Hello my Tech Friend (Evan)

[François Laffont]

François assumed he’d find it here. Evan did like computers, being part of the club and all. And let’s face it, after dealing with a crowd of people and their emotions, he would be a lot quieter than Frank and her crazy yet wonderful randomness. He just needed a break yet wanted to see a familiar face. And it had been a little while since the two took the time to just sit down and chat. So many things were going on lately in Franck’s life now that he finally could control his power enough to meet with people that he sometimes felt it was all so surreal. One person however was there since almost the beginning and it was Evan. He felt he could just come and see him and sigh one big sigh over all that happened. And he also wanted to know what was going on in his friend’s life.

He knew it was a guess, to come here. Evan might as well be anywhere else around the school if he wasn’t running around town. But if he was not there, Franck could still use a computer and see if he was not somewhere or at least leave him a message.

He sat in front of a computer and logged in. He had tons of messages which nearly made him curse, though not too many people around here knew the French curses so they might not realize. He stayed in contact with many of his French friends and of course, talking on the phone was out of the question. Internet was the easiest way to talk to each other. He also interacted with the people here at school more throughout forums. He left a quick message at Evan’s instant messenger, telling him where he was and asking what he was doing and went back to his emails. While waiting for his friend to answer, or to show up, he might as well reply to some of those.

[Evan Webb]

Evan would have been in the computer room, as Francois predicted, since that was his second home anyway. But that afternoon, baseball practice ran just a little later than usual.

Receiving an IM from Francois was something he hadn't expected but it was a nice surprise no less. A wide smile appeared on the boy's face as he raced across the halls to get to the computer room.

It was empty save for four other students besides himself so it was easy enough to locate his old friend, waving as he swung the strap of his bag over his head and sat on the chair beside the French boy. "Hi! Fancy running into you here." He gave the other boy a big grin. "Checkin' your emails?"

[François Laffont]

It was almost weird not to see Evan here but the guy had a life outside the computer world. Still, François found it ironic that the one time he comes looking for Evan at the obvious spot was the one time he was not there. Oh well. It was no big a deal. Plus it let Franck check on his emails.

He wasn’t a huge tech fan like Evan. he was like the average of people. He knew some programs and used internet to chat and look at interest websites. Should anyone start talking tech to him, he was lost. He got computer.

He turned around when he heard Evan talking to him, smiling as his friend got his message and came to say hello. He looked at the screen where a halfway done email of his was shown. “Yeah. That’s the joy of having friends in another continent, they’re always sleeping when you are on,” he said with a chuckle. Sure France wasn’t so bad. There were other countries with even more complicated hours for you to catch them. But there was always something, whether it be work, sleep or school, that made it hard for them to be logged in at the same time.

He saved the mail he had been writing, figuring he’ll just finish it at home and turned again to look at his friend instead. “It was so funny coming here and not seeing you for once. So how are you doing?”

[Evan Webb]

Francois' remark made Evan chuckle and shrug, though not knowing the full extent of that feeling, never having had that problem before. His friends were still in his timezone so texting was still probable.

His next statement made Evan snort and nod. "I forget that people know that I'm a permanent fixture in this room. But nah, baseball practice ran a little late." He explained before pondering on how to answer the next bit.

"I...am actually doing well!" He finally answered with a huge grin. "Training is getting better. I can actually jump from one person to another easier now! Although...random jumps happen." Evan didn't have to explain to Francois what he meant, seeing as he probably knew exactly what Evan meant with his sensory abilities.

"What about you, Franck?"

[François Laffont]

Franck supposed Evan knew what he meant about time zone, at least to an extent. He was attached to a computer, he must chat a bit, no? Well, maybe not. But Franck still assumed the guy was talking to some people who might come from all around the world. Then again, on forums you don’t really expect a reply in the next ten seconds. And they were not necessarily people you share your life or would like to talk face to face with.

He nodded as Evan explained he had a baseball practice. “I didn’t think of checking you there,” he admitted. But Franck wasn’t going to watch games or even practice a lot. Sure a practice wasn’t as hard on him but there were still usually too many people for him. He had yet been able to keep his guard up enough not to feel what people around him felt.

When Evan started with a light hesitation, Franck already felt himself frowning but he smiled as he said he was great. He nodded, glad that his friend was doing so much better with his ability. He sighed a little when asked the same question, his eyes growing bigger as if wondering where to start. “I’m doing good. I still can shut the signals up but I can focus on one person or one emotion so it helps,” he explained. He supposed he might never be able to fully silence what he got from others but if he could quiet them down some, it would be good enough for him. He shrugged. “I’ve been meeting more people and in larger group, to see how it goes. It’s good so far.”

[Evan Webb]

"It's okay. We're here now." Evan smiled widely, genuinely happy to see an old friend. No matter what the circumstance.

Francois' explanation about his grip on his ability had Evan smiling a little sympathetically. He knew how hard it was to control something that effected themselves personally. He thought Francois was doing well considering! Even though it did kind of deter them from being proper buddies. No, the fault was most definitely not on Francois.

"Oh that's so good to hear, Franck. It really is. I'm glad you're doing better." The seeker nodded as his smile softened. He was genuinely proud of his friend for coming such a long way. It could just mean they were able to be friends on a more intimate level.

"Would you like to get out of here? Maybe grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria or...just outside in general? Or is this setting better for you?"

[François Laffont]

Franck made sure to keep a mental note, next time he would like to see Evan. He should check if he was not playing baseball. He was so used to know him as the tech guy here that he forgot he also had other activities. He liked Evan. now, don’t get him wrong, he liked as a friend. Just because he was gay didn’t mean he was running after every guy in school. Evan understood what his power implied and how draining it could be. Sure, others could too, but they bonded first. François sometimes felt bad for complaining about his power, considering he didn’t have the most difficult to handle nor the most dangerous one. But it was a handful and he was glad to have someone understanding what he was going through.

He smiled at Evan as he congratulated him, nodding as he was indeed doing better. He knew he still had a long way to go but considering when he first came here he could barely stay near a person, this was a huge improvement. “Yeah, I’m glad we’re both getting a grip at this. Staying alone in a corner’s not that great,” he replied. He didn’t know if Evan was as much of a people person as he was, but Franck did find it hard at times to shelter himself from others. He wished he could have joined clubs or just have a bigger circle of friends. He felt it was getting more and more possible now.

He nodded at his friend when he suggested heading out. “Sure. Let’s see how many people are at the cafeteria, maybe I’ll be able to handle it,” he replied. He logged out before grabbing his things. Time to head towards the cafeteria he supposed. “Have you thought what you’d be doing after the academy?” he asked Evan as they walked there.

[Evan Webb]

"No, no it's not." Evan chuckled lightly. He remembered the times when he would ask Francois to come play but the boy always had an excuse not to go. Not that Evan blamed him. All those emotions in one body? Hell, even he couldn't deal with his own emotions. He's grateful that Francois didn't completely block him out of his life.

Nodding at the French's remark, Evan got up with his bag and bat to head over to the cafeteria. "Yeah, and if there's too many people, the area under the bleachers hardly ever gets visitors." He suggested.

Francois' question brought a small concentrated frown on the scryer's forehead. "Uh...actually I have no idea." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head with the base of his bat. "I mean I like baseball but I don't know if I actually want it to be a career you know? I don't see myself doing this for the rest of my life." Scratching his chin, he nodded in Francois' direction. "How about you?"

[François Laffont]

Evan lived something somewhat similar to Franck. It was already quite troubling and confusing to deal with one’s emotions when a teenager, but when you were surrounded by so many more, sending their waves of feelings all over the place, and when of course you were a magnet to it, well it was unbearable at times. Franck just started to be able to eat with everyone in the cafeteria or see a practice and even then, there better not be too many people.

He was grateful that Evan understood that and suggested going under the bleachers if there ever was too many students for Franck. He couldn’t help but to mischievously smile at his friend though. “Under the bleachers? Watch out, people will get the wrong idea,” he said before laughing. Franck had never been sure about Evan but he did tell his friend he was gay. Luckily it never bothered him.

He chuckled with Evan as he tried to answer his question. “Yeah I get it. I thought you’d try to be the next Steve Jobs or something,” he admitted. Then again, a passion might just turn out to be a hobby and not necessarily something you want to make a living of. Franck shrugged as he asked him the same question. “Not sure exactly. I want to help people. I thought psychology or something would be good. I already have the perfect power for it,” he answered after a moment of reflection. He supposed they still had plenty of time to think about it.

They arrived at the cafeteria and Franck scanned the area. “I guess, if we find a remote spot it should be all right,” he said with some hesitation as he was trying to find said spot. He’d really prefer not to have too many people at the nearby tables if he could avoid it.

[Evan Webb]

Francois' tease had Evan sidling up to the other boy jokingly and gave him a wide toothy grin. "So what if they did?" He teased before chuckling. "People will talk anyway so whatever we do, might as well do it properly, no?"

Evan had no problem with sexuality and people's preferences. People were people no matter who they preferred. Francois could be in love with a horse and Evan wouldn't bat an eyelid. He was a friend and nothing changed that.

"You know, that is tempting. I mean, everything is on the web right now, right? It's definitely a lucrative business. I could work for Google or something." He grinned, pushing his glasses up his nose before running his hand through his hair. At Francois' answer, Evan's eyebrows quirked up and a smile spread across his lips. "Dude, that could definitely be something you'd be good at." He nodded and patted Francois' shoulder lightly.

Looking around, Evan squinted his eyes and tried to find a secluded spot. "Tell you what, I'll get the food for us and you find us a seat? I think I saw a couple empty tables at the back there." He pointed to where he saw them.

[François Laffont]

Franck was glad his friend was not nearly macho enough to be freaked out about people’s sexuality. As if it mattered to him anyway. Franck thought, as long as everyone in the relationship consented to it, he couldn’t care less who you were with. It was not like he’d try to turn every straight man gay. He was not a masochist, at least he never considered himself as such. He had enough trouble dealing with the gay guys to focus on the straight ones, honestly. He laughed with Evan as he didn't mind people talking. Then again, a silly rumour of homosexuality on Evan, let’s face it, people would quickly go back to the next topic at hand. They weren’t popular enough to have people comment about their lives. “Are you suggesting we make out under the bleachers?” he asked before laughing to show him he was only jesting.

Franck nodded as they talked of the web. It was true that future seems to be in computers these days. He personally knew little of that world and would be lost if thrown in it. But it seemed to fit Evan. “And you already got the glasses,” he commented since everyone seemed to picture a nerd with glasses. Are they born with them, one could almost wonder.

He laughed at Evan’s enthusiasm as he shared his own ambitions for the future. Psychology sure sounded like the logical path with his power. He supposed he didn’t have to pick something so closely related but since he really had a likeness for the mind and how it works, he figured he should try it. He had an advantage compared to the other shrinks.

He looked where Evan was pointing as he suggested they split up. “Alright, that’s fine with me,” he agreed. Franck forced his mental walls to circle around him. Well, they were not exactly walls, more like a sieve. But dealing with a few feelings was still better than dealing with them all. He grabbed Evan’s baseball stuff so he wouldn’t have to carry them around as well as the food and went to pick a table isolated enough from the others. The perfect spot.

[Evan Webb]

Francois' query made Evan chuckle before raising an eyebrow in his friend's direction. "Why, do you want to?" He teased before nudging him in the shoulder. He was definitely not into believing that there's anything wrong with being gay. People have certain preferences and choices. There's never anything wrong with that.

Adjusting his glasses when they are mentioned, he beamed at his friend with a nod. "I am the stereotypical geek and I'm quite proud of it."

Handing his things over to Francois, Evan headed over to the line and got a few things for both himself and Francois. If his friend couldn't finish his food, Evan was more than ready to accept it.

Sitting down when he finally spotted Francois, Evan placed all the food on to the table and slid the tray on the empty chair between them.

"If you can't finish your food, send them my way." He grinned and started on his burger.

[François Laffont]

Luckily for François, Evan took very well his little jokes, even when they touched sexuality. Then again, Franck always thought you had to be not so confident about yourself or your sexuality to find a problem with others’. He laughed as Evan teased him. “Watch out, you won’t want girls after that,” he replied on the same tone. To be honest, Franck wasn’t sure he could actually make out, or even just peck Evan’s lips. That would be weird. He was not one of those who kiss their friends or even sleep with them yet don’t intend to go any further.

He smiled and nodded at his friends when he talked of the geek stereotype. It was true that geek was about the first word coming to mind when thinking of Evan. Franck looked at himself for a second. “Wonder in what stereotype I fall into. Can’t exactly be the fashionable gay friend. I’m fashionable but definitely not bitchy enough,” he commented. Not that he cared much about it. Stereotypes were so limited.

Franck waited patiently, giving a sign of the hand to Evan when he finally spotted him with the tray of food. He chuckled a bit at his comment as they both sat at the table. “You need to fuel back after the practice,” he replied, his tone sounding more like a affirmation than a question. He picked some of the food, a little less than half of what he brought, and placed it in front of him. That should be enough. “How was your practice, I didn’t ask.”

[Evan Webb]

Evan pretended to ponder over the fact before scrunching up his nose and shaking his head. "I don't think I can give up on girls completely. They're just way too complex." He paused before chuckling. Truthfully, Evan had been questioning things about himself. Although he knew for sure that he was one hundred percent attracted to girls, boys also attracted his attention. It was a very confusing thought, one he should go to the guidance counselor for, he thought to himself.

Francois' commentary made Evan chuckle. "Maybe gay hipster." The sensory scryer suggested with a straight face. But it didn't last long as a grin broke out on his face.

"Aha, yeah probably. I mean with the adrenaline pumping, my powers tend to kick in full gear you know? I get stupid tired trying to control it so I lose a lot of energy there." Evan breathed a sigh and shook his head before stuffing his mouth with his food.

"Oh it was totally fine." He said through his full mouth. He repeated it soon after he swallowed with a sheepish chuckle. "How was your...um...whatever you were doing before you sought me out?"

[François Laffont]

Of course, Franck never believed he would ever be so good he would turn every man gay with just one kiss. The fact he would not find women physically attractive didn’t mean he considered them gross or couldn’t see why others would like them. For a second, he picked something out of Evan that made him stare. But it vanished. Franck had suspected for a little while that his friend might not be entirely straight. Not that he implied he’d be gay or bisexual but there was something, maybe just curiosity. Or maybe he was one of those who cared very little for the gender and more for the person. Not that Franck would mind.

After they mentioned stereotypes, Evan made a suggestion and Franck stared at him for one moment. But it didn’t take very long for the two of them to lose any form of serious on their face again. Now, this was why he wanted to see Evan to begin with.

He was a tiny bit more serious however when Evan returned with food and they talked. He had told Franck before of the amount of energy sometimes required just to control his power. And he assumed it was asking just as much when using said power. “Is it getting any easier? They keep saying we’ll grow in strength and have a better control that needs less work but it still doesn’t come naturally to me,” he admitted. Of course, the fact that he secretly loved to be with people and to know how they feel and help them get through rough times must be a reason. Perhaps if he was not so interested in psychology he would not be as affected. Then again, one might argue that if he had not been this interested in psychology, he might have received a different kind of power. Everyone had a different point of view.

Franck smiled a little when Evan talked with his mouth full. Sure it was not very polite, and Franck could still hear his mother warning him not to do that again. But perhaps it was the reason why Franck always found it a bit funny. Another little ‘screw you’ to his mother even though she’d never know and certainly doesn’t care. “Oh, I was just finishing some work,” he explained, shrugging the matter off. Schoolwork was not really worth extending on the subject. “Then I thought we haven’t seen each other much so I just took the chance to see if you were not too busy.” Of course, Franck didn't want to take on his time if he had something important to do. But everyone needed to chat with friends at some point, right? And he had less chances of going crazy or ending up in detention again with Evan. At least, a lot less chances than he had with Frank.