slickynickyâ:
It was hard to be apathetic all the time, even harder to be pessimistic. Did becoming friends with Judy make him more positive, maybe. But if anyone were to point it out heâd deny it an heartbeat. On the other hand he did enjoy her company, she shot back at any of his apathetic or sarcastic quips with such a brutal force of optimism that made it hard to keep up the act. And it was an act, as loathe as he was to admit it. It was easier to act like you didnât care, it made it less likely for people to figure out how to hurt you.Â
Slick. He rolled his eyes at the nickname no matter how charming she might make it sound. âHey I tried your tofu dogs or whatever it was. Beyond the horizon meaty stuff,â he said waving his hand around, âWasnât meat but it was very close,â he finished holding his forefinger and thumb close together. Hopping into the car next to her he immediately began fiddling with the radio, âDo you have any saved stations that donât just play the same top 40 pop songs?âÂ
Judy turned the key in the ignition, a smile already forming on her lips as she clicked her seatbelt into place, checked the rearview mirror, and pulled away from the curb. âYes, you did, and Iâm very proud of you,â she retorted in a sarcastically sweet tone, glancing at him briefly before returning her attention to the road. âAre you happy now? Or do you also want me to give you a gold star for being open to new experiences?â
She wouldnât go so far as to actually give out gold stars, but it did make her happy any time that Nick didnât respond to something with immediate rejection. Glancing toward him again, Judy reached out in order to playfully slap his hand away from the radio. "No, donât change it,â she protested as the song Next Mistake by Icona Pop started playing, smiling in a way that made it clear that it was a sincere request rather than sheer stubbornness. âI love this song.â
















