Nowhere Else (Sloane, Open Tags)

[Sloane Taylor]

Sloane gave Wes a sideways glance when he seemed to doubt the reasoning behind her answer. When he explained himself, she suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Like Sloane Taylor could ever want to escape something. She faced things head on. She did. "You'll excuse me if my demeanour is mysterious in nature. I tend not to show myself as...whimsical." She chose her word well mostly so she wouldn't step on any toes.

"It's not exactly a bad thing to be crazy once in awhile I suppose." She gave him a little smile before sipping her warming beverage. "Fun?" She had to kill the urge to laugh. Somehow, she doubted her idea of fun would appeal to a guy who looked as innocent as Wes did. Especially someone who was this serious about ice hockey. "Uh...I'm a track runner, Wes. My idea of fun is running. Hence..." Sloane indicated to herself in her running gear and shrugged.

"Then again, this is California. I should think the beach, this pier, the arts gallery all over the city and the celebrities around are fun enough. Especially for a tourist like you?" Sloane pulled one leg up the bench and turned her body around as her back rested against the bench arm. "Besides your apparent love for hockey...what else are you actually into?"

Surprised at her sudden lack of disdain towards conversations, Sloane laid back and waited for his answer.

[wes]

She thought he was a tourist? Maybe he was but Wesley still hoped to eventually fit in... Be accepted. That was suddenly starting to look one hell of a long way off! "Got no real interest in celebrities," he replied with a wry smile. "Although I suppose I can see how they might appeal to some."

He settled back in his chair, apologising when his outstretched legs saw his left boot connect with Sloane's foot. He shuffled his legs to the left a little. "I like volleyball," he told her. "And am not too bad at baseball but I really like being out boating. I'm not so much a runner as a walker. Nothing better than a good old mountain hike, eh?"

She didn't seem as excited at that prospect as he was.

"Oh yeah... and I seriously am addicted to peanut butter but what I really hate is having to leave all my old pals back up north. It's really hard starting over ya know? That's why I was so pleased to run into you down at the pier. How long have you been a track runner? What's your favourite distance?"

He paused and looked at Sloane uncertainly. "I didn't interrupt some profound spate of deep thinking or anything... did I? I have this habit of talking first and then thinking whether I should have or not afterwards!"

[Sloane Taylor]

"You're a first." Sloane replied. She couldn't care any less about celebrities she bumped into. Some of them were nice about it and then there were those who weren't so nice. Sloane wasn't about to admit it out loud but she was very much acquainted to a number of them even before they were famous so really, no surprise there.

When he apologised for accidentally kicking her, she smirked and shook her head. His legs were long, they were bound to kick her some time, she thought. Hearing that Wes liked volleyball wasn't a surprise to Sloane. In this part of town, volleyball was practically a country sport. But boating...she didn't know what boating entailed but it was definitely an interesting idea for a guy as young as Wes to really like.

As he predicted, Sloane really didn't care for a 'good old mountain hike'. She liked the feeling of having her muscles strained in a good way but doing so in a hike wasn't exactly her cup of tea. The non sequitur that followed made her laugh. How he could string peanut butter and leaving his old pals up north in one sentence, Sloane had no idea.

And he wasn't even finished. Sloane liked this conversation even more, mostly because she didn't have to do much of the talking. Wes was holding the conversation fine. "I don't do profound spates of deep thinking, don't worry." She chuckled, patting the other teenager on his thigh. "Talk away. I like to listen." She said, despite not actually meaning it. Sure, she wouldn't interrupt anyone when they talk and she usually did listen but it didn't mean she liked it.

"I've been a track runner since I was seven." She started running when she was four. Her parents let her uncle Remy train her when she was seven and she liked it alot. She had won several competitions throughout her grade school. She joined the track team in high school and became the star quite effortlessly. "Don't have a favourite. I just do it for the sake of doing it." She answered his question about her favourite distance. No such thing for her, really. It was like asking which position she liked in bed. She just liked to run, feel her blood pumping and her heart racing and her muscles working strenuously.

"You have a curfew, Canada?"

[wes]

"Curfew?" Wes had to stop for a sec and think that over. The sudden tack change had deflated his sails! For a moment he'd even started to wonder if 'curfew' was a local Californian seabird or something. "Oooh you mean like I have to be home at a set time... right? Nah... Most often I stayed with friends in the city. Well, not in school time, of course, but during term break I usually stayed in Vancouver. That way I could make sure I use up my season ticket for BC Place. That siad, its not all that much of a drive from Squamish I guess. Why's that?" he asked with a crooked grin. "Trying to get rid of me already?"

The question was sort of rhetorical and so he didn't honestly expect an answer. Wes had an inkling that Sloane would tell him to sling his hook if she truly wanted shot of him.

He listed his head a little to the left as he looked at her. He had to admit she wasn't all that warm and welcoming but likewise she'd agreed to have a drink with him and was starting to maybe thaw out a little. He'd noticed that happen all the more as soon as he'd asked about her running. Maybe that was the way to go...?

"So since you were seven, eh? You must be as fit as all hell," he commented. "I'm guessing you at least are on teh school running team but do you race for an out of school team as well?" Hopefully she'd had better luck with finding such a place as he'd failed totally in his search for a nearby ice hockey squad!

[Sloane Taylor]

She didn't even realise Wesley didn't know what curfew meant. It was international code for being whipped by parents right? Sloane personally didn't have a curfew but going home at 4 in the morning wasn't exactly going to sit well with her parents. His question made her look at him with a smirk. "I'm not all that polite, hon. If I wanted to get rid of you, I wouldn't be sipping hot chocolate with you." She said, sipping her hot chocolate as an added afterthought.

His compliment made her raise an eyebrow before standing up and removing her hoodie to reveal her sports bra and her polished abs. "What do you think?" She asked. No, Sloane was not ashamed of her body. Why should she? She had an amazing physique, well toned by the hours she clocked in for training. She sat down, folding one leg under her again and pulling down her hoodie over her body once more.

Bringing up running again, she kind of singled out the fact that he was trying to keep her interest up and she wasn't the type to disappoint. "I used to in middle school. But decided to stay in the school team." She admitted with a small nod. "Why move when you're practically a celebrity on your own grounds right?"

"Besides, not a lot of out of school teams can compete with ours even without me so it's better to remain with the school team." She shrugged. "You ever think about coaching?" Sloane suggested after a couple of sips of her hot chocolate. Her impromptu strip tease had left her shivering.

[wes]

Wesley was never more glad to have kept on with a certain topic than he was right now. Who wouldn't be? Sloane had a body made to be ogled and boy was he ogling right now! "Oh baby, uou really don't wanna know what I'm thinking right now!" he replied and his eyes remained locked on the glorious sight. He frowned slightly when she pulled her jacket down once again. 'Aw man,' he thought to himself. Still, even that short glimpse was better than none at all... right?

What was that she'd just said about the school team? Wes fought to get the right brain to the fore. "Yeah," he replied and as he did so he hoped it was the right reply.

"Well?" she prompted.

Ok... so more was called for. What had she said? Something about coaching maybe. 'Get a grip, Ski,' he berated himself but BOY she did have a sweet little body. "Coaching? You mean running?" Dumbass why would she have meant that? "Oh right... Me coach ice hockey...?" She nodded. Thank god! "I hadn't thought about it but... y'know that's not such a bad idea! I mean, there's a skating rink in town... just no hockey squad. Some of the local kids are sure to want to learn." Wouldn't they? And while it wasn't quite the same as match play, again it was better than nothing! That ought to be his personal mantra maybe!

"I reckon I'll look into it. Get a few flyers around school and town and sound out the interest. Thanks, Sloane. You might have just saved what little sanity I have left! How can I thank you?"

'Mind OUT of the gutter, Domaszewski.' The inner reminder wouldn't hurt!

[Sloane Taylor]

Holding back a smirk at Wes' reaction to her semi-naked body, Sloane thought she had done a good job in general. Maybe this boy isn't as innocent as she had thought at first. This thought continued to manifest when she realised that he had gone completely blank as she continued to speak. Even when she gave her suggestion, she could see his eyes glazed over, a clear indication that he was probably still thinking about her body.

Not that it was such a bad thing. She didn't like to talk anyway. As a bonus, she unzipped her hoodie a little as he tried to form his words. The cold wasn't so biting but she did feel goosebumps up her arms as more of her skin was exposed. As he spoke, Sloane slipped her foam cup in between her legs before tying her hair up once more, neater this time.

A smirk made its way on to her lips when she was asked how he could show his gratitude. "Dangerous question." She simply said before picking her cup from between her legs and taking her last few sips and throwing the cup in the nearest rubbish bin. Wiping the bit of hot chocolate on her upper lip with one finger, she inserted the same finger into her mouth. "Really dangerous question." She said as she slowly pulled her finger out.

[wes]

Oh boy... all the signs were there. The easing down of her zipper again... the look in her eyes... Even the cup between her legs seemed... suggestive. But it was the dangerous comment that was right in his face. That coupled with the neat little finger trick she pulled.

"Haven't you heard?" Wes countered. "Life north of the border is filled with danger. Wolves, grizzlies... even the odd manic Mountie. I mean, what's life without a little bit of danger, eh?"

His thoughts were still firmly locked on her body. He'd remember that for some time, he knew. Wesley's eyes dropped of their own volition and he found himself looking at her chest again. Ok, so it was now covered by some seriously annoying layer of fleece but... he could still at least see some skin.

Wesley knew she was flirting - and he was doling it out as well - and there was no harm what so ever in that. Still, he wouldn't mind it going a touch further than that! Who wouldn't?

"Apple cake?" he offered, easing the plate into the middle of the table. He'd completely forgotten about the cake... Hardly a surprise really, was it?

[Sloane Taylor]

Nothing she hadn't heard before, Sloane pondered as Wes replied to her taunt. Granted, the words he used were a little different than she'd ever heard from a guy but it wasn't like she was a newbie at this. He was obviously trying hard. "Indeed," she agreed as she propped her elbow on the back of the bench before leaning her head against the palm of her hand.

The offer of cake was met with a raised eyebrow. "Not a cake person. More of a pie girl...but thanks." She pushed the plate back to him before leaning forward on the table. Obviously she was not going to make the first move. If the boy wanted her, he was going to have to work towards it. If he didn't then...his loss but she was most definitely not going to be the one who initiated anything.

"So do you live with your parents here?"

[wes]

Wesley tucked into the apple cake with vigour. He had a large frame to fill, after all! He'd made the 'share' offer... and was relieved to find it declined. He'd skipped supper and was ravenous... and not just for apple cake!

He leaned back in response to Sloane's forward movement. Wesley knew he couldn't seem too eager!

"How do you want me to answer that?" he asked in reference to the living situatuion question. "Like whatever it takes to get in your pants," he added.

And those were some sweet pants!

Do or die... The IS no in between.