Far, Far Away (open)

[Jared Park]

“Thanks,” Jared replied. Usually Jared shrugs off encouraging comments like that as simple social convention and therefore insincere. But somehow, he feels that Emma really knows how Jared feels and can really sympathize with him. “Oh pshaw, I think you’ll be surfing through training easily,” he added, “I mean, you seem like the type who can meditate easily (and that’s a compliment). And a friend of mine said it’s all about focus and concentration, both of which I lack.” He added a soft chuckle at the end to tell Emma that there’s no need to feel bad for him this time, as he sees this lacking in him as a sort of a funny one.

It seems like telling Emma about the supposed attack wasn’t the best course of action. After all, she hadn’t been here long and she’s still adjusting. While it may come to a shock to those who’ve been here long, at least they can still say that Hammel is safe due to the fact that they’ve been here for x number of years without anything like that (or simply, that the said rumor, if indeed true, was an isolated case). For newcomers, they have nothing of sort to hold on to. “I don’t feel anybody was hurt, not fatally or anything probably,” he said, somehow regretting what he just told her, “But yeah, I don’t think it’ll happen again, so no need to be rattled or anything, I think. Hammel’s been here for quite some time, I do believe they’re prepared for any eventuality. And besides, don’t they have precognitive alumni who could’ve told them about stuff?”

And what he’s feared has happened. Jared wasn’t really the type of person to use swears even in the most dire circumstances, but really, the receptionist was an exceptional case. No matter how softly he talks to her, nothing. But it seems his holding back on the swear erupted into a misunderstanding. “Oh no, no worries, I don’t swear much. Well, not at all. But the that Nykhol-person was really something. She scares and at the same time annoys me.” Memories of his more-than-frequent visits (during his first few days) still make him shiver whenever he digs them up.

“I know right. I can’t talk to my parents or my siblings easily,” Jared said, obviously sad about the whole thing. Since his parents were both assigned to faraway places when he was still young, Jared grew quite close to his siblings. He was hoping to be able to phone them at least twice or thrice a week, but even his voice can’t be transmitted, so there’s just no hope of them talking any time soon. “I miss them.”

“Well, I could rob a bank, sneak inside a house and many more without any incriminating evidence, but I’d still have to learn how to hide from people and walk quietly to be able to do that.” Apparently, that’s the only positive thing Jared could think of. “That and the ability to not be seen in a photo when you have a bad hair day,” he laughed, as he felt like he’s been a bit too melancholic lately and he needs to dispel it, fast.

“Meh. You don’t have to change the way you talk for people to like you. I can assure you, they’re just as shy as you are,” Jared encouraged Emma, “I mean, I don’t think it’s the way you speak or anything. I mean, people say I dress weird but I could really care less.” With a yellow-gold themed outfit (dull yellow skinny jeans, bright gold sneakers and a long-sleeved caramel shirt), Jared really does stand out from the crowd, but he doesn’t give quite the care about it anymore.

[Emma Hayes]

Emma nodded at the advice on concentrating. She had come to realize, in the short weeks after developing this ability, that focus was absolutely necessary. It was a good thing that Emma had gained plenty of focus over the years. "Meditation?" She asked, trying to think of all she knew on the subject. "I've never tried, but thank you for the advice." She would probably come back here tomorrow and check out a few books on mediating, just to have all bases covered.

"I'm glad no one was hurt." Emma replied, trying to still her jumping nerves. "If it's an isolated incident, I guess I shouldn't worry. This place seems very safe otherwise." She tried to smile off the hint fear in her tone. Emma took in a breath and relaxed herself. She had nothing to worry about, besides who would want to attack her? She wasn't important.

"Oh." Emma laughed."I understand completely. Some people just seem built to grate on the nerves." Emma had met several people like that in her time, so she got Jared's compulsion to swear against them. Sometimes there were simply no other words to describe them.

"I'm sorry." Emma felt bad for bringing up an obviously sore topic. Of course he's feel bad to never get to talk to his parents. Especially since they were so far away. It must be incredibly hard to never be able to hear your loved one's voice. "I didn't mean to bring up anything to upset you." Emma bit her lower lip when he mentioned that he missed his family. She felt like a jerk for saying anything.

"See you can do impressive things with your powers, though those first few would be illegal." Emma praised, laughing. "I wouldn't mind the last bit." Though Emma really didn't care so much about her hair, she knew other people usually did and went along in the joke. Besides Jared seemed to be perking up.

"Hmmm." Emma hummed lightly in thought. "I suppose, but I could still stand to be more, ah what's the word I'm looking for, accessible?" She looked up the the ceiling, thinking. "Or outgoing is perhaps a better way to put it." The fact was, that Emma did need to learn how to be more outgoing. She might not mind to talk to people, but she relied far too much on someone else making the first move.

"Oh, believe me you dress a lot better then this." Emma gestured to her own clothing, smiling. A dark gray, but faded tee with Brahms Creek Knights written across the front in bold red letters. Loose fitting tan cargo pants that she'd had to many years and had a small oil stain on one of the pockets, and an old pair of chucks that had seen better days. If Emma had been a less practical person, she may have been embarrassed by her state of dress. As it stood, Emma was quiet comfortable in her usually work clothes and rarely gave fashion a second thought. Nice looking clothes suited nicer looking people, in her humble opinion. People like her would look silly in pretty clothes, so Emma stuck to basic garments. "You look fine. The clothes really suit you."

[Jared Park]

“No problem. My empathic friend told me all about that. Said she used to do that quite often in the school’s pond quite often, especially during her first few days of stay here. Helped her stay sane. ‘Cause like, her powers make her kind of a sponge to all rampant emotions around her.” Jared smiled as he remembered how he met Ann, his first friend in Hammel. Granted it was through the Hammel chat room, to Jared, it was really a breakthrough. It really was all downhill from then on. “I think it’s really helpful for metas with powerful mental powers, like yours.”

“I hope so. Other people say a high official was hurt, but I denounce that as pure fiction,” he replied, confidence in the school evident in his voice, “I mean, if someone in the higher ups was hurt, say Dr. Campbell or Dr. Neville, wouldn’t you think they would’ve alerted the school or something?” Apparently damage control is not in Jared’s vocabulary. Nor was he observant enough to see the increased number of guards roaming around school. “Those walls are as strong as ever. Nothing would get past them,” added Jared, completely discounting people who can phase through walls. Hopefully what he said would pacify Emma. Scaring a new student is so not written in his to-do list.

“Don’t be,” Jared chuckled, trying to remove all traces of melancholy in his face and disposition. He was never the sad guy, and he never will be. He generally didn’t like the feeling of being so depressed, even about his parents. After all, they still email him from time to time. And they promise to try to visit come December. “I mean, you don’t have to. Hah. Guess I just got a bit carried away and became a bit too dramatic. Sorry,” he said, blushing in embarrassment, “How about you, do you have any brothers or sisters back home?”

“Yup. I’ll be the greatest master thief of all time,” he laughed, “Well, once I master sneaking in and out of a house that is. It would be easier if I would later on develop the power to turn invisible too, so it wouldn’t be a problem, may it be a machine or human being.” If such a power would later manifest in him, Jared would be overjoyed. Invisibility to the naked eye is much more useful than one to machines any day. “The only way I can ever be a hero is if a robot apocalypse happens. And since that is far from happening anytime soon, I see me as being the normal, average and very boring citizen of the world. Not that I want one to happen anyway.” Being a huge comic book fan, Jared has sometimes dreamed of an apocalyptic robot world scenario and how he’s going to be the one to shut the master robot down because he can’t be sensed by the oversized tin can. UnFortunately, such things would never become a reality, not now, not ever.

“I think you could say that,” he nodded in agreement. Jared knows that sometimes, people won’t make the first move because they’re just as shy and nervous as he is. It’s an eternal waiting game, each one waiting for the other to make the initiative. Not that Jared doesn’t do that, but he does set a limit, like say 5 meetings or so. After that, he’ll speak up no matter what.

“Thanks. And you don’t look too shabby yourself. I mean, it’s not like you have to dress up for such a normal day right?” Jared knows that not everyone shares the passion he has for clothes, so it’s understandable. And Emma doesn’t look half-bad. It’s practical and comfortable. Sure she could lose the soiled cargo pants and change the old Chucks for new ones, but if she’s ok with that look, who was Jared to judge?

[Emma Hayes]

Emma stored the information away for later. "Your friend sounds very wise." She nodded. "I'm sure it will be helpful."

"Yes, I'm sure they would have told people if someone had been hurt." Emma couldn't fathom that they would keep such details from students. Of course Emma hadn't been here long enough to realize that there were more guards then normal. To her everything seemed fine. She stopped feeling so nervous after hearing that. Things couldn't be bad here if nothing was being said about it.

Emma was rather glad her callous comment didn't affect Jared. "It certainly wasn't dramatic. Don't apologize for such things." Her face dropped a little at her questioning of her family.

"No, I'm an only child. It's just me and..." Emma trailed off, looking to her left in thought. "My dad." She finished, trying but failing to keep contempt out of her voice. She'd couldn't count her mom any more. That person didn't deserve it. "I have a big extended family though. Plenty of cousins, aunts, and uncles. " Not to mention her 'family' from the shop. Those men were just as close to Emma as her dad.

"Being invisible would be really interesting. So many possibilities." Emma wouldn't have minded that rather then the power she had. It would be much easier to deal with. "Robot apocalypse?" Emma grinned. "You'd be the last hope for humanity. The great hero." Even Emma in all her practicality, could not deny to sheer awesome of a robot war. "I know who's side to stay by if that ever happens."

Unlike Jared, Emma rarely takes the initiative in conversations. At least not until she feels she knows the other person rather well. It was another thing she hoped to work on while here at Hammel. For now it took a few more then 5 meetings for Emma to speak up first. Emma was surely cursed by the shyness that seeped into her every time she met someone new.

"Thank you." Emma knew that she needed work. Her fashion sense came mostly from her dad, whose motto was if you couldn't work in it then don't buy it. This had led to most of Emma's clothes looking worn and well often stained. To be honest these was one of her better pairs of pants. Emma would never say that she cared too much for clothes, but there were times she wished she'd had a more feminine role model. Emma really didn't know how to shop for girl clothes and it had left her wardrobe very masculine. Sometimes she she wondered if she'd look nicer in something more, well, womanly. But then she'd fall right back in her usual selections, far too embarrassed to ask her female friends to help her shop.

"So, um." Emma tried to think up another topic to keep the conversation going. "What is it that people do around here for fun? Does this place have clubs or do students just hang out around the town?" It wouldn't hurt to know what everyone else was into. If anything it would make fitting in easier.

[Jared Park]

Jared was intrigued when Emma talked about intrigued. Priding himself to be quite the sensitive kid, he knew something was up. There was something in her pause and tone that gave a vibe of sadness, or maybe anger (unfortunately he wasn’t an empath nor a telepath to know what it meant). Being a naturally nosy curious kid, he wanted to know why. But then, he decided that now’s not the time to ask. After all, despite the relative comfort each one’s having with regards to talking to each other, technically they’re still strangers. Such sensitive details about one’s life (he assumes they’re sensitive) could be discussed later.

“An only child? Didn’t you get lonely or something?” he asked, trying to keep his mind off Emma’s mysterious answer. Though Jared grew up without his mom or dad, he had his two elder siblings to take care of him. He could never imagine not having them around. He even cried during his first few nights in Hammel, missing his siblings a little too much.

“Heh. I know the feeling of having such a large family,” he added, “Dad’s side of the family is like an army. Grandpa and Grandma always had their hands full during Christmas.” He only has 8 cousins in his mom’s side but his father has 7 siblings, and with an average of 3 children each, it was really a mess whenever they would meet together. “Luckily I was one of the younger ones, which meant I didn’t get assigned for preparation or cleanup duty that much.”

“I know right!” Jared shouted in agreement. Being a comic book fan, Jared grew up with superheroes and other such oddities (which explains his excitement when he learned his mom is going to work with metas, which meant they were real, and when they find out he was a meta too and he’ll be going to a special school for others like him – it was just so surreal for him). Martian Manhunter, Invisible Woman, Dr. Light, Gypsy – a lot of superheroes had the ability to be invisible. And they were all awesome. Jared wanted to be like them. “Just imagine all the things I can do. But yeah, I’m not. So too bad.” This time he ended with a light chuckle, telling Emma that he’s not at all serious about being upset with not having invisibility.

“Yup. Robot apocalypse. Though I think we’re geared more towards the zombie apocalypse kind so yeah, so much for my dreams,” Jared joked. He was getting more and more comfortable with Emma, and he liked it. “Oh pshaw. You can mesmerize the robots with your mind tricks, if they can see it.” He made some weird hand gestures, as if copying what Emma would do when faced with the tin cans.

Jared liked talking with Emma, but the Biology book is somehow being a bother. He’s been shifting his pose for the past few minutes, trying to carry the book properly. He really wasn’t the fittest guy, not the slightest. “Umm, would you mind if we move err, maybe there?” he pointed an empty table (using his mouth) a few steps from where they’re standing. “My arms are somehow dying because of this book.” He laughed at how pathetic that may have sounded.

He walked forward and led the way, putting the heavy book on top of the table and slumping back on the cozy chair. “Oh god, my arms,” he said, placing them at his sides, “Where were we again?”

[Emma Hayes]

"Yes, an only child." Emma laughed, it most come as strange to someone with siblings to see an only child. Maybe his other friends all had siblings? "It doesn't really bother me. I don't really have anything to compare it too." Emma had never really felt odd about being alone. She'd always had cousins to chase after and work to be done, so she never had the chance to feel bad about it.

"I am unfortunately the second oldest. I'm the one responsible for all the younger ones. " Emma couldn't say she minded it all that much. She liked younger kids. "I have to do a lot of the work at Christmas and Thanksgiving. It's kind of fun." Emma actually liked to help her grandmother cook and to set the table. She liked being in the kitchen with her aunts. Best of all her mother never came in.

Emma had to chuckle at Jared's exuberance. He was really into it. It made her smile. "Yeah, it would be cool. But I'm sure not many have that power."

"Well, I think that meta humans would be pretty well off in a zombie invasion. Unless some meta humans turned into zombies." Emma grinned. "Zombies with super powers. It'd be complete chaos."

"I honesty don't know if my powers would even show up on technology. I've never tried to film it." But Emma had to stifle another laugh at his attempt to show her powers.

"Oh that's fine." Emma should have asked if he'd like to sit. The book wasn't exactly light. She probably would have wanted to sit too, holding it that long.

She followed him to the table, perching on the edge of her seat. "Um. I had asked what people here do for fun?"

[Jared Park]

“I see,” Jared could only nod in agreement. He couldn’t imagine life without Jasper’s nagging (even when he’s off to college his post-its are still all over their house) or Jeraiah’s constant teasing (that Jared couldn’t even jog for 10-minutes straight). He’s met a whole lot of people who are the ‘only child’ and still he asks the same question. Apparently, he just doesn’t get it. But instead of prodding Emma for more answers, he just left it at that, telling himself that it would be really hard for him to understand as he haven’t had the chance to experience it (not that he’d want to experience it).

“Heh. I feel so insignificant beside you then,” he laughed. Jared wasn’t the most responsible kid in the block, may it be in his chores and in academics. He just doesn’t have the focus and determination to do it by itself. Maybe because he was babied so much by Jasper and Jeraiah. “It’s a good thing your cousins have you to look up to then. If I had younger cousins who’d idolize me, they’d end up nowhere!”

“Homaygash. Meta-human zombies?! That would be terrible. The world would be obliterated in minutes.” Jared could see it now. Streets seiged by an army of normal zombies, with meta-zombies leading the way. The world’s armies won’t stand a chance. “Just imagine, a meta with the power to spontaneously create black holes suddenly turning into one, terrible. It would be a nice plot idea for a movive, but not one for real life.” Jared sincerely hopes that it won’t happen. He’d prefer a robot apocalypse, or even a meteor one, over zombies. Zombies are one of his greatest fears.

“You should. Then you should upload it to YouTube or something,” he said, completely oblivious to the fact that Hammel, and its sister organizations, have people watching the net for any signs of content that might reveal that Hammel is a school for meta-humans or other related information. “That’ll be awesome if it works in technology. You could create your own movies and such,” added Jared, his eyes wide in amusement.


Jared blushed when he forgot what they were talking about. He lacked focus, but he was never the airhead. “Oh yeah, that,” he chuckled in embarrassment, “Well, there’s a mall in Pilot Ridge, and a whole lot of other mini-stores and boutiques scattered, or so I hear. Food, clothing, medicine, almost anything. I haven’t had the chance to go out yet, sorry.” Jared didn’t go out yet not because he didn’t want to, but because his allowance hasn’t arrived yet. What’s the point of going out if you’ll do nothing but stare? “I’m planning on going out come Friday or Saturday, want to join me and explore town?”

[Emma Hayes]

"Oh, no. I'm not that great of a role model." Emma waved it off, she didn't really feel anyone should look up to her. She was just doing her duty. "I'm just used to doing everything around the house. It's second nature." With her mom never helping out, Emma had always taken on the responsibilities of the house. It wasn't like her dad was really good at cleaning or cooking, so Emma learned to do it all. Being the primary care giver was ingrained in her by now.

"Yes. Meta-zombies." Emma nodding gravely, trying and failing to look solemn. "No one would stand a chance." She cracked a grin. " It'd make a perfect horror movie." Emma liked horror movies, especially the cheesy kind. She'd completely love such a movie to come out.

"YouTube?" Emma shook her head, laughing. "I'd think I'd get into a lot of trouble doing something like that. But I think I'll try filming it sometime, just to see if it works." Emma thought she might track down the school's little paparazzi and get her to snap a few photos. It would be easier then trying to find a video camera. "But if I could, I suppose I could make that zombie movie."

"A lot more to do here then back home." Emma commented. She was used to only one or two clothing stores and a dinner. The closet theater was over in the next town. This place was certainly looking better by the day. "Really? You wouldn't mind?" Emma was delighted by the invitation. She didn't really want to go by herself, and this was just perfect to use as an excuse to explore. Besides, she'd already decided she liked this young man. Jared would make a good friend. "That sounds great."

[Jared Park]

“Meh. You’re being too humble,” chuckled Jared, giving Emma a light punch on the elbow. “You just said it yourself that the accursed household chores are like second-nature to you. You like taking care of your army of cousins. You read medical books for fun and you already have a plan for your future, what’s there to ask for?” Emma is slowly becoming larger than life for Jared. She was organized and smart, polite and nice. Really, she was everything Jared wasn’t. “I mean, you’re the perfect daughter!” Though he laughed and sounded like telling the last part as a joke, he did mean it. And in a good way of course. She vaguely reminds him of Jasper actually, just gender-switched and minus the OCD.

“Trouble? Why would you get in trouble for that?” he tilted his head to the side, obviously confused. He couldn’t remember reading anything against making YouTube videos with one’s abilities as grounds for any such punishment. Maybe because he just skimmed through the whole rulebook, much like one just presses the ‘I Agree’ button in a Terms and Conditions dialogue box. Guess he needs to reread the said book then.

Jared couldn’t help but smile when he heard Emma’s zombie movie idea. “That’s what I was about to say!” he shouted, apparently forgetting that they were in a library. “That would be so awesome. We can have a seemingly high-budget movie, complete with ever-so-complicated CGI-looking effects with minimal production costs. Amazing. Just imagine if we ever manage to get one to the big screen – we’d be rich!” Ahh, the advantages of having powers. Despite the money-making sound of his proposition, he was more into the showcase of Emma’s amazing powers than the pay really.

“Would I mind? Of course I’d mind,” teased Jared, “Kidding. I’d like to have someone to walk by with. And if ever I get lost, at least I know I wouldn’t blame it all to my stupid self.” Jared was glad Emma wasn’t freaked out by his sudden invite. He was known to be a wee bit too trusting. After all, he invited Devin to be his shopping buddy during their first morning run and Ann to go to Christmas with him when they first met on the chat room.

[Emma Hayes]

Emma shook her head. She didn't feel like she was being humble, she was just telling the truth. "You make me sound so amazing." Emma laughed. "I'm only do all that out of necessity. I'm not perfect, I've got my share of faults." Emma would never consider herself a perfect daughter, a good one to her dad, but never perfect. She only took up her chores because her mother wouldn't, only looked after her cousins because no one else was around, and she only studied to have a chance to get out of her town. Emma didn't really think that was admirable.

"I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that a lot of people didn't know this was a school for metas. And I would think our teacher's wouldn't appreciate anyone showcasing their abilities like that." Emma was sure the teachers would at least be disapproving.

"Yeah!" Emma said gleefully. "Who's knows? We could probably win an award for the best effects." Emma laughed, already imagining them walking the red carpet and accepting an Oscar. She had to fight to keep her powers from activating, and she knew a headache would be coming soon. But she's was having a bit too much fun to care.

"It sounds like fun." Emma wasn't freaked out at all, in fact she was glad he'd asked. It was nice to be included in on things with other people. "It'd be hard to get lost with both of us there."

[Jared Park]

In retrospect, Jared may have glorified Emma a little bit too much. After all, he lived a different life. Unlike her, he had his siblings to do almost all the work for him. To say that he was babied would be an understatement. Fortunately he didn’t grow to be one spoiled brat. “Ok, fine, you’re not perfect,” he laughed, seeing that Emma’s much too humble to simply accept his compliment as is, “But you’re still one heck of an amazing person. I think I should stick around you more often. Maybe your awesomeness would rub off me.” Jared likes Emma already (not in the romantic way) and he hopes she wouldn’t mind him sticking his nose on her whenever they meet.

“Oh really? Would there be anything wrong with that?” Coming from a family that is pretty much accustomed and open to metas (due to the nature of his mom’s work), Jared never really felt the need to hide being one. After all, why would they given such powers if not to hone and showcase it for the world to see, right? “Well, we aren’t doing anything wrong right? It’s not like we’re hurting people if we post such videos in the web. And we could tell them that we’re practicing our control or something.” Jared’s already excited with the idea of a film made with Emma’s illusion-casting ability, it’ll be hard to snap him out of it.

“I know! After all, the mind’s imagination is far greater than what any computer can do,” he nodded in agreement, “I bet you we can create something even bigger than Avatar or Inception. Just imagine the possibilities.” Hopefully Emma was enjoying the idea as much as Jared is. “So the only problem now is the sound effects. Can your illusions create sound?”

“Yey!” Jared raised both his hands and waved them happily. He couldn’t wait for Saturday to come. “Meh. I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” he chuckled, “I get lost pretty easily. I have more than enough for the both of us.”

[Emma Hayes]

Emma flushed a bit at the compliment. "Thanks." It was easier to accept it then to try to change his mind. "I don't think I'll be able to help you much in that department," Emma thought Jared was more awesome then she was. "But I wouldn't mind the company." As far as Emma had decided, the two of them could eventually be good friends.

"We're not exactly doing anything wrong. But I don't think everyone out there is so welcoming to our kind." Emma herself knew of several people in her home town that thought meta-humans were abominations. There was a reason her dad had lied to everyone about why Emma was leaving. "It would be an entertaining way to train, though." The more Jared talked about it, the more Emma wanted to try it out. It sounded like fun.

Emma was grinning full force by the time he asked about sound. Normally Emma was too embarrassed to show off her power, but since Jared seemed to enjoy this idea, she made an exception. Instead of answering him, Emma concentrated on the table. After a few seconds a tiny zombie creature materialized in a shimmering haze. It looked like almost like an action figure, until it started to a loose shuffle towards Jared. It was groaning loudly enough to be heard, but not so much as to disturb the rest of the library.

If truth was to be told, Emma couldn't wait for Saturday either. She was rather amused by Jared's enthusiasm. He wasn't like anyone else she had ever met. "I'll just have to keep us on track then. Don't worry, I'm pretty good with directions."

[Jared Park]

“You sure you wouldn’t mind? I can be a bit too talkative at times,” Jared laughed. Jared loves talking, if that wasn’t obvious enough. He’s just a bubbly, cheerful person who really can’t stand silence (another one of the reasons why he doesn’t like going to the library that much). Hopefully Emma knows what she’s signing up for (and even if she disagrees, I highly doubt Jared would leave her, especially since Jared somehow feels like they’ve connected already).

Jared remembered the story of their schoolmate who was beaten up by thugs just outside the school because he was one of them. He couldn’t believe people like that exist, hating others just because they’re different. And from what he’d heard, the kid was just his age, and never really did anything against them. He couldn’t help but feel sad (and a little angry) for such close-minded people. “Meh. It’s just like the X-Men. Only the world haven’t created Sentinels to fight us. And no combat training enforced to us, no danger room, and the meta-human student population is spread through many schools instead of being in just one area,” he mumbled, more thinking out loud than speaking to Emma, “Fiction does imitate real life.” He nodded as is approving his own statement, finding it deep and complicated and satisfying enough to pacify his gloom.

“I know right!,” Jared smiled, “Can I be your camera person? I want to be part of the production but sadly I can’t be seen in front of the lens, so I’ll have to settle working be-AAAAHHHH!!!” Jared’s rather bubbly proposition about Emma’s possible training method was cut abrupt by his rather loud girlie shout. He actually didn’t notice the miniature zombie until it was mere inches from him, from when he heard the growl. He hurriedly stumbled backwards, sending his feet flying to the air and his back falling on the floor with a loud thud.“Ouch,” was all he could say.

[Emma Hayes]

"Why would I mind?" Emma waved off his concerns. She wasn't that talkative herself, so she needed someone to keep up conversations anyway. While Emma didn't generally mind silence, it got lonely being by yourself. "It doesn't bother me in the slightest." She assured. "As long as you don't mind me."

Emma could only nod to his sentiment. She knew that it was a dangerous world out there and she knew what people were capable of. Thankfully, this school was safe from that kind of hatred. Part of her felt like responding, that she doubted it would take much for the over zealous of the meta-haters to develop weaponry, but she kept it to herself. There was no need to be so over dramatic and pessimistic about it, even if she did worry that it would happen in the future. And she didn't want to put those worries on anyone else.

Emma was following the conversation well, about to agree to Jared's request to use the camera, when he screamed. Emma jumped at the noise and cringed at the following crash. The break in concentration made the little meta-zombie dissipate. She rose from her seat quickly enough to make it wobble and was at his side within seconds. "Are you alright?" She hovered over him like a mother hen, feeling ridiculous for even thinking to show off. She should have known better!

"I'm so sorry! I didn't think it would scare you!" Her voice raised louder then she usually let it, clearly upset that she had caused this mess. "Did you get hurt?"

[Jared Park]

“This is exactly why you should mind.” Jared couldn’t help but laugh at his current predicament. Despite his awkward position, back on the floor and feet flailing aimlessly above, Jared just kept laughing and laughing and laughing. He didn’t care whether he was being too noisy (which meant Eli sending him off soon enough) or that he was looking so stupid. After all, his reaction to Emma’s neat mind trick was pretty idiotic.

Fortunately his laugh died down after a few moments, which meant Eli wouldn’t have to go and approach them anymore. He rolled to the side and scrambled to get back to his original ‘decent’ position, but his laugher took almost all his energy, so he just settled in front of one of the bookshelves. “Gosh, that was embarrassing yet hilarious all at the same time,” Jared said between breaths. Sure Jared was embarrassed (his fall and his girly scream was not exactly the type of reaction you’d expect from a teenage boy) but he figures that acting all shy and reserved, aside from the fact that he’s not that type of person really, would bring about no good. If anything, it’ll make Emma, probably, less comfortable around him again. He just earned her ‘trust’, so to speak, he doesn’t want everything to become complicated again. “If only I had a camera, I would’ve videoed myself already. I believe my face was priceless,” he chuckled, “Granted I can be seen in the camera of course.”

He wiped the tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead then continued, “Where were we again? Ah, yeah, the getting lost part of our town escapade. I think I know someone who can lend us some sort of map, just in case.”


ooc:
Sorry for the delay Kiki. D;. *guillotines self*