Chapter 5:

-

Joe sat upon a large branch in a large willow tree, looking out across Spenser's campus. His foot dangled off one side, while the other was propped against the limb. This was something he did often of late, glad for the time alone, even if it was just for those few moments during lunch period, when everyone was inside eating on a cold day like this. It was usually his place to come and settle down, to think, or both. Like today. He still couldn't get past how everyone now knew of his internal affairs, the dysfunctionality of his own mind. He was at war with himself every day, and those punk Concordat members weren't making anything easier. It was just too soon, the wound too fresh. He wondered if he would ever feel like his old self ever again. He'd settle for even one genuine smile… just one…

But instead his sister's tears rang in his head, all the time. He could almost hear her, clear as day.

It was then he felt a shift in the tree, and looked down to discover that the crying wasn't in his head after all, but a woman, running to his very tree to shed her tears in private. She plopped her whole weight on the huge trunk, hiding her face in it as if it was a shoulder to cry on. He watched her in silence for many moments, wondering if she would look up and notice him, but mostly he was just annoyed that someone was cutting in on his alone time.

She pulled off her blue stocking-cap to reveal short, curly blonde hair, and Joe immediately knew her. She confirmed this by pulling out a cigarette and sticking it in her mouth. It was the 'Mysterious Blonde".

She searched around for a lighter, and began to desperately click it by her light, but only got sparks from it. Every time she tried it and it wouldn't light she became more desperate, more in despair.

"Here," Joe said reaching down for it.

She inhaled abruptly at the surprise, but got over it quickly, and let him take the Zippo. Joe let his eyes flicker their fire through them, Using just a little to fix her lighter, then gave it back. She knew about his Power anyway, so he figured there was no sense in trying to hide it from her.

"Thanks," she said a little harshly, acting like she had never even shed a single tear. She breathed in her cigarette deeply, as if she hadn't had one in days.

"Those things'll kill you, you know," Joe warned emotionlessly, as if he didn't really care.

"Eh," she shrugged it off, blowing out a cloud of smoke, letting it rise up to his level. "I'm dying anyway. So what's your excuse?"

"What excuse?" Joe asked.

"For hanging out at the Weeping Willow."

Joe sighed and looked elsewhere.

"You don't know me well enough yet for me to answer that question."

"You mean that bit about your sister?"

Now it was Joe's turn to breathe in abruptly in surprise.

"I overheard you boys at the bar, remember?" she waved it off. "Geez, don't have a cow."

Joe looked down at the woman below for a moment, then frowned.

"And you?"

She blew out some more smoke.

"Me what? Oh, my reason for being here?" She looked up to him, and cocked her head. "I'll make you a little deal. When you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."

"I guess I'll never know, then."

"That's what I figured."

The bell rang then, and she crushed her cigarette underneath her foot.

"See you around, Joe."

As she walked off, Joe grinned. His grin turned into a smile.

An actual smile.

-

James walked into the cafeteria, a tray of lunch in his hands, heading over to the usual table. He found Glenn already sitting there, bowing forward, continually banging his forehead against the table. Wayne sat across from him, leaning back, sucking on a red lollipop.

James smiled at his two friends, walking up with a determined stride in their direction. He almost bumped into a thin girl walking past, who was distracted by Wayne.

"Hey, Wayne," she said suggestively as she swaggered past. He nodded in her direction in reply.

Glenn groaned at this and whacked his head on the table again.

"Still suffering heartache, Glenn?" James guessed as he sat down next to him. He glanced at Wayne, who was still scoping out that girl's backside. "And Wayne, still… not?"

Wayne turned around and motioned to Glenn.

"He's been at this all day!" he said like it was a circus event. "He's like a lovesick puppy. I find it very amusing."

"Oh, do you?" James chuckled.

"Insensitive swine," Glenn muttered.

"Where's Joe?" James asked as he took a large bite of his ham sandwich.

"Outside sulking again," Wayne explained. "I think Glenn and him should form some sort of dark and dreary club."

"Don't mock my pain," Glenn commanded. "Someday you'll tend to the wounds of love as well."

"Not likely," Wayne assured him. "I'm an island. No girl will make this boy suffer. Know why? Because there's not a girl out there worth it."

"Hey, boys," Beatrice said, sitting down next to Wayne, which made him sit up a little straighter. "Anything interesting going on?"

"Nope, everything's pretty much the same," James said. "Wayne was just flaunting his charm again, and Glenn was flaunting his lack thereof."

"I resent that!" Glenn said, finally lifting up his head to talk properly.

"Hey, Bee," Wayne said leaning close to talk into her ear. "You hear about the races?"

"The Marblehead Daredevils are back?" she asked with surprise. "Wow, I wasn't expecting those suicidal maniacs for another month."

"Me either," Wayne admitted. "Until I got me a challenge by that bastard Concordat Sean Wen. Say, wanna be my biker babe?"

"No. And you have two seconds to get your hand off my ass before I break your arm."

"I wouldn't let go if God himself came down and asked me, darlin'."

Suddenly Beatrice was on her feet, gripping Wayne by his long locks and slamming his face into the table. Then she grabbed his arm and jerked it behind his back, holding him down by his shoulder.

"Don't you ever touch me, you perv!" she spat icily.

James was only laughing at this display, as Beatrice panted for loss of breath and Wayne moaned in pain.

Beatrice then roughly let him go, and snatched up her lunch tray.

"I'll see you all at the races," she assured them, and left in a huff.

Wayne sat up and watched her walk away with a fond look in his eye.

"She's somethin', ain't she?"

"Why do you let her do that to you?" Glenn asked. "Beat you around, I mean. We all know you can take her down in two seconds."

"I don't hurt what I worship," Wayne replied smoothly. "Besides, it's the only way I can get her all over me."

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and chuckled to himself.

"She's right— you are a perv," Glenn decided.

"I like to call it: 'over-appreciative of the opposite gender'."

"You better watch it or the cops will call it 'sexual harassment'," James warned him. "Are you really thinking of entering those stupid motorcycle races?"

"Hey, you know I can ride anything with wheels… and, you know, some things without."

"People get killed up at those cliffs," Glenn reminded.

"Then it's a good thing we are not exactly people then, huh?"

"He's got a point there," James agreed.

"Besides," Wayne added, his voice lowering seriously. "I never back down from a challenge."

-

James paced in front of Evelyn's door, long after classes had ended. He'd been gathering the courage to knock on it for the past twenty minutes, without any success. He just couldn't think of the right thing to say, and he wanted to be sure he didn't screw up for her like he did last time.

Then, her door opened, and since she wasn't planning on someone pacing outside her door, she almost ran right into James.

"Oh!" she said with surprise. "James, hi!"

"Hey…" James said, staring straight at her beautiful brown eyes. 'Hey' was as far as he had gotten in his planning.

"Were you going to knock?" she asked, clutching her books to her chest.

"I'd, uh… thought about it," he answered truthfully. She bit her lip and looked at the floor with great interest.

"Did you also think about the races on Saturday?"

James nodded firmly, trying to acted self-assured.

"I was considering that as well."

She paused, and looked up at him.

"Were you considering asking me to go with you?"

James opened his mouth, and frowned because sound refused to come from it.

She giggled at this and continued on her way.

"You think too much," she commented.

James wished he could just stab himself now, for being such a bumbling idiot. He was acting as primitive as a cave man in front of the pretty girl.

But he couldn't let her get away. He had vowed he would make a move this year, and he couldn't just walk away again. He had to say something. Anything, dammit!

"So... eight o'clock?" was the first thing that came rolling out.

She turned and walked backwards to look at him.

"Sounds great," she said with a firm nod.

James acted cool until she turned the corner, then jumped up in the air and gave a large shout.

"SCORE!"

-

More pics up now on my Cov album, of all the Concordat boys. Check them out, and please review.
Signed,
--RedRogue