Taking a chance... (Michael)

[brooke]

Brooke knew that she couldn't tell anybody about this. She had been coming into this shop on a regular basis now, but if her parents ever got wind of the fact that she was spending any small amount of time on Libery Avenue, and her life was over. Just the same, she had a secret obsession with comic books of all kinds, and knew that the newest issue of The Walking Dead had come out that very morning.

Then, as she walked through the door and the bell rang to signal her arrival, a thought struck her. If her parents were going to force her to get a job, then maybe Mr. Novotny would let her work here! She had never spoken much with the man, but he seemed nice enough, and she knew what she was talking about when it came to comic books. She decided to bring it up later, after she had gotten what she came for.

Walking in, she smiled, looking to see if Mr. Novotny had placed the display out yet.

[Michael Novotny]

Michael looked up as one of his more frequent customers came in to the shop.

"Oh hey Brooke, looking for the new Walking Dead?" he asked. "It's right over there."

[Tadhg Kelly]

Tadhg had decided to take a look at the shops to take his mind off the events of his first day at school. He walked into a promising looking comic book store and saw a girl he could have sworn he'd seen at school somewhere. He tilted his head down so that his bangs slid into his face, obscuring some of his injuries. He quickly walked to the back of the store to avoid talking to them.

[brooke]

Brooke smiled as Michael pointed her in the direction of the newest display, which was full of the new Walking Dead comic. Her face lit up as she walked over and picked one up, taking her time to admire the latest cover's artwork. It was good... better than she could ever do.

She spotted a boy walk in who looked somewhat familiar... it wasn't until she saw him from the back as he hurried away from them that she recognized him as that poor new kid. The one Blane had probably beaten up by now, which could explain why he had covered his face. Poor guy. She made a mental note to talk to him as soon as she talked with Michael.

"Just this today," she said, stalling by looking around the shop. She knew the place inside and out, however, and looking around was pointless. She took a deep breath before just coming out and asking. "Hey, Mr. Novatny... you wouldn't happen to need any help around the shop, would you? After school, or on weekends or anything? If you don't, that's okay... it's just, my dad wants me to get an after school job, and this just seems like the coolest place... you don't even have to pay me a lot. I'd do this stuff for free..." She stopped talking, knowing that she ranted when she got nervous. Brooke knew that if he'd needed help he would have had a sign up or something, but she figured it was worth a try. The worst he could do was say no.

((ooc- I was going to say you didn't have to pay her anything, but that wouldn't be a job, now would it? I was trying to have her implying you could pay her less than minimum wage, you know, illegally pay her under the table or something like that. ^_^ Again, you don't have to say yes, I just thought it'd be fun. Give Michael more time to go out and party. ^_^))

[Michael Novotny]

Michael didn't say anyhting to the kid who walked into the store, he seemed to want to be left alone. He was hot, but way to young for Michael's taste. maybe he'd tell Brian about him. . .he seemed to be into robbing cradles. . . It was then that Brooke came up to make her purchase. He rang up the comic, but she seemed to have a pressing question.

"You want to work here?" Michael reiterated. . .why did kids always have to call him Mr. Novatny? It always made him feel older: he was only 29. "I guess I could use some extra help. . . . no you can't work for free. Just. . .I guess, write down your schedule for me so I know when you're free."

[brooke]

Brooke's face lit up like a small child's on Christmas morning. "Really?" she asked, unable to believe that Michael had really just agreed to let her work here. She grabbed the notebook from her bag and started to write down her schedule right away. "I can come in any time after three thirty Monday through Thursday. Friday's are out, football games," she said, not mentioning that she was a cheerleader. "And weekends are open too." It was a simple schedule, and it worked well for her. "Thank you very much for letting me... I know I kind of put you on the spot, but if I didn't find something soon my dad would have set me up at a McDonalds somewhere," she said, grimacing at the thought as she handed him the paper. She'd put her name, address, and phone number on the paper as well.

[Michael Novotny]

"It's not a problem," Micahel assured her. "You can start tomorrow if you want. It's not that difficult. Explaining things willonly take 10 minutes or so."

[Brian Kinney]

Brian strode into Micchaels' comic book shop, not even caring that he was interupting anything. He walked right up to Michael, casting a sidelong glance at the girl waitin gat the counter.

"This will only be a minute," he said carelessly.

"We're going to Woody's tonight," he said simply. "You, me, Ted and Emit. 9:00."

[Michael Novotny]

"Brian you can't just barge in here while I'm talking to a customer," he asid sharply. He sighed when Brian continued speaking: talking to Brian wasaa lot like talking to a concrete wall sometimes.

"Fine, I'll be there," he said, rolling his eyes exasperatedly. He smiled nonetheless. "Now leave so I can continue doing my job."

[Brian Kinney]

"Good man, Mikey," Brian said clasping Michael's chin in his hand and kissing his forehead. "See you at ten."

He turned back around and left the shop at a leisurely pace.

[Michael Novotny]

"See you," he said shking his head at Brian's retreating form. "Sorry about that, my friend Brian, but anyway just stop in tomorrow around four and we'll go from there."

[brooke]

Brooke just smiled up at Brian as he walked through the door. She had been such a frequent customer at the Comic Book store that she had seen him in here often as he talked with Michael. She knew he was gay, and that he had quite a history. She didn't mind him interrupting because he was eye candy, even if he was a little rude.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said, still smiling. "Four sounds great! I'll see you then!" Brooke turned to leave the store before she remembered the kid in the back. She turned back around and made her way back to where he had snuck off to.

"Hey... hey, you! Sorry, I don't know you're name..." she waited to see if he would acknowledge her.

[Tadhg Kelly]

Tadhg looked up, startled. He was holding a copy of an x-men comic book with Gambit on the front cover, and closed it casually.

"Tadhg," he replied calmly. "What's up?"

[brooke]

Brooke took a deep breath. "Tadhg. Nice name. I'm Brooke!" she started, but had to remind herself that this wasn't a social visit. "Listen, just hear me out before you jump to conclusions or anything, kay?" Brooke sighed. "So, look, I wanted to apologize for Blane. He was really out of line... he always is... he's an ass. And I know that apologizing for him isn't going to make anything better, but... he's an ass, and I feel like I have to. For my own sake." She didn't know why she was doing this, but she had felt very, very upset after this afternoon. "I just didn't want you to judge me on him, you know? I've lost a lot of good friends that way." Brooke never came out and said that she was Blane's girlfriend, but it was implied enough.

((ooc- that post was ranting crap. Sorry!))

[Tadhg Kelly]

"You don't need to apologize. You didn't duct tape me to a chair. Why would I judge you?" Tad said, silently feeling as though anyone who associated with Blane willingly was proabably not going to be one of his friends.

He didn't mind admitting about the chair because from the way she spoke, she would find out from the Blane guy anyway. He shook his hair back out of his eyes, it was always getting in the way, and found that he also didn't really care if she saw his injuries anymore.

"So are you two going out or something?"

[brooke]

Brooke had to force herself not to wince at his injuries. Stupid Blane, why did he always have to go and do things like this? Didn't he realize what kind of position that was putting her in? She felt like it was partially her fault because she couldn't make him stop, no matter how hard she tried. And boy, did she try!

"Thanks. I know it isn't really my place, but I always feel pretty bad about it. I can't do anything to stop him, though. I've tried."

She appreciated Tadhg's honesty, and the fact that he didn't seem too bothered by the events, even if he really was. The fact that he was hiding any pain or discomfort made her feel a little bit better.

Brooke was started to realize that she didn't want to admit to going out with Blane. That had never happened before, and she felt rather guilty about that as well. "Yes... if you can call it that." The two had very little in common any more, and rarely held intelligent conversations about anything.

[Tadhg Kelly]

"Don't sweat it," Tad assured her. He could hear the indecision in her voice when she answered his question.

"If you don't like him, why are you dating him?" he asked immediately. "Sorry it's none of my business."

[brooke]

Brooke smiled. "No, really, it's okay. I don't mind. It's just... well, you've seen what he can do. Look what he did to you! No offense," she added hastilly. "I can't help but think of what he'd do to me if I tried to leave him. He has anger issues, and he's a lot stronger than me." She paused. She knew that Tadhg wasn't angry with her, but she also knew that she could relate to Blane's 'victims' better than they knew. She rubbed at her wrist without really being aware she was doing it.

[Tadhg Kelly]

"I'm pretty sure that's what professional's call an unhealthy relationship," Tad said no half-seriously. "Isn't there someone who could protect you or something. It seems to me like your playing with fire."

He didn't know why, but he felt that he kind of liked this girl. Was it just as a apossible friend?

[jewls]

((Can we assume that this is after he went to the diner?))

Jewls knew that Jude was having a very rough day so on her lunch break she decided to go the comic book store and buy him a comic to cheer him up. Luckily, Jewls new exactly what Jude liked; almost anything by Marvel Comics especially Wolverine or Xmen. When Jewls entered the shop the first thing she saw was Tad, whom she had seen at the diner not to long ago. Jewls blushed slightly when she saw Tad; she was kinda starting to like him, but then she notice him talking to some blond girl. Jewls heart sank; she could be his girl friend could she? He just moved into town, he couldn't have a girlfriend already!

"Oh, hey Tad. How's it going?" she said thinking it best to say something rather than ignore him.

[brooke]

Brooke surprised herself by how open she was being with Tadhg. She'd just met him, Blane obviously hated him, and yet... there was just something about him. "It's just until the end of the year, I guess, and then we'll be off to different colleges. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. I tried to leave him once, but-" Brooke stopped speaking then. Partially because the memory of trying to leave Blane over the summer made her want to cry (which she refrained from, though her face gave away her emotions clearly), and partially because there was a girl walking up towards them. Even though Brooke didn't recognize her as a student at St. James, she couldn't risk word getting around to Blane about what she'd said. She blushed a little at how open she'd been, and looked from Tadhg to the other girl.

"I've got to go," she said hastily, averting their eyes as she turned and walked briskly out of the comic book shop. She was afraid that she was becoming too free with her emotions, and that Blane might find out. Plus, she had to be ready for her date tonight with Blane. She only had an hour to change and get ready!

[Tadhg Kelly]

"But what?" Tadhg said seriously. He was beginning to hate this Blane kid. He had to think of some way to get him back.

While he was musing, Jewls came into the store and said hello to him. He turned to her and grinned casually.

"Oh hey Jewls," he said. "Okay, I guess. I was just talking to Brooke. She goes to St. James with me."

He didn't feel the need to explain that she was dating the kid who kicked the shit out of him to Jewls. It would only upset both girls. Brooke quickly said she had to go, and left the store.

"Wait, what?" Tad said thrown off. "Umm okay bye . . . .guess she ahd somewhere to be."

[jewls]

"Nice to met you Brooke." Jewls barely had time to say before the girl practically ran out of the store. "I-ah, guess so." She said as she watched the girl leave before turning back to Tad, "Um , well I'm just here to buy Jude a comic book to cheer him up a bit. So. . I'll ah, just get to it then." Jewls began to look through the shelves of comic books for just the right one for Jude.

[Tadhg Kelly]

"Well I can help look," he replied, flicking his hair back into his face unintentionally. "What does he like?"

[jewls]

Jewls blushed slightly; she didn't expect Tad to help her. "Oh, ah, well he has a real boner for Wolverine." she said, "And he does like Batman, but prefers Wolverine."