[IC] Digital or Real?

[Scout]

James frowned when he noticed he'd upset Sasha. "I know, I'm sorry... Really... And my mom didn't want to talk to yours until she knew if you even wanted to go... But... I forgot... You know I get distracted really easily. Every time I remembered, I was either just falling asleep, or on my way to school, or something..." He looked down to his lap anxiously. "Sometimes, I get kinda flustered and if I try too hard to remember something, it slips from my head and I start to panic and I-I... Ugh I don't know..." He explained, releasing her hand and nervously crossing his arms with his gaze averted. Why was it so hard to tell people about things like this..? His doctor had said it was a small form of ADHD. He wasn't overly excitable or energetic in class, but it seemed like he couldn't quite focus when he was told to remember something. His mother, as much as she loved him, would get rather frustrated when she'd leave the house and ask him to do something, come home, and it wasn't done. A lot of people would accuse him of making an excuse, but she knew that if she wanted something done that writing it down was going to make it more likely. Sometimes, when he was trying to recall something and couldn't quite bring it to mind, it would frustrate him to no end.

"I'm sorry, we'll just drop it... Let's just enjoy this tonight, Sashie. If you don't want to go or can't go, that's fine, we'll just make tonight our Valentine's... or any night - we can hang out after school for the rest of the week too," He said, trying to cover himself. "I don't want you to have to spend Valentine's alone..." He said sadly. He scooted close to her again, frowning. "I hate seeing you so mad... or anything but happy - I like your smile," He pleaded, biting the inside of his cheek as he felt his heart taking a hammer to his sternum. Why couldn't he be better at these things? He always felt so awkward and his anxiety spiked every time he did anything beyond casual conversation. Sasha always managed to help him keep his cool and stay calm - it was just the atmosphere around her all the time, it kept him easygoing. However, when he got like this, he had to remember to stop worrying himself. The last thing he wanted was for her to see him have a panic attack or anything. Matt never had problems like this either, James was sure of it.

The boy pulled back again and cleared his throat absently, pressing a hand flat to his chest, taking a few easy breaths in and letting them out. A seemingly mutated form of ADD and slight anxiety made for the perfect bundle to make others think he was awkward and even rude sometimes. The rudeness was something he worked hard to combat, and often he was successful, but still people would mistake his uncontrollable dismissive attitude. Say it, or you never will... He warned himself as his heart raced faster. His throat closed and he felt like he was choking, but he swallowed forcefully and looked over to Sasha.

"I just... I wanted to make your Valentine's Day really nice, since it was the first time we'd both have a date for it... And I forgot about the trip every time I had a chance to ask... And... I wanted to wait until the actual day, but... I love you, Sasha Watson," He said sincerely. It felt like the night they first kissed again, and the dance... This was the first time he'd actually been able to say it at all, but he actually felt exhausted after pushing through his nerves. "You... I... Yeah, that's... that's all," He said, failing to find more words than those three...

[Genkai]

It seemed really rude of James to let something that important slip his mind. And he should have known her mother would have also liked to know in advance, rather than also be put on the spot too. She could tell James was sorry but that didn’t excuse him from the fact that what he did was totally thoughtless and careless. Sasha had a right to be upset with him but she still didn’t want it to ruin their adventure together. He moved closer and said they could put it behind them. But she wanted to make it clear that she did want to go, but it was a pretty big step and a big thing to consider in such a short period of time. Had he given her better notice, she would have been more excited, than surprised and caught off guard.

“James,” She started to say but then she couldn’t help but smile at his comment. She didn’t like seeing him beat himself up. It was a silly reason for them to fight, she just wanted to have him consider her own feelings and why she felt light there was some unwanted spotlight thrust upon her. “I’m not mad, I’m just upset, there is a difference.” She pointed out. “Angry is better fined as a strong emotion where upset pertains more to...something less intense but shares the sentiment of being unhappy.” The writer told him. She sighed and looked off, not really sure what else to say on the matter. All she could do was talk to her parents and mull it over, she just didn’t like being pressed for time or urgency.

It was unfair.

Sasha looked back over at the water and shifted uncomfortably in their shared silence. She could sense the boy next to her was struggling with something. “James? Are...you okay?” She glanced to him, still disappointed but still concerned about him. Like him, she didn’t want their date to be ruined. Before he could really assure her, he spoke up and began to explain how he wanted to make her Valentine’s Day special. She couldn’t blame him for that since she thought it wasn’t even on his mind. Sasha looked to him, pressing her lips together, something she often did when she was waiting patiently for him to say what was on his mind. Nodding along with his words, she stopped when he began to choke up a little and finally blurt out his confession.

He loved her.

That seemed to be enough for James as he trailed off and tried to collect himself. She looked at him, trying to understand what he had said. Yes, she heard him but she was trying to actually process the words and their meaning. Someone loved her. Someone she was dating, someone who she liked a lot. All the books she read and the love stories she had written were nothing compared to her life at this very moment. Sasha found herself smiling and when she noticed, she couldn’t even consider stopping. “You do?” She asked though she didn’t really need an answer to that. She felt nervous and anxious and excited and didn’t know what to do. One thing that her mind kept telling her, was that she did love him too. “I love you too.” She reached out for his hand, hoping that his mind hadn’t run away too far after that confession.

“James…?” Sasha laughed a little, trying to understand what they had both just admitted to. They loved each other! She then instantly thought about their parents and if her mother knew about this, she might not let her go on the trip. “I-I hope that doesn’t impede the trip any!” She blurted out, not sure if he could connect her comment to her internal train of thought. Neither of them seemed well versed in these sorts of romantic moments but she was thrilled in a surreal sort of way that they could both grow together and experience these sorts of things together. She squeezed his hand gently and leaned over to kiss him. “This day just got a million times better!” She assured him. She had been worried about them as a couple but him being a bit distant now made sense if he had been mulling over his feelings for her for a while. “You didn’t have to wait to tell me!” Sasha laughed.

[Scout]

He felt her hand take hold of his once again and the pressure of the moment was instantly lifted with her four-word response. He smiled and looked at her, his eyes glinting with warmth and excitement. Sharing like this was new... But it was also really uplifting, despite the anxiety it had initially wrought. She loved him too; the relief such a thought could bring was immense. He tilted his head curiously, "Impede our trip how?" He asked, laughing slightly, "It isn't like anything has changed to anybody else, we've just... said it now, right? It feels really nice, but I don't know if it really affects other people so much. If anything, it'd make it better," He pointed out, taking a moment to realize what she had exactly said. Instead of pointing it out, he smiled and listened to her give a small laugh. She was so cute, how was he so lucky? He kissed her, turning as he placed his free hand on her knee, simply savoring the few seconds that he had right there. A dismal thought occurred to him in that moment: this moment will never happen again. He may feel this way for a long time and he was sure they'd enjoy countless other 'adventures' together, but... right here, right now... He could never tell her he loved her for the first time again.

After reluctantly pulling away, he shrugged, "I know, but I thought that you'd want Valentine's to be a million times better because of it." He didn't want to leave, but after a few more moments, he squeezed her hand and stood up, ushering her with him. "Come on, it's starting to get cold and if you get sick, we'll lose our Valentine's Week," He said with a small smirk. "Besides, we've been out here longer than I thought, the sun's already starting to go down." He lifted his hand and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, kissing her lips once again. They walked as closely as they could to get out of the underground, which was quickly growing colder, especially with the weather being so unpredictable. As they rode home, there wasn't quite so much talking, but that was okay; James really just enjoyed being around her, doing just about anything. Once they got back to her house, he pushed his kickstand to the ground and dismounted, walking with her up the driveway.

"I had a really good night... I'm glad we went out like that, I was so confused at first..." He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sleep well tonight, okay Sashie?" He urged with a smile. Hesitating again, as he was still unused to the way the words felt rolling off his tongue, "And I... uhh... I love you," He said again, still testing out the phrase. He smiled, loving the way it made him feel to say it. "Good night," He finally finished before getting back on his bike and starting off for home, really not excited to face his mother's interrogation on him talkin to Sashie again.

[Genkai]

The pair stood up and Sasha felt a little better, she wasn't as cross with him as she was before. Still, it didn't make up for the fact that she needed to figure out if she could go and if she wanted. Spending time overseas with his family was a bit scary and daunting but she would consider it if her parents would. He was right, the sun was looking to set set soon and they needed to get out of London before the drunks and creeps decided to take over. When he moved closer once more and kissed her, she returned it sweetly, happy they got one thing off their chest at least. The pair then gathered up their belongings and headed back out the way they came. There wasn't much said as they hopped on their bikes and took the long trek back home where the suburbs would keep them safe from any trickery that the city might play on them.

When they came to her house, Sasha got out off and put it away and saw James getting off his and coming up to meet her before she headed inside. She rubbed her neck as he closed the gap between them. He copied her as he began to say his goodbye for the night. The girl with the bushy blond hair tried to assure herself that this was normal and nothing had changed and that she shouldn't be freaking out a little that the boy standing in front of her, actually loved her. Sasha forced herself to focus on whatever he was saying but found it hard to do so. Thankfully she caught that he loved her. This caused her to wear a wide smile. "L-love you too...night." She waved and watched him head down the street. She stood there in the cold before she hurried inside to where dinner was surely waiting for her.

Closing the door behind her, she saw her mother cooking as it seemed her father was out with the baby, doing something or other.

Walking over to her mother, she hugged her from behind. The woman turned around, surprised to see her teenage daughter so affectionate. "Hi mom." She said and pressed the side of her face against the woman's back. Her mother pulled her into her arms and kissed the top of her head, not going to question it for now. When Sasha pulled away, she felt so happy with the progress and even potential of how amazing her life could be. "I hope I marry a great guy like dad someday." She said out of nowhere. Sasha sighed softly and knew she needed to talk to both of her parents about what James had offered. In her mind, it was a bit better if his mom contacted her parents but sadly she had no TARDIS nor Time Turner to change what had happened, or in this case, didn't happen.

That night, the three sat around the table to talk about the trip in question.

Her parents were worried as any would be, to let their daughter just go off with a boy and his family. Though they were friends by now with one another, her parents were pretty uncertain about Sasha being alright in anther country by herself. In the end, they decided it would be okay for her to go, provided she used her job to pay for her expenses while they would cover her plane ticket. It was a tough bargain, but Sasha agreed to it, still a bit nervous about not having the ideal Valentine's Day and feeling a bit intimidated by his family now that they said their 'I love you's. She didn't get why James didn't see how this changed things. The would be under a lot more scrutiny now but she tried to think of the positives rather than the negatives and spent the rest of the night writing some short stories.

[Scout]

"James Allan, why are you packing now?" Hannah asked, arms folded as she stood in his doorway. She was still in pyjamas while her youngest son was fully dressed and running frantically around his room, throwing clothes into a duffel bag and his gadgets into his backpack. "I asked you to do it last night. Like the rest of us did, so that you could join us for breakfast while we waited for Sasha to get here - we're not waiting for you before we start breakfast and we're leaving right after, so you'd better get a move on," She scolded in frustration.

James barely heard her, but acknowledged her speech with unintelligible mumbles as he stuffed his handheld devices and games into his bag and then a portable blu-ray player with a couple of his favorite movies before he zipped it shut and set it aside. As Hannah sat down at the table and yawned, she shook her head, "I swear, that boy thinks that just because he packs faster than us, he ca-"

"Done, when's breakf- hey, aren't you guys going to go get ready? Aren't we leaving soon?" James asked, walking into the kitchen.

All three heads at the breakfast tabled turned their heads up at him - bedhead ran rampant among the Delacourt family this morning as they all just... stared at him, like he was some kind of alien. "How did you pack so fast?" Matt was the first one to ask. "You have more crap than any of us!"

James shrugged and opened the refrigerator, "It's not crap. But I'm good at waking up... sometimes. I pack lighter than you think. It just looks like I have a lot of stuff 'cause i don't organize my packs - they'll get all screwed up anyway. You guys all fold up your clothes and stack them inside your bag and neatly cram whatever you can into your backpack... I just throw it in there and worry about it when we where we're going. Ugh, what's for breakfast?"

"You can make some eggs if you want, I'm going to take a shower," Peter spoke for the first time that morning, tipping his head back as he downed the last of his straight, black coffee.

The smell of it typically filled the house in the morning, and today was no different. It was nice, but the actual drink made James gag. Hannah, on the other hand, drank much more slowly and with a lot more cream. Matt took his coffee in moderation and rarely had any, so James could only guess what was in his glass this morning. The youngest Delacourt had decided milk would be a fine option while he waited for everybody else to get ready. He sat down and looked at his mother smugly.

"So, mum, what was that about not waiting around for me?"

The still-tired woman stared daggers at her soon and he gave a small laugh, rocking on the back legs of his chair as she rose to take the other bathroom in the house for her own shower... And then there were two.

"Hey, Matt, is Anaïse coming today, or couldn't she come?"

"No, she's coming. She just messaged earlier; should be here any minute now... When's Sasha coming?"

"She'll probably be here soon..."

Matt nodded and a few moments passed in semi-comfortable silence. A knock at the door caused both boys to rise to their feet, trying to figure out whose guest had arrived. It was Matt's girlfriend, of course, and after he got her bags situated, the two of them took to the parlour while Matt waited for a shower to open. Anaïse showed up perfectly, as usual - cleaned up, well-dressed, and ready to go.

James pulled out his phone and swiped his thumb over the screen, connecting the letters with a line at a rather impressive speed as he belted out a quick message to Sasha. Morning, sunshine, how's your packing going?

[Genkai]

Sasha's morning had been less chaotic.

Her mother and father got up and took care of the baby while Sasha prepared breakfast for everyone. Since she was now an older sibling, she had been stepping up with chores and other responsibilities around the house. She was making some scrambled eggs and toast when her parents came out dressed but clearly tired from dealing with the recent stress. Sasha plated everything and the three sat together and talked quietly. "You can call us anytime, we don't mind paying for it if we get to hear your voice." Her mother said. Sasha smiled and looked down at her plate, torn between being happy and sad. "Be sure to mind your manners but I know you will. Your father and I appreciate everything you've been doing. Your school work and job are going so well and we're so proud of you."

"Thanks mom." Sasha said softly.

"You have enough money in your account, we've added some for you, just in case." Her father added as they ate. Sasha looked up to her parents, so lucky to have them in her life. "We're going to miss you. Be sure to pick us up some souvenirs." He added as he poured himself some coffee while the ladies had their tea.

"Alright thanks." Sasha just said once more and felt her phone ring. She saw the text and snorted. "Sorry." She glanced up to her parents, unsure if she should reply or not. This was time with her parents after all. She set the phone away and continued to enjoy the last few minutes together. Sasha cleared the table but her father shooed her away and told her to go and they'd take care of it. "You guys would be lost without me." The teenager laughed as she picked up her backpack and duffle bag. She headed out the door and the two parents hugged her tightly and watched her head off down the street to James' house. Sasha couldn't bear to look back so she didn't and instead tried to remain focused on the adventure that awaited her, even if she was a bit terrified and doubtful.

"Hey." She knocked and saw James answer the door. She hugged him and handed him her bag. "What was with your text? I was packed two days ago." Sasha raised a brow and waved to everyone who was around. When the family plus the two female additions, were ready, they got a cab and headed off to the airport. Sasha was pretty nervous and hoped the trip would be worth it. She brought a journal along with her which she bought just for the trip itself. She was sure she could fill it with wonderful memories and observations. And maybe she'd even get some curious inspiration for her writing and artwork. Once at the airport, they were quickly checked in and taken through security. Sasha and James spent most of the way texting back and forth because dealing with the chaos of running and staying together was pretty tiring and made conversation impossible.

As they lingered around the gate, waiting to board, Sasha looked outside the window. "i can't believe it..." She sighed and chewed on her lower lip. She always wanted to travel, see the world but now that it was opening up in front of her, she found herself afraid to take that first real step. Thankfully she had James who loved her, he was a great support, even if it was sometimes questionable. They soon got on the massive jet and were getting ready to take off. James and Sasha were together, with a stranger taking the window seat with Sasha in the middle which left James on the aisle seat. "I'm ready to take America by storm. It won't know what hit em!" She smiled to James and grabbed his hand as the flight attendants began to go through all the rules about the plane and what to do in case of an emergency. Sasha took a deep breathe and knew things would be okay and that this was a great opportunity for her.

"I'm glad I get to go with you." She told him as they began to get ready for take off, as everyone was seated, buckled and ready to go.

[Scout]

"I didn't know you already packed! I got done this morning," He replied, stuffing his phone in his pocket, simply beaming as his girlfriend entered the house. It wasn't long before everybody was getting ready to go. The next couple of hours were a blur as they queued and were ushered through security. James looked at his ticket - his seat was a window. He'd been on planes of this size several times and he knew that the numbering system put him by a window. Score! He thought to himself, grinning as he showed Matt.

"Cool, I got a window too. Gave it to Anaïs though, she wanted to see the ocean," He answered with a 'gotchya' smirk. James looked wistfully to his ticket and frowned... His brother had a point.

Before getting on the flight, James offered Sasha his own seat. He'd had a window last year and he knew that the London skyline was not something anybody could miss. He felt good after doing it too - knowing he'd made a right move. However, once they'd gotten to their row, he noticed a guy sitting by the window already. James furrowed his brow and looked at the labels above the seats, then the tickets... No, he was right - they had the middle seat and the window. So what was this guy doing? The man had his head propped against a pillow, headphones on, already sleeping. Or rather, he was pretending to be asleep, and he was doing a poor job pretending he wasn't. What kind of selfish jerk does that? In disgust, the boy moved to shake the guy and let him know they weren't going to stand for it, but everybody in line was getting anxious for them to just take their seats and Sasha looked like she wanted anything but a scene.

Quietly, he looked to his girlfriend, "I'm sorry... I was really excited for you to see London from above... Maybe you can see past him as long as he doesn't close the window..." He pointed out a bit wistfully before taking the aisle seat, their carry-on bags stuffed in the overhead bins. Soon they were taking off and he held Sasha's hand, wanting to keep her from being too nervous, "I'm glad you get to go too. Love you," He said cheerfully, leaning over and pecking her lips quickly.

For most of the trip, they looked out the window, played videogames, or fell asleep against one another. It was a long flight, lasting over twelve hours, and it was the single most amazing span of time he'd ever spent sitting and doing nothing. The plane touched down in New Jersey and it was still early afternoon due to their flying against the turn of the Earth. Once the Delacourts and co. had reunited and stepped off the plane, they were greeted in the terminal by James' aunt, uncle, and cousins. He had four cousins, one was about Matt's age (Kyle), the fraternal twins were sixteen (Kendra & Mark), and the youngest was only four (David).

Everybody was a bit out of sorts - it was always surreal when you stepped off of a plane in another country. Just as the trip to the airport, leaving was a blur. The family was able to take two cars back, however. Princeton in the late winter/early spring... It was quite a drive, but they took the backroads in order to get the real views on the way to the university town. Trees lined some of the roads, the colours of early spring were everywhere. James stared out the car window, smiling as the car radio played some vague, cookie-cutter pop song that none of them were really listening to. Small conversation filled the car, but only barely.

After getting back to the house, James' mother suggested, to keep themselves awake, that Kendra, Mark, and he all show Sasha around the neighbourhood. The boy rolled his eyes... God, the twins... They could be unbearable. Even if they were fun, they liked being twins far more than anybody should. It wasn't long before they were firing Sasha and he with questions as they walked down the sidewalk.

"So, where'd you two meet?" Kendra would start.

Mark would jump in right after, "How long have you been together?"

"Did James ask you out or did you ask him?"

"How long did you know each other before you started dating?"

And finally, Kendra stuck her tongue out, "Do you guys loooove each other?" She asked brightly, merely teasing them. James, however, froze and looked over to Sasha... Were they going to tell anybody? Kendra had kind of a big mouth, if she knew, she'd tell everybody else... He looked to his girlfriend for some kind of sign as to how they could answer the question.

[Genkai]

It wasn't a big deal if she couldn't look out the window during their extensive flight. It would have been lovely to do so but she was fine in the middle since she could look around the other passenger to see out of the window or get out to stretch her legs without going over two people to do so. It was a bit annoying though, to have someone take their seat but it was also rude to make a scene when it wasn't a big deal. "Don't worry about it, James." She assured her boyfriend. "London is a beautiful city and I'm sure this will be the first of many trips in and out of our amazing hometown." She assured him. She returned the light kiss, hoping no one else saw, well to be more specific, no one in James' family as she was still a bit unsure of how much PDA they could actually display before they got taunted or teased and embarrassed.

The flight was spent doing many things, drinking, snacking, playing games, napping, chatting, etc. Sasha was still nervous about not seeing her family for a while but she kept reassuring herself that this was a new adventure and she had someone right beside her who felt like home. Once the group landed and got a car after exchanging numerous greetings with the extended family, they all took the long drive out to Princeton. Sasha looked out the window and marveled at the rustic scenery. It felt like home but it was much greener in her mind. Thankfully there wasn't rain falling from the sky so things were already looking up in Sasha's mind.

Sasha kept quiet though, she felt out of place and wasn't sure what to say. Most of the light conversation was between the various family members as they asked general questions about how people and places were and such. Sasha kept to herself and when they all got out, they quickly headed into the home to settle in. Sasha and Anaïs were sharing a spare room together which was fine with them. As they tried to find something to keep them occupied and awake, that the twins, her and James look around the area. She waved to the older teenager and headed out, not sure what to expect but was taking her backpack with her in case she wanted to snap pictures or write something down. "What?" She looked up as the questions began to fly out of nowhere.

"Um..." Sasha looked to James, unsure of how to handle this situation.

"We met at a neighborhood picnic." She said, her light British accent sounding rather different from the American accents the twins had. "We uh...we've been together a few months." She should know the exact amount of days but that information was failing her as she nervously looked back to the curious pair of people. "We..." Her voice began to trail off as she found herself overwhelmed and unable to answer as to how long before they met, did they start going out. "L-love?" She blushed and cleared her throat. She really didn't think it was proper to be saying such things to people she hardly knew. And she wasn't a fan of gossip either. In her mind, the Americans were being rather pushy but Sasha didn't want to seem rude herself. "What James and I do and how we may feel is a private matter." She said with a nod and then realized that may have just been a direct way of pushing the topic under the rug while also trying not to confirm they did in fact love each other.

"Are we in love?" She glanced back to James, not wanting everyone to know and she hoped he understood her reservations.

"I don't know..." She shrugged and put on a sly grin. "For all anyone knows, we could have driven to Cornwall and gotten hitched in secret." She laughed, unable to let some of her creative spirit run a bit wild. "But if we did, it was for money, not love. I'm secretly a billionaire, you know." She giggled some more and hooked her hands behind her back as she began to balance on the edge of the sidewalk. Glancing toward James, she gave him a wink, hoping this playful banter would take some of the pressure off the two of them.

[Scout]

The female twin perked up at Sasha's statement. "What you and he do?" She asked, leaning forward. James looked at her, perplexed, but Mark caught on far sooner.

"James-y boy," He cooed excitedly, "What does she mean what you guys do? Private matter, hm?" He asked, grinning at his cousin. James realized a moment later what they meant and his eyes went wide.

"U-uh, no, no, nothing like that! We just..." He fumbled over his words, shaking his head frantically. He looked to Sasha for help, but instead found her being just... her. He grinned and let out a breath, "She's right; this one here is a pop star and an heiress. Twentieth in line for the throne, check Wikipedia," He said, bouncing right off her own comment as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "But enough about us, you two will get plenty of gossip on Matt and Anaïs, I'm sure. How are things around here?"

"Boring!" Kendra replied without skipping a beat. "God this town is so... bleh. Just glad class is in session now, when all the posh Princeton students are gone, there's absolutely nothing going on in this town... And even when they're here, it's still pretty bad unless da let's us sit in on a class..."

Mark simply rolled his eyes, "That's because you're a boar, Kendra; you need to get some class, that's all."

James began to tune the conversation out as he looked over to Sasha, mouthing the words 'thank you' for her help. The twins were a handful, that was for sure. He made a note to take her for a walk without them later. In a way, they were right, there wasn't much to do around here; but somehow the family managed to have fun. Not to mention, it was still a different country. It was a new place, even if it didn't always feel like it. The air nipped sharply, so James pulled his jacket around him a little bit more tightly, tucking his chin down against his scarf.

"You too cold, Sasha?" He asked while the twins continued to argue about the excitement of their hometown, "Don't want you to get sick while we're on vacation or anything, y'know? That's always the worst... I got stomach flu one Christmas while we were out here and dear god it was awful..." The boy shook his head and ran a hand through his hair quickly. "Anyway, how's your jet lag holding up?" What could he say? The boy was a worrier.

[Genkai]

"Yeah yeah, I've got my own wiki page and everything, thank god they used a good picture. Have you seen some of them, look at poor Jude Law. He's so utterly handsome and the page uses the most rubbish picture it could find, shame innit?" Sasha said. The twins were rather interesting and though she knew they didn't really believe her, it was still fun to mess around a little.

The others went back and forth in regards to what she and James did and she rolled her eyes, still in disbelief that they would pester so much. Back home, they wouldn't do such things to even their closest of friends. It seemed she wasn't the only one who tuned the others out. She caught James looking at her and he mouthed her something but she couldn't figure out what. She assumed he was thanking her for the twins but she didn't mind. They were fascinating, though annoying.

But Sasha was a guest and she didn't mind a buzz of excitement floating around, it made her miss home a bit less. "Huh?" She blinked a few times when James asked about being cold. She had on a simple wool jacket and was alright but the wind was picking up, making it seem colder than it was. "Oh....um." She started to reply but then he began to ramble about getting sick once and she waited until he was done, used to his tangents. "It's not too bad, I have a feeling by the time I'll get into the swing of things, it'll be time to go back home." She admitted wearily.

"I am a bit cold though." She said and nudged him a little.

James offered her his scarf which she took happily. "You're not getting this back, you know." She teased him as she wound it around her neck before she pushed her hands back in her pockets where they could be safe from the weather. As they continued to walk along, the twins ran on ahead, getting excited about some park that was currently without too many ramblers. "They seem....nice." She said. "I'm not sure what kind of time we'll get to ourselves with everyone around." She smiled a little.

"But I am glad to be here." She told him. Sasha was interested in the American culture and she knew plenty of authors and even poets had originated from the land of the free and home of the brave. And even though political unrest was brewing, she was still hopeful that she'd be able to travel the world and meet other passionate readers and writers of the world. "Maybe we can find a bookstore here or even look at the big university." She brightened up, linking her arm in his.

[Scout]

"Spend enough time around such an intrusive bunch," He started, clearing his throat and looking at his cousins. Both them rolled his eyes before he continued, "And you learn how to find the time and spend; it's necessary, unless you'd rather just go ballistic. Lucky you, sharing a room with Matt's girlfriend... I'm stuck with Matt," He joked, gladly letting her hold onto his arm as the cold began to nip at his own neck. Sometimes, he wondered if she purposely didn't wear certain pieces of clothing she knew she would need just so that she could take his stuff. No skin off his nose, he supposed, it just meant that she still liked him. The thought itself brought a reassuring smile to his face.

"If you're looking for a bookstore, or anything like it, this is the town!" Kendra seemed to perk up, breaking off whatever incessant conversation she was having before. "Princeton's an Ivy League school; if you don't read for sport around here, you're not gonna fit in. I swear, it's almost competitive... I warn you, don't walk near the Philosophy section of the store if you hear people over there... I once heard two people go at it about Heraclitus versus Socrates for twenty minutes... I just wanted to pick up a little something to think about and wound up leaving before they were even finished! It was awful..." She groaned as Mark sarcastically patted her back.

"Poor Kendra... Up on her high horse, looking to brag about what she reads all the time. I'm a Fiction guy myself... Besides, writing is so much better than reading - who thinks more? The creator, or the viewer?" He rebuked, looking to his sister tauntingly.

"You can't even call that writing, what you do is... It's a tragedy, Mark. It really is," She said with a frown, shaking her head. She couldn't hold back her smile for long, though.

James sighed, he wasn't sure how these two could invade a conversation, seem to make a contribution for a moment, and then steal the discussion.

Mark sneered and looked at Sasha, "I'm not talking to her anymore. Anyway, I'm more of an... 'ahead-of-its-time' reader; I like writers like David Mitchell and Kurt Vonnegut. Mom and Dad keep saying that if Kendra and I were one person, the literary world couldn't handle it, so we had to be split down the middle... Little bit of a weird thing to say though," He mused, grinning widely as the twins started to walk backward, across from the younger British couple. It gave James the creeps, because it looked like they were fake-walking in front of a green screen and everything moved around them (seriously, try it, watch somebody walking backward across from you, it's surreal).

James watched them ramble and began to laugh slightly, glancing to his girlfriend, "See? And you thought I tended ramble... Guess it's not hard to see that it runs in the family, eh?"

[Genkai]

While people tried to shower before their outing, Sasha had resigned any attempt to try and deal with the chaos. She was just fine showering in the evening. It meant she'd be nice and clean for a restless night's sleep which was fine with her. Sasha really wasn't picky or the sort of girl to complain though that might be due to her outlook or her upbringing. Either way, she was happy letting those who wished to shower now, take care of themselves. When she found James, she was pleased to see that he had also skipped the morning shower. His invitation wasn't needed but still welcomed all the same. She walked over and leaned against him, trying to not fall asleep. The previous night was hard to get through and her brain had enjoyed the slumber so much, that this morning was turning into something she wished she could just extend a bit longer. But soon the massive family was ready to go and so the group headed out the door, which helped with keeping drowsiness at bay. When they arrived and got seated, the cacophony of scents hit her all at once, making her hungry for nearly everything on the menu. James passed her said menu and their hands touched and their fingers laced together smoothly. Sasha politely ordered the waffles and bacon with a side of berries and whip cream. It was sweet but hopefully the sugar would kick in the lend itself to staying awake and finally getting in sync with the local American time. Sasha glanced to James and gave him a sweet smile before her attention went back to the group. Many different conversations were being held across the table. People were talking about sports, the weather, politics and even school. It was a little overwhelming and she did her best to contribute as much as possible. The food finally arrived and everyone went to eating, which meant there was less buzz around the table. Sasha leaned over and nudged James with her forehead, something she often did when she was feeling silly, since her hands were busy with a fork and knife. "Hey." She said. "Want a bite?" She asked him as she sat up and leaned back to see what she was doing. She cut a piece off and held it out for him, when he ate it, parts of the table let out some 'awws' and she quickly found herself turning red. Sasha had hoped no one was paying them any mind but appearance that wasn't the case. It was hard to tell what James wanted his family to know in regards to him and her so she wasn't sure if this was okay with him or not. Oh well. Soon breakfast was over and paid for. Sasha had tried to pay for her meal and possibly even James' but her attempts were dismissed so she had to concede and let them pay for her. It only made the Brit more determined to do something nice for the family who had taken her in as their own so quickly and graciously. Most of the family decided to go back to the house while some, Sasha included, were interested in staying back in the heart of the town and doing some more exploring. Sasha had openly expressed how she wanted to check out the local campus and some bookstores so it seemed like her wish was soon to be granted. The small group headed off to a local small bookstore and they spent about twenty minutes before everyone aside from Sasha got restless. So they headed off to the campus to get a look at that before they'd take the second car back to the house. Sasha looked to James, pretty excited. While she had her eyes set on a few places back home for higher education, she couldn't help but be interested in the other places across the pond. It made her curious about doing an abroad program so maybe she'd be able to explore both locations and people. When they all went their own ways around Princeton, it got Sasha thinking about her future as a writer or even something more. She sighed and took out her camera to snap some pictures so she could show them to her mates and parents upon getting back home. "Hey, come here!" She called James over and moved some so that she could take a picture with him, with the large iconic school in the background. After she took the photo and approved it, she put it away and put her arms around his shoulders. "This is such a treat, I know it's early to be thinking about our future but...being here just makes me so excited and hopeful about what I can do and learn and travel." She said in awe. "Can you imagine where we'll be in four, five years?" Sasha asked James. It was true, he was little ambitious than she was, in regards to a career and education but she still believed they'd both be going brilliant things in whatever field they liked. It was still bittersweet to consider that maybe they'd be on different paths, probably not even a couple anymore. Sasha was a dreamer though and wanted to believe that no matter what, she and James would still be together in some way, connected however possible. "You and me could be on the other side of the globe." She continued, not wanting to catch herself becoming too pensive. "We could be in Japan or Africa or even Antarctica!" She laughed and pressed her nose against his cutely.

[Scout]

When Sasha offered James her fork of waffle, he forgot for the briefest of moments that they were surrounded by his family. Without using his hands, he took the bite from her outstretched utensil, looking around at the symphony of 'awws' that were let out by the table. He almost didn't finish the bite. He just sat there, dumbfounded, frozen with a mouthful of waffle. Finally, he managed to swallow it and looked back down to his food, waiting for the feeling of eyes on him to disappear. After a few jokes about how red James' face was, Matt dropped the topic and returned to his conversation. The boy looked back to Sasha with a sheepish smile, squeezing her hand as he returned to his own meal. No doubt Kendra had been the one to first point out how they were acting. At the bookstore, James leafed through a few titles he'd read, but had yet to own, including Slade House and Metro 2033. However, he didn't have a lot of money with him, so he decided against getting anything. Sasha, on the other hand, was having a field day looking through the stacks. While they were alone, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. "What d'ya wanna get, hon?" He asked, scanning the titles in front of him. "I brought a bit of my own spending money, want me to get ya something?" He asked, rocking playfully back and forth as he held her. He knew she would decline, but he was more than willing to get her anything she wanted from here or anywhere else. They soon left the store after he promised to take her to another back home, maybe Waterstones if she really wanted to go. They walked the campus for a bit and as she told him to pose for a picture, he wrapped an arm around her hip and smiled. However, just as she pressed the button, he turned his head and pecked her cheek, capturing the moment permanently on the SD Card inside the device. He hugged her as she clung to him, his eyes meeting hers. "Who knows? I like to think about now more than the future. 'Life's what happens when we're making other plans,' right?" He observed. "I mean, we're only just turning fifteen, right?" At her mention of being on opposite sides of the globe, he faltered for a moment, shaking his head and dismissing the thought that brushed the edge of his mind. "Antarctica would be a lot of fun. I'm sure you'd look adorable in one of those big, fluffy coats," he said honestly. "I'm sure we'll see lots of things." He pressed his nose back to hers, feeling a bit more reserved now... In four to five years, did she not see herself with him..? They got back home shortly after that, though James didn't seem to be out of sorts at all, his mind had been on their conversation for quite a while. Once they were at the house, he let her go shower and get ready for the evening, taking all the time she needed. His own focus was on the bag in his room, which he rifled through until he found the little box he was looking for, then he hid it inside of his hoodie once he had put his pyjamas on. That night, around midnight, before they went to bed, he'd make sure he and Sasha were sitting next to one another, even if she was falling asleep. Everybody else went to bed, and he promised they'd go soon too, but they were both already starting to nod off by midnight. He nudged her when the hour finally came, it was officially February 14, Valentine's day, so he pulled the long, thin box out of his pocket. "Hey, so... since I kind of already said... what I said a few days ago..." He mused tiredly, kissing her cheek to try to keep her awake. "I wanted to make sure I got this to you to go with it," He explained, holding the wrapped gift out to her. Once opened, she'd find a silver bracelet with a narrow metal strip that read 'For the Writer' However, he instructed her to turn it over and read the back of the small plate, which completed the statement 'Laying Her Heart on the Pages.' He smiled weakly, "Sorry it's kinda lame... I wanted something that... I dunno, the words sounded good at first, now I'm wondering if I should have gone with something else.

[Genkai]

Her gift for James was back at the house.

She had written a short story where the two of them were in outer space, fighting aliens and saving the day together. They collected shooting stars and had planets named after them, thanks to their adventures and accomplishments. The notion was so thrilling that what was originally meant to be three to four pages, ended up being seventeen pages long but she was very happy with it and had bound it in a white leather book which also had a doodle of them both in cool costumes overlooking the cosmos.

When the girl opened the box, she took out the silver item and looked at it closely, noticing the inscription after he pointed it out.

"It's not lame!" She blurted out and found her face suddenly flushed with the color of a dozen ruby roses.

"I love it. Thank you!" Sasha smiled and leaned in and kissed him.

Pulling back, she put the trinket on and observed it, her gaze soft and inviting. "I have something for you too, but it's not with me...if I knew we were exchanging gifts now..." She trailed off, knowing the timing itself didn't matter as much as the consideration. "This whole trip has been such a treat and it's all thanks to you and your family...I know I was hesitant to go but I'm glad I'm here now." She said and grabbed hold of his hand, the bracelet lightly brushing against his own flesh. "Come on, let's get back. I can't wait to give you my present." She declared and then nudged him with her head as she often did, thinking herself to be like a cat.

"I got you a first edition dictionary cause I know you'd make full use of it." She teased.

When they did return, she gave him the small leather book with their typed up trek around the galaxy and he seemed very interested in reading it. The rest of the trip went just as smoothly, much to everyone's delight. Sasha and James returned to school and things carried on without much incident. Sasha continued to work and date James and when summer came, they had plenty of time to spend together, having BBQs, going to the shops and joking around, and even hopping off to the local pool every weekend.

The next two years were a blur of cute movie nights and make out sessions around school. There were times when the pair called a time out but those were only caused by petty things and never lasted longer than a month. James and Sasha were both happy to push through the last bit of education before they went on to university. Due to their differing interests, both of them knew it was unlikely that they'd get accepted to the same university but Sasha hadn't yet broken the news to James that she was applying to schools in other countries. She applied to one in Germnay, another in Japan and three in America. James was trying to stay local but Sasha had big dreams of big travel.

In her mind, she no reason not to educate herself but to also see other parts of the world.

When the end of high school neared and she finally picked John Hopkins University over New York University, she knew she needed to break the news to James, knowing this would put a severe dent in their budding romance which had since flourished from their first summer leading up to high school, into a wild bouquet of wild flowers over the last four years together. It was a choice that kept the writer up many nights. She loved James, he had been her first in everything.

And yet, she had faith that they'd both be able to break up and somehow find their way back to each other.

Since their first Valentines together, she had written six more short stories which had also been bound in various colors of hard cover leather books which continued to tell fantastic plot of science fiction and fantasy with of course, romance. She gave him one last book before she broke the news to him. "I was accepted into John Hopkins University...it's in Maryland." She came out and said. "I didn't want to worry you until I got the news and I did and I accepted." She swallowed.

"I also think we should...break up." Those words were never easy to come out and say but she knew this break up would be for the best, it would hurt for a while but she knew it would be better than prolonging the unavoidable. "I'm sorry. I just don't want us to struggle with the distance and be jealous and worried and miss out on the real college experience." She told him. "I haven't stopped loving you, I probably never will." Your first love would always be special, she figured.

"I just...I don't want us to hold back and regret not trying new things."

It was a shame he hadn't tried to be more ambitious with his applications but Sasha was excited for herself and she hoped James could in turn, be excited for his own future as well. For the rest of the summer, they spent as much time as they could together. Unfortunately, there were more squabbles between them as the season drew to a close, as both were pretty touchy about the break up and blaming one another's selfishness as a big reason why they were parting ways.

The last time Sasha saw James though, they had managed to stop yelling or crying and give one another a big hug.

Growing up was hard but growing apart was even worse.

Sasha didn't want that to happen though.

"I love you, I'll email you every day, promise you'll do the same!" She kissed him on the cheek and stepped back to get in the car with her parents and sibling who were going to see her off to the airport. "Bye!" She waved to him and his family before they took off. For the next couple of months, they stayed in touch but kept things very superficial. They talked about classes and the goings on around them but never mentioned new friends or romantic interests or crazy parties.

By the time Sasha had graduated with her B.S, she had just turned 24 and was going back to London to continue her education and get a M.F.A. She got accepted to Oxford and was thrilled to be back home. Her parents had stayed in the same house and she was happy that she'd be a quick ride away from them. Family dinners were something she truly missed when she was across the pond but now that she was back for good and had just landed an editing job as well as tutoring one, she felt like her life was really shaping into something spectacular.

The first few days were spent moving into a small Kennington flat which would give her space from the campus but she'd be close enough to bike or drive and London would only be an hour or so drive when she wanted to visit her parents or mates. Getting out of the big city and moving to someplace like Baltimore had been a gamble but now she had been able to accept both a city and someplace less hectic. She had caught up with mates from high school but had been most looking forward to catching up with James.

During college, she had three serious boyfriends and no real one night flings.

She just wasn't that kind of lady.

Most of those she met, found her accent cute but she personally enjoyed the American accents just as well.

But now she was home and single and interested to see how James was. After their first year away, they lost touch and only barely heard how the other was doing through one another's parental units. Sasha knew that would happen but the fact still saddened her and she was hoping a reunion would set things back the way they were, best friends.

Of course she did miss the 'lover' aspect but they had grown up so much, that she wasn't under any impression that they could get back together, not in the sense of before. Still, Sasha managed to dress up for the meet up. Her long blond hair was down and she had on a simple black dress and silver heels. She had suggested a pub in Hammersmith which wasn't usually crowded with tourists or drunk college kids who were trying to win a pub game to impress their mates.

In the back of her head, she remembered the new game she had bought and had been spending a lot of time playing. The traveling was wearing her out so she was happy to have such an outlet to play and use her creative side to her advantage. Secretly, she still played whatever Pokemon game that came out but she was also diving a bit deeper into the video game spectrum, now that her school load and work load could be easier managed, she had high hopes for her hobbies such as video games.

The woman locked her flat and hopped in the cab she had called for and she was driven out of the quaint scenic town and into London's outskits. She paid for the ride and got out and headed into the pub. The lights weren't too dim and with football season over, the tvs now just showed the news and weather. As it was the end of summer, more rain was expected to begin falling and for a moment, she was transported back in time to when James had hit her with a football.

Snapping out of her daze, she sat at a booth and ordered herself a Guinness and some chips while she waited.

[Scout]

To say that High School passed in the blink of an eye would be an understatement. James couldn't believe it on Graduation Day... All of their ups and downs. It was within the week that Sasha suggested they officially break up. Sure, they'd had their separations and the like, but it was mostly because they were so busy with school work or family obligation. He kept every single story she ever wrote for them too; the improvement in her writing was spectacular. It was always cute and well-articulated, sure, but each one was better than the last. Her handwriting had even evolved from the cutesy-teen to a flowing, almost calligraphic style. James always poured over every word, admiring her courage to share them with anybody. He, on the other hand, had kept the same chicken scratch he always had – he just worked so fast with his homework that it was more for himself than anybody else. Teachers grew more furious by the day with his shorthand when they checked his notes or wanted him to show his work, but who were they to judge if he got it right?

He’d be lying if he said that he didn’t see the break-up coming, to be honest. She was pragmatic and he had always loved how grounded she could be. He just didn’t expect her to be going to school all the way in America. Still, to be accepted to the prestigious Johns Hopkins… He couldn’t blame her. He’d be attending his father’s alma mater: Imperial College in London. The campus was lovely and the programs very highly rated. It also allowed him to stay near his family, which would prove essential in the coming years. Shortly after he started staying on-campus for the university, James’ parents decided to get separated. Tension in the house had been growing over the past couple of years and everybody could feel it. The divorce rate in the UK had actually been on the decline, but some just couldn’t be helped. On the other hand, the Delacourts never saw through the divorce. In the summer following James’ junior year in university, his brother was in a car accident on the Audubon while stationed in Germany. He was killed instantly and a newly widowed Anaïs moved in with James’ parents for help raising the young son she had once shared with the English soldier. She spent several months barely speaking to anybody and even the young boy began to see less of his mother. Nobody but Matt in the house had known of Anaïs’ arrhythmia, but she had forgotten to take her medication for a couple of days in her depression and the family lost her too. Needless to say, it was possibly the year for James in which he got the worst grades he’d ever seen, but still he passed.

After securing his job and a new flat in Canterbury, about an hour and a half’s drive from London, James’ parents asked him what he wanted to do about Matt’s son, Nathan. Officially, James was named next of kin and godfather of the young boy… but it was a responsibility he never thought he’d have to take so young. Rachel and Peter had offered to continue taking care of him. In a rather shocking decision, James actually decided to try it – now that he had a secure lifestyle, he wanted to at least see if he could handle it. Matt trusted him, after all, and he knew that his mother’s heart broke seeing her son’s face in the boy every day after only a year without him. Since the implementation of more high-speed rail than in previous decades, it would only take about twenty-five minutes to get to work, covering an immense sixty-five (American) miles in such a short time.

“You’ll be good for Gran, right kiddo?” He asked with a smile, taking a knee in front of his nephew. The boy was six now, it was amazing how quickly time went by. Matt had him when he and Anaïs had gotten married after graduation. They lived so quickly that it was still unreal that he was gone. James supposed most of them still struggled with the realism of that every day.

“Of course, Uncle Jimmy!” The dark-haired boy beamed.

James smiled softly… He had Matt’s everything. How did ma do it for so long without going insane? The engineer could barely stand it every time the little guy opened his mouth, in the best way possible. “Now when did your da tell you to start calling me that?” He asked somberly, ruffling the small boy’s hair. He always hated when Matt called him Jimmy, but he was the only one who got away with it. Just another one of those things.

Once they reached his childhood home, where his parents still lived, James’ mother made sure that he was all proper for seeing Sasha again. The woman spent about five minutes straightening his sports coat and collared shirt. She huffed, “James, I told you to wear a tie, didn’t I? You’ve got this top button all open and… God you couldn’t at least dress up for this?”

“Ma, I did dress up. Ties look dumb. I wear one to work and I’m not going to wear one just to see an old friend, I’m comfortable. Besides, I’m pretty dressed up for ‘just hanging out,’ right?” The woman sighed, shook her head, and ceded. He had a point; at least his shirt was tucked in and he did have the coat on, as well as a nice pair of black jeans and a clean pair of shoes. Peter had already snatched up his grandson and taken him into another room to find something to do, wishing him a hasty ‘have a good time.’

“Fine… You win, now go have fun,” She finally decided, waving her son off. He kissed her cheek and got back into the cab he called, taking it on the last leg of the journey to the pub where Sasha had agreed to meet him. Tipping the driver, he stepped out of the taxi and stuffed his hands into his pockets, stopping outside the doors and pausing for just a couple of minutes to pull out a B&H Silver fag, lighting it between his lips. Did Sasha know he’d picked up smoking..? Probably not. Cigarettes had changed a lot in the past few years and it was still hardly a surprise that most people in Europe still did it, especially considering there had been a big ‘health’ push sometime after the war. To be honest, James couldn’t remember when he’d started doing it, but sometimes he just needed one. No more than one or two in a day, but rarely was it more than four or five in a week depending on how stressed he got.

They’d been in touch, she knew mostly what had been going on, but the two hadn’t seen each other since they left high school. It just never really happened on account of being so busy. Of course, she was fairly aware of the things that had happened in just the past couple of years, but they’d not spoken in depth about it. He already felt nervous as hell and he finally sucked the fag down to its butt, pitching it in a receptacle. Finally entering the bar, he wondered if the girl would recognize him. His hair wasn’t white like it had been in childhood anymore, though he knew it would start to grey out again for him before his mates as they aged. His dark blond was a coloration he was relieved to get into his senior year of high school, it just started to… change itself. Strange, yeah, but his father said he had the same thing.

James went straight for the bar and placed a few bills on the counter, ordering a simple rum and coke before turning around to find his ‘date.’ He couldn’t help but smile when he saw her… There was no way that he went to high school with her. Once he saw Sasha in person, it was hard to say that she was the same girl, now holding a tall glass of Guinness with a plate of chips in front of her.

Head in the game, man… c’mon, it’s no different than anything else. She’s an old friend… Oh, gross, He sighed, wiping his hand on his pants quickly before taking a breath and finally approaching. Once he got to the table, he placed his drink down.

“Sasha?” He asked, looking her over skeptically, “Wow, look at you!” He said with a grin, “Can’t believe it’s been so long.” Of course, he looked a lot different too. Apart from his hair, he’d switched from contact lenses to glasses most of the time. He was a bit less lanky than he used to be. Even when he first started college, he had a pretty awkward build, but he filled out a bit more and had a more ‘normal’ build than he used too. “So, how’s the new job?”

[Genkai]

Her fingernails drummed along the table which was thankfully not sticky at all.

Her head was leaning to the side as she stared at the wall on right, looking at the pictures and other items that were decorating the area. It hadn't changed much but since it had been so long, it all seemed new in her eyes. Her bushy short hair was no longer untamed. Instead, she had long blond hair and her novelty glasses were gone now, no longer needing to look smart or funny in the eyes of people who didn't know her or just saw her in the Tube briefly. Sasha heard a small noise and turned to see not a kid but an actual grown up man in front of her. Her heart stopped and her face lit up.

"James!" She exclaimed and looked at him, up and down a few times before her face settled on his own. She got up and threw her arms around him, bringing him into a large embrace. "My god, it's been far too long!" Her accent hadn't gone away even with her time overseas. She then pulled back, having smelled the light aroma of smoke. Even with the advances in smoking tools and health, it was still bad, even with the back and forth people were having these days. It was a topic that was always popular as most people either hated it or loved it. Sasha happened to hate it. She wished she enjoyed it, oddly enough.

During hard days, she wished she'd be able to light up a fag and unwind but the smell was revolting and the money wasted was just pointless in her mind. Even so, she sometimes envied those could smoke, but even then, she was still against such a horrid habit. "Look at yourself, you've changed." She gushed and motioned for him to sit down across from her. Once he did, he then asked about her job. Usually James would beat around the bush and not know what to say. Those awkward silences were so cute but now it seemed that James was no longer the shy boy from high school who had a heart of gold.

Now he was older and slightly wiser.

Except for being a smoker.

"Well I have two now actually." She told him and slid the basket of chips closer to him so he could have some if he wished. "You know me, I'm never really happy doing just one thing, I have to do two or ten or twenty." She laughed softly. Being busy was great, it made life seem more vivid and enriched. But when she did take a day for herself, she did like to unwind with a book and some pastries. "I am doing some tutoring for some posh kids in London, it's ultra mental but if it lets me have some extra quid for shopping, why not? And then I'm doing editing at Oxford which is just so intimidating but also a real honor so I'm stuck feeling amazing and then wanting to hide in a broom cupboard." She glanced down at her drink, realizing she had been babbling.

"Sorry sorry." She brushed her hair back behind her ear and took a drink of beer before licking her lips.

"I'm really sorry to hear about Matt." She knew she should have sent a card or even visited for christ sake but school was busy and back then, she didn't have too much saved up for emergency funds. And all the other bits about James were hard to pull together. Though this wasn't how she wanted to kick things off, with her bringing up such a horrible tragedy. "Um...But...how are doing?" It was hard to ask what he had been up to when, to her knowledge, he hadn't done much traveling, which was a shame.

Didn't James know other places existed outside of the UK?

It would have been so fun to take a trip somewhere together and make him see other wonders of the world.

An old song started playing, one rather old and it took her a few moments before she realized it was their song, the one they had danced to back when they were just starting out in high school, when they first kissed. "This song...it's...our's innit?" She asked him and gestured to the ceiling, though the speakers were further down the pub."That's pretty funny." What were the odds of hearing such a song in such a place, at such a time like this? Sasha sighed heavily and looked him over again, trying to relive the past four or five years in her head, as if she hadn't left, as if she had stayed and fought harder instead of acting like a selfish brat.

She then began to wonder if it would be okay to pay Matt a visit, wherever he was buried. She would love to see him and finally give some support to James, even if it was very late. "I hear you're helping with your father That's really great of you." She mentioned. She wondered if it made him happy or if he also found another area for him to finally feel comfortable as himself. Sasha glanced over at one of the tvs in the corner and saw a rerun of Top Gear, it felt good to be home. It truly did. "I know this might be forward of me," Then again, knowing her, being forward was to be expected. "are you seeing anyone?" She wasn't sure why she needed to blurt out such an inquiry but she did.

And, well she wanted to know.

"I just don't want someone knocking my head in if I want to keep you out late!" She joked.

[Scout]

He grinned as she wrapped her arms around him. The man wrapped his arms around her back, squeezing for a moment; she was right, it had been too long. Why didn't he try harder to see her more or talk to her? For a brief moment, he was fifteen again, a blissful grin meeting his lips. In fact, it was so second nature to him, he had to remind himself that they were friends and nothing more as the hug broke off and he took his seat.

"I guess a bit different, yeah," He chimed in, nursing his drink lightly as his other hand drummed nervously on the table. He hung onto every word she had, but still, it took all of his power not to shake as he drank. He just needed to loosen up a little bit. "Editing at Oxford too, eh?" He asked, genuinely impressed, "Don't feel nervous - you've always been an amazing writer. They clearly hired you for a reason, be proud of that. Hiding a broom cupboard'll get you fired," He pointed out teasingly, a small smirk on his face as he sipped his drink again. Oh boy, he was being awfully quiet... And when he was quiet, it meant he was drinking more than the people who were talking. Just slow down, James, he had to remind himself, setting the glass down again.

He shook his head, "Don't be sorry, Sashie. You can talk all you like," He reassured her, tipping his glass her way before taking another drink of it from the straw to control his intake. Inevitably, she asked about Matt and James had to wonder if he ever told her about Nathan and how that was going over... Probably not, it only happened in the last few weeks and the two of them hadn't discussed much in detail since Matt's death. James distanced himself quite a lot after that. Finally, he let out a breath and gave his ex-girlfriend a sombre smile, "It's okay. I'm well, really, I am," He told her calmly, leaning on the back two legs of his chair. He'd always done that in class too... More than once, it fell out from under him and caused the entire room to erupt into several minutes of uncontrollable laughter. Actually broke his tailbone in Junior year - what a god awful few weeks that had been... Old habits die hard, he supposed.

"We actually went to Germany when I was on break a couple of months ago... The accident site isn't there anymore, of course, but... it was good. It's a beautiful country, despite everything. I know my parents still have their days, and I miss him like hell, but I just keep myself busy. As cliché as it sounds, I take solace in the 'gone but not forgotten' mantra." The speakers died as a song faded out and James looked around as the sound of a guitar began to strum over them.

He looked at Sasha, realizing it at the same time as she did... He couldn't help but laugh as 'Riptide' filled the room. "Wow, this place really plays the oldies, eh? I'll drink to that," He said brightly, lifting his glass again. James had to wonder what exactly she was thinking about.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I live in Canterbury noworking in the same company as da. It's great - Boeing and the government both contract them a lot, it gives me a lot of experience... I like it. Word around is that we'll be getting a contract for parts on a discovery shuttle to Mars. Very delicate work. I know I won't be on the team, but it's a really big deal for everybody, it means we'll all be getting more dynamic jobs and better pay in the next few months, given that the guy with the project doesn't screw it up too bad," He explained with a wink, realizing that now it was his turn to ramble about something that Sasha likely wasn't too itnerested in, as he had done many times in the past.

The topic changed and he quirked an eyebrow at her. "Now that depends; any friends you want to introduce me to? When you're not hiding in the broom cupboard, I can go have a good snog," He teased, shaking his head as he took another sip, "No, nobody in my life right now like that. Had a few dates in uni, but I'm sure you knew a couple of engineers - our workload only grows over time. No matter how many hours you work, it's always growing," He sighed, "I'm glad to only be schooling part time now. Nothing teaches better than actually working hands-on, I'm sure you know that as well as I do. No curfew tonight, Miss Watson. What about you, still flying solo?"

Words could not describe how relieved he was that she asked if he was single. It meant that he didn't have to find some way to ask her for himself. James tapped his leg softly to the rhythm of the song... Wow did that take him back. All the way to the little clearing in the woods, before the neighbourhood was developed, when it still felt like their own little private place.

[Genkai]

Though she knew hiding from her work would get her fired, she was sure the idea would be tempting at times. She knew she needed to just relax and be herself, but that wasn't easy when she was in such a holy place, surrounded by such great minds of her age. The topic then moved towards Matt and James and their family. She could only imagine what kind of loss they had to endure and she hoped that their family knew, she and hers were around if they needed more comfort. Sasha gave herself a hard mental kick in the shin, since she still felt like a rubbish friend for not being more present for James and the others. She felt awful but hoped she could make it up somehow. And not because she felt she needed to, but because she wanted to.

"I feel old enough." She held up her glass as he did when they mentioned the song that was playing in the background.

It really took her back.

"Oh wow!" She exclaimed when he mentioned Mars. "It's about time we got something up there, America can't do everything for space exploration." She pointed out. "Oh, I am not introducing you to any of my friends!" She gasped and gave him a grin. She didn't think they'd really hit it off but it did conjure up some interesting scenes. Her friends were more of the artsy type who wrote or acted, she wasn't sure how well they'd get along with James and his own complicated field of study. It was great though, since they were both able to break off and find friends in their own interests but now, she wondered if they could somehow meet in the middle again, like when they first met and enjoyed the video game club at school.

She nodded when James mentioned the usual workload of engineers and how it wasn't easy to hold anyone down at the moment, even with a better use of his time. Part of her wanted to ask if he was playing Endless Realms, she assumed he was but figured it wouldn't be right to bring it up at the moment. After all, she wasn't sure how close they were anymore, or how close they may become. It was all up in air, despite her hope that they could go back to being the best of mates, close as thieves. "For the moment, yes." She replied when he asked about her own status. "I would rather settle down before I try to add a relationship to juggle." It would seem unfair to adjust to a job and university and try to get to know a new man.

For now, she was positively happy being on her own.

Of course having friends and lovers were two different things. Sasha had plenty of fun online with her friends or offline with others from around school. She took another long drink and set her glass down, finishing her beer. A silence formed between them but for her, it didn't feel strained and heavy. She sat back in her chair and looked over her shoulder at the news. She looked back to James, her expression still soft. They could probably spend hours reminiscing but she didn't want to, getting stuck in the past just made things hard and brought up regrets. Sasha wanted to enjoy their present, right now. "I can't believe we're in our twenties, James. I mean, we're adults! When the hell did that happen?" She laughed and shook her head. It was so weird to be sitting with someone who she remembered as being a kid.

He was different though, and so was she.

"I don't wanna blink and find us in our fifties." She protested as the thought crossed her mind. So much had happened in the last five or so years and she couldn't imagine what the next five years would bring both of them. From the sounds of it, James was in a good place, all things considered, which did make her happy. James had so much potential back when they were younger and she was thrilled that he was finally able to tap into it and do something brilliant. "I'm hoping by the time I'm that old, we can upload ourselves into robots and live forever." She professed. "Then maybe we can just use our jet-packs to fly into space and explore with other robots." That sounded like a pretty fun idea for a short story. She quickly took out a small black notebook and quickly wrote down the idea.

She had about 22 other matching black notebooks back at her flat, all crammed with ideas.