Catch up [Zach]

[Deleted]

“You could…I mean, if you wanted to.” Or a performer of some sort. He smiled as she posed for him. “I’m serious, though. You just seem like…I don’t know…that sort of person people like to watch…even when you’re not doing anything.” Jen had a sort of…natural charisma that just drew people to her. Much like someone else he knew. Zach chuckled. “It’s hard to explain, but I think you’d do better than you think.” But he knew Jen well enough to know that she’d wanted when she figured it out, not because someone told her she ought to.

Oh, dear. Zach laughed along with her, though he hoped she really was just joking.

Zach sighed and looked away. Why did he have to talk about this? It was one thing to tell his family, they’d end up meeting Kai eventually anyway(actually, they’d already met him, last year at Christmas), but for some reason, telling Jen about Kai was…different. He didn’t like being teased about it. And yes, he was shy, or did Jen just meet him yesterday? “It’s not just…that…that I like…” Damn, was he really gabbing about the guy he liked to this girl? He could hear Kai making fun of him now…calling him a girl again. Jerk…

Though it was because of that man that Zach became his “non-uptight” self. Zach was already pretty easygoing and accepting of people’s lifestyles before, but considering the way he hooked up as Kai…well, he’d be a hypocrite criticizing Jen for her choices. As long as she was taking care of herself, it was fine.

Drama. Yeah, that was a good word for it. Zach shook his head. “I don’t know…I just…get the feeling that…” It’d be rude to Caelum to say anything without consulting him first. “It’ll be okay…but will probably take some time first. Sorry….” he said, lowering his head. Zach really needed to talk to Caelum.

[Jen Mitchellson]

She could? Jen stared at him, still smiling, leaning on one hand to rest her chin. Acting? Her? Well, she'd never given it much thought. The sort of person people like to watch. Her eyes widened slightly at that. She couldn't deny she felt pretty, but to go as far as to be an actress was a extreme. People in Hammel were pretty enough as it was, why she had an example right in front of her, so it wasn't as if she was particularly pretty considering that, nor was she particularly attractive. But maybe it didn't have much to do with appearances. She was a good liar, that much she knew, and wasn't acting something similar? She liked pretending to be other people too, just to see others reactions. And she couldn't deny she'd like to have some admirers. Maybe she ought to ask Julien about acting? Wasn't he... sort of involved in that sort of thing? She let out a chuckle. Nah. She wasn't one for deciding on something yet. Besides, she could already picture her father if she told him she wanted to act. Why don't you choose something realistic? You could be in business! Politics!. Yeah, right. As if she had the patience for that.

"My, is this some sort of confession?" She teased, not wanting to think of it further. "What's your boyfriend going to say if he sees you hitting on young girls?" She wanted to embarrass him enough not to talk about it any more. After all, it was her choice. She knew she had to make it at some point too, but a year later she found she didn't want to. Although... honestly, she hadn't even considered acting before. How difficult could it be?

She'd managed to make him uncomfortable again and she giggled in response. "I'm just teasing you, Zach." She said, waving a hand, "But now I'm interested." She leaned on her hand again, her smile widening. "Why do you like him so much?" It wasn't until they started talking about her brother that she lost her grin.

"Ah." She said, unsure of how to respond to that. He hadn't wanted to answer and she wasn't about to push him to. It was a shame that she wasn't closer to Caelum, just to satisfy her curiosity. It was obvious something had happened between these two and it truly worried her. She couldn't imagine them having a fight or anything of the sort, so it was weird. Was this why Caelum had been so quiet?

"It's fine." She said with a wave of her hand, smiling again. "It's Caelum we're talking about. He gets sad over everything and then goes back to be himself. He'll get over this too. You should just patch things up." Jen's smile turned gentler. "Whatever happened between you two doesn't matter. Just talk things out and get back to how you were before." What was she saying? Why did she care anyway? It wasn't her problem. Stupid Caelum, making her worry like this. And Zach was no better, right? Disappearing like he had.

"Idiots..." She muttered, turning sideways so she could focus on something else. People didn't matter after all. Why get close to others if there were always going to be hurt feelings on the way? She wasn't about to admit to him she was worried. She couldn't be! Getting involved would just be no fun.

[Deleted]

Jen seemed to take the idea nicely. He hoped that she would take it seriously. Yes, it might give her some direction in life. There was that. But Zach also thought she might find it fun as well. There, of course, was a serious aspect to performing. You had to work hard for it. But once you learned what you needed…Zach was certain that once Jen found out exactly what she wanted to do, she’d take it seriously as well.

Let her have her fun until then.

“Uhh…” Zach’s face turned red at the implication. “I’m not…he wouldn’t think…much….because…” Because Kai knew that Zach was head-over-heels for him.

Zach scowled, not appreciating her teasing. “Yeah, sure…” He sighed, wiping at his eye with his hand. Zach grew quiet at her question, unsure of how to answer. Why did he like him? Kai was…he was a jerk, honestly. A vain, pig-headed, womanizing, bratty…jerk. Zach didn’t believe for a second that he was just smitten with Kai’s looks, Zach wasn’t that shallow. Right? “I guess….I can’t really explain it. He just…he pisses me off so much. All the time. But at the same time…” Zach smiled, looking down at the table. “At the same time, he makes me feel very….alive? I guess….” That sounded utterly corny, didn’t it. He could just imagine what Kai would say about it if he heard.

How embarrassing…

“So! Um…do you, uh…have anyone…special…you’re, you might be thinking…looking at…yet?” That was possibly the strangest way he could have worded that question. In his attempt to turn the same topic back on her, he remembered halfway through the habits that she’d already admitted to, and that twisted it around into something that didn’t quite make sense. Then again, just because she was out having fun, didn’t mean she couldn’t have her eye on someone, right?

There hadn’t been a fight. Just…an awkwardness. And truthfully, Zach wasn’t sure how to face Caelum, after what he did. While Caelum would just smile and say it’s fine, Zach knew better than to believe that. Or maybe he was just…projecting? Zach appreciated Jen’s attempt to make him feel better. “Yeah,” he said with a smile and small laugh. “Sorry, Jen. For worrying you. We’ll be okay.” He had to believe that.

Zach looked up and realized. “You know…I thought we came here to …for some bubble tea,” he pointed out, looking over his shoulder to the ordering counter. “But we’ve just been…sitting here…talking. Why don’t I go get it, and you save our table. Sound good?” Zach started to stand up. “What would you like?”

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen laughed openly as he stuttered, obviously glad that she'd gotten the reaction she'd been looking for. He was just so cute! "Calm down, Zach! It's just me." She stuck her tongue out at him, just to remind him she was still little Jen, the little girl who liked to get in trouble and make others angry. But things had indeed changed. She wasn't a little girl anymore, was she? That'd been the first thing he'd mentioned. Gah, why did he have to go on and mention something she could actually see herself doing? Next thing she'd know she was going to be looking for a husband and looking at bridal magazines. Ugh! Adulthood was just so lame.

She added a chuckle when he scowled oh so cutely. He was always so serious. Teasing him like she was reminded her of when she was little. Those were the good times, back when things weren't as complicated. Why did growing up have to ruin everything?

He was now talking about his boyfriend and she leaned lower on the table, smiling gently at him. She could see he was happy, although his words didn't make much sense to her. Why would he want to be with someone who made him angry? Now, wanting to feel alive, that part she could understand. "Lucky." The word left her mouth before she could stop it and she blinked in surprise at her lack of control. What had that been about? "I mean, you look happy. I totally don't get why you'd want to stick to just one person, but if that floats your boat-" She finished with a shrug, turning her attention to the counter, wishing she could have her tea to distract herself from the conversation. Ah but he wouldn't let her.

He asked her about someone special. Jen snorted in response, grinning widely. "Me? Are you kidding? I'm far too adorable to stick with just one." She shrugged again, "Besides, most men are idiots. The good ones are either taken or-" She sent him a look and a smirk, "Gay." Although she had no idea what 'good one' meant. To be honest, Jen had been thinking about that lately. Sure, she could sleep with a million Lucas, flirt with lots of hot, handsome, womanising types and feel nothing for it. It was fun and shallow, just like herself. But then that talk with Julien, about being interesting apart from her looks, and that date with Matt, how gently he'd held her hand, had started some longing in her, a painful reminder of how empty she was. Maybe she wanted what Zach had? To have just one person? Someone who thought of her as more than a 'perfect ass' as Lucas had so charmingly put it. Someone who thought her interesting and was gentle with her. She snorted at her thoughts. Yeah, right. Who'd put up with her like that? Besides, the kind of men she met weren't interested in her like that, nor were they the type to care for someone like her, party girl she was. Besides, someone like that would want something like a relationship, and she wasn't sure she could do that. She was starting to feel stuffy just thinking about it.

Thankfully, the conversation changed. Regretfully, it was toward a very difficult topic. He thanked her and she smiled back, although she knew there was something there, something big, that she wasn't a part of. It only made her worry further, despite of what he'd said. "No problem!" She ought to ask Caelum about that, if the jerk didn't start behaving like a prat and actually shared something with her.

He suddenly changed the subject and she nodded, still smiling her big fake smile. "We sure did, didn't we? They'll start giving us the 'go to hell' looks if we don't order something soon." She turned to grin at the cashier, who was actually eyeing them by then. "Some milk tea please." She asked, still smiling, but inside she felt so different.

How did Zack do that? How did he manage to make her worry about things that mattered. Before meeting him today, all she'd been thinking about was being bored, and now she had all these thoughts in her mind, some of them downright not welcomed. So Caelum and Zach had... something, she wasn't sure what, but it might as well be the cause of why Caelum had been so quiet lately. And then there was the whole choosing what to do with her future. Acting didn't sound half bad actually. In fact, it sounded like it might be fun. And then there was the whole dating thing. THAT she didn't want to think about.

She turned to send him a smile. Even Zach, serious Zach, had found someone to love. Gah, love. What a heavy word. Did she want that too? She turned, resting her chin on her hands and let out the heaviest sigh. This day was so not going how she'd been expecting it to go. No wonder most people were all so boring and depressed all the time, if they had thoughts such as these. It was better to just go with the flow without a care, right? Besides, who said she'd be happy being... ugh, loved. It was so weird and she had no idea what to expect from it. And it wasn't like there was a line of men waiting to praise her and fall in love with her. Sleep with her? sure. But actually date her? When was the last time she even went on a date anyway? One that didn't mean meeting a guy and immediately having sex with him at least. Another heavy sigh left her. Darn Zach.

[Deleted]

“It’s not…I know, I’m just….”  Zach sighed.  He knew it was pointless to get embarrassed, but he couldn’t help it.  It was amazing, actually, that he could get embarrassed about it. About a year ago, Zach had still been completely oblivious when it came to matters of relationships and intimacy.  He still wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but hanging around Kai as much as he had over the past year…that had exposed him to more than his fair share of embarrassing…intimate…experiences….  “It’s just how I am,” he explained sourly, looking away. “Deal with it.”
 
Even so, it wasn’t often he got to talk about Kai to people, especially not in such an…open? manner?  There were few people in his family that he felt comfortable enough to talk about this to…at least not without them making fun of him forever about it.  He knew Ollie didn’t like Kai in the first place, so he’d gone out of his way to not talk about him when they found the time to phone each other.  Actually…a lot of his friends had issues with Kai, for one reason or another.  He knew Jade didn’t like him either. And then with Caelum…that wasn’t happening.

So it was refreshing to have someone that he could gush out to about his…kinda boyfriend….they practically were! Though neither of them had confirmed it out loud yet…did they have to?  Zach smiled. “Thanks…yeah, I think so too.”  He was happy, despite their issues.  Zach chuckled softly. “That’s also…just how I am.”  He knew other people who had the same outlook as Jen, but Zach was definitely a one-person-at-a-time person.  And he didn’t like casual. He got jealous too easily to do any “casual dating”.  
 
In a way, he admired those who could.
 
Like Kai.  Like Noa.  Like Jen.  How did they manage to not get attached?  Zach nodded in agreement.  “As a man, I can tell you that yes, most men are idiots. Even the gay ones.” Because Kai was an idiot. And Zach was too.  They were both a couple of idiots.  That’s why they had so many problems at first, wasn’t it?  “But….this probably sounds obvious, but there’s a lot of people out there.  I’m sure one of them is right for you, and you’ll find them eventually.” He laughed. “Especially if you…uh…keep trying them out like…that.”  That wasn’t awkward to say to someone you thought of as a little sister at all…nope.  Zach flushed again.
 
Zach nodded when she gave her order to him. “Okay, I’ll be right back,” he told her.  It didn’t take long to get the drinks, maybe about 5 minutes. Then he was on his way back to the table, already sipping at his own tea. He set Jen’s down on the table in front of her. “You okay?” he asked. “You have…maybe something on your mind? You know you can talk to me…right?” Zach sat down and smiled gently as he usually did.

[Jen Mitchellson]

She laughed when he replied to her. "You are!" She said between giggles, "And you know I love you for it." She leaned forward and sent him a wink, suddenly feeling like ruffling his hair for being so cute. It was as if the roles had changed between them, right? Wasn't she supposed to be the little one here? The shy unexperienced one? She felt warm, thinking that she was catching up to him. To them, really, what with Caelum not being that much older than her. How a few years started to become a smaller bridge as years went by.

Jen nodded. He admitted he was happy. Good. "Then you shouldn't be so shy about it." she said with a smirk, "If you're happy then act like it!" Again, the tiny nasty feeling of jealous creeped inside her stomach, making her think how she wished she could have the same. Would she ever get it? And would she even recognise it if it ever came? She just couldn't imagine herself smiling at the memory of someone. Sure, she smiled all the time, but most of those were smiles of amusement, not true happiness. What did that even feel anyway?

She laughed as he agreed. "Oh, so now you're all savvy and experienced when it comes to men, eh?" She smiled playfully, finding it funny that serious Zach would think that. "Just how many men have you dated, anyway?" She asked, "There's this guy, mister perfect." Or so she thought since he seemed so pleased with him, "But who else?" She chuckled at the trying them out part. "Yeah, lots of fish on the sea, except the 'happily ever after' ones don't go for me." She shrugged, "The men I try out are more of a... one time thing. I can't even actually spend the night with them, you know... after." She sent him a wink to let him know what she was talking about, and then shuddered at the thought. "It's just too creepy. I can only imagine them thinking how clingy us poor women are and they want me to leave but don't want to be jerks about it. Besides, I'm pretty sure I kick and stretch while I sleep. Though giving some dude the fright of his life would be funny."

She nodded when he left her to her thoughts and she sighed. This was so not what she wanted to be thinking about. You know what she needed? A good lay. How much time had it passed since she had her fun with what's his name anyway? Yeah, that was probably why people talked about wanting love and stupid shit like that. They just needed to get laid.

"Oh, hey." She said when Zach came back, surprised that he'd taken so little time. She grabbed the tea with a smile and a nod and took a sip as he asked his question. "Hmm? No, yeah. I'm fine." She said, shaking her head. Just fine. "I was just thinking of how incredibly surprising it was to find out you're gay. I mean, I absolutely lost my chance with you, didn't I?" She was joking of course. "And here I always had this tiny crush since I was little. So unfair." Always talk to him... yeah, well, the problem was she didn't even know how to talk. It was dull, wasn't it? 'Oh, boo hoo! Nobody loves me! Why would I want it anyway? But I kind of do, yet all the men I meet are jerks, except for that one that was honest with me, but he doesn't even like me and I don't even know if I like him, so who cares?'. Yeah, no. She wasn't about to start talking about that.

"So." She said, wanting to move on from the silly one sided conversation that was going on in her head, "What are your plans now?" That was a... sort of good question, right? "You got a job and all that or just enjoying what little freedom you have left?"

[Deleted]

Okay, Zach had to smile, even if just a little, at her agreement. And declaration of “love”.  It was always nice that someone liked you for being just who you were. Such as with him and Kai.  Kai was a stupidly, abnormally tall, rich, spoiled child, and for some reason Zach couldn’t explain, he loved him for each one of those flaws right alongside the tender, sweet, committed, and fun-loving part of him.  And let’s not forget the goddamn sexy part as well.  “Thanks,” he said, still hiding a blush.
 
Zach laughed through his nose. “Do you really want me to go jumping and…I don’t know, frolicking through the streets every time I’m…happy…?”  Zach wasn’t Jen.  He expressed his happiness very differently than she did.  And just because he had a very effective resting-bitch-face didn’t mean he was unhappy, or unfriendly, or any number of things that people typically assumed about the introverted writer. This was something that some of his formerly distant siblings were just beginning to realize, and he was glad for it.   

Another smile and Zach dipped his head, pink coloring his face once again. He really wasn’t experienced, was he? Jen was far more in matters of casual dating, it seemed. But Zach was…well, he wasn’t casual. He was the sort who didn’t go out with someone unless he truly considered them as a potential partner. It was why the answer to her question was laughably low. “Uh…two,” he said with a meek smile, but then he furrowed his eyebrows pensively. “No…I guess if you include Oliver, then three, but that was….kids practicing…or something…” He couldn’t believe he admitted to that, having gone on “practice dates” with his best friend. “And then four people altogether,” he muttered, still considering seriously. “If you include Noa…” Zach missed her, honestly. And worried about where she’d disappeared to.

Zach listened to Jen ramble on about those fish and her sleeping habits, all of which he found something funny, even though he knew he shouldn’t. “It’s okay. Like I said, as long as you’re being safe…” He trailed off, reminiscing for a moment about how all that related to him and Kai. “It takes…a bit of getting used to…sleeping next to someone,” he admitted. His face turned slightly sour. “It’s hot, and stuffy, and suffocating breathing the same air when they pull you in too close, and you can’t move the way you want because his arms are practically latched around you. And then if you try to move away, his grip just gets tighter…” Now Zach was just complaining. He grunted in frustration. “But…once you get used to it…” He smiled softly. “…it gets…really awkward…and lonely……….when he’s not lying there like a big ugly, snoring lump.” Zach had definitely kicked Kai off the bed before…sometimes even on purpose. And covered that snoring face of his with a pillow, hoping to muffle out the noise. It never worked….

When he returned with the tea and asked his question, Zach wasn’t expecting a profound answer to it. But he had hoped that Jen might confide in him about whatever was bothering her. Then again, she was her brother’s sister. When she felt like talking about it, she would. However, Jen also had the habit of pushing topics off of her and back onto other people. Zach blushed again, taking a sip of his tea. “Ah-ha-ha…you say that, but…I don’t see it.” He knew Jen was just joking, but it was possible there was a tiny bit of truth to it. After all, Savvy was the same way with Zach’s friends, with a new crush practically every week. Zach thought for a moment. “Actually, the more I think about it…the more I realize how obvious it was. That I was…am…gay.” He took another drink. “I’m more surprised by how many people have been surprised by it.” And Zach was supposed to be the oblivious one!

“My plans?” he repeated the question, a little puzzled until Jen elaborated more on it. “Mmm…” Zach shrugged. “I don’t know, really,” he admitted. “I guess I’m just…riding out grad school until I can finish my novel.” Zach wanted to finish it before he got his master’s. “Going into grad school was…well, it was just a way to keep an income while I figure out what to do next.” Zach hadn’t wanted to graduate and get stuck in a job that kept him from working on his writing.

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen smiled at his interpretation of happy. "Why the hell not?" She said with the same mirth, "If I found a hot guy who was so into me I would be singing in the streets Disney princess style." Okay, that was a lie. If she found some hot guy who was that into her, she would probably get all scared about it that she'd end up running the opposite way. But she still wanted to make her point. "Showing a bit of happiness isn't a crime. Besides, we outsiders might need it. Well, not those empath kids from Hammel, but you know what I mean." She gave a slight shrug. "Does your little play toy know how happy you are?" She looked down at the table then, not really used to this type of conversation. It was just so... ugh. Feelings were so not her forte.

"And if you include the cast of Glee it might be twenty." She joked. "Come on! That's- that's enough experience." Wow, and she was supposed to be the easy, casual one. Hell, dry spells were a bitch, especially when she started doing math and truly counted the weeks it'd been since she last got anyone's attention.

He started talking about sleeping and she almost sighed and looked down, but she managed to still grin and pretend to be interested. She so didn't want to hear about someone's perfect little life and how in love they were and how much she was missing. She knew she should be happy her sort of big brother was happy, to be delighted in the fact that there was someone out there that could make him smile like he was, but she just couldn't stop the nagging bitterness in her throat. Lucky bastard. "Can't be that ugly of a lump if you're willing to deal with snoring." She teased, leaning forward. "Got a picture somewhere? I'd love to meet him and judge how worthy he is of you." She so would love to tease Zach more too.

And now he said it was obvious he was gay. "Oh come on." She said, twirling her tea with the straw, "It's not like we go around thinking other people are gay or not. Well, unless you want to get them to bed." She shrugged and then grinned again, "You're right. I so should've seen it coming." She added a wink for good measure, still teasing, despite the painful void in her chest. She was so getting soft. Next she knew she would end up getting a bad haircut and change her name to Caelum.

"And you figured it out yet?" She wondered, "That's a big deal, I'm guessing." Not that she knew anything about it. She just so didn't see herself doing the same thing for the rest of her life. Then again, that acting suggestion didn't seem like that bad of an idea.

[Deleted]

Zach had to smile. “That’s you. I…I can barely form two words together to make a sentence…much less…sing…in the streets…” He looked down, embarrassed all over again. One of these days he was going to get used to talking about Kai to others like it was a regular thing and not some sort of revelation. How long that would be…was uncertain. But it likely wouldn’t be until he’d pretty much met everyone he knew and had the exact same conversation over and over again…Zach wondered if there was a way to just get it all over with quickly so he didn’t have to put himself through that kind of embarrassing situation over and over again. He could make it Facebook official….but Zach didn’t really use popular social media too much.

Zach scowled at her use of the term “play toy”. “Don’t use that term to describe someone else’s partner,” he said firmly. “….unless they’re introduced as such,” he followed up with, thinking of what Noa would say. “And yes….he knows…” Zach looked down. “I think….” He hoped so. They went through so much last year; that they’re finally calmed down, it’d be unbelievable if Kai didn’t know.

Really, Jen was too much sometimes. Zach sighed and shook his head with a tired smile. Though, she wasn’t nearly as bad as…well, the whole of his family.

“A picture?” Did Zach really want to show off like some….some….giddy teenage girl? Why not, it was just a picture. “Sure…um…” Zach pulled out his phone from his back pocket and started shuffling through it to find a semi-decent picture of his…Kai. “Um….here.” Zach leaned across the table and spun his phone to face her to show her a couple of pictures(1, 2). However, if she chose to flip a little too far on her own, she was liable to come across a set of photos that he hadn’t intended for her to see(1, 2, 3)…or anyone else for that matter. Whoops.

Zach shrugged. “Okay, fine…I guess you’re right. I don’t know. It just…seems like everyone else figures these things out faster than I do.” It took him forever just to be able to pick up when someone was flirting with him, and even then, Zach probably was missing a lot still. Oh, well.

He shook his head. “Not really…I’m still trying to.” He smiled up at Jen. “I still have a little bit of time left though…to figure it out.” And hopefully he will by the time he finishes grad school. The one advantage he did have was….that…and he felt utterly ashamed for even thinking about depending on this, but….well, Kai was loaded. Rich. The filthy kind. Jen didn’t need to know that, though. Anyway, with that in mind, it was possible that he could just live off of Kai for a while, right? Zach felt pathetic for even considering it.

[Jen Mitchellson]

"You're doing pretty well forming sentences now." She said with a small smile. Zach was so cute when he was shy. He actually reminded her of someone, though she couldn't place whom. Maybe that joke about the childish crush hadn't been that much of a joke either. Ha, funny how growing up worked.

Jen couldn't help it and rolled her eyes as he scolded her, reminding her how much of a big brother he truly was. "Fine. DAD!" She added in a teasing voice and a wide smile. Some things never changed. "How should I call him then? Your LOVAH!" She raised her voice to embarrass him further, "Your sexy bear. Your butt nibbling god." She still giggled when he added his 'I think'. "You totally should sing for him!" She said, pressing the subject. "Come on! Can you imagine his expression when you walk up to him in an Aladdin costume singing 'A whole new world'?." Her smile widened. "please do that and PLEASE record that. I so want to see that happen." Funny thing about Jen most people... knew right away after meeting her: she dealt with the awkwardness of 'feelings talk' with humour.

He pulled out his cellphone and she leaned forward, her hands moving to hold the cellphone from his hands. "Oh, hottie!" She exclaimed when she saw the first picture. "Good job, Zach." She said with a wide grin, sending him a wink and returning her attention to the screen. "How did you manage to land such a catch? I mean, you're hot and all, but DAMN." She grinned and pulled at the cellphone, hoping he would let her hold it. Whether he did or not, she still flicked through the next picture. "This one is much better, if that's possible." And then, well, of course she flicked again. Her eyes widened as she looked at the picture and she had to close her mouth from keeping herself from laughing loudly in such a public place. "I think I like this one much better." She said with a grin. Sexy pics! Yes! The good stuff. And LOTS of it apparently, because she flipped again and there was another one. AND ANOTHER ONE! Someone got busy in the bath tub. Who knew Zach had it in him? Well, maybe it was this guy who had it in him, she so didn't want to ask or imagine how that worked out. But this picture? She wanted this picture. Keep it cool, Jen. "Cute." She said in her 'everything is alright' voice as her fingers carelessly worked the screen, trying her best to forward the picture to her own phone. Hopefully Zach wouldn't notice.

Everyone else figured it out faster? "You don't give yourself much credit." She said in a low voice and a sad smile. Actually, who couldn't figure things out was Jen. She was pretty sure she had a crush on- Dammit, that was who Zach reminded her of. AWKWARD. She so didn't want to think about that. But the shy demeanour? Still, there were differences, she thought. She hoped. Ugh, first she had to deal with daddy issues and now she had to deal with big brother issues? Was no Freudian area left for her to experience? She ought to experiment with penis envy next.

"Lucky." Said Jen, "With the whole cut allowance thing, I really don't know what I'm going to do next." She frowned down at her tea. Her life sucked or what?

[Deleted]

That deserved a smile too. “You’re not supposed to point it out….you’ll ruin my image of the, uh..…the awkward guy in the corner?” A light blush crossed his cheeks. He didn’t do well with taking compliments smoothly, not without feeling incredibly self-conscious.

Zach could roll his eyes too, and he did at her childish receipt of his light scolding. Of course he was a big brother, he had ten younger siblings at home, some of them 10 times more childish than Jen was being right now. “Just call him Kai. Or Malachai. Or go with the obvious and say ‘your boyfriend’.” Though that last suggestion did not come without yet another twinge of red in the cheeks. Zach shook his head at her Disney suggestion. “No singing. Not without lots of beer.” That was the only condition he would sing, ever.

Truth be told, Zach was a little excited to be showing off his…boyfriend(still getting used to the word) to other people, specifically to someone like Jen who legitimately seemed interested in…well, in teasing the shit out of him, but it was a nice feeling to be able to share like this. Zach held the phone up to her, not expecting her to take it from his hand. “Hey, give that back!” He was worried about what she might find though.

“And I’m not…hot…” Zach denied this himself, because he didn’t see it. Though he remembered that Maebelle had said the same thing. And somehow Kai was in agreement with both of them. How? Zach didn’t get it. “Just…you shouldn’t be looking through other people’s pictures like….that…” As he trailed off on that last sentence, Zach’s eyes went wide as he imagined just which photos she might have come across. He knew he should have deleted those…dammit! “Thanks,” he said blandly, his face redder than a strawberry and hand held out to her, expecting Jen to give him back the cell phone immediately. “Come on,” he urged, motioning for him to give the phone back.

“Thanks,” he said again, with a sigh. He’d calmed down some from the previous embarrassment. “You’ll figure it out,” he said encouragingly. “Whether it’s because you finally know what you want to do…or because you have no other choice…I think you’ll find that you tend to figure things out pretty quickly. And….you’re smart, Jen.” And spoiled. “You won’t let yourself flail for too long, I’m sure.” As in, this ‘sucky’ part of her life won’t last forever, despite how it may seem.

[Jen Mitchellson]

"And we wouldn't want that." She said with a smile. Zach was simply just too sweet, but this meeting actually made her rethink her whole idea about her taste in men. Okay, so maybe she'd been hitting on guys who behaved a tad A LOT like her father, what with the chauvinistic view of women and only thinking of sex... ew. She so didn't need to think about that. And now it was down to big brother figures with her wanting someone who didn't see her as a sex object...who were also totally gay. That wasn't good either, was it? Ugh. This was difficult. What was she supposed to look for then? She sighed, resting her chin on her hand, still feeling jealous of how happy Zach looked. Maybe she truly needed a boyfriend, but how did someone find one of those anyway? It wasn't like there was a Boyfriend R us she could go to... was there? She was so going to Google that once she got home.

Jen resisted the urge to giggle like a brain dead teen girl at him, but she couldn't keep back a smile. Boyfriend. That sounded so serious, particularly when he reacted so cutely at the word. "Your boyfriend it is." She said, "Or maybe I should call him 'THE' boyfriend, considering how much you seem to enjoy that word." He looked so cute when he blushed.

When she finally got his cellphone, she smiled widely at his nervousness. "Oh come on! i just want to see the yummy boyfriend." Yummy he was indeed. Aaaand SENT. She giggled and turned the cellphone at Zach, showing him the picture she'd just sent. "And he looks SO adorable in the tub, you naughty boys." She laughed again and stretched her arm out to give Zach his cellphone. "Don't worry, Zach. I'm already tired of that picture." Just then her cellphone made a woosh sound and she grinned, "And I'm so going to get even more tired of it because it's going to be my new wallpaper." She grinned again, loving teasing Zach, and moved to show him her cellphone and the picture that had arrived. Score!

Jen blinked as he answered. Wait, that bit... she hadn't thought that, had she? She'd actually spoken up. Crap. She smiled nervously, worried Zach would have a different opinion of her or see her as weak. Being lost and helpless was not a welcome thing in the Mitchellson family. Yet, Zach merely offered his advice. Ha... maybe she ought to be more open with the people she cared about in the future. Maybe, odd as it seemed to her, they cared for her too.

"Thanks, I guess." She said awkwardly, not used to that kind of compliments. She was smart! Who knew? Well, she did, she just hadn't expected anyone else to notice it. "Just gotta find a way to get an income while doing absolutely nothing and I'll be good to go." She was joking of course... okay, maybe half joking. Still, she hoped she could find just that.

[Deleted]

“No….we wouldn’t,” he continued, playing along with the joke.  Or trying to.  This was what happened when Zach tried to be funny. He ended up making a fool of himself, and then laughed at for his attempts.  Well, Jen wasn’t exactly laughing at him(at least not right now), but she was probably doing so on the inside, if her teasing was any indication.
 
Zach sighed when Jen declared the ‘official’ name for Zach’s boyfriend.  There was just no getting out of this, was there? At least it was better than the other things she’d said before. 

“Jen! Stop that!” he urged. What was he thinking? Of course it was a bad idea to show her pictures of Kai, of course it was a bad idea to let her take his phone, Zach should’ve known better than to expect that this little girl would simply look at the one thing he showed her, and then hand it right back like a normal person. Zach reached across the table, hoping to snatch the phone back from her, but just as he did, he heard the tell-tale sound of mail arriving on someone’s phone. “Did you just—?” His eyes went wide as he took back his phone from her finally. “Why would you do that!?” Who was he asking again? Jen, of course. Zach glared at her with eyes that were some mix of irritated and panicked. “You delete that right now!” he insisted firmly. “You’re not supposed to see that! That’s private!” Zach reached out again, this time aiming for Jen’s phone so he could hopefully delete it himself.

Really…Zach was becoming exhausted from this whole interaction.

Still, when it came to actually helping, being a big-brother came naturally to him. Maybe that’s why it was so easy for him to say such things about Jen. To say things for her. Advice and encouragement that might help. “If you…figure that one out…let me know, so I can have…get in on it too.” Zach smiled along with the joke. Though everyone knew how lazy Zach was when it came to actual work. Schoolwork didn’t count, by the way.

Zach caught a glance of the time from his phone, which was still held tightly in his hands after the whole debacle with the boyfriend photos. His happy expression seemed to fall in concern. “Damn…is it that late already?” he said, ignoring how much it sounded like he was just coming up with an excuse to leave. Zach looked back up to Jen with a soft, though hesitant smile on his lips. “I have to get back home.” Before it gets dark.

That thought made him feel pathetic all over again. And he knew exactly what he’d be doing when he finally got home. Giving ‘THE’ boyfriend a call. Just until his nerves calmed down. Though he’d probably end up calling again before the night was over. And then maybe again after the night had long since ended. Zach’s face dropped again. “Sorry…” he offered, shifting in his seat to tentatively stand once he’d gotten the okay from Jen for them to part ways.

[Jen Mitchellson]

Jen giggled at his attempts, stretching her arm out teasingly to keep him away from her phone. "Aw, come ON! Learn to share a little. I've been on a dry spell and having this makes me feel much better!" She said it all to make him even more embarrassed really. But it seemed he wasn't enjoying her jokes. "Aw, Zach! I promise I won't masturbate to your boyfriend. It's just so awesome to me that you have this!" She giggled again and moved away to place her phone in her pocket, if he didn't get in the way of course. And maybe she should have a little more restrain of her words in such a public place, but it was so much fun seeing him blush. He was so cute! "I'm SUPER happy for you, it's just that- i mean, you're Zach! I never thought sweet, shy Zack would have the guts to have a bath time session with his boyfriend AND keep the evidence of it." Another giggle escaped her. Man, this was making her feel so much better, even if Zach didn't share the feeling.

...And now he was leaving. She wanted to stop him, feeling bad for having teased him so bad when he was just so sweet to her. "Aw..." She couldn't help but whine like a little girl. It was hard not to see Zach as a big brother, so her true bratty self slipped out. "Well, if you HAVE to." she said and then grinned, "Are you going to go see him? Did he text you or something?" She was so jealous! The boyfriend seemed super hot and of course Zach wanted to leave. Hell, if she had someone like that she wouldn't want to leave his side either, especially if the guy could make her smile like Zach was smiling before. "Gonna go take a bath?" She couldn't help but tease him. It was so cute!

"Well, fine. If that's what you want." She stood too, taking her tea with her. "Do I get a hug before you leave?" She grinned again, "Better yet, another picture?"

[Deleted]

A dry spell? How was that Zach’s problem? And why was a picture of Zach’s boyfriend a solution to that? “What did you—? Why would you say that!?” Zach’s face grew red at being given far more information about his ‘little sister’ than he needed to know. Zach made one final(futile) swipe for the phone before she tucked it away in her pocket. He scowled at Jen as she continued to declare his sex life a phenomenon to fuss over. Wasn’t he allowed to have one? So what if he enjoyed taking baths with his lover? So what if his sex life existed at all? It wasn’t any of her business!

It was a bit of a relief that he was finally going to get away from all the teasing. While he did dote on Jen as if she were his own little sister, Zach still had the social stamina of a potato, and her energy was quickly wearing him out. “Sorry,” he said. He was a little, but not really. Zach needed to be back home quickly. “Hmm? No, he didn’t. I just…” What excuse was he going to use? Zach scowled again. “No, I’m not. I just need to go home, okay? I have homework too.” That was a good excuse, right?

Zach stood, taking his now empty cup with him. He’d toss it on the way out. “Of course you do,” he said more gently. Which lasted all of two seconds. “No more pictures.” Still, he held his arm out to take her into a one-armed hug. “We’ll see each other again soon, okay?” Maybe around the holidays or something. “Take care, Jen.” Zach would leave after that.