BABY GIRL, YOU THE SHHH (NATE)

[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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With his Saran-wrapped sandwich and bottle of Pepsi, he sauntered his way to an empty picnic table where he dumped his lunch. The wood was a bit moist from the rain last night, but Jared didn't mind. He was wearing a dark wash pair jeans and could afford to wet them a little bit. His hands clasped together in enthusiasm before rolling up his sleeves and unwrapping his sandwich.

He was glad that he didn't have to eat his mother's cooking everyday. Yes, he knew that most people's mothers had excellent cooking, but his mother suffered from hearing problems and often didn't hear the timer to the oven or to the microwave. Instead, the school have him an allowance to buy his supplies. It was an awesome deal, he had to say. With every day that passed, he seemed to enjoy the school more and more.

Jared took a large bite out of his ham sandwich and savoured the flavours that seemed to be surrounding his taste buds. Although all the food on the island was good, he especially liked their ham sandwiches. There was something about it that reminded him of home life.... ah home. Too many of these kids were home sick. That was a con with AMG...kids never got to see their parents. Some people think that's a blessing, but it does get lonely sometimes.

With no struggle, he twisted open the Pepsi bottle cap. Oh oops! He had dropped the thing and it had rolled under the picnic table. Jared peeked under to see where it had landed. Perfect. In a moist pile of leaves. He crawled underneath the table and risk his shirt to get the cap.

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OOC: NATHANIAL!

[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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The food at AGM was definitely different from what he was used to. It was less... well. Less pretentious. Now, Nate didn't mind Poppy's (the cook back home) cooking at all, but he was sixteen years old. Sometimes, a sixteen year old wants pizza. Simple, greasy pizza. That's not something that Poppy served, ever, but at AGM? There he could have it everyday. He didn't, of course, eat pizza every day, but every once in a while. And it was bloody good.

This day offered pineapple on the pizza, which sounded strange in his ears, but if he didn't try it, he wouldn't know if it was good or not, now would he? So after a short contemplation, he payed for a simple slice of pizza, an apple, and a bottle of mineral water, and carrying those, he exited the building and headed out. Jared had suggested that they had their lunch outside at a picnic table, and sure, it seemed like a good enough idea. The other guy had decided to snatch a table, and... well, it seemed he had found one.

The question was, what was he doing under the table?

"Is there something interesting under the table, Jared?", he asked as he approached, somewhat amused by the sight of his friend crawling underneath the table. It was, after all, not something you got to see every day. He laughed slightly at the sight, before taking his seat - and snatching an abandoned Pepsi bottle, just because he could.

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[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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"Is there something interesting under the table, Jared?" he heard from an alien source above him. Ah, that must be Nathanial, here for their lunch. By now, Jared had been able to wrestle his Pepsi bottle cap out out of the grasp of the leaves. "Uh... not really. I dropped my bottle cap." he grunted as he contorted his body around the wood and slapped the cap on the table. His hair was tousled and his cheeks were a little flushed.

"They make them too small for my big, muscular hands." he scoffed, as he took a long swig from his Pepsi. It fizzed and gurgled in his mouth, giving him a little tickle that was similar to the one that dimmed the lights. He quickly took the bottle out of his mouth before he took out all the lights within sight. Instead, he took another bite of his ham sandwich, hoping the tickle would leave the back of his throat. "Sorry I chose today to eat outside. It rained last night." Jared said the words with a mouth full of bread and ham and mustard and all that good stuff.

He swallowed hard, as the morsel was barely chewed. Jared watched Nate. He looked a bit out of place. Didn't he come from some fancy-shmancy house in Britain? Yes he did. Haha. "That pizza looks really good, man." Jared said, eye-balling it for a moment and then continuing to eat his lunch. It was quite small, and nearly finished. He could just make a quick stop at the store for chips or something later, if he got hungry. "But I got my delicious ham sandwich!" he said in a genuine enthusiastic tone. It was good ... just small, that's all.

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OOC: NATHANIAL!

[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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Of course there was a perfectly sensible reason for Jared's nosedive. And that reason was the Pepsi cap. Okay, it wasn't that sensible, but it was a reason nonetheless, and it did make sense. Sort of.

He chuckled lightly at the following explanation-of-sorts. "Oh, yes, your hands are very muscular", he teased, opening the cap to his own bottle without any issues, or need to nose-dive. As if to show off his success he held up the cap between his index-finger and thumb, but then went on to actually take a bite out of his food. He was hungry, and, there he had his answer - despite appearances, pineapple tasted just fine on pizza. Who would have guessed it?

Shrugging off the excuse about the rain, he watched as Jared as good as inhaled his own sandwich, and then he looked around. Quite a few where having their lunch outside, despite the fact that the raindrops still clinged to the picnic tables. Well, the sun was shining, so maybe it wasn't that surprising.

"Are you just really excited about the sandwich, or are you trying to swallow it whole so that you can dump me here?", he asked, raising one eyebrow. "Seriously man, I haven't seen you in a while. Is everything okay?"

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ooc: sooo not good. ha, sorry!

[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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Jared chewed on his sandwich quickly. It was really quite good, "Haha, I'm not trying to ditch you man. I just really like the sandwich." He insisted with yet another full mouth. Jared finished off the rest of the sandwich and began to suck on his fingers. "Good, I've been good. I mean, my power is under control, the fam's good." The words made their own way out of his mouth while he unwrapped the other half of the sandwich. He pondered on what to say.

"It has been a while, hey? How've you been?" he asked right before taking a bite. This time, it was more controlled and significantly smaller. Jared thought to save the sandwich to make it last longer. Another sip from his Pepsi and then back to his sandwich.

For a moment, Jared looked around the courtyard. Students seemed to pretty content in sitting out on slightly damp picnic tables. But Jared loved the clean, crisp air in the courtyard. It was much better than the hot, stuffy, thick air in the cafeteria. Not to mention the sun was shining and warming up his whole body, all the way down to his toes....suddenly, the sun seemed to radiate brighter. He looked up toward it, and it seemed to expand. Oh shoot! It was him! Jared quickly looked away from the sun and took a sip from his Pepsi.

When he took the bottle away, a large smile appeared on his face, revealing his deep dimples. "Did you see that? That was an accident." he laughed softly and crossed his arms. His sandwich was finished. "You know, most people start out having accidents with their power. When I first got it, I was really in control. All I had to do was think of an itch in the back of my head. Now, I can't even feel that itch any more. So sometimes I accidentally brighten and dim light. Weird, right"?

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OOC: HAHA, NO, IT'S GOOD!

[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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Nate had been raised in a house where there, on occasion, were several forks on the table. And several courses. And other fancy things that belonged in an estate in England. But, really, he much prefered this. Food was supposed to be eaten, after all, not used as an excuse to show off the latest painting bought for an extremely ridiculous amount of money. Or match-making.

If he hadn't come to this school, he'd probably be pushed into proposing to that Felicity-girl right now. Not that there were anything wrong with her, but, he'd liked to have his options open. Propose when he wanted to, to someone he wanted to propose to. And at the moment, he was way too young for that kind of shit anyway.

"Well, me and Jane broke up, so I've been better", he said with a sigh; he really didn't feel like talking about it. It had been a mutual desicion, but it still hadn't been easy. Maybe it hadn't even been the right decision?

...but he wasn't supposed to think about that, because if he did, he would start doubting things, and if he did that, well, then he'd be in real trobule now wouldn't he? Thankfully, Jared's accidental brightening of the sun was enough to distract him.

"No kidding. I brought furniture with me by accident for months", he remembered with a laugh, shaking his head. "It's good you control light, and not... say, fire, then. It doesn't happen that often, does it?"

By now, his pizza slice were already half-way gone, but Jared seemed to be finished already. Well, eating slowly was overrated anyway. "Hey, before I forget, you're having that dinner-party-thing tomorrow, right?"

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[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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He shook his head lightly. "No, my accidents don't happen that often. Kind of thankful for it. Imagine constant blackouts during elementary and middle school. People would know about me for sure." Jared leaned to one side and popped out a back of chewing gum that he nearly forgot. Watermelon flavour was his favourite. He took out a piece and tossed the rest of the pack on the table. He nodded sharply, as if to say, "Help your self." but he saw that he wasn't yet finished his pizza.

"That Jane girl is something else. I really like her. What happened?" he asked casually, truly thinking nothing of it. He'd only met her once before, in the hall. She had over heard his thoughts. It was quite embarrassing, actually. And the thought of his mind no longer being private scared him. If his mind wasn't private, then what was? He was surprised that she wasn't isolated. Jared imagined that as soon as she told people that she could read their minds, they would flee from her, in an attempt to keep their thoughts private. Perhaps that was why people were so cruel to her. Maybe they thought if they insulted her through their thoughts, she would read their minds ... but Jane wasn't capable of blocking their thoughts yet.

To Nate's questions about his dinner party, he nodded. "Yep yep. I'll have to hit the store or ask Nina to get me extra cooking supplies. Typical high school-er doesn't cook but I'm quite obsessive over my food. It's rather unhealthy." Jared scoffed, and a grin appeared on his face. Jared was no cook, that was for sure. He had a plan up his sleeve though. Practical jokes were one of his fandoms but he wasn't going to be cruel. Jared was just going to have a little fun.

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[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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"Only if they'd figured out you were the one causing those spontaneous blackouts", he commented lightly. It might have gone unnoticed. As far as Nate knew, Jared didn't exactly glow or something whenever he used his power... that would've been kind of freaky. Not to mention weird.

A somewhat crooked smile appeared on his lips. He wasn't surprised that Jared liked her - really, he couldn't see how anyone wouldn't like Jane. Sure, his opinion might be a bit objective. He had, after all, dated the girl. It hadn't been for a short week or two, either, but for quite some time. And despite the fact that it was over, he still found her pretty wonderful.

As to what happened... "Good question", he mumbled, scratching his chin and leaning back. Just slightly; he didn't want to end up in the still-wet grass. "I don't know, man. It just... seemed like the right thing to do. At the time." He couldn't hold back a small sigh. "To be honest, I'm not so sure anymore. I miss her like crazy."

It felt surprisingly good to have admitted it out loud. Perhaps talking about things did help. Not that he was going to suggest analyzing the whole thing in detail or anything. He was still a guy, and he wasn't one to talk about his feelings any more than he had to.

"Somehow I doubt that", he said with a smirk, but then he raised an eye-brow and looked... well. Curious. "I might regret asking this, but... what's the deal with you and Nina?"

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[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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Jared added a silent, and mocking "ha-ha-ha" to Nate's comment about the blackouts. His teachers know that when there is something up with the light around them, that it's probably Jared. He loses control often now, but not to the degree of pitch black or blinding light. It was quite funny actually. Once, in the middle of an exam, Jared was feeling so confident while taking the test, his positive feelings fuelled his power and just outside, the light was blinding. It was to the point that people thought they were going to get hit by a meteor. Jared had to make up for it with an extra SAC class, but he didn't mind.

He did wonder about Jane sometimes. About how she's doing and stuff. "Yeah, I know what you mean." Jared lied. He had never been in a successful, committed relationship where it ended in a mutual break up. "You should get her back... she's awesome." he said, running his hand through his hair and then scratching the back of his neck. He then tucked his arm back into the warm crook of his other arm.

His stomach did a flip at the mention of Nina by Nate. It was okay when he brought her up, but when other people did ... it made him a bit nervous. "Nah, nothing. We just grew up together and like partying ... and sex." he grinned, not really sure what to make of it. They never really put a label on the relationship, did they? No, then that would mean commitment ... and neither of them wanted that just yet. It was true, they grew up together in Castles.

It was just a crazy coincidence that they both happened to have get the letter of invitation. It was like a bunch of kids going to Hogwarts. Regardless, they loved the freedom from their parents and other authorities and went straight to the partying and the drugs and the sex. Nina of course, taking care of Jared on his off nights. Yes, they were young, but that was the reason why they abused their bodies.

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[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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Ah. That, if anything, was a bad idea to plant in Nate's head. Getting someone back? Well, he was a romantic sort, that much was true, but he also wasn't stupid (but of course some would disagree on that). There was a reason behind the break-up. Several, in fact. And he would just be ripping open the wound if he blurted something out to her, like, 'I think it was a mistake'. He could just see that going down-hill, and fast.

But... with time. Maybe. A slower approach. That could get him somewhere... or it might get him nowhere. It won't finish his pizza for him, and his next class starts in like, fifteen minutes. He'd better get cracking, or something. Talking about Jane was off the table, anyway.

When he heard Jared's answer about him and Nina, he couldn't help but laugh. "And that's all it is, then?", he asked, raising both eyebrows in an almost challenging way. "Partying and sex? And room-sharing, of course."

He paused, taking a drink from his mineral water. "So you wouldn't mind if, say, Nina find herself a boyfriend or something?" He wasn't interested in her himself, despite what it might sound like, but simply... curious. It seemed like such an odd relationship, to a romantic such as himself. Ha.

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[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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He ran his hand through his hair roughly and scratched his side-burn. All this talk about Nina was making his blood hot and he was getting nervous. Hopefully Nate wouldn't notice. The last thing he wanted was people thinking that he actually liked Nina ... that was ridiculous anyway.

"Yes, that's all." Jared insisted, but he knew it was a lie. He didn't know why he was hiding it. Perhaps it was the fact that he had told everyone and made everyone know he wasn't into commitment ... and yet, here he was, wanting to throw himself at a silly girl who knew no commitment either.

A nervous chuckle escaped him as Nate mentioned Nina and a potential boyfriend. "That would never happen." he said, as a lame explanation for his laugh. "Besides if it did, I think I would mind..." Jared added. He wanted to continue with, 'because I'd be super jealous of the guy.' but merely said, "... because they'll probably be ka-noodling in my dorm... haha, why? Did you want to make a move? Fair warning though, the girl can be pretty crazy." A grin was etched on his face as he returned to his original position with arms crossed.

He knew Nate was his friend and all ... but what was he doing asking him about Nina? Jared wasn't offended or anything, just curios. He tried to flip the situation back onto Nate, hopefully deflecting all the attention he and Nina were getting.

"I don't think Nina and are the perfect match..." yet again, another lie, "But you and Jane would be good together, and good to each other. I think, anyway." Jared put his hands up in the air, a similar position to when you surrender to a man with a gun. "If she'd have you back, I think you should try and get her back." Jared added, trying to provoke conversation other than him and Nina.

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[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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Nate wasn't exactly the most observant guy around. Yeah, he paid attention when he had to, or when something interested him, but he wasn't one who sat and watched people for signs of feelings or thoughts or... you know. Stuff. The reason he could see that there was more to this than Jared let on probably had more to do with the fact that he kind of was on the look-out.

...when things suddenly (yes, he felt it sudden) was about him being interested in Nina- "Whoa, man, back up a second", he interrupted, "me... and Nina?" He laughed a bit at the thought. Sure, the girl was pretty, but not really his type. He prefered dark-haired beauties... like Jane... he quickly cleared his throat, and went on; "You don't have anything to worry about, mate. Nina is all yours."

As if to prove that he meant it, he made a sweeping gesture with one arm, nearly nearly hitting his bottle in the process. Perhaps he shouldn't have mentioned Nina. It turned things awkward very quickly. And though he didn't really feel like speaking about Jane, either...

"I'm doing my best, y'know", he sighed. "It's just that, when you agree to break something off with someone, it's not that easy to just waltz back in and say, 'hey, I think I regret breaking up with you, wanna get back together?'... I wished it was, though."

Shaking his head, he gave his pizza quite a miserable look. Girls. So complicated. Rather - love.

"Hey, now you've got to cheer me up. I can't go 'round looking moody - what would people think? Tell me something funny."

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[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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Jared had to admit, he did enjoy Nate's company very much. They can talk to each other in rather straightforward terms and weren't really that afraid to hide something on their mind. He liked Nate, and he liked Jane. It seems only natural that Jared presses this topic on the two ... but truth be told, he just didn't care that much anymore.

He chuckled softly when it was obvious that Nate felt that the tables had turned. It was just a joke, jeez. And at the thought of Nina being all his, a small grin etched its way on his face, but he tried his hardest to get rid of it. And like his admiration for Nina, the smile was stubborn on leaving. "Hah, thanks, I think?" To be frank, Jared wasn't sure if having Nina all to himself was what he wanted just yet.

"You know, it's only ever hard if you make it hard." Jared said, looking down at his hands. But quickly, his mind interpreted the words into something rather perverted. He laughed quickly and added, "In a not perverted way, haha. But look, a conversation is only ever awkward if you feel that it is... if that made any sense." He was not one to give advice well. He rarely followed any advice given to him, let alone the advice he gives himself. True, he should very well listen to the wise voices around him, but Jared thinks he knows best and was confident in his decisions, right or wrong.

Nate had suddenly looked sad. Had Jared done something wrong? Perhaps it was the topic of conversation. Girls did have this thing they like to do with boys ... you know, baffle them. Jared kind of liked the confusion and mystery to girls. It made them even more intriguing, but he knew where Nate was coming from. At times, boys, Jared included, would just wish girls would quit with the mind games and be blunt about it. However, that wasn't enough for Jared to just stick to boys.

Yes, Jared has had his fair share of boys in the past, but he's never gone far or gone too committed to them. He was sure Nate knew he was bisexual, and Jared was positive that he was bisexual as well.

But his thoughts were interrupted about sexual orientation when Nate commented on his own gloomy mood. A smile escaped him, "I didn't know I was funny..." he scoffed, "You've always made it clear that I was not exactly amusing." the grin on his face widened as he crossed his arms in a triumphant way.

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[NATHANIAL O'CALLAGHAN]

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While Nate was far from meager when it came to compliments and girl, he had a tendency to be extremely so when it came to other guys. Why? Well, that's a good question. Maybe because it's only girls that he flirts with, and whenever he compliments someone, it tends to be because he's flirting with them. Not that he never have looked upon a guy and had a flattering thought rush through his head - not that he likes to acknowledge that, mind you... it's just that... it's nothing he thinks about. Much.

So when he said, or implied, really, that Jared had the ability to be funny... clear sign that he really wanted a change of subject. At least he hadn't said that Jared had nice hair - now that would have been awkward. Did he even think that Jared had nice hair? Hmm. It wasn't ugly, anyway. And that was as near as a "compliment" Nate would come at the moment.

"You... have your moments", he said, or more like admitted. "Don't let it go to your head", he warned, although he feared that it might already be too late for that. "I simply mean that there's certainly less enjoyable persons around. You know. Less boring." He waved around his hand a bit as if to show what he meant.

What the hell was he talking about? He'd pretty much forgotten, or at least he hoped he'd forget sometime. Or that he wasn't saying what it seemed like he was saying, which was, "I like you". In a very strange way. And also a strictly friendly way.

Or so he liked to think anyway. So he hoped. Didn't he have enough issues without, uh, liking someone he kind of considered a close friend? Yeah, going down that road would probably make it impossible to ever get Jane back, if he wanted to do what.

Right now, he just felt like teleporting away somewhere. Cowardly? Yes. Was he close to actually doing it? Yes.

"Anyway", he said, scratching his neck. Would it be too weird if he tried to make a run for it? Probably. Ugh, all these questions! "I, uh... I've got class in five minutes, so I should..." He gave a half-hearted smile, looked down on his half-eaten pizza, and made his way to stand.


[let's just pretend this didn't take forever and revel in the awkward mess Nate is making out of things! Poor boy; where's his sense gone?... out the window with mine, maybe. xD]

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[JARED LIAM ROBINSON]

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Jared watched as Nate made his way to stand up. Being polite, he stood up too, He finished his food a while ago, it was only a matter of time before they both finished. "Sure, man." he added, screwing the bottle cap to the empty neck.

He realized how awkward he had made the conversation, but he really didn't care for it. Jared knew he had some tendencies to get awkward, but he didn't mind at all, and he was certain that Nate would get over it. However, there was a more pressing issue that had escaped his mind in the past few minutes.

So before Nate can poof off into a distance, Jared added quickly, "I need to talk to you about something later. It's not that important. Maybe I'll IM you?" And with that, Jared half turned away from Nate and toward the exit, "See you later, champ." he bid without a backward glance. By then, Nate had probably already teleported off to class.

While he walked with an empty bottle wedged between two fingers, Jared thought about the issue at hand. Lately, there seemed to be two Jared's. Crazy yes. It was also probably some kind of narcissistic manifestation of boredom. Regardless, it was on his mind. Two versions of him lived inside his body. One was the one you usually see, self-centered and obnoxious to the bone. The second, a much more refined version that seemed to know his way with words, but was still self-centered. Yes, the second he called Jerry. Yes, Jerry was the result of all the reading he did as a child.

However, Jerry never seemed to make himself visible when he wanted him to come. By the time Jerry shows up, Jared had already dug himself a huge hole and was on the verge of burying himself alive. He wanted to talk to Nate about it ... Jared didn't like the two people inside him and wanted to know of this was normal or if there was anything he could do about it.

Nate was a good friend, few that Jared seemed to have. And at that thought, he scoffed out loud and made his way to class.

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