The Deck, Monday afternoon

[gobrooke_urself]

There were no clases for a week. It was still summer. There was absolutely nothing to do.

Clearly this meant that Brooke had to be out on the deck with a glass of iced tea, hanging out in a chair and soaking up some rays while she still could. There was no other option here.

[Open deck is open!]

Comments

[not_a_mused]

Cal considered the fact that he decided to enjoy some fresh air on the deck instead of back in the unexplored new areas of the island to be an indication of slowly working back toward civilization after causing so many waves between himself, Ino, and Amber. He had to admit, though, the serenity that occurred out there in the woods between himself and Temari helped. It reminded him that, no matter what happened with the other two, there were still plenty of other people here.

Case in point, the fact that there were already people here and one of them was someone he knew. Or so he thought. He certainly did have to do a double take.

"Did you, like, grow a few inches since I last saw you, or is it just the angles?" Cal tilted his head a little, thoughtfully, as he checked to see if that were the case of the lounging girl.

[gobrooke_urself]

Brooke had gotten that enough to know to roll her eyes before looking over to make sure she didn't, in fact, know him. "You want the wannabe. I'm the pretty one," she clarified.

[not_a_mused]

That might have made sense if it weren't for the fact that it absolutely didn't. Not from where Cal currently stood, anyway.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Confusing as it was, though, he couldn't argue the pretty.

[gobrooke_urself]

"I'm Brooke. Jaina's the other one," she clarified. "I'm going to have to go the nametag route soon." She could only hope Jaina got the confusion as much as she did.

Jaina totally didn't, no.

[not_a_mused]

Cal blinked. "Oh, dear God, there's two of you?"

For as much as he tried to pretend to sound alarmed, he was mostly surprised, in the sort of astonished way that one can be when they feel like they should be kicking themselves for not having known about this sooner. And he coluldn't help wonder if this one had some boyfriend with hair, too.

[gobrooke_urself]

Did a friend with benefits with emo bangs count? "No, there's one of her and one of me. Or, better, one of me and one of her. Completely different, unrelated in every way people."

[not_a_mused]

OF COURSE!

"Except," he pointed out, unable to help a small grin, "how you look. But, in that case, it's nice to meet you, Brooke. I'm Cal."

[gobrooke_urself]

"Hi, Cal," she said. "And I still look taller!" Had to keep insisting that last point. And maybe start wearing taller heels.

[not_a_mused]

"Even if only by a bit," Cal emphasized. "Although it's hard to tell in general with you lying down like that, although that is another discerning factor between the two of you. When I see Jaina, she's always up and kicking this shit out of some poor old punching bag."

[gobrooke_urself]

"She's got issues," Brooke said simply. "I'm much more well-adjusted, believe me." Which was sad.

[not_a_mused]

"What?" Cal asked. "No frequent trips back home that seem to raise the bar on the level of craziness every time?"

[gobrooke_urself]

"No, I just hear about it on the phone," she said matter-of-factly. And added, "And I have no idea what you're talking about."

[not_a_mused]

Cal shrugged. "I'm not even sure if I know either," he admitted, reaching for a chair to pull it a little nearer before dropping into it with a sigh, as if coming down here had been a great big ordeal of emmence effort. Really, though, everything could feel that way when one was in a state of minor shock. If he really, really sat down and thought about the fact that there was this girl who looked just like Jaina...

"So, what class are you in, O Girl of Similar Looks as my Friend," --could he call Jaina a friend? Would she totally want to kick his ass for it? "--but Is Not My Friend?" He paused, partially for dramatically flair and partially to decide if he was bold enough for it. "Yet."

[gobrooke_urself]

Brooke raised her eyebrows, but she'd never had a problem with directness. "Senior," she answered. "So I should be ruling the school any day now. Yourself?"

[not_a_mused]

"Sophomore," Cal said, nodding slightly, before he quickly made an attempt to amend for the light rift in years there. "But I'm a little behind from missing a year of school."

[gobrooke_urself]

"At least you didn't have to do five years?" she said. "Unless you do, in which case, eek, sorry."