Picnic Shindigs (Exxie)

[Ainsley Cooper]

It was a bright cheery fall day, the sun was warm and there was no breeze to add a chill to the air. It was a perfect day for an adventure. Ainsley had first called on Jodie, but she had either been sleeping or not in her dorm, so he had slid a note under the door telling... no, demanding had been the better word, her attendance to a picnic.

Jodie!

It's fucking gorgeous outside! I don't know where you are, but when you get this, come down to the park that's off campus. If you don't know where it is, ask one of the teachers. I want to see your face, so you better show up! I'll be there until the sun goes down, so hurry up and get your ass to the park!

-Your annoying friend,

Ainsley

Post Script: We have sandwiches.

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Ainsley, however, had managed to get Zeke to come with him. They walked side by side. Ainsley was a good six inches taller than Zeke and much thinner. Zeke was in a big off the shoulder purple sweater and skinny jeans, and Ainsley in pinstripe dress pants and a white dress shirt with a black vest.

"I only came because I like you." Zeke muttered. "You know I don't like being put on the spot with meeting new people!" She whined.

"Ah, come on, we dun even know if she's goin' ta show, cool yer jets."

Ainsley found a nice place in the center of the park and laid out a ratty plaid sheet down on the grass and set down his bag on the corner and flopped down. "She's nice, and friendleh too, I wouldant worry about it. Cute too." He gave Zeke a wink. "She's definitely your type."

"God, Ainsley, don't make this more awkward than it's already going to be." She moaned, sitting down next to him. "You know I'm shy!" She pleaded, pushing him over. Ainsley flopped easily, rolling onto his back and tucking his arms behind his head. "Well, ya dun hafta kick around too long if ya dun like her, but come on, Ezekiel, I like her, and that'd usually a good sign, ain't it? I like you afta all and yer were a good choice in friend."

[Exxie]

Jodie had been doing her laps at the pool. She liked to exercise plenty, and swimming was something she had actually been able to do in her childhood besides read. She came back to her room to discover a note when she opened the door. Crouching down, Jodie picked it up and read it quickly. A picnic, huh? And...we? Well then...someone new to meet. Ainsley was obviously introducing her to someone. Jodie shrugged. Well she might as well go. It wasn't like she had anything more interesting to do. She walked to the park.

Eventually she saw the two people. Jodie walked over and overheard the tail end of their conversation. The girl thought it would be awkward? And she was shy. Interesting. Ainsley said that she didn't have to stay long if she didn't like Jodie and a slight smile tugged at the corners of Jodie's lips.

"Yeah. It's like Ainsley says. I won't be offended in the least if you feel like you want to leave. But don't let shyness get in the way of not making new friends. That wouldn't be nearly as much fun. Believe me, I know." Jodie sat down on the sheet, smoothing out her hair slightly.

"Sorry. I was at the pool again. That's why you couldn't reach me in the dorm." She looked at the other girl.

"I'm Jodie Ree-shar. And inside, I'm probably just as shy as you are." She just put a lot of effort into being more outgoing. Half of her mind was screaming at her not to reach out actually. But it was the other half Jodie knew she had to listen to. She looked at Ainsley.

"I assume this is your friend Zeke? Just assuming here because no-one's, you know, actually introduced myself except me yet." Jodie chuckled a bit. It was sort of a cautious chuckle. After all, she still wasn't sure of herself in this situation.

[Ainsley Cooper]

Zeke jumped visibly, and gave a little yelp. "Gah! You snuck up on me!" She exclaimed quietly. "And I'm sure I'll like you..." She said quietly, blushing deeply. "I didn't mean to be rude or anything...." She mumbled, looking down at her knees. Wow, great start. She really hoped that she was as cool as Ainsley said and she hadn't blown it yet.

"Sure is, and ain't ya a sight fer sore eyes." He said, smirking slightly. "Didn't thank you'd come so quickly." Ainsley told her. "And you'd be right, give the girl a nickle."

"Zeke Wilkin." She introduced, holding out a hand from where she was sitting. "Nice to meet you. Ainsley told me a bit about you."

"Sure did, I talk bout the people I like. Why dun cha sit a spell?" He offered, and he moved over to make room for her. "We've got roast beef, turkey and cucumber if yer vegetarian." He smiled, pulling out the saran wrapped sandwiches. They were courtesy of the school cafeteria. "I would go swimmin' if I knew how, biggest pool I ever been in was the back of a pick up trunk with tarp in da back. A real redneck pool." He brayed a sharp laughter. "Maybe ya coul' teach me some time."

Zeke smiled, "I like swimming. It's relaxing." Her smile was shy and timid. "So your new here?" She asked. "What's your power?" She asked quietly.

[Exxie]

Jodie heard the exclamation from Zeke and it made her smile slightly. And the embarrassed sort of recovery too. When she heard Zeke say Ainsley had told her a bit about Jodie, she grinned, feeling a bit more comfortable with these people. That was always key with her. If she became comfortable with them, she was far from shy anymore. Ainsley said the types of sandwiches and she put her hand on her chin, trying to decide. She finally decided on turkey. She didn't like red meat much. Ainsley said about not knowing how to swim and the redneck pool and unfortunately she had just taken a bite of her sandwich. Jodie coughed for a moment, but then she blinked and looked at him.

"Seriously? Whoa." Jodie didn't quite know what to say. She didn't think she would have been able to stay in her room most of the day if she hadn't been able to swim also. She listened and the other girl said she liked swimming. That it was relaxing. Jodie bit her lip then just let it go and grinned.

"It isn't like that for me. I get competitive with myself when I swim. Laps. It's my way of relaxing though, so I guess in a way you're right." She heard the question and she shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm fairly new. And I know my powers have something to do with light. Except, I haven't figured out what sorts of stuff I can do yet. Speaking of which..." She turned to Ainsley.

"I haven't been practicing, but they've been showing up more anyways. It was embarrassing in the office the other day. All I did was snap my fingers in a conversation and it killed the lights for a bit." Jodie rolled her eyes.

"I would offer to teach you how to swim, except I'm really not good at teaching anyone anything. I mostly just internalize the knowledge. Swimming is just part of what I know I can do." Jodie shrugged. She didn't really know how to explain it. It was kind of like her parents knowing how to kill someone. They had probably learned at some point, but then they really couldn't teach it.

[Ainsley Cooper]

Ainsley laughed at her reaction. "Well, we was poor and it was easy to get bored, but we had some pretty ingenious people livin' neck ta neck wid' us." He smiled widely. "We had ta do somethang to pass the time."

Zeke picked at the grass beside the blanket, unable to look up at the new girl. She was so pretty. Zeke's heart was racing and she felt... weird, shaking. Luckily, Ainsley was still talking. He was good like that, it was like he had a filter on that didn't allow for awkward silences, it worked for her while she tried to think of something to say.

"You turned off the lights?" Ainsley exclaimed loudly. "Well that's new! I thought you could only create light...Maybe you can.. I dunno, like absorb light and use it or somethang."

"Are you practicing your power?" Zeke muttered meekly. "I can't control my power very well, but I've been practicing... and it's easier now." She slowly faded from fully there, to kinda there to not there at all. But her voice still came from where she was sitting. "Before... I could only do it if I felt rejected or really shy, but now I can do it whenever I want." She turned back so they could both see her and smiled, looking down at the blanket.

"Maybe you just have to find out what triggers it."

Ainsley nodded. "Mine came round when I was feeling like I got the short end of the stick, but I learned how to manifest regardless of ma feelins. And as fer that swimming date, maybe I coul' just ome with ya and see if I take to it naturally or not."

[Exxie]

Jodie could definitely see that being bored could trigger that sort of interesting exercise. Then she heard his exclamation about the lights and she laughed.

"Maybe I can do both or something. I dunno. But I was just out of the office. They were giving me a warning. And it really didn't improve the office lady's opinion of the 'trouble-maker' when the lights flickered off. BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN HER FACE!" Jodie made quote marks with her fingers around trouble-maker. Then she laughed after she finished talking. When Zeke spoke quietly and asked if she was practicing her power, and then proceeded to demonstrate her power, Jodie's eyes widened. Then she told Jodie what the trigger had been at first and it made Jodie feel a bit sad. But she recovered from that feeling quickly and answered.

"I've practiced a little bit out of curiosity, but I still kind of resent having powers. I do know it is connected to my emotions to some extent though. When I'm happy, I glow. Just ask Ainsley. I light up like a candle." Jodie rolled her eyes.

"My powers showed up just before my sixteenth birthday. I think it had something to do with the tanning bed. Moral of the story? If you want to stay normal, stay away from tanning beds, which will inevitably make you abnormal anyways." Jodie laughed.

"Well then we should definitely do that. But let's call it a hangout please. You and I both know date wouldn't work." She smirked.

[Ainsley Cooper]

Ainsley pretty much shrieked laughter at that, although it had an airy quality to it. He fell back on the blanket. "Well shut ma mouth and call me George!" He exclaimed, breathless. "I hate that bitch so much! I woul' 'ave payed a million dollars if I had it ta see it!" His laughter turned into a silent clicking in the back of his throat.

Zeke giggled lightly, putting a hand up to cover her smile, as if somehow she was ashamed of smiling it. "She even thinks I'm a bad kid... I'm pretty sure she's convinced all of us are."

Finally Ainsley sat up, wiping tears from his eyes, which left black smears from the eyeliner he had clumsily applied earlier in the day. "Oh that's good..." He moaned. The boy had paled considerably, but not laughing was so hard... He once again had the nagging thoughts at the back of his mind. How long until the oxygen tank at his side like a loyal dog? How long until the oxygen tent in a hospital room? But they were just background noise he was used to ignoring now.

"Tanning bed? Ugh, gross." He stuck out his tongue at the girl. "Tanning is fer the biggity people who buy into that nonsense they sell in magazines fer money." He moaned. "I didant take ya ta be that type, Jodie."

Zeke kept her mouth shut, who was an avid buyer of Cosmo magazine and followed the tips and fashion nearly religiously. "Ainsley doesn't date people." Zeke said quietly, "At least as far as I've ever seen."

"Naw, the datin' thang ain't really fer me." He nodded firmly. "A swimming hang out then." He grabbed one of the sandwiches and bit into it, then talked with his mouth full. Ainsley was not one for manners other than his 'Thank ya ma'ams and his Yes please sirs. "So how're ya liking it here so far? Met anyone else that ain't me or Zeke?"

[Exxie]

Jodie heard Ainsley's exclamation and it just made her laugh harder. She even heard Zeke giggling, and then heard the words and Jodie just arched an eyebrow.

"You can turn invisible? How would that work for a kid in trouble? Oops, I might get caught, someone's coming I'll just turn invisible. Yep. Lady's definitely got it in for us. Maybe she's just jealous. Or maybe she got a lame power or something, like snail slime. That would suck enough for her to be a total bear...oh wait! She could have bear-related powers." Jodie tapped her fingers against her chin and put on an accent.

"I vill have to zink on zis." When Ainsley made the comment about tanning, she wrinkled the top of her nose.

"I wasn't. My sixteenth birthday was the party my parents envisioned to introduce me to the world, AKA their socialite and business friends. I had no friends, therefore they invited theirs. Perfectly logical in whatever universe they were living in. But it meant that they wanted me to dress up, and that included my mother's idea of me getting a killer tan without sending me off to one of those nice warm sunny places." Then she heard Zeke say that Ainsley didn't date people and she chuckled.

"Yeah. Sounds good. Swimming's always good. I swim basically every morning. Gotta keep in shape. I use it to work off my anger, and my donuts, and my ice cream, and..." Jodie laughed.

"I've met a few people already. Jacques Darby for one. And...a girl with wings. And the guidance counsellor, and the mean office lady. Other than you two, that's basically it for now." She just shrugged.

"What about you two? Who've you met around school? I have to say, I'm relieved I met you two at places other than the office. The rest of the people I've met I met in the office. That should be a bad thing, right? Ainsley, you've been a bad influence on me. I've been in the office a lot! And I need someone to blame it on." She grinned.

[Ainsley Cooper]

Zeke shrugged. She had never been sure why the woman had never liked her. She had never done anything overly wrong before. Just smoking pot, but who didn't do that now a days? "Maybe it's because my power CAN be used for bad things and they'd never know, like peeping in the girls change room... NOT!" She threw up her hands defensively. "Not that I ever would! I do have SOME moral integrity."

Ainsley shook his head, Zeke was always putting her foot in her mouth in some way or another. He made a face at the picture that Jodie painted of her family. "Well that about takes the cake, rick folk are crazy ain't they?" He asked, quirking up an eyebrow.

"I dun thank me or y'all need ta swim ta loose any weight." He pulled at the flesh on his arm. He didn't get much. He was a skinny little thing already. Zeke was always kind of jealous of his thinness, but then again, he threw up a lot of what he ate, and she didn't think like THAT was any fun. And she liked food way too much to actually just stop eating it.

"But we can swim for fun." Ainsley smiled. "Oh? You've met Jacques?" Ainsley smirked widely, remembering their little encounter. "He's hot, ain't he?" He questioned. "And I've meet a punk girl and a sourpuss named Atticus. They weren't all that fun. Stiff. An' then, naturally, I've met the guidance counselor, the principal and the receptionist... They know meh pretty good up there."

[Exxie]

Jodie heard Zeke make the comment about peeking into the girls' changing rooms. Okay...a girl who that occurred to...slowly processing...then she answered.

"Okay...so that was somewhat unexpected. Unless you have an explanation, I'm just gonna go ahead and ignore that." Jodie just smiled, friendly. She did understand. And Ainsley would know that she did know somewhat. But she wasn't ready to trust someone she barely knew with that. Ainsley was an exception, because he had seen. She hadn't meant to reveal it, but now that he knew, it was cool with her. When Ainsley reacted to what she had said about her family, she made a face back at him.

"Hey hey. Technically I'm rich too. Poor now, sure. But I'm still rich at heart." She laughed.

"Yeah, you definitely don't need to. But me? I have a big sweet tooth. But swimming for fun would be good. You've met Jacques too? We just talked quickly in the office." Hot...hmm...Jodie grinned.

"Meh. He's good looking sure. But the word hot is reserved for those of my type." She chuckled. A punk girl and a sour puss? She just listened quietly. Guidance counselor, principal and receptionist. Jodie nodded.

"I'd imagine. They're starting to get to know me too. And on top of that, I've been pestering them for fun." She smirked.

"I think they're getting sick of me 'bout now." She picked up her neglected sandwich and took a few big bites before chewing and swallowing. She ate a lot. This sandwich would probably be the equivalent of a snack for her. That was another reason she swam. She always had a monster appetite, whether she exercised or not. And it never increased if she swam. Just stayed the same. Might as well make the best of that.

[Ainsley Cooper]

Zeke blushed a deep pink across her cheeks, bowing her face so her scene hair fell in a curtain. "Um, oops." She muttered quietly. "I meant boys." Zeke said really quietly, "Unless your into that kind of thing, then I meant girls for sure." Her hands wrung anxiously. "I hope I didn't offend you... I'm bisexual, technically..."

"No need to be ashamed! A whistling woman and a crowing hen never comes to a very good end!" Ainsley exclaimed, slapping a hand onto Zeke's shoulder. "Ya gotta be who ya are, I wouldn't bring around a homophobe! Trust meh!"

Zeke smiled at him, tucking the hair behind her ears and then fiddling with the ring that hung from her septum. "Well here, it doesn't matter if your rich or not, all your meals are already paid for."

"CAN I HEAR A HALLELUJAH!" Ainsley interjected.

"My family is middle class, so I guess I know the ups and downs from both worlds... A little." She laughed quietly, she was still nervous, but having Ainsley around always helped her warm up to people faster. He was a good judge of character not to mention he always cracked jokes and didn't care if people liked him or not. It helped her not just aim to please. It was easy for her to be something she wasn't if it meant that they would like her.

"I very rarely go to the office, but I'm much harder to catch." She giggled softly, once again raising a hand in front of her mouth. She didn't like the gap between her front teeth. It was an unconscious action that she was hardly aware of doing.

"Well, honestly, he ain't my type neither." Ainsley said, "But that ain't gonna stop me from havin' fun, ya ken?" He smiled darkly. "I ain't the datin' kind of guy, so better ta just go hog wild."

[Exxie]

Jodie realized by the quick backpedalling Zeke was doing...well, she had to admit her heart kind of leapt. When Ainsley said he wouldn't bring around a homophobe, she smiled.

"Neither would I. That includes myself. Unless, of course, the person's a relative of mine. I have a few relatives who aren't cool with LGBT unfortunately. Ainsley already knows, but...I'm bi myself. I just don't want anyone who doesn't understand to know it, y'know? And I'm assuming since you're pretty quiet and bi yourself, you might know how to keep it to yourself." Her cheeks turned a bit red. She wasn't used to talking about it. Then she turned to Ainsley.

"Just for the record? That thing about the hen and the whistling woman? Didn't make sense. I'm holding out for the hope that your metaphors and sayings make sense to me the second time I hear them. Otherwise, there's no hope whatsoever." Meals were paid for. Yep. Check. Jodie just nodded. There wasn't much to say to that. Middle-class. So somewhere in the middle did exist. She just hadn't been aware of it. Jodie heard Zeke say she rarely went to the office and she narrowed her eyes in a fashion that clearly said 'duh'.

"If I could turn myself invisible, I don't think I'd be going to the office much either. Instead I'm little miss freaky flashlight, AKA the amazing human glow-worm. I really need to figure out other uses for my powers other than light up the dorm hallway at night." Jodie laughed, grinning. The coolest part of her powers currently was being able to make fun of them. So many derogatory names for a light manipulator. Better yet, nobody could get upset because, after all, she was talking about herself. Poking fun at herself was the most fun. She noticed Zeke raised a hand in front of her mouth when she laughed. Made her wonder if the girl had turkey in her teeth or something. It was sad what the curious and inquiring human mind could come up with.

"Yeah well unlike you, I have limits set for myself. Lines that I do not cross. There's things I can come to term with myself doing, and things I cannot." Jodie gave a lopsided smile before looking at Zeke. She picked up her sandwich and waved it a bit in the air.

"You guys gonna eat or is it just me? Because seriously...me being the only one eating is feeling a little piggish for even me right now." She took a large bite. Mmmm turkey. As she chewed, she actually looked at Zeke for the first time. A striking appearance, to be sure. But Jodie admitted, she had too busy talking to the two to actually look at what she looked like. Kind of cute. Oh boy. No, that was one of her lines, drawn right there. Look and think, but think no further.

[Ainsley Cooper]

Zeke was surprised when she mentioned she was bisexual herself, but it was a pleasant surprise. Finding girls who liked girls was rather difficult. The girl smiled, lips pressed together. It was mostly for herself, her heart was fluttering again now that she knew there was even a remote possibility of returned feelings in the future. "Yea, I won't spread it around. I don't exactly advertise... But Ainsley would have given me a good slap if I hadn't told the truth."

"Maybe not a slap, but I woul' 'ave given ya a good death glare." He giggled. "And not many people understand what in the hell I'm talkin' about. They're all sayin's from back home, most people in the country in Texas woul' understand. You'll get ta know them eventually. That sayin is, old woman crow, as in their voice and hen's are more prone ta whistle, so one shouldn't do the other cuz it's bein' somethang they ain't." He explained. "I dunno, some of em are pretty weird." He laughed. "I dun even get some of them myself, like, Don't let the tail wag the dog.... I know it means that the leaders are leaders, not the people... Ma usually said it ta me when I wasn'd listening ta her."

Zeke picked up a sandwich under her urging. She nibbled at one of the cucumber ones as she listened to the two. Ainsley, standards? Since when?

"I ain't got time fer standards, gotta.. Erm, whats the proper one fer it, not yolo... Carpe Diem. Gotta seize the day, ain't that what they say?" He shrugged, taking a large bite of his sandwich. He was a chronic talk with your mouth full kind of guy. "I mean, I dun got nothin' I wouldant do, I dun thank there is nothin." He nodded. "I love doin' thangs that I wouldn't normally do, like gettin' in cars with strangers and the like."

Zeke had taken advantage of the time Ainsley spent talking and polished off two cucumber sandwiches. She licked her fingers to get a few crumbs off them. "I like some limits... I like knowing what I will and won't do...I would never go after a killer like they do in the movies." She giggled. "I would just run away."

[Exxie]

Jodie laughed when she heard Zeke say Ainsley would've slapped her. Then she listened to Ainsley explain the whole sayings bit and she chuckled. Then he explained that he didn't have time for standards. Carpe Diem, huh?

"Well, I'm always afraid I'll do something I'll end up regretting. Oddly enough, this feeling doesn't hit while I'm doing something that I know will end up with me apologizing in the office." She tapped her chin before reaching down and finishing off her sandwich and taking another, this one cucumber. Yum. Then Jodie saw Zeke had finished off a couple sandwiches. That certainly made her feel better about digging in. When she spoke about not going after a killer like in the movies, it gave her a weird sort of feeling and she just looked down at her sandwich for a moment. Then she looked up.

"I wouldn't go after a killer either...although I might ask a few of my contacts if they knew the guy. Or if they were the guy. Then I might ask my sister to go after him. I'm just an amateur though, so it wouldn't safe for me." Then she turned red again.

"Oops. That was hypothetical, wasn't it? My family's a bunch of assassins. On either side of the law. Even I don't know a lot of their real names." That was the reason why she could tell people. They were masters of disguise, so she wouldn't be able to identify the way they really looked if she had a photo in front of her.

[Ainsley Cooper]

"Maybe that's because all one ever gets is a slap on the wrist." Zeke smiled, this time her hand didn't come up, showing off a bright smile with a gap between her two front teeth. Her nerves were finally settling. "Or at least Ainsley gets away with bloody murder." She giggled.

"No I dun't!" He exclaimed, brushing the comment away with a lazy wave of a hand.

"Do so! You broke like five windows and only got detention."

"Yeah, I guess." He made a face, wrinkling his nose. "But it's detention with the very very boring history teacher, now explain ta me how that's gettin' off light!" He whined. History was his weakest subject and now he had a whole five hour detention with the teacher who specialized in tormenting him. "I hate history." Ainsley sighed and took a bite of his sandwich, which in turn, he forgot to chew after Jodie's statement. He closed it slowly, chewed briefly until he could talk again, then opened his mouth wide and proceeded to put his foot into it, metaphorically speaking.

"WHOA, YOU'RE LIKE, A NINJA?!"

Zeke leaned down and put her face into her palm. "Wow Ainsley, that one takes the cake..." She muttered, oh god, she was using his dumb southern sayings too now. "Not ninja, assassin, they are different, you know."

"Whoa, that is like, so cool, ya ken? So flipping cool! I... Do you kill people?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her. "Not that that's a bad thang, ya? So long as the people deserve it, ya know?"