& designerSKYLINE & {open

[ferret]

_{Affection, the gifted architect is making a draft and beautiful design.}

Tan, thin legs on either side of a surfboard was the view for the fish. The water was its normal aqua color and just about as warm as the evening air. There was never a bad time of the day in Mica. Kelli straddled her board as the gentle waves lulled her around. She didn't really care where they would drift her off to, as long as she could get back to shore rather quickly. Her brown hair was flat, making little droplets on the shiny, waxed surface. It had been a great day for surfing. The sun was out, making the waves sparkle just before it was time to turn around and start the ride. Kelli had actually stayed out a little longer then she had planned but she had nothing planned for tonight yet; she had time to be spontaneous. The freckles on her face moved up and down as she let out a huge sigh. She had just been sitting there for about half an hour now, staring out into the horizon. Now the sun was slowly starting to melt into the ocean and Kelli's stomach was starting to ache with hunger.

As she was letting her mind wander, her thoughts stuck to the fact of living here. She had only moved here a few months and already it felt like home. She had lots of friends already, most of them guys like usual, and she was loving her job at the surf shack. Her mother was always pestering her on the phone, trying to bring up the conversation of getting a career or going to school. To her mother's dismay, Kelli was happy. She was happy working a low-paying job, living in a crappy apartment, getting to surf everyday and only worrying about if someone had tried to call her while she was catching a wave. A career just sounded so permanent. Kelli needed surprises. She needed that feeling of not knowing what was going to happen tomorrow. The spunky girl didn't believe that you should spend your life planning for your future, you should live it while you actually have the chance. Her pleasant smile faded a little when she thought about her twin. Katherine never got that chance. Passing away at thirteen months never gave her the chance to ever walk, talk, feel the sun on her skin. This is for you Katie. It's all for you. Kelli thought as the smile returned.

Kelli readjusted her halter bikini top. She would have to get out of this soon. Although Kelli practically lived in her bathing suit and sometimes board shorts over that, like today, it did get quite uncomfortable after a while. The knot that kept her decent was starting to press down on the back of her neck and she knew that within a few hours a headache would be the result. She couldn't leave yet though. The sun was just touching the sparkling water, the clouds starting to turn that amazing orange hue. How she lived in Colorado for twenty years, she will never know. Kelli couldn't even think of going back there now; back to the snow and cold. Sure, she missed snowboarding a little, bu that is why she had surfing. Besides, anywhere Kelli was, she was bound to find some sport to keep her occupied. Her stomach let out a big rumble and Kelli promised herself that after the sun went down, she would get some grub.

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[orls]

It was taking some doing to get used to the heat. Jonas had been used to living in the cloudy lands in Scotland and then the moderate temperatures of Maine. He had only been in Mica a few months and was still struggling to deal with the temperature changes. He overheated easily as it was, so living in a constantly warm place made him a bit uncomfortable. Thank goodness for the air conditioning in the WTFM building where he worked. As it was, Jonas was taking a detour on his way home form work. He had nothing planned for the evening and had decided to take a brief stroll along the beach. The sun—although setting—was still giving off strong golden rays of light and warmth. This prompted Jonas to remove his VOTE FOR PEDRO t-shirt and tuck it halfway into one of the many deep pockets on his cargo shorts.

As he hit the beach, Jonas paused for a moment on the boardwalk. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to stick to the structured path or if he wanted to wander out in the surf for a while. As it was, his head hurt and his eyes were bothering him in the bright light. He was so used to the dimmer lighting in the WTFM building that coming outside nearly blinded him. Jonas yawned and stretched, thinking about how he could really go for a hit right about then. But, pulling out a marijuana joint in such a public place probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do. So, instead, Jonas pulled a pack of cigarettes from his front left pocket and shook a cancer stick from the pack. He stuck it in his mouth as he fished around for his green lighter. After having lit the cigarette and putting his lighter back into his pocket, Jonas looked around, blowing smoke from his mouth.

It was a gorgeous evening, and he could really be tempted to stick around until the sun went down. But, if he was staying that long, the boardwalk would eventually bore him. So, Jonas kicked off his sandals and held them in his right hand. He then slowly made his way down to the water’s edge. He stood in the wet sand, letting the warm waves wash up and over his feet and calves. Looking out over the water, Jonas wondered if anyone was out surfing ... the waves seemed pretty good for it. Jonas had never actually surfed before in his life, and truth be told was a little nervous to try. He didn’t like being out on dark water all that much. But, he did enjoy watching other people surf. That was what Jonas decided to do, head down to the Surf Shack and see if anyone was hitting the waves.

It wasn’t that far from where he was at the moment, so Jonas stuck to the water’s edge as he walked to the Shack. As he got closer, he did see at least one person still out in the waves. He took the cigarette from his mouth and blew a stream of smoke into the air which was whisked away immediately by a brisk ocean breeze. When he got close enough, Jonas stopped to watch the lone wave rider. It couldn’t be denied that the fact that said rider was a girl pleased him. Jonas was your typical guy. Show him a pretty girl in a bikini and he’ll enjoy the view. But, he wasn’t a creep or anything like that. He enjoyed a girl’s personality just as much—if not more sometimes—than her looks.

[ferret]

_{The options and possibilities are endless when we connect and re-align.}

The sun was settling down for the night and the cascade of color that was its blanket was beginning to set in. Bright hues of orange, red and purple reflected on the water; a spectacle that made even the coldest man smile. For Kelli it wasn't just a smile, the sight made her lips pull back over her teeth and her cheeks tighten up, swelling with joy. It was the simple things. These little things that happened everyday; all these things that people took for granted that set Kelli's heart 'ablazin. Midway through the sunset, she laid back on her board, watching the sky fill with color. People just didn't get it. Everyone rushing around to school, then work, then families. No one just enjoyed the earth that they lived on. Kelli made it a point too. The wind picked up a little and her hair, now starting to dry, whipped across her face. She started kicking her legs in the water, deciding that it was now time to start heading in. The water was getting chilly now that the sun's heat wasn't shining down and for only living here for a couple months, Kelli had gotten quite used to it being warm. So used to it that she had to put on a sweatshirt at night sometimes.

Getting back to shore was not a chore. Kelli let the waves carry her back in during their swells and gently paddled herself between them. The beach had been emptied, except for one lone guy examining the sunset. She wondered who it was and if she knew them. It didn't really matter, she would probably end up talking to him anyway. Kelli was always known for being outgoing like that. She didn't understand shy people. All humans are exactly the same and if you don't think that you are scary yourself, you shouldn't think that other people are. As the water got shallower, Kelli got off her board reluctantly, turning around to gaze at the horizon for minutes at a time. It was that swell in her lungs that she got when she looked at the spectacle. If this is what love felt like, Kelli understood why everyone made such a big hype about it.

Her feet finally touched the beach and began to collect sand as she traveled. Her board was now tucked under her arm neatly and she had turned around to catch the last glimpse. As the sun simmered out of sight, Kelli put down her board and looked over at the guy for a second, hoping that he wouldn't be too weirded out by her next action. "WHOO!!" Kelli started hollering and clapping at the last of the sunset as though she was at a concert or something. She laughed at herself before picking up her board and turned to the guy. "Even Mother Nature deserves a round of applause sometimes." She said with an open smile. She wouldn't mind if he just turned and walked away, but it was always fun to meet new people.

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[orls]

As he stood there, Jonas found his gaze drawn to the sun setting more than the pretty girl. It had been a while since he had simply stood out somewhere and watched the sun slowly dip down over the horizon. It was actually a really beautiful thing ... one that might have brought a tear to his eye had he been the type to get all choked up over a sunset. But, as it stood, he wasn’t that type of person, so it was most likely that he would just sit there and smoke his cigarette—wishing it was something else—and enjoying the view of both the sun and the girl. He removed the cigarette from his mouth once more and blew another stream of smoke out into the cooling air. The salty tang left a pleasant burn in his lungs when he breathed in deeply—sans cigarette this time. He felt that if he cleaned his lungs with fresh ocean air after each drag on the cancer stick that it would minimize his chances of getting actual cancer from the act. It was stupid, yeah, but he was known for believing in stupid things.

Jonas watched with almost lazy indifference as the girl rode/paddled back to shore. The closer she got the better look Jonas got of her. So, she wasn’t the surfin’ babe he thought she was. But, she was still pretty cute, in a childlike, innocent-looking way. Judging by the color of her skin and the athletic tone of her body, she spent a lot of time outside, and probably most of it surfing. Due to an innate phobia of drowning and dark water, Jonas opted out of the surfing scene. He enjoyed watching others participate in the sport, but would never ever, ever, ever, ever go out on a board himself.

Truth be told, Jonas thought he might have slipped a little of his marijuana into his cigarette when the girl glanced at him then began whooping and hollering. The only thing that crossed his mind was a howler monkey. This thought almost brought on a fit of hysterical laughter that he managed to silence at the last moment by taking a really long drag of his cigarette. He coughed ever so gently, causing a break in the otherwise steady stream of smoke that issued forth from his mouth. He arched a brow at girl’s comment about Mother Nature needing applause? Wow... how was that for eccentric? How was that for entertaining?! It was the kind of comment Jonas might come up with when high, although he thought this girl really and truly believed it.

“Sure she does,” Jonas replied, being overly polite and removing the cigarette from his mouth. It was a habit he did whenever speaking to someone knew while smoking. If he knew the person well, he just left the smoke in his mouth and spoke around it. “After all, not many things can create such works of beauty. And, I’m not just talking about the sunset.” Jonas shot her a quick, but playful grin as he spoke. Yeah ... he could play it all cute and everything. The best part was that he meant every word that he said.

[ferret]

_{Collections of books and documents arise and parade around my cluttered desk.}

Kelli picked up her surfboard and tucked it back under her arm. She was glad when she heard the guy laughing, knowing that he wouldn't be scared or intimidated by her. when you look at Kelli, you wouldn't think that anyone would be intimidated by a short, skinny girl with cute cheeks. Some people were though. She had been told numerous times that she was just too happy, too confident for people. Kelli hated that she made people question themselves because she knew who she was. If anything, she wanted to make them more comfortable in their own skin. At his comment, Kelli looked at him with her brown eyes, giving him a look that expressed that she was trying to figure out the motive for his last sentence. Was it a precursor to flirting or was he just talking in general? Kelli kept the gaze for a couple seconds, then laughed and looked back out to the sky. The colors now looked like the soup-like stuff you get at the bottom of your ice cream bowl.

"A lot of things are beautiful. Most people just overlook them." She said with an open smile. Her eyes flipped from the horizon back to the guy's for a minute. "I'm Kelli." She introduced herself, offering her hand for a shake. Most young people these days thought of handshakes as awkward and out of date. Kelli loved them. You could always tell a person by their handshake and it made the introduction proper. You can forget a name, but its harder to forget a handshake. Kelli's arms were starting to get goose bumps. Even though the air was warm, the change from water to air always made her a little chilly. Her stomach also gave a low grumble, one that the guy was sure to hear. Kelli just laughed but didn't apologize, just made a mental note to get food sooner rather than later. She tried to remember the last time she had eaten but the memory escaped her. She was one of those people that couldn't eat on the clock. Kelli was always hungry at random times and probably ended up eating around five small meals a day.

Kelli looked back out to the horizon and watched as a cruise ship left port, it's glittering party lights glowing in the dusk. She loved it here, she really did. Colorado winters just seemed like they had no life to them. Here in Hawaii, life flourished. Not only in the sun, waves and palm trees; but also in the people that Kelli met. The weather seemed to make everyone a little more open and inviting to new people and that was just the sort of atmosphere that Kelli loved.

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[orls]

Jonas was really easy to get along with most of the time, which is why he liked his job. He was an easy-going kind of guy and people needed more of that in their lives. Jonas had spent too many hours listening to the radio where the personality was either too self-absorbed or even downright cranky while on the air. Jonas always felt that if you were going to be broadcasting for loads of people, you should at least act like you’re happy to be there. Jonas absolutely loved his job. He loved everything about it ... but especially the music. Jonas was practically a music addict and almost always had a song of some sort in his head. He’d been known to sing along with the songs he was playing on the radio instead of checking the weather or traffic or news updates or ... whatever! He’d also been known to break into random song while speaking over the radio, simply because he felt the urge to.

Jonas couldn’t hide his grin as she looked at him. His last phrase, which was both genuine and deviously flirtatious, had clearly made her stop and think about it for a second. Not that he had planned it that way ... oh no, not Jonas, never. Has it been mentioned that Jonas is well versed in the dialect of sarcasm? For the most part his sarcasm was used in jokes and in having fun, but if you caught him on a bad day his sarcasm turned rather dark and he could often be found sniping at people about mundane things. But, today, thus far, was a good day. So, his sarcasm was all meant in fun and good times.

He was almost shocked when she offered her hand to shake. Jeez ... that was a custom near dead. Jonas appreciated a decent, firm handshake, and thought it was awesome that she appeared to be more than willing to keep the old tradition alive. He took her hand, shaking it firmly. “I’m Jonas ... although I hear I’ve been called J-Mac before,” he replied, making a joking reference to what a few people called him on the radio. On the streets he was simply Jonas McPhee, but once his butt hit that studio chair, people seemed to want to call him J-Mac. It was weird, but also very cool. Jonas kind of liked it.

When her stomach growled, Jonas couldn’t help but grin yet again. “Sounds like someone skipped supper,” he teased, only to blush brilliant crimson as his own stomach let out a loud protest as if to remind him that he too had missed a meal. “You’re not the only one who did,” he added with a laugh. “Well, seeing as there are two growling stomachs on the loose, what say we wander around and see if there’s a place that suits both our fancies. My treat.”

Oh yeah ... a real smooth operator, this one. That was his idea of being cute while asking a girl out. Not romantic, but cute.

[ferret]

_{Reworking the math and measurements until I'm convinced these plans are picturesque.
Like mountains in the Midwest .}

Jonas's handshake was stronger and more affirmative then Kelli was expecting. If people did shake hands these days, it was usually a strange, half-ass attempt. Jonah was good though. He actually took Kelli's hand with confidence and gave it a shake, actually looking into her eyes. Kelli was grateful for that. One of her pet peeves was that people never looked other people in the eye these days. Apparently eyes had become a taboo thing and if you were looking at another person, you must be infatuated with them or something. Society these days. Kelli let out a chuckle as he mentioned his nick name. She had heard that name before, she just couldn't seem to find a place for it. "Well, it's nice to meet you Jonas J-Mac." She said jokingly, rearranging her board under her arm. She hadn't even noticed that it had gotten significantly darker during the short time they had been talking and although it couldn't be considered 'night' yet, it was getting close.

Kelli's cheeks turned a pale shade of pink as Jonas commented on her stomach. She thought it was cool though that he actually said something about it. Most people try to play those kinds of things off like nobody heard them, and try to go about their business. Kelli hated that people couldn't talk about certain things, even when everyone did them once in a while. "Yeah, I- Kelli started to comment when Jonas's own stomach made an equally loud grumble. She couldn't help but laugh. Before she could comment, Jonas suggested they get a bite to eat. His treat. Did that mean it was a date? Kelli didn't have any idea. She took a tiny step back and looked at Jonas with the same playful curiosity that she had when she was trying to figure out if he was flirting. She knew that he could see the gears turning in her head and finally, she relaxed her shoulders a little bit. "Ok." She agreed, looking up at him with those wondering eyes. "But don't try to rape me, because I could totally kick your ass." She continued flippantly, turning around and walking up the beach slowly. Hopefully he would get the hint to follow.

Kelli was always known for spontanious decisions like these. Her parents always warned her about trusting people too much and even her older brothers had always been a little concerned. Kelli knew, however, that she could take care of herself if anything happened. Plus, shouldn't you give people at least a chance. If you had to earn everyone's trust, no one would have any friends. Kelli walked toward her car and opened the truck. She had found it useless to lock her car here, everyone was just too friendly. Trading her surfboard for a tank-top and a sweatshirt, she quickly got changed. She couldn't lie, it had been a little awkward with her in her bathing suit and him in clothes. Luckily, she had worn board shorts surfing today so she wouldn't have to go to dinner in bikini bottoms. Shutting the truck, she leaned against the car, waiting for this date to get started.

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[orls]

Jonas was impressed with Kelli’s handshake. And, she seemed equally impressed with his. They seemed to have plenty in common about the way things in society were done these days. Truth be told, Jonas blamed it all on their being in America. Had they been in Scotland where he had grown up, there would be no such thing as a dead-fish handshake or averting one’s eyes during a handshake. His father, a strong Scottish man, always taught his son to have pride and to be a man. To look away from someone when you first met them showed fear of man, and Jonas had been taught at an early age that the only real fear he ought to have was the fear of God. Well, God may have been left in Jonas’s past but the pride and determination to meet everyone’s eyes still remained deeply engraved in Jonas’s character. It had carried him forward despite the trouble with drugs, showing that he had real confidence in himself and the world around him. It impressed people. Firm handshakes always seemed to impress, and Jonas was impressed. This girl had real character to shake hands that confidently. He found himself liking her more and more already.

He laughed when she called him Jonas J-Mac. It wasn’t a combination he was used to hearing. He thought it was totally awesome when she laughed at his stomach growling. He had already sort of guessed that she would, since she didn’t seem like the type to get all nitpicky about bodily functions. Well, some of them ... he’d leave the belching and farting functions until later when he was more confident that she wouldn’t find his randomly passing wind offensive. You just never knew these days...

He loved the way she fixed him with that curious, but playful look when he said something that could be meant several ways. It was really kind of cute, almost like a puppy. He was still thinking about how cute she looked like that when she went off about rape. It caught him totally off guard and Jonas couldn’t help but start laughing. He held his hands up in mock surrender. “Hey! No need to worry about me; just by looking at you I know you could take me down! I’m not really feeling the whole getting the crap beaten out of me thing tonight. Maybe tomorrow though,” he quipped as he followed her up the beach.

Being the polite sort, Jonas looked in a different direction as she changed, even though she wasn’t exactly stripping her clothes off per se. At the same time, being a guy, he couldn’t help but sneak a quick peek over at her. When he heard the trunk shut on her car, he turned back to her with a grin. “I see you’ve adjusted to the temperatures,” he said, offering his arm. “Where shall we wander towards first?”

[ferret]

_{A city sparkles in the night. How can it glow so bright?}

Kelli threw back her head in laughter as she heard the 'tomorrow' comment. "I'll remember that." She added. Kelli was surprised that he actually looked away while she was getting her shirt and sweatshirt on. Not many guys would do that anymore. Most guys would probably just goggle at the sight and look at her like a piece of meat. Kelli didn't even think that she was necessarily gorgeous but for most guys it didn't take much. When she was pulling her t-shirt over her head, she did catch a glimpse of him looking in her direction. She smiled inwardly; he was a guy, he couldn't help it. Besides, no girl hates it when guys think they're attractive. The sweatshirt was next. A maroon, soft fuzzy looking hoodie with "Colorado" written in big letters across the chest. She actually got stuck a little in it and for a couple seconds she looked like a turtle with its head hiding under its shell. She got everything arranged though and in a matter of seconds her head popped out of the top.

She flipped her hair outside the hood and was surprised at how dry it was. Maybe she had been just floating on her board for longer than she thought. She looked at Jonas and gave a smile and nod, finally ready to go. By sky standards, it was officially night now and although stars weren't out yet, it was dark enough to have that different feel. Kelli smiled as Jonas continued talking. "Yeah. I'm getting a little too used to the warm days." She said, tugging on her hoodie a little to make sure it looked okay. Kelli loved wearing hoodies, especially with flip flops, and lucky for her, she was one of those girls that actually looked good in them. She threw some sandals from her trunk to the ground and slipped into them, looking for a second at her red-painted toe nails. "Hm. Anywhere with food." She said with a laugh, her eyes getting wide. She was feeling the hunger now. "Have any thing in mind?" Kelli returned the question.

Although she wasn't picky, Kelli was feeling adventurous tonight. This strange meeting with this guy had put her into a spontaneous mood and she was really up for anything at this point. As far as food was concerned, Kelli tended not to go to the same restaurant twice. If she did, she never ordered the same thing. She loved trying new foods and was never grossed out because of something weird that another culture finds a delicacy. "One request however." She said, pointing her index finger to his face. For a second, she held a serious face but it was only seconds until that broke down and her smile returned. It was a smile that rarely went away. "Let's walk. I love walking at night." She said, taking another look into Jonas's eyes.

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[orls]

Jonas had no idea what had prompted the comment about tomorrow. It was a good thing that she had a good sense of humor and knew that he was only joking. Anyone listening in might have thought he was planning to lure her into a sense of false security by being a sweetie tonight and then be planning her rape the next day. That was definitely not the case. Jonas had far too much respect for women to do that. If it wasn’t consenting on both sides, then it wasn’t going to happen, it was just that simple. The fact that there were men that forced themselves onto women made Jonas feel sick and ashamed to be a man sometimes. Women deserved just as much respect—if not more—as men for all the crap they had to put up with. Yup ... women deserved more respect than they got sometimes. Having been raised in what is now considered an old-fashioned style, Jonas knows the way to treat a woman. He opens doors, pulls out chairs, and, if in a fancier situation, stands when a woman leaves the table. But, at the same time, he doesn’t treat women like china dolls. He knows that some of them are just as tough—an occasionally tougher—than any man. So, he also knows how to loosen up the polite boy act and just horse around like buddies.

“Well, I’d rather be too used to them than not used to them at all,” Jonas said with a grin. “I look like a complete tourist walking around in shorts and t-shirts all the time. But, I’ve only been here a few months, so I’m hoping to adjust to the warmer atmosphere soon.” He watched as she adjusted her hoodie before slipping on a pair of flip flops. Her getting dressed reminded him that he had taken off his own shirt and stuffed it onto his pocket. “Well, if you’re going to dress for the occasion,” he teased, pulling his t-shirt on over his head. He couldn’t help but admire the way she actually made the whole hoodie and sandals look work for her. He had seen loads of girls try it and look absolutely ridiculous.

“Anywhere with food, eh? I’m up for that,” he replied with a grin. He thought for a minute about where would be a good place to go. He was still fairly new with the area, spending most evenings either in the studio or at home. So, he really didn’t know the ins and outs of the local restaurants. “Hey ... I’m the tourist, remember? Why don’t you suggest a good place to eat?” he teased. He reactively pulled back when she stuck her finger in his face, but he saw her grinning, so he just grinned right back. “Walking at night? Sounds like a good idea to me,” Jonas said. “Walking is way better for you than driving anyway.”

[ferret]

_{The neighborhoods surround the soft florescent light.}

Kelli laughed when Jonas said that he looked like a tourist. She knew the feeling. "Don't feel to bad, I walk around with a camera a lot and the locals all give me funny looks. I'm like "I'M ONE OF YOU!" Kelli said, raising her voice. She had never been one to talk quietly and sometimes she was even called obnoxious. She couldn't help it. If God gave her her voice, she was damn well going to use it. Not that she really believed in God anymore, but that is a different story. "I actually just moved here a couple months ago too. Where're you from?" She asked. Kelli loved hearing about different places and such; she was a huge traveler. Even if it was just a little day trip, Kelli always had something planned for seeing something new. It wasn't ever those stupid tourist traps either. Sure, she loved Disney World and things like that, but she also loved going into small towns and really interacting with the people there. She wanted the real version of the world.

Kelli was a little sad to see Jonas put his shirt back on, but she really couldn't blame him. She had to admit, he was very attractive and just like guys liked to look at women, Kelli liked to take a peak sometimes. 'Hmm, A good place to eat. She said, trying to think of somewhere fun. She actually hadn't been to too many places around here, only a couple restaurants and the surf shack many times. "How about we just walk around and the first place that looks good." She said in a definite tone. Her stomach roared again and she let out a laugh. "But fast." She said jokingly, sort of.

Kelli looked up at Jonas confused after he had said that walking was better then driving. "Why?" She asked with a smile. Even though she seemed totally vulnerable at this point, she was still alert and taking note of everything this guy did. After all, she had just met him tonight. As they walked and talked, they made their way up to the street. Most of the shops and restaurants had twinkle lights on them and it made for a very cute atmosphere. It seemed like tonight there were couples every where. Good for Kelli, she never really felt awkward in any type of situation, even when it seemed that everyone was in love except you.

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[orls]

Jonas couldn’t help but yawn. The cooler night air always made him yawn, even when he wasn’t tired. But, for some reason he hadn’t been sleeping all that well lately. He kept his normal schedule, but it took him forever to fall asleep, and then he could never stay asleep for more than 30-45 minutes. It was beginning to drive him crazy. He hated feeling tired and sluggish—absolutely hated it. It made him feel all doped up, like he was sedated in the hospital or something. And that was not a pleasant feeling at the best of times. The last time Jonas was in the hospital he had completely freaked out because it was just after his brother had died. The lat thing Jonas remembered about that visit to the hospital was the prick of the needle in his arm and his screams slowly petering out as the sedative took action. Ever since then, Jonas hated going into the hospital or to see a doctor for anything. He just hated it. He’d do it, but he wouldn’t like it one little bit.

When she suddenly yelled, Jonas laughed. “I know that feeling, I wandered around town for the first 3 weeks with a camera and sight-seeing map and everything,” he admitted. “Just about everyone who saw me asked if I needed directions back to the motel. I was just like: ‘Dude ... I live in that apartment building over there. I’m a local.’ Well ... I guess I’m a local by means that I live here. The actual locals probably don’t consider me a local.” He shook his head with a grin—he was good at rambling on about the most idiotic things. “I moved here from Vermont, where I lived with some distant relatives for a few years, but I was living in Scotland with my family before that. What about you? Whereabouts do you hail from?”

Despite having been here for a few months, Jonas had no idea which restaurants were the best, which ones had dress codes, which ones to avoid, no idea whatsoever. That’s why he decided to let her choose. She probably knew better than he did. She seemed like the kind of girl who didn’t enjoy spending a whole lot of time secluded in her own place. “Fast works for me,” Jonas replied. “I bet the next time my stomach growls it’ll measure on the Richter scale!”

He was surprised at how hungry he was. Jonas was accustomed to missing meals during the day. It was usually breakfast that he missed in his rush to get ready and get out the door. He liked sleeping late and had a bad habit of smacking the snooze button on his alarm clock. But, missing meals had never really bothered him before. Thinking back, Jonas couldn’t actually remember if he had eaten lunch ... which might explain why he was feeling so hungry now.

When she spoke again, Jonas could tell that this was a far more serious question than her face was saying it was. And, he could understand that. They had just met and he was enthusiastic about her suggestion to walk in the dark. “Why? Well, walking is a form of exercise and the general population doesn’t get as much exercise as they should, plus walking doesn’t emit any carbon monoxide into the air and contribute to pollution,” he replied. “That and I’m not a huge fan of being in cars.”

[ferret]

_{Designer skyline in my head, abstract and still well-read.}

Kelli noticed a yawn escape out of Jonas's mouth. She turned to him and grabbed his forearms with her tiny hands. "Wake up!" She shouted, as she shook him back and forth. She laughed and let him go, continuing walking. Kelli found it weird at how little sleep she needed. She could go to sleep at four in the morning, wake up at seven, and not be tired again until two the next morning. Maybe it was because when she did sleep, it was like a rock. Nothing was waking that girl up for anything. Once her parents had to come in and carry her outside because she didn't hear the fire alarm in their house going off. Yeah, it was dangorous but never being tired was worth it. Sleep was overrated anyway. It took up so much time that could be spent doing active and productive things. Kelli nodded as Jonas talked about his past residencies. Her eyes widened a little when he said Scotland. As for Kelli, she would ask her parents where her ancestors came from and they would say Philadelphia. "Wow, that's awesome." She said sincerely. He would have to show her some pictures sometime, she would require it.

"Yeah, I just lived in Colorado. Hence, the hoodie." She said, pulling on the maroon sweatshirt. 'Yep, nothing there but a drugstore, a bar and five feet of snow." She said with a smile. It was easy to tell that Kelli didn't really like the place very much. Of course she was grateful that she grew up there, for she wouldn't be the woman she was today if she hadn't. She couldn't help but being a little bitter about it though."But Scotland, that sounds amazing! Promise me that you will take me there one day." She said jokingly. It would be cool but she couldn't invest too much in this friendship so early on.

Kelli listened to his comment about walking and she just laughed at all the politically correct terms that he used. "Oh great, I'm on a date with a tree-hugger." She muttered jokingly. It was good that Jonas could laugh, otherwise Kelli probably wouldn't be here right now, walking down the street with him. The cute street that was glowing from all the pretty lights. It had a tropical, cheery feel to it and it just seemed like nothing could go wrong in this cute little town. As they walked, Kelli saw a cute little restaurant and she stopped in her tracks. "Let's go here." She said. She hadn't even looked at what type of food they served but she just loved the atmosphere. The dining part of the restaurant was outside in a little courtyard and although there was a live jazz band playing, it didn't look expensive at all. "How about it?" She asked, looking up at Jonas with the question in her eyes.

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[orls]

Hoo boy ... this girl was some lucky Jonas was easy going. He hated being randomly grabbed—he watched too many cop shows for his own good and lived in paranoia that one day they would come and break down his door and find his stash. So, grabbing him randomly wasn’t usually a good idea. If she had been a guy, she’d probably find herself sitting on her ass with a bloody nose. But, as it was, she was a girl, so he managed to give her a tight smile as she teased him for yawning. “I guess it’s a bad idea to be an insomniac around you,” he retorted with a grin. To be truthful, Jonas wasn’t really an insomniac, but he did have periods when he had trouble sleeping. He was currently going through one right now. He’d hit the bed around 10 or 11 and not actually get comfortable until around 1 or 2. He’d finally wind up falling asleep on the couch in front of the silent TV, the softly changing colors washing over him as he snored. It wasn’t much of a life, but it was only about once or twice a month that it happened, and each spell lasted about 3 days each. So, it was something he could live with.

He saw the way her eyes widened when he mentioned Scotland. There were too many memories for him to ever want to go back there. It was a beautiful place, no doubt about that, but he just couldn’t see himself going back ever. It had only been a few years and Jonas just was not ready to go back. But, instead of busting her bubble about how awesome it must have been, Jonas kept silent. He glanced down at her hoodie, not having noticed what it said earlier. “Five feet of snow? Sounds like fun,” Jonas drawled sarcastically. “I think I’ll keep the European rains, personally.” He gave her a quick grin to show that he was joking around with his sarcasm. Some people just didn’t get it.

Try as he might, Jonas couldn’t help the tightening of his mouth when she said he’d have to take her to Scotland some day. He could tell that she was joking around, but he wondered in there wasn’t some seriousness to that comment, as if she might really want to go to Scotland one day with him to see where he grew up. That wouldn’t happen ... Jonas was determined not to go anywhere Scotland for the rest of his natural life. To amend the look he knew he had just given her, Jonas gave her a big grin. “Only if you’ll take me to Colorado first,” he teased.

Jonas was slightly taken aback by her comment about his being a tree hugger. To be perfectly honest, he used those as excuses not to get into cars if he could at all help it. He hadn’t been part of the crash, but just the fact that he easily could have been made him wary of the metal deathtraps. It actually made him a little claustrophobic, to be perfectly honest. “Tree hugger, you say? Hardly ... I’m just claustrophobic and don’t like being shut in cars,” Jonas admitted, though he wasn’t quite confident enough to tell her why he was that way. He looked up when she stopped in her tracks. “Here? Sounds good to me,” he said.

[ferret]

_{ooc: sorry i haven't replied yet! school is weighing down and out of muse! i will reply as soon as i can though!}