"Are you okay?" I step forward before remembering myself and halt my movements.
"Yeah," he sighs, "just overdid it today. Have you ever climbed that tree?" I notice his swift change of topic but don’t push it.
I indicate that he should follow me. He trails me to the back of the ute.
"Yeah. The view’s not bad," I answer, putting down the tailgate.
He hesitates for a moment before sitting beside me. "That's better," he mutters, rubbing his calf.
“Are you going to tell me your name?” I’m almost shocked by what flies out of my mouth. It’s almost a reflex that I brace myself for anger at my shortness.
His eyes focus intently on mine as he’s says, “Luc Beckham.” I wait to see if he elaborates but he just follows with, “What’syourname?”
“Laney Summers,” the lie slips off my tongue a little easier after today.
Luc snorts and side eyes me. “That’s the fakest fake name I’ve ever heard.”
I sigh. What’s the harm in telling a stranger?
“It’s Aurora Winters but you can call me Rory,” I tell him. He seems pleased by that for some reason but his eyebrows dip at my last name.
“Why—“ I’m already shaking my head by the time he gets out the first word.
“Nope,” I pop. “You wanted my real name, I gave it to you. Just don’t ask questions.”
Luc accepts that pretty easily. I know I might regret telling him later but for now, I’ll enjoy being called my real name. I always hatedLaney Summers.
"So,Rory,” Luc tests, “What are you doing here?”
I ponder as to what to say. "Uhh…let's just say, I'm not the most popular girl in at my school. I needed a break." I look over to see his reaction.
"Aren't all the hot girls like automatically popular?" Luc questions so seriously that I burst out laughing.
Not fazed, he grins back sheepishly. "Sorry, I don't have a filter."
"That's better." He tilts his head in confusion and I hastily continue. "It's better not to have a filter, you're honest with people no matter what."
He entraps my gaze, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. Luc moves his hand so his pinky is gripping mine. He looks at it like he’s truly surprised himself. He shifts his hand away, looking like he’s been caught in the act.
I look away and smile softly.
I exhale deeply. "So, what about you? You don't look that much older than me."
"I'm eighteen but I'm in my last year. You?" He asks.
"In my last year. I'm eighteen in five days."
Luc chuckles. "Why do you say it like it's a death sentence?"
I shrug and look out into the scrub. "I have to leave once I'm eighteen."
"Why's that?" Luc frowns.
"I-I just do," I stutter, not knowing what to say. I shouldn’t have said anything at all.
"Okay," Luc says soothingly. "You don't have to tell me," he assures me and I relax slightly.
"So you go to Cattle Creek High?" He changes the subject, retracting his hand.
