&& DOESN'T SCARE ME AWAY -- ayden

[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell stomped around to the front of the car and popped open the hood, staring at the inner mechanisms. She never got angry, no, but she could get frustrated when it came to cars. Especially when they stalled in the school parking lot when she needed to get home. She’d had a long-standing bitterness toward the PT Crusiser, and she felt that it was almost out of bitterness for her that it stalled now. The girl really shouldn’t have been surprised. The car was used, and it was the first thing she’d bought with her father’s money, when she was still cautious about how much she spent. Then she remembered that she usually avoided spending other people’s money out of respect, and she didn’t respect her father. That made it easier to dig deep into his bank account.

She stepped around to the driver’s side to pull the lever that opened the drunk, and from the back of the car she pulled out her toolbag. One that she knew how to use. She heard that it was uncommon for girls to take such an interest in cars, but she didn’t see how that could be true. Anyone could like cars, in her mind. However, she could see how an Earth student having an interest in things potentially harmful to the environment was ironic. She’d lived without stereotypes for so long, though, it was soemthing she just couldn’t get used to. After all, she liked repairing and building things, and she didn’t think of that as something that should just be exclusive to men.

Still, wearing a romper, leather jacket, and ballerina flats, it was quite an odd outfit to be trying to repair your car in. Not that it was an odd thing to find her doing, doing odd things in odd outfits. ”I thought I was done with this when I got rid of Viv,” she muttered as she poked around, thinking of her old Monte Carlo. It’d been Jacob that had helped her when she was marooned because the engine froze. But during the fall months, that wasn’t likely. She pushed her Carreras up the bridge of her nose as she mumbled in Spanish, talking to herself like she usually did when she was frustrated. She needed to get home to feed Pablo, after all. But as much as she was grumbling, she enjoyed working on her car. Repairing things made her feel…useful. The toolbag that sat next to her leg slumped into her ankle as if it was exhausted itself. The school day had been long for her, and even though she wouldn’t complain, she felt the exhaustion through and through. It didn’t help with the stress she constantly felt because of the trial. She couldn’t think about it without bristling and wanting to bury her head in a hole.

outfit. <33

[ayden]

Ayden was running later. It couldn't be worse when he got a phone call from his aunt saying that everyone else was already there. Ayden groaned, and said he'd be there as soon as possible, but he couldn't find his speech. Skyla was going to kill him. It was an inevitable death; he was late to her reception and lost the speech. Honestly though, Ayden didn't think his sister should be getting married. She was only nineteen; she was way too young to be in such a committed relationship right now. Rummaging through his notebook, Ayden finally found his speech, then grabbed his keys. Ayden made his way to the Academy parking lot in hopes he wouldn't miss his speech or anything of those sorts.

In record time, Ayden was in his '69 Dodge Charger, and ready to go. Cleopatra-Ayden's car- was kept in prime condition due to her old age. He made sure to have everythibg checked once a month, and thankfully he could afford to do so. His mother sent he and Skyla a hefty amount of money every month. Ayden usually put his money into a savings to let it build, which was the only way he could afford Cleo. Ayden put the car in gear, and started to make his way out of the Academy to the chapel in Maple Hollows. He turned his radio up, and started moving his head to the beat of the song. When he was on his way out, Ayden spotted a girl popping the hood of her car.

Ayden was feeling a bit conflicted about stopping, and helping. He was already late, but it was against his nature to not try and help. The boy quickly whipped out his phone, and diales Skyla instead of his aunt. He'd never hear the end of it if he called Marcy. "Ayden, where the hell are you? You're gonna miss you speech!" Skyla screeched at him. Ayden winced, and immediatly felt guilt for having to lie to her. If he told her the truth, she'd guilt him into leaving the girl stranded. I'm really sorry, Sky. Cleo won't start, and no one is around to jump her,"

[/color] Ayden could hear his sister start sniffling, and then she started balling over the phone. I'll try to make it."[/color]

Ayden hung up his phone after calming down his sister. He was sure he would hear it from Marcy later. He quickly got out of Cleo, then walked towards the girl with his hands shoved into his pocket. "Uh, hi. I saw you having trouble with your car, and was wondering if I could be of assistance,"[/color] he asked quietly.
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[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell straightened up from under the hood and met the blue eyes of an unfamiliar boy. Her face turned up into a bright smile as she said enthusiastically, ”Hey.” Turning her gaze back down to the engine block for a moment, she sighed. ”Yeah, she’s stalling for some reason. Trying to figure out what it is.” That was usually the hardest part for her, identifying the problem. Fixing it came pretty easily, and she enjoyed the accomplished feeling she got whenever she turned the key in the ignition it felt the vibrations, heard the roar of her…PT Cruiser.

I need a new car. She was coming to terms with the fact that she’d probably never get her hands on the Reventón, so the project that Ace proposed sounded great to her. Was it a Delorian he settled on? She thought she might as well get an old junker and work on that, but there was the question of where she’d put it. Maybe papa’s mansion, she thought sarcastically. Sure, she spent time with that man because she was trying her best for this whole trial deal, but it was all she could do not to take one of his statuettes and throw it against the wall. Especially now that Jane was trolling around, trying her best to break her niece. This has all gone to shit.

At the boy’s question—Nell noticed that he was rather adorable, and resisted the urge to ask him if he wanted food like a real creeper—her crooked smile remained as she said, ”I wouldn’t want to ask you for anything. Probably want to get home, huh?” That was her natural reaction, of course. She could never ask anyone else for help. She always wanted to help others. She wiped her hands down her legs, leaving behind black streaks. Oh well. ”Unless you know something about cars,” she added humorously. Last time she asked that, it was whne her Monte Carlo broke down and Jacob told her that he didn’t really know a lot about cars. Wiping off her hands again to make sure there was nothing left on them, Nell held out her right. The smile was still there. ”I’m Nell, by the way. Earth student, twelfth grade, PT Cruiser owner.” She rolled her eyes playfully at the last part.

outfit. <33

[ayden]

Ayden was greeted with a bright smile from the girl. He knew right away that this girl was someone to definatly stop for. The boy smiled at her kindly, and looked over at her car then back at the girl. Ayden shook his head, and asked her quietly, "Mind if I take a peak?

[/color]" Ayden moved toward the car, let his eyes look over the engine. His first thought was the transmission, but then his mind went to a timing belt. Those were a bitch to figure out. Ayden moved his hand toward the timing belt, and grunted. He pulled his hand out, and wiped it on his jeans.

The boy grinned at her, and said, "It's no problem really. You're saving me from doing public speaking.[/color]" Ayden looked over at Cleo, and smiled when she said something about him knowing anything about cars. Ayden pointed to his baby. "That is my pride and joy right there. I bought her when I was fourteen, and have been fixing her ever since,[/color]" Ayden's voice was filled with pride as he said it to the girl. Ayden went back to looking at the girl, then asked, "When was the last time you had your timing belt looked at?[/color]" To Ayden, that's what the problem seemed to be.

Ayden shook her hand and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nell. I'm Ayden, Wind student, and '69 Dodge Charger owner.[/color]" He released her hand, and contiuned to smile at her. This Nell girl seemed nice, and she liked cars. Definatly a yes in Ayden's book.
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[NELL DOE DALE]

The guy seemed friendly enough, and Nell had no qualms about him looking at her car. ”Go right ahead,” she said as if she were offering something very nice and appealing, and not the hood of her bitch of PT Cruiser. Maybe he had a little more experience with these things, she didn’t know. But it was likely. She didn’t have experience in a lot of things—she wondered how ironic it was that she could drive and yet couldn’t ride a bike. Can’t be that hard, right? All you do is pedal. She hadn’t gotten around to trying it, though, and she really didn’t have anywhere to keep a bike if she got one.

Nell laughed at his words, and said, ”Glad to be of service to you. I don’t feel so bad anymore.” Really, that did make her feel much better about the situation. She worried about those sorts of things too much. ”What were you doing public speaking for?” the Earth girl wondered. It was probably an assignment or something, but the words caught her ever-present interest. Nell whistled when he pointed out his baby, ”Dodge Charger, huh? Which year is it?” It looked like the one from Dukes of Hazzards, but she was about to…hazard a guess. Stop it Nell. Her sense of humor was not easily swallowed, she guessed. ”I was thinking of getting a car to fix up. My friend wanted a Delorian, but I don’t know, I’m a fan of the Mustang myself.” She was a fan of a lot of cars—cars in general. And now she was becoming more and more aware of the irony for her being an Earth student. It made her wonder what element this boy was in. She thought back and said, ”Got her in March…so I’ll have to say…never.” She gave him a sheepish smile and said, ”I hate towing my baby girl, though, it’s so cruel.” Even though she hated it for all it was worth. Well, not hate. Nell didn’t hate anything.

She rolled her eyes as he shook her hand and mentioned the year of his car. ”Trying to make me jealous, huh?” she joked. Nell looked back over at the car with a slight pang of envy. You could have gotten more out of her father. But back when he’d given her the money for a new car, she’d been frugal as ever, and the plot for revenge hadn’t fully formed then. ”Wind then? What grade?” She hoped she wasn’t asking too many questions as she tended to do, but she couldn’t help it. She was interested in people especially the newfound Charger owner, Ayden.

outfit. <33

[ayden]

Ayden could definatly get use to a friendly smile like Nell's. It seemed like an awful time for him to he so antisocial, but what he lacked in people skills, he made up for with his adorable charm. He smiled at her, and said, "My sister is having her receptiob today. I am in the wedding, but I don't agree with her marrying so young. Plus, she invited what seems like all of Britain and Canada.

[/color]" God how Ayden hated speaking in front of large crowds. Skyla knew that he hated it, yet is still making him give a speech. Of course Marcy said it would he good for him; he needed the people to people skills. It wasn't like Ayden wanted to be a freaking politican or anything like that. He wanted to be an artist. He didn't need amazing people skills for that, but no. An artist is forbidden from the Tyler family. Except for his grandmother; everyone had to have a reasonable job.

The boy grinned at her, and just shook his head. "She's a '69. It was difficult trying to find someone to sell such a car, but I guess you show 'em the benjamins and they're willing.[/color]" Ayden had managed to buy Cleo when he was fourteen. He had started saving the money his mother sent him when he was ten; so four years it took him to produce the cash. Skyla and Marcy believed it to be a stupid idea for him to use his money to buy an old car, but Ayden liked the feeling he got when he was able to work on his car, and not have to worry about fancy equipment. Ayden rolled his eyes at her words. "Go with a mustang. The Delorian is such an overrated car nowadays. I'd say you seem like a '66 or '67 Mustang kinda girl,[/color]" he told her in his not so smooth way. It was like when someone started in on cars, Ayden went crazy. Other than art and music, cars were definatly Ayden's passion.

Ayden laughed when she had said never. It figured that a timing belt would be the problem. "Well, I'd that the timing belt is your best bet on the problem.[/color]" He wasn't for sure because he didn't have his tools with him, but he was pretty positive about it. "I can give you a lift to the shop if you want. Or I could get my tools, and try to fix it, but we'd have to order you a new timing belt. That'd take a few days,[/color]" Ayden looked at her eagerly. Hell, he'd even buy her a timing belt if she wanted. "I can buy you the timing belt; it's no burden on me,[/color]" his voice was filled with honesty as he spoke the words. He seriously wouldn't mind at all.

Ayden nodded his head as if to agree. "Yes, I have fullfilled my destiny. I have made the Earth girl, Nell jealous of my car; it's what I live for,[/color]" he said humorusly(sp?!) to her. It was nice to joke around with someone like this. It was something he had been unable to do for a long while; since the death of his grandmother. "Yeah, Eleventh grade.[/color]"
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[NELL DOE DALE]

Nell perked up at the news, as if she knew the person having the wedding. ”Hey, weddings are fun,” she chirped. They sounded like fun, at least. She’d never been to one before, so she wouldn’t really know. She reminded herself to include that on her bucket list—to go to a wedding. But the thought stopped in its tracks when she realized that she should just abandon the list all together because it may happen that she would never get that done. She would probably never go to Spain, or get The Amazing Spider-Man #50, or watch every movie made before 1950. ”So you get stage fright or something?” she asked curiously. He said that she’d saved him from it, so she could only guess. ”If so, don’t imagine everyone naked. That’s just creepy and it doesn’t work.” She never got stage fright—she was outgoing, and so gettign up to speak in front of a crowd of people wasn’t at all unnerving. Unless it’s in front of a courtroom. And that’s where her thoughts spiraled down. ”Britain too? She sure knows how to network.” Nell noticed the accent, similar to others she’d talked to at the Academy. It seemed everyone was so different. She herself was from New York, and she had the accent to show.

’69? She grinned. ”Year of the Roadrunner and Camaro SS. I look back on it fondly.” She said it with joking nostalgia, like she’d been alive that time. ”I’d be willing to cough up some dough for it too,” she said. Some people may think it ridiculous to spend a lot of money on a car, and she had been that way before her father gave her the blank check. Even though she still had the frugal mindset, she was still willing to splurge on a car now. Actually, the restoration idea was more her flavor. When Ayden approved of her car choice, she felt like she found her vehicular soulmate. ”Thanks Back to the Future,” Nell said in her own form of agreement, adding in a playful eye roll. ”Mustang it is. Now I just need to find one to fix up and I’ll be set!” Easier said then done, since this was a Mustang they were talking about. And she lived in a downtown apartment building. Nell didn’t want to think about ‘moving on up’ anymore—it brought too many thoughts of a future that was so foggy now.

Nell shook her head, but she didn’t seem too upset. ”Oh, the cam belt causing me problems,“ she lamented, adding a smile after. No, she wasn’t too frustrated. Que sera sera, after all—whatever will be, will be. And she couldn’t let herself feel too bad about the small things. When she looked over from her engine block to Ayden, she was amused to see the enthusiasm there. ”Yeah, a ride would be nice,” she said. It was like déjà vu, really, as she remembered the time with Jacob. And usually she would feel like a burden, even if someone offered. Which is why she said the next thing. ”But afterward, we’re going out to eat and I’m paying.” Nell was going to dote on him, in whatever subtle way she could.

She laughed at his words. ”Glad that I could assist in your quest,” she replied jokingly. ”So that pretty Charger you got?” she said mischeviously, her inner car freak bursting at the seams behind her smile.

outfit. <33