Café du Monde

[issie]

Jessica Seeley

“So, how are we gonna do this? What do you want me to do?”

She bit her lip again, angry at the fact that she could find the right choice in this situation. Things can go one way or the other, really. And if she messed up in some way she wouldn't be the only one to pay for it, Quinn would pay for it too. He looked at the baby, the expression in his eyes something she had only seen a few times before. “Honestly, I came here to tell you she was yours. That's it. I fully intended on just letting you know and not letting you see her again... but she likes you.” She looked down at her little angel and her eyes softened.

“I don't know what to do.”

He held Quinn a little closer, she noticed. Was he already getting attached? Would her small face be enough to keep him around her? She didn't know. And she didn't like leaving things up to him, in his hands. “Well, one option is that I come with you and taking care of the baby like a normal father, but I'm sure you'll disagree with that.” Her eyes narrowed. There was no way she was letting him in her house to live with her baby unless she absolutely trusted him. He shrugged and she narrowed her eyes once more. “Or I could just come over and watch her on certain days, to give you a break. Whatever works for you.”

She didn't like that one either. She didn't need a break from Quinn! She needed to be there to protect her, not leave her with him. Inhaling deeply, she looked him in the eyes, willing herself to see into his soul, even though she knew she couldn't.

It was for Quinn, her baby girl. She'd do anything for her to be happy. Anything.

"Okay," she began, "You can come over to see her when you want. Call first, just in case we are going for a walk and I'm not home at the time. I don't like it but I'm going to try. I'll kill you if you try to come without me knowing." She stepped forward and held her baby girl's hand gently. Her eyes turned pleading as she looked up at his face. And much to her surprise, she couldn't think of anything to say.

[More than Music]

Clarence Morgan

“I don't know what to do.”

It was becoming obvious he was the only one really coming up with any ideas.

Great. He sucked at coming up with ideas.

“Well, one option is that I come with you and taking care of the baby like a normal father, but I'm sure you'll disagree with that.” She glared at him, so he shrugged and tried again. “Or I could just come over and watch her on certain days, to give you a break. Whatever works for you.”

It got really quiet for a while until she spoke again. "Okay," she finally said, "You can come over to see her when you want. Call first, just in case we are going for a walk and I'm not home at the time. I don't like it but I'm going to try. I'll kill you if you try to come without me knowing."

Clarence smirked. "You think I'm seriously gonna try and get myself killed here? Listen, Jess, I'd like to stay alive. And if I did anything to put Quinn in danger, I might kill myself before you even get the chance."

Jess reached out slowly, taking Quinn's hand in hers. They were so small compared to Jessica's, even if Jess wasn't a big person. Clarence moved his grip on the baby a little so he could hold up his in comparison too. His palm was noticeably bigger than either of theirs. Jessica's eyes were on him, and he could see the almost desperate look they held.

And there, under her expression now, was that peace he remembered from over a year ago.

"I'm being as careful as I can," he muttered, looking away from her.

'This isn't a year ago. We're not together anymore. We're not good for each other, we know that. We're just here for Quinn.'

'Right?'

[issie]

Jessica Seeley

"I'll kill you if you try to come without me knowing." she said, except her voice didn't have the spite in it that it usually had.

Clarence smirked, making her more tense than before. "You think I'm seriously gonna try and get myself killed here? Listen, Jess, I'd like to stay alive. And if I did anything to put Quinn in danger, I might kill myself before you even get the chance."


She nodded. "Good." She trusted him a little more than before with what he was saying. He looked sincere enough...

Jessica reached out slowly, taking little Quinn's hand in hers comparably smaller one. Clarence moved his grip on the baby, and her eyes widened slightly, and she inwardly freaked out, worrying that he would drop her. But she didn't fall and before she knew it, he was holding her baby's other hand. His palm was bigger than either of their hands, but it just looked good, as much as she didn't want it to.

She wasn't even sure why she was even considering letting him into her life. Then she tilted her head, her eyes meeting his with a pleading look that she hardly ever wore.

"I'm being as careful as I can," What you can do might not be careful enough. he looking away from her like he was defeated.

But none of this made any sense. He had hurt her before, how could she ever know for sure that her little angel was safe. She was a piece of perfection, wrapped in designer baby clothes. There was no way she could ever let her be in harms way.

So why was she considering this? WHY?!

She brushed her blonde hair to the side silently and held her arms out. A wordless hint for him to give Quinn back. "If you don't mess up, she'll know you. It's doesn't take much to be a father." She grimaced, "It takes a heck of a lot more to be a daddy... are you even ready to be a daddy?"

[More than Music]

Clarence Morgan

Jess took their baby's hand slowly, and Clarence slowly followed by taking the other hand. For a moment, they fit, however strange that thought was.

Maybe they would make this work after all.

"I'm being as careful as I can," he muttered, looking away from her as she stared into his eyes.

In response, Jess pushed some hair out of her face, once again striving for that perfect she always seemed to have in hand. Holding her arms out, Clarence watched her for a second.

'What if I don't want to give her back just yet?'

But he couldn't argue with her and lose the only chance he was likely to ever get. Quinn was his daughter. He had a daughter now. if he wanted to be a part of her life, then he had to put up with the fact he had to share her with Jess.

Or Jess had to share her with him. Whichever.

So he handed Quinn back with a frown. "If you don't mess up, she'll know you. It's doesn't take much to be a father." Clarence looked away.

"I know that."

"It takes a heck of a lot more to be a daddy... are you even ready to be a daddy?"

Clarence met Jessica's eyes fiercely. "Is anyone ever ready, Jess?" He took a deep breath and let it out. "It doesn't matter if I'm ready. I have to be. Giving up or not coming around would be a punishment to her. I know that. I lived that, Jess. It feels like the kid's fault when the parents never want to be home. I won't do that to her. I can't."

He put his hands in his pockets and turned away. "I wanna come see her tomorrow. I'll call you before I come but I'm just letting you know." He didn't want to look at her. He had a feeling what he'd see there.

"I just want this kid to be happier than I was, okay? I don't know if I can do that, but I'll do what I can."

[issie]

Jessica Seeley

When she held her arms out for Quinn, Clarence hesitated and her eyes narrowed. If he thought he was just going to give her to him he was dead wrong. There was no way she would ever GIVE her to anybody. And she was just about to tell him exactly that when he reluctantly placed her back in Jessica's arms.

She immediately smiled at Quinn, looking into mossy green eyes that were so similar to her own. She was going to be a heart stopper when she was older, Jessica could tell already. Just like her mommy.

"If you don't mess up, she'll know you. It's doesn't take much to be a father." Clarence looked away again as if he was ashamed. In a way, she felt that he should be.

"I know that." She knew he knew that, but would he act on it. She glared at him because he spoke when she was trying to say something. "It takes a heck of a lot more to be a daddy... are you even ready to be a daddy?"

Clarence met Jessica's eyes fiercely and she knew that her eyes were fiercer than his could ever be. "Is anyone ever ready, Jess?"

"Yes." came her immediate reply as Quinn stirred a little in her arms. He took a deep breath and let it out once more. "It doesn't matter if I'm ready. I have to be. Giving up or not coming around would be a punishment to her. I know that. I lived that, Jess. It feels like the kid's fault when the parents never want to be home. I won't do that to her. I can't."

She nodded quickly, but her eyes never stopped glaring at him.

Placing his hands in his pockets like he used to do a lot-probably just to bug her- he said. "I wanna come see her tomorrow. I'll call you before I come but I'm just letting you know."

"Fine. I'm going to be home tomorrow anyways. You know the place." she said, placing her little angel in the carrier and she started to cry again as soon as her back touched it.

"I just want this kid to be happier than I was, okay? I don't know if I can do that, but I'll do what I can."

"Good. And if not, you know what's going to happen." Her lip was a thin line as she picked Quinn back up again, trying to silence more cries with a soothing voice like usual. "I'd like to believe you won't mess up, but I know you. You mess up... a lot."

She was brutally honest, as always..but at least she was honest.

[More than Music]

Clarence Morgan

This conversation was getting deep and philosophical. He wanted to go back to the apartment with Raiu before he felt like punching someone in the face again.

Jess made him feel like that. Now he remembered why.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Clarence turned away a little. "I wanna come see her tomorrow. I'll call you before I come but I'm just letting you know."

"Fine. I'm going to be home tomorrow anyways. You know the place." Jess put Quinn back in the carrier, making the baby cry. '...Yeah, I know. Of course I know.'

He turned away a little more, so he'd stop staring at the two of them. "I just want this kid to be happier than I was, okay? I don't know if I can do that, but I'll do what I can."

"Good. And if not, you know what's going to happen." Jess was threatening him again, that much he knew. "I'd like to believe you won't mess up, but I know you. You mess up... a lot."

"Thanks for reminding me, babe," he muttered, kicking at the floor. "Look, I'm getting the idea you'll be leaving soon, so I'm gonna jet. See you tomorrow." He looked in her eyes one more time before walking out of the building.

On his way back, he paused to look up at the sky. 'God, if I had to father a child, why did it have to be with Jessica Seeley?'


Clarence is done here

[GGJ5]

Trent Fisher

Cafe du Monde always felt a bit too touristy to him. And overpriced. But they also had the best mocha lattes he'd ever had, and Trent had become addicted to them his last year of high school. So, despite the cheesy touristy vibe he always got from being a native in the place, he kept finding himself coming back to the place. All for the rich goodness of overpriced coffee beans. Plus, sometimes-- a lot of times-- the audience was entertaining. For example, there was the snippy businessman over in the corner with his too-fancy Macbook he probably bought on a loan that's gonna fall back to bite him when his pretend-company crashes. The dude had a whole spread of technological gadgets on the table in front of him. Did you really need that many ways to communicate? He was probably skyping as Trent glanced his way, too....

And the dad with his kid at the round table. Oh, boy, that was gonna be a fun ride home. He was pumping his daughter up with powdered sugar and coffee. Wow... nice move, dude. Trent laughed to himself as his eyes settled on a pair of familiar blue ones, and he put the smile on pause. A few steps later he'd slipped over next to her. "Welcome to my other home," Trent said by way of greeting, gesturing to the nearest table. "Need your daily caffeine fix, or sugar fix? We provide both. For a price, of course." He paused, waiting to see Lilith's reaction, then plunged on. "Is this seat free?" he asked, gesturing to the chair nearby her. "Are you waiting on your order, or you want to get in line with me? Pretty scarf," he tacked on suddenly, lightly lifting the end of Lilith's scarf with two fingers. "Suits you." A nod to the line. "Wanna join the masses? My treat."

[Elda Forever]

OOC: Lilith's Scarf BIC:

Lilith Eytinge

She'd been doing a good job of multi-tasking - code for not getting anything done - for the last hour or so, her laptop in front of her. A couple of college essays, a few art pieces on Craig's List, and some emails she was supposed to reply to were all on the current to-do list, but her main focus was on a new find - knitting sites.

Then, a familiar form arrived next to her, and quick as a flash she closed the laptop lid, hiding the 'how to knit' step-by-step images on the screen. She looked over at Trent, her lips pursing together and her eyes locked on his pompous face. "Welcome to my other home," Trent said with a gesture, as though it was an original opening to conversation. "Need your daily caffeine fix, or sugar fix? We provide both. For a price, of course." He paused, but when she didn't even blink, just staring at him, he continued, "Is this seat free?" he asked, gesturing to the chair nearby her. Her eyes narrowed, caught between telling him to go away and wanting him to stay and talk for a bit. It had certainly been awhile - a week, at least - but Trent had a way of getting under her skin while simultaneously offering a continual olive branch. When she searched her mind for a reason to keep Trent and his smiling brown eyes at arm's length, her memory went blank on anything but the trivial. Bad jokes, harmlessly wanna-be-suave attitude, and a habit of talking more than his share, at least when around her. Plus, she had a thing with blond guys. But he was still decent enough of a guy, and those things weren't such a big deal, right?

She sighed, "I suppose so."

"Are you waiting on your order, or you want to get in line with me? Pretty scarf," She opened her mouth to answer his question, when his hand reached out to take hold of the end of her scarf, and she forgot what her answer was going to be. Instead she just sat there staring at him like before, wordless and wide-eyed. "Suits you."

"Thanks," she murmured, pressing her lips together again and pulling on the scarf until it was out of his hands and out of his reach.

"Wanna join the masses? My treat."

"I've already had too many cups of coffee for one average sized human for one average sized afternoon," she told him, a little smiling flashing across her lips and then vanishing just as quickly, "But maybe in a little bit. Hey, guess what? I met Erin. From your band? She mentioned it when I met up with her at the bookstore. I didn't piece it together until I looked up Veritas, and saw your cocky grin on the page next to hers." Her eyes sparkled in amusement, her fingers still holding the scarf and playing with it now.

[GGJ5]

Trent Fisher

"Is this seat free?" Lilith was pretty unresponsive to all his comments, which would normally annoy him. But somehow with Lilith, it was just fun to talk at her. She made those faces like she didn't give a care, and maybe she didn't. She probably didn't. But it was a challenge, and fun.

As predicted, Lilith just sighed. "I suppose so."

Trent slid into the seat nearby. "Are you waiting on your order, or you want to get in line with me? Pretty scarf." He touched it briefly, and Lilith might have just died. He could see the shock in her face; it was hilarious. He kept his amusement well-hidden, though, continuing his semi-bantering monologue. "Suits you."

"Thanks," Lilith murmured, halfway unnerved, it seemed, since she slipped the scarf away from contact. He smirked.

"Wanna join the masses? My treat."

"I've already had too many cups of coffee for one average sized human for one average sized afternoon." Despite her words, Trent didn't miss the little smile that said she wasn't as bored by him as she liked to pretend. "But maybe in a little bit."

"So you do need a caffeine fix. Again," he teased, then let his eyes drop to examine her laptop. "Hey, this is a pretty good machine. Not as awesome as mine, but still. Not bad."

"Hey, guess what? I met Erin. From your band? She mentioned it when I met up with her at the bookstore. I didn't piece it together until I looked up Veritas, and saw your cocky grin on the page next to hers." Now she was playing with her scarf, since he pointed it out. Score.

Trent opened his mouth in mock surprise. "No kidding! I met her, too!" He paused, letting the tail end of Lilith's comment catch up to him. "You think my grin is cocky, huh? Most other girls just say it's cute.... I think I like your description better. 'Cute' is so..." He made a face, like it was serious thought. "Cute should be used for your smile, not mine. Or your scarf. You know." He leaned forward so that his elbows were on the table. "Did you check out the music we have up there?"

[Elda Forever]

Lilith Eytinge

"I've already had too many cups of coffee for one average sized human for one average sized afternoon," was her counter, though after a moment she added, "But maybe in a little bit."

"So you do need a caffeine fix. Again," he teased, then let his eyes drop to examine her laptop. "Hey, this is a pretty good machine. Not as awesome as mine, but still. Not bad."

She worked her lip as though trying to hold back a snide comment, instead just muttering, "It does what I need it to..." Like I really need you to immediately compare our computers, with yours always on top... To change the subject, she told him, "Hey, guess what? I met Erin. From your band? She mentioned it when I met up with her at the bookstore. I didn't piece it together until I looked up Veritas, and saw your cocky grin on the page next to hers."

Trent opened his mouth in mock surprise. "No kidding! I met her, too!" She rolled her eyes and barely suppressed a groan. It was like he was reading from a friggen book. If it had been said at least a hundred times, it seemed, he was going to use that line. "You think my grin is cocky, huh? Most other girls just say it's cute.... I think I like your description better. 'Cute' is so..." He made a face, like it was serious thought. "Cute should be used for your smile, not mine. Or your scarf. You know." She let out a little sound of protest.

"I am not cute! And neither is my scarf."

He leaned forward so that his elbows were on the table. Probably trying to look endearing. Well, it wasn't working. "Did you check out the music we have up there?"

She tilted her head a bit and sent him an incredulous look, then rolled her eyes, "No, Trent. I just went on there for the pretty colors. Why would I go to a band's myspace to listen to their music, after all?" In an attempt to evade actually answering his question, she tucked her hair behind one ear and reached over to poke at half a doughnut she'd been working on. It was kind of stale now, but oh well. "I like Erin. She's nice. Probably the more unique portion of your band right now, which is good. A great vocalist can save even a mediocre band," she sent him a little smirk, licking the tip of her icing-covered finger and beginning to tap her foot.

[GGJ5]

Trent Fisher

When Lilith caved a bit to Trent's offer for coffee, he grinned, teasing her. "So you do need a caffeine fix. Again." He glanced at her computer, shifting toward her and furthering the teasing. "Hey, this is a pretty good machine. Not as awesome as mine, but still. Not bad."

For a moment it looked like she might play back, the cute little way she worked her lip, but somewhat to his disappointment, she just muttered, "It does what I need it to..."

"Phenomenal..." he breathed, giving Lilith a tiny smirk.

"Hey, guess what? I met Erin. From your band? She mentioned it when I met up with her at the bookstore. I didn't piece it together until I looked up Veritas, and saw your cocky grin on the page next to hers."

Trent opened his mouth in mock surprise. "No kidding! I met her, too!" She rolled her eyes, like it was really irritating. Really she was laughing inside. Total denial... He went back to another one of her comments. "You think my grin is cocky, huh? Most other girls just say it's cute.... I think I like your description better. 'Cute' is so..." He paused, searching for the word somewhere on the ceiling. "Cute should be used for your smile, not mine. Or your scarf. You know."

She let out a little sound of protest, which made it really hard for Trent not to laugh. "I am not cute! And neither is my scarf."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself to get to sleep at night...." He leaned forward so that his elbows were on the table, closer to her. "Did you check out the music we have up there?"

Once more, Lilith acted like he was such a nuisance. Maybe he was, a little bit, but she wasn't telling him to get out. She was doing more than tolerating him. And why shouldn't she? "No, Trent. I just went on there for the pretty colors. Why would I go to a band's myspace to listen to their music, after all?"

Trent shrugged his shoulders. "Not like it hasn't been done before. Plus, the colors are pretty."

She felt flustered. He could tell by the way she was messing with her hair and fiddling about. Keepin' her on her toes.... Oh yeah. "I like Erin. She's nice. Probably the more unique portion of your band right now, which is good. A great vocalist can save even a mediocre band." She was trying to get to him, payback for all his teasing. And the flinching on his face at the term "mediocre" betrayed his internal caving. So he played it off.

"Mediocre? Ugh! You're killing me! Are you deaf, or just a Lil Wayne fan? If it's the second, I'm not really sure we can be friends anymore...." He shook his head sadly. "Two coffees for me, then..."

[Elda Forever]

Lilith Eytinge

He kept leaning closer and closer to her, gazing up into her face and studying her expression with wide eyes confident and teasing. "Did you check out the music we have up there?" he asked casually.

She cocked her head at him as if to see if the question was serious, then rolled her eyes at him, "No, Trent. I just went on there for the pretty colors. Why would I go to a band's myspace to listen to their music, after all?"

Trent shrugged his shoulders. "Not like it hasn't been done before. Plus, the colors are pretty."

She tucked her hair behind her ear and picked up her hour-old doughnut, habitually catching all the extra icing on her finger to finish off. "I like Erin. She's nice. Probably the more unique portion of your band right now, which is good. A great vocalist can save even a mediocre band." She sent him a little smile, especially at the wounded look in his eyes.

"Mediocre? Ugh! You're killing me! Are you deaf, or just a Lil Wayne fan? If it's the second, I'm not really sure we can be friends anymore...." He shook his head sadly. "Two coffees for me, then..."

“It's true, it's true,” she played along, feigning fangirl-esque glee, “I just adore Lil Wayne. Now go away.” She dramatically turned her head from him and waved him toward the door as though she was royalty ordering him from her sight. Then she turned back, pursed her lips and added, “And by the way, your stage presence is annoying. I haven't seen a musician sway their head back and forth like that since Ray Charles.”

[mystmoonstruck]

OOC: Easy and Cassie will be arriving after meeting at Jackson Square. Fun! BIC:

Easy "Cat" Tanner

Exhilaration: It was a word Easy had encountered in print but had experienced very few times in his life. Here he had started his day quite miserably, feeling trapped, frustrated, resentful, angry and completely helpless. Now, just a relatively short time later, he had made some money while playing his music, learned that people responded to him here, too, met a very pretty, friendly and sweet girl, and was on his way to learning more about his new city. Normal had always been a special word in his vocabulary, something he had longed to be, what he wanted his part of the world to be. Right now, holding hands as they made their way to the cafe, he felt almost normal, as if he could offer the world an unguarded smile, as if he need not be ashamed. Even the chilly weather did not seem so terrible since he had lived through winters in Paris.

Approaching the cafe, Easy noted that it didn't look like much, but he was judging by places in LA, San Francisco and Paris, which probably wasn't fair. From what he could tell, it looked rather busy, with people departing with cups and sometimes something wrapped in napkins or in bags, but he didn't mind the idea of a wait. No one knew about him here, and all he had to do was keep his mouth shut about himself. He could do that, couldn't he? He could do it without building that wall between him and everyone else in the the world.

Very soon, they were inside, and he looked for the menu. "No cocoa?" he asked with mock sadness, his face a mask of tragedy before he brightened again. "Coffee's OK I guess. What do you think? You've been here and know what's good, right? Remember: I'm so rich that I can get us anything we want." His throaty laughter treated it as a joke, but he actually did have access to quantities of money thanks to his guardian and the man's business partner. There had been little discussion of how much his time in Paris had cost them, and he wondered if what had seemed mountainous debt to him had been very little to them. Whatever the case, he had made money with his music, and she had to have seen that he had.

"You said I live near your dad and step-mom? So, if you hadn't moved, we'd be almost neighbors, huh? That'd be cool. Never had a neighbor I knew. We always moved around a lot. I think I must hold a record for being the new kid at school. Not fun most of the time. I.~um~have to start classes soon," he admitted, "but I'm not sure which year I'm gonna be in. Does that sound weird? Yeah. Prob'ly does." He was irritated at himself for providing too much unnecessary information but curious if he was speaking with a potential classmate. It could happen, Cat!

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

She couldn't help but smile as she watched Cat take in all the sights that the walk had to offer them--he seemed overjoyed. Cassie didn't know whether it was because of the city itself for--she doubted it--her companionship, but she found it heartwarming anyway. It's so weird, but I can't really remember the last time I really connected with a total stranger this much. I mean, I guess Lilith was sort of like this, but it was more gradual, and none of the people I met at school were like this...I don't quite know what to think of him, actually. I get the feeling that there's so much he's not telling me...but then, I'm doing the same thing. As would any sane person on a first meeting. So why does it matter to me so much that there's so much going unsaid? Is it because I feel like he really needs to talk to someone?

Or is it because I really need to talk to someone?

"Here it is!" she said, a proud note in her voice as they walked through the door to Cafe du Monde. "Everything here is really good and sort of famous, I guess, although it never feels to me like it should be. I guess it's because I've been here forever, but I just don't get the whole tourist dynamic, not really..." She gave a shrug. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

She watched him glance over the menu, having all but memorized its contents herself by now. "No cocoa?" he asked, his face falling. Cassie looked up, too, eyes scanning to find the elusive drink. "Guess not," she admitted, shaking her head. "If you really want some, there's other coffee shops that are bound to have it. More mainstream ones, you know. This one's more traditional for the tourists, I guess."

"Coffee's OK I guess. What do you think? You've been here and know what's good, right? Remember: I'm so rich that I can get us anything we want."

She chuckled a bit, facing him. "You sure you trust me to order for you?" She shook her head, letting Cat know she was just kidding. "You have to try a beignet. They're the specialty here, and they're amazing, and as your tour guide, you eating one is non-negotiable. And as for coffee...I'd probably just suggest the cafe au lait, it's really good. I used to hate coffee, actually, but now I'm sort of addicted." She gestured over towards the counter. "So, are you ready to order?"

Once their orders had been placed and they had wandered off to find a table, Cat spoke again. "You said I live near your dad and step-mom?"

Cassie gave a nod as he spoke again. "So, if you hadn't moved, we'd be almost neighbors, huh? That'd be cool. Never had a neighbor I knew."

She looked down almost apologetically. "Yeah. I lived with them for a while--well, not really, because of joint custody, we stayed with our mom during the week and our dad during the weeknights. But then after I turned eighteen I just felt like I needed a change...and, well, with him remarrying and them having a new baby and stuff, it just felt like the right time to start a new part of my life on my own."

"We always moved around a lot. I think I must hold a record for being the new kid at school. Not fun most of the time." Cassie nodded again, mentally coming up with a list of reasons for having to move so often. Money troubles? Seemed possible...did his parents get transferred around a lot? Or maybe...was he what they called an "Army brat," moving across the country because one of his parents was in the military? Cassie once had a friend whose family was like that--she had only been in town for a year before they had had to move again. Might be...hmm.

"I.~um~have to start classes soon, but I'm not sure which year I'm gonna be in. Does that sound weird? Yeah. Prob'ly does."

Cassie smiled "I guess it does a little," she admitted. "But not as weird as you think. I mean, I don't know your school background or anything--for all I know, you're a super-genius or something who's skipped a bunch of grades." She paused, looking him over. "Do you know which school you'll be going to? My sister's still at one of the high schools around. She's a junior. Maybe you'll run into her at some point."

[mystmoonstruck]

Easy "Cat" Tanner

Standing in line, confused by the many listed items, Easy was relieved when Cassie, her gaze meeting his in a way that, confusedly, caused him to blush, laughed softly before asking, "You sure you trust me to order for you?" He nodded his agreement in sync with her head movements. "You have to try a beignet. They're the specialty here, and they're amazing, and as your tour guide, you eating one is non-negotiable." Like a bobblehead figure, he continued nodding, grinning, his tawny eyes gleaming with a mixture of mischief and anticipation, as if she was sharing a delicious secret~which it might turn out to be. He tried to promise himself that he would eat whatever this thing was, just to fit in, just to pretend that he was part of her normal world. "And as for coffee...I'd probably just suggest the cafe au lait, it's really good." Obediently, he nodded again, being familiar with that form of the beverage. He could always add more cream and sugar if necessary. "I used to hate coffee, actually," Cassie admitted, "but now I'm sort of addicted." Then, she gestured to the counter, asking, "So, are you ready to order?"

"Yeah. But, I forgot what that thing is called," he confessed. "So, you better do the orderin'~um~ing, and I'll do the paying." He was going to talk better! Ummmm... Speak, Cat, not talk!

Seated at a table, he had expressed interest in the novelty that having a neighbor he knew might be. The closest to him being acquainted with neighbors had been a family in the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco though that hadn't been for much longer than all of the other places he had lived. Cassie gave a nod as he spoke again, but he noticed she bowed her head, causing him to be concerned that he had said something he shouldn't have, as had happened to him so often.

"Yeah. I lived with them for a while," she said, adding, "well, not really, because of joint custody, we stayed with our mom during the week and our dad during the weeknights. But then after I turned eighteen I just felt like I needed a change...and, well, with him remarrying and them having a new baby and stuff, it just felt like the right time to start a new part of my life on my own."

Easy was quiet upon hearing that, feeling as if he had pushed her into someplace hurtful. His own parents had never separated and seemed to love each other in their way, but they likely had caused more pain and harm to him by staying together unless... As he thought of being in the hands of one or the other solely, he suddenly shuddered convulsively but tried to pass it off as being cold by wrapping his arms around himself and briskly rubbed them, a rueful smile on his face to cover the true feelings brought on by his vision of what his life could have been like: a nightmare whichever way it went. Together, Strat and Phaedra Tanner were a beautiful but terrifying combination who had misshapen their son in a way he wasn't certain could be put right. And, they were waiting out there to have him back in their hands~if they only knew where he was. That brought another convulsive shiver, and he laughed nervously as he began rambling a bit, confessing how he had never lived one place for very long, how he too often had been the new kid at school, thinking of how nomadic his existence had been, so much so that he could never put together the pieces of when and where, at least till he was old enough to understand more. Then came the topic of high school, which he felt especially uncomfortable with. Cassie had mentioned her age as 18, which had given him a sense of relief, as she could have been younger but just acted in a mature way. At that age, she undoubtedly had the sense to distance herself from a guy who might turn out to be trouble~didn't she?

Easy relaxed a bit, unwinding enough to rest his hands on the table as, to his fear of being "weird", Cassie responded, "I guess it does a little," making it sound not so bad as he feared it might. It wasn't as if she was wide-eyed shocked or acting warily. "But not as weird as you think," she assured him. "I mean, I don't know your school background or anything--for all I know, you're a super-genius or something who's skipped a bunch of grades." He could not stop the explosive guffaw in response to that and clamped his hand over his mouth too late to stop it, glancing sheepishly about only to see that everyone seemed caught up in their own conversations and laughter, then lowering his hand as she continued. "Do you know which school you'll be going to? My sister's still at one of the high schools around. She's a junior. Maybe you'll run into her at some point."

"I don't really know right now. They just told me today, and I guess I freaked out 'cause I thought I was pretty much through with regular school though~well..." He couldn't meet her trustful eyes and bowed his head as he admitted, "I didn't exactly graduate." Clearing his throat a bit roughly, he continued. "Lessons. I been~um~I've been taking lots of them: voice, violin, dancing~formal, like ballroom." That made him blush though it wouldn't have in Paris. "Maybe piano again. I was thinking about learning fencing. Only took a few lessons." He recalled something she had said: "Your sister. That would be weird, wouldn't it, if I ended up going to school where she does? I asked why I couldn't just have a tutor, but..." He raised both shoulders then dropped them in an ultra-dramatic shrug, slumping slightly in his seat. "By the way, I'm not a super-genius. You could prob'ly tell that, right? I'm not stupid." He paused to consider what he was exactly. "Maybe I'm kind of lazy about learning. Some things are hard, like paying attention. I keep noticing stuff and forget to listen to the teacher. Then, they ask questions, and I don't know what they've been talking about. So, the others laugh at me and..." His face twisted in a mixture of anger and pain, which he fought off with a shake of his head, pushing himself up into a straighter position and, once again, smiling crookedly. "I'll bet you're really smart, huh, Cassie? And, you like school, and you're a really good student, aren't you?" His voice had remained rather steady though his smile was fainter. "You remind me so much of someone," he murmured, thinking that it might have been something he already had said. "Maybe that's why I..." Any further confession was interrupted by their order being called, for which he supposed he was grateful. He might have said the wrong thing, and there were so many things that shouldn't be said.