Realistic or Modern The Lucky Ones

[RyanJXavier]

Stop being so serious and relax Ryan. Ryan finished his breakfast and looked at Aki "Have you seen our new cousins yet? Mom told me about them approximately two weeks ago". He stood up then looked out the window. The intense classwork and challenges Ryan underwent during his Junior year made him feel uptight, causing the number of laughs he had with Aki to decrease since August. The shift had to be made. Ryan had to loosen up before he becomes super strict and boring. He took a deep breath and searched for light thoughts. Such a nice day to go outside and...."Hey Aki what if we went out with them? Instead of stay under their parents' gazes. I mean, I can't really remember the last time we all went out together with them". Ryan was unsure of the idea since he did not know how such a plan would go.

 

[LuckyMisfortune]

"Have you seen our new cousins yet? Mom told me about them approximately two weeks ago," Ryan had asked as Aki finished washing his dishes. He hadn't really. When was the last time he visited the house anyways? Aki shook his head in response.


"Nah, I haven't. I heard the two foster siblings are Japanese, like me. Then the other girls of course. I'm sure they're nice, though," he said, smiling with his natural goofiness. He wiped his hands on a towel nearby. Aki walked back over and turned the chair around. After doing so, he sat down. He watched Ryan take a deep breath.


"Hey Aki what if we went out with them? Instead of stay under their parents' gazes. I mean, I can't really remember the last time we all went out together with them," Ryan suggested, almost unsure of himself from Aki's perspective.


Aki rubbed his chin and responded, "Yeah, that's a great idea! I'm in, but where should we go? Arcade, mall? Any things great with me!"

 

[RyanJXavier]

"SKYDIVING...nah some of them might be too scared, and we're underage. Maybe we can ask Leighton since she usually has a lot of ideas. We can also ask Toni or one of our cousins as well" Ryan said then paused. He thought for a moment, "Hiking, camping, doing some water sports,...yeah I can't really think up anything else at the moment". Ryan walked to the sink and washed his dishes, "Paintball shooting, airsofting, bowling, surfi- wait I already said water sports".

 

[LuckyMisfortune]

Aki just sat there, stupidly. Wow, he never thought of doing these things. Plus, he'd probably never do those things unless someone introduced him to it. He sat with his mouth opened, about to reply but nothing came out. "Ah, er, ah, um...." He stuttered. Ryan probably broke him. "Uhhhhh, sure I guess?" He responded smiling a little. "But, we shouldn't really do something so intense as a first presentation. Mall,p good then?" He asked, trying as hard as he could to not hurt Aryan's feelings.

 

[Energie]

Adrian's eye flickered open, a deep groan bellowing from his mouth as he rolled over in his bed. He'd heard his mother's shouting, but it had done nothing more than wake him up. He was still working up the energy to actually get out of bed. He hadn't had a late night or anything, turning in just a little after midnight; however, Ryan's clicking away at the computer all night had kept him from getting anything close to a solid eight hours.


He gave one more deep breath, before tossing his blanket off of him and walking towards his closet where he slid on a pair of jeans. He was still wearing his t-shirt from the day before and he figured it had one more day's use behind it. He made his way to the bathroom where he quickly went about his morning routine -- splashing water on his face, brushing his teeth, and running a wet hand through his hair until it appeared a little more tame.


He made little effort to quiet his steps on the stairs, turning the corner to the kitchen and quickly taking in the breakfast spread as he made his way for a plate. "Good morning assholes." He chimed, as he shoveled some of each food onto his plate. He grabbed a piece of bacon and tucked it between his lips as he made his way around the table. As he passed Leighton, he leaned in close to her trying to make sense of whatever it was on her computer screen. "That's wrong." He stated, his face placid and firm despite his moving jaws as he obnoxiously worked on the bacon in his mouth. "And you misspelled that. Hell, the placement is all off... You might as well scrape it and start over again." Adrian stood up, shrugging a bit, before circling the table and sitting beside Ryan.


"Look man, I know we share a room and all and I understand you have your... needs. But, let's keep "Ryan time" to a minimum when I'm in around, yeah?" Adrian stated as he gave Ryan a sideways glance and a knowing raise of his eyebrows, before going to work at putting a dent in his eggs.

 

[LuckyMisfortune]

Aki's eyes glanced at the stairs. Oh, Adrian finally decided to come down. "Good morning assholes," he chimed, cheerily. That was Adrian for you, a man like no other. Well, that was his way of saying, 'Good morning, sweeties' or something like that. That's kind of weird though, the only person who should say 'sweeties' is like a parent or something.


Aki shrugged but replied, "Morning slowpoke, I'm pretty sure snails wake up faster than you." He laughed at his own joke. He was hilarious, right? Well, Aki thought of himself that funny. Adrian had grabbed a piece of bacon and started eating. Aki watched as Adrian rounded onto Leighton, telling her all kinds of stuff she got wrong. Aki wasn't sure whether to say not to or agree. He had no idea what Leighton was doing anyways. After speaking what was on his mind, Adrian moved on to sit next to Ryan.


"Look man, I know we share a room and all and I understand you have your... needs. But, let's keep "Ryan time" to a minimum when I'm in around, yeah?" Adrian stated, knowingly. What? What was this about? Aki had no clue and it was starting to bother him. He was so lost here, why was he always not picking up on these inside jokes. Aki leaned forward on the backwards chair and frowned, childishly. He rubbed his chin, but no luck came to mind about what Adrian was implying.


Aki snapped out of his thoughts and decided to say something, "So hey, Ryan and I were thinking of visiting the Zocchi kids today and take them away from their family to do something fun. You wanna come? You don't have to, just putting it out there!" Aki smiled and watched his older brother for a response.

 

[RyanJXavier]

"Sure mall's cool" Ryan said casually as he finished up cleaning his dishes. He turned around to see Adrian make his grand entrance with his one of a kind morning greeting. "My bad Adrian...okay" Ryan heard Aki invite Adrian then added, "So far we've decided to go to the mall. If you have any suggestions as to where in the world we can go with them then feel free to tell us". If he was not working , then he was taking part in something amusing. Ryan disliked being bored and had an eagerness to be informed about all the options for their plan in order to maximize the amusement factor.

 

[Lutalica]

Leighton Garrison-Mathers




The brown haired girl was typing away. Each slide came together like puzzle pieces, but something didn't seem right. Her brothers continued to have their own conversation, but she hardly paid any attention. When she worked, she zoned out, and nothing would penetrate her concentration. Of course, nothing except Adrian. He finally got his lazy butt up and, as usual, invaded what little space she had at the dining table. With some pointing of his finger and some smart-ass remarks, Adrian insisted on showing Leighton the flaws of her powerpoint. She scoffed and simply shook her head. "Like you would know." she finally stated. Leighton looked back at the slides in disbelief. He was right, out of all things. "Damnit." she replied and started erasing most of her work. Frustrated, she closed the god-awful thing and looked back at her food with disgust. Nothing was working for her this morning.




Kian Dilans




Kian seemed to wake up with a smile. It was perfect weather outside and it seemed even better when he heard about the family breakfast. Everything seemed great in the eyes of the young eighteen year old; everything except his brother. It constantly saddened Kian when he looked towards his brother. They were complete opposites. Roman was raised by his mother while his father went off taking care of Kian. The whole thing seemed messed up, but that's life, isn't it? He shook away those thoughts. Depression was not on his list of to-dos on a fine day like this.


He arrived at the diner a bit earlier than most considering he had a job to take care of. Kian was cooking up the orders like never before. That behavior was usual when he was in a good mood. He was energetic and full of smiles when it came to working for his foster mother. In fact, she herself seemed to be cooking in the vast kitchen as well. They were having another family breakfast. To Kian, those were the best. He loved when everyone could just sit down and eat together like a regular family. Not like they weren't, I mean, they were, in a way. I guess it was more like a team effort rather than a traditional household. Which, all things considered, that was what Kian needed; a team.


Once the breakfast was scattered across the diner's countertop, Ms. Borland called out to the kitchen in order for Kian to come and eat. "The breakfast looks great, mom." Kian replied as he gave a smile to Tory before sitting next to Roman. Sadly, his brother decided to leave with such a fashion that it made Kian embarrassed. "Yep, and I'm related to him. What a pleasure." he stated with a sarcastic smile. He wasn't one to dwell on his brother's business, but chances are Roman was already in his hide out doing what he did best, breaking every goddamn rule there was in Tory's house. His brother was something else, but he was family, and when it came to family Kian wouldn't back down without a proper fight.
​

 

[Energie]

Adrian was hard at work clearing his plate of the things spread across it, only half listening to his siblings. He only picked up on scattered words coming from Aki's mouth. He cared for his brother truthfully, he really did; but, Aki spoke a hundred words per minute often exhausting Adrian before he could even make sense of his thoughts -- the seventeen year old functioned much more on a Sparknotes diet when it came to speech. But, he'd gotten just of the conversation.


His reply was delayed as Adrian poured himself a glass of orange juice, downing half the glass before pausing for a breath and a few words. "I was headed that way anyway. I'm not sure about the mall, but I planned to crack into Aunt Stef's stash of booze and lay out by the pool." His eyes floated across the kitchen when he heard Leighton's laptop shut, his lips curling into a slight smirk at the sound. "Leighton and I could use a couple mimosas. It's been a stressful week." He gave her a playful wink as she'd be the first to know that Adrian rarely ever exerted a tenth of the amount of energy into the day that she did. But, as much as a pest as he was to her, he knew that she needed to calm the hell down sometimes. She was always worked up about something and there was nothing better to help induce a moment of relaxation than a nice crisp drink out near the water.


"But, if you kids are hitting up the mall than be safe. Don't talk to strangers. Aki, close your eyes when you walk past Victoria's Secret. You're still too young, kid."

 

[Lutalica]

Roman Dilans




Roman finally burnt out the joint against the brick wall behind him. Naturally, he felt relaxed and simply walked out of the alleyway with a sly smile. He brushed his hand through his hair while walking back towards the Borland house. Considering what he did back in the alley, Roman wouldn't dare walk back into the diner. His smell alone would give off red flags to the witch the Borland kids call their mother. Luckily, Roman was fostered, which in his mind meant less authority on Tory's behalf and more on his. Although, that seemed to be the case no matter the status.


The delinquent finally arrived at the shabby structure he had to call home for the time being. It was worn out from the dozens of kids that lived there, and Roman just so happened to be another addition to it's list. He gave a slight shake of his head as he walked in. The house was vacant. Not a sound to be heard, and for however long he would stay, it would be his for the taking. Now, if he knew enough people, he'd suggest a party, but the only people he knew were the oblivious, happy-go-lucky kids of the Mathers, or the misfit kids of the Zocchi household. Honestly, it wouldn't have been a good turnout anyway. Nobody bothered with the nineteen year old, but it seemed like that was just the way he liked it.


With the house to himself, Roman plopped himself on the couch and got comfortable. Chances are, the rest of the kids wouldn't be back any time soon, and if the guy wanted some decent sleep, this would be his only chance.
​

 

[LuckyMisfortune]

"I was headed that way anyway. I'm not sure about the mall, but I planned to crack into Aunt Stef's stash of booze and lay out by the pool," Adrian said, in response to Aki's ramblings. Aki's eyes widened about the booze part, he probably was still too innocent for the world. He shook his head, pretending to not have heard it. Aki watched Leighton snap her laptop shut, he frowned knowing what Adrian had said was probably right. "Leighton and I could use a couple mimosas. It's been a stressful week," Adrian had continued.


Aki laughed/snorted and pounded his lap a little. That was a false statement. Well, Leighton could but not Adrian. His brother barely used the full capacity of his energy. Maybe a small little chunk, to breath and think and stuff. "Adrian, that's a lie and you know it. Leighton could, though. That was not an insult, btw" He said, cracking a smile. Aki rolled his eyes at Adrian and continued to listen.


"But, if you kids are hitting up the mall than be safe. Don't talk to strangers. Aki, close your eyes when you walk past Victoria's Secret. You're still too young, kid," Adrian said, obviously knowing Aki.


Aki gasped and put on fake hurt. "I thought you had faith in me, Adrian? Glob, I'm hurt, it hurts," he said, obviously faking it. He laughed after a few seconds and then reassured him, "I probably will, but if not Ryan has to do it for me....." Aki threw an arm around Ryan and said, "Let's get going soon. Adrian, can you drive us? Or somebody, I am a bad driver. Since I just got my license and all, yeah?"

 

[Hoax]

Lillian sat in an empty corner of the Diner, quietly eating a piece of toast and reading a book. Her eyes flicked up when she heard Roman's voice, then back down with a shake of her head. Her book was good, but not good enough to keep her attention for long. Especially now. Since most of her siblings had congregated in the Diner, the noise factor had risen at least three decibels.


Standing up, Lillian walked over to the table where the majority of people were sitting, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Anais.


"Okay, people can talk to me now." She reported, putting her book on the table. Lillian usually needed at least 10 - 20 minutes of being awake before her ability to make conversation started up (Both because her vocabulary suddenly decides to die and get shot out of a cannon, and because she doesn't have the willpower or mind-state to deal with the level of energy her siblings had), so most had grown accustomed to ignoring her until around halfway through breakfast.


((Sorry if it's a bit short, I couldn't think of anything else to write at the moment X3))

 

[LuckyMisfortune]

Anais was practically inhaling the delicious food. She was starved, well hungry. Her eyes wandered to her side as Lillian sat down. She swallowed and sat up straighter. "Okay, people can talk to me now," she said, putting her book on the table. Anais smiled, knowing what she had meant. It took at least ten to twenty minutes for Lillian to be completely able to converse. That was a long time, considering if she didn't, her words would be jumbled and incomprehensible.


"Morning, Lillian!" Anais greeted, smiling. She put her fork down and looked her way. "So, how'd you sleep?" She asked, not really knowing how to start the conversation. She took a gulp of the orange juice by her place and whipped her mouth with a napkin.

 

[RyanJXavier]

"Are we going to the Zocchi's first, or to the mall to meet them there?" Ryan asked then turned to Leighton, "By the way would you like to join us? I mean, you can also go and....relax with Adrian if you want". He never drank an alcoholic beverage in his entire life, but he respected his siblings' decisions. The foster kid turned to Aki, "Well, you're going to have to be a good driver some day so you're driving. Might as well practice with me in the car rather than have mom panic the whole time and try to hide it".

 

[farewell]

A little delayed, Vinaya emerged from the back of the diner, having changed into her work outfit already. With little else to do, Vinaya spent as much time as she possibly could helping out at the diner. She thought it not only kept her sufficiently busy, but it was good experience. Plus, while she wasn't really the openly sentimental type, she felt as though she was making up for everything Tory Borland had done for her from the moment they met - but she never said this. Vinaya wasn't sure whether or not Tory saw her determination to repay her somehow, but it didn't matter; as long as Vinaya felt she was doing something, she was satisfied.


Vinaya neatly tied the ribbon around her waist into a bow, sitting at the top of her skirt. She looked up and raked her fingers quickly through her hair, which was still just slightly wet from the shower she'd taken a few hours ago. One of the tips she'd picked up, living at the Borland house, was to shower as early as possible so that there was no competition for the bathroom. With so many girls in the house and so few bathrooms, avoiding any traffic was really a priority. Although waking up and showering as early as she did had been a habit she'd picked up back in her last years in India, and it just became a habit she'd adapted for living under the Borland roof.


When Vinaya finally looked up to find a seat at the table, she overheard Lillian and Anais, the former of which made Vinaya want to laugh but she suppressed it. She also noticed that Roman was gone and, guiltily, she felt a little relief. "Good morning," Vinaya said, not to anyone in particular, as she began eating the breakfast that was wonderfully prepared every morning.

 

[Energie]

Marcello Zocchi


Marcello was relatively dead to the world -- half engrossed in the article he was scanning, half lost in his thoughts. He heard greetings as his family gathered into the room; however, he didn't have to mind to return any verbally, only taking short glances away from his newspaper as a way of acknowledging that a new soul had joined them at the breakfast table.


However, when Evie walked in and barely had the chance to sit, before Toni snagged her away, Marc took notice. He slowly went about folding his newspaper, his mouth finally moving to pay the questions he'd been recieving a reply. "I don't care repeating it more than once, so we'll wait till Toni and Evie decide to rejoin us at the table." Marc's voice was raised as to echo to whatever corner in the house the two had escaped off to.


He paid his wife a glance that she'd come to know over the nearly twenty years that they'd been together -- he was annoyed, but didn't have to words to state it. Not specifically at her, but more at the situation. And while his wife had her vice of liquor, he typically retreated deeper within himself and his tendencies whenever he wasn't content with the situation.


"We dress for the day, before we eat." Marc stated his eyes shifting from Stef back down to his coffee mug, though the comment was directed at Leroy. His voice was crisp and dry, his patience running rather thin as his son and Evie kept him from getting through the brunch so that he could start his day.


-------------------------------------------------------

 

[Wiggle]

Benjamin finished his breakfast and stood up, grabbing his plate and utensils. He opened the back door and went into the kitchen and put his plate into the sink and walked back out, and sat back down at the counter. He waited until his mom came by to get her attention.


"Mom! I have to talk to you." He said.


Hopefully she would hear, because what he had to say mattered a lot to him and he wanted her to be there.


@Energie

 

[TheHarlequinnCat]

Lindy assumed that was to her, since she wasn't dressed for the day, and she looked down shamefully; she'd thought to get dressed but hadn't. However, when she brought herself to look up she saw that it happened when her brother looked at their foster-father. Giving him a nudge under the table with her leg, she prompted him to speak; "Sorry, sir, it won't happen again." It was strange to hear Leroy's voice, he had some sort of rasp to it that was light enough to make him have a distinct sound. She wondered if he would've made a decent singer, but quickly brought her attention back to the food. She poured whatever fruit she could onto her plate, trying to find a place suitable to thank her new family- But, alas, there was no sense in thanking them now. She mentally concluded she would wait until after their meal.


Pineapples, strawberries, grapes, and melon adorned her plate; and as tempting as waffles and the meatier foods sounded, she wasn't that hungry. However, unlike Lee, she actually made an attempt to look like she was famished and eternally grateful for one breakfast. Leroy hadn't been hungry much since they'd moved, he always seemed so uncomfortable in homes. She glanced over to her brother, who clearly felt frustrated by Marcello; but she knew that he wouldn't stand up against it. The last times he'd spoken out resulted in cruel punishments, so she always had to watch him retreat to his own silence. A part of her hoped Evie and them never showed up, just so Marcello's attention wouldn't be on the Suzukis anymore. The other dearly wanted them to get there promptly so she could get this over with, get ready for the day, and hopefully leave as soon as possible. Clearing her throat quietly, she looked to Lee. This breakfast was too awkward for her, and she wondered if he felt that tension as well. Evidently, he did by the way his posture was almost too straight and his eyes too alert for first waking up. He was eating like she did, primarily fruit and whatever vegetables available. Neither of them usually ate much for breakfast, but she usually did when she wasn't so stressed out by everyone. This was unbearable.

 

[Lutalica]

Leighton Garrison-Mathers




Leighton gave a small smirk when she heard Adrian's comment about some mimosas by the pool. Honestly, he was right. She worked her butt off for just about nothing and it was about time she took a well deserved break. The brown haired girl stood up and brushed her hand through her hair before she looked at Adrian, "Well? Are we gonna get drunk off our butts or what?" she replied with a sly smile. If getting drunk meant being more relaxed, then so be it. It would be a nice change from her usual routine.


She listened in on her brothers' conversation. Something along the lines of driving and Victoria's Secret. A giggle passed through her smile and she got up from the table. "All I need is my bag and I'll be ready. We can take my car if that's alright with you guys." she said as she slowly headed her way towards the stairs. Leighton had been working on that car for years. It was the only thing keeping her past from slipping out of her grasp. She could still remember the day when she saw the beauty in an old garage when she was on the run with her mom. Those were some crazy years, but they were fun while they lasted. You would have never expected such a modest girl like her stealing a car like that.


The girl quickly ran up the stairs to grab the messenger bag that was lie atop her bed. It was more of a "just in case" kind of thing rather than for work purposes. Once she slung the brown bag across her shoulder, the girl spun around and hopped down the stairs witch a half-smile. Leighton dug through the bag for a moment until she heard the jingle of the Porsche's keys and gave a little laugh, "Who calls shotgun?"
​

 

[Energie]

Tory Borland


"Always with the dramatics that one..." Tory muttered after Roman stormed out the diner in his elaborate fashion. "Really, I feel like I'm babysitting a nine year old with all these temper tantrums he has." Tory rolled her eyes, taking a long drag from her mug before placing it on the counter in front of her. She quickly went about dividing Roman's plate between the dishes that were still being worked on by her more grateful dependents.


Just as she slid the last slice of bacon onto Lillian's plate, the incessant ding of a bell began chiming from the pickup window. A loud sigh escaped her lips as the noise turned into an extended anthem, "Sal, two dings! I swear that's all I need!" She breathed, as she grabbed the finished plate from the window and took it to the table it was intended for. Her strides were confident and effortless, she seemed perfectly at home in her body; but, more so perfectly at home in this place. The diner was a form of sanctuary for her -- an escape from all life's troubles... or most of 'em.


"Oh hell, where's Atalia?" Tory stopped mid-pace on her way back from the table, as she realized that she'd totally discounted the girl earlier when she made sure everyone was there. The Borland family had swelled in size in the past couple of months to the point where Tory could hardly keep track of the number of mouths she was supposed to be feeding on a regular basis. "I swear, I want a new flask for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Mother's Day at the rate you kids are spreading me dry." She stated to no one in particular, as she pressed her palms against her temples. Her eyes were still closed when Ben spoke, Tory afraid to give him permission to speak for fear that he might add to the fire of stress that was engulfing her this morning.


"If you've knocked a girl up or have done anything illegal, save it for dinner, Ben. I'm about five seconds away from admitting myself to the pysch ward."





-------------------------


Adrian Carrington-Mathers





"And that's why she's my favorite." Adrian stated, flashing a grin as Leighton agreed with his plan for a relaxing day. He made a clear effort to ignore Aki's jab at 'em, knowing the boy didn't mean any harm by the comment; however, Adrian wasn't about to pay him the courtesy of a sympathy laugh at his own expense. "I vote for you ditching the mall for a couple shots of tequila, Ryan. You can't be a square forever; hell, we're headed off to college next year." Adrian stated only after Leighton had run upstairs to get her stuff. He never understood why people turned down alcohol, he himself spending some portion of his summer break testing his tolerance on the stuff only to spending the nights dodging his parents around the house until he sobered up enough to form coherent sentences.


When Leighton appeared at the foot of the steps, Adrian grabbed his phone from the counter where he'd left it last night and began making his way for the car. He wasn't about to indulge his brothers with any shotgun games, as he made his way outside and slid into the passenger seat, leaving the backseat ripe for his brothers to share.

 

[RyanJXavier]

Ryan rubbed his eyes a bit then saw Leighton run up the stairs. He went up as well and switched his basketball shorts to jeans. Ryan grabbed his phone then went back downstairs inserting the device into his pocket. As he put away his phone, Ryan took his aviators and folded it on his neckline. He knew the college he would go to would not even allow any alcohol on campus. Why should he turn to that stuff to relax?...Maybe Ryan might try it once..or twice, but those moments are not now. He walked to the car and sat in the back seat waiting for Aki to follow. As Ryan waited, he texted his mom and said where they were going. He obviously did not go into detail about Adrian and Leighton's plan.

 

[Hoax]

"Morning Anais. And fine. Though, I was having a weird dream and apparently managed to roll sideways off the bed and onto the floor." Lillian replied, wincing slightly at the memory. "Not the best wake-up I've ever had." Her peripheral vision caught on Vinaya as she wandered over to the table. "Good morning." Vinaya said, to which Lillian responded with the same.


Stretching, she stood up and made her way towards Tory, who looked about ready to either explode, implode, or both. "Hey Tory. Sorry to interrupt, but it's okay if I work the late afternoon to evening shift, yeah? There was an emergency at the humane society, and I have to go help." Lillian said, shifting on her feet almost anxiously as she waited for a reply.

 

[Wiggle]

Benjamin laughed and shook his head. Over the years he'd grown used to his adoptive mother's humor, she was always so direct and matter of fact.


"No, mom. I haven't done anything that stupid. You raised me better than that.........I was just wondering if you'd be able to come to my next fight, it's this Saturday. Then my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament is the weekend after that. I understand if you're too busy." He said.


His sports always matter a lot to Ben, it was a way for him to use his urge to fight others in a positive way. He'd always been really into them since Tory introduced him to boxing when he first was adopted by her.


@Energie

 

[LuckyMisfortune]

(Sorry, I wasn't getting any alerts! >^<)


Aki listened to Aryan's ramblings. "Fine, okay... I guess I'll drive then, I don't know..." He mumbled, obviously not wanting the responsibility. He was sure he'd get everyone in a car crash or something. Aki may be funny, but he wasn't a great driver.


Leighton snapped Aki out of his thoughts, "All I need is my bag and I'll be ready. We can take my car if that's alright with you guys." Aki almost did a victory dance. He smiled, knowing his siblings just dodged sudden death. Plus, Leighton's car was pretty sweet. She was an awesome mechanic. Well, Aki didn't really know the difference. He was not as great as she was. Moving on anyways.


"Cool! You guys know you just dodged death, going in a car with me driving isn't a great idea. Especially if it's Leighton's car," he said with a wink and goofy smile.


"I vote for you ditching the mall for a couple shots of tequila, Ryan. You can't be a square forever; hell, we're headed off to college next year," Adrian said. Aki frowned, he was going to be alone with the foster kids he hadn't really met yet. He crossed his arms and huffed.


"Bah, leave me with the kids then. For all we know, they could be secret mass murderers and I could get killed! But it's alright, maybe I'll join you then, minus the alcohol," He said, being very sarcastic. It wasn't really his style, but whatever. "I'm just going to grab my phone, perhaps a bathing suit. I should probably text Sam or something," he added, racing past Leighton to his room. Aki grabbed his phone and then a pair of trunks from the last time he swam with his friends. He then grabbed a bag with his towel and stuffed the trunks into the bag. "Okay, since Adrian obviously took shotgun, it's just me and Ryan in the back..." Aki mumbled to himself, following Ryan out the door and closed it behind him.


Aki jumped in and buckled up. "Okay, I'll text Sam then," he said, getting his phone out.

Sam Zocchi

left

sam, we're on our way over. Mind if we borrow the pool

left

Adrian and crew are gonna have some fun

___________*____*____*____*____*___________


"Morning Anais. And fine. Though, I was having a weird dream and apparently managed to roll sideways off the bed and onto the floor," Lillian had responded, wincing slightly. Anais giggled a little before redirecting her attention back to her. "Not the best wake-up I've ever had," she said.


"Good morning," Vinaya had greeted.


"G'morning, Vinaya!" Anais replied, cheerily. Anais then remembered it was almost time to go to her job. "Crap, I have to go, bye Tory! Bye guys," she exclaimed, grabbing her bag and racing out the door. She had to set up shop before they opened. Anais walked out, the flower shop a walking distance. She hummed to herself as she grabbed the key and started getting ready. Anais tied her apron and then started spraying down some of the plants.


___________*____*____*____*____*___________


Toni stood in front of Evie. He put his hand on her shoulder. He was about to ask her the question that was on his mind, but his father had other plans. "I don't care repeating it more than once, so we'll wait till Toni and Evie decide to rejoin us at the table," Marcello said, making Toni wince. His father was not someone to keep waiting. He was afraid something would happen otherwise.


"Evie, before we go back, are you okay? Your eyes are a little red," Toni asked, concern in his voice. His father didn't care much for the fosters, so he was there to be the one taking care of them emotionally. He wanted to give them what he didn't have. "When you want to ever talk about it, drag me somewhere..." He whispered, afraid his father was getting angrier. He hoped Evie followed him.


Toni stood confident as he walked back to the table. He didn't even utter a word of apology as he sat down. He took his napkin and placed it on his lap. "So shall we start?" He asked, as if nothing happened. He gave a slight smirk. Well, he wanted to be a little rebellious.

 

[farewell]

As Vinaya finished her breakfast, she listened to the conversations going on around her: Tory and Ben's conversation (she hadn't realized that she'd so narrowly missed Roman, or that Ben had anything going on in the near future); Lillian's soft voice recalling her rude awakening that morning and, later, her interaction with Tory; Anais' cheery good morning and subsequent hurried departure; Vinaya had become good at listening. The only issue was she didn't know what she was listening for and she usually never did.


Once she finished, she quietly cleaned up her plates, adjusted the bow on her outfit, checked to see if her hair was still wet (which it wasn't really anymore), and quickly walked past Tory, Ben, and Lillian. It looked like Ben and Lillian needed to talk to Tory, and based on her tone and words, it sounded as though the poor woman could use a break. If Vinaya was going to be working all day, which she planned on doing, she might as well start now. "Take a break, Tory," Vinaya said as she breezed by, on her way to take and deliver orders for the morning customers so that Tory could get a minute to herself. Despite the hospitality and her affection for Tory, Vinaya had never been inclined to call her anything other than her given name.


As she passed, Vinaya wanted to say something to Ben and Lillian, or to anyone else currently congregated in the diner from the Borland crowd for that matter, people she really ought to be closer with, but couldn't find anything decent to say - so she refrained.