Difference Between Love and Hate- Part 6 Brian came up beside Mary and she glanced at him.
"What's up?" he said. She sighed.
"Flat tire."
"I can see that. I mean, what're we gonna do about it?"
"How 'bout make you push it to the nearest gas station? See how much your heart can take."
He gave her a hurt look, but she didn't notice.
"Well, c'mon, what are we gonna do?" AJ said, emerging from, it seemed, out of nowhere.
"There's an exit a mile or so back," the driver said. "Someone could walk back and get some sort of help."
"I'll go," Mary said almost immediately. "But not alone."
"Don't look at me," Nick piped up, leaning against the bus.
"Don't plan on it," Mary retorted, her back to him.
"I'll go," Brian said. She looked at him, her eyebrow raised.
"Is that a problem?" he asked, matching her look. She shook her head, smirking.
"Not at all."
"Okay, let's go then."
I watched them walk off, thinking a minute or so, then turned and got back on the bus.

Brian
I looked at Mary after we started walking.
"Do you like Nick? At all?"
She looked at me, disgusted. "Me, like Nick? That's about as likely as Nick growing a brain." She glanced at my clothes. "And about as likely as you losing a layer."
"Huh?"
"How many shirts are you wearing?"
"Two... three if you count the tank top under my t-shirt."
She rolled her eyes. "Lose one of the shirts, the layer thing is insane."
"What am I going to do with the shirt? Leave it on the ground?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Up to you."
"Gee, thanks," I said wryly, giving her a look. "I'll leave my shirts on, thank you very much."
"Suit yourself. But when you get hot, don't complain to me."
"I thought I was hot."
She made a face. "Cute. Real cute."
"That, too."
"Stop it!"
I laughed and she grinned slightly, shaking her head.
"You're weird."
"So are you."
"Proud of it."
"I know."
She grinned at me.
"Okay, but seriously now, do you like Nick at all?"
"Why should I? Why should I like him? He's so incredibly annoying- even you know that. And if he's gonna try and fuck with me every day, there's no point in me trying to be nice to him. He's gonna get what he deserves."
"You realize that the group has become divided, sort of. Kevin and me are more with you, and while AJ doesn't hate you, he's more with Nick. Howie's kinda neutral..."
"Well, that's not my problem. I'm not gonna like everyone and not everyone's gonna like me. I deal."
"Kevin likes you. I like you. AJ likes you. Howie likes you, though he's choosing to stay out of all this."
"I really don't care who likes me. Just so long as all of you don't hate me."
"Is Kevin like, your best friend?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Morgon's my best friend."
"Kevin told me what you told him."
She looked up kinda sharply.
"What you told him the night we all met."
"He told you?"
"Only me. He didn't tell anyone else."
"Great, now the rest of my life story that no one needs to know everyone is gonna know."
"Not if you don't tell anyone. Only what, 4 people know? You, me, Kev, and Morgon?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
"I'm not gonna tell anyone, I don't Kev'll tell anyone else, if Morgon's your friend, she won't tell anyone and-"
"I sure as hell ain't gonna tell anyone else."
I laughed. "Okay then, no need to worry."
She just smiled and shook her head. I sighed.
"How far have we gone?"
"I dunno. Why?" She smirked. "You gettin' hot?"
I gave her a look. "Shut up."
She giggled. "Told you."
I took off my top shit and threw it at her.
"Here, a souvenier."
"I don't want that!" she exclaimed, throwing it on the ground.
"Hey!"
"Oh, get over it. You've got a ton more like it."
I sighed. "Fine."
Suddenly she laughed. "Ya know, it's illegal to walk on the side of the highway."
"Who's gonna catch us? There's no one out here."
She raised an eyebrow. "Kinky."
"Oh, god," I groaned. She grinned proudly.
"There's the exit," I said, pointing.
"Yay!"
I laughed as we headed down. We found the gas station and got someone who could repair the tire, then got a ride back to the bus.
"We are triumphant!" Mary called as we got out of the truck.
The repairman patched up the tire, we paid him, and got back on the road.
"We're just barely going to make our photo shoot," Kevin said, looking at his watch.
"So long as we get there," Mary said.
We did get there, just in time to get changed and ready.