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 Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 7:55 pm
Zack. So his name was Zack…that wasn’t a bad name. Though…it wasn’t a great name either though…not like Jett. Jett was a nice name. It rolled off the tongue, and was just so different. She liked different.
It didn’t take long to find the Ihop, and she pulled in and was seated within ten minutes after getting off the phone with this…Zack guy. Sanidine. Whatever. Whoever. It didn’t matter. Honestly…she was kind of glad that someone wanted to take the time to see her…even if it really wasn’t one of the somebody’s she wanted to see and spend time with. It was still a good someone…and maybe some good old fashioned kissing could get her mind off of everything…that would be splendid.
Raven sat at her booth and sipped at her flavored lemonade that the waiter had brought over, wrinkling her nose just a bit. She was one to prefer more lemonade and less flavor, but hey. At two am, she was pretty happy to be getting service, let alone good lemonade, so…now all there was to do was wait for Zack to get here…and honestly…with as dead as the restaurant was…the moment she saw someone with light blonde hair, she pretty much was going to figure it was him…so yay.
She was so ready.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 8:05 pm
Zack didn't take very long; he hurried, but no more than he usually did. Five miles over the sped limit was pretty much to be expected of him and he probably stopped at all the stop signs. He didn't really pay attention, but at two in the morning, who had time for that sort of thing?
He wasn't worried about making it to the right Ihop; though there were several in the area, only one could be considered close to the exit Raven had mentioned, and given that it was only a few minutes from his house, he made it there in pretty good time.
He hadn't dressed up or tried to do anything fancy; while he usually tended to dress somewhat nicely, he wasn't too keen on wearing some monkey suit for pancakes.
Finding Raven was easy; she was the only girl not working at the restaurant, and he could spot that face from a mile away. He nodded to the woman he assumed to be the waitress, as she was the only worker he coudl see not in the kitchen, and helped himself to the table she'd been seated at. As he walked from behind, he planted a quick kiss on her cheek, if only because he wanted to startle her. He was sitting down across from Raven only a second after his lips left her cheek.
"Surprise," he said as he sat down, much more symmetrical now than when they'd last met. "You order already?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 8:10 pm
The kiss did startle her, but most likely not for the reasons that he wanted it to. For a split second, she thought it might have been Jett kissing her…that maybe he tracked her phone or something and found her here…maybe with a packed suitcase, ready to make the trip to California with her…because, well. That would be so ideal.
But no. It was, presumably Zack…and maybe that was just as good. “Surprise yourself. I’m assuming you’re Zack and not just some random ax murderer ready to kill a poor girl in the middle of a nearly completely deserted Ihop, right?’
A hand went up to rub at her cheek, her face going into a slightly amused expression. “No, I just ordered my drink…because you were taking so long. But, I do know what I want. Or rather, what I need. I want something fried and fattening. Please buy me Mozzarella sticks.”
Raven paused for a moment, then shrugged. “And that’s not even a request. You’re paying for all of this, right?”
Oh, sometimes she was just not subtle at all. No wonder Jett didn't want to move with her.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 8:22 pm
Zack gave her a look that said she was pushing her luck, but he shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. I guess you did already spend the gas to come all the way back here. Just," he lifted a menu and waved his hand at it. "Get whatever you want."
He was familiar enough with the restaurant that he already knew what he wanted, though a part of him regretted that he hadn't just called Evan and had him come over and play chef for them. Of course, it was easier to take a girl out to eat than to explain what some scrawny little punk was doing in his kitchen. Besides, his friend might get in the way if Raven did wind up coming back with him.
Which was the plan, ideally.
He glanced at the menu mostly out of habit, but his order was already prepared in his head. After a second he glanced up from the menu to look at Raven. He had the opportunity to really study her face under the guise of holding a conversation and, one brow crooked, asked, "You really think an axe murderer would prowl an Ihop looking for someone to murder? …I mean, don't get me wrong, I guess it's possible, but. I'd go after the waitress if I was out for blood. You're too pretty to want to chop up. And I'm pretty sure no amount of fried or fattening foods has the possibility of changing that."
Not…exactly romantic, but at least he was being honest.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 8:36 pm
Raven nodded, looking back down at the menu, thinking something through in her head, and wondering just how she was going to get it across to the guy sitting across from her. It was a crazy idea. A stupid idea, really…but it was one she really…
She didn’t want to drive across the country by herself…especially not when she was so emotional…jeeze, it would take the better part of a month at the pace she was going right now…and her job…the apartment…they weren’t going to wait. It was fluke enough that the emails hadn’t sent…some sort of internet glitch…but they weren’t going to wait forever…so...
“Would you come with me to California?” She was carefully looking at the menu as she spoke the words, completely careful not to meet his gaze…because. Who in their right mind would ask a stranger to go on a cross country trip with them? Even if they hadn’t been an axe murderer before the trip started, what if he changed his mind? What if he was like…a super freak or something…
“It would be a lot of help for me, honestly. I’m not sure I could make it on my own. Not right now, at least. And my job…and my apartment…if I don’t show up. I’m completely out of luck…it would be a huge help, Zack…”
The blonde glanced up at him, giving a hopeful smile. Put on the charm, Raven. Put on all the charm.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 8:51 pm
Zack was quiet for a moment, and very slowly his expression changed from one of amusement to confusion.
"…Not sure if that's something I can really…do," he said after a few seconds. Ultimately it wouldn't be the end of the world if he went. Hell, and the timing couldn't have been better; with the boss gone, he could always just get Evan to spot for him for a few days. It would be rough on the kid, but…
Evan would manage. It might put a pretty big dent in Zack's paycheck, but it wasn't like he was aching for money. And the opportunity to go to California didn't come around just every day.
"…I might be able to," he said after a few more seconds. "My manager comes back in a few days though, so I couldn't stay for too long. I can't just drop everything and stay there, but I could keep you company, I guess. Though there is the issue that getting there wouldn't be the problem, it would be getting home. Now, if you wanna tell me you've got some magical teleporter where you can drop me off once we get there, sure, in a heartbeat. I'll drive across the country with you. I've just gotta be back in a few days, so…"
It was an unrealistic request, he was sure, but then again; if he was supposed to believe that senshi were aliens, then teleportation wasn't really too far out of the question—right?
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 9:09 pm
Raven sighed. There it went again. Not something he wanted to do. Not something he could do. Damnit, she was half ready just to get up and walk out of the restaurant. It seemed so much easier to just get in her car and start driving again. This had been a stupid question to ask and a stupid thing to do. Damnit. Just…damn it all.
She had opened her mouth to tell him to just forget the whole thing, when she paused, listening to him finish.
All he wanted was a quick way home? Well, s**t. So long as he had a decent sized mirror…she had a decent way home. A small smile began growing on her face and she shrugged. “I’ll need to come see your house tonight, but yeah. I can get you home in about a minute when I get settled in my new place. No problem at all. Unless you don’t have any bigish mirrors. Then we might have a bit of an issue…but a guy like you, I’m sure you have at least one full length mirror at your place, right? the better to see your smokin’ hot self in.”
She winked, feeling quite happy now.
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Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 9:18 pm
Well—damn, wow. Not something he had actually expected her to have an answer with. He blinked, seeming a bit surprised and then leaned forward. "—Well, of course you can come back to my place tonight."
For more than just to see a mirror, of course, but sure—whatever excuse she wanted.
"I guess the bathroom mirror's a decent size. I don't really have a full sized mirror, but it's the closest. Pretty big, but…Why?" he asked, and seemed genuinely interested.
If a mirror—just a mirror—was literally a gateway across the country, ********. He'd go out and buy a fullsized mirror. Or steal one, tonight.
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 7:59 pm
Raven nodded. “Well. Good then. I’ll come over and we’ll check out your mirror. And maybe some other things too, but…then again, maybe not.” She couldn’t stop the smirk from drifting onto her face. Oh she felt so bad…but so good with this flirting. She couldn’t help it. She had always been such a flirt in high school and middle school…and then…
And then Jett happened…and she tried to rein herself in, but of course there were slipups…but then…she got engaged…and the slipups lessened…but then she was just so…unhappy….
And of course, then she left…and Zack happened. So…
So she tried at least.
“If you do have a mirror, we can park my car somewhere and just take yours to your house and…see I have a mirror in the back seat so I can just pop into my car, it’s pretty…it just makes things a lot easier, which I’m sure you can imagine.”
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 8:25 pm
"A mirror in the backseat?" Zack laughed. "I'll bet the cops have a lot of questions when they pull you over. But, then again," he seemed amused as he watched her. "You're pretty enough, I'm sure they don't give you any hard time." He winked, but it was almost even not flirting; Raven was a beautiful girl, and being beautiful meant you could get away with a lot more.
It also meant you were used to advances, so Zack was already thinking he was going to have to up his game to get to her.
…But she was coming back to his place, so…score?
"I'll have to put a better mirror in my room for you, though. Right by the bed. Or, you know, I was thinking about having one of those ceiling mirrors installed? Could be fun," he said in an almost singsong tone.
A girl with an addiction to mirrors was hardly the worst thing he could imagine, and for free trips to California? What the hell, why not? Maybe this powered thing was going to be even better than he'd expected.
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Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 8:55 pm
“And why would they question someone like me having a mirror in my backseat? Clearly I need to look good, and my puny little rearview mirror wasn’t doing the trick. Besides, you’re right, why on earth would they bother pulling me over anyway? And even if they did, they’d let me off with a few well chosen words from me, seriously. Besides again, I’ve never been pulled over. I’m a good driver, and if you’re not, well. Maybe I’ll rethink the whole you driving with me, Mister.”
She took a long sip of her lemonade, looking so tired.
The night had taken its toll on her, and she was really just about ready to give up and just sleep…but the idea of pancakes…she could stay awake for the pancakes, but then she seriously considered just leaving her car in the motel parking lot next door and just letting Zack drive her to his place…it would be the easiest thing to do, and the safest, to be completely honest.
“Yeah. I’ll leave my car at the motel right over there, you can take me to your place tonight, and tomorrow we can start the real trip…deal?”
She was choosing to ignore the thoughts of ceiling mirrors, at least as much as she could.
The blushing wasn’t something she could really control, after all.
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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:57 am
Zack just laughed and shook his head; he was growing impatient and waved a waitress over. "You know, you're pretty cute when you’re not playing Miss Mysterious," he said, just before the waitress arrived.
He recited his order, let Raven give hers, and as soon as the waitress was out of earshot, leaned in close again. "Sounds like a good plan to me. I'll treat you right. My bed sheets are fifteen hundred thread count, Egyptian Cotton. Softest thing you'll ever lay on. Down pillows so soft it's like a little piece of heaven fell out of the sky. Air turned down nice and low. Mm. Bed's good on its own, but it's better when you're sharing it with someone." He winked, but left it at that. "Plenty of lava lamps, too."
A trip to California sounded fun. He was going to make the best of it.
"Let's just sleep in, not set alarms. If you're not in a rush, I've got no reason to be. No reason to stress out about it. You might as well enjoy the trip. I'll keep things interesting," he promised, sly little smirk on his face.
…He'd just have to be careful she didn't decide to dump his a** on the side of the road somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 12:13 pm
Raven couldn’t help feeling pretty impressed. Fifteen hundred thread count? s**t. Those must have cost a small fortune…but…
“What, do you sleep on a twin bed?” She couldn’t let him see that she was completely almost won over by him…she had to give him some grief, or else she wasn’t doing her job right. “I mean, if it is a small bed, I can totally believe the sheets are that fine, and yeah, I bet we’d have to get real close if it’s that teeny tiny, so. Yeah I’m game with sleeping in. Don’t get any funny ideas though, buddy. I’m still technically engaged.”
She waggled her hand in his face, showing him the ring she couldn’t bring herself to remove. Yet.
In time though…well…
If he didn’t call…or come visit…or anything…
Well. Maybe the ring would be dropped somewhere between here and California.
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 12:48 pm
He leaned forward to examine the ring but shrugged as if it were nothing. To be told, he figured it had cost a lot of money, but he was quick to scoff, "Pretty. But he could have done better. It's a Queen, though. So I'm sure you'd be happy with it. But you can still get real close, I'll keep you warm. The room can get pretty cold."
Especially if he turned the AC down extra cold.
He didn't care if she was engaged or married or anything else; she was with him tonight and that meant that her relationship couldn’t be that great.
And even if he wasn't in this for the long term, he would give her a good time.
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