Enjoy - Scitah

His eyes got wide, "Damn! You look good!" he smiled at her.

She looked back at him with a knowing and cat-like smirk, "Thank you, Johnny." She knew exactly how to be a tease… And there was a point, "Looks are eye catching, Johnny… That's why they're called looks."

He blinked, "Oh…" the scratched his neck, "So, I sortta totally proved ya point, huh?"

Caroline chuckled lightly at Johnny, "Oui. Yes you did." Moving to her Vanity, she picked up a brush and began gently brushing her hair as she turned to look up at him, "Are you hungry?"

He shook his head, "Nah."

"Really? I'm buying." She stated, blinking at him.

He grinned, "In that case!"

Once more, Caroline laughed, "You'll need to wait a moment. I must change and get ready." She turned towards the large mirror on her Vanity and continued brushing her hair at a faster pace.

He sighed and plopped down to the bed.

Caroline was quick to finish brushing her hair and soon gathered clothes from her large closet next to the bathroom and changed in there, the light on, allowing Johnny to see her blurred figure through the frosted glass.

Johnny, being the hormonal teenager he was, grinned like a pervert and stared intently at the shadowy figure.

When she stepped out, she was in her favorite colors, or at least, two of the three… Red and white.

A deep maroon leather jacket covered a white tank top with the same maroon colored leather on her thick belt and knee high riding boots. She wore nylons that made her legs just a touch darker and a slight bit shinier, and a white jean mini-skirt. On her neck were three strings of black pearls.

If Johnny paid her any attention, he'd realize that those pearls were worn every day.

Johnny wolf-whistled low, and then grinned, "Daaaaamn." He exhaled, "You look- wow… Awesome."

A slight blush covered her dark cheeks, "Thank you." She then grabbed a red leather purse and stuffed a few things into it before throwing it over her shoulder, "Ready?"

Before he could answer, she pulled out a red and pink cell phone with white buttons and dialed a number, "Timothy? Pick me up at the Academy?" she paused, "Thank you." And hung up.

He blinked, "Ya got a thing for red an' white, yeah?" he asked, then gasped, "Waiiit! I am not goin' out in these!" he pointed at the polo.

"I like pink, too…" she stated, looking him over, "Why not? If I didn't know you, I'd try to earn your affections." She admitted nonchalantly.

He rolled his eyes, "Lemme at least grab my jacket at the auto shop, a'ight?" he turned to the mirror and pushed his hair back. He didn't use a lot of grease to hold his hair in place to begin with, but didn't like is laying flat on his head like that.

Caroline turned away to hide the triumphant smirk on her face, "Best hurry. Timothy will be here in ten minutes…" She loved it when she won.

He sighed, "Yea…" and hurried to the Auto Shop and grabbed his jacket.

Caroline waited for him outside of the shop. It was a weekend and it was far too early for anyone else to be awake, so the two were pretty much to only people around on Campus.

When he returned, she quickly glanced him over, then led him towards the main gates where a black Cadillac with tinted back seat windows waited.

Timothy held the door open for Caroline, quietly complimenting her on her attire before shutting the door and leading Johnny around to the other side. He held the door open for him as well.

When all three were situated, Caroline looked at Timothy who stared back at her through the rear view, "Know of a good bakery or café?"

He nodded, "On it." And drove off.

Needless to say, Johnny Vincent was impressed. He never had gotten driven around before. It was kind of exciting. And the back seat had lots of buttons. He liked pressing them. He rolled the windows up and down and laughed childishly as he did so. "This is such a cool car!" he said, "It's sexy, I'll tell you that. With a bit of a tune-up, and a vinyl roof, I bet ya could get so many chicks with a set'a wheels like this!"

Caroline chuckled and Timothy frowned. Timothy wanted to say something, but decided against it.

"I'm glad you like the car, Vincent…" she shook her head, "Even if it just to pick up chicks…" she then laughed at the phrase.

He looked at her, "Don't you think sexy cars make guys more attractive?"

"Perhaps… That or gay. Depends on the car, I believe." She admitted with a shrug of one shoulder.

He paused a moment, "Is a vinyl top Cadillac convertible gay?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Depends on the year… I believe that the older Cadillac's have a more feminine charm…" she offered.

"Do I look like the kind'a guy who'd look at anything after 1972?" he asked her seriously.

"Listen, you asked a general question and I answered." Was her answer.

He just sighed, "Fine."

Timothy shook his head, "He's not like your normal batch of friends, Ma'am."

Caroline nodded. "I'm well aware of that."

"Nor your usual batch of dates."

Johnny looked up, then blinked, "Date?" he asked and cleared his throat, "No way."

Caroline laughed, "He's not my date, Timothy… Just… A stray I picked up and am treating to Breakfast."

"If you say so. I'm just concerned is all… Most of your friends don't wear that type of jacket with their nicer clothing…" Timothy added.

Johnny frowned at the driver, "This is not 'nice clothing' pal. These are girl clothes."

Timothy looked oddly at Caroline who waved for him to not respond. He nodded and pulled up in front of a rather nice ritzy café. "Here you are, Ma'am."

He then got out and walked around, opening the door for Caroline.

Johnny blinked. He didn't understand this upper-class society.

When Caroline was out, she waited for Timothy to open Johnny's door, hoping Johnny wouldn't be all impatient.

Johnny got out the moment it was opened, "Thanks Tim." He said to the driver.

"It's Timothy, if you please?" Timothy sniffed then got back into the driver's seat and drove off.

"Come along, Johnny." Caroline called, linking her arm around Johnny's and leading him inside the warm and calming café full of zen greens and calming blues and blond wicker.

Johnny raised and eyebrow, "It legal t'smoke dope in here, too?" he snorted looking at the wicker furniture and 'funky' wallpaper.

Caroline chuckled once more at Johnny. "You live in the 50s, Johnny… Welcome to the 21st." she lead him to a table and sat them in a corner far from the ears of any in coming customers.

Johnny just shook his head, "I like the 50s. Life was simple…"

"Life becomes more and more simple the further into history you get, Johnny." Caroline smirked.

A waiter came over, obviously not liking Johnny the second he saw him, "May I take your orders?" he said in a French accent to which Caroline quirked a brow.

She prattled off a Latte, Tall, and a Breakfast Croissant in French, causing the waiter to look shocked and confused.

Johnny looked at the menu, then to the waiter, "Ya got anythin' without soy?" he asked- nothing on the menu sounded remotely familiar and in the ingredients listed on the back 'Soy' was a main ingredient in each dish.

The waiter recomposed and sniffed haughtily at Johnny.

"Get us two breakfast croissants with ham and eggs… Don't get fancy with them, they're only breakfast. I want a tall Latte. You can get fancy with that." She looked to Johnny, "What do you want to drink?"

Johnny snorted, looking at the list, "Ya got regular coffee? Nothin' with all that fancy shit in it?"

The waiter went to reply snottily, but Caroline snapped her fingers at him, "If you say anything rude, I will shut you down. Do you understand me? Now, go get our orders and if you get anything wrong, you'll be fired before I even leave." She then waved him away like a fly.

The waiter stammered a moment, then slightly bowed, "As you wish, Madame."

Johnny grinned at her, "Nice!"

She blinked up at him, "Thank you. I do try." She boasted jokingly.

He smiled, "Yer a pretty cool chick."

She chuckled, "I've always wanted to be a baby chicken." She mocked lightly. She couldn't help but joke with Johnny. And to think, she wouldn't have given him the time of day if he hadn't gotten his ass handed to him by the Jocks on the Harrington House doorsteps!

He smiled, "Good t'see ya got a sense'a humor. I was worried ya'd keep blowin' me off." He told her.

She frowned at his wording, "Why does everyone use that phrase?" then she caught something, "And this is not a date, Vincent."

He blinked, "I know…" he said, rubbing the vack of his neck, "After ya saw me at my worst this mornin' I don' see how ya can even be 'round me." She had no idea about the troubles of his life. He acted very carefree, rebellious, but in the end, he was the most insecure and nervous little thing. His mother had left when he was very young- and his father was a horrible parent. The second he had enough money, he dumped Johnny at Bullworth and ran off. Johnny did not blame his father- he took it all on his own shoulders. He had not been a good enough son, that was all. So, he toughened himself up at Bullworth- and hoped some day, he might fulfill those expectations.

Caroline scoffed, then leaned forwards and pointed at him, a very strong look in her eyes, "I see you, Johnny Vincent. And I'll never forget who it is I've discovered. You might think that I am stuck up or col hearted, but I assure you, I choose when to be such things. You are now my favorite puzzle. So, you can either pour you soul out onto the table to me, or we can continue this game. Either way, I will learn all there is to learn about you. No one has an easy life, not even those of us with the money to purchase momentary happiness!" she sat back, "And I don't frighten easily, Vincent. So, you'll have to try harder."

Johnny looked confused, "I'm not hard to figure out, Caroline." He told her.

"Oh? Then explain your hidden self esteem problem?" she challenged.

"What self-esteem problem?" he frowned.

"It's why you keep returning to Lola… Why you sometimes behave the way you do." She stated simply, then fell silent as the waiter brought their orders over.

When he went to walk away, she grabbed his arm, "Did you put any bodily fluids in our orders?"

"N-no!" he seemed appalled.

"Did any one else put bodily fluids in out orders?"

"Of course not! We're four star! We wouldn't dream of doing that!" he exclaimed.

"Don't lie to me. Any insects, pesticides, or rodents?" she pressed.

"Absolutely not!"

"Good. Now go away!" she waved him off again.

Johnny had his face in his hands and it barely concealed his barking laughter.

Caroline smirked at him, "Amused, are we?"

He nodded, "Oh my God! Bodily fluids!" he snorted and shook his head, "You're crazy!"

"Not the worst I've heard… But now you must settle down so that we might continue our conversation." She stated, using a fork and knife on her croissant breakfast sandwich.

He sniffed and wiped at his eyes and tried to calm himself. Not even his boys acted like that!

Caroline took mice-like bites, eating politely.

He looked at her, "So, conversation?" he asked, biting at the croissant.

"Oui, oui." She nodded, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with a napkin then placed it neatly on her lap. Taking a small sip of her Latte, she finally looked at Johnny, "Your self-esteem. I was saying that it explains why you keep returning to Lola and sometimes behave the way you do. I just didn't know the reason as to why your self-esteem was so low?"

"It's not low." He said, eating the total opposite and chugging down his coffee and wiping his mouth with his arm.

Caroline grimaced and looked away for a moment, then looked back at him, "You're about to get defensive, because it is. You can't lie to me, Vincent. Your act does not dazzle me as it does everyone else."

He sighed, "Low… Low in a bad way? It's not bad… Doesn't stop me from doin' just like it does the nerds." He said.

"You're trying to deflect towards the Nerds, now. Johnny…" she reached across and placed a cold fingered hand on his wrist, "What happened before Lola? What happened in your past?"

He smirked, "You take psychology? Yer pretty good. I had'a talk to the guidance counselor once- I bet you could get her sacked an' take her place." He told her.

She sighed and retracted, "You're doing it again."

"Doin' what?" he asked.

"Deflecting. You're trying to draw attention away from yourself and are trying to get out of answering the question." She took a sip of her Latte. "Is it something to do with a grandparent?" She was just gonna start guessing until she got it.

He snorted, "No." he didn't even know who they were.

"Aunt or Uncle? A cousin?"

"Nah." He said, waving a dismissive hand.

She paused and her head tilted, "Your parents?" but it was more a statement than a question.

He shrugged, "S'pose so. Dunno. Never thought 'bout it before…" he stabbed the Croissant with a knife, then sliced it in half and bit at the middle- ignoring the sides of the Croissant itself.

"What did they do? What happened?" she pressed, observing his behavior.

He shrugged, "Nothin' much."

"More lies." She said, displeased. Shaking her head, she pushed her half eaten sandwich away. "What ever happened is something to you, Johnny. Whether you admit it or not."

He sighed, looking down, "I don' like talkin' 'bout it." He told her slowly.

"Obviously." And the way she said could have easily been heard as her calling him a 'Coward'.

He glared, "Look; I ain't told no one but Peanut in all my life. H-he swore he'd take it t'the grave!" he said snappishly. "How can I tell some chick I barely know? You're a cool chick- but I don't know ya well enough… I can't…" he sighed and slumped back in his chair.

For a long moment, Caroline stared hard at Johnny. Then, she began sifting through her purse and slapped a $100 on the table and pulled out her cell phone, "Timothy? Come and pick me up." And with a curt nod to herself, she stood and made for the door.

Johnny stood and followed her, "The hell ya want from me, chick?!" he snapped, grabbing her arm. He didn't touch her hard- in fact it was almost timid. " Ya gona look down on me for not wanting to talk about it?!" he shouted, flaring, she had hit a nerve. "Fine! Fine! My ma up an' died an' my old man dumped me at Bullworth when I was a little brat! That's the big damn secret! There's ya fuckin' puzzle." He glared and turned and began to walk away from her. He had an intense adrenaline rush and was shaking. But, he wanted to start crying, too. He didn't like saying it.

Caroline quickly went after him and stepped in front of him, just staring up at him for a moment. And by the time Johnny seemed ready to snap at her again, she latched onto his jacket and pulled him down, pecking his cheek then hugging him tightly. "I apologize."

Johnny was tense, he didn't hug her back. He was still shaking and his eyes were locked firmly on the ground. This may have been the most emotion he's ever felt in his life. It was like when someone shook up a bottle of soda. The cap tried to keep the contents in but eventually, it hits it's breaking point and explodes. He felt like he just exploded.

Caroline pulled back and reached up, gripping his face in her thin and cold-fingered hands, "Johnny? I am sorry that I pressed and threw a fit. It was not my place. I did not know that you were so…" she glanced away in thought. "Unfortunate."

He glared, "don't pity me." He said sharply, "That's the last thing I need." He pulled back from her.

She blinked rapidly for a moment, hurt by his anger towards her apology. "I was merely apologizing. But if you choose to behave like this, fine. Let us forget everything that had happened." She then began walking back towards the front of the Café.

He frowned, then sighed, "I'm sorry too…" he mumbled, "I get touchy… Then I act like a bitch. Funny, 'cause that's what I always try not t'do…"

Caroline stopped and looked back at him, "I understand." She glanced down, then turned fully towards him, "My mother and father were picturesque and gave me a fairy-tale life. We had lived in New York for a long time until roughly five years ago. My father died and his dying wishes were for us to meet his side of the Family in France. My mother and I left and I was put into an All Girls' Boarding School where cousin's of mine attended. By the middle of the last year, my mother fell ill. It was a mystery and I wrote it off as Heartbreak. She died as well and I finished out my year and then came back here to were Uncle Max and his wife lived."

She paused, "I'm an orphan… And it does not entirely compare to your past… But it is my own."

He looked down a bit, "Wel, least ya got good memories, yeah? Last thing I remember's my old man was…" he kicked the ground and exhaled a bit shakily. She realized he was disclosing incredibly private information to her- he was trusting her. "Was at th'gates… I was uh- askin' him…" he had been begging and crying, "Not t'leave me… He kinda pushed me…" he had thrown Johnny, "An' when I started actin' up, he drove off… Ain't heard from him since…" he remembered sitting on the curb, crying for house. He felt like doing it again every time he thought about that day. Hell, he'd barely been eight years old. His mother had only been dead a few months.

Caroline covered her mouth in awe and disgust, "Oh, Johnny…" he voice was soft. "If it is any consolation, No one but the Smith's know of my parents' deaths." She glanced down at Johnny's shoes a moment, "And you, now."

He looked up, "Yeah?" he moved a little closer to her, "Well yanno, eventually it ain't so bad…" he tried to smile, but it was hopeless. Yes, he could forget it- and she could forget it- and other things could take place. But in the end, every time they thought about it, they'd feel sick. He sighed and finally closed the gap between them, "Kinda funny a rich girl like you has th'same issues as a greaseball…"

Caroline suddenly looked a might insecure, but stared up at Johnny bravely, "Funny… I've never seen you use grease in your hair, Vincent." Her eyes searched his, but for what, she didn't know. Her stomach twirled enough to make her realize how close they were and not really care.

He smiled and laughed, turning his head to the side, then back to her, "Well, I only use a bit to keep this mess-" his fingers smacked the bangs irritably, "In line."

She giggled a bit, licking at her lower lip before returning to eye contact, "I haven't the slightest idea as to what mess you refer to." She teased.

He smiled, "Weren't it Shakespeare who said we judge ourselves more harshly than others judge us?" he asked her, leaning back, feeling a bit more at ease now.

She shrugged lightly, glancing down, "Might have been. I wouldn't know.. I'm not big on reading." She admitted.

"Really?" His eyebrows rose, "Damn!"

Her head titled, almost shamefully, "I have… Ah… Dyslexia…" the word almost didn't come out of her mouth.

He blinked, "that thing where ya read backwards?" he asked.

She suddenly looked uncomfortable, "Sort of… The letters never make sense… To me."

He blinked, "It's okay… Lots'a people have it." He said, "I mean, so what? You're a cool chick anyway, so what's it matter?" he was trying to make her feel better, "I mean- out of all the fucked up things in the world to have, that ain't near as bad as- like- autism!"

Caroline bit her lower lip and nodded, "True. But everyone expects me to be perfect… To never have a flaw. And that is a secret not even Gary knows." She looked ashamed once more, "I can't bare to tell him." She thought a moment as to why. "It's hard for me to explain why… But I can not tell him that."

He shrugged, "Hey, some guys can't cross bridges, some people can't get in planes, you can't tell Gary. No big." He smiled at her, "It don't change ya. Just makes ya human, s'all."

Once more, Caroline looked up at Johnny and just stared for a moment. She heard Timothy pull up in front of the Café, but stepped towards Johnny. "Thank you, Johnny." She then stood on her tip toes and pecked him lightly on the lips, "You have no idea how much your words mean to me." She whispered, then stepped back, "I must go, now. I'll see you later." And she practically skipped to the car, where Timothy held the door for her.

Glancing back with her right leg still out, she smiled, waved, and blew a kiss to Johnny before sitting all the way in, allowing Timothy to shut the door and eye Johnny before rushing around to drive Caroline quickly away.

Johnny grinned and strutted back to the Tenements. He didn't care- for once- about Lola, about his hair, what he wore, or his dad. His mind was locked solely on the little French girl who seemed to have all the answers.

"Miss?" Timothy asked as he drove her back to the Academy.

"Yes?" she asked, partially paying attention. She was too happy to be bothered.

"Is it a date now?"

LOL! I love Timothy. I'm going to have to describe him thuroughly at some point... I didn't really expect him to become so... Involved. Yanno? - Scitah