know, holding both her wrist tightly so she couldn't move.

"You! You're what's wrong with me!" she yelled at him, freeing her hands and pushing his chest forcefully, "I'm so tired of this shit!"

"What? That I care about you?" he asked her in disbelief, throwing his cup down on the ground in annoyance.

"No! You, all this bullshit you're doing!" Alaska yelled at him, her face reddening in anger, "Why is everything about you so different?"

"Things change, Alaska! This is who I am, I figured you'd be happy for me!" he yelled at her as Alaska scoffed again, crossing her arms as her teeth grinded together.

"I am! But I don't understand why your whole personality, your whole person, is completely different!" Alaska went back at him, slowly feeling the large weight behind lifted from her chest, "Nothing about you is the same anymore! You don't act the same, you don't talk to me the same, you don't even hang out with me anymore unless we're getting tattoos or at practice!"

"There's more stuff in my life now! You just hate that my world doesn't revolve around you anymore!" he yelled back at her, feeling himself getting just as angry as she was. The pair weren't aware of Aisha, Miguel, Moon, and Demetri watching them from a few feet away.

"Maybe so, but I can learn to move past that." Alaska said as she stared at him in disbelief, her eyes watered as her fist clinched at her side, "Just wasn't aware it was such a damn crime to miss my best friend."

Eli huffed as he watched her walk away, "I'm right here!"

"No, you're really not!" she yelled back at him over her shoulder, storming off and whipping her eyes angrily. She kicked the sticks as she headed for her car, unlocking it and throwing herself inside forcefully as her fist collided with the steering wheel. She yell in anger, leaning onto it and crying softly. Alaska was mad, she was annoyed and all around hurt.

Reaching into her bag, she threw two of the ecstasy pills into her mouth, dry swallowing them and gripping her steering wheel.

"Mother fucker." she mumbled, whipping her salty face as she started up the car, speeding off quickly down the street.

•

kylie speaks

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