it's a family tradition | open

Saturday was always one of Becca's favorite days. When she left her Aunt's home to attend Ashford she had promised to visit her in Calloway every chance she got, but at least once a week she made the trip to see the elderly woman. After everything Ruth had done for her, Becca couldn't manage to stay away very long. 

The leather seats of Pioneer Camp's booths were as familiar as they were annoying, but she found herself ignoring both sensations as she started to worry about Ruth. Unless one of them called ahead to change plans, they always met in her former restaurant to grab lunch before heading home and Becca had been there for almost an hour before her older cousin finally enlisted her in helping out around the place. 

A large crash crash and cursing resounded from behind her, alerting Becca to a spill. A quick glance at the floor let her know it was just water and she grinned slightly. Those messes were always easy to clean up as long as she kept the towel over her hand so no one could see her carry the water to the kitchen. Stooping, she made the practiced movements and picked up the remaining glass with the towel as she moved it. 

Her task completed, Becca grabbed another glass of water and placed it on the table she had just come from. "Here you go! Can I help you with anything else while I'm here?" She asked with a sweet smile. Hey, if she was going to be here she might as well act like a real employee rather than a cousin being held hostage, right?

It was weirdly hot today, which made Liam dry up and droop about as much as it did the flowers in the field. Damn this stupid, chick power. In order to, hopefully, fix his problem, he retreated from his normal spot in the sun to a restaurant in Calloway. Being indoors felt stifling and strange to him. He preferred camping in the woods in his little black tent to hanging out indoors with the roof between him and the sky, but what could he do? It was crazy hot outside.

It didn't take him long to drain and entire pitcher of water and ask for more. It was almost like he couldn't get enough water, which was absurd. The waitress placed another full pitcher of icy water on the table with a strange, shy smile, and scampered off giggling. He shook his head as he grabbed the pitcher and started to pour the water into his glass.

Now, he isn't sure if it was some sort of muscle spasm, or a result of dehydration, but Liam's hand suddenly tensed, the pitched still clasped tightly between his fingers. Unfortunately, the glass he had been pouring the water into slid off the table and shattered across the floor. Water seemed to splatter everywhere and he couldn't help but think it was a terrible waste. If it wasn't such a risk to exposing his bogus power to someone, he would suck the water up off the ground through his fingers like a plant would through it's roots, but that would be weird.

His thoughts were interrupted by a girl's voice. He didn't recognize her and wondered how he could never have seen her before. To him, it was obvious that she was a student at Ashford. The question was, what kind of student? Academy or University? He grinned his dopey, charming grin and shook his head, "No thanks. All good here." He narrowed his eyes at the girl, secretly hoping she wasn't in high school. Not that it mattered how old she was because dating was stupid and a waste of time. But for some reason, he didn't want her to leave just yet, her blue eyes catching his attention like a bit of sunlight finding it's way through a storm cloud, "Actually..." He started, pushing the glass back towards her, "I could use more water."

Becca looked at the guy in front of her for a long moment, trying to decide what he was thinking. She had literally just handed him the glass, but there it was, already empty. Maybe he forgot that there was a pitcher of water half full beside him, but she didn't question it out loud. A light laugh left her lips as she grabbed the pitcher instead of the glass and winked. "This might help you a little more. Just a sec.

It took her less than a minute to fill the pitcher back up, but that was all it took for her to realize that the blonde haired man outside wasn't all that bad looking. She didn't even looking at guys much anymore between her mother and the few ex boyfriends she had managed to find, but still... there was no denying the appeal. Becca barely sat the pitcher back on the table, a witty remark at the tip of her tongue, before her Aunt Ruth came out of nowhere, placed the pitcher on the table, and then took the apron she had been wearing away from her. Something was yelled quickly about breaks and not overworking family members, and before she knew it her bewildered cousin and Aunt were both out of sight.

"It looks like I'm free for a minute then." Whatever the old woman was up to could never be good, but she wasn't going to argue on the off chance somebody left Ruth alone long enough to grab one of those wooden spoons.

There was a series of events that Liam couldn't, or more likely didn't bother to, follow. He watched the apron get taken away and heard he mention that she had a break. Ah, that was his cue to respond. He grinned that same devilish grin and motioned at the seat across from him, "Then please join me." He insisted, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

He picked up the glass and filled it before guzzling down another glass of water. He could finally feel the hydration spreading through his body. The water gave him energy and made him slightly ADHD if he wasn't careful. And unlike most normal people, too much water could kill him more easily. Maybe it was the danger factor of spending time with a hydrokin that attracted him to the girl, "So, you going to Ashford?" He asked, genuinely curious.

Becca took a seat across from the stranger and could've sworn she heard laughing from the back room. Deciding to ignore her family for the time being, she smiled at him and nodded. "The university actually. I just come here to visit crazy and crazier on the weekends." A slight nod of her head indicated the kitchen, but it wasn't hard to see who she was talking about. "What about you? Do you go there or is Calloway your stomping grounds?" He looked old enough to be out of the high school at least, but she hadn't seen him before that she remembered. Maybe she just hadn't been paying attention.

Liam narrowed his eyes slightly, leaning forward across the table and steepling his hands under his chin as he looked at her, "Honestly?" He said, "I dropped out before I graduated from the Academy." He said, not ashamed of his decision. In fact, he was mostly interested in her response to knowing she was talking to a high school drop out.

"As long as your powers aren't like, crazy stupid out of control, then more power to you." That was Ashford's main goal, to make people safe to be in public if they decided to leave Calloway, right? Sure there were a few exceptions and education was important to her, but she was also aware that everyone else didn't feel the same way. "I'm not sure I'd still be there if I thought there was somewhere else to go besides here. I've been in Calloway my whole life, so I'll take what little distance I can get for now." Becca tucked a stray piece of hair back behind her ear as she spoke, hoping it didn't sound as bad as it probably did that she was basically going to school so she could run away from home. That was exactly what it was, but no one really needed to know that.

The rare sensation of genuine surprise struck him. So it didn't bother her even a little bit. She didn't want to know what he was thinking or even seemed to care. Even though he should have been pleased with this response, however rare it was, it didn't sit well with him. There had to be a reason it didn't even bother her that he didn't finish school, especially since she was at the University. The two fact he knew about her at this point didn't seem to mesh well in his head, a university student who didn't care about school. How weird...

"Distance, huh?" He nodded slowly, "You know there is an entire world out there just down that dirt road." He pointed at the window to imply the direction he meant. Liam was sure she knew what he was talking about, especially if she really did grow up in Calloway, "Just get in a car and drive away. There's your distance."

"It's not that simple."Becca started, shaking her head and reaching out towards the pitcher for a second. She knew almost everyone else in the restaurant and it didn't bother her even a little bit when drops of water racing down the side hovered in the air for a few seconds before she pulled them all the way to her hand. "If it was, none of us would be here." The community was why they all stayed for the most part. They could have freak accidents or even use their powers on purpose sometimes and no one would bat an eyelash. "Why are you here though? I mean, other than the schools, there isn't much of a reason to stay, right?" Her tone was curious, more so than she usually let on. The part of her that always needed people to at least approve of her existence was screaming that she was treading in to uncharted territory, but she ignored it in favor of concentrating on the two little beads of water on her palm.

He was silent for a moment, watching her manipulate the condensation with deft skill. He leaned back and sucked in a breath, obviously thinking about what she said. Nodding slowly, he grinned and stood up, "You know what," He started, holding a hand out for her to take, "Come with me."

and I don't know how it gets better than this

Go with a stranger? That didn't sound responsible, but still...it was tempting. Her hand was in his before she could talk herself out of it without a second thought. Her purse was close by on the booth she had been sitting at earlier and she threw it over her shoulder, glad that it hadn't been left behind. "So where are we going...?" The question in her voice wasn't just from the obvious change in location, but because she honestly didn't know the guy's name. They hadn't even introduced themselves to each other before running out the door, weirdly enough.

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you take my hand and drag me head first
fearless
created by kendrix

Grinning, they were outside by the time she asked him where they were going. He pointed at his old black pick-up truck, "Asking questions ruins surprises." He said in snarky response, "Trust me, get in." He didn't say anything else before climbing into the driver's seat and leaning across the bench seat to unlock the passenger door. Through the windshield he motioned to her to get in.

and I don't know how it gets better than this

Sure, let's just get in the car with the stranger. No big deal. Even with her snarky inner monologue trying to remind her of the fundamentals of stranger danger and all of those fun lectures the RA gives at the beginning of the year, Becca still didn't hesitate in opening up the door and sliding in to the black truck her new friend had went to. "Surprises are only fun on birthdays and Christmas." She teased, anxious to see where they were heading.

tagged | outfit | notes | music

you take my hand and drag me head first
fearless
created by kendrix

Liam didn't say anything in response to her sarcastic comment. In fact, he managed to stay quiet as he drove, faster than he should have been, out of Calloway and away from Ashford Academy. It occurred to him as he rounded the corner and turned the truck on to paved road that she may have never actually left Calloway. He sure hooped that wasn't the case, but if it was then this was a huge deal. The drive wasn't too long, but it was still long enough to be uncomfortable without any noise. He reached forward and punched the radio, letting it kick on and play vague music through the static of bad reception that was notorious in the park.

Finally he pulled onto a treed dirt road and pulled over the what would have been the curb, "Come on. We have a little hiking to do." He said, shutting off the truck and dropping the keys into his pocket.

The canyon was about one hundred feet below where they parked his truck and the descent was steeper than her remembered but he figured she could handle it. Besides, she would like it when they got to the bottom. He barely knew her but he had decided there was no way she could DISLIKE Lower Falls Point.

When they finally reached the platform at the top of the large waterfall, Liam stopped and looked at her, "You don't have to leave forever, to get some distance." 

and I don't know how it gets better than this

The falls were absolutely breath taking. Becca didn't know how long she stood there, just watching the water flow. Rainbows danced on the surface as they caught the sunlight, creating patterns that she couldn't describe. "Wow. This is amazing." The falls weren't even that far away from Calloway and she didn't know they existed until just now. What kind of justice was that? "Thank you." She finally managed to say, the water continuously calling her back. Part of her wanted to just jump in, but that was why her voice sounded so sincere. Becca had heard of places like this in her text books or the stuff from the library, but had never imagined that it could be right there in her own back yard.

tagged | outfit | notes | music

you take my hand and drag me head first
fearless
created by kendrix