[Houston]-Open-[We have a problem]

[amanda]

"SHIT!" she screamed riveting her body back and forth, allowing her dark brown wavy hair to fly about as she banged two fists against the steering wheel of her car. Quickly reaching into her pocket, she took out her cell phone and speed dialed her father,


“Dad, my car broke!” the girl whined onto the phone,” No, I didn’t smash it this time!” she replied to her father, “It just stopped working!” This obviously wasn’t the first time Amanda had had car troubles. One accident, two parking tickets, and one speeding ticket already corroded the girl’s driving record. “I can’t walk home! I’m in the freakin’ shaks! I don’t know my way around! Plus, there’s no way in hell I’m leaving my car here…wait Dad…” she paused to look at her phone. A high pitched ‘Beep’ signaled to her that her phone was dead.


Throwing her phone into the passenger seat Amanda exited her car slamming the door shut. “Fucking perfect ending to a fucking perfect day” could be heard blocks down, sarcasm ringing in her voice, as she circled the car. “I don’t even know where I fucking am right now,” she explained to herself, “I mean, it’s not that I have anything against the Shaks-I mean I used to live in place just like this-but when I’m lost I’m not gonna be happy. What the fuck was I thinking driving through here?”


Resting her head on the hood of her black Lexus SUV, Amanda closed her eyes and took two deep breathes. Lifting her head more relaxed she started to think of solutions to her ever present problem. Despite the fact that it was a fairly deserted street, she figured that somebody would eventually come along, and that ‘somebody’ would either lend her their cell phone or lead her in the right direction.


Using her arm strength to lift her onto the hood of her car, she sat, and waited for somebody to come along. Smoothing out the black ‘FCUK’ tank top which clung to her torso, and the True Religion jeans which adorned her lower half, she tried to relax but couldn’t help but feel anxiety. Somebody she thought, come soon.

[kaiser]

Maybe he was entertained with the conversation between the girl and who ever else was on the cell phone, after all for once his music was off. But, once the conversation ended he turned back on his CD player, after all, he didn't like to mess with people when they were in a bad mood.

Alas, he kind of popped out of his stark white house, he was wearing dark blue denim jeans, and a bright blue shirt, contrasting colors, yes, but he didn't always follow the crowd. His hazel eyes looked around the block wondering when some one was going to help the girl, and then began thinking that maybe he should.

He stifled a few pressing coughs, and groaned as he leaned back. Was he getting sick again? Probably, knowing him, it's more along the lines of a definite yes. Finally, after a few seconds, he pushed the headphones down to around his neck, the song 'Dairy of Jane' blared from the headphones. Quickly, he pocketed the CD player, and groaned, what was he thinking? He stood up, and then waved slightly, "Hey, do you need some help?" He was thinking that he should probably help those in need, since people might help him when he's in trouble... Big might there though, since not all people are him.

[amanda]

Staring into the distance Amanda went into a daze, kind of like sleeping, with her eyes open. Her mind began to travel and think of everything from the incident at the beach party, to her upcoming sports seasons, to her barely passing grades. Just as she started to believe that nobody would ever help her she heard a voice from above. GOD? she thought, and upon looking up comprehending what they were saying to her facial expression changed drastically.

Her eyes wide she said to the boy above, “Yeah,” trying not to sound as desperate as she actually was, “my car broke down, and I’m not from around here. And my phone broke…” She gave a sigh brushing some wavy stand of hair out of her face, “Can I possibly use your phone? Or…maybe even get a ride home?”

Usually Amanda would have been a lot shyer, but she had seen this boy around school before. She had even hung out with him a few times in big groups, and probably said hi to him a few times at parties. He was a familiar face, and these were dire circumstances.

[kaiser]

"Yeah," Kaiser said, stifling a yawn as he pulled out his keys, opened his front door and grabbed the garage door opener, he pushed down on the button, causing the door to slowly side up wards revealing a Subaru Outback. Not the newest car, but it got the job done.

He backed the car out into the street then pulled along the girl's broken car. "Do you want to call a tow-truck or something?" he asked after he had parked the car and opened his door. "Or do you just want to leave it in our part of town?" He didn't say it in a weird way, there were some people he didn't trust that lived in the Shak area either. Speaking of forgetting, he quickly turned around and clicked the button to close the garage door. No need for some methattic to break into their house and steal all the cold medicine now.

Kaiser waited patiently, he wasn't sure how Amanda would react, after all they barely knew each other. Sure, there were a few class assignments, but over all, they were pretty much strangers to each other. So why would some one trust a stranger they barely know? Yeah, there's very little reason.

[amanda]

"Omigod thank you soo much" she said towards him, "you are saving me so much right now" she continued with a huge smile. "This is just not my year so far" she sighed shrugging.

"Anyways, yeah...I should probably call for a tow truck. I don't wanna leave it here.." she paused feeling somewhat awkward, "it's not because I don't trust this part of town or anything" another pause, "I mean I used to live in a place just like this, but.." Oh crap. She talked a lot when she was nervous, or anxious. Taking a deep breathe she said, "My phone died. Can I borrow yours to call?".

Wow she thought, he must think that I'm a total weirdo

[kaiser]

The boy looked around then shrugged, "I don't think I'm exactly saving you, just helping out out. After all, I'm sure some of the houses would've let you stay. Except for that one." He pointed at a house a few streets down. "Never go into that house, I don't like it, and the people that live there are sketchy." Granted, it was the truth, would you trust some one with pealing skin and hair that resembled dry spaghetti?

Kaiser fished inside his pants pockets and pulled out a slim, black flip phone then threw it gently at Amanda. "Catch," he called out. Of course, it didn't really matter if it fell onto the ground, he accidentally stepped on it, laid on it, and jumped on it a few times (let alone the millions of times he let it drop), and yet it seemed to be indestructible.

[amanda]

"Modest one you are" she said with a slight smile. Despite the fact that she over-dramatized most things, she still felt that he was doing more than 'helping her out'. "Oh and I'll definitely remember that next time I'm in this area" she referenced the house he had talked about with a head nod.

Catching the phone easily she smiled at the idea of dropping it. How embarrassing would that have been? The Co-captain of the girl’s basketball team, and the Captain of the girl’s lacrosse team dropping a lightly tossed phone? That would’ve been a bad sign for the seasons to come.

“I like your phone” she said dialing the tow company, which she had called many previous times, and then holding it up to her ear. Talking to the man at the company, she reported the street, type of car, and other details they requested.

“25-40 minutes!” she cried out, “well…do I have to wait here the whole time?” she paused to listen to his response, “No- I’m not leaving the keys in the car unlocked! Ugh, ok, I’ll wait….Bye.” Closing she phone she returned it to him less enthusiastically as she had accepted it.

“I guess it’s gonna be a while, and I have to wait here.” She sighed shrugging again leaning up against her car. “Thanks for the offer though”

[kaiser]

Once more, he pocketed the phone and nodded his head once. "Thanks," Kaiser said with a smile, "it's fun to play games on... I have tetris on it, and chess. But the music it plays for those games are really annoying."

After a few seconds, Kaiser stood up, "You know, you don't have to stand outside, my house is right over there and my mom won't mind if you come in. Besides, she's at work." He had invited friends over before, when his mother wasn't around, and she never seemed to mind, so why should this time be any different?

"Anyways, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you doing here? I mean, the mall and stuff isn't this way, unless they randomly moved things around," Kaiser asked, then suggested, "were you going to the beach?" Curiosity was one of Kaiser's weaknesses, oh how he loved to pry for information about where people were going. Maybe that why his mother said he should be an interrogator when he 'grew up'.

[amanda]

“Really?" Amanda replied softness in her voice, with a smile coming across her face, “that’d be really nice. It is getting kinda cold outside.” Opening up her car door, she grabbed her bag and started to follow him into his house. Upon walking in she had a sentimental rush of feelings bringing her back to when she lived in Lowell.

“What am I doing here, you ask? Well, I was first sitting at the beach, and apparently one of the roads I needed to get home was blocked off. Detour after detour led me around to this area.” She paused lowering her voice a little, “and truthfully, I wanted to see what it’s like around here” continuing with, “you know how snotty some of the people at Valkyrie can be… and I didn’t want to judge a place before I’ve actually seen it. And I’m sad to say that in the 3 years I’ve lived here I’ve never really been in the ‘Shaks’.” She ran her fingers through her hair a little trying to think of something to end the silence. Unfortunately nothing came to mind.

[kaiser]

"Shaks and Valks are really no different, the only difference is money and greed, but in the end, those two things can ruin a family," Kaiser said calmly as he turned the brass door handle. "All the 'rich' families I've been to seem to have a problem, I mean they just seem... So disconnected. Granted, I don't know what your's is like, so I shouldn't judge on the ten or eleven that I've seen."

He opened the door, suddenly, warm golden light crept outside onto the porch, a distinct smell of warm ginger cookies filled the air, along with the slight tinge of smoke coming from the hearth were a smoldering pile of ashes lay. It was as cozy, and small, as a cottage, but at the same time quiet adorable, almost like a doll house, only people sized. "So, this is my home," the teenager admitted. It was pretty orderly, on the fridge, just beyond the counter into the kitchen was a note scrawled with his mother's handwriting.

Kaiser, I went to go get some more groceries and check up on the Nanas, be safe! Love you! <3 -Mom

For a few seconds he was tempted to pick up his cell phone to see if his mother had visited 'Nana' yet, but decided not to. Who was Nana? Well, actually, there are two of them, one is a large, over weight calico cat that used to roam the house with a bell tied around it's tail whom was visiting the vet, and the other was his grandma who was in a assisted living area.

Kaiser scratched the back of his head, "So... Yeah, this is my home, sorry it's kind of small.."

[amanda]

As she walked into his house she immediately felt at home as the smell and cozy appearance invited her in. "Wow" she said almost in amazement, "its not small, it's perfect" with a smile coming across her face. "I would give anything to live in a house like this again". She walked into the house a little more and then turned back to him,

"Yeah, well, it only seem that all of the rich families have a problem because they do. It seems as if once people get a lot of money, their priorities get messed up. They think that maybe a nice Lexus SUV can substitute time spent together" she said making a reference to her own personal experiences. "It's even worse when you used to have all of the time in the world with them" again she spoke about her family, and then, "yeah, my family has some problems too..but you probably don't wanna hear about those." After a small pause she said, "So, is it just you and your mom? Do you have any siblings?"

[kaiser]

"I guess, maybe sometimes people think they can replace love with items or something," Kaiser said as he quickly pulled the note off the fridge and stuffed it into his back pocket. Then he placed his coat on a back of a chair and sat down in a very squish chair. He looked around taking a deep breath and closed his eyes, "Make yourself at home," he stated simply.

Then he opened his eyes, "No, my step dad and my sister live here to. But my sister is busy a lot, so she's not home. Same with my step-dad, he's usually busy, and my mom to for that matter... But, sometimes my dad comes home and so I'm not the single person in this house. Or sometimes I invite friends." Clearly, his step father, and his mother had very busy lives, let alone what his sister did.

He raised up a hand and pointed at a picture of his sister framed, the young woman was laying on a counter top, the wind blowing back her blonde hair while she stared contently at the camera. "That's her," Kaiser said simply. He scratched his chin, and shook his head, "She's out doing modeling work or something like that. I never pay attention to her." He continued to stare at the picture, then slumped over in the chair and stated simply, "She kind of looks like a whore there, no offense or anything, I love my sibling, but hate the picture."

(To see what I mean for the picture, go here: img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/sweetdemon_88/1.jpg)

[amanda]

She took a seat on a comfy looking couch near Kaiser's chair. A sincere smile came across Amanda's face as she heard him talk about his family having busy lives. "I know how that feels," she said meeting her eyes with his, "to be the only one in the house-My dad's often away on business, and my mom's usually with her girlfriends, gossiping with no real meaning to their day. The only company I have sometimes until 10pm is my hamster. That's why I put so much dedication into sports after school-there's really not that much at home.." she stopped as she started to depress herself.

"I'm not usually like this" she said to him somewhat bluntly,"usually I'm a lot more..I don't know...peppy, hyper and exciting. I promise you" she said with a smile, "catch me on another day. Or at a party. Do you go out and party a lot? I've definitely seen you at some before. Are you going to Bridget's party?"

She started thinking about Bridget's and what drama was bound to go down. Hopefully not that much involving her, especially since what happened at the Back-to-School beach party. She also started thinking about possibly going with somebody, unlike last time where she went alone and relied on the alcohol for entertainment.

[kaiser]

"My mom comes home around sevenish," Kaiser stated, "or it least today she should. She has business meetings seemingly everywhere in the effin world. Not sure about 'pops' though." The way that he said 'pops' was slightly sarcastic, showing that he was talking about his step father. Of course, neither him, nor his 'fathers' really got along. After all, his real dad broke his mom's heart, and the other one is a greedy prick.

Kaiser scracted the back of his head and smiled, "It's fine, from the sound of it, you've had an off day. I mean, your car broke, some other stuff happened maybe, I don't know. But, come tomorrow or sometime in the future, it'll all be okay and perfect again. Maybe."

"Oi! Lots of questions," Kaiser said as the smile grew wider, "yeah, I go to quiet a few parties, shh my mom doesn't know. Who's Bridget? Oh! Right, B-day girl, yeah, I plan to go there. I need to meet more people since most people I'm kind of like: I totally don't know you! And then walk away... Granted, I know a few people on the football team.."

[amanda]

Amanda laughed as he explained how he didn't know anybody, "yeah" she said, "it should be fun. We should totally like go together, or like find each other there. That'd be cool" and as she realized what she had just said she paused. Did I just ask him out? Does he know I just asked him out...What?! she thought. This had never really happened before-usually she was the one being awkwardly asked out. She didn't even really like or know this guy. But he was cute, so it was all ok in her opinion.

"Anyways, you play football? I had no idea. Do you play anything else? I play Volleyball, Basketball, and Lacrosse. Sports are kida my thing I guess." she said nodding in assurance. She leaned back into the couch getting even more comfortable than before.