The morning after - Christophe (open tag)

[christophe]

Christophe was in a good mood. No, make that bouyant. Bouyantly ecstatic, in fact. He had a right to be... He'd snapped up the vacancy at the aquarium yeterday afternoon. Dale Anderson hadn't needed more than ten minutes to conduct the interview before offering the French boy the position at the aquarium. Christophe Broussard was now the guy in charge of the orca pool.

Life didn't get a hell of a lot better.

Genny and Lia had both been at the aquarium and he assured the latter that it had been her charm that had seen him sail through the interview with such apparent ease. He'd thanked Genny (again) before bolting home to share the news with his family... After escorting Lia home, of course!

He also had to dins Sarissa and let her know. He'd promised to do that and he wasn't the type of boy to break his word. Christophe felt sure he'd run into her at some time today. For now, though, he had to grab his books for his first lessons... assuming he would be able to concentrate and not drift off and dream of his first day at work... Sadly that wasn't until Thursday. God, he was going to struggle holding back his impatience.

Christophe rummaged in his locker and dug out the books he would need and it was as he stepped back to close the door that his elbow bumped into someone nearby. "Je suis désolé," he quickly offered... along with an apologetic smile.

[Connor Pearce]

Late nights either reading up (or occasionally watching up) on Lord Of The Rings mythology to impress Julia, playing the LOTR game with her, or hanging out with Kian doing...boyfriend stuff was really starting to get to Connor. It would be one thing to say he had been partying hard, and that’s what was tiring him out, but to admit that it was video games and books was another thing entirely. So he just kept that little bit of information to himself and continued to feed his growing addiction to coffee. Not that the Irishman minded in the least, he finally felt as though things were getting back to normal between him and Julia, and he really enjoyed doing boyfriend things with Kian. So all in all, things were actually pretty good for him.

Despite the two coffees and freezing shower he forced himself to stay under this morning for a good five minutes, he was still just a little sleepy when he finally arrived at school, but he was hopeful that the jumbo sized coffee he had picked up along the way would help. He hadn’t even known they made coffees that big until this morning. It was a good thing that Patch and Evan didn’t drink the stuff, as far as he knew. They really didn’t need help in becoming more hyperactive.

It was in the sleep deprived state that he stumbled down the corridor, looking for his locker. Getting elbowed in his side, though thankfully not too hard, was exactly what he needed to perk him up. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I could have avoided it, if I had remember to concentrate on where I was going.” he grinned at Christophe.

He liked to think he was observant, to some degree anyway, but he was sure no one could miss the excitement on his newish friend’s face. He hadn’t seen anyone that excited since the locker room animal prank. And not surprisingly, his disappointment in his other new friends not offering him and Kian to join in on the fun of the newest prank quickly faded when he found out the punishments that had been dished out. He was still slightly surprised that they had been caught out in the first place, he figured that they would be able to get away with it for sure. They all seemed good in getting out of trouble.

“So, what’s the good news?” Connor asked, before laughing slightly at Christophe’s expression. “You just look like you’re in a good mood. Sorry, I can be nosy sometimes, I just can't help it.”

[christophe]

Christophe recognised the person he'd bumped instantly and he smiled in pleasure. "Connor! Ca va?" He hadn't had much of a chance to talk to him since their time on the boat and when they'd skipped school. Even at the bowling session at the weekend there hadn't been much of a chance. "And yes, I am in a great mood. I went for a job interview after school yesterday... at the aquarium and looking after the orcas. Guess what?" He beamed. "I got it! How fantastic is that?" Plus he had his other part-time job at the boat yard meaning he had the means to get out onto the water as well.

Perfection. Life didn't get a lot better in the French boy's eyes.

"But what of you? Have you heard about Patch and Evan? They are being blamed for the principal's car being on the roof. Can you believe it? I think another of their friends has also been blamed. Do you think they will be suspended from school? Expelled perhaps?" That wouldn't be good. Not at all!

"I find it hard to believe they would do such a thing but then I suppose I don't know either of them all that well."

[Connor Pearce]

“Really? That’s great! Congratulations!” Connor grinned, happy for his friend. From the little he had talked to the guy, it was pretty obvious to everyone how much he loved the water, and orcas, and Connor couldn’t help but think it was a perfect fit for him. Christophe obviously had the same opinion. He had thought about getting a part time job himself. Not that he needed the money, far from it, he just thought it might be a bit of fun. Something to do with photography, of course, maybe even work in a camera shop, couldn’t be too bad. But given his already lack of sleep, decided anything that would take up even more of his time could wait.

“I’ve been really good.” he nodded, laughing at Christophe’s slight disbelief at Patch’s and Evan’s prank. “Yeah, it’s them two, plus Mal, and Brittany, Evan’s girlfriend. They’re all supposed to be involved somehow, from what I’ve heard, though I haven’t had a chance to get to talk to any of them yet either.”

He shook his head at the possibility of expulsion. “No, I think they’re safe from that. I heard that they have to clean out the lockers rooms for a month. Which would be pretty bad, I can imagine.” They did get off pretty easy though, to his mind. It was the principal’s car.

“I admit, I was kind of surprise when I heard myself. Patch and Evan, well, they do like their pranks.” he admitted with a laugh. “But they usually manage to avoid any trouble like this. And the joke is a bit worse than what they would normally do.” he shrugged, before laughing. “Still, they must be loving all the attention, knowing them.”

“So how’s things been going with your love life?” he asked, continuing to be nosey. “Are you still seeing Lia?”

[christophe]

Christophe wasn't sure who Mal was - or if they were male or female - but he knew of Brittany. He couldn't see Evan involving his girlfriend in such a trick but it sounded as if they'd been caught and punished already. Cleaning the locker rooms for a month did seem light but perhaps more punishment was to come? At least they hadn't been suspended... yet. Had that been intended he felt sure it would have already taken place. He hoped so anyway as he liked both Evan as well as Patch. They had a name for being jokers but this time perhaps their prank had been taken a little too far.

"Yes, the attention is high," he agreed. Would they have done such a thing for attention? Maybe that was the reason.

"Ah Lia. I saw her both yesterday after school as well as the day before. She invited me home for dinner on Monday and I met her brothers... Jandro and saint. They are an unusual family but very friendly and welcoming. I am still unsure whether or not we are actually dating but I like being with her and she seems to feel the same way." He lifted his shoulders in a typically Gallic shrug. "We shall see, non?"

They fell into step at each other's sides as they headed towards their first classes. "I also met someone new yesterday. At lunch. Sarissa... I wasn't given her last name. Do you know her? She was good company and said a Cherokee prayer for me for luck with my interview. So far I have been fortunate as I have met only people who are friendly. Is everyone that way at this school or are there any I need to avoid?"

It was better to find out now rather than when any meeting had already taken place.

[Connor Pearce]

“You’ve met her brothers? And you went over for dinner? Well, I’m not really an expert when it comes to dating girls,” Connor admitted cheerily, his sexuality not exact a secret, especially not to someone who also knows his boyfriend, “But I’m fairly sure that with anyone, when you come over for a family dinner, it’s kind of a big deal. So I’m going to go out on a limb and say she does really like you.” he smiled. “So, if you want to date her, just ask. I doubt she would say no. Actually, girls are pretty confusing, I don’t think anyone has a chance to understand them, so as far as we know, maybe she’s already waiting for you to ask, make the first move, you know. Girls like that, when guys make the first move. I think.” He wasn’t sure, but it sounded like perfectly reasonable advice to him. But then again, women really weren’t his forte, he only had his mother and Julia for experience.

“Sarissa....must be Sarissa Zouvelekis, I’m fairly sure we don’t have any other Sarissa’s roaming around school.” he laughed. “I don’t really know her, well, personally anyway, though she does seem nice. I have seen a couple of episodes of her show though.” From Christophe’s expression, he assumed he didn’t know what he was talking about. “Oh, she’s in this really big family, there’s like eight kids, triplets and then quintuplets, I think. And the whole family was in this reality TV show about their lives for years. You could probably track it down on DVD. I haven’t seen much of it, reality TV isn’t exactly my favourite thing.”

“People to avoid? Let me think for a second.” Connor grinned as they walked. “Well, the first people that spring to mind are people you only really need to avoid if you’re Patch or Evan, or are hanging around them at the time. Let’s see, Aly Durrand, Jasper Hastings, Jessica Pruitte. As harmless as that pair are, well, used to be,” he laughed, “They seem to make a lot of enemies. Who else, well, there’s always Judd Nixon and Quentin Ferris. I haven’t had anything to do with either of them, so I can only go by what other people have said about them, but it sounds like neither is the kind of guy you want to hang around. And they give me the jeebies.”

[christophe]

Christophe paid great attention to Connor's reply regarding Lia and their evening meal at her house. He knew Connor was gay and knew little about boy/girl relationships but the gender of the opposite person didn't really matter in instances such as this. Christophe had dated a few girls back in Paris and also in Whistler but he wasn't sure if the 'rules of the game' were the same in the USA... hence his avid attention to Connor's response.

He thought that Lia might like him and in more than just a friendly way. Christophe had got that feeling himself but it was good to hear someone else state it. Of course, it could also be that she was just friendly at heart and this way with all of her friends. After all, he already knew the entire family to be unconventional... and so it could be that same unconventiality applied to her friendships.

It was beyond confusing.

The French boy's eyes widened when Connor went on to talk of Sarissa. "She is on TV? Wow! I will definitely try and find a copy of the DVD. Eight children? I can't even imagine growing up in that large a family!"

People to avoid... Christophe formed a mental list. Of course, he knew Patch and Evan and so committed the other names to memory.

Aly Durrand, Jasper Hastings, Jessica Pruitte. Judd Nixon and Quentin Ferris. That was already a fair few and Christophe had a feeling he would be unable to avoid all five of them entirely. He would try his best, though.

"You know Patch and Evan well?" Connor nodded. "Do you think they placed that car on the roof yesterday? I have heard talk of them being thrown out of the school. Surely that's untrue... isn't it?"

He hoped so at least!

[Connor Pearce]

“I know! I mean, I wonder if they each get a room to themselves, or if they have to share. I can’t remember much of the show.” Connor admitted, his own mind boggling from just trying to imagine a family that large. “I suppose it would have been alright when they were younger, but I think the youngest are around fourteen now, so they would need a lot of room. And just think about the bathroom dramas in the morning.” The Irishman laughed, bathroom time very important to him. It took time to get his hair just right every morning after all. He couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to share that time with seven other people. “They must have a really big house, I suppose. They would be able to afford it, because of the show. It’s finished now, but it ran for years, it was really popular.”

Christophe’s question was a good one and Connor gave himself a moment to consider it as they walked. “Well, I know them a bit, but Kian knows them better, I met them through him. Kian and Patch are childhood friends. But, to be honest, no, it doesn’t really seem like something they would do. Well, it does, but not to that extent.” he laughed.

“If anything, I could see them putting, say, Jasper’s car on the roof, but not the principal's. They’ve never pulled a prank on any teacher here before, it seems kind of strange for them to pull one this bad on the principal. And get caught so easily for it too.” From what he knew of Patch and Evan, getting caught and punished for anything, even if they did commit the act in question, annoyed them both heaps, so he thought they would have gone to more effort to avoid this.

“Plus, if they were going to do something that bad, I can’t see them getting Brittany and Mal involved. Especially Evan, he wouldn’t want to do something to get Brit in trouble. But there was evidence to proof they did do it, so who knows.” Connor shrugged. “If they didn’t do it though, then that means someone set them up, and is thinking that a bit too paranoid, a bit too much of a conspiracy theory?” he asked, laughing at the thought. “Don’t worry though, I’m sure they’re not going to get thrown out. I mean, I don’t think they will.”

He couldn’t imagine the principal going to that extent though, he hoped. If they were kicked out, it would make for a much quieter school. “We should look for them at lunch, we can ask them about it then. If they did to it, I’m sure they’ll be bragging.”

[christophe]

He nodded slightly in agreement to Connor's comments about Evan not wanting to involve his girlfriend. But the proof of hr involvement had been there for all to see... Still, it seemed... Christophe had been about to add 'out of character' but what did he really know about Patch and Evan? For all he knew this WAS their character. Connor, though, knew them better and he thought the same way. "I guess it doesn't matter if we believe them to be guilty or not... It is the principal's decision that carried the power. But who would set them up? And if so how can that be proven?" The principal would merely want blame alotted and it wouldn't really be a concern if the right party had been punished or not. Just as long as the 'crime' had been dealt with.

"We must definitely seek them out at lunch," he added. Christophe wanted nothing more than to find out exactly what was going on. Sure, he wasn't particularly close to the two boys but he had hoped to be in due course.

The first bell rang out and interrupted their conversation. Christophe threw Connow a wry smile. "I go this way," he stated and Connor jerked his head towards the opposite corridor. "Meet you at lunch?" A nod confirmed that and the two boys parted ways. The whole scenario reeked of a set up... and the more he pondered that concept the stronger that reek became.

(wrap or tag for a wrap?)

[Evan Hughes]

Wrapped sounds good to me!