pursuedthestars | Room 222 | Sunday Afternoon

Once upon a time, Jim's weekends had been spent doing every thing possible to get out of his house and away from Frank. He'd stolen cars, run away (not that anyone noticed), gotten into fights, picked up girls and every single thing in between just because everything else bored him.

And what was he doing today? He was reading. He'd chalk it up to the streets being too small in this town to steal a car, running away not holding the shine it used to, fighting causing bleeding which he didn't want to do and girls just being...well, different here than they were back home. There wasn't even a Frank around to piss off (though there was a Jackson).

Jim would have called these sad times a few years ago. Right now, he'd just call it a quiet phase in his life. He'd gotten a letter (two paragraphs long) from his mom that seemed like a freaking form letter yesterday. He'd read it once and tossed it. He hadn't heard from his brother (not surprising).

For the first time, Jim really felt the years that separated this place and back home. He felt it in his bones and in his head and in his heart. It was weird but he internalized it.

That was just his way.

[Open post]

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Jackson was elsewhere in the dorms, annoying other people for a change. But Karolina was here, appearing in the doorway with a little wave.

"Hey, Jim."

"Heya," Jim said, looking up from his book and giving her a little wave. "What brings you to my door this fine afternoon?"

"Nothing, really." She just wasn't great as staying put, and there wasn't much to do on Sundays. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing important," he said, closing the book and tossing it onto the nightstand. It was something from home, something he'd read before and something he tended to read every few months. "Just a book. I maybe know every third word."

That was a slight lie. Or a big lie.

"I don't think that's true," Karolina replied, stepping into the room. Ever the optimist and the one thinking highly of people. "You're not that illiterate."

"Hey, there's a difference between being illiterate and not comprehending what I can read," Jim pointed out. "Big difference."

"Sorry," Karolina replied, and it sounded sincere even if she looked a little amused. (Overly polite was another trait, along with optimism.) "But why would you want to read something you don't get?"

"Boredom?" He shrugged. Truth was, he could understand it (of course) but just didn't like letting on. "And don't apologize, Karolina. No need. How are you doing anyway? You're more interesting than my stupid book."

That was true.

Karolina shrugged. "Fine, I guess? The usual. I haven't talked to Gert since.. well, you know." That slight fiasco. "But I'm kind of um, thinking about getting back in contact with the other her. The one from home."

"Yeah?" Jim asked, nodding. "What will you say to her?"

"Well, um, I was thinking of going back to LA, actually," she said. "You know, and ask them to meet up with me."

"Going back...permanently?" Jim wondered curiously. "I thought you were just making yourself at home."

"No, no no," Karolina replied, quickly, shaking her head. "No, just to... Just to visit, and check in."

Jim nodded.

"Are you worried that they might be in trouble?"

She twisted her lips, and shrugged, and didn't look all too sure.

"I'm worried they might not be happy."

That seemed like the best way to put it.

"You know, not everyone's gonna be happy no matter how good they might have it," Jim pointed out. "Just because they aren't happy doesn't mean things are bad."

"We're teenaged orphan runaways, our parents were the worst criminals California's ever seen, and now we're scattered across the state's child protective services." Yeah. She chewed on her lip. "Things could be better."

"Things could always be better," Jim said ruefully. "You feeling guilty or something?"

It sounded like it.

Karolina shrugged.

"Maybe?"

She wasn't really sure what for, though.

"Why?" Jim questioned. "Because you're happy and they might not be?"

"You think I'm happy?"

Oh, Karolina. Usually people didn't sound that surprised by that.

"Are you not?" Jim retorted. She seemed fairly happy to him.

Karolina couldn't even answer that, not straight away. "Sometimes," she hazarded, after a pause." "Sometimes not."

Things had just been confusing for her for a while now.

"You hide it well," Jim said quietly. "Why aren't you happy?"

Karolina glanced back at the door, as if there was anyone listening in. Or maybe it was just to look away.

"I don't know. It's complicated."

(no subject)

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