TR part 2
Authors: Marina and Casey
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 25 (would you like fries with that?), Milk Chocolate 30 (attraction) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 19 (unfamiliar customs), Chocolate Chip Mint 10 (luminous) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Smoothie
Word Count: 1,405
Rating: G
Summary: [September] Chase introduces Dean to his friends. Carrie approves.
Notes: This is not at all most of the reason we decided to do this project. Nope.
The cafeteria made excellent curly fries, and anyone who wanted them had to get to the window early because they ran out within minutes every day. Carrie's lunch did not feel complete without them. As soon as the lunch bell rang, she ran down to the cafeteria, stopping just long enough to drop her backpack off at her group's designated hangout near the library.
Seven minutes later, she returned to the enclave with her fries and found the little group already assembled. "Hey, guys!" she called.
Chase looked up and grinned, looking somewhat relieved. "Hi, Care-bear!"
"Hi, Carrie!" Sidney chimed in, from her seat beside him. "We have a new person!"
The new boy looked up at her and smiled tentatively. "Hello." He had an open lunch bag on his lap, but did not appear to have started his lunch yet.
Carrie smiled back without hesitation. "Hey, I'm Carrie," she said, offering her hand.
"I'm Dean," he said, smile brightening slightly as he stretched up to shake her hand. "I hope you don't mind. Chase invited me."
She shot a furtive glance at Chase, but Sidney had reclaimed his attention. "Of course not," she said to Dean, warmly. "Anyone Chase wants to sit with us is fine with me. Are you guys in Woodshop together?"
"Yeah, and we're working at the same station for the first project at least," Dean said. "I appreciate the offer too. I don't think I could have even gotten myself to this point in the school without a guide."
"Are you new here?"
He grinned crookedly. "And here I thought I had a neon sign announcing it over my head. Yeah, it's my first day."
"Not neon," she said, "that's tacky. Maybe a billboard, though." She offered the container of fries. "Here, have some welcome fries. They're amazing."
Dean laughed at that, taking a couple of them. "Thanks. Really? The cafeteria makes good food? I've always read horror stories about school cafeterias."
"Well, anything liquid is safe, and these fries and the pretzels they sell at nutrition are always fantastic. Everything else is kind of so-so. Unless it's in packaging."
"I'll keep that in mind and those are good!" he said with a smile, now looking down to pull an apple out of his bag.
"Aren't they?" She popped a couple more into her mouth, taking a seat beside him. "Have you got anything good for lunch today?"
"An apple and a PBJ," Dean said, looking down at it, pushing it around, before grinning. "Oh, and Dad must have snuck some cookies in when I wasn't looking."
"Awww, your dad packed your lunch? My mom hasn't since I was in first grade."
"I packed the apple and the sandwich. He must have wanted me to have a surprise on my first day and all," he said, unashamed, which she found refreshing. "He was busy packing his own lunch."
"That's really sweet."
"He likes to do stuff like that," Dean said, shrugging. "And he knew I was kinda nervous about today."
"Aww, you shouldn't have been. MHS isn't that bad."
"It's not MHS specifically. It's real school in general. First day ever."
Carrie nodded, understanding. "So you used to be homeschooled."
"Yeah, until today," Dean said with a wry grin.
"What was that like?"
He chewed a bite of apple thoughtfully and then swallowed. "It was good, most of the time. I liked being able to learn at my own pace. But I knew I was missing things."
"Is that why you're here now?"
"Mostly, yeah," he said, a shadow flitting across his face for a moment before he looked up at her again and smiled.
His smile touched something in Carrie, and she promptly forgot all about the dark expression that had flashed by just before. She had never known anybody else who had such a bright, easy smile. "Well, I'm glad," she said, impulsively.
His smile widened, even as a slight blush crept into his cheeks. "Me too," he said firmly.
"Do you like it so far?"
"Yeah! My teachers seem awesome and I don't think I'm too far ahead or behind in anything."
"That's great. The teachers here are mostly pretty cool, from my experience." She leaned in conspiratorially. "Just don't ask Chase for his opinion. He doesn't agree."
He looked surprised. "He seemed to like Dad all right and Dad's new."
"What does your dad have to do with it?" she asked, confused.
"Oh." He paused and then shrugged. "I'm sure Chase or someone would tell you soon enough. My dad's the new Woodshop teacher."
Her mouth rounded in an ‘O.’ "Gotcha. That explains it. So Chase liked him? That's good to know. I was worried because he loved Walker and doesn't take to new people well in general." It made her wonder what, exactly, had prompted him to invite Dean to eat with them, not that she minded that in the slightest.
"I don't know if he liked him, liked him, but he didn't seem to mind him. I mean, we didn't do a lot today, but Dad stopped by our table twice and they seemed to get along."
Carrie nodded. "Makes sense."
"Yeah. So you're in the same grade as Chase and me, right? I think that's what Sidney said, at least."
"Right, I'm a junior." She smiled. "Most of us are. Sidney's the baby, she's a freshman this year."
He glanced over at Sidney and Chase, plainly amused. "She's a bit of a...force," he said carefully.
Carrie also looked toward the two, once again entertained by the tall, gangly girl's enthusiasm and Chase's obvious uncertainty as to what to do about it. "Yeah, she kind of is."
Dean grinned, understanding the situation. "How does a freshman come to hang out with a bunch of juniors?" he asked curiously.
"Her brother and sister have been friends with Chase's sister for a few years," Carrie said. She did not even consider telling him the real reason. Not even Sidney knew, even though the ordeal had ultimately saved her life. "She likes to hang out with us."
"Ah. Good reason," he said placidly.
"Do you have any siblings?"
"Oh, no. I'm sure my dad would have liked some more kids, though. He's a family kind of person."
Carrie frowned. "So your mom isn't?"
Dean blinked. "Oh, um, I don't know." He smiled almost apologetically. "She died when I was two."
Immediately, she wished she had not said anything. She knew very well what the loss of a parent was like, and she knew that most people felt more strongly about it than she did. "Oh, crap. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"It's fine," he assured her hastily. "Really! It doesn't bother me to talk about, really."
"Are you sure? I mean, I lost my dad, too, so I know how-damn it. Sorry, I didn't mean to say that, either."
"It's really okay, Carrie," Dean said earnestly. Then he seemed to be trying to squash a smile, as if amused by how flustered she was. "Maybe we should head towards safer topics anyway?"
"Probably a good idea," she agreed, flushing.
"I..um, so, uh, is there anything I need to watch out for? You know, special rules or something?" he asked.
Carrie shook her head. "Not really. As long as you've read the student handbook you should be okay." A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Not that any of the rest of us really have."
"People actually read those things? I thought it was just for show," he said, patting his backpack where it presumably was.
"You're supposed to, but I haven't, and clearly I'm still here."
"Then I think I'll just sign that I've read it and skip it," he said, grinning. "You seem well enough adjusted."
"I'm a good example of many things," she replied, feeling comfortable again.
He laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Don't mind if I keep an eye on your good example," he said lightly.
"I won't."
As she spoke, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the next passing period. Carrie stood up and tossed the fries box into the trash, then turned back to Dean. "It was really nice meeting you. I hope you'll sit with us again tomorrow."
Dean got to his feet too and smiled at her again. "I'd like that a lot."
A wide grin formed on her face. "Me too."
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 25 (would you like fries with that?), Milk Chocolate 30 (attraction) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 19 (unfamiliar customs), Chocolate Chip Mint 10 (luminous) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Smoothie
Word Count: 1,405
Rating: G
Summary: [September] Chase introduces Dean to his friends. Carrie approves.
Notes: This is not at all most of the reason we decided to do this project. Nope.
The cafeteria made excellent curly fries, and anyone who wanted them had to get to the window early because they ran out within minutes every day. Carrie's lunch did not feel complete without them. As soon as the lunch bell rang, she ran down to the cafeteria, stopping just long enough to drop her backpack off at her group's designated hangout near the library.
Seven minutes later, she returned to the enclave with her fries and found the little group already assembled. "Hey, guys!" she called.
Chase looked up and grinned, looking somewhat relieved. "Hi, Care-bear!"
"Hi, Carrie!" Sidney chimed in, from her seat beside him. "We have a new person!"
The new boy looked up at her and smiled tentatively. "Hello." He had an open lunch bag on his lap, but did not appear to have started his lunch yet.
Carrie smiled back without hesitation. "Hey, I'm Carrie," she said, offering her hand.
"I'm Dean," he said, smile brightening slightly as he stretched up to shake her hand. "I hope you don't mind. Chase invited me."
She shot a furtive glance at Chase, but Sidney had reclaimed his attention. "Of course not," she said to Dean, warmly. "Anyone Chase wants to sit with us is fine with me. Are you guys in Woodshop together?"
"Yeah, and we're working at the same station for the first project at least," Dean said. "I appreciate the offer too. I don't think I could have even gotten myself to this point in the school without a guide."
"Are you new here?"
He grinned crookedly. "And here I thought I had a neon sign announcing it over my head. Yeah, it's my first day."
"Not neon," she said, "that's tacky. Maybe a billboard, though." She offered the container of fries. "Here, have some welcome fries. They're amazing."
Dean laughed at that, taking a couple of them. "Thanks. Really? The cafeteria makes good food? I've always read horror stories about school cafeterias."
"Well, anything liquid is safe, and these fries and the pretzels they sell at nutrition are always fantastic. Everything else is kind of so-so. Unless it's in packaging."
"I'll keep that in mind and those are good!" he said with a smile, now looking down to pull an apple out of his bag.
"Aren't they?" She popped a couple more into her mouth, taking a seat beside him. "Have you got anything good for lunch today?"
"An apple and a PBJ," Dean said, looking down at it, pushing it around, before grinning. "Oh, and Dad must have snuck some cookies in when I wasn't looking."
"Awww, your dad packed your lunch? My mom hasn't since I was in first grade."
"I packed the apple and the sandwich. He must have wanted me to have a surprise on my first day and all," he said, unashamed, which she found refreshing. "He was busy packing his own lunch."
"That's really sweet."
"He likes to do stuff like that," Dean said, shrugging. "And he knew I was kinda nervous about today."
"Aww, you shouldn't have been. MHS isn't that bad."
"It's not MHS specifically. It's real school in general. First day ever."
Carrie nodded, understanding. "So you used to be homeschooled."
"Yeah, until today," Dean said with a wry grin.
"What was that like?"
He chewed a bite of apple thoughtfully and then swallowed. "It was good, most of the time. I liked being able to learn at my own pace. But I knew I was missing things."
"Is that why you're here now?"
"Mostly, yeah," he said, a shadow flitting across his face for a moment before he looked up at her again and smiled.
His smile touched something in Carrie, and she promptly forgot all about the dark expression that had flashed by just before. She had never known anybody else who had such a bright, easy smile. "Well, I'm glad," she said, impulsively.
His smile widened, even as a slight blush crept into his cheeks. "Me too," he said firmly.
"Do you like it so far?"
"Yeah! My teachers seem awesome and I don't think I'm too far ahead or behind in anything."
"That's great. The teachers here are mostly pretty cool, from my experience." She leaned in conspiratorially. "Just don't ask Chase for his opinion. He doesn't agree."
He looked surprised. "He seemed to like Dad all right and Dad's new."
"What does your dad have to do with it?" she asked, confused.
"Oh." He paused and then shrugged. "I'm sure Chase or someone would tell you soon enough. My dad's the new Woodshop teacher."
Her mouth rounded in an ‘O.’ "Gotcha. That explains it. So Chase liked him? That's good to know. I was worried because he loved Walker and doesn't take to new people well in general." It made her wonder what, exactly, had prompted him to invite Dean to eat with them, not that she minded that in the slightest.
"I don't know if he liked him, liked him, but he didn't seem to mind him. I mean, we didn't do a lot today, but Dad stopped by our table twice and they seemed to get along."
Carrie nodded. "Makes sense."
"Yeah. So you're in the same grade as Chase and me, right? I think that's what Sidney said, at least."
"Right, I'm a junior." She smiled. "Most of us are. Sidney's the baby, she's a freshman this year."
He glanced over at Sidney and Chase, plainly amused. "She's a bit of a...force," he said carefully.
Carrie also looked toward the two, once again entertained by the tall, gangly girl's enthusiasm and Chase's obvious uncertainty as to what to do about it. "Yeah, she kind of is."
Dean grinned, understanding the situation. "How does a freshman come to hang out with a bunch of juniors?" he asked curiously.
"Her brother and sister have been friends with Chase's sister for a few years," Carrie said. She did not even consider telling him the real reason. Not even Sidney knew, even though the ordeal had ultimately saved her life. "She likes to hang out with us."
"Ah. Good reason," he said placidly.
"Do you have any siblings?"
"Oh, no. I'm sure my dad would have liked some more kids, though. He's a family kind of person."
Carrie frowned. "So your mom isn't?"
Dean blinked. "Oh, um, I don't know." He smiled almost apologetically. "She died when I was two."
Immediately, she wished she had not said anything. She knew very well what the loss of a parent was like, and she knew that most people felt more strongly about it than she did. "Oh, crap. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"It's fine," he assured her hastily. "Really! It doesn't bother me to talk about, really."
"Are you sure? I mean, I lost my dad, too, so I know how-damn it. Sorry, I didn't mean to say that, either."
"It's really okay, Carrie," Dean said earnestly. Then he seemed to be trying to squash a smile, as if amused by how flustered she was. "Maybe we should head towards safer topics anyway?"
"Probably a good idea," she agreed, flushing.
"I..um, so, uh, is there anything I need to watch out for? You know, special rules or something?" he asked.
Carrie shook her head. "Not really. As long as you've read the student handbook you should be okay." A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Not that any of the rest of us really have."
"People actually read those things? I thought it was just for show," he said, patting his backpack where it presumably was.
"You're supposed to, but I haven't, and clearly I'm still here."
"Then I think I'll just sign that I've read it and skip it," he said, grinning. "You seem well enough adjusted."
"I'm a good example of many things," she replied, feeling comfortable again.
He laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Don't mind if I keep an eye on your good example," he said lightly.
"I won't."
As she spoke, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the next passing period. Carrie stood up and tossed the fries box into the trash, then turned back to Dean. "It was really nice meeting you. I hope you'll sit with us again tomorrow."
Dean got to his feet too and smiled at her again. "I'd like that a lot."
A wide grin formed on her face. "Me too."