Catch up [Zach]

[Jen Mitchellson]

Well, wasn't the day just lovely? Jen smiled as she walked down the street, slurping on her smoothie as she felt on top of the world. Why? Who cared! It was one of those 'feeling the moment' things. Plus she looked awesome. She caught her reflection on one of the shops windows and stopped for a second to fix her hair. Yup, she looked good with her sunglasses and smoothie. What? Smoothies looked good! 

She slurped on the straw, purposely making noise, thinking of how bored she was. This town was going to be her grave. Could someone die from boredom? It felt like she could. She sighed, flipping her hair back in place when something caught her attention. Something or rather- someone. Someone's reflection on the window. She turned, raising her sunglasses over her head just in case they were messing up her vision. Nope. There he was. Her face broke into a wide smile. Yes!

She hurried to catch up to him, walking as fast as she could. Okay, she might had ran, but that's what you did when you saw someone special you hadn't seen in a while.

"Zach!" She yelled out as she threw her arms around his waist, in a mocked hug, almost dripping her smoothie. Sure, Jen never hugged, not even K because she thought that would bug him, but not Zach. Zach was her foster big brother, one she hadn't seen in so long. And he was just so serious it was fun to bug him. "Where have you been hiding?" 

[Deleted]

It….was a nice day. Especially since it was day. And there were loads of people around. How pathetic was that? Zach, a grown man, was afraid to walk alone at night. Even simply walking to and from the bookstore and his home had him on edge. He hated it. He shouldn’t be feeing this way. And yet, no matter how he tried to reassure himself, he did.

Stupid irrational fears. He needed to…wanted to…

He should probably go see Kai tonight….or rather, ask Kai to come get him. Maybe spend the night at his place. He had class in the morning, but Kai was within walking distance to campus, so that wouldn’t be a problem, right?

Despite being “on edge”, his careful planning left Zach well distracted to the people around him, and he hadn’t even noticed the girl lunging herself at him. He barely registered his name when she called it out before small arms wrapped themselves around his waist.

Zach jumped, feeling his heart leap right into his throat from such surprise, and jerked aside, arms raised, chest heaving, with this little…leech now randomly attached to him. He stared at the girl, not recognizing her at first. It had been a while since he’d seen the little sister of one of his close friends. Since he’d gotten into University, and especially as he grew closer to graduation, and then even more with Zach having lived on his own for a couple, he just hadn’t the time to spend on anything more than school and family and the circles which directly surrounded them.

So when he finally recognized the girl as Jen Mitchellson… Zach breathed out a smile. “H-hey…Jen, is…is that you? Wow…I almost didn’t recognize you. You’re so…” Womanly? Much older? Grown up? “It’s been a while…”

[Jen Mitchellson]

She felt him jump and she grinned widely, pleased that she'd surprised him. She stood back, letting him turn and see her as she placed her hands on her hips, smiling like a fiend. She hadn't seen in him in so long! "Yup. In the flesh." She said playfully before nibbling on her lower lip. He looked the same, if not a tad... down? She wasn't sure, considering how serious he was.

"That's me." She said with a grin as he stuttered. She was too what? She had an idea. "I know, right!" She said, stretching her arms now, as if showing herself off, "I have boobs and everything." She smiled again, actually looking happy to see him. There were few people Jen had in her life, few that meant something to her, and her family was usually the ones that topped the list. And he was family, of course. Hard not to think like that of people you knew since you were a kid.

"So, you didn't answer my question." She said, "I have no idea what happened to you. Never asked either." She nodded at the street, "Want to go grab something to drink? I'm almost done with this smoothie." She waved the drink showing how little was left, "We can catch up."

[Deleted]

Zach turned a beet red as she so shamelessly pointed out exactly what he’d been trying to tiptoe around. “Yeah….I’m not sure your…your brother would appreciate me talking about…your…your boobs…” Even if Caelum was aware now that Zach didn’t pitch for that team, it was still something he’d like to avoid. Out of pure respect for his friend…well, not just his friend, for Jen herself.

Question?

Ohh, right, there was a question there, wasn’t there? And Zach couldn’t exactly remember what it was. Where had he been? Right? Zach opened his mouth to try and provide a slow explanation, but Jen was on the ball with finding them someplace more appropriate to sit and talk. Which he kind of appreciated. Maybe. What time was it? He didn’t want to get lost in “catching up” so much that he got home too late….

Zach really was pathetic. This whole fucking armed robbery thing was completely ruling how he was making even the simplest of decisions these days. It needed to stop.

“Okay,” he said with a nod, pulling his lips into something resembling a smile. “How about…Boba tea?” The Bubblebeam Tea Shop was just around the corner, so they wouldn’t have to go far. They could sit in and chat there.

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen waved a hand, "Pff. K wouldn't care." She looked down with a bitter smile, "He doesn't care about many things." As soon as those words left her mouth, she shook her head and was back to grinning. "Boobs are life anyway! And you probably have seen a few of them in your day, eh?" She winked at him, nudging him playfully with her hip.

"Boba tea sounds amazing. And i want to know everything about you! Caelum never talks. About ANYTHING! Which is so- Ugh, you know him." She shook her head in disapproval, but was still grinning. She moved to grab his arm as if nothing, feeling as familiar with him now as she had when she'd been younger. "He keeps smiling all the time, but I know there's something there, you know? Of course you know. You lived with him."

She smiled as she nudged him to start walking, "Come on, now. You can talk to me on the way there." She paused for a second before asking again, "So how's school?"

[Deleted]

Well, yes, while that could be true, there was still something inappropriate about referring to one’s good friend in that manner. If Caelum was interested that way, Zach wouldn’t be comfortable with him referring to any of Zach’s little sisters that way. Or, as what would be more likely, one of his younger brothers. There were just some lines you didn’t cross no matter how “okay” it was. “Uh…yeah, well,” he started hesitantly, a blush reaching his cheeks. “I have…seen a few.” ‘A few’ being maybe one pair. Maybe two from some party, but he was probably not paying attention. And television didn’t count.

At her next statement, Zach had to laugh. Caelum? Not talking? That seemed….very impossible. Though she may have a point that he just doesn’t talk about the important things. Like….he had no idea the he and Kai had been seeing each other…. “Yeah….he does that. But…you know him.” Zach rested a hand on her head, giving it a light ruffle. “He’ll talk when he’s ready.” Or when you pushed him enough for it.

Zach sighed. Dear little Jen….always with so much energy. She really hadn’t changed at all except in the fact that she was no longer a middle school girl. Now she was a woman…with the mind of a free-loving child. That was fine though. “School’s….okay. I graduated. In grad school now. What about you? Are uh…” He had no idea if Jen was in college yet or not, but it still seemed too early for her. Wasn’t it? “Are you still at Hammel?” he asked cautiously.

[Jen Mitchellson]

He was blushing so adorably that Jen couldn't help but smile, nibbling on her lower lip to hold back a big of her grin. He was so adorable! Not that she didn't know that. He was, or rather had been. Wow, time did fly, right? Anyway, she felt him alone for that part, since apparently talking about breasts seemed to make him uncomfortable.

"I know him." She answered to the conversation about her brother. She was pouting, and then felt slightly smile as he ruffled her hair slightly. Why couldn't Caelum be this gentle with her? "Yeah. Maybe it's best for him to stay quiet." She said, moving a hand absentmindedly to fix her hair. Funny how when Caelum did that she got mad but now the gesture seemed endearing. Maybe it was just the difference between real brothers and... your brother's friend? She wasn't sure. "I'm never good with that kind of conversation." She shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "Not that he ever talks to me about that stuff anyway. I just want him to stop being so-" She couldn't find a good word so she settled for the one she always called him, "lame."

She nodded as he said he was in grad school now and laughed as he wondered if she was in Hammel. "How old do you think I am?" She wondered with a bright smile, "I've been out for over a year!" To her it sounded like a long time but maybe for others it was still very recent. "I'm in Community College now. Trying to find myself and all that crap, you know?"

[Deleted]

Jen had always reminded Zach of Savvy.  They were both so....cute?  Happy? Excitable?  They pouted the same too.  Only Savvy had been a child still when Zach had first met Jen and her brother, so it might've been more accurate to say that Savvy reminded him of a younger version of Jen...or Jen was an older version of Savvy?  That must've been the reason why he felt such kinship with the girl.  And it made him realize that one day, his little sister was going to be grown up just like this.  In only a few more years, in fact.  The thought made him smile sadly.

“Maybe it is,” Zach agreed. He still thought that whatever was bothering Caelum, he’d bring it up when he was ready…probably not to Jen, but to someone. Zach…really felt guilty about that, honestly. He couldn’t help thinking that it was because of him that Cae might’ve been having any issues that even his little sister could pick up on it. But…what else was he supposed to do? Just sit back and watch while Kai moved on with someone else? When they obviously still had feelings for each other and….

Zach tried to push those thoughts away. He shouldn’t be thinking about that now. He had Jen here and needed to be present with her. His eyes remained solemn, though. It was hard to bring any mirth into them, with all that had happened recently. “Uh…I don’t know? 16?” That might’ve been what she was the last time he’d seen her. “Really?” he said, pleasantly surprised, actually. “What are you studying?” They reached the Bubblebeam Tea Shop, and Zach pulled the door open for her.

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen turned to him, still grinning, when she noticed he was in deep thought. Had she said something? "Uh-hey." She called with a forced smile, "Don't think too much on what I said. I never notice anything anyway, you know me." She winked at him, "I probably just caught him after a failed prank or something. You know how he gets with that stuff." She rolled her eyes while smiling, "He's such a loser." That was what was expected of her, right? Not to worry, miss things, smile all the time and call Caelum a loser. Besides, he was probably fine. Things were probably going to get better.

He guessed her age and she laughed loudly, "Oh, come on!" She said with a grin, and then pointed at herself, "Is this a 16 year old girl's body?" She sent him a wink as she entered the tea shop. "I'm nineteen, Zach. Nineteen. I'm pretty sure I was sixteen when you left, you know? THREE years ago." She shook her head. She swore this man was more distracted than- who knew? Someone who was often distracted!

"Meh." Yup, that was her answer to his question. She knew he'd prod so she smiled and shrugged, "I'm just... figuring things out. You know how it is. They expect you to choose whatever career you'll have for the rest of your life as soon as you leave high school. What's up with that? I want to enjoy myself while I can." She moved to sit in a table right in the middle of the shop and grinned at him, waving at the other chair for him to take.

"Now, enough about me. Tell me about you."

[Deleted]

Was he thinking about it too much? Maybe. Zach offered her a shallow smile. “Hey…don’t call him that. That’s my friend you’re talking about.” He chuckled a little, trying to lighten himself up. Zach really needed to stay in the moment instead of drifting off so often.

Zach figured he was wrong, it was probably obvious, but it was hard to not think of little Jen as a kid still since that was pretty much what she was last time he saw her. So that impression was still incredibly strong. “Uh….I don’t know…..girls….these days they’re….it’s hard to tell, sometimes.” And wasn’t there something about how girls matured faster than boys? Not mentally, obviously. Jen was hardly the mature adult she ought to be at nineteen. But physically…well, we already went there didn’t we? “Okay….you’re nineteen…sorry.” He laughed as he followed her inside.

Meh? Well, it wasn’t like he hadn’t heard that one before.

“That’s….not a bad thing,” he said as he took the seat she directed him to. “Taking your time, I mean. I know a lot of people who’ve changed their majors several times because they can’t make up their mind.” Zach hadn’t done that. He’d known what he wanted to do since before he came to Pilot Ridge. He hadn’t expected to go to grad school, though, until maybe his junior year in college.

Zach smiled as she tried to direct the conversation to him. “I, uh….what…do you want to know?” ‘Tell me about you’ was such a vague and broad request.

[Jen Mitchellson]

"Still a loser." She said, sticking out her tongue at him playfully. So maybe Jen was acting a tad more childish than usual, but maybe that was because he acted so much like a big brother that it was hard not to. She chuckled when he talked about girls. Wasn't that the truth? "I AM nineteen and don't you forget it." She was teasing of course. She wasn't the tiniest bit mad at him, even though she truly didn't want to appear sixteen, particularly because she couldn't wait to be twenty one and be considered an adult. Hey! She would be in other countries!

Jen's smile turned gentle as he spoke. He truly sounded like a big brother. "Can you convince my dad then? Because he certainly doesn't think so." Although to be fair, she was a tad too spoiled for her own good, not that she would ever think she didn't deserve it. "I just don't know what I want to do. Nor what I'm good at. Well," She shrugged and sent him a playful smile, "My talents wouldn't be used in any respectable job at least."

But he asked what she wanted to know about him and she leaned forward, "The good stuff of course!" She said as it was the most obvious answer, but she guessed she needed to be more specific. "Starting with what have you been doing? And why you left. I have no idea what happened."

[Deleted]

"Uh...sorry," he said nervously. "I'm sure your dad is just thinking of what's best for you." Most parents did, didn't they? Even if it didn't always seem so, especially to the young ones. It was too easy for them to think that it was a personal slight against them and what they wanted to do. Zach had been lucky, he supposed, that his parents pretty much let all of them pursue whatever ambitions they had, even something as unlikely as music or writing. 

Zach rose an eyebrow. “And…what exactly do you define as ‘respectable’.” Because Zach actually knew plenty of good people in these so-called “un-respectable” jobs. Actually, Noa was really the only one, and her co-workers from the House whom he barely had any acquaintance with, but Zach didn’t like those kind of labels for people who were just…people.

The ‘good’ stuff. Well, that narrowed it down. Quite a bit, actually, because the past year had been chock full of bad stuff, it was actually hard to think of what events could be considered “good”. “Okay, well…..” He paused as he thought it over. “I graduated last December and now I’m in grad school.” That was good, right? “And….” What was good… “I moved back in with my parents, so I’ll be around a lot more.” That was definitely good! “And I got a regular job at the university newspaper.” Though he hadn’t been doing well with it lately.

“And I, uh…” Should he mention Kai? Was anything with Kai actually good? It was a roller coaster, actually…he could tactfully leave things out. “I got a…a boyfriend. Kinda.” Though they were technically unofficial, taking things slow for now. ‘Just dating’, though in name only it seemed. Zach blushed slightly as he told her that. “Wh-what about you? A-anything good going on?” he asked, trying to steer the subject away from him.

[Jen Mitchellson]

"Yeah, the best for me." She said with a snort, "Or the best for his campaigns." Being the kid of a politician was never easy. "Just ask Caelum." Though knowing her brother, he'd probably just stay quiet about it. That was what happened to her and she wasn't about to press him into doing anything. First of, she didn't know how and second, she hated it when people pressed her to talk about things that made her uncomfortable, so she figured it was the same for everyone else.

He asked her about her 'respectable' job and she smirked. "The kind daddy wouldn't mind telling his lovely partners about. I mean, can you imagine?" She straightened her back and spoke in the prissiest voice she could manage. "Oh, darling! How is your delightful daughter? Jen was it?" She changed her tone to a deeper voice, though still sounding prissy, "Why, she's wonderful. Pleasing every man and woman and everything in between in Pilot Ridge!" Back to high voice, "Oh, that was her? My! My husband absolutely adores her!" She grinned at him and lowered her voice again, "That's my girl!" Jen shrugged and leaned forward, still grinning, "I can keep up with the theatre if you want. We know all these rich people love every word that ends with 'ful' and I have an extensive vocabulary." She was teasing of course, so she smirked and leaned back on her chair.

Now they were getting into the good stuff. She nodded when he spoke of grad school, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Yes, she knew that, but who cared about school anyway? And jobs. Now she resisted the urge to shudder. Who wanted one of those anyway? But then he got to the good good stuff. A boyfriend! Her eyes grew wide.

"I did not see that one coming." She said in surprise, but then she grinned, nibbling on her lower lip for a second and then getting interested. "Tell me about him." She almost ordered, obviously way excited over the idea, "Is he hot?" Her smirk grew wider, "Does he have brothers? Straight ones would be better but I'm not that picky."

He asked about her and for a moment there she lowered her eyes to the table, licking her upper lip as she thought of what to say. She then shrugged slightly, already smiling again. "What's to say? I'm single and ready to mingle." She fluttered her eyelashes for effect, "Well, more like way mingled already, but don't tell Caelum about that. I doubt he wants to know about his little sister's escapades. Not sure you want to know either." She chuckled slightly and shrugged again. "But I'm having fun." That was good, right? She really didn't want to be judged over her lack of... well, of everything. No relationships, no major, no job, no attachments of any sort. But that was a good thing... right?

"But enough about me. As interesting as I am, I bet you're far more interesting." She smiled again, "Did you..." Her eyes lowered again as she tried her best to sound bored, "Did you talk to Caelum already?"

[Deleted]

Jen had a good head on her shoulders, despite her age and childish demeanor sometimes. She was probably a lot more capable than her father gave her credit for…or maybe than what Jen gave herself? Her decision to leave Caelum be until he was ready to talk was proof of that, to Zach. It was her way of being considerate.

Zach’s eyes widened, though, as she gave a rather colorful description of this ‘un-respectable’ job. He couldn’t help but smile, however. “Maybe you should consider joining a theater troupe?” If the House was still open, then he might introduce her to Noa. Jen’s bright personality and ability to draw attention was just the right kind to be on a stage, no matter what kind of stage it was. “Just…don’t do anything illegal…and I think you’ll be okay.” Though he had to sympathize with her, for being under the pressure of her father to get that “respectable” job, no matter what other things she might want to do. It was really…unfortunate. And it made him think of Kai…if he didn’t have his parents expectations to fulfill, would he have decided to go into a different field and not…what was it, biochemistry? Zach might ask him that later.

Zach creased his eyebrows at her surprise. Granted, the fact that he was in a “relationship” at all might have been surprising, but…was it really so unlikely for him to have come out as gay? Every single person he’d told thus far had reacted in that sort of surprised way. Considering how oblivious he always was, Zach sort of assumed everyone else figured it out long before he did himself. His pale face was painted a light shade of red at her questions. “Um…yes? I mean….I…think so…” Zach lowered his eyes as his face grew hotter. “No…he has a sister who goes to Hammel…” And a vile snake she was. Zach never wanted to come face to face with her again.

Finally the topic was off him and he could start breathing again. Zach shook his head. “No…I mean, I don’t need explicit details, but…I’m not so….I’m not as…straight-laced as you might think…” Or rather, he was really just very accepting of other people’s decisions. “As long as you’re being safe…” Zach smiled. “Then…I’m glad you’re having fun.” She was, honestly, right at that age where she needed that. To get it out of her system. Zach had, unfortunately, completely missed those years, he was so involved in school.

And then the conversation was back on him, and Zach’s smile strained. “Oh…am I?” Ha ha ha… He lifted his eyes, blinking at her question. “To Caelum? A-about….?” Zach sighed. “Y-yeah…he knows.” And found out in a very…regrettable way.

[Jen Mitchellson]

Theater? "Oh, come on." She said with a snort, "Do you really think I could be an actress? Mind you, I know I'm pretty enough, but i don't know if I have the patience for that." Although... hadn't Julien said she looked good in camera? "If anything, my face belongs in the big screen, don't you agree?" She made a pose then, as if framing her face with one hand while she fluttered her eyelashes, just to tease of course. And then he warned about doing illegal things. She rolled her eyes at that bit. How stupid did he think she was? "Must you take away the fun out of life? Half the things worth doing are illegal!" It was a joke though, since she was sure she'd never do something so stupid.

And he got so cute when she asked about his boyfriend. "Aww, don't tell me you're getting shy on me, Zach. It's just me, little sweet Jen. Can't you trust me enough to tell me you love watching that ass?" She hoped to make him stutter far more and see if he could manage yet a darker shade of red. Wouldn't that be cute? "Ugh, a sister. I can't deal with sisters."


It was almost funny to see him defend how he wasn't all that tight, particularly after blushing just for being asked if his boyfriend was hot. She smiled gently at him, feeling slightly giddy at the fact that there was someone who cared enough, at the very least, to listen to her. Sure Jen was friendly and she talked to everyone, but that didn't mean she actually talked. "Thanks." She said with a small smile, unsure of what she was supposed to answer to that. Not many people in her life approved of her life style. Well, not many cared.

When she asked about Caelum her eyebrows rose in surprise at his reaction. Oh, so there was a story there. "I sense drama." She said in a half joke. Only half because his reaction showed just how bad things had gone. "So... want to- um." She was so bad at this. "Tell me? I'm curious, you know? Caelum's been..." She didn't finish the sentence, thinking maybe her brother wouldn't want Zach to know he'd been feeling odd, especially if he was the cause for such feelings. Maybe finding out his friend was gay had something to do with that? "Weirder than usual."