Obligations -Zac-

[Ann Hudgins]

Ann could count on one hand the amount of times she'd been in the all-boys dorm section of the school; zero. The few friends she had made were either her roommates, or she just didn't hang out with them in this setting. She honestly didn't want to be here, but what she wanted didn't really enter into this. Two days ago she had arrived late to class to see that everyone had been split up into research partners. The class was an even number, and there had been another person that arrived at the class late like Ann; Zachary LaRousse. She had no choice, not that she knew she didn't want to be his partner.

However, his first eyebrow waggle in her general direction had started to put her off on the idea, but she didn't have a choice and the research material seemed easy. The Canterbury Tales were easy to find, and Ann had half a mind to research the Skinner. The Wife of Bath had seemed to be the pick of the ladies, but Ann had already read her story; it was stupid. The man raped a girl, and he got off of being punished for answering the Queen's question and then got to live the rest of his life with his really hot lady.

It was completely bullshit.

Anyway, she arrived at the dorm number Zac had told her (this had better not be a prank, and he better be dressed) to go to and she knocked soundly on the door. Saturday wasn't the most popular day to spend doing homework but Ann had nothing better to do, and Zac had been willing to comply, but the fact that he insisted they do the research in his dorm, instead of the library was just a little odd. Though, Zac's normal self seemed a bit odd to her.

After a moment of silence after her knock, she did so again. "Zac, open the door, I'm not standing out here forever." She really didn't want to hang in the hallway. What if someone...saw her? And tried to talk to her? That'd be bad, unless she already knew them, which was unlikely. "I'll kick it in," she warned, because she was properly equipped to do so. One swift kick right below the doorknob would send it in, but Ann was hardly one for such an entrance. And it wasn't like she had money to spare to fix the lock.

[Zachary LaRousse]

Common knowledge dictates that Zac prefers group (or in this case, pair) work more than individual assignments. After all, with his pushy and bossy attitude, it follows that having people to push around and do the work for him is better than being alone and having all the work done by him and him only. In an ideal world, that may be the case. But being that the world is perfectly imperfect, Zac usually gets teammates that are utterly incapable and extremely helpless. It’s not that they are stupid (to Zac’s eyes they are), but Zac just has this extreme competitive streak inside of him when it comes to academics that everything must come out perfect or else it’s trash. Surprisingly enough, even though the guy’s a big pain in the backside, he’s very conscious of his academic performance. Private tutoring of his mother during his early days made him a bit smarter than usual, and his pride just can’t take seeing grades below 90% (as it meant other people are getting higher, and he does not do well with being bested). Going back to the previous topic, Zac dislikes group works because he usually gets mediocre teammates. And mediocre teammates mean mediocre products. Mediocre products mean mediocre grades. And Zac just doesn’t sit well with anything mediocre, especially not if it’s in his report card.

Ever heard of the phrase ‘If you want something done, you better do it yourself’? Well Zac grumbled that phrase a dozen times over the course of his Hammel schooling.

Which is why being partnered with Ann Hudgins for this particular English assignment came as a welcome change for Zac. Not only does he know that Ann is never the mediocre worker, he’s had his eye on her ever since Eli escorted her out of the auditorium in the middle of Dr. Neville’s infamous Talk, he just never had the chance to flirt talk to her. If you ever ask him about his accidental pairing with Ann, he’ll correct you and say it isn’t accidental, it’s serendipity.

For all of Zac’s enthusiasm about the said project, he seems to have forgotten it come the weekend. Tired over the other day’s exhausting workout (he’s been such a freak lately, too conscious that he is indeed he is getting fat), he seems to have slept a little longer than usual (granted he doesn’t wake up at 6am, but he does wake up around 9 or 10, and it’s already near noon). His phone ringed a few times, some from his alarm, others from Ann’s frantic texts and missed calls, but it took him a good 30 minutes from Ann’s first call to stand up and will himself to move. Not really caring that he’s only in his lime green boxer briefs (he’s in an all-male room after all), he slowly made his way through the common room and into the doorway.

“Geez lady, hold your horses,” he yawned as he opened the door, unconsciously scratching his stomach with one hand and the back of his head with the other. “Hi Ann,” he said with a smile, looking at Ann with his half-opened eyes and extremely unruly mane, his hand absentmindedly going inside his boxers to give himself a scratch in the front. Nice job Zac.


ooc:
In behalf of Zac, who strongly insists that what he did was not offensive in any way, I am so sorry Ann. And BananaKee. LOL.
-Jam

[Ann Hudgins]

Ann wasn't usually one to fret about not being texted back, but standing in the boys-only hallway for more than a minute was grating on her nerves and patience. He had been the one to suggest they work in his room, and that noon would have been the best time to meet up, so why was he not ready to open the door, huh?! Ann was about to start banging on the door when she heard a voice behind the door, it wasn't discernible, yet, but it got louder so she guessed someone was finally going to open the door.

When the door opened, she was ready to sigh with relief, however Zac standing there, with sleep head, and practically naked didn't relieve her one bit. Ann grew up with her father rarely wearing pants--he just had a thing against them when he was home--and whenever his friends were over they also seemed to shed their clothes. So she was pretty used to half naked men, and their antics. So she wasn't actually that put off when Zac's hand traveled under the elastic band (that said twinkle?!), however, she blushed in anger because he wasn't even dressed, which told Ann that he wasn't even ready nor took this project seriously.

"So nice of you to finally wake up. Are you ready to get to work, or did you just plan to make me do all of it?" She was actually surprised with how angry she sounded so she drew in a deep breath to try again. "Would you please put some pants on so we can get started? The least you could do is cover up with a blanket. At least." Was that nicer? Ann wasn't sure, now that she had seen more of him than she had bargained for, her blush decided to remain, she rubbed the side of her face and let out a deep breath. Once he finally moved out of the way of the door she walked in. She turned her torso to the side to reach into her bag and pulled out her English book, and the only book specifically about the Canterbury Tales she had found (left) in the library. She moved to the couch, without being invited to, and sat down. Some things like manners didn't occur to Ann when she was ruffled.

She set both books down on the coffee table (or lap if there is no table) and started to flip to the right pages. "Have you any preference to the story we want to research? I was interested in the Skinner, but if you really want to do one, I won't argue," Ann spoke to her lap, even though she was talking to Zac, she didn't want to glimpse anything she shouldn't. While she flipped through the pages, she pulled at her short braid at her neck and tugged at her lip with her teeth.

There was a wide assortment of emotions she was absorbing from this room, most of which she didn't have words for, but the ones she could identify and name were confidence, challenge, self consciousness, and a lot more of the same. They were all especially conflicting and she had to take a moment to reinforce those shields she keeps in place to not be effected by them. She took her time in doing it as well, Zac seemed like the person that took a long time getting dressed. It literally took her three minutes to get dressed, another minute doing her hair, and another minute lacing up her shoes. She was dressed in a The Used band shirt, dark cargo pants, and a surprise leather jacket she had received in the mail a week ago. The stamp was from North Carolina, and her suspicion was that Aiden had sent it to her, but there was a nagging feeling that it was her mother. Ever since she'd called the her parents, they'd been calling her every afternoon. And while she was glad they were actually talking to her, she had run out of new things to tell them after the first week.

Either way, she loved the jacket. Especially after she found out that leather didn't transfer body heat, which also meant that if someone grabbed her arm or bumped her shoulder with her wearing this jacket, she didn't get sucked in. It was a nice breakthrough, and meant that she didn't have to be so paranoid in the hallways anymore, but she still had to watch out for what she touched and things of that nature. If she got her hands on a pair of gloves, she'd be set.

[Zachary LaRousse]

Making people wait is one of Zac’s greatest passions. He’s an impatient creature, but he’d really go at lengths to make people wait. True, when he was young he was some sort of a punctual creature, but as he grew older, he figured that the thought of people waiting for you is so flattering. That it serves like a much needed ego boost. That you’re a bit too important that people stay hours on the same spot, wasting their lives, just so you can approach them. Isn’t that just amazing?

But for Ann, the case was different. As said before, Zac had her eyes on the girl a few months back, and from what he’s seen during their shared classes, she’s a bit of a shy-yet-spunky type. Weird but not exactly off-putting. In any case, Zac did not intend to be late for this meeting, nor did he want to make her feel uncomfortable standing in the all-male dorms and greeting her with his skimpy underwear (which, Zac says, has ‘Calvin Klein’ on it, not ‘twinkle’). But then he really isn’t the apologetic type (well at least not the sincere-apologetic type; his pride simply wouldn’t let him), so he’ll just let it be. And besides, her being angry is adorable.

“Good morning to you too,” he chuckled as Ann made her way through the door and rambled on and on. I like attitude. Hopefully she doesn’t have too much of it, he thought, leaning to the doorway and observing the girl as she made her way to the couch, not really caring that he’s showing his lime green butt for everyone to see (everyone in the dorms at least). He smirked when she simply sat down and made herself at home in their room. Not that he minds it anyway. “Like the couch? Got it imported from Italy,” he mumbled. The reason why he wanted them to work at his room? So that he could show off easily, what else.

Instead of putting pants on and joining Ann on the couch, Zac went to the suite’s kitchenette and boiled some water. He just woke up and is still feeling a bit sleepy. He wouldn’t want to annoy Ann any further (at least not this moment) by suddenly snoozing in the middle of their research anyway. “Coffee?” he asked as he looked for the creamer, milk and sugar, not really listening to what Ann is saying.

True enough, Zac hasn’t done anything on their project yet. No preliminary research whatsoever. He figured Ann has got enough responsibility for both of them anyway. That’s Zac for you, he’s very competitive if he knows his partner’s a flop, but if he knows he/she is capable, he won’t lift a finger if necessary. He says Ann should think of it as a compliment really. “Whatever you want darling,” he said absentmindedly, trying to remember where he’d put the cookies and chips. He hopes Xander’s ghostly friends hasn’t touched those again. “Skinner sounds lovely,” he added.

Unfortunately for Ann, Zac had no intention of getting dressed. He did get some thoughts before he opened the door, but then he saw the lovely agitated face Ann had (which is definitely not of embarrassment) so he figured he need not change. She wasn’t flustered by his attire anyway. If anything else, he figures she actually liked it. And lucky for Ann, Zac did not have morning wood that day.

“Hungry?” he asked as he set finally went over the couch and put the bowl of chips and plate of cookies beside the books on the center table. He grabbed one of the cookies and eagerly nibbled on it. “These are really good cookies. Ordered them from a lovely café in Pilot Ridge. We should go there some time,” he smiled at Ann as he sat beside her.

He fought the urge to lay his head on her lap and talk to her from below (he’d save that for later) and simply leaned on Ann’s side and asked, his face trying to act as cute as possible, “What are we supposed to do again?”

[Ann Hudgins]

Someone should have warned Ann about Zac before she arrived here, a little head's up or something at least. Ann blew out a breath so her bangs flew away from her forehead for a moment and she glanced at the couch she was actually sitting on. Imported from Italy? ....Why was that necessary? Her parents bought their couch from a store at the Base (very cheap delivery and no tax), and it was a dark brown sectional with a footy thingy that had a compartment on the inside. Ann literally could not think of a reason why his couch was 'imported from Italy.' Apparently the girl hadn't caught wind of how disgustingly rich he was.

"I don't drink coffee. Apparently it's addictive," Ann nibbled at a thumb nail as she continued to flip through the pages of the text book, she should have marked the page with a pencil, or something, this was ridiculous. Finally, she did locate the start of the text book's version of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. She thumbed through the story, and through the characters introductions. The Yeoman was another person that had caught her eye, she glanced up at Zac and sighed as he continued to be half naked. She quirked a little eyebrow at him as well when he expressed that their project would be whatever darling wanted to do. She twitched her nose to the side as she decided if that was good or not. After a moments deliberation she decided that worked to her advantage.

"Well the Shipman, it seems is the more commonly used name for him. He's a ships hand an--no thank you, I already ate." Little white lies never hurt anyone, but cookies weren't Ann's type of breakfast, they were rare delicacies eaten only after a good training session, as Ms. Vasiliev rewarded with delicious cookies, or for desert thanks to the school. She also totally missed the him asking her out to eat them again, she was biting her nail again with her eyes to the page. Maybe the 'Shipman' wasn't the best to do, then. Maybe the Second Nun? Her story was easily researchable and about barnyard animals. She'd look to Zac for an opinion, but something told her he'd be flippant about it, or tell her it was all up to her.

She kinda quit working when he leaned against her. Her back went rigid and she leaned her head away from him and looked down at him, her lips turned a bit white and her eyes were wide. Did he not know the danger he'd just put Ann in? Sure, the jacket did it's job of blocking her power, but he was nearly naked and could easily touch her exposed skin, for whatever reason. Now that she was successfully off-kelter, he decides to ask a question that needed a bit of thought. She scratched at her scalp and tried to not look as frightened as she really was. "Well, for one, we pick a character that's in the group, then we research them, and the story they told. Then we get to write our own short story that vaguely resembles the character we chose. Now reading the character's introductions, I'd been interested in the Skinner, but it seems his tale is just about a monk fucking the wife of his cousin and paying both of them so they get out of debt." She flipped through the pages of the library book and moved it to her lap for easier reading.

She kept glancing at Zac, as if he was closer to touching her when she wasn't keeping an eye on him. But...if he just stayed there, and didn't touch her skin, it was actually...not that bad. Ann really did miss contact with people, and Zac seemed like the kind of person that just did whatever he pleased, to hell with what people thought. Kinda like Aiden, only Aiden wore clothes. Either way, she couldn't snap at him for it if he didn't actually touch her. So she tried to ignore it and turned her eyes back down to the book. She flipped through the library book, which gave her loads of information about each character and the tales that Chaucer had actually written.

Her eyes paused when she got to the Pardoner. His tale about avarice and drinking brought a wry grin to her smile and she brought the book up closer so she could inspect it with greater interest. "I'd like to do this one, instead. Avarice and Death is interesting, isn't it? It'll be easier to write about than paying of debts and lechery, right?" Ann shrugged a shoulder as she spoke and turned her eyes back towards Zac, who was still pretty much naked, for his opinion on it.

[Zachary LaRousse]

“Comfortable right? And very fluffy too,” Zac said as he leaned back to the back of the couch and stretched his hands across. In any other case, if Zac caught wind of a person not knowing how filthy rich he is, he would’ve flipped out. He’s made it a point to rub it to people’s faces that he’s incredibly well off compared to them – that knowledge of such a social and economic structure is like a basic life truth. Then again, he knew from the few months they’ve been together that Ann has not been the social butterfly during her previous years of stay in Hammel. Not even the social caterpillar at least. Like Annaleigh, he figured she had this unspoken code of hermit-hood, closing herself from civilization. He’s actually thankful that he’s managed to see her even before he graduated – he’d be very upset if such an flirting friendship opportunity passed by him.

Then again, there are so many things Zac has yet to know about the girl. Like, why did she hide in her shell for so long? How the hell did she do that? Why is she wearing a jacket inside his room when it’s not that cold (as far as he knows Xander’s cold side effects only affected people in close proximity of the boy, and if Zac can remember things right, he is the only guy in the room right now – he’s made it clear to the others that he wants to be alone with his ‘partner’ for the day at least)? Heck, he doesn’t even know her power yet. A smirk formed in his face as he observed Ann from behind, his mind continually juggling ideas on how he could get what he wants.

“You don’t drink coffee? That’s sad. You should try it,” he answered, grabbing a cookie from the plate and quickly nibbling on it. “Don’t worry, I’ve boiled enough water for the two of us. And the beans are amazing. Got them from Ethiopia.” Zac does have a way of boasting about himself with every chance he gets. But apparently, Ann was more into the book than into him, which in Zac’s mind, is a bad thing. She did go here for him not for the book right? (Wrong). He chuckled lightly as he watched her flip through the pages, probably trying to find the paragraph she knew she saw earlier. “And this is why I prefer the internet over the library.”

“A shipman, eh? Like a pirate? You know a certain teacher reminds me of a pirate movie,” he chuckled, picturing his beloved drama teacher in a loose white shirt with balloon sleeves, tight black pants and brown boots. Hilarious but fitting. It’s depressing that Ann and Zac are on completely different pages. While Ann was bent on finishing the work now, Zac was just concerned on flirting with his partner and knowing more about her. She is an enigma to the boy after all and they could always cram later.

Zac simply laughed when he heard how tedious their work would be. “And this is why I love the sciences more than the arts. I’d really rather work on a biochem lab report than do this alone. Thanks so much for being late like me the other day Ann,” he said, carefully locking a stray strand of hair behind Ann’s ear. Fortunately (for both of them), Zac was careful not to touch the girl’s skin.

As she flipped through the book once more, probably trying to choose a better character to make a story out of, Zac decided he should start his plan now. “So Ann, when did you first come to Hammel? I mean, I’ve heard rumors about you being here a couple of years back, but they weren’t that definitive on when exactly you did land here,” he asked, looking at the wall clock in front of him to see if enough time has passed for the water to boil. “If you don’t mind me asking anyway. I’ve been here for four years but this is the first time I saw you. Well, not the first time first time, but yeah.”

Zac actually felt a little awkward, and bad, that he had virtually no knowledge of the subject matter, especially since Ann kept on bugging him on what they should do. True, somewhere at the back of his mind something’s telling him that she’s just asking him out of social convention, but still. With a lot of decision making apparently infused with the subject, he really feels like he’s being a jerk to her right now. And looking like a jerk isn’t really what he had in mind for their first ‘private’ meeting (maybe in their second meeting, but definitely not the first). “A story about avarice and death does seem more interesting than one of sexual promiscuity and debt. Mind if I look?” he asked, snuggling his cheek on Ann’s left shoulder and coiling his arms around her to hold the book. He praised himself inwardly for being such a great improviser. “This does seem interesting. I think it’s fine,” he nodded, chin still on Ann’s shoulder. He flipped a few pages and came upon a summary of the Wife of Bath’s story. “Well, at least I’m sure we won’t make a report on this one,” he laughed, finding the story utterly ridiculous, “The Pardoner it is.”


ooc:
I just realized that this is Zachie's 200th post. Huzzah! *dances*. Lol, forgive the randomness BananaKee.^^.
-Jammy

[Ann Hudgins]

Yeah, it was comfortable, but Ann had certainly sat on softer ones. One of her neighbors had a couch in their basement that was made out of the ugliest material known to man, but if you sit down for even a minute, you wouldn't want to get up for hours. That couch had cost them ten bucks, another five for some help to get it on a truck, and two dollars to pay their son to clean it. So a seventeen dollar couch. There was no telling exactly how much this couch cost, and in Ann's mind the cheaper one was loads better than this one. However, that wasn't something one should tell someone else, right? It would be rude and stuff.

If Ann even caught a whiff of Zac's odd infatuation with her, she'd snort so hard she would have to blow her nose. It just really didn't connect or make sense in her mind. So what if Zac didn't know everything about her, right? They were two completely different people that wouldn't even have a reason to talk if it wasn't for this project. Ann's mother had a habit of keeping tabs on people, but it was hardly the same when compared with Zac. He'd give an investigator a run for their money.

"I dunno," Ann muttered as he suggested she try coffee. "Aren't you not supposed to have it on an empty stomach?" Ann doesn't really have any social graces, or tact for that matter. It went completely over her head she just admitted to not eating when she had previously said otherwise. She bit at a nail. "Maybe some other time?" She asked like that would get her out of trying it now. What if she did drink it and didn't like it? That would be a waste of a drink that someone else could have actually enjoyed. The way he worded how he got the coffee beans was a bit comical to Ann. She imagined him actually going to Ethopia to get the beans, which she knew wasn't true. Still, it confused her why he would bother doing that when one of those big jars of coffee at the store was so much closer and probably cheaper. She skimmed the pages with her finger slowly moving down the pages, she grinned at his words about the internet. "I'd trust a book faster than a web page," she responded without looking at him. Just anyone can put something on the web, but not just anyone can publish a good research book.

He said something about a pirate teacher, but it really went in one ear and out the other too fast for her to catch exactly what he said. His words kinda blended in with what she was reading off the page and it was all just jumbled. So, instead of saying something direct like 'what?' She nodded her head a little. "Is that so?" Maybe she'd catch what he said if he answered her mostly rhetorical question. She needed to pay better attention...but on the other side of that, he also needed to focus on their work so they can go ahead and get it over with.

Ann made a face. Science was definitely not her forte. Variables, accounting for change of all those variables, theory, formulas, chemical changes, converting energy to pleeeh. She didn't like it. English was much simpler, critical thinking was easier, and reading a book was certainly better. "I'd much rather do this tha--" She choked to a halt when she felt and saw his hand move up to her face. Her reaction time was penalized by her shear shock and terror of the situation. She tensed all her muscles because she was surely going to be sucked in now. But that painful thing never happened. She felt her hair tug around her ear and then behind it. He moved a bit a of hair behind her ear.

What?

Of all the things--what possessed him to--they were talking about--doesn't make sense. Ann's brain really couldn't compute the action Zac had just taken, or make sense of any reason why he'd do such a thing. Didn't the hair behind the ears thing stem from boyfriend/girlfriend situations? This certainly wasn't the case, so why would he do that? Ann let out a slow breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding and she adjusted herself in her seat. Her face was burning and so did her entire body. She was so close to panic! Could Zac hear how loud her heart was beating? It sounded like one of those big bass drums you hit with mallets instead of sticks.

At his question about how she came to Hammel, it offered a little distraction to what had just transpired. "Uh. Rumors. About me?" She could imagine the content of those rumors, but she was curious as to what he'd heard exactly. And it also offered a continued distraction. "I got here four years ago, uhm right before the start of Freshmen year. I didn't get out much....at all, really. I couldn't." Because her power is the worst one known to meta-kind.

So now he feels awkward. Ann turned her head sideways to get a look at him, because he really didn't make any sense to her at all. One moment he's being 'up' with his nose in the air about his imported things, the next he's being weird by tucking her hair behind her ear, and now he feels awkward. Ann was just confused. She massaged her temple with her finger in vicious circles, but it did little to answer her questions. What was his deal? Ann usually tried not to eavesdrop on people's emotions or analyze them to understand what they were coming from, but now she was focusing on what she was feeling from him (with her shields firmly in place), and tried to understand it but without words or thoughts, she could only guess and speculate (theory. She hates Science.) When he asked if she minded if he looked, she shrugged a shoulder and was about to hand the book to him when he wrapped an arm around her and trapped her in. All his skin glared at her from every angle and she tried to shrink her size to a microscope level, but it didn't work. She was stuck the size she was and stuck in his bare-armed cage of death. "Uhmmm..." she was too embarrassed suddenly to voice her opposition to what he was doing. Did he not have even the most basic grasp and understanding of 'personal space?' As he flipped through the book, she tried every thought she could think of. She tried to visit her happy place, she tried wishing he was gone, or that he was safely seated on the other side of the couch, and she tried shrinking again but nothing worked. She couldn't even lean to one side for fear of getting closer to his skin than she already was.

Ann never really imagined what she was most afraid of, but this was damn near the scariest thing she could think of. "Uh...ah...mm." Great. Her voice was broken too. She closed her eyes, her eyelids fluttered, her pulse soared to an incredible speed, her fingers were twitching like there was a keyboard beneath them, and her palms were getting extremely clammy. "Would you, would you mind umhmm, l..letting me go?" Ann finally got out, her back was so stiff and tense it was starting to hurt.

[Zachary LaRousse]

It’s hard to say exactly how much the sofa Zac’s so proud of actually costs, shipping and handling factored in. If Ann would ask him, he’d probably say it’s around two thousand dollars at least, and that’s just for the couch. It’s hard to factor in shipping and handling, probably because he used the family plane to transport his dorm furniture, the couch included. And the people who handled it and redecorated the dorm suite are all under his dad’s paycheck. After she’s gone over the shock, he’d give her a half-hearted laugh and a shrug, saying that it’s really a rough estimate and he feels like it’s more than that really. A silver golden spoon in his mouth ever since he was a kid, it never occurred to him to check the tag price of his purchases, much to the dismay of his late mother. She tried so hard to instill a sense of stewardship on the kid, but her untimely death and her husband’s constant spoiling of the kid simply trampled over her efforts. What Zac wants, Zac gets – that’s one of his mottos in life (others include ‘If you have it flaunt it’, ‘I’m great, you’re not’ and many more absurd thoughts).

“Really? First time I’ve heard of it,” answered Zac as he reached out for another cookie and quickly made of do it, “So what happens when people drink coffee on an empty stomach then?” Lucky for Ann Zac didn’t have much time to think about what she said (at least for the moment) because her ‘follow-up’ statement kind of distracted him. “Are you asking me out on a date then?” he teased, praising himself for another retort well done. He was about to grab another cookie to eat (last night’s workout really drained him out) when he remembered his social graces. “Sure you don’t want any of these?” he offered once more, “Just one. Please?” He tried to put on the best puppy face he could muster, complete with the eyelash-bat and the sideways stare.

“I actually liked books before. They were so fun and exciting.” Despite not looking like one, Zac was a bit of a bookworm when he was a kid. His mom used to read him all sorts of bedtime stories, and as he grew older, he started moving on to pre-teen and graphic novels, then to full-pledged novels when he was in his teenage years. The library was one of the places he used to hang out in when he was a freshman in Hammel, the reason why he grew somewhat familiar with the huge librarian Eli. But then came the computer age and with a top-of-the-line laptop in hand, his love for the printed material slowly waned (that and he finally became the social-butterfly-jerk that he is, and since he can’t be too noisy in the library, he was somehow forced to move out). “But then the computer age came. And one has to keep up with the times, right?” Despite not being that much of a techno-geek, Zac’s laptop is one of the things in the world he can’t live without. He’d feel extremely out-of-synch if he can’t check his social network accounts at least thrice every week.

“Yup. Do you have drama? You know Darryl, I mean Mr. Bond? Doesn’t he look like one with his flowy hair and goatee-mustache combo?” Truth be told, Mr. Bond’s one of Zac’s favorite instructors in Hammel since he allows himself to be called by his first name, like Jude is to Zac. That’s why he’s trying so hard to be back on the man’s good side because of the not-so-decent flop he’s done a little while back. (And I assume having thoughts of him as a pirate and doing all sorts of sword fighting isn’t really helping; good thing Darryl isn’t a telepath like Sean).

Unfortunately for Ann, Zac had no idea such an action was reserved for those within the bounds of a romantic relationship. Well, in retrospect, maybe he did know that, he just didn’t care much to abide by it. Either way, being physical is one of Zac’s trademark characteristics, especially when he’s trying to flirt with somebody. With his enormous ego, he’s not that afraid of being shot down that easily anyway (his hot air is usually enough to keep the resistance at bay long enough for him to have his fun). He could see the girl beside him almost turn into a tomato, and all Zac did was smirk at himself for another job well done.

“Oops. Perhaps ‘rumors’ is such a strong word. ‘Stories’ maybe? I don’t know.” For some reason, Zac somehow fails at euphemisms. No matter how hard he tries to be subtle, he still becomes as noticeable as an elephant mixed with neon pink sheep. “Anyway, it’s not like I heard any bad stories about you. You are actually quite the mystery you know that,” he said, looking staring at her with such a gaze that if he had optic blasts, he would’ve bore a hole through the young girl’s head, “People actually know very little about you.” Her reply about being in Hammel around four years ago, roughly the same time Zac himself entered the Institute, only made Zac more interested in her. “You didn’t get out much? Why? Afraid you’ll sparkle under the sun?”

He actually snuggled a bit around Ann’s neck for a while, enjoying her unique scent and the texture of the leather. Now if only Zac can use two animals on the same time, combining the memory of the elephant to remember her scent and using any tracker’s sense of smell, he could find Ann anywhere, in theory anyway. Good thing he had the presence of mind to put that thought behind his head – he was here to flirt and have fun, not to become a creepy stalker. “Nice jacket. Where’d you get it?” he asked, leaning his head as he read the part about the Pardoner’s story, apparently oblivious to the fact that Ann’s sinking in between his bare body already.

Zac actually smirked when he heard Ann stutter. He thought it was cute. And unfortunately for the girl, it only wanted him to tease her more. He somehow tightened the circle he’s doing with his arms for a bit (at least not too tight for the girl to shout ‘rape!’) and smirked when she finally found her voice. “Oops, my bad,” he said with such a sweet tone, trying to remember his past acting lessons in drama. He hastily removed his arms around the girl and gave her a weak smile. “Did I make you uncomfortable?” Duh Zac, duh. “I’m so sorry.” And as he would have it, the sound of boiling water became the perfect signal to mark his (temporary) exit. “I’ll be back in a bit dear,” he winked, going back to the kitchenette to make his drink.


ooc:
Sorry for the delay BananaKee. >.<.
-Jammy
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[Ann Hudgins]

If Zac were to tell her the actual cost of the couch, she'd let out a gust of a sigh and tell him there were far better things to spend money on then one couch. Ann was frugal, almost to the point of being stingy and cheap. If she didn't need it, then she wouldn't buy it, mostly due to the fact that she had a dwindling stack of money from her birthday and had no other source of income. However, her confidence in getting a job somewhere in Pilot Ridge was slowly getting stronger. One of these days....she'd get one.

"Uhm, they get an upset stomach or something. I dunno." Ann, you're talking about medication. Most medications upset your stomach if its empty. "Uhn...no. Not...not really. I didn't mean it like that." She was flustered by him suggesting that was what she had asked, because that was the last thing on her mind! Ann didn't think about people like that, Zac most of all (he was just her English partner!), and she'd only meant it as...rhetorical and as a way to get out of it now. She didn't want to try it in this setting and telling him that maybe sometime in the future, however unlikely it was for the two of them to ever hang out again. When he offered her another cookie, she had to hold back an eye roll. She really didn't want them, she had a diet she kept to (it was an unintentional and habitual one, but on all the same). "Fine," she huffed as she leaned forward to grab up a cookie. "Just one," because that was all she would allow for herself. She nibbled it like he had, and it did indeed taste delicious. "They are very good," she agreed with his and once she had finished the cookie she rubbed her fingers against her pant legs, it was a habit, really.

Ann had been around books all her life; her mother owned a book store. She loved reading any sort of them, so long as they had a story-line and a bit about fighting. When Ann was younger she was quite obsessed with fighting. Even after the internet craze started--she heard about it only after everyone was addicted to it--she was still more of a book person simply because she didn't have regular access to a computer, unless she stole her roommates laptop, or used a Library computer. She didn't share Zac's same view on keeping up with the times, but that was hardly a surprise.

"Drama isn't for me," she nearly giggled as she spoke. She could hardly imagine her in such a class. Being in front of people...it just seemed like a horror movie to her. She had heard the drama teachers name, but that was about it. "Hm, he seems like a cool teacher, then. If he looks like that instead of....the teacher stereotype." Ann shrugged her shoulders because she really didn't care what a teacher looked like, to be honest, as long as their voice wasn't annoying. Ann spent her classes with her eyes on her desk, if the teacher had an annoying voice it was hard to pay attention to.

It was so traumatizingstartling for Ann that he just reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. She lived behind a thick personal space barrier and snapped at all who accidentally breached those walls. The only time she was anything close to fierce was when she was in a direct threat of being touched, and then her instincts kick in and she gets scary. But now, she was just so shocked and surprised that he'd be so audacious enough to just do something like that. She didn't know what to do!

"Me? A mystery?" Ann was obviously a bit disbelieving. Why would people spend time talking about how much they didn't know her? She certainly wasn't a good topic of gossip, unless she just hissed at someone for bumping in to her (which has happened before), but things about her history or where she came from hardly seemed like things that other people would be interested in, least of all Zac himself (if she only knew). "Well...what do you want to know, I guess? I'm really not what you'd call interesting....sad would be a good description. Not in the depressed sort of way, but in the....wow that's really sad way." She scratched at her ear, the very ear he'd almost touched before she glanced at him. "I didn't get out much because of my power. It was terribly hard to deal with around more than one person and for the longest time I was just assaulted by everyone, just all the time. So I didn't go out, ever." She shrugged because at the time it had been the most logical decision, however now, she was just kicking herself about the it.

Him snuggling onto her shoulder was...odd to say the least. The last time she'd been this close to someone was years ago, and that alone made it something, but since he still continued to remain almost naked and be...himself, it made that experience more odd than welcoming. "It was a gift. I think it was from my best friend." Ann shrugged a shoulder because the packet hadn't had a name on it, just the state. And out of all the people she knew in the world, either Aiden or her mother would have sent her a leather jacket, but Aiden seemed like the more plausible person.

Zac was just an odd person. She'd never met anyone like him, and she was sure that was a good thing, the less people like him the better. Her brain continued to not work when he tightened his arms around her. She thought she might pop and his dorm common room would be covered with bits of Ann. It was a bad image, but she was in a bad place right now. When he apologized, his words conveyed that he meant what he said, but she just felt that he was amused. He liked seeing her like this. Ann grunted a little, a little upset by the whole situation. "My power makes it impossible for me to touch anyone," her lips were stiff as she spoke and now that he released her, she let out a long breath and scooted as far from him as she could get into the side of the couch--it wasn't far but it was something she had to do.

When he winked before he got up, she looked down at her lap, and pulled at the edges of her sleeves. For some reason, she was just upset by the whole thing. She was always super careful about being near people, about being touched...about making herself be as completely unapproachable as she could possible be, and yet he'd just put his arms around her like it was nothing. She felt weakened and vulnerable by it. What made this worse was the fact that he wasn't even sorry for it. Sure--he'd said he was, but he didn't mean it. He meant his apology as much as she had meant them trying coffee together at a different time. She rubbed the inside corners of her eyes as they threatened tears. She hoped he took a long time making his coffee, because she needed to pull herself together. Fast.

[Zachary LaRousse]

“Really? Upset stomach? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it,” Zac said, unconsciously scratching the side of his thigh as he poured some of his coffee into a plain blue mug. It was only then that her statement got into his head (i.e. it took him that long to understand what she’s really trying to say). “If you hadn’t had a meal yet and you don’t like to cookies as breakfast substitutes, you could’ve just simply told me you know,” he smiled, leaning on the tabletop as he took a sip from his still hot drink, “I mean, I could’ve had something delivered at least. Hell knows what they put in the cafeteria food.” It’s not that he has anything against the cafeteria or the people who work there really; he just doesn’t like the place. Too much noise, too much people – it makes the place too humid for him. And the smell of food doesn’t really help much either. So since he discovered that they could actually go out and eat, even order food for takeout (though the delivery guy can only come until the front gates, so he has to come there and get it), he’s been out and about from the cafeteria since then.

He was still happily blowing through his drink when it hit him (his last sip killed his taste buds apparently; he turned extremely red and tried so hard not to shout obscenities in front of Ann, thank goodness it worked). “Oh I know what to do,” he almost shouted as an idea hit him, putting his hot mug down as he went to the other end of the kitchenette. He searched a few cabinets, tiptoe-ing and bending repeatedly, trying to find where Horus might’ve stored the frying pans. He’s never been one to cook much anyway, but Cedric and his dad insisted on having a complete kitchen set when Zac first moved – they hope it’ll motivate him to cook which would then make him more self-sufficient. While Zac did learn how to cook simple things, it didn’t make him less prone to buying stuff from the stores though. “Found it!” he said, holding the black pan up. He turned the stove on, grabbed the bottle of oil from the shelf above him and poured a small bit on the pan. He left the oil on for a bit for it to heat, heading straight to their shared fridge to find something decent to cook. “Woot bacon and eggs be an ok breakfast for you? I think we have some hotdogs and chicken too if you like.” It’s not every day that Zac cooks for someone. Then again, it’s not every day that he entertains a girl in his dorm room clad only in his lime green boxers, even feeling scratching himself in front of her. “Or would you rather have something else?”

Though Zac did not see her flustered expression build up as he was busy looking for the various stuff earlier, he did catch from her stutter that she was indeed a bit embarrassed. “I’m free Friday night. Pick you up at 6?” he said, continuing as if Ann hasn’t voiced her take on the matter out yet, “Don’t worry Ann, I don’t have anything against girls being the one to ask guys out. I find it adorable and flattering really.” He gave Ann another wink before resuming his search for a decent breakfast in their fridge.

“Really? Why not? Stage fright?” he asked, shrugging as he couldn’t find anything more decent than bacon and eggs in their fridge, “I told myself that too at first, but Mr. Bond has a way with people. I just can’t put my finger on how. And besides, you’ll never know if you don’t try.” While the prospect of being on stage and being the object of people’s affection as one performs enticed Zac to drama, he didn’t factor in how hard it is to act. He thought it’s just plain ‘feel-the-emotions’ and all. Apparently it needs a lot more than that. “He is. Makes me feel bad that I irked him one day though.” While he does feel bad about telling Darryl that his suggestions are gay, his face when he exploded was sheer madness. He couldn’t help but snicker as he remembered how furious the older guy looked.

With a sigh, he gave up on searching for a decent meal from the fridge and grabbed some eggs and began thawing the bacon in the counter (which is really good practice, but then again Zac isn’t much of a cooking prodigy so that was expected). “So sorry but you have to settle for this at the moment. Seems I have to go into town later and buy some supplies,” he said, trying to act warm and sweet, before breaking two eggs into the pan. Lucky for him the cackling of the pan didn’t drown Ann’s story that much. “Yes, a mystery. I mean, people know nothing about you. The only thing they know for certain is that you’re not a new recruit, and you live in the co-ed dorms. With that Piper girl and the new boy who feels he’s so stinkin’ rich. Which, I can assure you, he isn’t. Knew it the first time I saw him.” And with that he just got reminded that he should rain on the boy’s groove. It’s one thing to pretend about something, and another to pretend that you’re rich. Zac made a mental note to embarrass the kid as much as he can when he sees him again.

“A gift from your best friend? That’s nice. Does she live far from here?” Of course Zac would think his best friend’s a girl. Everyone knows that two people of the opposite sex can’t hang out forever and not have anything past platonic attraction. Unless of course, one of them’s gay. Which explains why Zac still thinks Eli’s the father of the recruiter-that-he-sees-always-hanging-out-with-the-guy’s child. If rumors about her being pregnant is true, of course.

He gave Ann a confused look as he grabbed a clean plate and put the two eggs in it, before breaking another two, this time for him. “Your power doesn’t allow you to touch people? Why? Can you make people die with just one brush of your finger?” While a hint of fear did form around his mind, he told himself that such powers are absurd. It’s true that powers can take any form possible, he highly doubts Hammel would allow someone that dangerous to roam freely in the grounds without ensuring he/she won’t touch anyone all of a sudden. And shouldn’t it have an outward side effect, maybe like clammy hands or an incredibly pale/grey skin, both of which Ann doesn’t have?

Then it hit him. Could it be that Ann’s power relates to the mind? “Good Lord, don’t tell me you’re a telepath.”

[Ann Hudgins]

"Maybe it's medication, I dunno. Point is; I don't like the idea of coffee," Ann finally admitted. It seemed it took a bit of teasing for her to get her point across correctly. She rubbed her eyes while she listened to Zac go about making his coffee. She could smell it already from hear and it was putting her off the idea. Ann just didn't like things with too much taste in them, and coffee seemed like the sort of thing that was just crazily overpowering. "Well, I figured the project wouldn't take too long and I could get a late lunch in the cafeteria. Rumor has it that it's pizza day." Ann did love the school's pizza. It reminded her of the place her and Aiden used to eat at every night after class (MMA class, that is). At his disopinion about the cafeteria, she lifted her nose a bit. School cafeteria's had bad reputations from the movies, Ann had yet to eat something she hated or couldn't stomach from her school back home and here. It was just a myth. The lunch ladies were amazingly nice people. "Ah you just gotta give it a fair chance," she told him while she rotated on the couch. He'd just exclaimed something and she was tempted to ask what he was yelling about.

He started rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchenette. An eyebrow went up curiously but then he produced a skillet, and Ann's stomach grumbled a little. She was sure the cookie would have tided her over long enough to get out of here, but turns out the idea of food made her hungry again. Then he said the magic word; bacon. She closed her eyes and sighed. As long as there was bacon, she could spend all day here. As bad as that sounded; Ann loved bacon. She rolled her lips over her teeth for a moment before she realized he was going to make the bacon and the eggs in the same pan. Unacceptable. It was blasphemy.

Again with the date thing? Ann sighed, frustrated that he wasn't listening to her. "That's the thing! I didn't...ask you out! I don't go on dates. I've never been on a date. I wouldn't know what to do...just no. Ok?" Ann sighed and looked at him, her cheeks faintly red. Really, the thought of being alone with Zac in a date setting was nearly paralyzing. What if he tried to hold her hand, as per date guidelines? She couldn't do it.

"Well, not stage fright, exactly. I just can't...be in front of people. I get to much from them, and when it's all directed at me, it's just...hard to function. So I guess it could be stage fright, either way...not for me. I'll leave that up to you guys." Ann gestured vaguely in Zac's direction, as if saying there were plenty of Zac's running around the school to fill any place Ann might have in the Drama department. "Oh I can't even give an oral report without running out of a room, I'm not about to set myself up for failure on that magnitude, thank you." Ann snorted at the idea of her being up on stage, in any sort of play. It'd be a disaster.

As he made the eggs, she eyed the bacon as it thawed on the counter. Ok, he hadn't messed it up, yet. She'd intervene with the time came. "Bacon--and eggs--is fine. Really. More than enough, actually. You really don't have to, you know. It's nice," Ann couldn't help but grin a little, because it was nice of him to make breakfast for the two of them, though she knew it was more for her benefit because he was content with eating his weight in cookies. Ann snorted at the information he had on her, as little as it was. "Dustin isn't so bad. He just wants to be different than where he came from. That's not such a bad thing, is it?" He hadn't exactly...told her that. She'd felt it from him during a few of their conversations. He wasn't a bad guy, he just had a mind to be different--better--than who he used to be. Ann couldn't really blame him for that, he was young and a bit naive. "Well, what'll like to know? Uhm...I've never had a pet before, my mother owns a book store, my dad made sure I knew how to punch before I could run. I was allergic to strawberries when I was a child, I've never been under the influence of morphine, or alcohol, or drugs for that matter. I am right handed, but I draw better with my left hand. I'm from North Carolina, the rest of my family lives in Ohio and I rarely get to see them, ever. When I became meta, my parents wanted nothing to do with me," Ann rambled with what came to her mind, because someone wanting to know something about her was plain weird, but in a way that made her want to laugh. Not to mention the idea of eating bacon had her in a good mood.

As he put emphasis on the 'she,' Ann shook her head. "He lives back in North Carolina, where I am from and I haven't seen him in ages." Most people may believe that two people can't just be friends, but Aiden and Ann weren't just friends, they were brother and sister. They'd been living across the road from each other since they were infants, and they'd been together in every setting imaginable. They were sparring partners, study-buddies, they were always partners on field-trips, and always on the same team in sports.

"It's....really painful. It's hard to explain, really, but it's just something I avoid at all costs." The last thing she wanted was for Zac to realize how much of a freak she was--not that she exactly care of his opinion, but it just seemed to her that if the two of them were to be good English partners, then the two of them would need to get along, and if he scowled in her direction the entire time they worked together, it'd make things a lot harder than necessary. When he set the plate down with the two eggs, she went to the counter and looked for a fork. With that fork she scrambled up the eggs together.

When Zac spoke again, she paused in scrambling her egg, her face slowly cracked into a smile. "Thinking bad things, are you?" She asked with a lift of one eyebrow. "No, I'm not a mind-reader, I might as well be though--it'd certainly be easier. I'm an empath, an emotional sponge. A feeling's catcher. It's a load of horseshit, I'd sooner get rid of it than anything, honestly." Her distaste of her power was plain. Her eyes glanced at the bacon. It needed to be cooked already. She leaned closer to inspect it and decided it was thawed enough. She then turned to him and chewed at her lip. She didn't want to order him around his own dorm....but it was bacon they were dealing with.

"Ok. My turn." His eggs should be done now, right? She moved in next to him and nudged him out of the way with her hip, careful not to touch anything she shouldn't, and once she was situated in front of the oven. She leaned forward and turned the oven up to 400 and then opened the bottom compartment, looking for a cookie sheet. It was a trade secret; the best bacon was made in the oven, screw cooking in oil. She then arranged the bacon strips on the oven pan and slid them in the oven. The best part was that you didn't have to wait for the oven to preheat all the way before you make it. While she watched the oven with rapture, she bounced on her toes.

[Zachary LaRousse]

Zac gave Ann a sad pout when she told him that coffee isn’t really her cup of tea (and that sentence is just plain weird). Unlike Ann, he doesn’t see the smell (again with the weird word choices) as repulsive or off-putting; in fact, it’s intoxicating to the boy. He inwardly laughs whenever he smells coffee and the image of him being high by it comes to mind. He isn’t exactly a coffee-holic, but he does feel incomplete whenever he’s had at least two glasses of it in a week. “That’s too bad. You don’t like cookies for breakfast and you don’t like coffee too, are there anymore things I should know about?” While he said it in a teasing and rhetorical manner, he is subtly suggesting she be more comfortable with him. True, he likes making her feel uncomfortable, but comfortable in a way that she see Zac as something other than a homework partner. And while he figures his flirting won’t take him anywhere with this gal (which is why he’s considering stepping the game up a bit), by the way she’s taking all of Zac’s advances, he wouldn’t mind having her around for a casual talk or some friendly teasing. Despite insisting that he doesn’t need much, friends never hurt. Once she get’s over the ‘intimidation’ (Zac’s words, not mine), she’ll be an excellent partner to keep his witty side sharp, he just feels it. “Would offering you hot chocolate receive the same response as giving you coffee too?” he asked, grabbing a packet from the handy woven basket on the table top and shaking it in front of Ann.

“What’s the rush Ann? Project’s not due for another three weeks. Why bother?” He knows it’s not a really good study habit, but Zac’s a perpetual crammer. He has tried so hard to overcome such a habit, but it’s not easy. He used to do his work early when he was a kid, but since he became on his own upon entering Hammel (i.e. no nagging Cedric to remind him to do his homework if he wants to watch TV), he somehow lost his eagerness to do things on time. And besides, he found that it’s much more efficient when he crams. Not only does he manage to finish a large deal of work in such a short amount of time, he manages to pull of extremely creative and novel ideas too. He figures the stress and panic are all worth it.

He smiled for a bit when she defended the cafeteria. Why does she always give him something he can twist and work with really? If she hadn’t been so awkward with her reply on his coffee offer, he would’ve gotten the idea that she’s secretly leading him on. Which isn’t really such a bad thing in Zac’s book. “I don’t have anything to eat with during lunch too. I figured seeing alone or seating in a corner wouldn’t be such a nice experience right? I’d be willing to give it a try if you can come with me.” Blowing once more over his hot drink, he laughed inwardly as he took a sip. There’s no escaping Zac really.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I really shouldn’t assume things.” Again, another insincere apology which he hopes will pacify Ann’s apparent apprehensions. When will he ever learn that such superficial show of sympathy would mean nothing to Ann? “Never been on a date? How come? Don’t tell me nobody’s asked such a beautiful gal like you on one.” He resisted the urge to walk over her and gently touch her face. She’s still reeling in from his hair-tuck and wrap-around gestures, and it seems a whole lot of work going to the couch then heading back to check the eggs. “Fine then, I’m asking you to one right now.” While Zac does prefer being subtle (which he regularly fails at), it seems Ann isn’t budging unless it’s straight-forward. “Same time. Friday at 6:30. See you in your dorm?”

Since Ann hasn’t enlightened him about her powers yet, Zac simply tilted his head to the side, clearly not getting the point. “Get too much of what?” Don’t tell him that it’s ‘attention’, ‘cause Zac will truly flip out. The spotlight is everything to him. He’d do anything to keep it on him. “Don’t take this the wrong way but I seriously think that’s just stage fright talking. I mean, you’ve cooped yourself up for so long that, I think, you’re too scared of people now. You simply have to get out of your shell.” Zac does love to pretend psychologist/psychiatrist at times. “Don’t be scared. You’re stunning. People will love you.” A compliment? Maybe. But more of another subtle flirty retort which he hopes will also help boost Ann’s self-confidence even for a bit.

He eyed the eggs for a while. They’d be ready soon. He grabbed a plate and set it beside the pan. “Would you want toast too? I think I may have had some bread stored around here still,” he said as he rummaged through the refrigerator again. “Where were we again? Oh yeah, that nasty boy Dustin,” he replied as he moved on to their shared pantry, “I have nothing against wanting change but really, bragging if you really can’t back it up? That seems a bit off to me. I can’t help but feel uneasy whenever I see him around. Lucky him Stephen’s in town so I’m trying my hardest not to shake him from his makeshift pedestal.” While Zac does bluff from time to time, he only does it to the petty things, like threatening to beat a young boy up. When it comes to the larger things in life, i.e. riches and wealth, he does make it to a point that he can back his claims up. He just hates it when people act like they have something but in reality they had none.

He laughed when Ann started rambling out herself. It wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear, but as they say, it’s the little things that matter. Maybe he could use some for next time. And besides, she looks extremely adorable when she did that. He couldn’t help but cock one eyebrow up as she ended her rambling with her sob story. He tried to look sympathetic, saying, “I’m sorry. No one should ever go through that.” He tried so hard to hide his apathy. With so many students with a variation of that same sob story, it isn’t too hard to get to numb. Add that to the fact that he never really felt ostracized by his powers, made him a quite the snob. “Is it my turn to ramble on the little things in my life now?” he said, his face suddenly changing to a more arrogant one.

“She’s a he? And are you sure you’re just ‘best friends’? I sincerely doubt that. ‘Best friends’ just don’t give each other top-of-the-line leather jackets. Even more so when they haven’t met each other in a while,” he laughed, trying to find some sort of blush or reddening that would tell him that indeed, Ann is lying. That she and whoever her best friend is indeed in a relationship other than being buddies. Nasty idea forming in his mind, he chuckled, giving the girl a smirk. “So you’re available, right? He wouldn’t mind if, say I make some advances on you?” His smirk just got wider when she suddenly stood up and walked towards him.

He simply nodded when she explained about her aversion to human contact. It was weird, but Zac feels he’d die if he couldn’t poke or cuddle anyone. It’s just not him. He’s actually restraining himself from giving her a pinch on the cheek now that Ann’s less than arm length away from him. “Depends on what you define as ‘bad’,” he chuckled, giving Ann another no-so-decent stare. She doesn’t have to worry anyway, as hiding Zac’s true feelings is hard given that he’s only clad in his underwear. It would be uncomfortable and embarrassing for both of them. Lucky them Zac’s got complete control over his urges and hormones since two years ago.

“An empath? Cool.” It still didn’t occur to Zac that it bodes ill for him as Ann could easily call her bluff whenever he wants to. It’s one thing to control what you think, and another to control how you feel. “Isn’t that what’s training for? Don’t tell me you haven’t trained much these past four years.” Training is everything to Zac. He hates those without control, especially those who hate their power and complain of the side effects day in and day out but then never really exerted effort on training. “They’re helpless”, he’s heard saying once.

He was surprised when Ann suddenly bumped him to move aside and put the bacons in the oven. It was not only unorthodox, but out of this world in Zac’s book. How the hell would it be different?

He actually let his questions off for now as he turned his attention back on Ann. “Let’s try your prowess then. Tell me what I’m feeling towards you now,” he asked as he looked at her straight in the eye. He’s trying to make himself feel love and attraction towards her, if only to try and flirt more, but it seems, with the smirk slowly forming in his face, that he’s failing, only sending her feelings of arrogance and self-love.

[Ann Hudgins]

“Nothing comes to mind,” Ann shrugged a faint shoulder with her reply. Ann was never good at receiving those subliminal messages, subtly was something she rarely picked up on, even with her emotional radar. So she didn’t get the fact that Zac was just trying to get her to be more comfortable, (if he really wanted to, he could put on some clothes as a start). As for being his friend outside of this classroom partnership, Ann would much rather spend her time with those few friends she understood. Zac was just too different from her for her to see herself wanting to hang around with him once this project was over.

At the mention of hot chocolate, Ann looked down at her fingers. Did Zac have this weird knack for guessing favorite foods? Bacon and hot Chocolate definitely breached the top ten of her favorite food, separately. She didn’t think the two would taste that good together. But, instead of grinning like a fool and gushing about how much she actually did like it, she clasped her hands together. “It depends on how it’s made, really. You know with milk instead of water.” Ann was a stickler about it because the taste was crazy-different. When hot chocolate was made with water, it was just gritty and didn’t taste chocolaty at all, but with milk, it was this rich, warm, and delicious drink.

“Because…the faster we get it over with, the faster it’s over with. It’s not like we won’t be having classes the next three weeks as well. I like staying on top of the work load, not beneath it.” Ann really didn’t see the need for procrastinating. Letting yourself get behind was a horrible mistake and it made it nearly impossible to get all caught up again. Since she completed her assignments or projects the day they were assigned, her stress was just because of her powers, and it mostly freed up her weekends for training. Not to mention that the idea of spending several more days with a scantily clad Zac trying to complete this project made Ann scowl faintly. There was no reason to put off this thing, at all.

Ann heaved a sigh. Could he not be serious for at least a minute? Just one. “Sitting alone isn’t a bad thing,” she continued to defend. “I sit alone all the time.” What a huge surprise, right? Though, on occasion, someone would see her sitting by herself and come to talk to her. Some days she appreciated the company, and other days she would have preferred not to be taken pity on--though in other people’s defense, they were social creatures when she was not. “I think you’ll survive better without me,” she tacked on with a rub to her chin.

“Oh please, don’t even start with that. Given the choice--and everyone has the choice--of either going on a date with me, socially awkward and flinches away from touch at all times, or a girl who primps herself about fifteen times a day, giggles at everything, and props her tits out on parade. They’d pick the one who’s better at the date scene, which isn’t me. Uh…besides. I don’t have time for it.” Ann was sometimes jealous that she couldn’t be the sort that could date, but on the other hand, she didn’t have some sort of pressing want to go on a date with someone either. She’d just now been able to have a simple conversation with someone. “Wha…why?” Ann looked surprised that he’d seriously just asked her out on a date, for two reasons: reason number one; she’d hoped thought that he’d just been goofing around with the flirtiness of her asking him on a date and all that; reason number two, no one had asked her out before, or even shown that sort of ‘interest’ (she knew, she can feel it). She wasn’t exactly sure what she was feeling from him, but she did know it wasn’t that heart-fluttering anxiety that most people had when asking someone to go on a date with them (not that Ann had bore witness to a lot of those kinds of situations before). “You seriously can’t be serious. I mean, why would you want too?”

“Oh, get too much of feelings, of emotions. It’s hard to pay attention when you are experiencing too many conflicting emotions. I can’t even begin to imagine what I’d feel in a stage setting with several people drawing their individual opinions.” Ann shuttered a little, as if to punctuate what she was saying. “Well I am poking out of my shell, Dr. LaRousse. But standing in front of a crowd, willingly? Hell no.” Ann’s brain didn’t even recognize his compliments, her mind was too distracted thinking of how horrible it would really be.

“Thanks, but I’ll pass on the toast.” She shrugged a shoulder at Zac’s further opinion of Dustin. Ann wasn’t too experienced with such aspects. She knew people out there exaggerated things, or were compulsive liars, but she hadn’t met one that she knew of yet. She could see where Zac was coming from, though. “Be nice, he’s like thirteen. Maybe he just doesn’t know better yet?” Ann wasn’t exactly sure, in either case, just that she didn’t really mind as long as he wasn’t rude to her. As much as she was the senior in her dorm with her three roommates, she didn’t try to take charge and order them around. She didn’t feel up to it.


His look of sympathy was almost good enough to distract her from what she actually felt coming from him, which, in comparison to his face, was nothing. Again with the two different things. Why would he pretend, when he really didn’t care? Ann distracted herself by leaning down to check the bacon in the oven, they had shrunken up enough and looked to be in acceptable condition. She stepped to the side of the oven as she slid one of the mitts over her fingers and took the tray out of the oven. She slid them onto a clean plate and then put on some more, for herself. Once they were back in the oven she turned her attention back to Zac. “You only have to ramble if you want you. You were the one asking questions about me.”

She rolled her eyes as he doubted her word that they were just best friends. If Aiden wasn’t in school right now, she’d call him and have him back up her story. They were siblings, there wasn’t a shred of romantic feelings in there. It was just weird. “Wilson’s Leather is hardly ‘top-of-the-line.’” Ann didn’t want to put forth the idea to clarify that they were just friends, because he just seemed like one of those die-hards that believed people of the opposite gender could just be friends. She blinked, however, when Zac asked his neck question, which just made her look at him for a moment. That smirk wasn’t helping her concentration either. She let out a slow breath. She wanted to just ask him what the hell he meant by ‘advances’ but half of her didn’t want to know. “You’d ask him, but you wouldn’t ask me if I minded?” She decided to go with that, hopefully to send him back a few steps. Ann definitely didn’t want him too.

Ann lifted an eyebrow at his stare, as well as his question as to what ‘bad’ was. “Mmm…something that’d get you slapped in a normal conversation.” She decided that was a good description. Not that she would be able to actually slap him, unless maybe she put the oven mitt back on, which really wouldn’t help the ferocity of a slap…a punch however…She grunted when he asked about her training in the past for years. “To an extent, but I haven’t actually made any leeway with my power up until a few months ago.” She’ll stick to that story. “I was too overwhelmed when I first got here to actually be able to do anything. But it’s OK, I’m better now.” Marginally.

Ann was also a little surprised at her forwardness at moving him aside, but she was bent on cooking bacon her way; the proper way. She was glad he didn’t rain down a bunch of questions about it, and instead went with it, because she didn’t exactly want to sound as deranged as she got about properly cooked food (bacon). She laughed when he wanted to test her powers. If he only knew the amount of confusion she’d felt this entire conversation because of all of his mixed signals. But she’d go along with it, just for the practice. Feeling them and identifying emotions were one thing, but describing them took a moment.

Like now, she was getting a layer of these…thinly baked things that didn’t feel real, but she still furrowed her brow to identify them. They were watered down feelings of attraction…towards herself. However, as the silence progressed, and the smirk on his face got bigger, those fake-feelings were transformed into true feelings. He was quite the cocky bastard, she realized. She let out a gush of air. “I’d never had someone try to fake feelings before,” she commented first with a small glare in his direction before she continued, “Where to start? Hmm…let’s go with the crazy amount of arrogance? I’ve never quite met someone so in love with them self before.” Her face was flat and serious. “Now, are you done messing around? We really should get back to the project now.”

Well, after she got the bacon out of the oven.

[Zachary LaRousse]

It would do Ann a whole lot of good if she won’t mention her growing theory about Zac and his knack for guessing the things she loves the most. Zac doesn’t have the faintest idea that Ann’s sudden enthusiasm and even initiative to prepare the bacon herself is an indication of her liking the food above all. To be honest, the thought that ran into his mind when he saw her stand up and even push him aside is “It’s about time she makes a move. Guess she finally realized that no girl can really stand up to my charms.” Telling him that he guessed her favorite foods correctly would only boost his ego more, and believe me, it won’t be pretty.

Zac chuckled when she mentioned that she only likes hot chocolate when it’s prepared differently. “Now I’m starting to think you’d be such a high maintenance girlfriend,” he smiled, taking another sip from his beloved mug, “First the bacon-in-the-oven method now the chocolate-with-milk-not-water. Not to mention the aversion to coffee and cookies. You’d give your boyfriend the time of his life really.” Not that it would be a problem if ever. Should they end up being together, Ann would be so busy trying to tone Zac’s bravado down that she’d lose track of her past quirks. He gave her a wink, adding, “Not that I’m saying it’s bad or anything. It’s just weird, but cute nonetheless.”

“You like staying on top? Now there’s one thing that would really put us at odds.” Zac’s tone, combined with his rather mischevious chuckle and dirty gaze should hopefully tell Ann what Zac is referring to really. Dirty thoughts aside, her statement somehow told Zac that despite her apparent oath of hermithood for the past four years, Ann’s got spunk. That his thoughts of her being reclusive and gullible and soft are all wrong; instead she’s determined and capable. He isn’t much for body language or the analysis of one’s words and deeds, but he did get the subtext that the girl’s got attitude. That she won’t ‘break’ easily under his advances. Which would only make Zac’s work even more fun. “Oh pshaw. Is that your way of telling me you don’t want to work with me anymore?”

“You? Sitting alone all the time? That’s awful,” he shook his head in mock concern, “Then it’s settled. Next time you plan on eating in our beloved cafeteria, call me. I promise to keep you company.” While Zac wouldn’t mind sitting alone in the cafeteria, social stereotyping state that those who sit solo are outcasts, a label with which Zac can’t live with. “It’ll be a nice reason to visit that humid dungeon too.”

Seeing Ann so conflicted and confused about the idea of a date is truly adorable. He’s never seen someone as defensive about dates as Ann before. He’s heard the same self-depreciating speech a whole lot of times before, but never had he seen a rambling like Ann’s. It was different. Like she meant everything she said, but only made her even more appealing in the process. In Zac’s eyes anyway. “Sluts are overrated. Shy school girls are the rage these days,” he laughed coldly. For one, he’s never considered asking Fifi out for a date. “And besides you don’t look that bad. Maybe a little wardrobe makeover and you’ll be fine. But that’s the job of gay best friends and not soon-to-be boyfriends so I won’t delve into that any further.” Yup, he did say soon-to-be boyfriend. Zac is anything but humble anyway, so it shouldn’t have come to a surprise to anyone.

“I am serious. Didn’t you hear me the first time?” he grinned, resisting the urge to pinch her cheek, “Friday at 6:30. Maybe dinner around town or something. I’ll have something ready in a week, so don’t you worry. I didn’t know deafness was a side effect of empathy.” Unfortunately for Ann, Zac has enough self-confidence for three worlds, hence the absence of the unsure thoughts and anxiety. And besides, Zac isn’t really into Ann at the moment – he’s still simply flirting with her, all play no seriousness. The stuttering and sweaty palms would come into play when he feels something real for the girl. “Why not? Can’t guys ask girls out nowadays? Heck, even guys can ask guys out, why not me? Or would you like to be on top and be the one to ask me out?” he laughed, grabbing an open cereal box and munching on it as he waited for the eggs to be cooked.

Now that he knows she’s an empath, it somehow makes sense to Zac. While he can understand her picking up all the emotions of the people around her, he couldn’t get why that would overwhelm her. She’s been in Hammel for a good four years already, wouldn’t that mean she’s adept at her powers now? “Poking out of the shell Ms. Hudgins? I say crack that shell entirely and experience life. You don’t know what you’re missing.” Zac’s eyes gleamed in delight. He could just imagine all the sorts of things he’d pull Ann into, given the chance.

Zac cracked up when Ann defended Dustin. “Gosh, you sound like a mom,” he said, shaking his head in glee, “Fine, fine, I’ll leave your little brat of a son alone. But then could you ask him to lower the arrogance a bit? Tell him people don’t like empty promises.” Unlike Ann, Zac would be extremely happy if he had lowerclassmen, especially freshies, as roommates. They’ll be the perfect pawns for him. Naïve and gullible, he could easily fill their heads with his liestruths.

“Fine then, I shall ramble too,” he said, clearing his throat before he started. He couldn’t help but smile as this is the perfect opportunity for him to brag about himself. And not only that, Ann asked him to ramble. If anything, he’d say that she brought this upon herself. “I’m basically a mongrel – my mom’s Korean-American and my dad’s Scottish, Canadian and Japanese. We own around five big estates and a dozen smaller mansions scattered around the globe. I have five private jets back home but I can’t use any of them until December because I’m grounded for telling Mr. Bond that he’s gay. I learned to speak when I was five, probably because our telepathic staff simply read my mind if I need anything else; once I learned though, I’ve never been able to shut up since. I’ve had three or four girlfriends in the past four years or so; no boyfriend as of date. My dad wants me to go into business after Hammel but I think the sciences are much more satisfying. I do hate literature, history and the social sciences though.” Zac consciously tried to stop himself – he could actually say more but decided that Ann’s got enough, for the moment. He could always ramble about himself later. After all, bragging about himself is what he does best.

He’s got to admit, she got him at that one. Not that the leather jacket was bad, but it just wouldn’t pass up for Zac; he’d be caught dead wearing one. Lucky for Ann Zac has some shred of decency in him still, hence forcefully telling himself to control his tongue for any unwarranted ‘complements’ about the said jacket. One wrong word about the gift and he’s sure his chances of going out with Ann would drop dead low (not that it was high in the first place anyway). “Seriously? Maybe he’s just too chicken to confess yet. You know, the whole movement-from-being-best-friends-to-being-more-than-friends dilemma? Classic.”

“’Cause I don’t want to appear like a snake my dear,” he smiled, giving Ann a Cheshire Cat grin, “I don’t think it’ll do my image good if I hit on a lady that isn’t available. I can get her to like me over her boyfriend, but that wouldn’t be proper, would it?” He slowly walked towards Ann, his right hand brushing over the counter top as he went. He stood behind Ann and grabbed her hair, tying it as gently as he can and securing it in a bun with a chopstick he found in the drawer. Why he knows how to tie hair like that is beyond me. “You should really be careful with your hair my dear. Especially when you’re cooking such delicious bacon,” he said, leaning over to whisper such words to Ann. He gave her one last wink before going back to his probably cold drink and having a quick sip.

“No worries then, I don’t think I have anything in my mind right now that would earn such a gesture.” No one has ever slapped Zac, and he’s going to make sure Ann’s not going to have the honors of being the first. As for being beat up by a girl, well that’s a whole new story to tell. “I understand. Empathy’s not that easy of a power to master,” he smiled as he sat over the counter. While on the outside he’s trying to be all understanding and friendly, on the inside he’s all “Say what?!”. Apparently he still can get it that not powers are easily manageable, and not everyone has a drive to easily master their gifts. That others just wish for it to go away.

He cocked an eyebrow when Ann told him he’s been faking his emotions. She just told him she doesn’t have good grasp of her powers yet she tells him that he’s faking every emotion? How did she do that? “Are you sure? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I was pretty honest about my emotions earlier.” Nope, Zac won’t give up too easily it seems. “I was in love, but are you sure it’s directed to me? Try again, once more.” He’s never tried flirting with a telepath or an empath before, so he’s a bit eager to see how she’d react if she’d ‘see’ his emotions about her, if he could get his message across.

He tried closing his eyes for a bit and concentrating, trying to force himself to feel ‘love’ for Ann. Then a ‘better’ idea came to mind. He went down from the countertop and stealthily moved towards Ann. “Maybe this’ll help.” He grabbed Ann by the waist and planted a light kiss on her lips. It might not have lasted for more than a few seconds, but it was a kiss nonetheless.

May I be the first to say ‘Oh no you didn’t’.

[Ann Hudgins]

Ann blinked when he said she would be a high maintenance girlfriend. Her brows furrowed as she tried to puzzle out what he was saying. “Liking things done the proper way is hardly being high maintenance. Not that being one is particularly bad, just that I’m not. I’m also not anyone’s girlfriend. And that’s not about to change either.” She wasn’t accusing Zac of anything, but she just like to make sure she clarified herself. She wouldn’t go so far as to say she was a door mat, but Ann usually liked things on other peoples specifications, she rarely told people what to do, the exception to that was two of her favorite foods.

Ann nearly groaned as he took her completely innocent statement about staying on top of her work load in a sexual way. “Would you stop that? What are you, eleven? We are not talking about that.” She spoke with finality, but something told her that that wouldn’t matter to Zac. Often times she liked to ignore that all things sexual didn’t exist and not just because she’d never experienced anything in that department but because it wasn’t possible for her to experience it. It was one of the big problems she had been thinking about during the infamous Talk, that she had thankfully been rescued from by the Librarian, Eli something. She rubbed the side of one of her eyes before she looked at him with a brow raised as he teasingly suggested she didn‘t want to work with him at all anymore. So he picked up on that? She wouldn’t admit to it, though, because that would be very confrontational of her and as weird as Zac was, she didn’t want to actively upset him. “I never said that,” she went with instead.

Ann sighed at his ‘mock concern’ about her sitting alone. It was not a big deal, and she knew it also wasn’t a big deal to him, she did not pick up on any of the emotions that went along with such a thing. She rolled her eyes. “Sure. The next time I have a burning urge to sit with someone, you’ll be the first person I call.” Her sarcasm was nearly tangible enough to vote.

“I hardly care with what is all the rage now,” Ann retorted with a snort. Conformity was for people like Zac. Not Ann. Ann looked down at her clothes when he mentioned them. “Why would I want to change how I look?” For one, she didn’t have money to just up and change her wardrobe; for two, she didn’t have a problem with the clothes she wore, they still fit and they didn’t have holes in them. Why fix what isn’t broken? She chose not to think too much in the ‘soon-to-be’ thing and wrote it off that he was just being…Zac. She sighed as he restated the date ramifications and she shook her head. “I am not going on a date with you.” She didn’t exactly speak confidently, because Ann had nothing of the sort, but she did have finality in her words. It came down to Ann not wanting to step outside of her safe routines, and Zac was too different than her--oh and she didn’t ‘like him’ like that. She didn’t like anyone ‘like that.’

“I’ll stick to my own method of ‘slowly but surely,’ no offense but it isn’t as easy as just making the decision to do something different, it is taking me a lot of work.” For instance, Ann agreeing to work on this project with Zac instead of just doing it all on her own like she usually did. That took work. She didn’t particularly like the gleam that was in his eyes after he got done speaking, she hoped whatever he was plotting planning didn’t involve her.

Ann grinned a little when he said she was like a mom. She hadn’t been like that in ages. In an odd way, she appreciated Zac for making the comparison. She felt like her old self again, which was great. “I’ll see what I can do.” Hopefully that would appease him and get him to leave Dustin alone. The kid was young, fresh out of adolescence and here he was in this new world, with these new powers. He had something of a bad past and he didn’t want that following him. She didn’t agree with lying to everyone, but it wasn’t like those lies were going to hurt anyone. Soon enough, though, he’d learn that people really would just accept him for who he is--not people like Zac, but like, normal people.

When he started to ramble, she lifted a small eyebrow. She wasn’t exactly tingling with anticipation, but she still turned her shoulders and listened to him with eye contact so she wouldn‘t be ruder. She couldn’t exactly relate to his story--at all. Five estates? Private jets? Telepathic staff? Ann couldn’t exactly grasp the need for all of that. Why have more things than you could use? She didn’t see the point of it, not to mention grasp it completely. “It sounds like you had an…interesting upbringing.” She’d leave it at that, simply because she didn’t want to offend him.

“You don’t know Aiden, so I can understand why you don’t believe me, but honestly, we wouldn’t be any closer if we were related.” And it wasn’t just her feelings on that. Really. Ann kept her face composed as he grinned like a loony at her. He care a lot about his image, it seemed, he’d mentioned it several times already, and yet he didn’t have any respect towards her. She could tell this because of how he worded what he said. She bit back her remarks about it, because honestly, what good would it do. She half crouched to check on the bacon and when she straightened up, he took a hold of her braid. “The hell--” She started to seeth, because she told him not to touch her, didn’t she? She thought he understood the no-touching rule!

But there he was with his hands on her, again acting like she was a little play thing that he could do what-ever with. When he whispered his words of ‘wisdom’ at her, her hands shook in tight fists at her side. What an arrogant asshole! That frying pan beckoned to her, but that punishment wouldn’t fit the crime. Instead of taking a violent route she turned to look at him, her eyes narrowed. “Thanks.” She didn’t mean it.

“That’s hard to believe.” With the way he has been acting so far, it really was. She doubted strongly that there were any innocent thoughts in his head at all, with how he had been acting since the moment she stepped inside the room. His posh exterior had slowly cracked to show the insipid and arrogant filling. Ann then closed her eyes and let out a few deep breaths. Meditation. She had to keep her calm, even with him randomly pushing her buttons. She had to stay in control of her own emotions, less Zac’s start to actually effect her. Ann really wouldn’t know what to do if she absorbed any of his ego, honestly. She nearly laughed at the understatement of the century, empathy is crazy hard to even gain moderate control, especially with Ann‘s specific abilities and side-effects. It just sucked at every angle. And again, his words and expression conflicted with his emotions. He seemed sympathetic but his emotions led her to believe he was almost annoyed with something pertaining to powers. She guessed it was just herself and her aversion to her own power, but she couldn’t be sure (but what else could it be, right?)

“I feel emotions from people’s chakras--where emotions come from, so the Tibetans believe. Pretending emotions creates this thin flimsy thing I feel, like cellophane, over the real emotions. I don’t see colors or imagine words, I just feel the raw emotions. Putting what I sense into words is hard, but I know what I feel. And you, Zac, are lying.” She wasn’t up to play the game anymore, the bacon was ready for extraction. She slid the oven mitt back on and pulled the cookie sheet off the wrack in the oven and placed it on the stove top. She was about to pull the mitt off when Zac’s hands clamped grabbed her waist. She jumped from the surprise and shock. “What the fu--”

Sometime in the future, Ann might look back on this moment and say she actually blacked out for a moment.

Zac kissed her. It wasn’t that sort you see in movies where the kissing couple curl their spines and paw at each others backs. It was a light one--not that Ann could exactly tell the difference. To her, it was like sticking a wet finger in a light socket. She plunged in immediately and the all of Ann’s emotions were infected and dotted out by all the self-important, glorifying, egotistical emotions Zac was currently feeling. When it was over (god it lasted forever), she may have snapped, a little, because how dare he[/b].

To the untrained eye, Ann started to flail about uncoordinatedly. To a trained, or more fight-oriented onlooker, one would see her feet spread and plant in a fighting stance, her weight dropped so she was centered and her arms flew up to knock him away from her. The mitt was still on her hand, she glanced at it now and then back up at him. She didn’t actually make the decision to do so, but her fist rocketed forward and smashed across his face, after she retracted her hand back to her, she lifted up a knee and kicked her foot forward in a simple yet powerful push-kick that should send him backwards and away from her. That same kick was often used to bust open doors, and take out kneecaps.

Ann then collapsed against the wall, and sank to the floor, a cold layer of sweat covered her and she shook a little. “What is your fucking problem?!” She nearly screeched.

(fais pawnch <3.)