Break (Tak)

[Oliver Barnes]

Sometimes, Oliver just needed a break from the student population of Hammel. Teenagers could be overwhelming, with the constant chatter, gossip and drama, and boy, did he have enough of his own to worry about. The introverted boy preferred spending his free time in solitude, writing in his favourite leather bound journal that was nearly full of his thoughts and random musings. Finding a quiet place on campus was hard, especially in the warmer months, but since it was April, many preferred to stay indoors.

So, Oliver made his way towards the pond near the school, deciding that it would provide a quiet place for him to write. He carried his notebook in his backpack, along with a copy of Fahrenheit 451 and a few snacks. Oliver planned on spending the rest of the afternoon out by the pond, avoiding civilization with only his thoughts as company.

Before he could even sit down, there was a silhouette by the pond, a girl, by the looks of it. Oliver raised an eyebrow, perplexed. It seemed that everyone avoided the outdoors during this time of the year. A cool breeze raked across Oliver's arms, but it didn't bother him, being from Minnesota. He slowly approached the feminine figure, adjusting the strap of his backpack, staring at the pond. Was he suppose to talk to her? Ignore the girl? Nervously, he ran a hand through his hair, debating on what to do.

"So... nice day out." He opened up with, being the master of smooth conversation. "Surprised to see someone else out here."

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Tak stared blankly into the water before her, knees pulled up to her chest with her chin resting on them, apparently immune to the chill in the air, considering the near-bareness of her legs. Thin strands of her long veil of hair blew around her face in the breeze, but she didn't bother to brush them away. It wasn't often she felt like this - at least, not so much that she had to seek out somewhere to go and try to center herself. Tak had always been good at hiding such feelings. But recent events had thrown the teen mother into a whirlwind of emotions.

First was Cameron coming back. That had done a number on her. Of course she was glad, really glad, but after having accepted that he was probably gone for good not too long ago, it had really hit her hard, seeing him around again. And now... Now she'd heard that Oriel had beaten Cam, the father of her child, over what he'd done... Because he'd left her when she was still pregnant with Tacicala. And... She didn't know what to think. Protected, because Oriel was looking out for her? Guilty because she had been the reason for Cam's pain? Angry that Oriel thought he should take action?

She didn't know. Tak wasn't used to not knowing. She didn't like it. Her eyes were dry, but she could feel the threat of tears building up even as a sudden voice made her jump. How had she not noticed him coming? Her ESP should have set her off. She really was out of it. What had he said? "Oh, um... Yeah," she replied, tucking one of the flying strands of hair behind her ear. Who was he? "I am too," she added, squinting up at the brunette. She got a few vague waves of information - shy, bookish, sweet. A relief from most of the guys she surrounded herself with.

Tak spotted the backpack, curious. "Were you looking for somewhere to get away too?" she guessed, smiling faintly. Ability or no, it was a pretty good guess.

[Oliver Barnes]

Oliver noticed that the girl had jumped in response, and the awkward boy almost apologized for startling the stunning stranger. He immediately regretted saying anything, wishing that he had left her alone or something. He nervously thumbed the strap of his backpack, staring at the still water until he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking down, he sheepishly smiled at her. "I.. I'm sorry for interrupting your tranquillity. I can.. I can find somewhere else to go, I don't mind." He rambled, vaguely gesturing back towards campus. Again, Oliver didn't want to bother her, and since she was here first, and would've found another place if it meant avoiding a confrontation.

Thankfully, she didn't seem to be the defensive type. His smile softened, chuckling at her next sentence. "Spot on. I... it's just nice to get away from the hustle and bustle, you know?" Well, obviously she did since she was out by the pond, all alone. Oliver mentally face palmed at himself, nervously swaying back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"Is that what brings you out here too?" Oliver asked, both out of curiosity and for the sake of conversation. He wasn't the best at socializing, but tried.

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Tak gave the shy boy an inviting smile. He was practically radiating off nervousness, which she wanted to help alleviate if she could. She knew from experience that she could be a somewhat intimidating person, but her recent motherhood had started to make her a little softer, a little more empathetic to others' emotions. And this was a sweet person she would rather not scare off. "Oh, no, hun, it's alright," Tak told him, stretching her legs out so her feet just brushed the surface of the water. She patted the bank next to her. "Some company isn't unwelcome at all. I just didn't hear you coming." Maybe having someone to talk to would distract her from her own thoughts.

She nodded in agreement with what he said, gaze trailing back to the water. "I've been at Hammel for going on six years. I need to get my alone time somehow, and the pond seems to be one of the few places that isn't always crowded with people." Thankfully she would be gone in a few months; to where, though, she still didn't know.

Tak looked up at Oliver again, smiling. "Yes, but it's alright. I just have a lot on my mind." She offered a hand to the boy. "I'm Tak, by the way. I don't believe we've met before." Chances were, he was younger than she. She was going to be nineteen in a few days, so Tak was older than most students here.

[Oliver Barnes]

At her reassurances, Oliver relaxed a little more, even smiling back at the dark haired girl. She seemed like a sweetheart, like the majority of people he stumbled upon lately. Not that he minded. Oliver needed more people in his life, instead of hiding away in his literary worlds. "Sorry about that. Like I said, wasn't expecting anyone else down here." He said, noticing her bare arms that matched his own. Wasn't she cold? In his experience, most people still wore sweaters and cardigans in the cool Vermont spring. Oliver noticed her patting the spot next to her, and took it as an invitation. He awkwardly shuffled over, sitting down next to her.

Oliver set his backpack down a few feet back from the pond, bringing his knees up to his chest. It was nice sitting here, in the company of someone. "Six years?" Oliver repeated, whistling lowly. "That's... wow. I've only been here for... a year and a little bit." In the winter it would be two years. He nodded in agreement, smiling. "Yeah, it's nice and calming around here. Our best kept secret." Oliver joked.

"Same here." He agreed again. Boy, was there a lot on his mind. The pond, with its peaceful surroundings, was the best place to escape and provide inspiration for his writing. "Yeah, I don't think we've met yet. I'm Oliver."

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Mmm... Turtle. Definitely turtle. Tak was still smiling softly as she pondered the boy beside her, determining the animal based on the feelings she was getting from him the longer they interacted. She'd had so many wild cats and predators lately... Well, a soft-spoken person was a relief for her. "Really, don't worry about it," she reassured him. The maternal nature in Tak was coming out, and she found she wanted to give the boy a hug and comfort his anxiety. And to be honest, even she was feeling a bit chilly - sharing body heat sounded lovely. She subtly shifted a little so their arms brushed.

"Yeah..." she replied, laughing quietly. "I'm old. I'll be nineteen in a few days. I'm ready to get out of here." Tak peeked over as he spoke, giving a small nod. "I think I've been here longer than a lot of people," she sighed. One small relief, she realized, was that he'd been here for a short enough period of time that maybe he wouldn't really know about the pregnancy drama that had happened to her starting about a year and a half ago. Although... He'd certainly been around while her waist had slowly expanded and probably heard all the rumors and cruel comments spreading around school. Those were hard to miss. "Mmm... I've been coming here a lot lately," she murmured.

"Well, Oliver, it is a pleasure to meet a fellow thinker," she chuckled, curling her legs up against her body again. "I know you hardly know me or anything, but I'd like to think I'm good at advice, so if there's anything I could possibly help with..." She peeked at him. Tak definitely sensed girl troubles. "I might be able to offer something." She shrugged, looking back to the water. "But no pressure. We can just sit here quietly, too." Whatever he would prefer, she was fine with.

[Oliver Barnes]

After Tak reassured him that it was okay, Oliver settled in the empty spot next to her with a slightly less nervous smile. She... was just really pretty, and he always became more of a stumbling mess around girls like her. He felt their arms brush against one another, goosebumps raising in response. Shifting, Oliver let out a small, nervous laugh. "You... you cold?" he asked, eyeing her bare arms again. "People are usually still bundled up at this time of year." He rambled.

"Oh.. no, I wasn't saying that you're old or anything." Oliver's cheeks burned red, as he stared into the water of the pond, to avoid eye contact. "I was just saying that six years is a long time to be here. Granted, it's about the same as high school but you're away from home..." He trailed off, deciding it would be best to just... stop. Finally, he faced his nerves and looked over at the dark haired girl with a soft smile. "I'm not that much younger, seventeen, if it's any reassurance." As Oliver was so involved with his own little world and books, he rarely took notice to the gossip and rumours. He had vaguely heard about the nasty words spread around about Tak, but never participated nor seeked out the girl.

"I.. I enjoy it here. At the pond." Oliver nodded, mostly to himself, before gesturing out towards the water. "People tend to stay away. It's a nice place to just... just gather your thoughts and think."

Oliver shyly smiled, agreeing with Tak's statement. There never seemed to be enough thinkers at the school, let alone the world. He idly itched at his chin, before running a hand through his hair with a nervous laugh, meeting her eyes. "You psychic?" He asked, hoping that his question didn't come across as rude. But, there was something... rather someone on his mind. Then again, when did AJ leave his thoughts? "It's... it's a rather long and complicated story." He said with a sad smile. Staying quiet for a few minutes, Oliver cleared his throat. "But... there's a girl. And we haven't seen each other in awhile. We... bad history. One event, actually."

[Takchawee Ominotago]

"Mm?" Tak hummed, glancing down at her bare arms. "Oh... Just a little bit. I don't usually wear much, honestly, so I've gotten used to being a little chilled," she admitted with a quiet laugh. Of course, showing off lots of skin garnered a lot of attention (sometimes unwanted), but it was what Tak felt comfortable in. Let them stare if they wanted, it didn't hurt her.

She laughed again as Oliver seemed to get embarrassed, and shook her head, sending strands of hair drifting against her cheek. "No, no, it's alright," she told him. "I just.... I guess I look at all the tiny new students and feel like I could mother all of them," she snorted. Maternal instincts apparently didn't go away even if you didn't keep your child. Hell, she felt like should could be mothering Oriel and Phoenix, and the latter was practically her age (although he did act like a five year old most of the time). "Mmm... You're cute," she chuckled. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to meet... Nice guys, lately. I swear I attract assholes like no one's business." Tak rolled her eyes but sent Oliver a sideways smile. She wouldn't mention the whole baby thing yet. Maybe if they got to know each other better.

She nodded in agreement with what he said, dipping a toe into the water and watching a goldfish come to investigate. "It's so easy to get caught up in the rush of things, it's good to try to get away from it all sometimes."

Tak grinned knowingly at his question. "Not quite," she replied, tapping the side of her head. "ESP. I pick up things no one else does." She went quiet and patiently waited for him to explain himself, giving a knowing nod once he finished. "Mmm... You guys knew each other before Hammel?" she assumed. Tak concentrated on her ability, picking up any subtle clues or hints it was giving her. "Let me guess... Manifestation?" she asked. "I won't ask for details or anything, but... I have time, and if you need to vent, my lips are sealed." She made a motion of locking her mouth and throwing away the key. "I have experience with bad relationships too. Quite a lot, actually. So I'm not judgmental in the least."

[Oliver Barnes]

Had Oliver been wearing a long sleeved plaid shirt, he would have offered it to the dark haired girl without a second thought. Unfortunately, he was only wearing a simple t-shirt today. He nodded, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. Again, coming from Minnesota, Vermont was a nice change. "I see." Was all he said about the subject.

Running a hand through his hair, Oliver tugged at the strands idly as his cheeks began to lighten in colour. He brought his hand back down, laughing at Tak's 'maternal instincts.' He thought nothing much about the comment, as he wasn't really aware of her previous pregnancy. "Students do see really small these days." He agreed. Then again, Oliver wasn't sure if that was due to the fact that he was older now and not a fourteen year old kid. When Tak called him cute, the colour came rushing back to his cheeks. "Oh, uh... thank my parents I guess. But th... thank you." He lamely stammered out, his eyes darting from the ground to her form beside him. Finally, Oliver mustered up the courage to meet eye contact with the dark haired girl and gave her a sweet smile. "Well, that's a shame really. Cause... cause you know, you seem like a really kind girl and... yeah." The red deepened on his cheeks.

Nodding in agreement, Oliver stayed quiet as he listened to Tak and her explanation of her power. ESP. Seemed more useful than his phasing. "I see." Oliver said before explaining himself after carefully collecting his thoughts. "Y.. yeah. We did. We both lived in the same small town in Minnesota." His eyes widened as Tak guessed correctly, but then remembered her ability. Right. "And... again, yeah... uhm." Oliver stammered, pausing to recollect his thoughts again.

He gave her a strained smile, as the painful memories resurfaced. His heart ached in response, and Oliver sighed. "I... thank you, first of all." He said, the smile fading. "Uhm, her.. it turned out my friend had a power that manipulated pheromones? So, uh, sophomore year we... we went to a dance together which lead me to... almost take advantage of her." Oliver stared at the water of the pond, swallowing the lump in his throat. He thought back to the conversation a few days ago in the book store, where everything had fallen apart between him and AJ. The tears, the pain... everything. "And... and that's the short version. I.. I sort of had feelings for her at the time... and.. and it's just... hard, y'know?"

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Tak shot Oliver a sly grin and chuckled, having expected that cute reaction from her light compliment. He really was a genuinely sweet guy, and that made her happy. "Oh, thanks," she replied, letting her own gaze slip to the ground momentarily. "That means a lot." It actually made her feel kind of warm and fuzzy. She didn't get compliments a lot; "slut" and "whore" were the more often used terms. Tak was wondering more and more how he might react if she told him about her... Infamous status.

She didn't interrupt as he explained the situation, letting her thoughts wander along with his words and try to figure out how best to remedy the situation he'd found himself in. It was a tough spot, to be certain. Something she was glad she'd never really experienced.

When he was finished, Tak was silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts over the information. Then,"That's rough," she sympathized first off. "An ability like that... It's so hard to know if what you're feeling around them is real, or if it's something in the air..." Tak's fingers twisted in the grass. "Have you talked to her since you've seen each other at Hammel?" she asked, looking up again. "I mean... Certainly she understands that your actions, what you tried to do... It wasn't entirely your doing."

She tilted her head. "Even if you did have feelings for her, that doesn't mean you would have... Tried to ever take advantage of her had it not been for the pheromones." Tak reached out and laid a comforting hand on his arm. "From what I've heard and seen from you already, you're not like that. And trust me, I've known... A lot of guys who are. You're nothing like them." She hoped she was helping. "I would say, just... Communication would be your strongest help at this point. It's when things get foggy and uncertain between people that problems get worse." Tak shrugged, bringing her arm back around her knees. "Of course, I don't know the whole story, but... I know it won't be easy, no matter the case."

[Oliver Barnes]

OOC: Sorry this took so long love <3

"Just... just saying the truth, you know." Oliver said, still blushing. Had he been more gutsy, he would say that she truly was a beautiful girl who deserved something more in life... but Oliver would just think those thoughts rather than say them out loud. The colour eventually faded from his cheeks, as his eyes gazed across the water shyly.

As he finished explaining the situation, Oliver found his hands shaking slightly from the anxiety of relieving the night in his head. The vivid images that consumed him still to this very day. It took a moment for the introverted boy to refocus on the world around him and process Tak's question. He blinked, running a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. "Yeah... yeah, it is." Oliver agreed with the dark haired girl. "I.. well, I knew what I felt was real cause I had liked her for awhile." He admitted. Ever since meeting in English class, Oliver... just knew there was something about A.J. Nodding, he continued on explaining the difficult situation. "Yeah.. yeah, uhm... well, I use to always avoid her, you see. Phasing is my ability. I'd just go through walls... to.. to avoid her. Yeah, it's lame." Now he was just rambling. Oliver took a moment to collect his thoughts and continue. "And.. so I would always avoid her. And I.. she works at the book store. I went in.. and we talked." There was also a bit of crying from both sides. "We're... working on it."

When Tak reached out to touch his bare arm, Oliver jumped a little, startled by the physical contact. Soon, he relaxed and let himself feel soothed by the calming girl. He knew he wasn't like that, but sometimes it took a verbal affirmation to assure that everything was going to be alright. "Th... thank you, Tak. I.. it really means a lot hearing that, you know?" He said, his eyes finally settling on her face, with a shy smile. Communication was key, and something himself and A.J lacked. Mostly since he avoided her for the better part of a year. "I.. we... decided to try and go to therapy, together. Work through it and maybe mend our friendship." Who knew if it would actually work.

"Don't know if.. if it's you're ESP or something, but... but you're relaxing to be around." Oliver commented, the flush of colour returning to his face.

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Tak looked over and saw how Oliver was shaking, having told her his tale. She frowned and rested her hand on his arm, rubbing up and down a little bit in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. "It'll be okay," she said softly. Tak listened again as he explained a bit more, smiling faintly as he admitted his behavior. "I think... It's totally normal to want to run away like that," she mused quietly. "Most people just don't have the ability to do it like you do." She didn't mean it unkindly, just stating the facts. "It's good that you talked, though. I think that's a great first step." Starting was the hardest, right?

She hoped she was helping. Tak knew, for some reason, that she could sometimes be intimidating - she wasn't sure if it was her looks or personality, but sometimes people seemed to just assume she was aggressive, even though she was far from it. "I'm glad I can help," she told him, shrugging her shoulder with a faint smile. "I have a feeling you two will be just fine." And her intuition rarely proved to be wrong. "Therapy is good. That's something most people aren't willing to do. I commend you for it, Oliver." She offered him another pat on the shoulder.

Tak laughed a bit at what he said, rubbing one of her arms with the opposite hand. "I... I'm glad you think so," she replied. "To be honest, most people don't really... Give me a chance anymore, not since..." The Native girl trailed off. "Well, not since I became a mother." There, it was out in the open. Tak hoped it didn't change his opinion of her.

[Oliver Barnes]

It was a calming gesture. Oliver didn't know if it was the girl herself or her power, or a combination of both. His shaking calmed, going from rocking his entire body to just his hands. He was glad that he stumbled upon the stunning girl. She was providing an immense sense of comfort and no judgement to what had happened. He snorted, nodding in agreement. Had Oliver not had the ability of phasing, he didn't know what he would have done during the year period without it. Maybe actually face the facts? "Yeah, it may... it may have taken awhile but it's starting now at least."

Although at first the introverted boy had been intimidated by Tak and her good looks, Oliver now was glad he had opened up to her. It felt... it felt good talking about his problems in the open rather than hiding away through the walls and letting the anxiety of the situation consume him. With his free hand, Oliver surprised himself by placing it on top of Tak's that had been on his arm, patting it absentmindedly. "I hope so too." More than hoped. He needed things to work between him and AJ. "Thank you, Tak. I can't say it enough."

The blush faded from his cheeks as the introverted boy pulled his hand back from hers. He raised an eyebrow when the dark haired girl mentioned people not giving her a chance. Oliver sensed her apprehension, leaning into her slightly to listen. A.. a mother. A shocked look appeared on his face, but it quickly faded. "Oh.. wow. A mother." He repeated. "That must have been difficult to go through at such a young age. I mean, not that it's bad or anything but... yeah. It must have been really hard." Oliver began to ramble, reaching out and putting a nervous arm around her. He didn't mean anything by it but to provide Tak with the same sense of comfort she was doing for him.

[Takchawee Ominotago]

Tak could feel the anxiety leaving Oliver's body like it was tangible. The nerves were still there, of course, but more under control. She reached down to rest her hand on the back of one of Oliver's still-trembling ones. To be honest, Tak herself was feeling better from this conversation; like she was actually helpful, and comforting. "Baby steps," she murmured, looking down in the water. "Sometimes that's just what you have to do."

She glanced down as he put his hand over hers, and gave a broad, happy smile. It was good that he was opening up; Tak felt honored that it happened to be her. "Anytime, hun. If you need to talk about anything else, I always have an open ear." Honestly, she could use someone to talk to sometimes too - maybe they could confide in each other, without having to worry about judgement.

Speaking of judgement, Tak had gone out on a limb, letting him know what she was so well-known for around school. She saw the brief moment of shock cross over his features, but it was soon gone, and the Native girl felt a weight lift from her shoulders as he started to ramble, but not against her in any way. "It... Wasn't easy," she agreed softly, gladly snuggling herself closer as Oliver put his arm around her. "The father... He left before Tacicala was born. He... Came back recently, but..." Tak trailed off, and bit her lip, before sitting up straight and putting a smile back on. "It's alright. My daughter is in a great home and I get to see her often." She leaned her head on Oliver's shoulder. "... Thank you... For not judging me. It means a lot."

[Oliver Barnes]

Baby steps. That's what Oliver would have to focus on during the healing process with AJ. His breathing slowed from the irregular rate moments beforehand, his one thumb looping overtop of Tak's hand on his. He felt comfortable, despite this being the first meeting between himself and the dark haired girl. It usually took a long time for the painfully shy boy to open up to others, let alone in the way he had to her. "Exactly... it is what it is."

"And... and the same goes for you. Anytime." Oliver extended the same offer to her, with a sweetly shy smile.

Now it was his turn to listen. Although shocked to hear that Tak was a mother, he of course held no judgement against her. She had probably heard a lot already; teenagers could be incredibly cruel. His arm around her felt foreign, but.. right. Slowly, Oliver relaxed into the position with a sympathetic expression on his face. "I'm sure it was anything but easy." The shy boy couldn't even imagine becoming a father at this age. In this case, it was worse since Tak had to carry the child and then got ditched by the father. It really was unfortunate. "I can't even imagine what it was like... going through it alone." He paused, nodding once as Oliver continued to speak. "But.. but you've got me as a support system. For anything." Smiling, Oliver met Tak's eyes as she talked about her daughter. "That's the important thing. It's good you get to see her too."

"No need to thank me." Oliver gave her a tight squeeze with his arm that was still looped around her body. "This.. this is what friends are for."