Who: Starbuck, Lani, Adrienne, Zach... and Kamea *pinches her cheeks*
When: Wednesday: October 24, 2007
Where: Lani's bungalow
What: a very belated first meeting between father and daughter

Getting all the required paperwork out of the way for Starbuck's arrival at Elysium seemed to take forever. He couldn't concentrate on such trivial shit right now when there was a very good chance that Lani was here along with his little Kamea. Though, one very good thing had come of his trip to the town hall, he'd learned that Lani did indeed live in the haven and even received her exact location from a very sweet woman (who gushed about what a wonderful Hallmark type moment was about to happen). Starbuck tried to be polite while still making the quickest exit possible.

With Zach and Addy in tow, the two of them helping to navigate since Starbuck didn't know where he was going exactly, he made his way to the waterfront bungalows. But then, once he was standing in front of the door to his daughter's home, Starbuck froze. He'd thought about this a lot in recent months, practiced what he would say when he finally got to meet Kamea, but now all his rehearsed words were missing, and his hand didn't seem to want to work as he raised it to prepare to knock. Why couldn't he just knock on the damn door already? He was terrified.

What if Lani slammed the door in his face and called him a deadbeat dad? What if he learned that Leiko was wrong and Kamea wasn't Starbuck's kid afterall? What if Kamea bawled her eyes out upon seeing him the first time? His hand was visibly shaking just inches from the door. He glanced back at Zach and Addy, all the color having drained from his face. He felt sick to his stomach, all sorts of doubts starting to sink in... the worst of which was the biggest what if of all time. What if he turned out to be a terrible father?

Starbuck realized then that he wasn't breathing, so he took a big gasp of air and let it out just as quickly. "I can do this," he muttered to himself. Thinking about being a dad made him think about his own dad, and Starbuck had learned to draw courage from Bardsley's memory. He rapped on the door and waited for what seemed like an eternity for someone to answer.

Who: Katrina and Adrienne
When: February 2007 (?)
Where: One of the gyms at school.
What: Their first face-to-face meeting.

Katrina was really beginning to hate this place. She was sick and tired of all the fucking drama, of dealing with people constantly, of having to get up and go to classes everyday... the only things she wasn't bothered by were her few friends - although her encounters with them had become less and less frequent as her habit grew - and the easy access to the bar in town. The bar was important for two reasons: not only did it allow her to get drunk when she wished, but it was where she met her heroin dealer, something that was happening more and more lately.

Not that it really mattered - it wasn't as though anyone was going to do anything about her habit. No one except her best friend, and Katrina hadn't even seen her since the night of her fateful birthday party... but she didn't want to think about that. She didn't want to think about anything which was one of the reasons she was here in the first place. Katrina was nearing the end of a heroin high, had just had her fill of blood from the cafeteria and had felt the need to do something physical. It had just made sense to come to the gym and fuck around with a sword or two until she was ready to pass out.

It was late, but not so late that everyone was sleeping. Katrina could still hear people moving around in the halls, vague voices and footsteps that she wasn't paying much attention to. She could have, if she cared to, with her vampiric senses, but these people didn't matter to her. Their problems and conversations meant nothing to her. So instead of eavesdropping on her peers, Katrina concentrated even more on the sword in her hand.

It was relaxing, in a way, to let herself not think of anything but the blade in her hand and the movements of her own body. She liked it that way sometimes - although practicing with someone else made things more interesting and challenging, it was a relief to focus solely on herself and what she needed to do, without having to anticipate or react to a partner.

Katrina had always been able to focus on something to the extreme. Since her turning, this had been enhanced and so it was now - she cleared everything out of her mind except her movements and the blade. She was so concentrated that she didn't even hear the footfalls of someone else entering the gym.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Tuesday, April 3, 2007. 11:38 PM.
Where: Adrienne’s room at her parents’ house in Chicago.
What: Two weeks after they have left the school, Zach flew in on April 1st to visit Adrienne for a week. They have a fight tonight over something unexpected.

As the house grew quiet, Zach crept out of his designated room and down the hall to Adrienne’s room. Her parents were a little old-fashioned, like his parents would have been, and preferred the two of them sleeping in different rooms while Zach was visiting. He understood why, although he and Adrienne hadn’t taken their relationship in that direction yet. It was still new for both of them, and they were only in the beginning stages. Zach wanted to stay with her tonight, though. It was the night after the full moon, and she was still aching from her transformation. Last night had been her first full moon away from the school, and Zach wanted to be there for her.

Slipping into her room, he carefully closed the door behind himself and snuck over to her bed. Zach pulled up the sheets and blanket, sliding underneath them and snuggling behind Adrienne. His left arm settled over her side, and he bent his head down to kiss her on the shoulder despite the cloth that covered her skin. “Adrienne,” he murmured, not wanting to wake her but wanting her to know he was there. “Are you still awake?” Zach whispered near her ear. “I can rub your baaack,” he offered, a little smile creeping onto his face.

He wore a simple white t-shirt to bed with boxers, and his bare arm rested above the blanket over her middle. He raised his hand higher, clasping his fingers over hers. They lied closer to her head. Moonlight poured in through the window, its curtain pulled back and the window open to let in the cool night air. Light from the stars illuminated the sky outside brilliantly, and it lent a soft glow to her room. Zach leaned into her hair, breathing in its scent. The strands felt soft against his cheek, and Adrienne’s brunette locks smelled fresh of her shampoo. It felt nice to lie with her like this, and what her parents didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Thursday, March 15, 2007. 6:00 PM.
Where: Sunroom in the West Wing at the school.
What: Awww, their first ‘official’ date.

Exploring the other day had yielded a perfect spot for Zach’s first official date with Adrienne. His choice location was a sunroom near the top of a tower located in the West Wing. Regardless of the current weather and the glass barrier of windows that formed most of the walls and all of the ceiling, the room felt heated and warm. Perfect for an evening date. Zach sent his card to Adrienne after classes were over, so she would have received it by now. Gathering together everything he needed in hopes for making a single journey, Zach arrived at the spot thirty minutes early and began to set up.

First, he laid out the blankets in the middle of the circular room. In case either one of them wanted anything softer to lean upon or sit on, two cushions had been brought with him as well. The room was empty of any furniture, which led Zach to believe it hadn’t been used in a while. He set down the basket of food he had prepared. Nothing cooked, since he wasn’t much of a cooker, so it was full of lunch items instead of dinner ones.

Final touches included setting up various candles, which he had collected from students in his dormitory the day before because he didn’t have any candles himself, on the outer rim of the circular floor. Once they surrounded the room in a single-rowed pattern along the windowed walls, Zach glanced around the room to check out the layout. Scratching the back of his head, he hoped it looked good. That wasn’t too . . . romantic or cheesy, was it?

Instead of worrying further on that, though, Zach got to business with setting up the food, cups, plates, and everything else. Once it was nearly ten minutes until 6:00 pm, he went around lighting the candles. Dusk had fallen by now, leaving a darkened sky beyond the windows. No howling winds, so the air was peaceful. Due to the unknown source of heat, the room was also warm and comfortable. It was a perfect setting.

Zach plopped down onto the blankets with a sigh. He wanted this to go well — or, more accurately, to go off without a hitch. Zach and Adrienne only just became a real couple on Tuesday. Official boyfriend and girlfriend. Honestly, the idea was a little scary despite the exhilaration threatening to engulf him. Crossing his legs, he began to twiddle his thumbs together. Okay, so he was a little nervous.

Make that absolutely petrified.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Tuesday, March 6, 2007. Evening.
Where: The Upstairs Garden at the school.
What: Ten days after the fight, Zach finally asks to speak with Adrienne.

There was something peaceful about the upstairs garden in the school. A tamed jungle of plants and colors and scents that spoke of the natural world outside, even though the garden was indoors and secluded from the rest of the world. Zach’s eyes had gazed over the vibrant green scenery speckled with splashes of reds, yellows, blues, violets, pinks, and more. Sunlight from an evening sky pierced the glass ceiling, illuminating everything with a hue of gold. Something calming entered him as he stood there at the entrance, and Zach understood now more clearly than ever the things his father had taught him about philosophy and spirituality that he tended to forget in the midst of life.

He took off his shoes and socks, leaving them near the opening of the room and cuffing his jeans before he ventured further. Zach wanted to experience the garden naturally, but he also was taking a preventive measure to keep himself from being able to run off if he got upset or angry. Without his shoes, he couldn’t just get up and leave if his meeting with Adrienne didn’t go as smooth or calmly as he hoped it would. Recognizing his faults was key number one. Running away from problems was a fault.

Zach wasn’t going to run away from things anymore in an attempt to deal with them. At least he was trying, and this was the first time he’d ever really done that. Always running, Zach? Alicia teased him, but his sister’s eyes always looked sad when she said it. He was taught to run. Run, run, run away from people. They’d only hurt, only scar, only hate him. He’d had his own taste of it. If I have to lock you up in this house to protect you, I will do it! Untouchable his whole life with an invisible glass wall between him and the world.

He was open now, though, wasn’t he? The glass wall was gone with the people here, people like him. Laying his hand over a particularly large leaf, Zach felt so exposed out of his habitat, out of his home. This place was changing him, and like the sunlight pouring through the roof, he felt it pouring into him. Everything affected him, everything moved him, everyone got to him. It was simply . . . overwhelming.

He wandered around the garden, finally settling onto the ground by a small basin set up like a makeshift pond. Stones built the rim of the basin, only a few feet in diameter. Zach slipped his feet into the water — and waited. The events of Friday night were still fresh in his mind, and he remembered how he had planned to ask Adrienne on Saturday . . .

How it had fallen through with what she told him. Everything had fallen through because of that. Zach couldn’t really talk about it to anyone, not in detail, because the whole situation was too personal. So, no one knew exactly what was going on and everyone probably thought both of them were overreacting. Grounded where he sat, he couldn’t run away from the situation anymore.

Adrienne would be here soon.

Who: Zach and Nico
When: Sunday, February 25, 2007. Noon.
Where: Outside on the school grounds.
What: Zach talks with his best friend.

Zach sat down outside in front of a tree, the breeze catching in his hair as he waited for Nico to show at their designated spot. Despite his chat with Loki, he found himself not caring much for the idea they had discussed about a prank. His energy seemed to have died out after thinking about Loki’s words. The anger and general displeasure seeping outwards at others shut off and began to trickle inwards at himself. That was what it was all about, anyway. That was where it belonged, then.

It was true he felt betrayed by Adrienne and what she had done during their emerging relationship. To him, she had discarded everything they were working towards for a mere thrill with someone much more desirable than Zach. High self-esteem wasn’t ever a part of Zach’s life. Undoubtedly to other women, Rafe was attractive, fierce, mysterious, and strong — a much better catch than Zach, at any rate.

He wondered who would think it hypocritical of him, given what had happened between him and Katrina. Zach told himself, over and over again, that happened before he ever met Adrienne. Who would be on his side, though? No one would care of his point of view, not if they knew. Nico would always be his friend; he could count on that. Katrina hadn’t been chased away either, even though Zach had lost the contents of his stomach in front of her in the club Saturday night. He shouldn’t have drunk so much, but he was trying to be tough. It was important for him to be tough, wasn’t it? He was weak, small, and he cared too much. Everything his father silently told him wasn’t good enough: be stronger, be tougher. Be me.

Adrienne wasn’t the main problem, though. The situation with her opened his eyes, made him realize something else. He didn’t have any friends here, did he? Zach spent so much of his time around Adrienne, making it all about her. He felt like his small amount of friendships here hadn’t been lasting ones, the ones he tried to make. Maybe it was his own fault. He hadn’t tried hard enough — like Loki said. Damn it, why did the annoying one have to be right?

Eventually, he thought about everything until it made him angry. Zach wanted to do a prank, something mean, just because he realized he didn’t have any friends here anymore. He didn’t care about anyone but Nico and Katrina. He wanted to spite people. It’s what Zach was good at back home. He could do it again here, too.

The idea lost his interest, though. Anger turned to sadness, and he just leaned again the tree. He didn’t want to do anything. Most people would be vile and turn on the one they cared about, but Zach couldn’t hate Adrienne. He wanted to save himself the pain and just walk away from her. Be cruel, make her friends hate him, and all of the ties would be cut. After his drunken chat with Adrienne’s close friend, Zach just hated himself. He couldn’t follow through with this plan. He was weak again. Go figure.

He had reported Rafe, hoping they would kick him out of the school. No student was capable of doing that to another student through some stupid prank. Maybe it would work. Maybe it wouldn’t. Zach would just have to wait and see. He expected to be disappointed, but that wasn’t anything new. Sighing, he tilted his head against the tree and stared at the sky. The air smelled like rain. He hoped it would rain soon.

A smile crossed his face; maybe he could convince Nico to help bring it sooner.

Who: Adrienne (Narrative)
When: Saturday: February 24, 2007
Where: Adrienne's room then outside in the forest
What: Adrienne's reaction after her fight with Zach

Why had she opened her mouth to tell him about what happened with Rafe? Things were perfectly fine before she said anything, but then again what sort of relationship was built on secrets and lies? She told him about it because she didn’t think it was a big deal and because she trusted him. She had no reason to think that he was going to get upset as he had over the information she had shared.

She stared at her computer screen blankly even after Zach had signed off from instant messenger. Tears were welling in her eyes and try as she might to hold them back they eventually ran down her cheeks. It was slow at first, the initial shock of the entire situation just barely sinking in. But after a few moments of re-reading his words and thinking back to Wednesday night, Adrienne finally broke down. She flung herself on her bed, face buried into her pillow as she cried almost relentlessly. Why why why had she done something so stupid?

Zach asked her why and all she could say was that she was curious. It was the truth though; she was curious to see how sharp Rafe’s teeth truly were. Plus, there was that thrill of danger associated with it, even though she knew she was in no real danger at all. It didn’t mean anything at all so then why did Zach react the way he had?

She couldn’t think as her head began to pound with pain, it only happened when she cried as much as she had been. Adrienne lifted her head, eyes meeting with the puppy dogs that Zach had given her only yesterday. Why Adrienne… why did you do it? The tears kept flowing from her eyes as her mind kept repeating the same answer.

Curiosity.

Curiosity.

CURIOSITY!

But it didn’t change the fact that Zach was upset, and it didn’t change the terrified feeling that captured Adrienne’s heart. Her head was wracked in pain and she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. The smell of her blood so apparent as her nails pierced her skin, the same blood that she had let Rafe drink. It was her life force, something so personal… why had she…? An angry growl left her throat suddenly. She could admit that her decision wasn’t exactly the wisest, but she also could admit that she didn’t like what Zach was implying about her in their messaging. How could he ask if she liked it, if she went around and let other vampires drink from her? What sort of person did he think she was anyway?

Anger replaced sadness as she sat up in her bed and pulled her shoes from beneath it. She tugged them on roughly and without a second’s hesitation she grabbed her keys and headed out the door. She needed air. Space. Distance away from her computer and anything that reminded her of what she had done. Mostly, she needed to get away from everything that reminded her of Zach. Her feet took off running, through the common room and down the halls until she reached the doors that led to her freedom. She didn’t stop as her legs pumped wildly beneath her, carrying her further away from everything that was hurting her.

Running away like before.

She let the forest consume her and let the trees comfort her by shielding her from those at the school. Her heart was about to burst from her chest but she kept running until her legs gave out from underneath her. She fell to the ground, a girl in shambles as she heard herself repeating over and over again:

You’ve just ruined everything.

Who: Zach [Narrative]
When: Saturday, February 24, 2007
Where: Zach's dorm room.
What: Zach's reaction after his fight with Adrienne.

A broken lamp laid on the floor, shards of glass glistening ominously upon the carpet like little prickling daggers imploring for blood.

Zach felt betrayed.

For a few moments, he had been frighteningly calm. He rose from his chair and pushed it under the desk, turned off the monitor of his computer, and walked a few steps towards no direction in particular. Thoughts swarmed behind his eyes, making it impossible for him to concentrate. Blinking, he stared forward at the dark red comforter on his mattress, the red pillows at the headboard, the bright red sweater thrown over the bedside table on the other side of his bed.

Suddenly, he had kicked at his bed as his teeth gritted for the hit. His arm had swung out to the side, knocking over the lamp. It clattered to the floor, the lampshade careening off and the bulb popping loudly with a head-first impact onto the floor. His foot collided with the object, sending it rolling across the room. The sneaker prevented the porcelain body from breaking. Had he been wearing any of his boots at the time, it would’ve smashed the object like a fragile vase.

Every being of his body craved destruction because of the anger coursing through his veins. Was this what wrath felt like? Zach wanted to find Rafe and drive a stake through his heart. Something. Anything. He couldn’t understand why Adrienne would let him bite her. His heart swelled, threatening to burst in his chest. That was deeply personal. Letting someone bite you? It was like letting someone kiss you. Letting someone slid a hand under your shirt. It was an intrusion to your body, and she let him do it . . .

Oh, what happened with Katrina was different. It was different. It happened before he met Adrienne. Zach hadn’t believed in vampires. He hadn’t known they existed. He had thought Katrina was fucking with him, messing with his mind. Who walked around saying they were a vampire? Vampires hadn’t existed to him those days. Asking Katrina to bite him had been trying to call her bluff, not asking her to bite him. He didn’t know Katrina would actually bite him, and he sure as hell didn’t expect her to drink his blood. Terrified. Afraid. I am going to die. That’s what he thought. That’s how he felt.

Adrienne knew better. She was a werewolf! She came to this school long before him. She knew about vampires, knew damn well they were real. She asked Rafe to bite her, knowing his teeth would pierce her skin, knowing he would taste her blood — knowing he would drink it up like it was honey. Oh, Adrienne knew . . . and yet she wanted to satisfy her curiosity. What curiosity? Here, bite me, it’ll be fun. Zach gritted his teeth and growled behind them. Anger, anger, anger. All he felt. All he could feel towards the situation at hand.

He read his own personal connotations into the act. It was so personal, so intimate. Adrienne didn’t view it that way? She just thought it’d be neat to let someone bite on her? Zach couldn’t figure it out. His head throbbed with a headache, signaling he’d had enough of thinking about it. His stomach churned in response as he remembered that night with Katrina, how sick it had made him feel to be drained of blood. Sickness arose in him now just thinking about it. No more. No more thinking about it, but his thoughts wouldn’t listen to his pleas. Filling his head, they worsened the headache pounding inside of his skull.

The room had suffered the brunt force of his anger. If he stayed in here any longer, he’d break more things. Zach needed to go out for a walk. He needed to calm down. After taking a few deep breaths, he gripped the sides of his head with his hands. Shower. He should shower and get dressed for tonight. The party at the dual club called ‘Heaven and Hell’ was tonight. Katrina. He was going with Katrina to Hell.

Maybe that was just what he needed.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Saturday, February 24, 2007
Where: Over AIM at the school.
What: Adrienne and Zach have a fight. Zach stops talking to Adrienne.

( “ . . . So you go around letting vampires bite you and drink from you?” )

Who: Adrienne and Zach
When: Friday: February 16, 2007
Where: Adrienne's dormitory (showers then her room)
What: Shower night!
Warning: It's a shower... they get wet... and slightly naked >_>

After all was said and done that night, the only person Adrienne wanted to see more than anyone else was Zach. The bachelorette party was great and Adrienne was sure that the bachelor party was the same. After all, what guy didn't enjoy hot women dancing and taking off their clothes in front of them? Adrienne secretly hoped that Zach didn't enjoy it even though she told him to have a good time. Hell, she even gave Starbuck some cash for all the guys to enjoy themselves. She wondered if Zach ended up putting any dollar bills into some girl's g-string.

She shook the thought from her head and pulled her knees to her chest. Adrienne was already dressed in her outfit for the night, but at the moment it was underneath a pair of black sweat pants and a zipped up pink hoodie. She was settled in the leather armchair that was closest to the fireplace that was beginning to die. Its embers glowed brightly in dimly lit room and Adrienne found herself feeling quite sleepy. Hopefully Zach hadn't forgotten about their plans for that night.

She stifled a yawn and smiled at the thought of Zach. Zechariah Kitano she said to herself which only caused the smile on her face to grow. She thought of their dance on the veranda the night before and the way he kissed her underneath the light of the stars. It was romantic without meaning to be, which was why it was so memorable. He hadn't meant for it to be anything other than the two of them being alone and away from the crowd, and yet it turned out to be so much more. He was ingraining himself into her memory; his scent, the way he felt under her touch, the way he looked, the things he said and the way he said them. Everything that made him the person he was, even the things she didn't know about yet, were all important to her.

She sighed deeply with her eyes closed when she caught the sound of someone hurrying down the hall. She jumped to her feet and as she did Zach appeared in the doorway. Adrienne smiled at him shyly before she moved to hug him tightly. She stayed there for a second, nuzzled in his neck before she pulled back to give him a kiss.

"C'mon, let's go," she said as she took his hand and led him to her dormitory. Thank goodness it was a Friday night and hardly anyone was around to catch them.

Who: Zach (to Adrienne)
When: Friday, February 16, 2007. During lunch.
What: Zach's gift to Adrienne.

Delivery to Adrienne through a student from her dormitory


( Hand-written Note Included: )

Who: Zach and Adrienne
Where: The School's Auditorium
When: Thursday, February 15, 2007. Nighttime!
What: The Valentine's Day Dance itself! Someone spiked the punch, and Zach drank it.

Adrienne and Zach danced plenty with each other and with friends, and the evening wore on without a hitch. Zach grew thirsty at one point when Adrienne went to dance with one of her friends and promised to be back quickly. He smiled and watched her go, wandering over to the punch bowl for some refreshment and picking at a few of the more interesting looking snacks on the table strewn with holiday foods of red, white, and pink. Four or five cups later, he felt a little funny. Probably nothing. Maybe he just needed a little fresh air soon.

With the music suddenly halting, Zach looked to see what was going on. Ah, announcements for the king and queen and princes and princesses. Something like that, anyway. Shocked at hearing Adrienne’s name called, Zach glanced to see where she was as Adrienne hadn’t gotten back to him yet from her dance with her friend. Eventually, he spotted her halfway or more across the room. His stare followed her to the stage as she walked onto it with someone else who was called. Tristan something. Sounded like a dumb name out of a medieval movie. And what was it with this childish jealously? It’s not like they were actually royalty getting forced into an arranged marriage or anything.

Zach still crossed his arms, feeling petulant about it all. As a wave of light-headedness washed over him and calmed him, he scooped up more punch and looked around the floor at the faces there. Sighing out loud, he really felt like getting some fresh air after the ridiculous display on stage by that Tristan guy. At this point, the guy could just stand there doing absolutely nothing and Zach would find it ridiculous. He threw away his cup, picking up one of the chocolate covered strawberries and taking a bite out of it.

An excited grin sprouted across his face as he heard Eva’s name called. Well, that was good vote despite the fact that he hadn’t seen a picture of her or even met her when he voted for her. Pretty, leggy, and blonde. Typical queen material, although she did seem like a very cool person with a sharp mind whenever he talked to her and read her online journal entries. Zach gave her props for that. He whistled, clapping loudly and hollering along with the crowd.

Clearly, someone must have spiked the punch for him to be acting this way.

Who: Adrienne (to Zach!)
When: Thursday: February 15, 2007
What: Adrienne gets Zach a Valentine's Day Present



Attached Note:
Happy Valentine's Day! I can't wait till I see you tonight.

Love,
~Adrienne

Who: Zach and Adrienne
Where: Commons area, then Zach's room at the school.
When: Tuesday, February 13, 2007. Evening.
What: Dance Lessons! For the upcoming Valentine's Day dance.

Zach had figured an open commons area would be the best place to give Adrienne some formal dance lessons, but that was soon proving to be a very bad location of choice. They had barely even begun when other students were passing by the commons area, some of them snickering or outright laughing, while others sang snippets of that god awful rhyme the new jackass, aptly named Loki, had posted to his journal about Zach and Adrienne.

While he tried to act like it didn’t bother him, the teasing attitude going around rattled his calm. He and Adrienne weren’t exactly dating at this point. That’s why. Okay, if they were openly dating, Zach wouldn’t have a problem with it. He’d laugh it off and find it funny, but it felt like a serious intrusion into his privacy since there wasn’t anything final between him and Adrienne. They admitted they liked each other, and they were working on it from there. What if the jokes drove Adrienne off from pursuing anything with him? What if the teasing got out of hand and caused them to drift apart?

Despite Loki’s apology, Zach didn’t believe it. The guy was still cracking jokes at their expense. Hopefully, he’d find other people to make fun of and back off of Zach and Adrienne’s case. Nico could lure the guy’s attention elsewhere to something far more interesting. There had to be some illicit affair going on somewhere. Zach believed he was as boring as they came — he liked nice and sweet girls very near to his own age. It wasn’t like they’d get a sensational story out of him.

After what felt like the millionth sing-song call of “Zach and Addy, sittin’ in a tree” with occasional colorful and embarrassing alternations made to the original, Zach finally sighed deeply and stopped with their routine. His hands dropped to his sides, letting go of her hand and waist. Concentration was impossible with the constant interruptions, most of them jeering in nature. Sure, the rhyme was absolutely childish to the ninth degree, but that didn’t seem to stop students from singing it. Weren’t most of them teenagers and adults, anyway? Or at least supposed to be? Then, why were they acting like this was grade school all over again?

“Maybe we should go somewhere more private,” Zach suggested, scratching the back of his neck. “This is,” he gestured towards the opening of the commons area, “getting a little out of hand.” A corner of his mouth fell into an unsure expression as he waited to gauge her reaction.

Who: Zach and Adrienne
When: Friday, February 2, 2007. Nighttime around 8:00 PM-ish.
Where: Commons area near the Kitchens
What: Movie Night

After spending a good portion of his day by Adrienne’s side, Zach currently found himself sitting alone in one of the many commons areas around the school — and waiting to see Adrienne yet again for what would be the third time today. He had attended the assembly, sitting beside her through that, and had also joined her for the memorial service in the auditorium that ended not too long ago. Zach hadn’t known the people who had passed away, but there was still a sinking feeling inside of him somewhere that couldn’t be ignored.

He couldn’t imagine how it would feel to lose someone he cared about. Thinking about his family, and even the new friends he had just made, a poignant emptiness gripped coldly at his insides at the mere idea that something could happen to them at any moment. Already he had grown partial to a handful of people here. Zach wasn’t ever the emotional type, but always he wanted to protect people that mattered to him. It was possibly the only real time when he couldn’t lie, even if he wanted to do so desperately. Take care of people. His mother, the idol that she was to him, had taught him that.

All of their names had echoed earlier in his head like a mantra during the service as he sat next to Adrienne, and he had remembered holding her hand at some point. Who had taken whose hand was beyond his memory. However, he was refusing to think on the darker aspects of today. Zach was going to have fun now. Adrienne was supposed to show up soon, and she had picked out their movie. Popcorn sat on the table, freshly popped in the kitchen, still hot, and lightly buttered. Its enticing aroma filled the common room.

Zach was lounging on a very cushiony and comfortable sofa in his winter pajamas with some throws taken directly from his room. There were no pillows. He hadn’t planned on pillows for a reason. They weren’t really needed when the two people involved had agreed that using each other as pillows was just fine. A small smirk crept onto his face at that, and he tilted his head back to see if he could spot anyone coming. Specifically, Adrienne.

Valentine’s Day. There was that, too. Everyone had been talking about getting dates for the dance, while Zach had purposefully not mentioned that yet. He knew who he wanted to ask, and he wanted it to be surprise when he did. Well, as much as a surprise as it could be, considering how much time they had been spending around each other ever since they had met. Hoping he wasn’t too late and that she would say yes, Zach waited for her to arrive.

He would ask Adrienne tonight in person — and the idea, honestly, scared him shitless.

Who: Zach, Adrienne, and an old friend Meredith
When: Wednesday, January 31, 2007. Noon.
Where: The School
What: Their first real meeting. Exploring via Hide ‘n’ Seek!

Lounging against the wall with his hands in his pockets, Zach had shown up a few minutes before noon to wait for the others. Meredith would be here first since Adrienne still had a final, which was good because he wasn’t sure if he wanted to see Adrienne immediately. His brain was a little foggy since he was so sleepy while talking to her last night, but he remembered most of their conversation and felt embarrassed about it. Flirting wasn’t exactly Zach’s thing, especially not with someone he hadn’t even met in person. He had a said a lot of interesting things last night, though, to anyone who happened to message him as he lingered on one of the library’s computers long after he should have been in bed.

He was wide awake now and a little anxious. He figured his openness online, despite the fact that he hadn’t really used those chat programs much before, came about due to anonymity. What he didn’t really figure last night was that he would eventually meet these people in person, and his first impression made him look either borderline crazy or narcissistic and flirtatious. Whenever Meredith arrived, Zach made a mental note to give her his entire pack of caffeine mints. Those things were evil. She could have every last one of them.

This making friends business was a change for him, especially considering his seclusion back at home. Zach was hoping he was giving everyone the right impression. Laid back, friendly, and easy to get along with seemed to fit the rest of his personality like a glove. His withdrawal all those years wasn’t because he disliked people. It was because he was different. He was strange, not normal — a freak of nature, to put it simply.

Hiding wasn’t necessary here, though.

Zach didn’t plan on befriending the entire student body, but he was working on getting to know the people around him and finding ones who enjoyed his company. Everybody here was so diverse. Zach didn’t follow the normal patterns of cliques or packs — a ‘social chameleon,’ as his sister had called him. He was bound to make friends with people who hated each other, coming from such separate ends of the social spectrum, but that was okay. Zach’s new friends didn’t have to all like each other and hang out with each other.

Whether or not they liked him . . . well, that was all that really mattered.