Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 17, 2016 20:35:15 GMT -6
So, you know those fountains in the middle of mails all over the world? You know the ones I mean, you throw coins in the middle of the pond and apparently that’s meant to grant wishes or something in the same vain….The cynical would no doubt classify that as a good way to misuse and get rid of money. But during his time in the mail, as always seemed to be the case with Jack Mccarthy his impulses took control of him and he made the split second decision to toss some coins in the water and made his own personal wish….
...but here was the thing, he kind of needed that money to get back to the school.
...Really want would you did in that situation?
Fortunately the bus driver was ever so kind enough to let Jack take a ride back to the school despite the fact he was drenched to head to toe. his teeth chattering and shivering chilled, Muttering over and over again in the student lounge sitting right next to the heater hoping that would warm him up,
You know, the first time this happened, it might have been upsetting but Jack was getting used to it now this was the third time
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 19, 2016 1:45:09 GMT -6
Piper hadn't meant to follow the gangly, goofy guy around. At least not at first. She'd actually been on the bus when the soaking wet college kid shuffled his way on board and took a seat a couple rows in front of her. She'd immediately been struck with an almost childlike curiosity at the entire situation. It wasn't just that he was soaked to the skin but also his body language and demeanor, coupled with the strangely knowing reaction of the bus driver, led her to believe this was far more common than either of them would care to admit.
If that, alone, wasn't enough to capture her curiosity, nothing would.
As luck would have it Jack was getting off at the same stop as she. Piper hung back, waiting until the absolute last moment to jump up from her seat and start hurrying down the aisle toward the exit. The driver had already started to close the door and he cast her an annoyed glance as he opened it again and let her slip out into the winter air. She lingered near the bus stop, eyes searching until they landed upon the damp, morose figure trudging up toward the Academy. Carefully Piper followed along.
The student lounge was, thankfully, empty when Piper peered inside. A light, curious smile touched her lips as she watched Jack shivering near the heater. With nary a sound she slunk into the lounge, her hands unfurling a thick, heavy blanket she'd secured from one of the supply closets nearby. She didn't speak as she approached from behind and gently draped the blanket around Jack's shoulders, reaching around him to tug at the ends so he could wrap it around himself easier. She smiled down at him even though she barely stood much higher than he was when seated, and went to almost daintily sit on the couch close by.
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 20, 2016 3:00:24 GMT -6
In times of post stupidity moments, Jack always had to ask himself one question Was what just happened worth it? Was what just happened worth the consequences that Jack now had to deal with? For the most part Jack would always say yes, He lived with practically no regrets whatsoever, but then again none of his previous choices left him quite as cold as this….
Well bar the time he locked himself in the freezer. That was a fun weekend.
Jack hated the COLD, He hated hated hated the cold so much, He hated the rain, he hated the wind, he hated sleeping rough and most certainly the cold,
So he could only hope that curling himself in a ball in the corner of the room and hope that the cold simply past,
But the surprising soft warming heat of a fluffy blanket put around his shoulders was like a healing balm on his ice and the instant Jack felt it he grasped at it not really caring where it came from just grabbing it like a man in the middle of the sea grabbing at a life preserver shuddering in sheer relief as he snuggled up again it. Sighing happily “Thanks I-” Jack began looking up at the figure that gave him the blanket but the instant he looked up a sense of numb shock overcame his face She looked just like…..Oh shit!!!!
This thought barely formed in Jack’s mind before he literally fell out of the chair
Last Edit: Feb 20, 2016 3:00:37 GMT -6 by Jack McCarthy
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 20, 2016 3:09:33 GMT -6
The shy, timid smile that Piper had presented the boy melted away the instant his eyes widened in shock and he tumbled to the floor. She had no idea what had caused his response but she shot to her feet, nearly giving in to the instinct to run away. She watched him with a pained expression, hurt mingling with confusion in her bright, blue eyes. "I'm sorry." She said, her British accent weaving its way around her softly spoken words.
Piper went to speak again though at the last minute she thought better of it and shut her mouth. She didn't need or want a reason. She'd heard every excuse in the book. The rejection was nothing more than another in a long line of efforts to cast her aside. Her head lowered and she gave a short nod to herself as she slowly turned with the intent of walking away before the boy could do or say any more to show her how unwelcome she truly was. She paused for just a moment, casting a brief, almost forlorn glance over her shoulder. "There's some hot cocoa mix by the microwave over there." She said quietly, waving a hand idly before turning back around to start trudging her way toward the door. "It'll help warm you up."
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 20, 2016 3:27:13 GMT -6
Sometimes, Jack didn’t know...he...he just didn’t know, there were times where Jack just wanted to move on. To let it go. He had nothing to hold on to anymore with L-With her. It was over. But yet, But every time he helt like he might be able to move on wit his damn life, he was always subtly reminded of the spectre constantly hovering over him. Haunting him, Judging him for what he could never do. It was the shape that’s just out of eye line, it’s in the faces of anyone that even remotely looks like her, this happened over and over again
but never so….Strong….
He lay on the floor for a good long moment just acclimatizing to ….This girl before he sat up and scurried himself upwards in a sitting position looking up at the girl with shocked eyes. God it was just….uncanny, And maybe that was why it particularly panged when she say the clear disapointment on her face when Jack reacted the way that she did. Jack inwardly cursed himself for it,taking note of the fact that clearly his gift for first impressions was still a sterling one…
“Wait” Jack called upwards his arm outstretched “The blanket is...you know….warm and stuff...thanks...sorry about….that...I saw a bee!” Jack nodded suddenly swatting at the air at a non existing bug “I don’t think it’s here anymore….And ummm...I like cocoa” He said a little meekly shurgging
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 20, 2016 3:41:26 GMT -6
'Wait.'
The single word caused Piper to stop in her tracks. She froze, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end as she steeled herself for what was next to come. Whether it was going to be an insult or declaration of ire she was ready. Tentatively she turned back around, her eyes wide with curiosity as well as the sense of foreboding dread of what Jack was going to say next.
Large, expressive blue eyes peered up at Jack. Piper didn't fully buy the excuse about an errant bee but he'd apologized and there was something in the way he looked at her that seemed to captivate Piper's attention. In the end he wasn't casting her aside, rather it almost felt as though he was welcoming her presence. She had to process it all for a moment but after a long silence a gentle, warm smile spread slowly across her face and she nodded. "Okay."
"You stay right where you are." Piper ordered in the least commanding voice possible. She gave a curt nod and quickly crossed the room toward the table where the hot cocoa sat. "Stick close to the heater or you're going to catch a terrible cold." Even with the distance between them Piper's voice barely rose. She spoke with a deliberate softness that only seemed to accentuate the subtleties of her accent.
She fell silent only as she worked to prepare the powdered drink, thankful the lounges were equipped with hot water dispensers for drinks that helped stave off the frigid Montana winter. Within moment she crossed the room again, this time almost eagerly, a steaming mug of hot cocoa held protectively in both hands. "Here you go." She said, offering it to Jack. "Be careful." She warned, watching him with a wide eyed innocence in her gaze. "It's hot."
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 20, 2016 4:05:46 GMT -6
Jack breathed a quick sigh of relief, his first impression and naturally social skills might have been somewhat lacking….ok,maybe a lot lacking, thankfully his raw talent for thinking on the fly and making excuses has and nor ever will allude him.
He always had that to fall back on.
“Yup” Jack nodded several times over with more confidence “Definitely A bee, one of those jumbo, giant black mamba death bees and lay eggs in your ears. Don’t worry I scared it off...you’re welcome” That’s right Jack continue to sell it, like the mastermind you are. You don’t just lie, you paint a canvas of art of perfect images that seem more realistic than the actual truth.
It was a gift really.
Jack, had to look away when the girl smiled at her,he just couldn’t deal with how similar that one to ANOTHER person’s smile. It was almost a mirror image of the same smile that played over and over again in his lowest moments on the back of his eye lids.
He suddenly became vastly interested in the floor below him , not looking up again while she talked, Jack couldn’t actually put a word on how he felt at this moment…. it was strange, he had actually got over the initial shock and there was something about her voice that was…..soothing to him, but at the same time he was on edge. Nervous tense and he had no idea why.
Feelings were weird .
He almost jumped when the girl approached him with the hot drink, his big brown shimmering eyes looked from the cup to the girl in bemusement -avoiding direct eye contact as he did and took the drink in his hands and taking a quick sip….
and regretting it almost as his tongue began to blister “Fuck that’s hot” he gasped “...You’re a godsent”
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 20, 2016 4:18:21 GMT -6
Piper jumped and gasped when Jack cursed. She chewed nervously on her lower lip while she watched him, fearful that he'd hurt himself. She'd tried to warn him, why couldn't she have been more stern and commanding when she spoke? After silently cursing herself for a moment, Piper looked Jack over for a moment and then took a seat on the nearby couch she'd first taken up residence on a few minutes prior. "Are you okay? I said it was hot." The last part came out in an almost pleading manner as if she was begging him to take her word for it rather than try and test the beverage again.
Blue eyes dropped to hands that fidgeted with one another in Piper's lap. She had little to say or do beyond offering the strange young man a blanket and making him a hot drink to help warm him up. "Um." She said almost for no other reason than to stave off the dreaded awkward silence that threatened to settled over the room. Carefully she glanced upward to Jack, peering at him curiously. "Why-" Piper's voice cracked unexpectedly and she paused to clear her throat before starting again. "Why are you wet?"
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 20, 2016 4:42:14 GMT -6
Jack waved off the girl’s words as if to say it wasn’t her fault nor he drank it because of her lack of warning somewhat getting his bearings now and regaining control of the situation as he shook his head, as long as he avoided looking into those glittering blue eyes he should be ok “Naaaa. Don’t worry about it, I feel no pain. I’m indestructible if I can deal with chemo I can deal with this” Jack smirked confidently taking even a bigger draft of the drink...and instantly whining in pain and spitting it right back into the cup “...Maybe I should give it a moment”
Jack was curious about the girl. There was a lot of people that would offer a blanket and cocoa to a random stranger especially not Jack who certainly haven’t earned the kindness of strangers. was she after something? Was there some kind of a catch?
..Whatever the case may be she was certainly quiet…
“Well that’s what usually happens when you jump into the fountain in the mail...I was out of money for the bus….Oh fun fact I actually found a tenner in my pocket while I was on the bus….the comedy never ends
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 20, 2016 4:53:44 GMT -6
Piper blinked a few times at Jack's long winded explanation and declaration of toughness. For just a second she considered his mutant power was possibly something along the lines of pain negation though that thought only lasted long enough for Jack to painfully down a larger gulp of the steaming beverage from his mug. Piper visibly cringed, sucking air in through her teeth in the process at Jack's reaction. Her obvious concern even made it easy to gloss over the slovenly way in which he spit back into the mug. "Yes. Perhaps you should." She agreed with a slow nod of her head.
When Jack began to speak of his aquatic adventure Piper fell silent and listened with an almost rapt fascination. She had expected some tale of getting caught in the rain or maybe a scuffle that ended up with him taking a fall into a puddle or something. That he'd willingly jumped into the fountain at the mall during winter in Montana, of all places, just for bus fare was on an entirely different level than she was prepared for.
And even then, through the strange reaction he'd had the first time he saw her, the spitting, making up stories about bees and the tale of swiping money from the bottom of a public fountain there was something inside Jack that Piper found oddly endearing. A thin smile touched her lips while he was speaking and it slowly spread until she had to stifle a laugh by pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. "That's quite a story." She remarked after taking a moment to keep her composure. "Do you do that a lot? Jump into fountains, I mean."
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 20, 2016 6:58:47 GMT -6
Fun story actually, in his formative years Jack had actually thought he had super powers, no not thought actually. he KNEW with a fierce kind of certainly that Jack had with all his theories and he would spent months trying to figure out what exactly it use so he would spent weeks trying to figure out what it was, his first guess was pain tolerance so he spent hours ramming his head against the wall over and over again hoping that one day it wouldn’t hurt and his pain tolerance began almost super human.
Thankfully blunt trauma didn’t affect him too much in later life...
Jack looked over to Piper after he finished his tale, a frown forming on his face when she saw Piper’s expression. Was she laughing? Why was it that whenever Jack told people a perfectly reasonable and understandable retelling of something that happened to him and yet she seemed to be fighting to maintain a straight face. Why does that ALWAYS happen it was perfectly reasonable thing to happen, Jack lived a totally ordinary existence and the things that happened was totally normal. So why did everyone laughed when Jack spoke? “Is it?” Jack raised an eyebrow surprised that she was amused by it before tilting his head and shrugging “Two….Three times, who's counting right
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 20, 2016 14:39:42 GMT -6
Piper would have thought a story about diving into the fountain at the mall to scrounge up change for the bus would be a sort of... exclusive story. Her head tilted when he divulged it had happened before. Many times. She stifled another laugh but there was a light heartedness to the look in her eyes that made it clear she wasn't laughing at Jack but merely finding amusement in the way he seemingly approached life. If there was one thing he'd made abundantly clear was that Jack marched to the beat of a very different drum.
With a slow exhale Piper fell silent. Again she lowered her eyes down to nervously watch her hands fidget upon her lap. She was awkward at these sort of interactions. Once she'd done her best to help Jack stave off the cold she was left with nothing else to say. What was there to say anyway? She wasn't anything interesting. Her hobbies weren't worth discussing and she hardly knew what it was that boys Jack's age wanted to talk about. She was much better with children. At least with them she could read them a storybook to keep their attention. "I'm Piper, by the way." She offered without much conviction. Her gaze lifted to look at Jack and judge his reaction.
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 20, 2016 16:31:13 GMT -6
Oh no, It wasn’t an unpleasant sound, not in the least. It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that Jack had grown used to the sound of someone laughing at him, from pretty much an early age, laughter was essentially the soundtrack to Jack’s life. His life was more or less as close as someone could get to a living breathing sitcom, every thing he did something wrong, every time he slipped on the banana peel the universe was there to laugh at him.
but the way she laughed...it resonated with him. It was….Good….Nice even, it really did have a generally pleasant sound to it, it almost made Jack want smile too. Laughter tended to be contagious at least to him anyway. His mood usually tended to mimic those around him so he felt a smile grow on his face too when he saw people happy around him
Piper” Jack said still trying out the name on his tongue, still staring over her shoulder and not meeting her eyes for obvious reasons but soon a frown formed on his face “You look really familiar….Have we….where have I seen you before?”
Post by Piper Galloway on Feb 21, 2016 1:38:25 GMT -6
Crystal clear, blue eyes watched Jack intently as spoke the name as if he was testing the sound of it. When he'd spoke her name, Piper couldn't help a small smile from touching her lips. He hadn't said it with disdain or apathy, rather there was almost a curiosity she sense in his voice. Why this was, of course, she had no idea but sensing that in Jack was far better than what she was used to feeling from the people who interacted with her.
Piper's head tilted at the question and it did give her pause to think about it. Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember if the two of them had passed by one another before tonight. Slowly her head shook and she offered an almost sheepish smile in response. "I don't think so." She said, lifting a hand to brush a stray strand of light brown hair from her face. She then let out an embarrassed exhale of breath and shrugged. "I saw you on the bus." She admitted. "I... saw you shivering when you got off and... followed you here." Distress began to slowly creep into Piper's features. "I'm sorry for that." She lowered her gaze, again taking in the sight of her fidgeting hands. "You just looked so cold I... wanted to make sure you were okay."
Post by Jack McCarthy on Feb 22, 2016 17:37:57 GMT -6
Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly as Piper gave her answer all the while sipping the cocoa (It was really good) a frown on his face as he did before he began waving his finger in the air like his normal flaily manner that he often used whenever he thought and spoke at the same time “No, I- I’ve seen you before….Right? Yeah. No I’ve seen you before...probably...maybe...have I? Wait, yes I have! Definitely probably…” Jack lapsed off into silence his brow narrowed in concentration trying to sort through all his memory files trying to place the exact moment she had seen that face before
Not the eyes though he knows where he’s seen THOSE before
After a moment of concentrated silence Jack eventually clicked his fingers at the small girl “have you,or were you ever lived in Dublin and ever stole a small sensitive and gifted child lunch box?”
Jack raised his eyebrow at this somewhat taken about by Pan’s reasoning “....Why? You don’t know me? For all you know I have the entire cheerleding squad locked in my basement trying to create a woman suit” A brief lull in conversation followed this…
“......I’m not...just...Just not. That won't stand up in court. That's not a confession"