~o~

I followed Jenna down the hall into her room despite my better judgement. She was pissed.

"Hey, Jenna, you...okay?" I asked. I knew it was a dumb question but that's how you usually start off these conversations, right? She spun around.

"Oh, yes, Rex! I'm fine! Just chipper! Of course I'm not okay! I'm pissed as hell!" She spun back around, raked a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. In another second, she was hugging me. "I'm sorry, Rex. You didn't deserve that. You're not the one I'm mad at. Please forgive me," she said, calmer, once she'd let go and took a step back.

"Hey, it's okay. White gets under my skin sometimes, too."

"I mean, yikes. I just wanted to do something nice for her because I can tell how stressed she is. Despite her name, I'm sure she doesn't get any holidays."

"Well, I kind of understand where he's coming from. I mean, even though he shouldn't be so harsh, EVOs don't take vacations and we can't predict attacks. We need to be ready for anything."

"I understand that but geez, no need to be such a hardass if nothing does happen. Sorry, Rex." I gave her a smile.

"Don't worry. You'll learn how to deal with it someday. I did. I know how to press White's buttons and which ones to press. Six helps me out though, and Holiday. See, they understand that I'm a person, something it took White forever to realise." She gave me a smile and took a half step closer.

"Thanks, Rex. I feel a lot better. How 'bout you get Noah and the monkey and we'll play some cards?"

"Sure, sounds good. But I should warn you, Bobo plays for money only."

"Don't worry. I got you and Noah covered. I'm gonna get all my money back anyway."

"Don't be so sure about that."

"Like I said, I'm not the best person to bet against if you want to keep your money."

Noah came over (coincidentally, he had been coming anyway) and when the monkey heard there was a chance to win some money, he jumped at the opportunity. Jenna threw five hundred dollars at me and Noah like it was nothing and our mirroring 'whoa's gained a laugh from her. She said that was nothing and it made me wonder exactly how loaded she was and where it was she really got all that money from.

"You're a demon," I told her, just having lost my last fifty dollars. She laughed, throwing back her head. It was charming, but she was a demon. Noah was down to his last ten and the real competition was between her and Bobo. At first, she had made it look like we were winning, but then she turned around and started taking all we had. I was out and the monkey had seven hundred. I sat back in my chair, knowing I was out.

"Oh, come on Rex. One more," she said.

"I have nothing else to bet."

"How about this: winner gets to wear your jacket for a day."

"My jacket?"

"Yeah, it's cool." I narrowed my eyes.

"I thought you didn't like wearing clothes." She laughed again.

"Oh, come on, Rex, that's just mean. I like clothes. I just always have to be ready for action. If I had a more normal life, then I'd wear more clothes. What do you say? You could win back all this money."

"Come on, kid. It's more fun when your butt is on the line," Bobo added.

"Hush, monkey. I'm going for your stash next," she retorted.

"My stash? What about blondie over there?"

"I'm gonna go easy on him for now. Whoping you has more prestige anyway."

"Oh, dream on, cupcake."

"Come on, Rex. Just one more game?" Noah said, smiling sheepishly.

"Oh, alright," I breathed, exasperated.

"Yay!" she and Bobo exclaimed. They seemed to enjoy beating me.

Big mistake. The last round was brutal. I've never seen Bobo look that sad before. Jenna piled all the money and I took off my jacket and handed it to her.

"I know when I'm beat. I should have stopped when I lost the money. Just be careful," I said. She put the jacket on and for some odd reason, seeing her wearing my jacket made me blush. She neatened the money into a stack and Bobo's hands were in the air, looking at the heavens.

"How could this happen? How could I lose? And to a girl, too! Why, crude fate?" he lamented.

"Don't blame fate. I'm not just a normal girl, Bobo. You didn't stand a chance to begin with."

"I say rematch, you and me, winner takes all. You cheated."

"Did not. And maybe tomorrow. Doc Holiday is coming in three...two...one."

Doc Holiday walked through the doorway just as she had predicted.

"How did you—" Noah voiced the question in all our heads.

"I heard her shoes clicking on the floor with the pattern of her walk." Bobo gave her a look.

"Jenna, can I see you for a minute?" she asked.

"Coming!" Jenna responded, she put the money in her pocket, flashed us all a smile and walked off. From the distance I could hear Doc asking her why she was wearing my jacket and her telling her all about our card game. Doc laughed and then I couldn't hear anymore.

"Her shoes on the floor? What is she?" Bobo asked.

"Amazing, that's for sure," I answered. I saw Bobo and Noah give each other a look and ignored it. When it boiled down, she was amazing. It was just a fact.