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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 10, 2011 14:58:00 GMT -5
"C'mon baby, don't do this to me," Nell cooed as she rested her forehead against the steering wheel of her car, stroking the dashboard in affectionate circles. That morning she had practically jumped into her Monte Carlo, thankful another day had gone by without her finding it on cinderblocks with the doors gone. Now she was sitting idle in the school parking lot, damning the cold weather. "We've been through so much together. Please don’t end it like this, Viv." She turned the keys into the ignition again. The car stalled. Again. Nell thumped her forehead against the steering wheel. With a sigh, she pushed open the door, and it creaked as it swung, almost hitting the car next to hers. Don’t fall off, please don’t fall off…
The 1981 Monte Carlo was the best a girl like her could do. Minimum wage wasn’t kind to anyone in need of a vehicle. Plus, her entire identity was forged now, including her license. One day, she would become an actual legal citizen of Canada. But so far the paranoia prevented her from even considering it. And then there was re fact the naturalization process took years. She stepped out of the car, lightly shutting the door and holding her fingers against the window a few seconds after to ensure it would not fall off. The cold probably wasn’t helping at all, what with fresh snow blanketing the asphalt. Nell shivered in her sweatshirt, holding her arms under her armpits. She did not have money for a mechanic. At all.
She popped open the hood and looked at everything inside, face blank before she threw her head back in exasperation and closed it with a hard thud. Nell plopped herself on the hood, the metal cold and not working, dammit. With a sigh, she fell back, splayed across the top of the gray, ugly vehicle, brown hair falling over the windshield wipers as her feet knocked against the top of her license plate. The sky was slate grey, and very plain. Pushing herself back up, Nell took out her wallet and phone. She checked inside the leather pouch to see she had two twenties. Definitely not enough to call a mechanic. Great, she was stranded. And she needed to go home to eat and water her plants and there was no way she was walking home in this weather. If push came to shove though, she’d man up and trudge through the snow and slush. For now, she guessed it’d be best just to chill on the hood and think of what she’d be having for dinner.
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Post by marci3 on Jun 10, 2011 15:37:35 GMT -5
Oooo, that reeks. Jacob thought, his attention immediately captured by the car that was stalling repeatedly across the parking lot. When he looked it over, he was no longer surprised. If the person trying to leave had driven that thing here that day, a miracle had happened. How such an old, beaten-down piece of junk ever managed to run was beyond him. But in the cold it was even worse—kudos to the stranger who'd made it work. Even for a short while. Jacob's own car was no sports car, but the 2004 toyota highlander suited him just fine. Didn't break down, at least.
His gloved hand strayed to the handle of the driver's side door, but it was not use. With a great sigh he let go of it and stuffed the keys back in his coat pocket. Didn't matter if this was a thunder student, he'd have to ask them if they needed a ride. No helping it. So he trudged his way through the wet snow toward the sad looking car and it's occupant, who was both female and very pretty. But no need to dwell on that. Tasha was probably waiting for him at home, so he didn't have too much time to waste. She was a good girl, Tasha, but had a habit of trashing the place looking for food if he was gone too long. The day had been tiring, so Jacob didn't feel like dealing with that right now.
Though he was quiet while he approached the car, a better look at the very pretty woman's face made being serious an absolute impossibility. He took the last few steps in a bound, a bright and chivalrous grin on his face as he looked down at her. ”Fear not, fair lady!” He said rather loudly, his British accent loud and clear, ”You shall not be left alone in this perilous state!” He posed for a second, then broke down laughing at himself. Winking at the girl, he threw her a charming smile. His tone was much more normal when he continued, ”Car not working?”
It was obvious, yes, that her car was not working, but he still gave her the time to answer before saying anything more. This did allow him to look at her face mor4e closely for a few moments, and he liked what he saw. Still, there was absolutely no ulterior motive for his quick rescue, and he wished to show it. Bowing ever so slightly, he held out a hand to her to help her off the hood of the car, ”Allow me to introduce myself; I'm Jacob, Jacob Reece. Is there anyway I can be of assistance? A ride, perhaps? Phone with which to call the mechanic?” He then noticed that she had her phone in her hand. Tilting his head in a way that seemed to suggest a shrug, he grinned at her. ”Guess not. Anything else?”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 10, 2011 16:49:38 GMT -5
Nell looked up at the rather exuberant voice and saw a man approaching, looking a couple years older than her, wearing a bright grin on his face. She raised her eyebrows and smiled back. ”My hero,” she sighed, hand over her chest. Her own New Yorker accent was in stark contrast to his smooth British one. So a Brit in Canada? That was intriguing. But then she remembered that the Academy was the only one out there, so it would be natural for Elementals to flock to its doors. ”I’ve been long awaiting rescue!” She decided to play along with the cheery man winking at her, giggling a bit as she spoke. With his demeanor, she could have almost forgotten that her precious piece of junk refused to work.
He abandoned the chivalry, still with a smile, when he asked her about the car’s state. ”This old junker?” She banged the heel of her boot against the bumper and made a hollow metallic sound. It was a surprise the thing didn’t fall right off and onto the asphalt. ”Yep, looks like she’s finally crapped out on me.” Nell hoped it wasn’t irreparable, even if she didn’t have the money to pay for it. Now she was in store for even more budgeting, lovely. Bright side, Nell, there’s always a bright side. And it seemed as if it would come in the form of this man. He was rather charming, actually.
The lively courtliness continued as he bowed and offered his hand, which she took as she jumped off the hood with a light blush on her cheeks, not just from the chill. He asked if he could be of assistance in such proper language that she laughed lightly as she gave a mock curtsey (which was difficult, considering she was wearing jeans). ”Nice to meet ya, Jacob. I’m Nell…Shepherd,” she said, a bit of hesitation before her last name because she still hadn’t gotten used to it yet. It was written on all her forged papers though, and she much rather preferred it to ‘Sinclair Fuentes’. Shepherd’s pie was her favorite food after all, but it was something else she couldn’t buy much of with her funds.
Of course, she had to doubt his intentions before hoping into his car or anything. He seemed…nice. He was offering help, after all, and he didn’t look like the seedy kind of character she’d expect to find downtown or back where she came from. She came to recognize foul intent in people’s faces, and she didn’t see any in this man’s. It was a rather handsome face, too, so she didn’t mind half as much as she would have otherwise. Stuffing her phone in the back jeans pocket, Nell said, ”As courteous as you are, Jacob, a girl has her suspicions about getting into a car with a stranger.” Her lips twitched up, and she tilted her head. ”So….would you perhaps know anything about cars and how to fix one?”
Nell turned back to look at the car she’d dubbed ‘Viv’, her eyebrows knitting together as she sighed. ”Of course, it’s probably the cold that did it and we can’t get rid the winter, huh. The battery wasn’t too stellar to begin with, so it probably froze.” She at least knew what the battery looked like, and just assumed the rest. Turning back to the charmer, she gave him an apologetic shrug. ”But I wouldn’t take advantage of your kindness like that.” It was classic Nell to turn down the random act of kindness displayed by a stranger even when she needed it. She felt like she’d be putting Jacob out if she asked for any sort of help.
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Post by marci3 on Jun 11, 2011 10:32:26 GMT -5
Jacob bobbed his head in a way that somehow suggested another full-out bow, his jovial grin still bright on his face as he bent over and kissed the back of her hand. Well, no. It was a sort of trick. His lips didn't actually touch her, it was mostly just a mime that became more popular as time went on. That's how he'd learned to do it back home. While his family had not been rich, his parents had been obsessed with old English manners. ”A pleasure, Nell....Shepard.” He said, mimicing the hesitation she had made on her own name. But a wink and a quick movement to the next part of the conversation was enough to show that he would not pry into something that was not his business. No, that was Em's job.
He allowed her to look at him for a few seconds, not know whether she was being suspicious or just liked looking at guys. But he kept an easy smile on his face as he looked straight back into her eyes. When she continued, though, the truth of what she said dawned on him. A slight grimace entered his expression before turning back into the former smile. ”Ah...yes. I suppose you're right about that, aren't you?” Jacob knew for a fact that he wouldn't hurt her for the world. In his mind, doing something like that to someone who hadn't maimed him or one of his family was sick and twisted. But he also knew that if Nell were Em, and he was some stranger guy he didn't know, he wouldn't want Em to just get in the car, either.
”Well.” He said, humor in his eyes, ”I suppose we'll just have to get to know each other.” She asked him if he knew about cars, and he immediately moved over to the car and pulled up the hood. A little twinge in his mind told him that he should have asked permission, but oh well. He'd done it. He looked at the engine, the battery, the alternator, shaking his head a bit. ”I'm no mechanic,” He said while he looked the thing over, ”But it looks like your car was still warm when the snow feel. Melted the snow, the water seeped into it's workings, and the ice is now making it stall. Bloody hell.” That last exclamation had him glancing at her apologetically. ”No offense, but this car is...a real piece of work.”
He waved his hand over the engine, closing his eyes for a second as he located all the ice crystals. Then he nodded grimly. ”Yeah, that's what's it. I can get rid of the ice for you, much faster than any mechanic could. But it's still going to need to go into the shop to be fixed up.” Jacob had never had the stereotypical male obsession with cars and their workings. He liked cars that looked good, and ran well, but his passions lay elsewhere. As a result, he'd never learned how to repair cars. At least not in any way he would attempted on a stranger's car.
Fog floated before him as he let out a long breath, and he fidgeted with his gloves to make them more air-tight. Then he glanced at Nell, suddenly realizing something that seemed to appall him. His brow furrowed, and he peered at her barely-adequate winter-wear. ”Are you cold?” He asked, immediately starting to pull off his heavy coat at the thought. The cold was biting, but winter was barely better in england, and he was very good at hiding discomfort. He held out his coat to her, his expression telling Nell flat-out that he wouldn't take no for an answer.
”And it's not taking advantage if the help is offered.” He said into response to her earlier comment. He glanced at the car, then smiled back at her, a genuine look in his eyes. ”I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left a young woman stranded on her own. Although if it would make you feel better, I could muck up my own car. We'd both be stranded, and you wouldn't have to feel bad.”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 12, 2011 2:45:37 GMT -5
It looked like Jacob was moving in for a bow again, but instead his lips merely hovered above her hand. She lifted an eyebrow at this gesture. Was it a British thing? She found there were a lot of differences between America and Canada, so she could only wonder what went on in what she assumed to be Jacob’s home country. He imitated her hesitation, and Nell blushed lightly, looking askance. Yeah, she’d definitely need to get used to referring to herself as that. After all, she would have changed her entire name to be even more discreet, but she felt too attached to her first and middle name. They reminded Nell of her sister, and it was a good connection. She was glad he brushed it off, though. No need to get into how she had to take a second to think about her own name.
He seemed to catch on to her anxiety with a grimace, and she realized that he was probably a decent guy and that he only had good intentions. Nell tried not to judge people, but she’d grown up with some not-so-nice people in a not-so-nice area. She was not accustomed to kindness from strangers. Well, she had to hitch rides when coming to Canada. But that was different. She was running away, and she didn’t even have a car then. Thinking on it, she realized just how many times she could have turned up killed. Nell shivered thinking of it and said with an apologetic tone, ”You can never be too careful, you know.” He probably was a really good guy as he'd shown so far, but god, she’d been so stupid. Her entire life, actually. Most of her childhood had been spent roaming The Bronx at night. It was wonder nothing had gone wrong.
His eyes were light as he spoke, and she laughed a bit. ”I guess so…” she said. ”Speaking of, which part of Britain are you from?” Nell was especially curious about that, but wondered if it was prying too much. But that was a normal question, or at least it should have been. Not minding that Jacob popped open her hood without asking for her consent, she looked over his shoulder as he inspected her car’s innards, wondering what he saw there. She sighed a bit as he finished, raking her fingers through her hair. ”Well that sounds lovely. I admit, I’ve never owned a car before so I can’t say I know exactly how to keep up maintenance…” At his cursing—‘bloody’ must have been a British term—he sent an apologetic glance but she gave a dismissive hand wave. “Please, you’re too kind. It’s a garbage can on wheels.” She shrugged, her smile easy and light even as she spoke of hard times. “Best I could do though. It gets me around, well…until today.”
Nell watched curiously as he closed his eyes, and then nodded as if affirming something. Maybe he was… ”You wouldn’t be a Water elemental by any chance? But can Water elementals actually do that kind of stuff?” That would explain how he could get rid of the ice. She frowned slightly when he spoke of the shop, tapping her fingernails against the headlight as she thought. ”That’s a no-can-do, unfortunately. I’m flat broke at the moment.” Until she got her next paycheck, which still barely got her by when it came to food and bills. She had quite literally jumped into the real world with nothing to fall back on at all. She had never been a child really, but she was definitely not prepared for the adult stresses she had to face. ”Oh well, I’ll find a way.” And she brushed it off easily, as if this wasn’t of great concern. She didn’t complain, hated to show things like that. ”I have to wonder if it would be easier and cheaper to just get a new car.” But again, she didn’t have any money. And all she would be able to afford anyway is another lemon.
She noticed him adjust his gloves, and looked down at her own bare hands. Something else she needed to buy—gloves, and more clothes in general. Nell barely took anything from her home, just some old clothes. He started to shrug off his jacket, and she was at the ready with, ”I’m not cold at all, really.” But she was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans because she still hadn’t gotten a winter coat and now she could see her own breath. Winter coats were pretty damn expensive, even secondhand. He was being way too nice, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been treated with such kindness. Her instant reaction was to turn Jacob down, because “oh, I’m just fine, seriously”. But the look in his eyes told her that he wouldn’t accept that, and she actually was cold. ”Ah…thank you,” she said with a small smile as she gingerly took the jacket from him and pulled it on. It was way too big on her, but still warm and a much welcome relief from the biting cold of this long-lasting winter.
Nell blushed a little when he stated that it wasn’t taking advantage. She couldn’t help it—should any help be offered to her, it felt like instinct to turn it away. ”Right, I’m just being difficult,” she said with a light life. Honestly, though, she was trying to make his life easier with not having to deal with her and her pathetic Monte Carlo. When he suggest messing with his car so they’re both stranded with such a sincere look, she couldn’t help the full-blown laughter. ”That’s a kind offer, Jacob, but I’m sure you’re ride is much nicer than my baby here.” With the way he dressed, he seemed to have at least some money. ”I wouldn’t want to put you out just for my sake. Though I do enjoy the company.”
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Post by marci3 on Jun 12, 2011 9:35:12 GMT -5
Jacob nodded slowly, watching her as her expression gave tell of a few surface thoughts. Not that he could tell what she was thinking, but it stood to reason that it had something to do with trusting or not trusting people she had met in the past. She shivered, and his head tilted the slightest amount, and bit of an inquiring look on his face. He removed it, however, before she could see it. It was a rule of his not to pry into things that people didn't want said. If they didn't say it outright it was their own business. Jacob had found that when people trusted him enough, they would say what they'd been holding back before. ”No,” He said, a slight smile on his face, ”You can't be. It's a good thing you've learned that—my sister still hasn't.”
”London.” He said when she asked, ”But I haven't been there in...well.” He trailed off, looking away from her for a half a second before look back with just as much good humor as before. He'd almost said six years. Six years since he'd been in london. Which was a lie, no matter how often he wanted to forget the whole ordeal three years ago. He gave a light laugh, mostly to pull himself out of the train of thought this always lead to. If felt like three years was hardly any time to recover. ”I've not been there for awhile.” He said, leaning toward her just a little bit as he gave her a smile.
Jacob laughed, when she gave her car a more fitting description. Yes, that thought had crossed his mind, but he liked to see a girl who wasn't crazy defensive about all her stuff. It took more courage to stand tall while admitting you had a limp, not to hide the limp and glower. ”Now I don't want to take any undue...authority here. But you should really find a better car. Anything would do you better than this.” He didn't know what her situation was, but it couldn't be that great considering the beat up piece of junk she drove around. And the fact that it looked like it would fall apart if a two-year-old ran into it. Jacob knelt down for a second, running his hand along the bumper and adding a little bit of pressure. Secure, it seemed. Well, no, it seemed anything but secure. But it was staying on, and would likely if her added more strength to it. He didn't, though, opting to stand and answer Nell's question in the affirmative.
He threw a grin her way. ”Yes, ma'am, I am.” He felt like adding some sort of flourish to that, but he resisted. ”The ability to manipulation ice as well as water comes with loads of practice and, so put it frankly, no high schooler would be able to do it. It's something I picked up over this winter, while practicing by the lake. Would you like me to try it on you car, or would you....” He stopped when she said she was flat broke. Well, that was a confirmation of his earlier assessment, but his expression still turned grim for the few seconds it took for him to come up with a solution. ”Then I suppose I'll just have to pay for it. I'm afraid I can't do a new car for you, but a single mechanic bill should be easy enough, and it should be enough to keep you with a car for the rest of the winter.”
He very much doubted she'd take him up on the offer, but he could be very stubborn himself. He would not leave her walking everywhere while the weather was this frigid. If push came to shove and she actually managed to beat him off, he would at the very least buy her some decent gloves and a heavy coat. He raised an eyebrow at her when she said she wasn't cold, indicating her hands stuffed into her armpits and she fact that her entire body was basically shuddering. Not to mention, her face was getting a little blue with the cold. But she eventually accepted it, and for that he could rest easy.
She put the coat on, and he vainly stifled laughter. He turned away for a second, then looked at her and chuckled again. Holding out a hand in defense, he said, ”No offense, Nell. It's just you are very fetching in that.” And by that he meant cute. She was a tiny little bundle in his oversized coat, but he rather like it. Finally he nodded, looking back into her eyes and smiling sincerely, ”Yes, I enjoy the company as well.”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 12, 2011 18:48:51 GMT -5
Nell blinked as he spoke of his sister. Well that changed things. Suddenly he seemed a bit more trustworthy and less like a possible predator. Not that she really suspected him as one, but she could be quite cagey when she thought things through—which was good, considering most times she bordered on recklessly naïve. But now that there was a sister involved in this, well… ”How old is your sister?” she asked, tilting her head in curiosity. She was beginning to think that perhaps she asked too many questions, but she wanted to know if this was perhaps a younger sister who he felt protectiveness over and therefore he might not be a bad guy. Because her naiveté also shined through in the fact that someone with a sister couldn’t be all that bad, as strange as it was. Nell understood how one could be protective over siblings, she had a twin before, a ‘younger’ one born about a minute after her. And thoughts of her brought a mixture of nostalgia and melancholy.
She leaned against the front of the car, arms crossed as she watched Jacob look aside for a moment. Had it been so long that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in London, or was there something else? All the same his eyes met hers again, still with their jovial quality, so she couldn’t tell if there was anything more to it. She studied him until he answered that he hadn’t been there in a while with a smile. Nell considered this. ”Do you get homesick at all since you haven't been there for a long time?” She wanted to ask more questions about what it was like in London and why he’d left and a lot of other questions, but she held back with the knowledge that she wouldn’t have given a straight answer should he have asked her questions about where she’d come from. Nell knew that people had things to hide and things they would rather not talk about, and she respect that with silence.
He said that he didn't want to take authority in telling her what to do, but she merely waved away the statement. Laughing lightly as he suggested a new car, she said, ”You’re probably right. I got this from a not-so-reliable dealership because I was looking for a cheap price.” She ruffled the back of her hair again in slight embarrassment. ”Shows how much I know.” She could have gone to a more respectable place to buy a car, maybe haggled a good deal, and still have gotten a car that wasn’t a crapshoot every time she started it up. But that’s not really what she was thinking of at that time. She turned to watch as he bent down to test out her bumper. Wincing a bit, she waited for it to fall to the concrete, just as she expected to happen every time she opened the door ”You think crazy glue would work?” she joked, shaking her head a bit. Nell tried not to get too worked up over the state of her car, but other than getting a new one, she really had no idea what to do. But Jacob was right—there was no salvaging the lemon.
”So you’re a graduate huh?” She shifted so she could look down into the hood, biting her lip a bit. Of course, she was assuming his position as a graduate because he claimed that no high schooler could pull it off. Nell sent him a half-smile as she said, ”Go ahead and try it out. You seem rather confident in your abilities. Besides, I doubt that you could do anything worse to it.” Even if something should go wrong, it’s not like the Monte Carlo wasn’t already damaged as is. Jacob looked solemnly for a few moments before saying something that she could absolutely not take up on. She waved her hands in front of her as she said, ”No, no, no, that’s quite all right. I really couldn’t ask that of you. You’re so kind, but…” She bit her lip, dropping her hands to her side. She was about to say ‘I’ll be fine’ but that would be a lie. Still, Nell felt really uncomfortable with taking someone else’s money. This was different than simply borrowing a coat. ”I wouldn’t be comfortable asking that of you,” she finished pathetically. Was she simply being difficult, or would she save him from being put out? Nell couldn’t tell.
Nell watched with embarrassed confusion as he laughed after she shrugged the jacket on, now huddling into its warmth. He tried to cover up his chuckles, but she still gazed at him with wide-eyed puzzlement as he did so. She tilted her head to the side, wondering if she’d done something wrong that would cause such a strange reaction. Holding his hand up, he explained that she looked ‘fetching’ in it. Looking down at his coat, she blushed a bit, considering she’d never gotten many compliments especially when she was wearing an oversize jacket. ”Fetching? Why thank you.” She looked back up at him with a mischievous smile. ”You look quite good without it.” Nell couldn’t say that without laughing lightly, and ducked her head once more with another flush on her cheeks.
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Post by marci3 on Jun 13, 2011 12:49:40 GMT -5
”About your age, I think. Seventeen?” He said, adding a questioning tone to see if he'd guessed her age correctly. Nell looked like she could have been older—indeed, she did act much more mature than most girls—but for some reason Jacob sensed that she was not. For one, if she were in college he'd probably have met her already. College students shared a lot of classes, because if they went here, they were focusing more on their powers than anything else. There were other classes available, but most of it was geared toward element mastery.
”I have another one, though. She's eleven, going on twelve and a real challenge.” There was a fondness in his voice as he said this, connoting that no matter how exhausting she was, he'd never decide he disliked taking care of her. Even as she approached puberty and entered....that time. He hadn't even been though Em's hormonal time, so the thought of taking care of Tasha while she was like that was like looking over a cliff's edge into a deep abyss. Fighting back a shiver, Jacob rolled his eyes in mock torment and put on another winning smile. He didn't have to deal with it yet, so for now he'd survive. When Nell asked about him getting homesick, he looked a little stunned. Well, as if his smile had been frozen and lost all of it's animation. Then he let it slide off his face, a sad expression creeping up on him as he stared at the car. ”I miss the people.”
He was quietly pensive until she spoke again, and then he managed to get another smile on his face. As soon as that was done, his mood was perfectly good again, and he looked as close to laughing as he had ever been. He nodded, thankful that she agreed with him, at least. The more he spoke to her about this, the more it seemed to him that she knew how to take care of herself, but just didn't have the means to do so. So even if she didn't have people coming up to help her all the time, at least she could probably be trusted not to make stupid decisions. She asked if crazy glue would work, and he laughed, ”Duct tape might be even better.”
”Yes.” He answered to her asking if he was a graduate. It wasn't something that could very much be expanded upon. Obviously she would know that he was working toward better mastery of his power, and that he went to the academy, and other than that there wasn't much more for him to supply. Not unless she asked for more details. She gave him the go ahead, and he nodded, turning back toward the open hood and holding his hands out over it. His smile was lost in concentration as he sucked in a great breath and willed all the ice to melt. This was a trick he had only been working on for the past year, and though he'd worked a lot, it was still a lot harder than anything he did with water. After all the ice had melted, he brought the water out of the hood and between his hands, forming it into a sphere of water. Then his features went easy and he sent to water toward the snow-covered ground behind them. All this only took maybe twenty seconds.
He took a deep breath, resisting the urge to shiver as he felt the cold more keenly than he had before. Jacob took a deep breath, then turned back to Nell and flashed her a grin. ”All the water has been removed from the vehicle. It shouldn't be hard for a mechanic to fix now.” But she refused his help, and he gave her a 'what other choice do you have' look. She seemed very assertive, however, so he strove to find a compromise that she would be alright with. Holding up his hands to gesture her to listen, he said, ”It wasn't going to be a gift, Nell. Of course you would be paying me back when you have the money. I just don't want you to have to walk everywhere during winter.”
She complimented him, and he looked down at himself. Long sleeved button up shirt, vest, nice jeans, gloves and snow boots. He then looked back up at her, a humorously cavalier look on his face. ”Well yes, I guess I do.”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 13, 2011 15:05:43 GMT -5
”Yep, seventeen.” She nodded slightly as if to confirm this. Seventeen with the real world experience of a four-year-old. It was impressive on Jacob’s part that he could guess at that, but she supposed since his own sister was seventeen there must have been similarities. Nell smiled when she caught the affection in his voice. "Two, huh? Do you all live with your parents?” And again Nell truly hoped she wasn’t crossing a boundaries, and it showed in the withdrawn expression on her face, eyebrows knitted together. "Feel free not to answer if I'm prying." She hated how she always felt so measured when asking other people questions, but when she thought of how she’d reply to the same questions, she realized that it may be very personal.
And that feeling was cemented when she saw his smile falter when speaking, his face turning melancholy. She felt her stomach turn a bit. ”I’m sorry if that was too personal a question.” Her eyes were soft, and she hoped she hadn’t triggered something for him. God, she could be so tactless. As much as she wanted to be sensitive about other people’s feelings, it was clear she had a horrible way of going about it. It appeared as if his jocular demeanor was default for him, so it was strange to see the sadness on the face which had been full of humor just before. All right, no more questions about where people came from. She should have turned it on herself before she asked like she would have done otherwise. Think before you speak. Could she be homesick for The Bronx? No. That place hadn’t been her home, and she was glad to be far away from there. So she guessed it was different for everyone, that some people may love where they’d come from, with others wanting to get as far from that place as possible.
He threw up his smile again after a moment, and the world seemed right again. But she kept a careful eye on him still, as she did with anyone she worried about. But he seemed all right with his smiles and his easy-going demeanor and she guessed she didn’t overstep a boundary too much, even though it felt as if she treaded on something she really shouldn’t have. As she mentally beat herself up over this, Nell watched the graduate hold his hand over the hood, seeming very focused. She remained silent, watching with curious eyes, as he melted the ice into a ball of water in his hand, letting it drop to the asphalt. Jacob seemed to need a moment to recover, as she would have expected after expending that much energy. With a smile, she clapped her hands as if seated in an audience. ”Impressive! That’s a pretty neat trick. I didn’t even think it was possible for Water elementals.” Nell herself could barely even control the earth she had at her hands, and didn’t think it possible for her to transform one state of earth into another. She was a bit scared to even attempt it.
”My luck’s looking up,” she said as she gazed down into the car, still not understanding what was what in there. ”You think she’s good enough to run?” She very much doubted so. The cold had not only messed up her powers, but it was also screwing up her car, and the pipes in her apartment building are frozen and she’s just about waiting for them to burst. ”…or should I not even attempt it?” Nell amended, running her fingers through her hair, slightly pulling it out of her clip. She didn’t want to end up breaking down on the way home, but perhaps Jacob did a good enough job in that she could make it downtown without any trouble. Almost laughing out loud, she realized that not even anyone in the seedy part of town wanted her ride, probably because it was just that hideous. Poor Viv, she thought with affection, her fingernail flicking away some paint. You could have been a contender.
When he held up his hands, the Earth student looked on with curiosity. Her eyes brightened, though, when he spoke. Now that she could deal with. ”Like a loan then? Yes, I could do that.” She wondered how soon she could pay off one bill with her bartender salary, and knew it might not be too soon. But there was no way she would put him out. As she thought of ways to pay him off as soon as possible, the idea of getting a second job flitted through her mind though she knew it would be humanly possible with school. She barely got sleep as is working at the club. I’m running on fumes, aren’t I? ”I’m working from paycheck to paycheck, but I’m dependable. You won’t have to worry.” She said this very urgently, as if convincing him to trust her. But she probably sounded so freaking pathetic.
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Post by marci3 on Jun 13, 2011 16:16:49 GMT -5
Oh, poor Nell. Jacob really didn't mean to put her off by all the drama. He just hadn't had nearly as happy a time in the past few years as most people had. The academy was normally the life of the people here, and they assumed that problems outside the place were insignificant or merely forgotten. He was no idea what it was for Nell, but for him the world was so much more than that. Taking care of two sisters, never having dealt with the loss of his parents.... He didn't have a chance to, trying to be strong for Tasha. It was hardest for her. She still hadn't opened up to him about the day their parents had died.
He opened his mouth, knowing that it had been a minutes or more since she'd asked about his parents. But he'd need that much time to sort through things and come up with a suitable response. Something he was willing to give. Then she gained a concerned look, and apologized for her questioning. Jacob glanced at her, looked away, and did a double take. His brow was raised, and he detected that she was...worried about him? Maybe not, but that was what it seemed to be. He let out a long breath, a slight chuckle coming out with it, ”Nell, if I think you are prying, then I will merely not answer the question.” He rested a hand on her shoulder for a second as he said this, but pulled it away before it could become anything more than reassuring.
He took a deep breath, then. He looked away from her for awhile, squinting as he looked off in the distance. ”But to answer your question,” He said, ”No, we don't live with my parents. They died, three years back. In England. I have guardianship over my sisters.” He took a second after he said that, feeling the usual wrenching of his gut that he did everything he said this. Things seemed more real when they were said. Jacob was a strong guy, but he hadn't yet been strong enough to move on from all of this. He coped by being strong for others. In order to keep Nell from apologizing again, he shrugged and looked back at her, not even trying to fake a smile. One would come back in time. ”It's no secret, though. Ask almost anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you the same.”
No matter the foul weather, no matter the biting cold or the unhappy pasts, nothing could keep Jacob from bursting out into a grin when greeted by the sight of Nell, clapping excitedly in a coat that was far too big for her. He made a short bow, winking at her as he played along, ”I have many more tricks up my sleeve, and am almost always available for birthday parties and formals.” He could have gone on again about how it was a very advanced trick that even he needed a great deal of concentration for, but that would be too much like bragging for his liking. Instead, he simply smiled quietly at her, vastly enjoying her company.
He shook his head, ”No, you'll still need to see a mechanic before I'll trust that car with you as a passenger.” The last thing he wanted was for her break down halfways between the academy and wherever it was that she needed to be. Presumably home. But he didn't think she'd said. Jacob was extremely relieved when Nell said yes to his second offer, and it showed in his expression. He was a very nice guy, but he wasn't generous enough to give away money to every stranger he met instead of using it to better his sisters' situations. This way he wouldn't have to worry about either. She tried to reassure him, and waved his hand in dismissal. ”Don't worry about how long it'll take. Do what you can, ok?”
”So, if you want to call a tow truck, I will drive you to the mechanics so you can get everything settled there. And then....” He paused for a second, smiling at her for a second to make time for him to consider. It might be very interesting, but he knew Tasha would adore the company. ”And then, if you have no other plans, would you like to come to my house for dinner? We're making lasagna.”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 13, 2011 20:35:27 GMT -5
She waited patiently through the silence, watching Jacob out of the corner of her eye. He seemed to be deciding something, but what? That’s it, she knew it. She’d really crossed a line, how could she be so tactless? Nell watched as he looked back and forth at her, wondering if he would answer. But he didn’t have to, she would understand if he didn’t want to tell her about his parents or personal information like that. For now she was mainly focused on figuring him out. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she decided to be reassured with his words. But she knew she had touched on something very personal. And when he looked away—letting another long moment of silence pass between them—he answered her, and she heard just what it was she had touched upon. It winded her for a moment, so she could only stand there. Oh. She really hadn’t expected that, and her sympathy for this practical stranger and his family was strong. So he was raising these girls? Nell felt like she should do something, because despite his attempts at covering up the sadness, it was there. And someone like him shouldn’t be sad.
The only thing she could think of was to step forward and give him a light hug, arms around his waist in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. Maybe it was too much, but it was the only way she knew how to portray sympathy when things like ‘I’m sorry’ aren’t enough, just pedantic words carelessly strung together. Pulling back, she smiled and said, “That’s pretty decent of you, to take care of your sisters like that.” Her words were sincere, but ‘decent’ didn’t begin to describe it. He was still a student, he couldn’t have been much older than her, and yet he was actually raising a girl her age and another, much younger, sister? ”Must be tough.”
If only Nell’s father had taken a page from his book all those years ago, when she’d begged for him to take she and her sister away from their deranged mother. But he was a coward, or he couldn’t be a single father, or whatever else kind of bullshit excuse he had for leaving them. Why are you thinking of this, Nell? She shook off the resentment when she saw Jacob grinning again, and it was almost as if nothing could get to him. She had to admire that kind of strength, the rebound from the melancholy apparent in his expression to the bowing she saw now. ”I might have to request you for my friend’s bar mitzvah,” Nell said, glad to see that at least she hadn’t caused him any long-lasting traumatic effects by bringing up something he didn’t want to talk about. Again, she chastised herself for being so careless with her questions.
He told her it’d be best to wait for a mechanic, and she followed his better judgment. He probably knew better than her how to handle situations like this. After all, Nell had never had a car break down on her, or need to pay mechanic bills, or all these other adult things she had thrust herself into. She could see that he was glad she opted for a loan, and now she knew why: he had a family to take care of. So even as he told her not to worry about how long it would take, she’d make it top priority on her to-do list, taped on her refrigerator and filled with things to get such as a bed, space heater, and a better job. She merely nodded, keeping her secrets to herself. Do what she can? Well, she was determined as anything to pay him back as soon as possible.
As Jacob spoke of calling a tow truck, she was already taking out her cellphone. He then stopped as if pondering something, and she looked up at him before dialing, brown eyes inquisitive. It seemed Jacob found his week spot: food. She decided not to turn down his offer, finding it difficult to resist his kindness. Besides, she really didn’t have any other plans, besides dinner, which he was offering up. ”That sounds really nice.” Then, she added on, ”That means I’ll get to meet your sisters.” She didn’t know about the older one, but she had another soft spot: children. It had something to do with the twin she lost, she was sure, because when she looked at children, she saw the same innocence in their eyes as she had seen in Tilly’s and that brought up a sort of fondness and protectiveness in her. Nell wanted to make sure another young girl wouldn’t have to suffer like her sister had, wouldn’t have to stay seven forever. And that’s the most crushing thought, so she tucked that neatly away.
Nell pulled out her cellphone and called up AAA, giving them her location and the address of the mechanic she wanted it dropped off at. She pulled down the hood, and sat down to wait for the tow truck to come, thankful for the warmth of his coat. When it finally came, she gave a melancholic sigh as ‘Viv’ was driven away. ”I could almost cry,” she said, but her tone was breezy. ”I just bought her, too. Hopefully I’ll get a bit more out of her before I have to buy a new car. Or rather, a used one.” Shit happens, she guessed, and she tried not to fret over it too much. But how could she avoid the fretting when she lived as she did? That’s where her convenient time-capsule in the graveyard of her mind came in handy—she could neatly bury away any undesired thoughts. She turned to Jacob, hands in his jacket pockets, and said with a wide grin, ”So where’s you’re ride?”
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Post by marci3 on Jun 13, 2011 22:51:13 GMT -5
Nell stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his middle quite unexpectedly. Jacob stood there awkwardly for a second, honestly not knowing exactly what to do. He opened his mouth and closed it, then returned the soft embrace with no more thought. Even though he barely knew this girl, he did feel an amount of comfort from the gesture, like a drowning man coming to the surface for one single life-giving breath. Jacob took a deep breath of his own before letting go of Nell and allowing her to step backwards. He couldn't bring himself to actually say thanks—that would imply that he'd actually needed something like that—but his gaze was grateful as he looked silently into her eyes for a few seconds.
He let out one dry laugh and looked away modestly when she complimented him. ”Well, what sort of a brother would I be if I wasn't what they need?” That was pretty much his philosophy on everything. What was the use of him being where he was if he didn't make a difference. Tasha wouldn't have a family if Jacob hadn't stepped forward to take care of her, and that thought was more than reprehensible. That thought was vile. Even considering Tasha alone, dealing with life alone made Jacob—he realized that his hands had made fists. He let out another long breath and opened them, fighting the numbing cold as he stretched them out a few times. Tasha had a family, and while he was alive to make a difference, she always would. Jacob nodded, admitting quietly, ”Yes. Yes, it's very hard.”
”But that's enough of that.” He said with feeling, ”I don't want to bore you or ruin your day with sad stories. There are enough of those without my adding to it.” He'd listened to and saw too many things to be sad about his own little existence. Jacob wouldn't add his own hurt to another person willingly, and he was actually regretting letting Nell know. No, he wasn't.... She'd actually made him feel better. But he had obviously made her feel worse. He looked at her as if warning her about something dreadful, ”But I do want to make sure you know, that there is an eleven-year-old at my house that has been starved of company for days. Em won't be there, so you will be faced with the brunt of her....personality.”
Tash could be shy at first, but she quickly warmed up to people and after that she was all talking all the time. Especially with new people. Hopefully Nell was up to the company. Jacob sat next to Nell to wait for the truck, enjoying a comfortable silence in the uncomfortable cold. But so far he was warm enough to be suppressing the shivers that wished to overtake him, so he was still good. In the car he'd be able to crank up the heat, so he wasn't all that worried about the discomfort. When the truck finally came, Nell was obviously a little put out. ”Like I said, you should probably be able to use her for the rest of the winter at least. Hopefully spring, too, though that might just be wishful thinking.”
He stood, dusting snow off of his jeans and then pointing toward his car on the other side of the lot. He considered leading her by the hand, but dismissed that as a remnant habit from carting Tasha around everywhere. She still liked to hold his hand, so who was he to complain about it? ”It's the highlander.” He said, starting off across the lot. When they got close enough, he remotely unlocked the car and lead Nell to the passenger side, opening the door for her and throwing her a charming smile. ”Fair lady.”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Jun 14, 2011 17:30:42 GMT -5
She hoped the hug didn't make Jacob feel too awkward or anything. She had simply remembered that during the hard times in her life, she would have liked the show of comfort. She would have liked someone to hug her when her father left, when her sister died, when her mother beat her, and when she woke up in the hospital after murdering the woman. Comfort from anyone would have been welcome. There had been one person, but he had disappeared long ago, and now she knew no one was on her side. She'd never known safety or comfort, but she supposed she’d gotten used to it.
Nell opened her mouth to apologize for the inappropriate gesture, but the look in his eyes told her it wasn’t that unwelcome. At least she could give Jacob some kind of comfort in what seemed to be his time of need. She tore her pensive gaze away from the pavement. ”I guess not a very good one,” Nell replied to his modesty. It was clear he was quite the opposite. And he said it was hard, but she knew he probably believed it to be worth it. ”Good thing they have someone like you in their lives. I bet you’re the most important thing to them.”
Nell was all for keeping the mood light, but she also didn’t mind hearing of others’ troubles. She simply worried about crossing lines to where it might cause problems. "No worries—I like listening to you." And she liked the prospect of meeting his little sister, though she wished she had food to bring her. It was in Nell’s primal instincts to gift children with food, something also stemming from her sister and her health issues, she assumed—if she allowed herself time to think of it, she’d be surer of it. She guessed Em was the older sister, and she cast him an impish smile when he hesitated before ‘personality’. ”Hopefully I’ll be enough entertainment for her, then. I like to believe I’m good with children. What is her name, again?” Nell realized he hadn’t said it, and she’d like to know at least her name before meeting the girl.
At his optimistic words, she leaned back and smiled up to the sky. ”Wishful thinking is my middle name…s.” Nell tittered as she ran her hand through her hair in a usual gesture for her. She had to wash it a lot to keep it from getting greasy. ”I am so sorry.” She always felt the need to apologies for her incredibly banal jokes. ”Hopefully, you’re right. It’d be a shame to lose it after having just bought it.” Jacob was right, though, she had to look on the bright side. Which was the fact that after getting it back from the shop, it’d be in working condition if all went well and she’d get a few good seasons out of the Monte Carlo.
Nell followed him over to the Toyota, and it looked so refreshing after looking at her own car for so long. Jacob wore a beguiling smile, and she returned it with, "Thank you, sir." She buckled herself in, before saying, "I gave the truck directions to the Jiffy Lube near my apartment downtown." She wondered where he lived or if he would feel comfortable around the part of town she guessed she should call home now. Always having been ‘from the wrong side of the tracks’ she was used to the overall conditions—the danger was about the same as it had been living in South Bronx, and even though it was mostly luck she’d never had anything horrible happen to her back then, she liked to think of herself as capable nowadays. Nell gave him the directions and added on, ”I hope it isn’t too far out of your way.”
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Post by marci3 on Jun 14, 2011 17:58:35 GMT -5
Jacob opened his mouth, brow furrowed. It took him a second, but he then tilted his head in a sort of weak shrug. Tash obviously adored him, but she missed her mother and father, and there was really no changing that. Em didn't seem to care about him much at all, though she still came to him when she needed help with something. Something about his composure suggested that he didn't think Nell was right about that, but he didn't say that. He smiled at her and said, ”Regardless, they're the most important things to me.” And that was the truth. He'd always been loyal to his element, but he'd had to keep careful ground during the wars of the years past. If he ever had to make an ultimate decision between the waters and his sister, he would choose his sister and face the consequences. Even if she didn't choose him.
The smiled he cast her was quite thankful when she said she liked listening to him, but he didn't go on about his troubles. It wasn't in his nature, and frankly he would much prefer to make useless, amusing banter than to continue talking about his troubles. Talking wouldn't make his troubles go away. Just keep trudging forward, that was him. When she talked hopefully about meeting his sister he laughed, ”No doubt you'll be entertainment enough. She loves visitors of all kinds, though sometimes she's a little shy. Her name's Natasha, but she always goes by Tasha or Tash.” He couldn't even try and imagine what it would be like to bring this lovely young lady into the house without chuckling. Tasha could be extremely entertaining at times. Hopefully she'd had a good day at school.
He laughed at her joke, shaking his head when she apologized for it. It was a failure, but it was an amusing failure, and Jacob considered anything that managed to make people laugh to be successful humor. Well, within reason. Some people laughed at sick things. He nodded reassuringly when she spoke about her car, again telling her that it was very likely a proper mechanic would be able to get it working. He didn't know the exact feeling of losing a car just after having got it, but his did know of other such disappointments. And cars were pretty critical these days.
He raised a brow when she said she lived downtown, biting back the impulsive question Do you live by yourself in that area of town? He really tried not to take control of other people's lives, but he really hoped Nell had someone with her to watch her back down there. Even an elemental was better off with a friend in some areas. Then again, if she couldn't even pay for a payment at the mechanics, then she probably couldn't afford to live anywhere else. Jacob sighed to himself as he shut her door and moved around to the other side of the car, getting in and buckling himself.
”I hope you don't mind.” He said, ”I need to call Tash to make sure she hasn't burned the house down or anything.” He didn't like to talk on the phone while driving. It was very probable that this was because his parent died in a car crash, but regardless, he wasn't going to try and change the habit. He pulled out his phone and had a brief conversation with Tash, during which the only thing he learned for certain was that she was fine and she was at home. She was impatient, too, so he obviously needed to get home soon to keep her from doing something stupid.
Putting his phone up, he started the car and began to drive toward the Jiffy Lube.
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