Forgetting is Best (JD.)

[Jalen August]

Jalen was ready for this hike, as a jog or a stroll wouldn’t suit the adventure. The last time she had seen JD was about twenty minutes ago. Their first time hanging out however, had also included running. She was just happy to be with someone, even if they were a man of little words. No matter, she could talk enough for the both of them.

Her water sitting in the car, the blonde was sitting on the hood of it, playing with her cell phone. Her hair was up in a ponytail, her atrocious scar on the back of her neck sticking out like a sore thumb. It would be hard to miss, as it appeared to be an earthworm escaping from her ear, trying to make it’s way down her back. She debated leaving her hair down, before deciding that the scar didn’t matter. Sweatpants and a tank top she chose as her attire, a light sweater sitting in the back of her car.

Dark eyes looked up as her sensitive hearing picked up on someone approaching, and she smiled. “All set?” She asked JD, standing up from her cross legged position. Jalen unlocked the little car and slid into the driver’s seat, starting it up as she waited for the boy. “You’ll have to give me directions, seeing as I have no clue where we’re going,” she said, pulling out of the parking lot once JD was buckled in. “Unless that’s a problem, since you’re a man and all,” she grinned, wondering if her attempt at humour was as pitiful as she felt.

“Are you busy later?” Jalen asked suddenly, trying to get the ball rolling before she forgot what she had remembered before getting ready for the run, or something like that. If she didn’t mention it now, she would forget again. Steak dinner, steak dinner, steak dinner...

[JD Paerson]

"Well, I'm glad you think so. And don't worry, I won't let your extravagent compliment go to my already oversized head," JD said with a grin. But hey, not too shabby was better than some of the other descriptions he'd gotten, so who was he to complain?

"Okay then, see you there," he said, still a bit surprised at their sudden outing. Luckily he was no longer on campus restriction--though had he been he wouldn't have offered in the first place. So he waved back as she jogged off, then headed up to his own room in order to get ready.

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He slipped on a new pair of running shoes, sweatpants and a clean t-shirt, then started looking for his water bottle. It took a few minutes for him to find it, only to discover that it had gotten a big crack during its stay under the bed. So he had to run out to the cafeteria and buy a bottle of water. He'd have to get himself a new refillable bottle soon, but this would do for now.

It had been nearly twenty minutes, which meant that JD ran out to the parking lot to cut down on further extra time. He spotted Jay sitting on the hood of her car and dashed over.

"Sorry I'm late," he said as he ran up. "Yeah, I'm all ready now." He opened the passenger door, moved the seat back, and got into the car.

"Hey, I can give directions!" he protested. "That's a gross misrepresentation, you know. It's just that girls always use landmarks to travel by, whereas we guys know that it's smarter to use road names." She'd joked first, he reasoned, so it was okay for him to jest back. Even if it wasn't necessarily a good joke at all. "Take a right at highway 51, then it's about three miles outside of town. I'll tell you when we're close to the turn-off."

He was a bit startled by her question. "Uh, I guess not. I have some assignments due, but that's not for a while. Why? Did you need help with something?" Maybe she needed more help with her math class or something. He could help with that.

[Jalen August]

Jalen smiled devilishly. “Smarter hey? I would say different, but our way is much more efficient,” she said, joking around, her competitive nature showing through. Yes she could be laidback, but the occasional verbal joust was always fun.

“Actually, I was thinking maybe you’d want to go pick up some steaks? And something to go with them?” Jalen quickly smiled, feeling awkward to say the least. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to complete her share of the bet, it just felt a little forced. Would he appreciate her spontaneity? He seemed to be more of a scheduled type of guy, so she hoped he wouldn’t mind her overfriendliness, and maybe a bit of desperation. She was lonely and she liked JD, those were good reasons to hang out, right?

She couldn’t help but think that she was asking him out in presenting her idea, but she reassured herself that she owed him the dinner, and it had been won over a videogame. Surely there was nothing romantic about that. “Unless you don’t want to, I’m okay with that,” she said, even though she really wouldn’t be.

“Right here?” Jalen asked, spotting the highway sign, turning right before JD could agree or not. Sometimes she just spoke without thinking. She wasn’t too much of a crazy driver, so the boy beside her could trust her with proper directions – no landmarks included.

[JD Paerson]

"More efficient? You mean when you say 'turn left at the McDonald's' and then have to verify which restaurant you are actually talking about? As opposed to 'left on Third,' which needs no questions?" JD also enjoyed a bit of a verbal joust, especially ones made in fun. Not every argument had to be taken completely seriously.

He flushed a bit at the comment about the steaks. "Uh, yeah, about that..." he said, rubbing the back of his head. But when she apologized he was quick to stop her. "No, no, that sounds fine! I just wanted to apologize to never getting back to you on that. Honestly, a bunch of stuff just came up, and...well, it's no excuse, but I apologize anyway."

They hit the turn-off and he nodded to her question even as she was turning.

"Yeah, steaks sound great. And, what, potatoes? Do you have a favorite vegetable or anything? I hope you don't expect to make me eat all this on my own." A bit late he realized that he was practically asking her out on a date, with just the two of them at dinner, and she'd just broken up with her last boyfriend. He could practically hear the scoldings of his mother.

"Er, as long as you're still good for that. I don't want you to feel pressured or anything if this is a bad time. I don't have anything really planned, so if something else works better for you that's fine."

As they neared the next turn-off he gestured to the right again. "Right here. The paved road gives out in about a mile, but then it's still gravel for a while. The actual trail-head is a little further in. I can't say exactly how far, because I usually don't come this way. I prefer to cut through the forest--fewer cars for me to worry about running into."

[Jalen August]

“Exactly, more efficient!” She said, as though JD had been arguing for her instead of against her, rendering his side invalid – or so she put it. “Case and point,” she laughed as they took the first turnoff, wondering just how someone would go about fighting with someone who was defiant as she was.

Jalen glanced at him, and without hesitating said, “Yeah, I’m sure that prank you helped pull kept you busy, I didn’t think the profs would let anyone get away with that.” She wasn’t one to beat around the bush, no, blunt and simple were more her style. Time was precious, and she wanted to make full use of it.

Smiling, the blonde thought JD was pretty cute, sort of asking her to eat with him. “I don’t expect you to eat all by yourself, it would be creepy to cook you dinner and then watch you eat it.” She kept driving, the small car making its merry little way uphill. “I need to get over the bad times, I’m the one that brought it up, remember?” She asked him, turning right at the next indication.

“What was the name of this road again?” She teased him, keeping her eyes on the road as she smiled coyly. “Steak and potatoes sounds just about right,” she added as an afterthought, the car becoming a little bumpy as it hit the gravel. Jalen chuckled at the imagery of the speedster colliding with a car – not that if it actually happened it would be funny, though the thought was.

Eventually the makeshift road began to narrow out, and Jay managed to find a spot to park that wasn’t on the road, but was still sort of in the way. She doubted anyone would come up here, and hey, if they did, they would have to stop just like she had to – unless they wanted a real bumpy ride.

She reached for her water bottle, brushing the boy’s knuckles gently as he unbuckled his seat belt. Jalen simply took the drink, trying not to make a big deal out of a small thing like touching someone's skin. After reaching into the back to grab her sweater, she exited the car, rubbing at the back of her neck. Her stupid scar was flaring up again.

“Okay, so where’s this amazing trail?” She asked, a happy sigh released as she placed her hands on her hips, waiting expectantly.

[JD Paerson]

"Wh--?" JD said, thinking back over what he'd said to make sure all the words had come out in the right order. "No, I think you heard me wrong. Your way involves vague directions and more time double-checking. My way involves clear instructions that rely on logic. Do you ever hear a GPS giving directions based on landmarks?" He adopted a semi-robotic voice. "'Turn right just past that large tree.' It's absolutely ridiculous!"

He flushed slightly when she mentioned the prank. "In my defense, it wasn't my idea. I didn't even do most of the planning or anything. I just set off the cannon." And he had insisted on a distraction. And suggested Mia. But surely that wasn't really as important. "It was all the crap afterwards, really." Up until...well, today, really, he'd been completely morose and silent. Up until about an hour ago, when he finally found someone else who seemed to be in a worse state than him, which finally made him remember that he wasn't the center of the universe.

"All right, so long as you're cool with it. I will be happy to have dinner with you this evening." He made a mock bow in his seat, but it was unfortunately at just the moment when they were turning, so he ended up tipping a bit too far. He grabbed the door to right himself, then looked around.

"I don't think this road has a na--" In the middle of his statement he made a face and glanced back over. "All right, fine. But I can still give just fine directions by saying it's a quarter of a mile past the junction with Country Road 82."

When the road got more rough JD grabbed hold of the door again to keep himself from flying sideways. He was silently glad when the ride was over. Years of running most everywhere had left him with a certain dread of enclosed vehicles. He unbuckled his seatbelt and only froze for half a moment when their hands brushed. Then he opened the door and hopped out of the car.

"Well, trailhead's up that way. Maybe another tenth of the mile up, I'd say." It started next to a large boulder, but after their previous conversation he wasn't about to say that. "It branches out on the left. Keep your eyes peeled."

As they started walking, he naturally fell into the rear, which was when he finally noticed the scar on her neck. "Wow, that scar looks pretty nasty," he said, insensitive to the fact that she might not want to talk about it. "When did you get that?" He had a few scars himself, but nothing that serious.

"There, that's the start of the trail," he said, pointing. "From here I figure it'll be maybe another hour or so, maximum. Maybe less. And if you're willing to go a bit further, I scouted out an even better look-out spot. But it means going out on a bit of a steep ledge."

[Jalen August]

Jalen shrugged, “I don’t really see what the big deal is,” she said, unaware of JD’s hopeful academic wishes. Seriously though, who didn’t pull a few pranks now and then? Especially in high school. Whatever was hanging over his head couldn’t have been the end of the world. “Nobody died, right? People can get over themselves. I think Mia is quite the artist,” the blonde said with a grin, laughing a little. The pictures had been perfect, and she knew it was a breach of privacy, but it had been beautiful.

Jay really had no idea what kind of damage the whole prank had caused, there were too many ripples to count.

The girl laughed a bit more as JD lost his balance. He seemed really out of his element. “Well thank you for inviting me kind sir,” she said, shaking her head in amusement. She gave him the courtesy of not making fun of his little blunder there. “Let’s agree to disagree,” she said, getting back to the direction thing, “it’s obvious we’re both set in our ways and too old to learn new tricks.” They really weren’t old at all, but that was beside the point.

Out of the car, Jalen zipped her sweater up, untucking her long locks, adjusting her ponytail. She rolled her eyes as he continued to try and give ‘proper’ directions. “I think I’ll know it’s a trail once I see it,” she said, reassuring him. Putting her hands in her pockets, the girl began to walk uphill, a small smile on her face. This is just what she needed, to get back to nature and just be herself again. She was tired of moping around and tired of her life being turned upside down. Being here was perfect, it was great. The weather was a little cool, but that didn’t matter. Nothing could ruin her mood, absolutely nothing.

Well, almost nothing.

”Wow, that scar looks pretty nasty.” Jalen winced, glad she wasn’t facing JD. Otherwise he’d be able to see the daggers shooting from her eyes. His reaction was the very thing she feared in showing her skin on the back of her neck. Reaching back, she pulled the hood up and over the top of her head, her expression stony. That was probably the worst thing the speedster could’ve said, but how was he supposed to know? Still, Jay couldn’t help but think that she would always leave her hair down, running or not.

A ringing was in her head now, and she decided to ignore JD’s question, lest she rip him a new one. All Jalen needed after a good breakup was for a cute boy to tell her she looked nasty. Nice.

Blinking hard, Jalen saw what he was evidently talking about – the trail. It looked just beautiful, and she desperately wanted to be a part of it. She was muttering something about a steep ledge and shoving someone over it, but it was nothing more than mumbling. Pushing her sleeves up, the blonde began to run, both to get closer to the trees, but further from JD. She needed to cool off, it wasn’t his fault and she knew that deep down inside, but if she stayed too close to him, he would wind up on the ground with a black eye.

[JD Paerson]

"Glad someone enjoyed it, then," JD muttered. But at least she wasn't mad at him over the prank, which was an admitted relief.

He had a bit of a thing against "agree to disagree," but for the time being he conceded. After all, things were going well, and he didn't particularly want to push into an argument right now. Besides, it could always sit on the shelf until later. So he nodded and said, "All right, truce."

Was it just him, or had she frozen for a moment there? And then when he looked back at her after pointing out the trail (which she hadn't commented on) she had her hood up.

"Uh," he started, not really sure what had just happened. But before he could actually get any words off she was off, racing up the path. "Wait, was it something I said?" he asked lamely, but she was already gone.

He ran after her but didn't use his power. While he could have easily caught up to her, he still had to think for a moment to try to figure out what had actually occurred before. Going over the conversation in his head, he realized that it had most likely been a comment about her scar. Based on her reaction, it likely brought up bad memories and she didn't want to talk about it. Which was fine, but why not just say that instead of running off? It wasn't like it was a big deal or anything.

Sometimes girls didn't make any sense.

Now that he'd sorted out his thoughts, though, he put on an extra burst of speed. "Hey, hold up!" he called.

As he ran up next to her, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Jay, just slow down for a minute. You don't want to tire yourself out so early. Look, if this is about the scar thing, I'm sorry, okay? You don't have to talk about it, I was just wondering."

[Jalen August]

For once Jalen couldn’t use the excuse of listening to music as being unable to hear JD, not that she had used that particular excuse on him before. He knew damn right that she could hear him. She knew damn right that she couldn’t run from him.

It was never easy to talk about the scar, not because of how it came to be, although that was painful in and of itself, but the emotional distress it had caused her was enough to make her want to hide it again after today. There was a reason she never had her hair up. After being rejected so many times because of it, it often felt like she was carrying around a rotting dead animal with her instead of a skin disfigurement.

A hard expression was on her face still when he came up beside her, actually having the courage to stop her. She wasn’t sure if JD should be applauded for his courage, or slapped for his stupidity. Jalen stopped running, and once he apologized, her eyes softened only slightly. She turned her back to him, taking the hood off once more so he could have a good, long look at the creature on her neck. “It happened when I lost control of my powers, and it flares up and deepens when I try to push myself,” she said out of anger still, lifting the hood back up and turning to face him again.

She looked away, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. “You’re forgiven,” she said, mustering up the courage to look at him, “and I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but when guys don’t want to be with you romantically because of it, well, let’s just say sometimes I’d like to just rip the disgusting thing off.” There, now he knew. She wasn’t sure why he was indulging him. He had asked, but she was certain he didn’t think it would be something so dramatic. She had been vulnerable and it was nice to talk to someone about it. Plus, she hadn’t beaten him up, which was probably a good thing for JD.

“I’m sorry for freaking out on you...” She said, crossing her arms in front of her, completely guarded. “Probably not what you want to hear, but you just reminded me of the truth,” she added, trying to smile, but it didn’t work. Jalen sighed, turning to look at the trail again. She began walking this time, counting her steps as she went. “I should win an award for being such great company,” she joked, trying to ease the tension.

[JD Paerson]

JD was concerned that Jalen was taking this situation so hard. He honestly hadn't thought it a big deal, but apparently it was something important to her. Out of respect for that, he solemnly listened to her explanations.

"I get that. Powers suck sometimes. It's not just the running into walls, it's..." Now they'd come to a territory that he often didn't like to talk about. Or think about. But she was making a big confession and he somehow felt that he was supposed to repay the openness. But then, he could always do that later. He made a mental note and didn't push the issue any further for the moment.

Mostly, he was confused by what she was saying. "Wait, are you saying guys have like, broken up with you over the scar? Is that what happened to--" why couldn't he remember the guy's name-- "the last guy? Because if that was it, he deserved it. That's a really stupid reason to ditch someone." He was trying to think this all out, because in his head it didn't make logical sense. She was a pretty, intelligent, nice girl. Why would someone cast her off just because there had been a problem with her powers?

He was also confused by the "truth" she was talking about, but it seemed like a sensitive topic, so he decided not to ask. This was partially to avoid further talk about emotions and just get back to the easy relationship they'd had before, and partially because he thought it might be bad for her. (It's a step forward--he actually considered her feelings here.)

"Nah, maybe not best company," JD said, walking alongside her. He was looking around him at the woods they were walking into, taking the time to enjoy just walking on the trail instead of racing along it--something, oddly enough, she had suggested to him. "But there's other things you can win awards for. And it's not like I'm that great to be around, either." He held up a hand to hold off any protests. "No, really, you don't have to try to defend me. I take pride in being better than a lot of the other people at school, which is why I don't talk to them much. I only spend time with the people who I think deserve it."

They were coming up to a bridge over a small stream. Without a word, JD bent down and scooped up two sticks from the ground. He handed one to Jalen with a smile. "You up for a game?" he asked with a grin. "We drop these off one side of the bridge, then whichever comes out the other side first wins. We can even add in a prize, if you want." He was hoping to lighten the mood again, and potentially drive attention away from the confession he'd almost made earlier about his own power. What better way than a friendly game?

[Jalen August]

Jalen managed a smile, followed by a sigh. JD wasn’t someone she could stay mad at, he should consider himself lucky. He just seemed so... not really innocent, although that was almost the right word. She thought about it a moment more. Oblivious, that was the lug before her. Fast, handsome, smart... “No, Cody didn’t make fun of my scar, he’s actually the only one who hasn’t after seeing it,” she said, subtly teasing the speedster. She blushed, reaching behind her head and itching her scar, “But yeah, guys have done that to me, sweet right?” She asked, shaking her head, hoping the sarcasm would be obvious.

She glanced at him, her angular face still hidden behind the grey hood. Jay was about to argue what kind of company she thought him to be, but he stopped her short, a frown passing over her face. She thought about what he said, a confused look passing over her face. It was like they were from totally different planets. “So you like being alone? And or hanging out with Zac?” She asked, seeing as that’s the only person she really saw JD hang around with – and that blonde guy, Robbie. She thought about it a bit more, “But thank you... I think...” She said, rubbing her hands together from the chill. So she was deserving of his time? Hm.

Guys were so damn confusing.

Taking the stick, she nodded, curiosity in her eyes. Jalen and JD made their way over the bridge, and she peered over it happily. She was just as eager as he was to leave that awkward, one-sided conversation behind. “What’re we wagering this time Jonah?” She asked, not really thinking as she spoke. “I mean, you have all that science behind you, so you’re bound to win, dropping your twig at the precise moment at the perfect time in the perfect spot,” she said, twirling the tiny branch in her fingers.

She turned, her elbows on the bridge’s ledge as she turned her back to it, leaning back. “What’s the prize?” Jalen asked, waiting. It had better be good.

[JD Paerson]

"Hey, I wasn't making fun!" he protested, sensing that she might be ribbing him. "What can I say? Sometimes guys are morons." He included himself in the group on purpose, knowing that he'd made plenty of errors himself.

"No, Zac has forced himself to be the exception. The guy I wish I didn't have to hang out with but who thinks of me as his personal scratching post. Or did, anyway." He briefly grimaced before his features smoothed again. "I just usually figure it's easier to be alone. I'm not always waiting for people to catch up." His compliments in this instance were not exactly the best, but he did think the best of Jay.

"If you really want to know, the real secret is in twisting it," he said with a smirk. "You just have to drop it with a little bit of a flick, and that gets it going. And of course time doesn't matter, since I'll let you call off when we start."

He tapped the stick on his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Uh, a prize...do you like ice cream? We could get ice cream after this, treat of whoever loses." He shrugged. "Or something else, if you don't want ice cream."

He leaned on the side of the bridge, still looking over at Jalen and smiling. "On your count," he said, holding his stick above the water. "Whenever you're ready."

[Jalen August]

She smiled, her mood lifting already. “Finally, something we can agree on,” she said, happy that she could go back to joking around with the boy, referring back to their previous conversation.

Jalen frowned. So rumours were true, Zac and JD were walking on eggshells. “I’m sure he’ll find a way to weasel back into your heart,” she said, touching the boy’s chest where his heart would be. “You don’t seem like the type to wait very long,” she added, trying to be witty. He had super speed, and he was talking about people catching up... she hoped he got the joke anyways. “Easy isn’t the best way to live life,” she said, offering her artistic, philosophical spin on the situation. Just like everyone in the school, JD would eventually get over the prank too.

“You don’t think I’m going to cheat and drop it before you do?” She asked, back on the bridge. “I personally think the secret is having a heavier, longer stick, you know, momentum and all that,” Jalen said, not wanting to try and explain something she could barely process inside her head.

She mimicked her companion’s moves, the stick tapping the corner of her mouth. “Ice cream will do, two scoops if you don’t mind,” she said, “although it’s not going to be as good as that steak.” Jalen chuckled, turning back to assess the water below them. It was pretty quick today.

“Okay, I’ll count to three and we drop, but you have to hurry to the other side, I don’t think I’ll get there in time to see who wins,” she said, “my trust is in your hands.” Holding her stick up above the bridge, she lowered her arm as far as it would go, making the fall a bit shorter, which would hopefully play a hand in her winning this time around against JD. “One, two, three, drop!” She shouted, her long fingers releasing the twig, sending it flying towards the rushing water.

She tried to make her way to the other side stealthily, but the twigs were long gone already, making her verdict useless. “Who won?” She asked, looking up at JD already on the other side, her hood falling back from the wind.

[JD Paerson]

JD raised an eyebrow. "Um, thanks? Though I'm not sure that's supposed to be a compliment. Honestly, though, I'm not really looking forward to any weaseling Zac might do." He made a face at her more philosophical comment. "You a shrink now? Or just sappy?"

He trusted that she wouldn't actually cheat for their game, but when she argued for a longer stick he couldn't help but mention a few facts. "Actually, just because something is bigger doesn't mean that it takes any less time to fall. In fact, by having a longer and heavier stick you would be hindering yourself, because it would be more likely to get caught on anything under the bridge or be slowed down in the water. Based on the principle of--" And then he caught himself. "Sorry," he said with a small grin. "I get carried away sometimes."

He laughed. "No, not as good as steak, but a sufficient enough prize for a game based primarily on luck, I'd say. All right, a double scoop of ice cream from the location of your choice."

JD looked across the bridge, making a few quick calculations to figure out how much speed he should put on without going over the edge. "You got it," he said, then waited for the countdown. On three he let go and was already racing to the other side.

Just in time, too. The two came flying out and he grinned to himself. When Jalen came over he leaned on the edge of the bridge. "Well, there you go. You won. Name the place and the flavor."

They still had a ways to go up the trail, and it was time for them to get moving. "Just up the trail there's a small overlook. Then it's a bunch of switchbacks and some stairs, basically until we hit the top. Let's go." And he started up the trail again.

[Jalen August]

“Sappy, definitely sappy,” she said with a half smile, one that only pulled up on one side of her lips. Jalen raised a single finger at the boy, “But if you tell anyone I’m a sap, I will personally kick your ass, I have a reputation to uphold,” she mock threatened, her eyes glistening with delight. "Something Zac knows all too well, so if you need a bodyguard, I'd be happy to pummel him again," she said, raising her hands and making small fists, punching the air like a boxer.

Waiting on JD as she hovered over the bridge, and smiled up at him from her bent over position. “I like it when you explain things, don’t apologize for being smart,” she said, glad one of them could say what they meant – finally. “But I stand by what I said. Bigger sticks are bound to win because they’re heavier,” she said simply, dangling her stick over the edge, nicknaming him ‘Winner’ in her mind. She had a good feeling about this one. He would be the most beloved of all the other sticks.

“You don’t think playing videogames has anything to do with luck?” She asked, curious. Sure there was some skill involved, but all the skill in the world couldn’t help seasoned players from stopping random events from happening or human error from occurring. Yes, Jay was still sore from losing against JD, especially on something she felt she could do very well.

Jalen followed JD back to the trail, hands in her pockets once more. “So did I actually win, or are you just being nice?” She asked, curious. It bothered her that she didn’t actually see which stick had arrived first. She inched her way ahead of him, walking backwards so she could look at him. “How about another game?” She asked, but she continued to walk backwards, signalling that they wouldn’t have to stop for this one.

“I spy with my little eye, something that is...” she looked over his shoulder, but the object she spied was up in the air, “red.” A small bird was sailing overhead, and Jalen wondered if JD would be able to catch it in time to play her little game.