Giving Into Insanity (Open.)

[Jalen August]

It had been two weeks since Jalen had lost her iPod in a prank gone bad. It might have been amusing if her heart and soul MP3 player hadn't been ruined with an onslaught of blue dye. She had given Danicca plenty of opportunities to write her wrong, but she had lost the moment at around the same time Jalen couldn't ignore the silence any longer.

For someone who listened to tunes at almost any given moment, she was surprised at herself for not getting a new iPod sooner. Maybe it was because she was reluctant to do so, as the old one had been a Christmas gift from her family. It was bad enough that her music was gone, but now the one that was meant to last at least a year, was gone for good. She had tried to air out the small machine in hopes of reviving it - but to no avail.

Deciding a trip was in order, the blonde got into her small car and drove to the mall. Once inside, she blew at a loose strand of hair in frustration. It would be so easier to find an iPod if there was an Apple store. She had heard of plenty of malls having them, but she couldn’t really except Pilot Ridge to have one of its own, could she?

There was only so much white noise the girl could take, even drowning out every noise to listen to nothing but dead air wasn’t the same as listening to really loud music, the kind that you could have full blast and no one could complain about – another reason why she was in love with her powers.

Passing a small music shop, Jalen strolled in and didn’t waste any time looking at anything else. “Yes, the one on the right,” she said, pointing at the new iPod 30G she wanted. It would be expensive, but she would be spending her own money. Now, it was like she had received two iPods for Christmas instead of one. The only annoying thing, Jalen thought to herself, was that she would have to put all of her favourite songs back on her mini-machine. Perhaps she would start with Sixx AM this time.

Smiling happily down at her purchase, sitting happily in its tiny white box, she decided this day needed to be celebrated with a trip to Starbucks. Ordering her favourite drink - matcha latté, she sat down and began sipping at her drink and rummaging around her purse. She had to bring her small black purse with her today, since her black skinny jeans wouldn’t allow her room to keep a wallet, and neither would her pocket-less light blue tank top.

Sipping obnoxiously at her drink, Jalen pulled out a red and white sock from her small purse. Why the sock you ask? Well, setting it on the wooden table she was sitting at, she began to unpack her new iPod, decided she wanted to try and fit her new MP3 player into her purse, and that wasn’t going to happen if it stayed in its box. After buying such an expensive music player, there was no way she could afford a case to protect it – a nice fuzzy sock would have to do.

[Braxton Carson]

Nicotine was Braxton's biggest vice, his second one, like any other average american, was for sure caffeine. Fortunately it wasn't as strong as the first and abstaining from it for a couple of days did not bother him much. Perhaps it was more something he enjoyed and not something he needed, and today was one of those days he wanted one.

Running away from the school's awful coffee he found himself in the Pilot Ridge's mall's Starbucks. He loved it. He ordered it black and took no sugar before sitting in a random table. Blowing it softly before drinking it, only the smell was already giving him the pleasure he wanted from so much. After the first sip he remembered why he loved the place, and the coffee, so much.

It was halfway through the plastic cup that a blonde girl arrived. Braxton followed her with his eyes as she ordered and took a sit. Definitely beautiful and most definitely his style. He remembered the last time he hooked up with someone and all he could remember doing lately was studying for finals and doing papers. Oh graduation was so close and yet so far away, it had consumed everything out of him in the late months.

Without hesitating for more than a couple of second, Braxton fixed his leather jacket, checked if his Hugo Boss perfume was still felt, and promptly stood up and walked towards the girl. He wondered if her hair was natural...

"Well hello there." He said in a serious tone with his coffee in his right hand. "I am Braxton and I couldn't avoid coming here and looking at you from a closer perspective." He pointed the other seat in the table with his left hand. "Can I sit? You know what, it's ok, I can help myself." Braxton did not wait one second before, rudely, sitting. "The ice is broken, right? God, you're beautiful."

[Jalen August]

Prying open the small box, Jalen had a look of satisfaction on her face. While she didn’t want to have to spend money on a new iPod when she already had one, she had to admit that opening something new, was pretty fun. Setting the box and it’s instructions aside, the blonde placed the various wires that came with the device in her purse and continued to remove the final piece of plastic wrap over the machine. That’s when a boy approached her.

Glancing up at the manly voice, Jalen managed a small smile. What did this guy want? And why was he interrupting her moment with her new iPod? His next statement answered that for her. Looking at her hands, she couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across her face. Was this guy for real? He was about as intrusive and obnoxious as she was. Why hadn’t she noticed him before?

Instead of giving her time to say ‘sure’, like she planned on doing, he pulled the chair she had her legs resting on right out from under her and gingerly took a seat. The motion of her legs falling caused her to drop her iPod, but she caught it just before it hit the ground, the female’s form was completely bent in half from her waist down. Now it looked like Braxton was sitting with no one. All this, and she still hadn’t spoken a word.

Sitting up properly once more, Jalen pushed her hand through her hair, careful not to reveal her hideous scar behind her neck. She grinned, sipping at her moss green drink. “Lovely to meet you Braxton, I think the ice is sufficiently shattered,” she said, taking another sip. She placed the iPod on the table, not wanting to drop it again. “Be glad I didn’t drop this baby, or I wouldn’t be as pleasant as I am right now.” She was trying to come off as cold, but there was warmth in Jalen’s eyes which she couldn’t hide. She loved attention from boys, especially attractive ones that were upfront.

“Jalen,” she said simply as an introduction, trying to figure out why Braxton seemed so familiar. Perhaps he went to Hammel? The girl had completely ignored the come on, or compliment, whichever the boy thought it was. She wasn’t so easily swayed by compliments, they came often and nearly almost always meant nothing from the lips they were spoken from. It was strange how the male population at school had taken an interest in her recently, she hadn’t done anything differently. Honestly, she didn’t think that most of the boy’s would like her style of dress and her addiction to music.

“Are you always this... friendly?” She asked finally, taking another sip from her steaming drink. What she wanted to say was rude, but she wanted to see what the boy with the leather jacket would say.

[Braxton Carson]

Quick. Braxton considered stopping the iPod as it fell, and he could have, coffee pushed his reflexes into excellent condition, but the girl caught it in the air before he could rightfully react. Crap, she's not the dumb blonde type. Which in turn, meant she was not Braxton's type.

"No." Braxton leaned on his chair as he took another sip from his coffee. "I'm only friendly to cute girls." He placed the the plastic cup on the table and then leaned forward, elbows on table and eyes fixed on her. "Why, what's wrong with it? Afraid of a little attention?" Aggressive Braxton back online. "Got a boyfriend?" Not like it mattered, he didn't intend for something serious. "If you do, it's fine. I'm not the jealous type." He grinned while leaning back again. "So, you didn't have one or you're getting an upgrade to the sixth generation?" Braxton attempted to point at the iPod's box with her lips. "Personally, I like the nano more, but hey, if you like 'em big that's fine with me." He couldn't help himself from letting out a devilish half-smile followed but a carefully timed wink.

[Jalen August]

A smirk crept across her face. Only cute girls, hey? Her fingers reached back to her iPod, exchanging the coffee cup for the device. It still needed to be unwrapped, and Jalen began to do so as Braxton continue to speak, digging her nails into the plastic as he carried on with the conversation. “I’m not afraid of a lot of things, an exception might be your intentions,” she said, keeping her eyes on the ripping plastic. This was the best part.

Shuffling the iPod out, Jalen flicked the plastic back onto the table next to the empty box and put the mp3 player into its new home – her lovely sock. It was like Christmas morning all over again. “Not exactly,” the blonde said simply, pushing the iPod into her purse – job finished, “I didn’t think you would be the jealous type,” she went on, glancing up at the lad to catch his gaze, giving him a piercing look in return, “but then again, looks can often be deceiving.” It wasn’t every day that Jalen was approached by a seemingly nice boy, who was starting to give her the vibe of someone interested only in her looks. She may have been forthright, but she couldn’t resist the attention of a boy, and instead of sending him away or telling him off like any sensible girl would, she decided to entertain him – for now.

The wink seemed a little bit out of place. Were nanos supposed to be sexy or something? Cocking an eyebrow, Jalen held her smirk, which seemed to be mocking the boy. “It holds more music, which is the whole point,” she said bluntly, wondering where this boy was trying to get with her. His attempt at changing the subject was pathetic really, the topic kept being turned back to her, regardless of whether it was blatantly done so or subconsciously.

“So, Braxton, are you here to bother me and then go about your business? Or is there another reason why you’re talking to me other than my apparent beauty?” She asked, snatching up her drink again. Jalen was only trying to feel out the situation, see what Braxton was getting at. Boys usually didn’t approach women unless they had some future rendezvous in mind – take Sam Mercer, for example.

The latté was almost cold, so she drank it down quickly, leaving a small line of green on her upper lip, which was quickly wiped away. Most boys didn’t find mutant lips attractive – only a special few could appreciate Jalen’s quirkiness, and that thought brought a smile to her face.

[Braxton Carson]

Was that her deviating the innuendo or she just didn't catch it? Braxton wondered as the girl spoke, devilish half-smile still in his face. Her next question, however, erased the smile from his face. She was straightforward and Brax couldn't decide if that was something that interested him or not. Clues had been all over the place signaling the boy that this Jalen was a rather bright girl, but the doubt was still in the air. She was still talking to him for a reason, which made him think that, then, she is indeed somewhat interested on him. There was the chance that she was playing with him, because women are that evil, but in his mind, why wouldn't she be interested in him? He was a player, yes, but a handsome and good player. If he were to lose, he would go all the way, no game was to be played in a mediocre way.

Taking one slight breath, he stood up and quickly carried his chair closer to her, sitting on it immediately after. From there, he leaned towards her, invading her personal with a handsome smile and broadly opened eyes.

"Look, I don't know you." The tone of his voice had switched to a softer one. "But you're hot. I could lie, but the obvious truth is that's the only thing I know about you, so that's the only reason I'm talking to you." He eyed his coffee in the side of the table he was sitting, he should have grabbed it when moving. "That doesn't mean I would mind getting to know you far better, because I wouldn't mind. I would like to get to know you very, very good."

Leaning back to his chair again, giving the poor girl her personal space back, he carefully tapped the table with his left hand and then beckoned the plastic cup towards him just before it started moving towards him with soft slow pushes just as if someone were poking it from the other side.

"Sounds like a plan?" He said as the plastic cup reached his hand. "Well, to you, I mean. Because for me, it's already the perfect plan..." He sipped from his coffee. Delicious. "With the perfect girl."

[Jalen August]

Dark eyes watched him approach ever closer, and Jalen could begin to smell his distinct cologne. His bright smile produced a similar one on her face. The reason he was talking to her was because she was a nice looking girl – anyone who had eyes that functioned could see that. Not that Jalen was conceited, just never thought herself ugly though. His suave nature ran out near the end of his statement. “Very well, you mean,” she said, nitpicking at his use of grammar, unaware that this might come off as unattractive to the boy. Oh well. He seemed interested in only one thing, a thing that’s so typical of men it needn’t be explained. Had Braxton caught Jalen a little sooner, she might have been more interested.

Glancing over at the cup which moved itself closer to the boy, Jalen raised an eyebrow. “Do you often forget to disclose that you’re a meta?” She asked, a small grin creeping across her face. Hopefully he had recognized her from school and wasn’t just pulling out his party tricks around anyone. Had she not been a meta herself, she would probably call him a freak. “So what does this ‘perfect plan’ entail?” She asked, leaning forward on the table, a devilish grin on her face as she enclosed on the boy’s personal space. Whether or not she was going to go through with such a plan was up in the air – for now, she was enjoying her toying and teasing of her fellow meta.

[Braxton Carson]

"Pfff." Braxton exhaled comically before continuing his now almost-empty plastic cup. "This IS Pilot Ridge. Everyone here is a meta or related to one." He quickly finished what was left of the cup of coffee and then put in the table. "Plus, I have absolutely nothing to hide from you."

The following question was a rather interesting one. Even though he wasn't analyzing it well enough, for Braxton, all it meant that the girl was up for anything, or as the characters from his favorite TV show at the moment like to say, Jalen was most likely DTF, and Braxton was most certainly happy about it, which manifested in a soft and toothless smile in his face as she got closer to him.

He responded getting his face closer to hers. Their noses may had been around around six or seven centimeters from each other.

"Well for me, as long as it includes you, it's already the perfect plan." Cheesy, but experience told it proved to work. "Lake. Tonight. Starry night. Bottle of Merlot." Condoms... "Us. Alone. What'cha say?"

[Jalen August]

“Nothing to hide?” She asked, searching his eyes carefully. What she wouldn’t give to be a mind reader at times. Would she want to know what was on the boy’s mind at this very moment however? “I seriously doubt that,” Jalen continued, picking up the empty cup he had left on the table, along with all of her trash. What he really meant, was that he wasn’t going to share anything with her that needn’t be. The blonde excused herself without a word and disposed of both of their empty cups, and then sat back down next to Braxton, a little closer than she had been before.

A crooked grin appeared on her face before she could help it. “Are you for real?” She asked, before light laughter escaped her smiling lips. Next, she sighed. “Maybe you’re not used to rejection, but that plan has ‘date-rape’ written all over it,” Jalen said, her thoughts totally uncensored. It’s just how she was – raw. Holding his eyes for a moment, Jalen wondered where he had been before, or more specifically, who he had been with and what he had done with them.

Oh! But he was so easy on the eyes! Jalen’s personality was one of stubbornness, and a weakness for charming, attractive young men. When the two clashed, her decisions were all over the place. Unless Braxton was hoping for a really easy date, he would walk away right then and there. Otherwise, he would need a better more interesting plan. He wasn’t giving Jalen the vibe that he could be trusted, and while she was interested, she wasn’t stupid when it came to her personal safety.

Leaning ever closer to his face, Jalen’s face hovered just beside the boy’s. “Sorry, not feeling the trust,” she said softly into his ear before sitting back. She could have left, but she wanted to see what he would do with a second chance. Besides, she was here first, and she was determined to be the last to leave.

[Braxton Carson]

Date-rape? Just how old is she? Brax was now choosing the correct words to answer to that, but he could feel that she was not done talking, and she wasn't. Jalen didn't trust Braxton. Smart move, in life you shouldn't trust strangers, then again, if you never do, no person will ever be anything more than a stranger. Perhaps the concept of faith was something that she didn't grasp, but it didn't really matter to Braxton. With the ear whispering he knew now that she was definitely playing with him. He had to trouble with that, really, but this time, he was not getting anything out of the game besides raising the blonde's confidence, ego and self-esteem. If she desperately needs it, so be it. He nodded after she sat back.

"You don't believe a word I say and now you bring raping as a conversation topic with someone you're just meeting." He rubbed his chin with his right hand a bit. "Someone here has trust issues but that's fine sweetheart." He took his cellphone, a still-brand-new Nexus S and handed it to her. "Write down your number, K? I bet I can get inside that... wall you're putting up." Braxton was the type that liked things fast and easy and he was most definitely not feeling Jalen's hard-to-get mentality, but hey, another number in his contact list was not going to hurt. "Unfortunately I have to leave now." I don't, I just don't want to be here anymore. "I still have some papers to finish, but I'll give you a call one of these days to see what's up." He reminded himself how good of a liar he was as he took his cellphone back and put it in his pocket.

Pushing his chair back a little he stood up and jokingly drummed on the table with his hands to make sure he had Jalen's total attention, and with his trademark half-smile he winked at her before saluting her away with his left hand. Not saying a word, he turned around and left the Starbucks just like that, wondering when he would see her again and most importantly, if she would fall for him then.

[Jalen August]

It was becoming apparent that Braxton didn't speak her language, in multiple ways. Jalen didn't honestly believe that he would rape her, but she knew herself well enough to know that if she was in that kind of situation with a boy as handsome as he was (and he knew he was), she would find herself in a compromising position, and she knew that he could care less about her well being. He wanted a quick fling, and while Jalen fell hard, she was always in for the long run. A personality trait that often made her a tease, even to her own will.

Jalen visibly slumped. The game was over already, but at least she could rest assured that she didn't fall for the boy. Well, not out loud anyways. "Sure," she said lightly, tapping the numbers of his phone to the tune of her number. It's not getting in you should worry about... she thought to herself, handing Braxton his phone back. "Right," she muttered, reaching for her bag. He wasn't really busy, and she wasn't really taken. People lied all the time.

A wink and salutation later, the blonde mustered a small sheepish smile of her own, and once he was out of sight, she got up too. A trek back to the dorms was in order. There was nothing a little music couldn't fix. The smile returned to her face, excited about her new iPod once more.

(OOC: If you ever want to thread again, just let me know! XD)