This Is My Future (Jiskastya X LaShana)

[Jiskastya]

It took Lex several moments of concentration to keep the frustrated sigh from slipping from his lips, to keep his brow from wrinkling into a frown. Now wouldn't be the time for that. It was easier, at least, when he spotted "Mr. White" standing in a corner, every line of his body radiating professional discipline. It would not be very difficult to get away from this man. He seemed like the kind of man that relied on the cooperation of his principle, and who wouldn't know how to adapt when Lex disappeared right out from under his nose.

He nodded politely to the austere bodyguard, but was promptly distracted as Ryan slipped into the door and interrupted the conversation. It was a welcome distraction, and completely worth it for the sudden look of disapproval on Mr. White's face.

"Are you sure that you aren't early?" Lex teased right back, coming forward and wrapping his best friend in a strong hug.

---

Tyler ignored Ryan's final comment as they moved into the house, and a smile spread its way across his face as he watched Ryan and Lex see each other again for the first time in six years. Most people wouldn't have noticed how much Lex's sudden disappearance has hurt his brother, Ryan was one to fall into a comedic act when he was battling with sorrow, he had, after all, done the same thing when their father had bailed out on them. But Ryan had never been able to keep up the act at home, and in some ways it had been shocking, seeing how listless his brother became without his best friend to get in trouble with.

Tyler noticed Marylin at that moment, her eyes completely for her son, and a small snort escaped his lips. Leaving his brother to engage Lex, Tyler slipped further into the house, making his way to Jenna's room, where he assumed she would still be located. He knocked on her door, calling out "knock, knock," as his knuckles tapped against the wood door.

[LaShana]

Ryan laughed and hugged his best friend back. "I'm never early, you should know that." he said before looking over at Mr. White and Marylin. The look on Marylin's face told Ryan quite fast that Jenna's feelings about her mother were spot-on. Well, they had been for a while, but after what Tyler had told him at breakfast, it didn't seem as though she was entirely wrong. Turning his attention back at Lex, he grinned big. Even though his best friend had changed a lot, it didn't feel like any time had passed between the two. "So... big plans tonight." he said, looking at Lex. "I've booked out favorite club, invited just about everybody and organized a 'Welcome home' party for tonight. You don't have to do anything but show up and have the best time of your life." he said, grinning.

Ever since he heard that Lex would be back, he had started planning for this party. It was all done and paid for, an open bar and everything. "We have to put your life back together again." he said, not really paying any attention to Marylin's and Mr. White's looks as he told Lex tonight's plans. He figured his mother wouldn't be too happy about it, and this new character - Mr. White - who seemed to be Lex's new bodyguard, didn't seem to like the idea at all. Well, guarding someone in a fully packed club wouldn't be too easy, but Ryan figured that wouldn't bother Lex.

---

Jenna was sitting by the computer, not really doing anything with it, as she heard the knocking on the door and Tyler's voice on the other side. She would recognize his voice anywhere, and it was a most welcomed distraction for her thoughts. Getting up from the chair with a smile, she walked over to the door and opened it. "I heard Ryan's car, but I didn't know you would come with him." she said, smiling softly at him and pulling a hand through her blonde hair. Her outfit today wasn't at all as provocative as last night's, but she still dressed up nicely every day.

"Come on in." she said as she stepped away from the door and closed it as he had entered her room. "I'm guessing you saw Marylin downstairs?" she asked as she walked over to her computer to turn it off. "The long lost son has returned, and everyone else has disappeared out of her sight." she said, turning towards Tyler again. "But frankly, I don't have the energy to complain about her today..." she sighed slightly before smiling at him again. "What's up?"

[Jiskastya]

Tyler walked over to the bed and sat down, a smile spreading across his face. "Well, Ryan is going to abduct Lex for the day, I'm fairly sure I heard something about a "Welcome Home Party", and I was thinking that we could spend the day together before heading off to the party." It felt so natural to spend time with her, to talk to her, that it didn't even occur to him that he had almost just asked her out on a date. To him, it was just one more day with the person that he most wanted to spend time with in the world.

"Or would you rather stay home and take care of Marylin?" He teased.

---

Lex grinned broadly, stepping away, and slapping Ryan fondly on the shoulder. "I should have known you'd have something big planned," he said, pointedly ignoring both his mother and his new bodyguard. This would make it all the easier to slip away for a few minutes some time around mid-day, to go sign up at the martial arts place he had found yesterday. For a moment, he almost pitied his bodyguard, who was never going to be able to keep up, no matter how hard he tried.

"When do I need to be there?"

[LaShana]

Jenna's smile disappeared slightly as he heard Tyler mentioning that Ryan had already planned a welcome home party for Lex. "Oh..." she said, nodding her head a little. It didn't really surprise her that Ryan had already got everything planned out and done, as she hadn't had time to even start thinking about it properly. It felt a bit weird that she wasn't the one organizing her brother's party, since she really wanted to do something like that for him. But, she figured, she might be able to do something else to celebrate his return. Shaking her head a little at her own thoughts, she soon smiled at Tyler again.

"Of course I want to spend the day with you." she said, walking over to her closet to get a coat. "Wait..." she said, turning towards him while slightly leaning on the doors to her closet. "...did you just ask me out on a full-day date?" she asked, tilting her head a little. Slowly a soft and wonderful smile turned up on her face. "I'd love to." she said.

---

"When should you be there?" he asked, laughing a little. "Come on, get your jacket. We're leaving right now. A stuffed house like this isn't the place you need to be in." He looked over at Marylin. "No offense, Mrs. Personne. You'll see your son soon enough. I promise to bring him back in one piece." he said, winking a little at Lex. "I do feel sorry for Tyler, though..." he continued, laughing again. "He didn't bring his own car taking Jenna out. Oh well..." he said, looking at Lex again. "Either I should have said that or not, I don't know." he grinned.

Being away for six years... Sure, Lex hadn't been the most overprotective older brother before he left, but six years away from his family most had changed him - no doubt about that. But whether that had turned him to an overprotective brother or not, Ryan wouldn't be able to tell. Even though he teased and made fun of his own brother, he didn't want to cause him any real trouble. Especially not with his best friend and, hopefully, soon enough his girlfriends older brother.

[Jiskastya]

Tyler gaped at Jenna's question, fully prepared to start backpedaling, making excuses. But her grin was disarming and infectious, and instead he found himself grinning right back. "Yes," he replied, "I guess I did."

He stood up, walking over to where Jenna was standing, and leaned against the wall next to her. "Ryan's get-together is going to start around seven, he and Lex probably won't show up until eight, though, to make sure that everyone is already there for Lex's arrival. That gives us... eleven hours of freedom. What would you like to do?"

---

Lex simply nodded his head, not particularly concerned with the fact that Jenna was going to be spending the day with Tyler. He had guessed that, in his absence, the two of them had become a lot closer than the young boy and girl cat-fights that he remembered, and Jenna's comment from this morning had almost completely confirmed that. There was no way that Ryan was going to let him go, so he was glad that Jenna would have someone to spend the day with.

He smiled sweetly at his mother, trying to overcome her frustrated scowl, and nodded his head at Mr. White, doubting that he would be able to keep the bodyguard from coming along for the ride. So, he simply ignored both of their disapproving faces, walked over to the nearby closet, and snagged a light leather jacket that he used to wear when he went out biking.

Speaking of that... His mother had never been particularly fond of his motorcycle, but he couldn't help but wonder whether she had taken his absence as an excuse to get rid of it, so that when he came back he wouldn't have it any more. He couldn't help but think that was doubtful, though, as his mother had given him the impression that she had desperately attempted to preserve everything of his former existence. Maybe the gas would even still be good. Perhaps he would be able to bail out on Ryan briefly, meet him in town, and take that time to get signed up with Nu'fumbah.

"Shall we?" He laughed slightly, suddenly thinking of Tyler's expression when he realized that he had no clear way to get home. Hopefully Lex's mother would let him borrow one of his cars.

[LaShana]

"Well..." Jenna started. "Breakfast would be nice first, then I actually have to go to school for a few seconds to grab a folder from my locker. And after that... I don't really know." she said, smiling softly. "You asked me out, so... surprise me, I suppose." She opened her closet and pulled out a coat and put it on before she started filling her bag with whatever she might need during the day. "Just keep me away from here, m'kay?" she asked, her smile still on her face. Turning towards him again, she tilted her head slightly. "I might have to come here before the party tonight, though, to change clothes." she said. "Other than that, I'm open for anything." She smiled at him as she opened the door to leave her room with him.

---

Ryan looked at Lex as he grabbed a jacket and got ready. Hearing Jenna and Tyler on the second floor, he grinned slightly. "Come on, let's hurry." he said. He didn't want to still be there when Jenna and Tyler got downstairs, being forced to drive them wherever they needed to go. Looking at Marylin, he smiled a little before turning around and leaving the house with Lex and, of course, Mr. White close after. Looking at Lex as they walked towards his car, he grinned mischievously. "I'm guessing you want to get rid of Mr. White as soon as possible?" he asked. He felt really happy to have his best friend back and he was quickly getting back into their old trails - getting in trouble more often than they didn't.

Opening the door to his car, he sat down in the drivers seat and started the car, ready to take off in a high speed as soon as Lex had closed the door to try and shake Mr. White off their trail. Knowing Lex as good as Ryan did, even though six years had passed, he was sure enough that Lex didn't want a bodyguard following him everywhere he went. And besides, if Mr. White thought he would be able to keep up with either Ryan or Lex, he would have to work for it. Ryan was pretty sure neither of them would simply accept the fact that Lex wouldn't have a single second for himself with Mr. White's disapproving stare following his every move.

[Jiskastya]

Despite having never needed to guard someone who didn't particularly want a bodyguard, Mr. White was no novice to the antics of young men. After all, despite his now austere attitude, he had been one himself once. As soon as he stepped out of the door and realized that he had already fallen several paces behind his charge he broke into a jog, placing a heavy hand on Lex's shoulder. Lex let out a resigned sigh, grateful for Ryan's attempted intrusion, but knowing that the "best of the best" wasn't going to be shaken by any traditional means. Unfortunately for Mr. White, however, Lex was full of nothing but unusual means.

He reached out, preparing to grab on to the passenger-door handle, but Mr. White's hand tightened on his shoulder. "In the back," he said through tight lips. "And not until I get in." Lex let out a sigh but nodded his head in a mock resignation. Once Mr. White had sat down in the car Lex got into the back, scooting so that he was right behind Ryan. At a terse reminder from his new bodyguard, Lex buckled up, a resigned sigh escaping his lips and a sarcastic "Yes, Mom," quickly following suit.

They were on the main road about a minute later, and quickly picking up speed. He leaned forward, placing a hand on Ryan's left shoulder, the one away from Mr. White, and whispered quietly in his ear. "I'm sorry for bailing out on you like this, especially since you are going to have to take the brunt of our new friend's frustration, but I need some time. I'll see you in... two hours at the park int he center of downtown. If you want to help me out, keep driving for as long as possible before Mr. White thinks to pull the parking break."

And then, not even giving Ryan time to process what he had just implied, Lex moved in a quick, fluid motion, popping his seat belt, opening the passenger door, and rolling out into the street. Mr. White called out to Ryan, but by the time the car came to a complete stop and Mr White scrambled his way out Lex had vanished, leaving behind no trace of his existence.

And fifteen minutes later, Lex was zooming down the road to downtown, his sweet black sports bike humming between his legs.

He pulled into the parking lot near the martial arts center, unhooked his helmet, and put the bike on the kick stand before making his way into the center.