Team Rocket! (Gail)

[Vinod Singh]

Getting to the mall with Gail, Vinod was excited. Not so much about the mall. He would’ve preferred to go to the lake first. But the mall did offer better people watching. But it was the afternoon and it’d be crowded. Though, that was also another good factor to the people watching he and his best friend were going to be doing.

“I’m really hoping there are some oddballs in there.” He said once out of the car. Not because he was cruel. But because this was an activity he shared with Gail. And making up stories about people, that were only shared between them for giggles, was a part of that. Other things were about of this ritual too, but that did make him seem more cruel. Messing with the emotions of others was often viewed as such.

He sprinted to the door as if he were a child in a candy shop. “Come one slow poke! We’re gonna miss all the good people!” Holding the door open for the woman, they were greeted by the smells of the food court. “I want one of those big pretzel things. And one of those drink that turn your tongue red. You want too?” His appetite, while he tried to keep it in check by eating healthy, was naturally the one of a child.

Before dashing off for food, he surveyed the people inside and smiled. “Oooh… We have got a lot of good options today Gail.”

[Abby Winchester]

Climbing out of the car, Abigail was hit with a blast of cigarette smoke, rendering her blind and sending her into a coughing fit. She didn't even hear Vinod's claim nor did she manage to get to the bastard who smoked in her face.

Once she settled, however, Vinod was already halfway across the parking lot. She ran in her [thankfully] heelless boots and tapped the man on his shoulder to remind him to lock the car. "Stupid jackass blew his cigarette smoke in my face." She stuck her tongue out like that could get rid of the stench of the cigarette smoke.

The moment they entered the mall, she laughed when Vinod showed his child-like enthusiasm about food. "Heck yeah! I ate this parmesan cheese one once and it was divine. I want that. And my tongue is already red so we gotta choose like something blue or something." It was highly unlikely that anybody at her elementary school would ever see her acting this way because she only reserved this attitude for Vinod. It was just so easy to be a child when your best friend was like that as well.

At his exclaim, Abby rolled her eyes. "Duh. This is the mall. It's a cesspool of nutjobs and hormonal teenagers." She said, linking arms with Vinod and walking in stride with him. She was glad her powers were not involuntary and she could easily switch it on and off at will. Because if she had it on the whole time, the place would certainly go berserk.

"Oh oh, look three o clock. Okay...I'm guessing he's her husband. They're shopping for their three year old son and...they have gone to about seven or eight stores and he's tired and oh...oh shit they're gonna duke it out right in front of the merry go round! Classic!" She giggled as she hid her face in Vinod's arm.

[Vinod Singh]

When his friend finally caught up to him, Vinod wrinkled his nose. She didn’t need to say it. Because she kinda smelled. But the smell of smoke had always nauseated him. Granted, she hadn’t been the smoking, so a little time, maybe a stop of a perfume store, and she’d be set. But he wondered how smokers did it. Especially on a regular basis. “Dude. You reek.” He said with a laugh as he scrunched his face. If he were one for confrontation, he’d offer to say something. But… The idea of it already seemed tiring.

“Ugh, man… You have to go original. Just salted. With mustard on it. Parmesan cheese pretzel? How are we even friends!” Vinod was honestly questioning her food choices, not their friendship. He didn’t dare do that. This was Gail after all. “And it makes your tongue fire engine red. Though, I suppose getting blue would be pretty awesome. Blue it is then.”

Linking arms was a form of PDA in his opinion. And normally it was only saved for somebody he was dating. But… The situation between himself and his best friend was a unique one. So he allowed it. He kept his hands in his pocket though to avoid any hand holding that might happen. Purposely or accidentally

Vinod followed her direction and scoped out the couple she was referring to. “Oh god, you couldn’t be more wrong.” Her stories were much to… clean cut for his liking. “She’s his mistress. They’ve been together five years. But he’s been married ten. She’s pregnant now and demanding that he leave his wife and three kids. They’ve been shopping for things they need for the baby. And she asked again when he was leaving his wife, whom she calls The Tramp. Which is pretty ironic. Anyway, he didn’t say anything. And now she’s piiiiiissed.”

He couldn’t not smile proudly at the story he’d spun. Drama. Intrigue. Would he ever leave his wife? Would the mistress’ baby have a father? These questions… Will never be answered seeing as it’s a fictional situation.

[Abby Winchester]

Vinod's expression was timeless and Abby punched him in the arm for making that comment. "Shut up. I know. Jerk." She rolled her eyes in amusement, knowing there was no way Vinod would take that personally. He would even call her something worst, she could tell.

She herself didn't understand the reason behind smoking. How could anyone stand that smell let alone having it regularly sucked into their mouths?

"We're friends because I'm the only one you've ever slept with that allowed you to do that-" she stopped talking when a balloon hit her in the face just as a kid was rushed past her. The mother gave her a good glare before yelling at her kid to hurry up. Abby snorted and closed her mouth. "Oh shit, I think that was a parent to one of the kids that go to my school." She chuckled and went straight back to their conversation.

"Seriously though! Salted is amazing yes, undeniable but those nuggets of cheese that just surprise you when you take a bite. It's amazing. Don't knock my food choice, buster. You know I got skills in the kitchen." She realised that Vinod's mind would instantly go where she didn't intend to lead him but she grinned anyway. Vinod's mind always goes where she didn't intend to lead him.

So did hers.

Abby was affectionate to only two people on the planet. And only these two people could ever understand her need to be close to someone. She only allowed her mother and Vinod the privilege of her PDA and she knew her friend couldn't say anything against her or the act anyway.

"But the kid might not even be his, you see!" Abby added and peeked out to see what was going on. Oh snap, slushie to the face! What in the world was that woman drinking a slushie for at her age?

Then again, Abby was on her way to getting one too.

"Pretzel Palace!" She exclaimed, pulling Vinod along with her. "Three please. Two salted with mustard, and one parmesan. Got those cheesy buggers on the pretzel too, could you? Thanks. Oh and two of your freezes. One blue for me and, whaddya want, chum?" She asked Vinod, extracting her arms to get out some money.

[Vinod Singh]

With a laugh, Vinod prepared himself for the girl’s punch, flexing his arm muscle. “Hey now. I don’t go around punching you when you’re rude… Even if I sometimes wish I could.” Normally, he wouldn’t make a joke like that. Abuse towards women was wrong, he knew that. But it was Abby. She knew the kind of person he was, better than anybody probably.

Luckily, a balloon hit her in the face. I only say lucky, because it made her stop talking for a moment. Otherwise Vinod’s hand would’ve shot up to cover her mouth. They were in public. With kids around. The look on his face was priceless though, eyes wide, mouth agape. “God damn dude… That stuff stays in the bedroom. Come on now.” After his little stroke, his eyes followed the woman and her kid. “She thinks you’re all the kink now though. Probably thinks you keep a whip in back pocket or something. Next Mary Kay Letourneau or something.” He couldn’t help but smile. “Look at you… Slutty elementary school teacher. You’ve come so far. I’m so proud.”

“Salted is the ONLY way to go. You silly, ridiculous go.” He waited half a beat, a smirk spreading on his face. “Yes, yes I do know how skilled you are. In pretty much every single room.” What? You didn’t expect him to pass up an opportunity to say something like that to his friend, did you?

After staring a moment, Vinod came up with a way to give their made up situation the biggest twist of all. “You’re right. It’s not his baby. You see, the man’s wife is also having an affair. But what neither of the spouses know, is their respective mistresses are sleeping with each other too. His girlfriend and her boyfriend get it on. Regularly. And it’s the wife’s boyfriend’s baby.” Nobody could spin a better drama filled tale than Vinod.

With a laugh, Vinod followed Gail, just a step behind her. “Ugh… We’re such damn pigs.” He thought for a moment about how long he’d have to run for to burn this off. But he’d allow himself splurge without too much guilt. He did love junk food after all. “Uhhh, I guess I’ll do blue too.” He pushed the girl’s hand away from trying to retrieve her money, then pulled out his own. “How many times do I have to tell you? Girls don’t pay for me.” Smiling at the person behind the counter, he handed off his own money.

After handing his friend her own drink and pretzels, he took his own, along with a handful of mustard packets, shoving them in his pocket. “So, first stop should be somewhere with perfume. We can find one that smells good and sprits you down.” Then, he proceeded to sip his slushy innocently.

[Abby Winchester]

"Oh screw you, Noody." She rolled her eyes at his joke. She knew not to ever take anything he said seriously. Of course, she knew how to read context and...Vinod has had his moments before. It passed by pretty damn fast though so Abby never concerned herself with them much.

She laughed at his comment about whips and resisted the urge to slap Vinod's ass for posterity. "You know I keep that in my purse. Don't have to keep up pretenses." Her laugh grew incessant with Vinod's continuing phrase. "Oh God. My stomach!" She held her sides, pausing in the middle of walking to double over for a bit.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. You know I like my cheeses. You'd have to get over this sooner or later. God, it's been two decades." She made a heaving sigh of exasperation that she didn't mean and grinned. The grin grew wider with Vinod's ensuing comment. "Well hey now, that talk needs to be kept to the apartment." She wagged her finger in his direction and laughed at his drama-filled tale.

"Wow, wow, wow. Convoluted much? But yes. So right now he's just explaining to her that it wasn't his fault that he thought she was a lesbian at first when they met and thought she was only with him for his money. Which is true but she hid it so well all these years. And of course, most of the money she got was sent to the boyfriend who's a total scrub playa." She adopted a rather ghetto manner of speaking with the hand gestures that looked simply ridiculous on a tiny blonde chick in a light blue cardigan that had lacy ruffles.

"Oh please. Like our treadmill at home doesn't have to endure our shitty sneakers every single day already. We're allowed to indulge every now and then." She said, as she got her food and taking a huge bite of it to prove her point. The payment thing got her rolling her eyes and shrugged. "More money to spend on whips and handcuffs." She mentioned, much to the dismay of the elderly counter lady of Pretzel Palace.

As they walked away, she turned to look at the lady to give her a wiggle of her fingers in a goodbye wave. "Let's not come to this mall ever again. The people here now think I'm a sex addict. Not far from the truth but I would like to keep it on the downlow." She picked a little at her pretzel and sucked on her slushie.

"Oh for Heaven's sake Vinod Singh, you pompous arrogant snob." She stuck her tongue out childishly as they actually went to the perfume store closeby. She did want to get something to get rid of the smoky smell. They went in one and as predicted, got a good spritz down. She coughed and hid her pretzel behind her back. She liked smelling good but at the cost of a chemical-laden pretzel? No way.

"Okay, I smell nice can we please just get on with our lives?" She rolled her eyes and patted his ass this time. It at least got a kick out of the spritzer girl who gave Vinod a lingering look. Abby smiled victoriously. At what exactly, she didn't know.

"Four o'clock. Teenagers sucking face while friend looks on. Go." Abby said, stuffing her face with her pretzel.

[Vinod Singh]

With a laugh, Vinod slung his arm around the shoulders of the girl he was so fond of. “Oh hush now. You know I’d never actually hit you. I wouldn’t even dream of it.” Which was true. Men that did that honestly confused him. Why would somebody one, ever hit a woman, and two, let their emotions take over them so completely like that.

“Abi. How many times must I tell you, when out in public, whips must come with. You never know when we’ll find somebody that needs shaping up.” With smirk, he waggled his eyebrows at her, indicating exactly what kind of shaping up he meant. “Your must toughen up for all the crap we’re gonna be eating.” He said, nodding. Because the pretzel shop would be only their first stop. What? It was a splurge day for him. He’d do extra running tomorrow.

“I’m not saying cheeses aren't amazing. Dude, nothing better than an awesome goat cheese. However. Salted pretzels and mustard is boss. You can’t add cheese into the equation! That’s disgusting!” Snorting, Vinod shook his head. “Oh, yeah, like IIII’m the inappropriate one talking like that. You’re the one who was just about to talk about that thing you let me do in front of one of your five year old student. And his mother. You’re the one who needs to keep a lid on it.” Of course, all the while he had this ridiculous smirk on his face.

A proud, triumphant smile spread on his face. “Yes, I am the most twisted of the bunch. You should bask in my glory and whatnot.” His shoulders shook with laughter at his own audacity. Listening intently, he knew that Gail had bested him at their little game and his laughter became louder. “Ok ok ok. You win this round. By the way… That little voice of yours?” He shook his head, biting his lip to keep from laughing. “I know you think you’re… gangsta but you really can’t pull it off. You’re a blonde, white girl from Vermont. Doesn’t work hun.”

“Pleeeease! After everything I’m gonna eat today, the treadmill will break underneath me. It will whine in protest when I step on and screech in pain as it breaks.” A somewhat horrified look crossed his face and he avoided making eye contact with the woman behind the counter, before turning away quickly, food in hand, and not bothering to wait for his change. “You are awful. If that woman dies of shock, it’s your fault. And I’ll give your name up in a minute.”

“I am no such thing! I simply speak the truth. And the truth is, your odor offends me.” He said with a large smile, he followed the girl into the shop of smelly things. “I’m sorry darling. But… the smell was bad.” He said, leaning up against a wall while an employee gave her a good sprits down. “Yes. Yes we can move on. You’re no longer foul. Lets be on our way.” He said with a smirk and big bite of his pretzel.

Following his friend’s gaze, Vinod paused for a moment, thinking. This one was a bit more difficult. Teenagers. God, he was a teenager forever ago. “Oh! Got it! Alright. SO! The girl watching on the make-out session? She’s the other girl’s best friend. And the guy’s ex. But! She still loves him and is all forlorn and stuff, right? But she wants them to be happy, so she ok-ed their relationship. Now the guy, he still loves her too. BUT! He had to break up her. Because he just found out his dad had an affair around the time of his conception. The affair resulted in a baby. The girl he was dating. He was banging his half sister.” With a sigh, Vinod shook his head. “No amount of Scope will rinse away that disgustingess.”

[Abby Winchester]

Abby laughed, though touched by his reassurance. "That's only because if you do, you know how hard I'll hit back." She teased, flexing her arms. "I may be little but I will sting and you know that." Wagging her finger at her best friend, she leaned into his embrace comfortably.

Snorting, the blond bumped the accountant with a laugh. "Shut up about my whip!" She exclaimed. She was also planning on pigging out the rest of the day. After three whole weeks of not eating junk food, she would allow herself this day. Only to burn them off the next day, as per usual. It was a good thing Vinod was an exercise nut just as much as she was. It made exercising fun and easy.

She rolled her eyes at his justification for pretzels. Not wanting to argue any further, she agreed with him maturely. "Whatever biatch. If you can't get over my disgusting habit of eating pretzels with cheese in it, you can kiss my ass."

Nobody said her maturity level was that high up.

"How was I supposed to know he was even around? I'm not a telepath." She exclaimed, scandalised. She dropped the act quite hurriedly though and was smirking right along with her best friend.

"Glory my ass." She snorted before shrugging in nonchalance when Vinod pointed out how ridiculous she looked. "We will not talk about it anymore. I fully accept my ridiculousness." She resisted sticking her tongue out. "And judging by the scratch marks on the headboard to my bed, you accept it too."

Vinod's horrified look made Abby laugh slightly before it escalated. "And you'll be in lockup with me. Because I will obviously name you as my accomplice." She snorted.

She simply rolled her eyes at Vinod's assurance that she no longer stank. "You're an awful friend." She ripped her pretzel with her teeth and chewed.

As Vinod regaled her with his sordid tale of deception and incest, Abby came up with her own version of the scene. "I take that and raise you a story of espionage. The lone girl is a spy and the guy is actually her partner who has gone undercover to infiltrate the house of the girl he's sucking face with. Her father is actually the leader of an infamous drug cartel that loner girl and suck-face boy are trying to bring down.

"And loner girl is just looking on because she knows suck-face boy will obviously fall for suck-face girl because she's...actually really hot and I sound like a pedophile." Abby hid her laughter in her slushie. "Come on, this place is too contained and I see way too many of my students and their parents around. And there are too many teenagers here. On to the park, my friend. We can talk hobos."

[Vinod Singh]

“Yeah… That’s sure as hell true.” And he knew it. It was quite possible that Abby punched harder than him. Not that he’d ever vocalize such a thought. Because, while he was all for women being strong and their equality, little Abby hitting harder than him? That was… horrifying. In his defense though… His only defense was that he didn’t work on his arms too often.

“Why? I am fascinated by your whip. I dream about your whip. I fantasize about your whip.” With a smirk on his face, Vinod popped a piece of mustard covered pretzel into his mouth. Yes, the word whip had taken on a whole new meaning in just a matter of moments.

Vinod couldn’t help at laughing at Abby. Their conversation of what kind of pretzel was best coming to an end. But being him, he wasn’t going to let her get away with what she said with no kind of response. Mostly referencing kissing certain parts of her. “Been there. Done that. Moving
right along now.” Her maturity level matched Vinod’s perfectly.

Shrugging his shoulders, the older man shook his head. “See Gail? This is why you dooon’t talk about these things in public. Somebody you know will over hear. Then they’ll tell everybody. Then suddenly everybody knows you liked being tied up and spanked and… I digress.” He took a pull for this straw, swallowing slushie, keeping his mouth busy to stop talking.

Ok, this time, Vinod was actually left speechless. For a moment at least. Scratches in his headboard. Why had she mentioned those? “Damn. I thought I’d done a pretty good job at buffing those out. Perhaps it’s time to invest in a new headboard. And you should file those nails of yours too.”

“I’m an awful friend?! YOU’RE the one naming me as an accomplice when the only thing I was doing was standing here, minding my own business. Being completely well behaved.” He said with a bright smile, because, for once, it was actually true.

Vinod guffawed at Abby. “Oh god. You pedo. If you die before me, I’m telling everybody. Every last person. Don’t worry though. I’ll bury you with your porn stash.” He chucked and slurped at his slushie again. He stared at their last victims, shaking his head at their PDA, as he followed his long time friend out. “Seriously. Do you think it’d be bad if I just walked up and gave them a hotel key? That’s not meant to be seen by my delicate eyes.”

“Oh! Do you think Captain Junk is at the park?” Vinod eyed Abby as he ripped off another piece of pretzel with his teeth after asking about his favored Hammel Hobo. Named such for the amount of junk he collected. Not… other reasons.

[Abby Winchester]

She smugly flipped her hair over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes at him. She reveled in her little victories over Vinod. A childish thing to do but all in jest, really.

The connotation hidden in his words made Abby slap his arm in embarrassment, stuffing her face with her pretzel. "Keep that talk in bed. Nobody needs to be broadcasted our sordid bed talk." She said through her food. His blase response towards having 'been there and done that' made her laugh out of scandalised surprise before bumping his shoulder with hers.

"Gah! Shut up, shut up!" She clutched her sides as she laughed at his statement, painting a rather loose picture of her that was not all that false. But really, who needed their sex lives exposed this way? It was much too intimate and personal if she was frank. All in the name of a good laugh, she supposed but still!

Giggling at the headboard comment, Abby leaned in towards Vinod and shook her head. "My nails are fine thank you very much." She responded, finishing up her first pretzel and starting on her last.

"Psht. Honey, if it wasn't me who said those things, you would just as likely do so." She shrugged, waving a dismissive hand with a roll of her eyes. Of course, if push came to shove, she knew Vinod wouldn't actually do that. He would probably be the one to grab her out jail after soothing everybody into a coma. Not that she would actually ask him to.

Covering her face with the hand with the pretzel, she nodded slowly. "I know!" She voiced out, distraught before looking at Vinod with an amused look on her face. "You don't know where my porn stash is." She replied, letting him think she actually did. "Dude, I would shove it in their hand and ask them to GTFO and bring the other girl elsewhere. She does not need to be traumatised anymore."

"Captain Junk! I hope so! He's as good a tale-spinner, if not better, as you." She claimed, throwing the paperbag that had held her previous pretzel into the rubbish bin. As they left the mall, Abby lynched some mustard off Vinod's pretzel and sucked on her finger to taste the tangy condiment. "I'm guessing he's getting more. Junk I mean. And also, if we see that other hobo, the really good looking one, I'm contemplating on bringing him back home with us. Agreed?"

[Vinod Singh]

“Me?! Yooou were the one who was going to going to talk about-” with a quick glance around, he assured himself nobody was eavesdropping, and lowered his voice anyway “that thing I like.” He eyed her accusingly. “You’re the one who’s gonna get us in trouble and thrown out because of your… talk.”

With a little chuckle, Vinod popped a piece of pretzel into his mouth, rejoicing in his ability to turn Abby into nothing more than a laughing mess. Oh how it pleased him immensely. “I will when you learn that certain things should not be discussed in public missy. You’re the one with students and their parents walking around. I’d hate for one of them to… accidentally overhear something you rather they didn’t.” He said with a vaguely threatening smirk on his face.

“Your nails are not fine. In fact, my back looks as if I were attacked by a demented cat.” He spoke softly, eyes darting to the nearest person to assure himself they were not near enough to be considered a threat of overhearing him. “I’m surprised you’ve yet to scar me actually.”

Abby wouldn’t have to ask him to do such a thing. This girl, who had been his confidant and best friend and… other for years now, held such a dear place in his heart that he would do anything for her without so much as being asked. After a considering what she said for a moment, Vinod resigned himself to the fact she was right. “Yeah, I suppose. I’m still not a awful friend though. That was just a damned lie.”

“What do you mean I don’t know where it is? Of course I do. You think when you’re not home and I’m bored I don’t snoop through your room?” It wasn’t entirely true. If Vinod was ever in her room without her knowledge, it wasn’t for snooping purposes. But more likely that he actually needed to borrow something. But he couldn’t help but what he came across in his search.

“If you’d like I can slip over there for you and give her your number? I do believe the law is more understanding when it’s the minor who comes after you.” Of course, he knew it wasn’t true. He was an educated man after all. “I’m sure they’ll understand when you say ‘But officer! The fifteen year old seduced me!’ Cops are known for being understanding in those situations.” But he was thankful they were already heading out so that way, if she agreed, he could always say ‘whoops, too late’.

Vinod feigned offense at his friend saying there was somebody better at storytelling than him. “How dare you.” He stated plainly. “Storytelling is my passion, my love, my greatest asset. And you taunt me to say there is one better? I am… deeply saddened by this.”

“I really hope Captain hasn’t gotten rid of that lamp he had last week. I really liked it and wanna buy it off him.” He said, speaking more to himself than anything. Pulling his pretzel away to she couldn’t steal more mustard, Vinod snorted at Abby. “Agreed so long as you’re going to be sharing. Sharing is caring after all.”

[Abby Winchester]

"You're only fanning the fire, you realise this?" Abby held back her laugh, meaning to aggravate Vinod. It was something she knew wasn't possible since the man really didn't do aggravation well but it was so much fun to poke at the sleeping beast.

She glared teasingly at Vinod but said nothing else. He was right, there was no way she needed one of those gossippy moms to start talking. It actually really could ruin her reputation at school. Sure, she didn't have to worry much about her job security; the principal adored her, but the possibility that the mothers could very well gang up on her was very high.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't like pain." She didn't look sorry at all.

Abby giggled and pulled Vinodin a one armed hug. "Aww, did I hurt widdle Veevee's feelins?" She cooed at Vinod, tickling his chin before laughing. "You're the best friend anyone can ever have. Anyone besides me who says it is a complete tuckfard."

Abby laughed once more at his insinuations and shook her head. If he wanted to play at this, he could. But she wasn't going to make it any worst. Porn stash or no, she needed to keep whatever remnants of dignity she had.

But it shattered when Vinod tried to set her up with the teenager and she snorted heavily. "Fuck, shush, Noddy." She giggled breathlessly.

The scandalised look on Vinod's face made her smirk as she shrugged. "Look, you know I call it as I see it. I don't beat around the bush. That's your job." She stuck her tongue out and glared at him when he pulled his pretzel away.

"Hypocrite." She hissed when he mentioned the 'sharing' bit. "And excuse me, that statement suggests that I actually care about you." The blonde rolled her eyes and hipchecked the older meta before sashaying away from him. "Hi Captain!" She waved at the grungy looking man with her fingers.