Socializing 101: FAIL. FAIL. FAIL. (Zack >.>)

[Zack]

Zack smiled.

"For making you feel lonely."

Well, he smiled.

[seishounohana]

(Wow... Albert, when you mean short. It is. wow. XD -high fives-)

Emily smiled back, and for once it wasn't really forced... or the kind of smile she does when she bites people's limbs off. It was a genuine smile. Interesting. She shook her head, "No, not at all... You're not making me... feel lonely."

She giggled lightly, without intoxication ... for once. "Mmm, I feel happy right now. I'm just glad you bothered to talk to me, even though I am random and ... crazy."

Emily looked around, and blinked. "Right... I... should give you something." She took her black bag and rummaged amongst the contents. Emily handed to him what looked like to be a newly published manga - well, obviously... it was HER manga.

"This wasn't supposed to be released in Japan until next week so... here you go." She said smiling, "It's for being ... my friend, I suppose? Would you want Kari Aoyama to Autograph it or something?"

She blinked and tilted her head to the left, waiting for a reply.

[Zack]

Refusal would be complicated if not rude. He accepted the craft with both hands and smiled again. It was strange to another human being but also very comforting to be able to connect with somebody by the simple flexing of a facial muscle.

"Yes. Please do autograph this."

The overall resulting point was null but felt that this was a memory worth keeping. A simple signature seals the deal so much more. Zack presented the manga back to Emily.

"... Friend?"

Now he wasn't so sure. It was tempting but he was afraid of what her intentions could be.

<It's like I'm paranoid always looking over my back!>

It should be fine... He'll just have to see if he had to fork any money up at any time. That will prove if she was a marketing agent.

[seishounohana]

Emily blinked, "H-how did you know that I'm reffering to myself? I-I mean... I'm not Kari Aoyama..."

"Yes. Please do autograph this... Friend?"

The Filipina did sign though, using Kari's kanji name. Hnn... it was the answer.

"A question mark... Ah..." she trailed off to sigh once more, "I guess I've been too weird to actually gain your trust, eh?"

Her hands went to her hips after giving him back the manga.

Yeah, she failed in socializing. Real bad. Seriously.

A total disaster.

Very reassuring. -sarcasm-

[Zack]

So she went by an alias. Under normal circumstances, that would make her less trust worthy but she didn't seem reluctant to disclose her identity. Again, Zack was unsure about Emily.

"I didn't know you were Aoyoma... san..."

He seemed to have hurt her by doubting her. That behaviour made him worry even more about his trust in her. Was she trying to make him sympathetic and regret what he said? Or did she genuinely see him as a friend?

"Just never had anyone I actually called friend... so I'm... confused..."

[seishounohana]

Her arms and head fell down again in defeat; ghosts could be seen floating around her - irony of a Mangaka who writes about friendship, love and Justice.

This guy - Eh... maybe she picked the wrong person... like always.

Wrong parents, wrong foster parents...

and when she gets the right things it always slips right through her fingers - just like this attempt. "So... am I." she said, much defeat and sadness in her tone of speaking.

'Yes... It feels wonderful, that sadness of yours... c'mere and lemme get at 'im.'

Emily felt her mind rush: she let herself kneel on the ground and popped a pill immediately into her mouth. She would feel a lot more stable a few moments later - the medicines rushing into action. "... damned sedative dependancy..."

[Zack]

Zack didn't back away or move at all. He simply watched and observed.

"Is everything alright?"

Definitely not normal, whatever that may be.

[seishounohana]

Emily shook her head and stood, trying to look as 'alright' as possible. Well, it depends on where your threshold for being "alright" is.

She then replied, "Took my medicine... I should be fine." Emily took a deep breath and forced a smile at Zack. "I... shouldn't be wasting your time. You can go if you want..."

'There you go again with your demen....' The voice then stopped.

Finally.

[Zack]

Or was he wasting her time? She didn't look too stable at the moment, medication was always something he didn't enjoy. The hallways were technically empty now and he was afraid that she wouldn't be able to make it wherever she was going now. Oddly enough, Zack felt an obligation to make sure Emily was safe. Probably because this was the longest and most in-depth conversation he had in an extremely long time. Everyone else decided to respect his space in such a way that nearly no interaction was involved, in a way it was as if he was non-existent. Perhaps it was because this girl made him feel like he was actually part of something greater than himself...

He wasn't sure, feeling human was also something he couldn't claim to enjoy. It brought about many complications and distractions. Still, he figured that Emily would either accept his help, or snap at him so...

"I don't have to be anywhere... do you?"

It was an invitation for company. Zack felt like he was speaking in a language that he himself did not understand, as if someone put the pronunciations in front of him and he was just reading it. The forces in his mind were placed against each other as his defences quarreled with his growing need to belong. The sense of doing what was morally right was driving him to gamble far more than the ante he usually leaves out on the pot. It gets harder to fold when the hand is looking better and you become committed to it.

[seishounohana]

Emily smiled a little, "I... don't actually... don't have work until tomorrow so..."

The Filipina fixed her black messenger bag a little, making sure it was comfortable. It entered her mind that maybe, despite him not trusting her, he wanted company.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked. Emily was supposed to go home to eat dinner... do some pages for her manga... then study... then sleep... Hmm... wow... quite a loaded night.

[Zack]

Really, there wasn't anywhere to be. He would probably just go home and play bass or something and then seclude himself in his soundproof room and turn the subwoofers up to tweak the perfect synth bass patch. Then he'd sleep hopefully before the sun comes up.

"Do you want to... go to the courtyard?"

It was a random place but it didn't feel as oppressive as the halls. He just wanted to chat with Emily, he hadn't done so in a while.

[seishounohana]

Emily nodded, "Sure, I suppose."

Alone with a member of the opposite sex after classes in the school courtyard.

Rem would murder him if he found that out. Darned protective brother, he's not even blood-related to her.

Oh well. She would follow his steps towards the said place, wondering what they'd talk about, and what would be the most appropriate things to have as a topic. Being new to this, socialization thing... was a little weird.

Talking was weird... but somewhat... satisfying.

[Zack]

His shoes squeaked as he turned to head towards the aforementioned destination. In transit he actually thought of something to start a conversation. Congratulations!

"So... where do you work?"

Well... it was a start...

[seishounohana]

"The Deutsche Küche Restaurant... it's somewhere downtown... a particularly good place actually. Wonderful pay and all that..." she trailed off, suddenly remembering how she got that job. Well, right now she was actually good friends with the General manager... but... the other one... well, was scary. Valekin, really...

She smiled at Zack, "Do you work? How old are you anyways... I can back you up to my boss if you need a job."

[Zack]

Their footsteps echoed in the hall like raindrops at the opening of a cave. The rhythm was irregular and unusual to Zack - it had no pattern. He would smile as he noticed how much he enjoyed this music.

"... Do you work?..."

"No, I don't... I'm fourteen..."

He thought about her proposal and blinked a few times. Earning money was a good idea but would it be a comfortable environment?

"Heh... me... working in a restaurant... haven't thought of that before that... is it a comfortable place?"