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 Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 9:07 pm
the gallery
"Easy," he hissed as he rubbed his arm and tossed her a look. "Like you would know." But it didn't have the same bite. "You haven't even gone and look at the others."
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 9:11 pm
the gallery
"You put five million bucks next t'ten million bucks and I'm still gonna think five mill's a shitton," she told him with a laugh that devolved into a tiny squeak.
"Can I buy one with my vag or is that not allowed?" At least she asked quietly enough that other people around wouldn't be alerted.
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 9:31 pm
the gallery
The what the ********> was evident, but it was such a Chel comment even wrinkle in his frown had a wry fondness to it. "Is your vag worth five million?" Jack countered.
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Posted: Mon May 16, 2016 9:32 pm
the gallery
"Yer d**k certainly thinks so." She took the time to poke the corners of his mouth into a smile.
And it was then that over Chel's shoulder Jack would see a familiar couple emerge.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 10:57 am
the gallery
Her fingers were swatted away. "Only transaction I'll take for these is money," he started to say when his gaze strayed.
Immediately Jack took her shoulder and began to turn her away, then push her. "Go, now."
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 11:07 am
the gallery
She wasn't protesting as her feet were walking in the direction he was pushing, but she did ask, "What? Why?"
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 11:41 am
the gallery
"Just go." No time to explain, barely enough time to recompose himself before they saw him. Or maybe they did and he was going to have a fun time explaining.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 11:55 am
the gallery
Chel opened her mouth to protest but she had yet to see Jack in a position of such desperation that she wasn't the cause of.
So instead she pretended to be very invested in the photoset right next to Jack's while very much eavesdropping (but at least being casual about it).
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 8:27 pm
the gallery
The woman almost looked like a female Jack (the same stoic look of judgement, a similar stiffness in stance), although her face was rounder. She was dressed like she had come from somewhere far fancier and carried a clutch in her right hand. Beside her, the older gentleman was at odds with a simple smile, a suit, and slicked back salt and pepper hair.
Chel's eavesdropping seemed to go unnoticed. Jack and his mother spoke in somewhat rapid Korean, broken up occasionally by his father's questions about the photos. It was a polite interest--neither intrusive nor engaging beyond some inquiries about his choice of subjects. Jack looked particularly hot under the collar regarding the one featuring heels, but other than a knowing look from his mother, nothing drastic happened.
"I wasn't sure if you'd be able to stop by," Jack was saying.
"Of course we'd make time to see this," his father replied. "It's your final grade, isn't it?"
"Yes."
His mother spoke up. "And what about your other grades? Are they posted online?"
"Umma, I told you I'd get them all once they've finished grading them."
"I don't imagine this was particularly hard to pass," she added with another look at his photos.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 8:32 pm
the gallery
That was a mom voice. Chel knew the ******** mom voice and that was one killer mom voice. She had a thousand questions (when did Chel not have questions) but she bit her lip down and forced herself to look busy.
She was standing behind his parents (or at least mom + some guy? Probably step-dad; that seemed most plausible) and from there she shot him a sympathetic glance. If things got really hairy she had a backup plan.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 10:08 pm
the gallery
What she got in return was a sharp what the ******** get away look. One that didn't go unnoticed.
His father traced the trajectory and turned his head, noting Chel purely for her hair color but not yet certain who his son had been glaring at. "Someone you know?"
Jack's jaw flexed. "I just thought," he said slowly, trying to make something up, "that I saw someone else I couldn't stand. My mistake."
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 10:11 pm
the gallery
Chel took a cue. "Sorry my fault. I was starin' 'cause he's good lookin'." She let out one of her snorting laughs and waved, looking back to her phone and moving a few pieces down.
But she was still listening.
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 8:17 am
the gallery
Jack closed his eyes for a moment to find some patience. His father chuckled. His mother eyed her until Chel turned and moved away.
A flash. Someone else was on duty this time to report on the event, but as per usual, his timing grated on Jack. The guy gave him a wincing shrug, took another, and then moved on.
"What do you have to do?" his mother asked as she got to her tip-toes to reach his tie and adjust some minuscule deficiency in it (or she was making up for the green hair, as per usual), and Jack explained in a list that did its best not to sound like a drone. Nodding, she then asked, "These are lovely, Dong Ming, but how long is the gallery supposed to last? Do you have any more finals you should be studying for?"
"Just one more, and it's only an English one. Those aren't hard."
"You're lucky you can say that." The woman smiled slightly.
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 6:18 pm
the gallery
Speak for yerself, dickwad," she thought somewhat callously. English was one of her worst subjects, second only to math.
Chel wandered for the time being, not far (never too far from earshot), but eventually found herself leaning against one of the walls. Almost bored, like she was at a parent-teacher conference. Wrap it up Hawthorn, she had places to be.
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 9:24 pm
the gallery
The Hawthorns took their time: investigating other photos, meeting Jack's classmates (with Jack dragged along of course, when he wasn't doing his duties for the final), commenting on this or that with other people there (Jack's father in particular seemed to know who was the son of whom or recognized this or that faculty member). Around fifteen minutes or so of that gauntlet, it was finally time for his parents to say farewell.
"I hope you will bring some of these to the house," his father said, glancing at his watch. "Ah. Running a little late, dear."
"We'll see you at home," his mother said as she pushed some of his hair behind his ear. A pause. "We will see you later," she amended.
"Jal ja-yo," he said with a small bow.
"Jalja, nae adeul."
He only let out the rest of his breath once his parents were out of sight.
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