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Realistic or Modern Jesus of Suburbia: Revival
- Thread starter erikalalove
- Start date
Juliolele
Junior Member
Thomas was someone that not many people fancied to be around. He wasn't a bad guy, but there was something about him that made him bad company. For one, his story is known to almost everyone. He has long chapters filled with drug abuse and anarchist tendencies. He has picked fights with cops and shown more government officials disrespect than anyone. He has set stuff on fire, tagged on stuff, broken stuff, and has displayed extreme anger issues. He is someone that people know not to mess with. People especially know not to mess with anyone not capable of sticking up for themselves in front of him. In high school he would beat up athletes for picking on the less popular and would play pranks on the cheer leaders for laughing at special needs children. He has anger problems but he has always preached that chaos is not the answer to bring peace. Peace is all he ever really wants and he knows that being at peace with himself is also extremely important. That's why he can't just stand by and watch the strong pick on the weak. That goes against everything he believes in as he thinks the only war there is to fight is the class war. The rich versus the poor, the strong versus the weak. In his mind that's all it ever comes down to and for him to just stand back and let evil bloom in front of his eyes makes him sick.
He strode into the party with his best friend, Joel. On their feet was their boots. The black Dr Marten 1490s was what the punks in this town were known for. Thomas sported black laces on his pair and on Joel a soft pink lit up the leather on his. It not only made them look more intimidating but it did make them more intimidating. Getting into a fight with someone who wears boots for a fashion statement is scary because the footwear they choose to wear is like having a permanent set of brass knuckles for your feet. Getting kicked by someone with boots on isn't fun.
Him and Joel kept walking through the crowds of people and the blaring music. Joel knew this girl from school and they became good friends since they had a couple of classes together. He doesn't believe she knows he is gay, but from what Joel has told him about her she never made any advances on him anyway. From what Thomas understands she just invited him to the party to have a couple of drinks and have a good time. Once they arrived to her he introduced himself. He learned that her name was Kari and that she was with her room mate, Julia.
Julia was an interesting character as well. She grew up without very much family. She had never met her father and when she was young her mother had left her all alone. She bounced around from place to place at first as for most of her conscious child hood she can remember being legally homeless. Her mother's friends took her in and distant relatives took her in. But no where she went did it ever feel like a home. She longed to just feel safe by the walls and people that encased her life. That is why she is known as being a little boy crazy. While true, she is a very passionate lover who loves with all of her heart; she is also extremely gullible. Men who clearly were just using her either for sex or some other financial/social gain she was completely blind to. She has been used by men who were in committed relationships, used by married men, used by men who clearly weren't capable of loving anyone, and in a couple of cases used by women also. Her heart ached the same pain every time she found out the truth but she still stayed positive and was open that maybe one day she can find what she was longing for.
Kari was a cool girl in Julia's eyes. She thought she was extremely beautiful and she liked to be around her. Although she didn't feel like Kari wanted to be as good of friends as Julia wanted. While Julia never got the impression that Kari didn't like her at all, she has noticed that her mental health takes a toll on Kari. Julia was extremely OCD and had other issues concerning with anxiety and depression. Who doesn't? But her OCD has annoyed Kari and that was obvious. She counted how many times she asked Kari if she locked the door before they left and each time she said yes Julia was never reassured. She cleaned and cleaned until ever square inch was just how she wanted it. That is just how she was. When she didn't have a loving family to occupy her time her brain found other ways to cope. That is why Julia liked to drink and smoke weed. When she was messed up for once her mind was at peace. She doesn't care that something isn't clean. She doesn't care if she can't remember whether or not she locked the door.
When Kari's friend Joel arrived she was shocked by how handsome he was. She had never seen him before but Kari had sighed when Julia asked if Joel or his friend was attractive. Julia took that as maybe Kari was getting fed up with Julia. She couldn't help it though. She had shook hands with both of the men that approached her and Kari and learned that Joel's friend was named Thomas. They both seemed like really down to Earth people but they also seemed really intimidating. The way they stood straight up with confidence in their tall boots made Julia feel safe when they were around.
He strode into the party with his best friend, Joel. On their feet was their boots. The black Dr Marten 1490s was what the punks in this town were known for. Thomas sported black laces on his pair and on Joel a soft pink lit up the leather on his. It not only made them look more intimidating but it did make them more intimidating. Getting into a fight with someone who wears boots for a fashion statement is scary because the footwear they choose to wear is like having a permanent set of brass knuckles for your feet. Getting kicked by someone with boots on isn't fun.
Him and Joel kept walking through the crowds of people and the blaring music. Joel knew this girl from school and they became good friends since they had a couple of classes together. He doesn't believe she knows he is gay, but from what Joel has told him about her she never made any advances on him anyway. From what Thomas understands she just invited him to the party to have a couple of drinks and have a good time. Once they arrived to her he introduced himself. He learned that her name was Kari and that she was with her room mate, Julia.
Julia was an interesting character as well. She grew up without very much family. She had never met her father and when she was young her mother had left her all alone. She bounced around from place to place at first as for most of her conscious child hood she can remember being legally homeless. Her mother's friends took her in and distant relatives took her in. But no where she went did it ever feel like a home. She longed to just feel safe by the walls and people that encased her life. That is why she is known as being a little boy crazy. While true, she is a very passionate lover who loves with all of her heart; she is also extremely gullible. Men who clearly were just using her either for sex or some other financial/social gain she was completely blind to. She has been used by men who were in committed relationships, used by married men, used by men who clearly weren't capable of loving anyone, and in a couple of cases used by women also. Her heart ached the same pain every time she found out the truth but she still stayed positive and was open that maybe one day she can find what she was longing for.
Kari was a cool girl in Julia's eyes. She thought she was extremely beautiful and she liked to be around her. Although she didn't feel like Kari wanted to be as good of friends as Julia wanted. While Julia never got the impression that Kari didn't like her at all, she has noticed that her mental health takes a toll on Kari. Julia was extremely OCD and had other issues concerning with anxiety and depression. Who doesn't? But her OCD has annoyed Kari and that was obvious. She counted how many times she asked Kari if she locked the door before they left and each time she said yes Julia was never reassured. She cleaned and cleaned until ever square inch was just how she wanted it. That is just how she was. When she didn't have a loving family to occupy her time her brain found other ways to cope. That is why Julia liked to drink and smoke weed. When she was messed up for once her mind was at peace. She doesn't care that something isn't clean. She doesn't care if she can't remember whether or not she locked the door.
When Kari's friend Joel arrived she was shocked by how handsome he was. She had never seen him before but Kari had sighed when Julia asked if Joel or his friend was attractive. Julia took that as maybe Kari was getting fed up with Julia. She couldn't help it though. She had shook hands with both of the men that approached her and Kari and learned that Joel's friend was named Thomas. They both seemed like really down to Earth people but they also seemed really intimidating. The way they stood straight up with confidence in their tall boots made Julia feel safe when they were around.
erikalalove
|-/
Kari was the type of person who rarely took a stand on anything from politics to essay topics to deciding where her group of friends should go for dinner; she wasn’t extraordinarily passionate about much. From her perspective, it was much easier to move with the flow and alignment of whoever she was with. She hated arguing. The tensions that dominated the air after an argument was just too much for her. She would rather everyone shut up and get along and move on. Even when her mom yelled at her for being out late or getting less than desirable grades, which hardly happened since she got a new boyfriend, Kari just kind of sat there and took the berating until she got over it, and she always did.
Who wants to butt heads with their mother? Kari thought it would make her life a lot easier if she went with what her mom said, especially because she was a single mother. It’s not like her father died or walked out on them, though; they just weren’t soulmates (a concept that Kari also doesn’t take a solid stance on, but that’s how her mother explained the separation when she was younger.) He tried to be in his daughter’s life, coming to her youth rec sport events, attending her graduations, and treating her on or around her birthdays, but after her mom started seeing her new boyfriend, she seemed so stressed out all the time and took it out on her father, and he grew more distant. Kari tried to sneak a relationship with him, but after getting chewed out a few times by her mom and her crazy-eyes, it got harder. Last Kari heard, her dad found a new, less crazy woman, and he was happy with her, which was all Kari wanted for him.
College was the great escape for Kari. She had never thought college to be her after-school path until her mother’s personality upheaval with the new boyfriend, but it quickly became the best option. She knew a handful of friends and acquaintances attending the same college, and it wasn’t that far from home. She enjoyed living in the dorm with a stranger, Julia, and being in charge of herself; it was like a trial-run for being an adult. Kari wasn’t exactly a 4.0-student, but if she got on the grind, she could make Dean’s List. No one would be exceptionally proud of her, but she knew starting with good grades would be important. Maybe that was one thing Kari cared about: her GPA. Another great perk of college was the exposure to legitimate parties, not some high school “my parents are gone for the weekend” party, but big frat and house parties with hired DJs and good alcohol not stolen from parents’ liquor cabinets.
Tonight, one such party was going on, and Kari had planned to go with her friends from high school, but they bailed for one reason or another. She still really wanted to go just to let loose from a bad essay grade a few days before so she asked Julia to go with her. While in the class she got the bad grade it, she dropped to a developing friend Joel that she needed to get out of the textbooks and mentioned the party her roommate and her planned on attending. She invited him to meet her there and bring some friends. Kari wasn’t particularly attracted to Joel, but not every guy that a girl met was a possible boyfriend to her; she had plenty of guy friends.
That brings us to Joel, another sweet, naive, a bit airheaded person who reminded Kari of her roommate. He and Thomas were pretty close, considering they shared a house close enough to the college campus that he could walk to class within fifteen or twenty minutes. Joel will tell you that he was kicked out by his parents and old-fashioned grandfather, and his family will tell you that he chose to leave for this and that bullshit reason, but in the end, it didn’t really matter to Joel. He didn’t feel welcome, and that held true whether he left because of it or it led to him being kicked out. After crashing on his cousin’s floor at midnight and leaving by four in the morning (to hide his stay from his extended family, who had definitely heard about what happened) for part of junior year, Joel decided he couldn’t put his cousin at risk anymore, and he would rather have been homeless than have gotten his cousin in trouble or kicked out as well.
He was lurking around campus one day after classes to find a place to wedge a stick to allow him access later and find a spot to sleep, his friend Thomas popped up out of seemingly nowhere, already knew what was up, and asked how he could help him. That was Thomas; he was incredible proficient at reading people and situations, and he was always willing to cut a thumb off if you needed it. Joel started staying with Thomas and confessing the situation, and he had to talk his friend down from contacting his parents to lay into them about rejecting their gay son. Thomas was steamed for the moment, but he figured out it would probably make Joel’s life harder so he tried to keep his mouth shut and house his friend.
Joel was also pretty innocent, naive, and a bit air-headed. He fell for men like Julia did. Several times during his senior year of high school, he would tell Thomas that he was leaving for a date or leaving to put down a deposit for an apartment with his new man so he wouldn’t burden him anymore. A handful of times, Joel would come home banged up from being baited with the promise of a date. Another few times, Joel’s new man would break it off and cut off all contact after shelling out for bills or down payment, leaving with him with broken heart and an empty bank account or wallet. Every time, Thomas was furious, and on a few occasions, although he won’t own up to it, Joel thinks he traced these guys down and gave them what they deserved. As much as Joel wanted to relish in justice and revenge, it felt wrong because he blamed himself for falling every time. If it was too good to be true, it probably was, but Joel didn’t care.
College was also the great escape for Joel. He was away from the shit his family had boiled up, which had spilled over to their coworkers and the entire family tree up to the newest branches: it was a chance to start over. Joel was actually great at studying, homework, and exams when he had a stable place to stay: the house he shared with Thomas and a few other random guys. The rent was pretty cheap considering how close they were to campus and Greek Row, and the parties were easy to get into, even for a couple of guys, who usually had to pay.
In one of his classes that caught his attention immediately while scrolling through the class catalogue -- Beginning Poetry Writing -- he was somewhat forced to introduce himself to his peers around him, and he met a young woman named Kari. He was pretty fond of her as a prospective friend. He liked her hair color -- he even liked how the roots were grown out a little -- and she liked his boots -- the Doc Martens 1490s were slick. She had commented on his laces, how the pink shone against the black, and he became nervous for a pinpoint moment, but she didn’t seem to realize they had a hidden meaning; she just liked the aesthetic. When she invited Joel to a party that Friday night, he became a little nervous again; was he into her? Had he been giving bad signals? It didn’t seem that way to him. He agreed to attend and brought Thomas.
While they approached the party, Kari and Julia were already a shot or two deep and sipping on a mixed drink. It tasted like garbage, of course, but that’s what happens when you mix liquor in a rolling cooler. A boy was trying to chat the girls up, but he was already falling over himself. As Julia nervously tried to bat away his questions and his alcohol-stained breath, Kari looked at the ground, and once she saw some pink laces, her face lit up. She looked up and grinned, never happier to see a guy in her life. She called his name and hugged him; even if they weren’t that close, she was a little tipsy and a little more friendly.
Kari introduced Joel and his friend to her roommate Julia, and Joel introduced them to his friend Thomas. Kari felt Julia nudge her a little, quickly signalling her long thought of “Both of these guys are really cute. Are either of them single? Do they think we’re cute? Which one do you want?” Julia was exhaustingly boy-crazy, and Kari, at times, acted like it annoyed her to no end, but she was exaggerating; she thought her roommate would catch that.
Okay, maybe she wasn’t exaggerating. Julia was quite the roommate, but she wasn’t close to anything like the horror stories her older relatives and teachers had told her about. She wasn’t a slob or completely inconsiderate. In fact, she was exactly the opposite. She was a neat-freak, maybe bordering on OCD a little in Kari’s unprofessional opinion. She liked to make sure the door was locked -- she made sure six times before they left for the party -- and she liked everything being arranged and cleaned exactly how she liked it. Thankfully, she didn’t read to Kari’s side, but she knew her messier habits annoyed Julia. Maybe cleaning helped Julia cope with something darker, or maybe the cleaning was her darker insect constantly nibbling her brain, but Kari tried to bare with it and throw in some humor here and there to ease the tension.
The one thing that did slightly annoy Kari more than anything about her roommate was how fucking boy-crazy she was. Any time a boy’s name was mentioned, Julia’s first reaction was to ask, “Is he cute? Can I see a picture?” When they went out -- after she checked the door six times, of course -- Julia would spend the entire time scoping out boys, rating them and prodding Kari to ask them if they were interested in her, instead of actually enjoying some girls-out, roommate-bonding time. Kari wondered if Julia had actually ever had a boyfriend and how she would react to a boy actually liking her back. Some girls were crazy about men, but freaked out about commitment. Okay, maybe Kari was more than slightly annoyed by Julia, and maybe she let it show too much.
Who wants to butt heads with their mother? Kari thought it would make her life a lot easier if she went with what her mom said, especially because she was a single mother. It’s not like her father died or walked out on them, though; they just weren’t soulmates (a concept that Kari also doesn’t take a solid stance on, but that’s how her mother explained the separation when she was younger.) He tried to be in his daughter’s life, coming to her youth rec sport events, attending her graduations, and treating her on or around her birthdays, but after her mom started seeing her new boyfriend, she seemed so stressed out all the time and took it out on her father, and he grew more distant. Kari tried to sneak a relationship with him, but after getting chewed out a few times by her mom and her crazy-eyes, it got harder. Last Kari heard, her dad found a new, less crazy woman, and he was happy with her, which was all Kari wanted for him.
College was the great escape for Kari. She had never thought college to be her after-school path until her mother’s personality upheaval with the new boyfriend, but it quickly became the best option. She knew a handful of friends and acquaintances attending the same college, and it wasn’t that far from home. She enjoyed living in the dorm with a stranger, Julia, and being in charge of herself; it was like a trial-run for being an adult. Kari wasn’t exactly a 4.0-student, but if she got on the grind, she could make Dean’s List. No one would be exceptionally proud of her, but she knew starting with good grades would be important. Maybe that was one thing Kari cared about: her GPA. Another great perk of college was the exposure to legitimate parties, not some high school “my parents are gone for the weekend” party, but big frat and house parties with hired DJs and good alcohol not stolen from parents’ liquor cabinets.
Tonight, one such party was going on, and Kari had planned to go with her friends from high school, but they bailed for one reason or another. She still really wanted to go just to let loose from a bad essay grade a few days before so she asked Julia to go with her. While in the class she got the bad grade it, she dropped to a developing friend Joel that she needed to get out of the textbooks and mentioned the party her roommate and her planned on attending. She invited him to meet her there and bring some friends. Kari wasn’t particularly attracted to Joel, but not every guy that a girl met was a possible boyfriend to her; she had plenty of guy friends.
That brings us to Joel, another sweet, naive, a bit airheaded person who reminded Kari of her roommate. He and Thomas were pretty close, considering they shared a house close enough to the college campus that he could walk to class within fifteen or twenty minutes. Joel will tell you that he was kicked out by his parents and old-fashioned grandfather, and his family will tell you that he chose to leave for this and that bullshit reason, but in the end, it didn’t really matter to Joel. He didn’t feel welcome, and that held true whether he left because of it or it led to him being kicked out. After crashing on his cousin’s floor at midnight and leaving by four in the morning (to hide his stay from his extended family, who had definitely heard about what happened) for part of junior year, Joel decided he couldn’t put his cousin at risk anymore, and he would rather have been homeless than have gotten his cousin in trouble or kicked out as well.
He was lurking around campus one day after classes to find a place to wedge a stick to allow him access later and find a spot to sleep, his friend Thomas popped up out of seemingly nowhere, already knew what was up, and asked how he could help him. That was Thomas; he was incredible proficient at reading people and situations, and he was always willing to cut a thumb off if you needed it. Joel started staying with Thomas and confessing the situation, and he had to talk his friend down from contacting his parents to lay into them about rejecting their gay son. Thomas was steamed for the moment, but he figured out it would probably make Joel’s life harder so he tried to keep his mouth shut and house his friend.
Joel was also pretty innocent, naive, and a bit air-headed. He fell for men like Julia did. Several times during his senior year of high school, he would tell Thomas that he was leaving for a date or leaving to put down a deposit for an apartment with his new man so he wouldn’t burden him anymore. A handful of times, Joel would come home banged up from being baited with the promise of a date. Another few times, Joel’s new man would break it off and cut off all contact after shelling out for bills or down payment, leaving with him with broken heart and an empty bank account or wallet. Every time, Thomas was furious, and on a few occasions, although he won’t own up to it, Joel thinks he traced these guys down and gave them what they deserved. As much as Joel wanted to relish in justice and revenge, it felt wrong because he blamed himself for falling every time. If it was too good to be true, it probably was, but Joel didn’t care.
College was also the great escape for Joel. He was away from the shit his family had boiled up, which had spilled over to their coworkers and the entire family tree up to the newest branches: it was a chance to start over. Joel was actually great at studying, homework, and exams when he had a stable place to stay: the house he shared with Thomas and a few other random guys. The rent was pretty cheap considering how close they were to campus and Greek Row, and the parties were easy to get into, even for a couple of guys, who usually had to pay.
In one of his classes that caught his attention immediately while scrolling through the class catalogue -- Beginning Poetry Writing -- he was somewhat forced to introduce himself to his peers around him, and he met a young woman named Kari. He was pretty fond of her as a prospective friend. He liked her hair color -- he even liked how the roots were grown out a little -- and she liked his boots -- the Doc Martens 1490s were slick. She had commented on his laces, how the pink shone against the black, and he became nervous for a pinpoint moment, but she didn’t seem to realize they had a hidden meaning; she just liked the aesthetic. When she invited Joel to a party that Friday night, he became a little nervous again; was he into her? Had he been giving bad signals? It didn’t seem that way to him. He agreed to attend and brought Thomas.
While they approached the party, Kari and Julia were already a shot or two deep and sipping on a mixed drink. It tasted like garbage, of course, but that’s what happens when you mix liquor in a rolling cooler. A boy was trying to chat the girls up, but he was already falling over himself. As Julia nervously tried to bat away his questions and his alcohol-stained breath, Kari looked at the ground, and once she saw some pink laces, her face lit up. She looked up and grinned, never happier to see a guy in her life. She called his name and hugged him; even if they weren’t that close, she was a little tipsy and a little more friendly.
Kari introduced Joel and his friend to her roommate Julia, and Joel introduced them to his friend Thomas. Kari felt Julia nudge her a little, quickly signalling her long thought of “Both of these guys are really cute. Are either of them single? Do they think we’re cute? Which one do you want?” Julia was exhaustingly boy-crazy, and Kari, at times, acted like it annoyed her to no end, but she was exaggerating; she thought her roommate would catch that.
Okay, maybe she wasn’t exaggerating. Julia was quite the roommate, but she wasn’t close to anything like the horror stories her older relatives and teachers had told her about. She wasn’t a slob or completely inconsiderate. In fact, she was exactly the opposite. She was a neat-freak, maybe bordering on OCD a little in Kari’s unprofessional opinion. She liked to make sure the door was locked -- she made sure six times before they left for the party -- and she liked everything being arranged and cleaned exactly how she liked it. Thankfully, she didn’t read to Kari’s side, but she knew her messier habits annoyed Julia. Maybe cleaning helped Julia cope with something darker, or maybe the cleaning was her darker insect constantly nibbling her brain, but Kari tried to bare with it and throw in some humor here and there to ease the tension.
The one thing that did slightly annoy Kari more than anything about her roommate was how fucking boy-crazy she was. Any time a boy’s name was mentioned, Julia’s first reaction was to ask, “Is he cute? Can I see a picture?” When they went out -- after she checked the door six times, of course -- Julia would spend the entire time scoping out boys, rating them and prodding Kari to ask them if they were interested in her, instead of actually enjoying some girls-out, roommate-bonding time. Kari wondered if Julia had actually ever had a boyfriend and how she would react to a boy actually liking her back. Some girls were crazy about men, but freaked out about commitment. Okay, maybe Kari was more than slightly annoyed by Julia, and maybe she let it show too much.
Juliolele
Junior Member
Thomas and Joel were standing together for a few moments before taking seats next to Kari and Julia. The sofa they were sitting on was big enough to hold four people. Thomas settled on the seat on the end, next to Kari. Joel wedged himself inbetween Kari and Julia. The music was on but they were in a room far enough away to where they could still talk and all hear each other. Kari seemed like a nice girl. To Thomas what stood out the most on her is her face. She was delicately crafted and her jawline was sharp enough to cut diamonds. Her face was clear except for the freckles that ornamented her nose and cheeks. Thomas liked how she didn't cover that all up with make up. That was a sign of confidence. She seemed a little nervous for some reason though. He wasn't sure if she knew who he was or if she was just like this around new people. "I don't go to school anymore. I decided I don't have the brains to make it in college." Thomas explained. "I'm not stupid but I'm definitely not cut out for it."
Julia was nervous as all hell. She decided she probably needed a couple more drinks before the sinking feeling in her stomach went away. Maybe she needed a bowl as well. Not only were both of these guys really attractive but they also looked really scary. They were tall, slender, had cuffed jeans, and high boots. At the same time though, something about their appearance made Julia believe they both didn't care about what people thought of them. They dressed like this for the look but wherever they come from she can tell they chose to look this way for a reason. These were the kinds of guys in the movies and books that get you into some sticky situations. She liked Joel. He seemed a lot like her in the sense that he was timid and awfully quiet. The pink laces on his boots also stood out to her. It was nice that he wasn't afraid to wear colors like that. She crossed her legs and sat up straight making sure to fold her hands to try and not seems as tense. She probably looked extremely uncomfortable. She took a sip of her beer. "I'm sure you would be able to do it." Julia disagreed with Thomas. "School isn't hard once you get into the rhythm of it all."
Julia was nervous as all hell. She decided she probably needed a couple more drinks before the sinking feeling in her stomach went away. Maybe she needed a bowl as well. Not only were both of these guys really attractive but they also looked really scary. They were tall, slender, had cuffed jeans, and high boots. At the same time though, something about their appearance made Julia believe they both didn't care about what people thought of them. They dressed like this for the look but wherever they come from she can tell they chose to look this way for a reason. These were the kinds of guys in the movies and books that get you into some sticky situations. She liked Joel. He seemed a lot like her in the sense that he was timid and awfully quiet. The pink laces on his boots also stood out to her. It was nice that he wasn't afraid to wear colors like that. She crossed her legs and sat up straight making sure to fold her hands to try and not seems as tense. She probably looked extremely uncomfortable. She took a sip of her beer. "I'm sure you would be able to do it." Julia disagreed with Thomas. "School isn't hard once you get into the rhythm of it all."
erikalalove
|-/
Kari would be lying if she said that she wasn’t intimidated by and moderately scared of Thomas -- and come to think of it, Joel, too. It wasn’t like he looked outrageous or anything; she had seen scarier people at high school: covered in ink, face full of metal, ears stretched out, hair flaunted like a poisonous crest. Thomas seemed relatively normal. Well, normal by Kari’s standards, and her life was a bit more scrambled than most. Maybe it was the way he carried himself: upright and confidently, but did the confidence really intimidate her? Didn’t most women find it sexy?
Her thoughts were grounded as Thomas and Joel plopped down on the couch, jostling her a little and separating her from both the edge and Julia. She tried to loosen up and join the conversation, drinking from her cup from when Thomas started speaking until Julia finished assuring Thomas. Man, Kari didn’t think she needed to drink to talk to guys. “I mean… so far, college is a lot better than I thought it would be, but,” she shrugged, “it’s not for everyone.”
Joel, on the other hand, wasn’t intimidated by these girls at all, especially since he didn’t have to worry about any romantic or sexual interest at all. He could just be himself, and everything would go well in theory. In fact, he felt a kind of duty to protect the girls from any douches that took advantage of them, and he knew that Thomas felt the same weight on his shoulders. The job came with the boots. “Yeah, you know, Thomas, you would’ve made Valedictorian if you hadn’t gotten suspended all the goddamn time for fighting,” Joel teased.
As funny as that comment was to Joel, and as much as it broke the ice with them, he realized how awfully intimidating he had made Thomas sound, especially when he was sitting next to the girl he thought would have a decent interest in him. “I didn’t mean to make him sound like a bad guy or anything.” Joel added on quickly. “He gets into fights for good-ass reasons. Just… you know, public school “zero tolerance” bullshit…” He took a drink of his beer to hide his face.
“Oh, yeah, I get it.” Kari warmed up and stepped up to reassure Joel. Truthfully, his comment had briefly struck fear into her heart, but she saw him try to reclaim his friend’s reputation. “My friend from high school got in a fight and got suspended, but she didn’t even start it.”
Her thoughts were grounded as Thomas and Joel plopped down on the couch, jostling her a little and separating her from both the edge and Julia. She tried to loosen up and join the conversation, drinking from her cup from when Thomas started speaking until Julia finished assuring Thomas. Man, Kari didn’t think she needed to drink to talk to guys. “I mean… so far, college is a lot better than I thought it would be, but,” she shrugged, “it’s not for everyone.”
Joel, on the other hand, wasn’t intimidated by these girls at all, especially since he didn’t have to worry about any romantic or sexual interest at all. He could just be himself, and everything would go well in theory. In fact, he felt a kind of duty to protect the girls from any douches that took advantage of them, and he knew that Thomas felt the same weight on his shoulders. The job came with the boots. “Yeah, you know, Thomas, you would’ve made Valedictorian if you hadn’t gotten suspended all the goddamn time for fighting,” Joel teased.
As funny as that comment was to Joel, and as much as it broke the ice with them, he realized how awfully intimidating he had made Thomas sound, especially when he was sitting next to the girl he thought would have a decent interest in him. “I didn’t mean to make him sound like a bad guy or anything.” Joel added on quickly. “He gets into fights for good-ass reasons. Just… you know, public school “zero tolerance” bullshit…” He took a drink of his beer to hide his face.
“Oh, yeah, I get it.” Kari warmed up and stepped up to reassure Joel. Truthfully, his comment had briefly struck fear into her heart, but she saw him try to reclaim his friend’s reputation. “My friend from high school got in a fight and got suspended, but she didn’t even start it.”
Juliolele
Junior Member
Thomas and Kari talked for a bit. They went off into basic small talk that you usually go into once you first meet someone. It was nice because Thomas isn't really one that meets new people often. The new people he does meet usually don't like him or they already know who he is so they don't really give him a chance. All of a sudden Thomas started to hear shouting. Mostly racial slurs and the sounds of people stumbling to the ground. He didn't know what was going on but his attention was immediately drawn to it. He sprung up out of his seat and rushed over to where the music was to turn it off. Everyone looked angry at that because not everyone could hear what Thomas heard. He walked quickly to the kitchen of the frat house to where he heard the rumbling going on. What he saw in front of him really pissed him off. Two guys stood over another who was on the floor and looked scared half to death. One of the guys standing up was tall and skinny with a shaved head while the other was shorter and a bit more plump with a beard and buzz cut. Both of them wore the same boots that Joel and Thomas wore but they had white laces. On the ground was a skinny guy who was black. Off to the side was a girl who resembled the taller guy who looked scared half to death.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you stupid I'm uncultured. Leave my fucking sister alone." The taller guy stood over him with a folding knife drawn. The girl was screaming at the top of her lungs horrified and clearly not knowing what to do. The plumper guy had a gallon of milk in his hand and began to pour it all over the black guy's face.
"You would look a lot better this color." Both of the Nazi-punks were laughing at that. Thomas couldn't take it anymore. The sight of these two guys made him sick and he almost exploded with rage. He also knew that this was private property though so he couldn't just start swinging.
"Hey!" He yelled. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He stepped towards them. All eyes were on Thomas now as Joel stepped behind him making it clear he was there to back him up if anything got too out of hand. "You Nazi-fucks think you're hardcore because you can catch a man off guard while he's enjoying a night out?" Thomas reached into his boot and pulled out a long handle. With the click of the silver button on it a blade that was twice as long as the tall guy's swung out and locked into place. Thomas gripped it hard, clearly demonstrating this wasn't his first time holding a knife to someone. "You want to dance? I'm waiting for you. I've stabbed racist fascists like you for less. Come prove how hardcore you really are." Thomas was bluffing. He had no intentions of fighting or stabbing anyone. But he saw that these guys didn't even have their red laces. That means that they've never actually killed or hurt someone in the name of their cause. He was hoping they weren't going to try and earn them tonight.
Both of them looked angry but then they seemed to have realized how serious Thomas actually was. The plumper guy dropped the gallon and the tall one folded his knife back up. Thomas didn't realize it but the whole party was staring at the two guys too as if they were all backing him up as well. If these guys were trying to start anything they wouldn't win.
Julia stared in awe at what was happening. She wasn't good with confrontation at all but she liked how Thomas was telling these guys off. This guy sure didn't deserve what they were doing for him and she respected Thomas for being able to stand up to bullies in such a light. It worked as they both started to leave. The whole party was booing at them as they were trying to curse at the top of their lungs over them. By the time they left the were covered in the beer and food that people were throwing at them. She saw Thomas go over to the guy and help him up. Even over heard him asking if he had a ride home or if he wanted him to help him find a shower and borrow some clothes. She looked over at Kari not really knowing if she was as shocked as she was. Stuff like this doesn't usually happen and when it does Julia only hears about it, not encounters it. When the Nazis left Julia saw a bunch of people come up and give Thomas hand shakes and hugs. People might be scared of him but in that moment of time they saw him as a superhero.
"How many times do I have to tell you, you stupid I'm uncultured. Leave my fucking sister alone." The taller guy stood over him with a folding knife drawn. The girl was screaming at the top of her lungs horrified and clearly not knowing what to do. The plumper guy had a gallon of milk in his hand and began to pour it all over the black guy's face.
"You would look a lot better this color." Both of the Nazi-punks were laughing at that. Thomas couldn't take it anymore. The sight of these two guys made him sick and he almost exploded with rage. He also knew that this was private property though so he couldn't just start swinging.
"Hey!" He yelled. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He stepped towards them. All eyes were on Thomas now as Joel stepped behind him making it clear he was there to back him up if anything got too out of hand. "You Nazi-fucks think you're hardcore because you can catch a man off guard while he's enjoying a night out?" Thomas reached into his boot and pulled out a long handle. With the click of the silver button on it a blade that was twice as long as the tall guy's swung out and locked into place. Thomas gripped it hard, clearly demonstrating this wasn't his first time holding a knife to someone. "You want to dance? I'm waiting for you. I've stabbed racist fascists like you for less. Come prove how hardcore you really are." Thomas was bluffing. He had no intentions of fighting or stabbing anyone. But he saw that these guys didn't even have their red laces. That means that they've never actually killed or hurt someone in the name of their cause. He was hoping they weren't going to try and earn them tonight.
Both of them looked angry but then they seemed to have realized how serious Thomas actually was. The plumper guy dropped the gallon and the tall one folded his knife back up. Thomas didn't realize it but the whole party was staring at the two guys too as if they were all backing him up as well. If these guys were trying to start anything they wouldn't win.
Julia stared in awe at what was happening. She wasn't good with confrontation at all but she liked how Thomas was telling these guys off. This guy sure didn't deserve what they were doing for him and she respected Thomas for being able to stand up to bullies in such a light. It worked as they both started to leave. The whole party was booing at them as they were trying to curse at the top of their lungs over them. By the time they left the were covered in the beer and food that people were throwing at them. She saw Thomas go over to the guy and help him up. Even over heard him asking if he had a ride home or if he wanted him to help him find a shower and borrow some clothes. She looked over at Kari not really knowing if she was as shocked as she was. Stuff like this doesn't usually happen and when it does Julia only hears about it, not encounters it. When the Nazis left Julia saw a bunch of people come up and give Thomas hand shakes and hugs. People might be scared of him but in that moment of time they saw him as a superhero.
erikalalove
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Kari, as she continued making small talk with Thomas, felt her anxieties and apprehensions about his initial impression melt away as they found common ground. After being caged up in a room with Julia and a campus with the same people with the same goal in life of getting at least a Bachelor's for a better job, it was nice to poke at an outsider's brain. Kari assumed that Julia and Joel were also getting along well, and she trusted Julia to not embarrass either of them so that she couldn't face her classmate next week. As she turned to check in on the other couple, the weight on the couch dramatically shifted, and she looked back to see Thomas charging into the crowd. Did she miss a cue or comment that he was getting more to drink, or was he upset that she had briefly stopped paying attention to him? She hadn't taken him to be the clingy/controlling type. Sparked by his sudden movement and the alcohol, Kari sprung up to follow Thomas. His shoulders were broader than hers, parting the crowd for her as she tried to catch up and ask him what the hell was up.
"What the hell, Thomas?" Kari asked rather rudely, grabbing his arm after he turned the music off. He was pissing everyone off, as girls stopped grinding on their guys to moan about the music cutting out. This guy liked stirring up chaos and pissing everyone off. Maybe it was best to let him freak out and walk out.
Thomas parted rather aggressively toward the kitchen, and Kari wasn't clued into what was happening until she followed him again. As they approached the kitchen, she suddenly knew what was going on and why he was so upset. Wait, how had he heard all that noise over the music, but she hadn't? He wasn't that much closer. Maybe he just had an ear for this sickening stuff.
Joel and Julia had also seen Thomas shoot out of his seat and disappear into the crowd with Kari following close behind like a confused puppy. Once the music cut out, they both assumed by Thomas' doing, Joel heard what had attracted Thomas and also hopped out of his seat. "I gotta find Thomas." He excused himself, but Julia seemed ready to tag along. As long as she didn't get hurt, he didn't mind. He kind of liked people seeing how little shits Thomas gave. Joel and Julia dove into the crowd as well, cutting out the middle trip to the DJ and going straight to the kitchen.
Right as Thomas began to engage the two men, Joel and Julia broke through the crowd and into the kitchen. Joel also found Kari standing by, bewildered and crushing her empty cup in her hand. Nudging Kari behind him and stepping up to back up Thomas, time seemed to slow for both young women as a knife flipped out and locked and threats were flying around.
Kari was terrified. She was terrified of how many outcomes there could be for this situation. Was Thomas going to get stabbed? Would they go for Joel next? Then Julia? Then her? What about if someone called the cops? She'd get in trouble for drinking and maybe get her scholarship taken away. What would her mom say then? What about Julia? Julia would freak the hell out if the cops showed up and busted her, too. Julia's OCD would go into overdrive as she lost a little more control over her life. What if Thomas stabbed one of them? Would he go to jail? Would Joel back him up? Would Joel go to jail too? Kari's head wouldn't stop swiveling. What if -- ?
Suddenly, a thunderous collection of insults and "boo"s came from the party crowd as the two assholes gave up and left, trying to put up a fight as they left but ultimately getting pushed out. The crowd suddenly focused on and fell in love with Thomas, cheering their respect and gratitude for him, but he continued focusing on the young man those jerks had been picking on. Kari relaxed her grip around her cup, looking over to Julia and silently asking, "What the fuck just happened?" She had been so quick to judge him, then take it back as she got to know him, and lay it back down as he disappeared and assumedly ruined the party. No, in fact, he had made it better, and now he would be the life of it.
After the mass wave of euphoria and relief swept through the party and everyone began to get back to their drunken behavior, wanting to grind and take more shots, the music came back on and the kitchen was mildly evacuated to start up more drinks and kegs. Of course, Thomas and his small group wasn't kicked out. In fact, they were offered more, stronger alcohol, the stuff that wasn't offered to everyone, let alone guys or girls that weren't putting out.
When Thomas was finally left alone for a moment from the hosts and other drunk men, Kari stepped up, taking a sip from one of the strongest drinks she had had in a while. "Hey, you had me scared for a second there." She said over the music, as if she wasn't still a little scared of him. "I thought you were going to stab someone, or worse, you were going to get stabbed!"
"What the hell, Thomas?" Kari asked rather rudely, grabbing his arm after he turned the music off. He was pissing everyone off, as girls stopped grinding on their guys to moan about the music cutting out. This guy liked stirring up chaos and pissing everyone off. Maybe it was best to let him freak out and walk out.
Thomas parted rather aggressively toward the kitchen, and Kari wasn't clued into what was happening until she followed him again. As they approached the kitchen, she suddenly knew what was going on and why he was so upset. Wait, how had he heard all that noise over the music, but she hadn't? He wasn't that much closer. Maybe he just had an ear for this sickening stuff.
Joel and Julia had also seen Thomas shoot out of his seat and disappear into the crowd with Kari following close behind like a confused puppy. Once the music cut out, they both assumed by Thomas' doing, Joel heard what had attracted Thomas and also hopped out of his seat. "I gotta find Thomas." He excused himself, but Julia seemed ready to tag along. As long as she didn't get hurt, he didn't mind. He kind of liked people seeing how little shits Thomas gave. Joel and Julia dove into the crowd as well, cutting out the middle trip to the DJ and going straight to the kitchen.
Right as Thomas began to engage the two men, Joel and Julia broke through the crowd and into the kitchen. Joel also found Kari standing by, bewildered and crushing her empty cup in her hand. Nudging Kari behind him and stepping up to back up Thomas, time seemed to slow for both young women as a knife flipped out and locked and threats were flying around.
Kari was terrified. She was terrified of how many outcomes there could be for this situation. Was Thomas going to get stabbed? Would they go for Joel next? Then Julia? Then her? What about if someone called the cops? She'd get in trouble for drinking and maybe get her scholarship taken away. What would her mom say then? What about Julia? Julia would freak the hell out if the cops showed up and busted her, too. Julia's OCD would go into overdrive as she lost a little more control over her life. What if Thomas stabbed one of them? Would he go to jail? Would Joel back him up? Would Joel go to jail too? Kari's head wouldn't stop swiveling. What if -- ?
Suddenly, a thunderous collection of insults and "boo"s came from the party crowd as the two assholes gave up and left, trying to put up a fight as they left but ultimately getting pushed out. The crowd suddenly focused on and fell in love with Thomas, cheering their respect and gratitude for him, but he continued focusing on the young man those jerks had been picking on. Kari relaxed her grip around her cup, looking over to Julia and silently asking, "What the fuck just happened?" She had been so quick to judge him, then take it back as she got to know him, and lay it back down as he disappeared and assumedly ruined the party. No, in fact, he had made it better, and now he would be the life of it.
After the mass wave of euphoria and relief swept through the party and everyone began to get back to their drunken behavior, wanting to grind and take more shots, the music came back on and the kitchen was mildly evacuated to start up more drinks and kegs. Of course, Thomas and his small group wasn't kicked out. In fact, they were offered more, stronger alcohol, the stuff that wasn't offered to everyone, let alone guys or girls that weren't putting out.
When Thomas was finally left alone for a moment from the hosts and other drunk men, Kari stepped up, taking a sip from one of the strongest drinks she had had in a while. "Hey, you had me scared for a second there." She said over the music, as if she wasn't still a little scared of him. "I thought you were going to stab someone, or worse, you were going to get stabbed!"
Juliolele
Junior Member
Julia and Joel enjoyed the rest of the party. They smoked and drank the top shelf stuff that they were offered because they were with Thomas. They had a good time and Julia was enjoying the moment as she felt like Joel was a really good friend to have around. Even if she had just met him he was the most down to Earth dude that she had ever met. She just hoped that her first impression wasn't wrong. She had been wrong about first impressions so much.
"You were scared?" Thomas questioned. He couldn't even begin to explain how scared he was. He puts on a poker face but he never knows when he will run into the person who is even crazier than he is. "Don't be scared. That's how you end up dead. When they think you are crazier than them, they aren't going to fuck with you. Even if you aren't, just don't fold on your bluff." Thomas was kind of drunk at this point but he did know how to hold his liquor so he wasn't stumbling over his feet or anything. Thomas took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and leaned into Kari's ear. "You want to go outside for a smoke?" After she agreed to tag along they walked out the back door onto a patio. The music was still loud but at least they could hear each other talk now. "My ears are ringing, bro." With his pinkie he wiggled around inside of his ear. He pulled out a smoke and lit it. "You want one?" He asked handing it her way. She seemed uneasy about holding it but she put the end in her mouth and Thomas lit it for her.
He could tell she doesn't smoke cigarettes by the way she was smoking it. She didn't cough or anything, so she's definitely smoked something else before. But she seemed really uneasy and out of her element. Considering how the rest of the party was treating him though she probably thought he was really cool. He could imagine she didn't want to tell him that she didn't smoke cigarettes when in reality he wouldn't care at all if she would have just said that. But it's cool that she wanted to spend this time with him anyway. He just hoped she didn't get a head rush and end up getting a head ache. He decided not to bring it up because she would probably be embarrassed if he did. After they shared a bit of small talk he pulled out his carton of cigarettes again. This time though, he pulled out what looked like two rolled up pieces of paper. "You smoke anything else?" When she grinned hard at him he couldn't help but smile with the same enthusiasm.
In a few minutes they were in Thomas's car soaring among the clouds. Their conversations got a lot deeper really quickly after that as weed seems to do that to people. They didn't talk so much about themselves, that was still a mystery. Instead they talked about the struggles of college, stories from high school, how they appreciated each others sense of fashion, and all this other stuff. Thomas could tell that Kari, in this moment of time, was having a really good time. She smiled with her eyes. Anyone can fake smiling with their mouth, but if you want to know if someone is truly happy or having a good time, look at their eyes. It will tell you all you need to know about how someone is feeling. He couldn't decide if it was because she was high or because of him. Probably a mixture of both.
It all happened so fast. Kari's hand brushed up on his, on accident though. His hand was resting on the center console and she was looking for somewhere to rest hers as well. The smoke in the car was so thick they couldn't really see anything. Thomas turned his arm so his palm was facing up and uncurled his fingers. He felt Kari's palm join his. His heart began to race as the nerves began to set in. They were both really messed up so he wouldn't let anything go too far, but he knew they weren't both so messed up that they didn't know what was happening. When they leaned toward each other, even through the smoke, their foreheads met with a soft thud. "Wait." He said. He put his ear up against her chest. Thunder was rolling around inside of her heart at a frantic pace. He took her hand and placed it over where his heart is. If he could feel it beating out of his chest there's no way she couldn't also feel it. After that their lips met for the first time. They met over, and over, and over, and over...
"You were scared?" Thomas questioned. He couldn't even begin to explain how scared he was. He puts on a poker face but he never knows when he will run into the person who is even crazier than he is. "Don't be scared. That's how you end up dead. When they think you are crazier than them, they aren't going to fuck with you. Even if you aren't, just don't fold on your bluff." Thomas was kind of drunk at this point but he did know how to hold his liquor so he wasn't stumbling over his feet or anything. Thomas took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and leaned into Kari's ear. "You want to go outside for a smoke?" After she agreed to tag along they walked out the back door onto a patio. The music was still loud but at least they could hear each other talk now. "My ears are ringing, bro." With his pinkie he wiggled around inside of his ear. He pulled out a smoke and lit it. "You want one?" He asked handing it her way. She seemed uneasy about holding it but she put the end in her mouth and Thomas lit it for her.
He could tell she doesn't smoke cigarettes by the way she was smoking it. She didn't cough or anything, so she's definitely smoked something else before. But she seemed really uneasy and out of her element. Considering how the rest of the party was treating him though she probably thought he was really cool. He could imagine she didn't want to tell him that she didn't smoke cigarettes when in reality he wouldn't care at all if she would have just said that. But it's cool that she wanted to spend this time with him anyway. He just hoped she didn't get a head rush and end up getting a head ache. He decided not to bring it up because she would probably be embarrassed if he did. After they shared a bit of small talk he pulled out his carton of cigarettes again. This time though, he pulled out what looked like two rolled up pieces of paper. "You smoke anything else?" When she grinned hard at him he couldn't help but smile with the same enthusiasm.
In a few minutes they were in Thomas's car soaring among the clouds. Their conversations got a lot deeper really quickly after that as weed seems to do that to people. They didn't talk so much about themselves, that was still a mystery. Instead they talked about the struggles of college, stories from high school, how they appreciated each others sense of fashion, and all this other stuff. Thomas could tell that Kari, in this moment of time, was having a really good time. She smiled with her eyes. Anyone can fake smiling with their mouth, but if you want to know if someone is truly happy or having a good time, look at their eyes. It will tell you all you need to know about how someone is feeling. He couldn't decide if it was because she was high or because of him. Probably a mixture of both.
It all happened so fast. Kari's hand brushed up on his, on accident though. His hand was resting on the center console and she was looking for somewhere to rest hers as well. The smoke in the car was so thick they couldn't really see anything. Thomas turned his arm so his palm was facing up and uncurled his fingers. He felt Kari's palm join his. His heart began to race as the nerves began to set in. They were both really messed up so he wouldn't let anything go too far, but he knew they weren't both so messed up that they didn't know what was happening. When they leaned toward each other, even through the smoke, their foreheads met with a soft thud. "Wait." He said. He put his ear up against her chest. Thunder was rolling around inside of her heart at a frantic pace. He took her hand and placed it over where his heart is. If he could feel it beating out of his chest there's no way she couldn't also feel it. After that their lips met for the first time. They met over, and over, and over, and over...
erikalalove
|-/
Joel was relieved that he hadn't ended the party early or scared off the girls; he genuinely enjoyed being around both of them, and he assumed that Thomas did, too, or he wouldn't seem so close to Kari. He knew that Thomas was the type to tell a clingy girl off, but he didn't appear to think Kari annoying. Even when those two disappeared, Joel knew she was in good hands and stuck with Julia, drinking the good stuff and generally chatting her up about college life, the dorm, and friends, asking the small questions like how she met Kari and what she was studying. It was boring, but it seemed way more interesting after a few drinks.
Kari laughed as Thomas went on a small, drunken tangent about hiding fear and looking tough, something she assumed he knew nothing about. How could a guy with a switchblade in his boot be scared of anything? "Well, if I have you with me, then I don't have to pretend to be crazy, right?" She joked and nudged him a little. Kari noticed that her vision was beginning to tilt a little, but she wasn't about to black out or jump all over Thomas. Even though she was kind of a lightweight, she had some experience, and she knew how to contain herself. At least, at this level, she did. For a moment, though, she thought she was completely shit-faced, but once she realized Thomas was leaning toward her and she was not, in fact, falling into him, a wave of chills splashed over her arms. After closing her eyes to focus on his question, Kari's eyes sprang open and she immediately agreed. She followed him to the back patio, which was surprisingly empty. She guessed that everyone had rushed inside to see the scuffle in the kitchen.
When Thomas offered her a cigarette, Kari briefly thought about declining, but soon realized that if she wasn't into smoking, she wouldn't have a reason into tagging along. To avoid dealing with that concept, she agreed and tried her best to act natural. Around her sophomore year of high school, Kari would occasionally bum a cigarette or two off of her mother and smoke in her friend's backyard since his parents were always gone, but after the smell stained her clothes, she decided that quitting for the best. Kari preferred smoking pot anyways; it actually affected her in an enjoyable way, and the withdrawals didn't shake you up as badly. Long story short, it had been a while, and she tried to suppress the coughs from the first drag and stole glances at Thomas from her peripherals; hopefully he didn't think she was lame to be around. For the rest of the drags, she tried to keep the smoke in her mouth for her most part to prevent coughing out her lungs.
Soon, Thomas was speaking to her again, and she momentarily worried about what he was going to get her into next. "You smoke anything else?" He asked, and as she looked over and saw what he meant, a relieved, yet excited grin took over her face, and she couldn't help but laugh a little as well. "I thought you would never ask," she said, trying to finish up the cigarette so they could get to the good stuff.
Before she knew it, they were pent up in his car, sitting in clouds both figuratively and literally. The smoke was so thick; Kari could only see lights and shadows passing about the car, but she didn't care who was peering in or pointing them out. She couldn't even think about Julia or Joel at the moment, or even school. All she could think about was the warm, orange embers she felt stirring under her skin when she listened to Thomas' voice. His laugh made them turn a deep reddish-pink, and when he became semi-serious, they faded into a muted scarlet. When he complimented the color of her hair, the embers returned to a yellow-orange, and her cheeks were sore. Thomas was simply wonderful to be around, and it wasn't just the weed talking. She felt she had known him a lot longer than an hour or so.
Kari felt herself approaching the peak of her high, and she adjusted the angle of the seat back a little before propping up her arms and letting the tension in her muscles melt out. "Oh, sorry." She said after her hand briefly touched his. She tried to lay hers near his to relax, but his hand seemed to turn into hers, and hers did too. Their hands flattened and pressed together, sending a wave of warmth into her chest and kicking her heart into overdrive. Kari wasn't sure of the last person she held hands with, let along the last person who made her senses freak out like this. When their heads tapped together, her face felt the same surge of warmth flowing through, and her lip quivered at the sense.
Suddenly, Thomas leaned down and put his head on her chest, and her head felt cold as she was disappointed to see this turn into a hook up. As she opened her mouth to tell him she wasn't like that, he sat up again and took her hand to his chest, and she could feel his heart nearly break out of his rib cage; it was like she had her hand to his own chest. So that's why he did it. What a weirdo, Kari thought in the most endearing way possible. So this was possibly a real thing, even if the alcohol, cigarettes, weed, and adrenaline from the confrontation was accelerating it all. Before Kari could dissect the real and the imaginary of Thomas, her face was warm again, and again, and again...
After a few waves of warmth, she pulled away with a breath, everything in her system making it difficult to multi-task. Their faces were still close, able to make out the sparkle in one another's eyes even through the smoke. She was momentarily worried about everything that could be imaginary: the beer goggles, the pot's euphoria, the cigarettes' head rush, the carefree-attitude everyone gets at a college party; she just needed a glance into Thomas' eyes and a moment to see if he would blubber into, "This is a mistake, I have to go." territory. Either he passed the test or she didn't care, and brought her hand from his chest to his hair as she dove in for another kiss, and another, the warmth taking over her senses.
Kari laughed as Thomas went on a small, drunken tangent about hiding fear and looking tough, something she assumed he knew nothing about. How could a guy with a switchblade in his boot be scared of anything? "Well, if I have you with me, then I don't have to pretend to be crazy, right?" She joked and nudged him a little. Kari noticed that her vision was beginning to tilt a little, but she wasn't about to black out or jump all over Thomas. Even though she was kind of a lightweight, she had some experience, and she knew how to contain herself. At least, at this level, she did. For a moment, though, she thought she was completely shit-faced, but once she realized Thomas was leaning toward her and she was not, in fact, falling into him, a wave of chills splashed over her arms. After closing her eyes to focus on his question, Kari's eyes sprang open and she immediately agreed. She followed him to the back patio, which was surprisingly empty. She guessed that everyone had rushed inside to see the scuffle in the kitchen.
When Thomas offered her a cigarette, Kari briefly thought about declining, but soon realized that if she wasn't into smoking, she wouldn't have a reason into tagging along. To avoid dealing with that concept, she agreed and tried her best to act natural. Around her sophomore year of high school, Kari would occasionally bum a cigarette or two off of her mother and smoke in her friend's backyard since his parents were always gone, but after the smell stained her clothes, she decided that quitting for the best. Kari preferred smoking pot anyways; it actually affected her in an enjoyable way, and the withdrawals didn't shake you up as badly. Long story short, it had been a while, and she tried to suppress the coughs from the first drag and stole glances at Thomas from her peripherals; hopefully he didn't think she was lame to be around. For the rest of the drags, she tried to keep the smoke in her mouth for her most part to prevent coughing out her lungs.
Soon, Thomas was speaking to her again, and she momentarily worried about what he was going to get her into next. "You smoke anything else?" He asked, and as she looked over and saw what he meant, a relieved, yet excited grin took over her face, and she couldn't help but laugh a little as well. "I thought you would never ask," she said, trying to finish up the cigarette so they could get to the good stuff.
Before she knew it, they were pent up in his car, sitting in clouds both figuratively and literally. The smoke was so thick; Kari could only see lights and shadows passing about the car, but she didn't care who was peering in or pointing them out. She couldn't even think about Julia or Joel at the moment, or even school. All she could think about was the warm, orange embers she felt stirring under her skin when she listened to Thomas' voice. His laugh made them turn a deep reddish-pink, and when he became semi-serious, they faded into a muted scarlet. When he complimented the color of her hair, the embers returned to a yellow-orange, and her cheeks were sore. Thomas was simply wonderful to be around, and it wasn't just the weed talking. She felt she had known him a lot longer than an hour or so.
Kari felt herself approaching the peak of her high, and she adjusted the angle of the seat back a little before propping up her arms and letting the tension in her muscles melt out. "Oh, sorry." She said after her hand briefly touched his. She tried to lay hers near his to relax, but his hand seemed to turn into hers, and hers did too. Their hands flattened and pressed together, sending a wave of warmth into her chest and kicking her heart into overdrive. Kari wasn't sure of the last person she held hands with, let along the last person who made her senses freak out like this. When their heads tapped together, her face felt the same surge of warmth flowing through, and her lip quivered at the sense.
Suddenly, Thomas leaned down and put his head on her chest, and her head felt cold as she was disappointed to see this turn into a hook up. As she opened her mouth to tell him she wasn't like that, he sat up again and took her hand to his chest, and she could feel his heart nearly break out of his rib cage; it was like she had her hand to his own chest. So that's why he did it. What a weirdo, Kari thought in the most endearing way possible. So this was possibly a real thing, even if the alcohol, cigarettes, weed, and adrenaline from the confrontation was accelerating it all. Before Kari could dissect the real and the imaginary of Thomas, her face was warm again, and again, and again...
After a few waves of warmth, she pulled away with a breath, everything in her system making it difficult to multi-task. Their faces were still close, able to make out the sparkle in one another's eyes even through the smoke. She was momentarily worried about everything that could be imaginary: the beer goggles, the pot's euphoria, the cigarettes' head rush, the carefree-attitude everyone gets at a college party; she just needed a glance into Thomas' eyes and a moment to see if he would blubber into, "This is a mistake, I have to go." territory. Either he passed the test or she didn't care, and brought her hand from his chest to his hair as she dove in for another kiss, and another, the warmth taking over her senses.
Juliolele
Junior Member
That night had to come to an end eventually. Even the best things have an end. Thomas led Kari back to the party as it was getting super late outside. They small talked on the way back and there they were reunited with Julia and Joel. They were both buzzing at that point and Julia was being flirtacious with Joel. Thomas wasn't sure if it was all flying over his head or if he was too messed up to notice. Either way they didn't seem to miss Kari and Thomas much as they were both having a really good time. When Thomas and Kari took seats next to them they all talked for a bit before heading out. As soon as Thomas got home he realized how stupid he was because he forgot to ask Kari for her number. Not that he would be able to connect with her anyways because he didn't have a phone, but he could have used Joel's at least. He was frustrated at himself for the rest of the night. Julia got Joel's number though. She figured out a way to get it and he charmfully agreed. Thomas still wasn't sure if Joel knew that she was flirting with him. He sometimes just assumes that everyone knows that he is gay despite him being incredibly handsome and actually kind of tough looking.
Thomas went a few weeks without seeing or hearing Kari. He could have easily just asked Joel if he could get her number for him but he had too much pride to admit he actually made a connection with anyone but himself. He sometimes even plays it off that him and Joel actually aren't as close as they are. They live together though and that says a lot since Thomas loves to be by himself. Joel knows that they have each others backs though. They have since day one and even if one day they weren't friends anymore they know they can rely on each other.
One morning though, Thomas was walking down the street when he saw a familiar face in a window. In a small coffee shop downtown there Kari was standing behind the counter making drinks for the regular customers. What was she doing there? Well obviously she was working. She seemed like someone who had a supportive family though that would take care of her as she was in school. Or maybe her family isn't supportive. He wasn't all too sure since that wasn't really something that they had ever gotten into. Should he go in there? He hates coffee so what would he even order? Without thinking he felt his feet walking forward and soon he was pushing the door open. The scent of freshly ground coffee beans slapped him in the face as he ended up at the bar where Kari was working. At first she didn't notice him as she seemed busy making drinks for her customers. But soon she approached him as she seemed rather delighted and shocked to see who was in front of her. "Hey, stranger." He told her even though they didn't feel like strangers at all. When she asked him what she wanted he hesitated for a second. He had no idea what he was going to order because he doesn't do the whole coffee thing. He almost said he was going to just have water but then he feared of looking too desperate just to talk to her. So instead he just ordered a small coffee.
Thomas went a few weeks without seeing or hearing Kari. He could have easily just asked Joel if he could get her number for him but he had too much pride to admit he actually made a connection with anyone but himself. He sometimes even plays it off that him and Joel actually aren't as close as they are. They live together though and that says a lot since Thomas loves to be by himself. Joel knows that they have each others backs though. They have since day one and even if one day they weren't friends anymore they know they can rely on each other.
One morning though, Thomas was walking down the street when he saw a familiar face in a window. In a small coffee shop downtown there Kari was standing behind the counter making drinks for the regular customers. What was she doing there? Well obviously she was working. She seemed like someone who had a supportive family though that would take care of her as she was in school. Or maybe her family isn't supportive. He wasn't all too sure since that wasn't really something that they had ever gotten into. Should he go in there? He hates coffee so what would he even order? Without thinking he felt his feet walking forward and soon he was pushing the door open. The scent of freshly ground coffee beans slapped him in the face as he ended up at the bar where Kari was working. At first she didn't notice him as she seemed busy making drinks for her customers. But soon she approached him as she seemed rather delighted and shocked to see who was in front of her. "Hey, stranger." He told her even though they didn't feel like strangers at all. When she asked him what she wanted he hesitated for a second. He had no idea what he was going to order because he doesn't do the whole coffee thing. He almost said he was going to just have water but then he feared of looking too desperate just to talk to her. So instead he just ordered a small coffee.
erikalalove
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If staying in the car connected to Thomas' lips was an option, Kari would've gone for it without hesitation, but this was just another night in the scheme of things. She had to get back to the room with Julia, possibly deal with a hangover the next morning, and start chipping away at homework and job applications before it piled up for Sunday night. While Thomas led her around, she clung to his arm, wishing she could convince him to go back to the car and fall asleep in the back seat with her. They somehow found Julia and Joel, and the group reunited for a while, chatting and holding onto one another flirtatiously. From what Kari could tell, Julia was sickeningly obviously into Joel, and maybe he was into her as well. When she asked for his number and he agreed, Kari flashed her a not-so-secret thumbs-up and a cheesy smile. Maybe living with this boy-crazy stranger wouldn't be so bad! Maybe more unusual, fun-filled nights were in store for them. Maybe Joel and Thomas would continue tagging along. Eventually, the party died out, and Kari called a ride for her and her roommate. As soon as she climbed into the car and waved goodbye, she realized neither of them had gotten the other's number, and she spent the ride back sulking.
For the next few weeks, Kari funneled her focus in schoolwork. The base of a good roommate-relationship with Julia was pretty damn solid, and the mutual kindness with Joel in class was growing, so there was no use in worrying about either of those. She still hadn't heard from or seen any of Thomas, but that wasn't a big deal since he didn't attend this college. Joel threw his name about with funny stories, but Kari didn't feel like forcing him to be the message-man for them. Maybe he wasn't even that into her. Of course, Julia continued to ask about Joel, and Kari would indulge her roommate with status updates and a mention of a greeting from him here and there.
A few of the places that Kari applied to the day after the party contacted her and scheduled interviews with her, and two places offered to hire her. She didn't want to work for the university's cafeteria washing dishes, so she took the job at the small coffee shop in downtown. Kari enjoyed the alone time of walking and listening to music, so the commute time wasn't a big deal, and the small distance from campus meant that she would see some new faces. They were also pretty flexible with schedules so it was a great deal.
It was any other day with the usual morning rush of people getting their caffeine boost before work. After a few weeks, Kari was beginning to remember some regulars' orders, especially those who were haughty, easily irritable, and often threatened to speak to your manager and have the entire staff out of a job by the end of the day. She was even beginning to remember a few of the regulars' names, greeting them with a smile. One particular woman -- she thought her name was Krystal or something wild like that -- was throwing around the manager threat with another barista, and Kari intervened since she had recently perfected the drink. Making it in a rush as the line grew, she handed it over, apologized profusely, and hopped back onto the register.
"Hey, sorry about the wait, welcome to--" Kari was in production-line mode, spitting out the handbook's greeting phrase, and as she looked up to smile to, welcome in, and take an order from the next customer, she was met with a strikingly familiar figure. She felt something small twist up in her torso. "Well, hi, there." She greeted him with a genuinely smile. "It's been a while. What can I get ya?"
She watched Thomas struggle to quickly read through the menu. Maybe he didn't like coffee, or wasn't that into it. Or maybe this shop's weird names for drinks and sizes weren't what he was used to. As she opened her mouth to suggest something most people liked, he gave her the simplest order (besides water). Scribbling his name and order on the cup, she set it on the side for a coworker to fulfill before tapping away on the register. "That'll be $5."
For the next few weeks, Kari funneled her focus in schoolwork. The base of a good roommate-relationship with Julia was pretty damn solid, and the mutual kindness with Joel in class was growing, so there was no use in worrying about either of those. She still hadn't heard from or seen any of Thomas, but that wasn't a big deal since he didn't attend this college. Joel threw his name about with funny stories, but Kari didn't feel like forcing him to be the message-man for them. Maybe he wasn't even that into her. Of course, Julia continued to ask about Joel, and Kari would indulge her roommate with status updates and a mention of a greeting from him here and there.
A few of the places that Kari applied to the day after the party contacted her and scheduled interviews with her, and two places offered to hire her. She didn't want to work for the university's cafeteria washing dishes, so she took the job at the small coffee shop in downtown. Kari enjoyed the alone time of walking and listening to music, so the commute time wasn't a big deal, and the small distance from campus meant that she would see some new faces. They were also pretty flexible with schedules so it was a great deal.
It was any other day with the usual morning rush of people getting their caffeine boost before work. After a few weeks, Kari was beginning to remember some regulars' orders, especially those who were haughty, easily irritable, and often threatened to speak to your manager and have the entire staff out of a job by the end of the day. She was even beginning to remember a few of the regulars' names, greeting them with a smile. One particular woman -- she thought her name was Krystal or something wild like that -- was throwing around the manager threat with another barista, and Kari intervened since she had recently perfected the drink. Making it in a rush as the line grew, she handed it over, apologized profusely, and hopped back onto the register.
"Hey, sorry about the wait, welcome to--" Kari was in production-line mode, spitting out the handbook's greeting phrase, and as she looked up to smile to, welcome in, and take an order from the next customer, she was met with a strikingly familiar figure. She felt something small twist up in her torso. "Well, hi, there." She greeted him with a genuinely smile. "It's been a while. What can I get ya?"
She watched Thomas struggle to quickly read through the menu. Maybe he didn't like coffee, or wasn't that into it. Or maybe this shop's weird names for drinks and sizes weren't what he was used to. As she opened her mouth to suggest something most people liked, he gave her the simplest order (besides water). Scribbling his name and order on the cup, she set it on the side for a coworker to fulfill before tapping away on the register. "That'll be $5."
Juliolele
Junior Member
Thomas sipped on his coffee as Kari had to keep running around and working. He didn't have a phone but he had an iPod that he liked to use when he was in wifi range. He scrolled through his apps and checked all his messages. Occasionally he would talk with Kari when she had time. He did this for about two weeks. He would come on the slow mornings because he knew that's when Kari was going to have time to talk to him since there isn't as much work for her to do. He would leave her tips and she would recommend drinks to him. They talked about music and their upbringing. Sometimes they talked about school and how Thomas wish he could go. Eventually Kari's coworkers caught on what Thomas was doing. They told her that he would only come in when she was working. He wouldnt come in during the night shift and he wouldnt come in on her days off. She finally asked him why he hadn't asked for her number and he embarrassingly admitted that he didn't have a phone. They connected on social media and then they started to make plans to see each other. In no time they were stuck to each others side when ever they had free time.
Julia and Joel began to become friends too.Their relationship was strictly platonic though. They never talked about dating or commented on each other's looks. Instead they just became best friends. They talked about people that annoy them at school or work. They talked about music that they enjoyed and music that they hated. They also shared movies with each other and watched movies together. They also shared stories of past lovers that treated them poorly. They both had a lot. Both male and female. They had a lot in common and Julia noticed it. She hoped that Thomas noticed it as well. They also shared a very similar dark sense of humor. They grew attached to each other in a very strange way where they confided emotionally but not physically. Julia wished that she could have both but she was just happy to have a friend who understood her as much as he did.
Julia and Joel began to become friends too.Their relationship was strictly platonic though. They never talked about dating or commented on each other's looks. Instead they just became best friends. They talked about people that annoy them at school or work. They talked about music that they enjoyed and music that they hated. They also shared movies with each other and watched movies together. They also shared stories of past lovers that treated them poorly. They both had a lot. Both male and female. They had a lot in common and Julia noticed it. She hoped that Thomas noticed it as well. They also shared a very similar dark sense of humor. They grew attached to each other in a very strange way where they confided emotionally but not physically. Julia wished that she could have both but she was just happy to have a friend who understood her as much as he did.
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