2- Katherine

The coffee is extra busy today, with people rushing inside to escape from the cold. A couple snowflakes barge in with each new customer, each one looking less prepared for the city's first snow of the season than the last.

Katherine sits in the back corner at her favorite table, which is tucked just behind a half wall to the side of the counter. It's out of the way, but also gives her a clear line of sight towards the front door. She curls her hands around her still-steaming cup of coffee and relishes the feeling of warmth flooding her fingers. She can't exactly look down on the rest of the patrons for not being prepared for the snowy day when she wasn't quite prepared herself. She'd forgotten her mittens at home and her fingers had paid the price on her walk over from her apartment.

"Twice in one week, what are the chances?" A man's voice interrupts her thoughts.

Katherine turns to look and finds the boy from earlier this week standing beside her table, hands wrapped around his own steaming mug of coffee. He looks just about as prepared for the cold as she was, with a dark green beanie tucked over his head, but only a plain paint-splattered long-sleeved shirt to cover his torso. A simple bag is slung across his body and hangs at his hip. He's gives her a charming smile.

"I'm waiting for someone," Katherine answers, trying her best to politely get the man to go away. She doesn't have time for idle chatter right now.

The man chuckles, "Well, that's all right cause I'm looking for someone." He exaggeratingly owls his head to scan the room. "Who's you waiting for?"

Katherine hums, debating whether or not she should actually answer the man, before finally giving in, "I'm waiting for someone by the name of Jack Kelly."

He beams, showing off his sparkling smile and sets his coffee mug down on the table, nearly sloshing what she can now tell is hot chocolate over the edge of the cup in the process, and holds his right hand out to her, "Jack Kelly. Nice ta meet ya."

She gives him an unsure look before taking his outstretched hand and shaking it. When they separate, he plops down in to the chair across the table from her.

"What, ya don't believe me?" He asks before taking a sip of hit hot chocolate.

Katherine blushes, "No, it's just a little too convenient, don't you think? That you come over to me and just happen to be the person I am waiting for?"

The man – Jack, chuckles and digs in his pocket before pulling out his worn brown leather wallet. He opens it and slides a card out of the clear window displayed on one side and holds it out to her.

Katherine takes the card and just gives it a long enough glance to confirm is does indeed say Jack Kelly before passing it over. She feels herself fill with a little bit of shame at not believing him. "I'm sorry-"

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it," he smirks out as he tucks his ID back in to his wallet and then his wallet back in to his pocket. "Pretty girl like you probably gets hounded by guys all the time."

She's sure her cheeks are flushed an even darker crimson now, no longer from the cold, but from Jack's compliment. It's not that she's not used to hearing such things, but something about the way he says it makes it different than all the times before. She takes a sip of her coffee to try and hide her embarrassment.

Jack's smile falters a little when he doesn't get a response to his compliment, but he continues on anyways, "Well, I don't know what they showed ya to make ya want to talk to me, but I brought a portfolio with me in case you wants to look." He pulls a thick portfolio out of his bag, papers sticking out every which way, and pushes it across the table to her.

Katherine composes herself and smiles, "Thank you, I appreciate it. The portfolio they shared with me was certainly smaller than this one." She pulls the binder over and starts flipping through the pages to glance at more of his work. She's seen some of them before, in the digital version she perused earlier this week, but there is a great deal more work than just those.

There are portraits and darker pieces here, ones distinctly his style but not exactly what would be called for in a children's book. She pauses on a pencil portrait of two boys on a swing set with matching smiles. She recognizes them from some of the previous portraits she's looked through. "Who are these boys? They seem to appear a lot," she asks.

Jack's smile lessens a little as he hastily responds, "My brothers." He doesn't expand beyond that and Katherine doesn't push.

Katherine finishes flipping thought the binder, all the while taking small sips of her coffee, relishing the warmth it fills her with. When she finally closes the binder and looks back up at Jack, he's pointedly staring out the window and the lightly falling snow.

"I still love your work," Katherine starts, hoping to pull back his attention.

He turns, his face blank for a moment before his smile returns. "That's nice of ya," he says before taking another sip of hot chocolate that he's holding.

"So would you be interested in illustrating my book?" She continues, hoping to spark some sort of interest in him.

"Ya haven't even told me what its about yet, so…" He questions, waving his hand in her direction, clearly indicating he wants her to explain further.

Katherine shifts uncomfortably in her seat before quietly admitting, "I don't actually have much of a story yet, just a couple ideas…". She looks to her hands clasped in her lap, fully expecting Jack to give her some sort of snarky put-down and just get up and walk away.

"Then tell me your ideas," he continues.

Katherine whips her head upwards to look him in the eyes, "Are you serious? You're not mad that I don't have a full story yet? I mean, I have a novel if you want to read that, but the company is refusing to consider publishing it until I prove myself, which is why I don't have anything yet-"

Jack motions with her hands for her to stop talking, "I get the idea." He pauses to set his empty mug back on the table. "And no, I ain't mad or nothing. It prob'ly works better this way. Sometime when I'm doing somethin' someone's commissioned from me, they've got so much of their own ideas stuck in their head, it's nearly impossible to make 'em happy."

She softly smiles, "I'm so happy that you're not just giving up on me."

He smirks, "Give up on you? Neva. But your story…"

Katherine blushes again before continuing, "Yeah, that." She pulls her notebook out of her bag. "I only started brainstorming last night, but here's what I've got. I want to do something related to current social issues-"

"Social issues?" Jack gives her a questioning look. "Like the gun debate and everything? Look, that might sell to politically charged parents, but no kid cares about those things. It should be something that kids care about."

Katherine crosses her arms and questions, "Aren't I the author here?"

Jack gives her a mischievous look before matching her position, "Well you ain't written anythin' yet. Don't even have an idea." He matches her stare.

She has to blink first and Jack chuckles, losing the tension in his position. "Okay, fine. What issues do kids care about? But we have to remember the book has to cater to the parents as much to the kids since the parents are the ones with the money to buy it in the first place."

Jack shrugs, "I don't know. Empower them I guess. Tell them they can do whatever they want, no matter what their damn parents tell them they can't do." A stony look has settled in Jack's eyes and it makes Katherine want to lean away from him, admittedly a little scared.

"Personal experience?" She softly presses.

Jack's eyes soften immediately and he methodically shakes away the tension that had set in, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He looks to the floor and rubs at the back of his neck. "Just show 'em they can do whatever they want. Give them a good example to look up to."

Katherine softly smiles when Jack looks back up to her with expectant eyes, "I like it. That's definitely something I can work with." She finishes off her cup of coffee as she watches Jack continue to recompose himself. She's itching to ask him more about what got him so worked up, but they just met officially today. It would be inappropriate of her to push.

She decides it's time for a change of subject. "So you paint too? I saw a couple pictures of your painting in the portfolio they sent me."

Jack smiles as he absentmindedly picks at the flecks of blue paint on his sleeves. "Yeah, that's where I do most of my work. It's the easiest place to get commission for since everyone always wants paintings for some reason. On top of that, I do the sets for the theatre next to my apartment building and the owner's nice enough to send people my way when they ask after 'em."

"I'd love to see them sometime," Katherine blurts out without thinking. She'd love to see them, she really would, but that sounded like she was asking for something more akin to a date. It's too late to take the statement back now.

Jack taps his phone screen to check the time. "I's got time now if you want to come over and see them. I'm only a couple blocks down that way," he jerks his thumb down the street.

Katherine blushes, "I wouldn't want to intrude on such short notice."

Jack stands, sticks his portfolio in his bag, and readjusts it over his shoulder. He holds out his hand to her to pull her from her seat. "It's not intrudin' when I's invited ya."

She hesitates for a moment before taking Jack's hand and allowing him to pull her from her seat. She releases his hand and shrugs on her coat before throwing her bag back over her shoulder and stuffing her hand back in her pockets.

Jack leads the way out the door and back in to the soft snowfall. It's the fluffy kind that floats down from the sky, the kind that always tempts her to stick out her tongue and try to catch some. She resists the urge today, given her current company. Jack walks beside her, hands stuffed in his jean pockets and head tilted towards the sky.

"Aren't you cold?" She asks, shivering a little even in her warm coat.

His gaze turns down to her and Katherine tries to ignore the small clumps of snowflakes that have settled on his eyelashes, highlighting his green eyes. Nope, she's not staring at his eyes. Nope.

He shrugs as he replies, "Guess I'm just so used ta being cold that I don't notice it anymore."

The idea sounds absolutely absurd to Katherine, but she doesn't press further in an attempt to keep herself warm. The chill that had evaded her mouth when she had opened it to speak had been very unwelcome.

They come to a stop outside a stoop leading up to a small blue door. Just next door is the marquee for a theatre and Katherine asks, "Is this the theatre you do the sets for?"

Jack fumbles with his keys as he responds, "Yeah, owner's a real nice lady. Letting me and my bud rent this place for cheap so long as I keep doing sets for her, which I love doin' so it's more than a fair trade so far as I's concerned."

By the time he's finished explaining, Jack's managed to get the door unlocked and open. He's standing to the side and gesturing for Katherine to enter first, which she gratefully does, glad to get away from the cold. He quickly follows and pushes the door shut behind him.

Katherine looks around at the new surroundings. There's a door to the right and a narrow staircase leading to another door on the second floor. While she's distracted, Jack starts climbing the staircase.

"That's Miss Medda's place. We're upstairs," he calls, not evening glancing behind him, but obviously not hearing her following. Katherine glances at the downstairs door one more time before rushing after Jack.

He doesn't bother with looking for a key this time, even though the door obviously locks. Jack just twists the knob and walks right in, Katherine following right after.

His apartment is small, and sparsely furnished. There's a small living room with a worn couch to the left and a kitchen to the right. Right in front of them is a hallway with three doors, she assumes they are the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Jack! Did you go out without a jacket again!" A tall, lanky boy with dark brown hair yells from the kitchen table, where he's poring over a book.

In front of her, Jack shrugs, "Ain' that cold out Davey." He looks over his shoulder at her and then steps to the side as he says, "Oh yeah, Davey this is Katherine. Kath, that guy's my friend and roommate Davey. Didn't figure he'd be home on account of the fact he's been livin' at the library studyin' for all his finals."

Katherine gives Davey a small wave, "Hello. What are you studying?" She wonder if Jack is a student too.

"Pre-law and Jack, I haven't been living at the library. You're just never home," he quickly returns his attention to Jack. "And Spot's here to see you. Someone had to be here to let him in, since you apparently forgot again."

Jack whips his head to the couch, where a short muscular boy is sitting, playing on his phone, "Nice job trying to remember this time Jackie. Good thing I texted Davey-boy before coming over this time."

Jack returns his attention to Katherine and formally introduces the new boy, "Spot, this is Katherine. Kath, that's Spot, my youngest brother's boyfriend."

Spot lifts his head from his phone just enough to glare at Jack, "I's told ya we ain't dating-"

Jack cuts him off, "but you wants ta be and I's sure ya will be as soon as he's free of that home."

Katherine's head is swirling with unanswered questions now. Why doesn't Jack live with his brothers? Is Jack a student too?

Spot just further adds to the mystery, "Kelly, I's got to go ta work so if ya don't mind, leave yer girlfriend alone for a couple minutes so we can talk about Race and Crutchie."

"I'm not – we're not-" Katherine begins.

"We's just working on a project together Spotty, nothin' more than that," Jack says at the same time.

Upon hearing Jack's response, Katherine returns her attention to him and, eyes wide, asks, "So you'll actually do it?"

Jack gives her a questioning look, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head, "Yeahs, so long as ya actually write somethin', I don't see why not. Did I not say that earlier? I meant ta say that."

Excitement once again bubbles up inside Katherine and she exclaims, "Thank you! Oh I can't wait!"

Suddenly Davey is standing with them and placing a hand on Jack's shoulder, "You're illustrating now, Jack?"

Jack nods, gives Katherine a discerning glance, before carefully answering, "Well, they said I needed a normal job and this is a lot more normal than just doin' commissions."

Spot interjects the moment from where he's still seated on the couch, "Kelly, you want ta talk or what?"

Jack looks to Katherine and Davey before Davey, apparently getting some sort of signal from Jack, says, "Katherine, I can take you back to see his paintings while they talk? They won't be too long." His tone clearly indicates she needs to say yes.

Katherine gives Jack a questioning look, which he blatantly ignores, before turning to Davey and confirming, "Thank you, I would appreciate that."

Davey removes his hand from Jack's shoulder and stuffs it back in his sweater pocket before leading her down the hallway to the last door. He swiftly opens it and leads her inside, before following her and closing it behind him.

Katherine looks around what must be Jack's room. There is a small twin bed shoved in to the corner and clothes falling out of the open closet, but otherwise the room is pretty clean. On the wall to her left are about a dozen canvases neatly stacked against the wall and an artist's toolbox tucked in to the corner. It's covered in every color of paint she could possibly imagine, and more she can't even describe.

She returns her attention to Davey, who has taken a seat on the edge of Jack's bed. He looks uncomfortable and tired, with dark circles under his eyes. It's not an unfamiliar look for a college student- especially a pre-law one in the midst of studying for finals.

"I'm sorry, I told Jack I didn't want to intrude," she begins, hoping to calm the other boy's nerves little.

He casts his gaze up at her and softly says, "There's no need to apologize. Jack has every right to bring people over. He just apparently forgot his meeting with Spot this afternoon. Again." He rubs at his tired eyes.

"Well I'm still interrupting your studying and I'm sorry for that," she continues.

Davey smirks and Katherine mimics the action. "I needed a break anyways. I think I've read that same page a couple times over now and I can't tell you even one topic listed there."

"Is Jack a student too?" She questions, hoping to get an answer to at least one of her questions.

Davey thinks for a moment before responding, "Not really, no. He takes some night classes every now and then, but I've had a hard time convincing him to commit to it seriously when he's doing more than fine for himself doing commissions and what not."

"So he does commissions regularly? And makes good money off them? Why did he mention needing a regular job earlier if he's making enough money doing that?" She blurts out all of her questions at once, leaving off and if he's making good money, why doesn't he get a nicer apartment.

Davey shifts uncomfortably in his seat before carefully responding, "He does them pretty regularly, yeah. Miss Medda's good at sending people his way when they laud the sets he's done for her and yeah, he makes pretty good money off them." He pauses and Katherine can see him biting at his cheek, "You're going to have ask him the last question yourself. I'm not comfortable speaking for him on his personal life."

Katherine nods her head as she notes to worry on Davey's face, like he fears he hasn't told her enough. "Thank you, I'll ask him when I get the chance."

Davey relaxes a little after that before tacking on, "You might want to wait a bit though, for a day he hasn't just met with Spot. He's not usually up for much talking afterwards."

"Oh," Katherine blurts out, pushing the question to the back of her mind. "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."

The door swings open and Jack enters. He looks drained, like his talk with Spot sucked all the energy out of him. Davey clear his throat and rushes behind Jack to exit the room. Jack goes to take Davey's place on the bed and rubs his face with his hands.

Katherine walks over and sets a hand on Jack's shoulder in an attempt of comfort. He stiffens under her touch, but doesn't shy away. "Everything all right?"

Jack raises his head from his hands and puts on a weak smile as he sits up. "Yeah, fine, sorry. I forgot he was coming over today. Did Davey get a chance to show you the paintings I've got in here?"

"Yes, they're beautiful," Katherine lies. She can tell Jack is exhausted and she's ready to leave and give him the space he clearly needs right now.

He smiles at the complement. "Can I get your number? I don't like email much. That way you can just text me when you's got some ideas?"

Katherine nods and quickly pulls her phone from her pocket, "Here, just put yours in and I'll text you later." Jack takes the phone from here and quickly types in his number, saving the contact under 'Jack K.'.

"I'm excited to work together Jack. I think together we can make something great," she softly smiles as she pats him on the shoulder with the hand she had set there earlier. Her mind is currently swirling with more questions about Jack himself than with ideas for her, no-their book, but she's sure the right idea will come with time. And that idea will be great.


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Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!