fly with me 💫

"I can see by the visibly relaxed nature your shoulders took. She sounds like a lot and someone who isn't too keen on deviating from the course. Just by the little you've shared." Not that he wanted to give an opinion on her mother but it was how she came off. 'Well, maybe, you should start with something small. Not counting cutting class today." He grinned at her when he proved his point. "What do you love to do?"

“Just her expectations,” Laurel said with a sigh. She did understand what he observed about her mom and agreed with it. But, she knew it wasn’t so easy. Fantasizing about doing what she wanted for once and actually following through to let her mom down were two very different things. “My shoulders betraying me is a new one. You’re pretty spot on with her, you’re sure you’re not studying behavioral science or something? And here I thought cutting class was a good first step. Uh, hmm,” what did she like to do? Damn, good question. After a few minutes of silence, she answered. “Dancing. I think I really like dancing.” Didn’t do enough of it unfortunately.

Following his demo from earlier, Laurel took the spoon from his hand. It was slightly ticklish, the way their hands brushed momentarily. “You have a pretty tasty method to let things go,” she mused before answering. “I’d love to let go of the knowledge that he’s out spreading this lie of us being together.” Just thinking about it infuriated her, but she tried breathing through her nose. Trying to calm down. Rick was indulging her mother’s ridiculous notions. This would never end. Stabbing a chunk of the waffle cone, she finally took a bite and hummed. It did taste pretty good. Laurel watched as his discomfort grew while he explained. She had heard some of this before but she couldn’t actually believe it. Hearing it from Eli just seemed to confirm it entirely. “And now, your shoulders are betraying you,” she half-teased in an attempt to not make the conversation too awkward. “Terrible. I mean, yeah I guess I just didn’t think guys were actually that disgusting. I don’t feel any way for him,” she answered nonchalantly. No care in the world. “Well that’s kind of the complicated part. My mom really likes him, that’s her favorite guy in the world. Which is why I haven’t really been able to just send him packing. She keeps asking about him every time I visit.” And why she hadn’t visited lately. Handing his spoon back to him, Laurel just let her reality settle in. His words were sweet and encouraging but she wasn’t going to do that anytime soon. Going against a parental figure, as if. “I just gotta disappear from the world for a bit,” half joking though the feeling was there.

He smiled softly as he rubbed his nose against her. "The only reason I'm half as good is because of you baby. You're the best mom there is. There was never any doubt on your abilities." His hand caressed her cheek and poked her nose. Getting Tavo up and ready was easy enough, the boy was ready to be up and head to adventure. His gummy smile bright as he saw his father walking in.

Ivette's smile only grew, eyes closing at the gesture. The softness of his nose rubbing against hers was comforting. It was home. "We make each other better," she pointed out. "And, you're the best dad. Promise." She couldn't contain her happiness upon seeing Javi and her Tavo with his gummy grin and the grabby hands. "Oh, Tavo is so sneaky," she teased, as she pulled her hair in a clip while walking towards them.

He cut up the sandwich into fours and placed a few chips he found in the cupboard on her plate. "Do you want some strawberries? They seem to be cut up." He said from inside the fridge as he got back up and turned. "Strawberries?" He shook his head as he chuckled. "No, you don't see it. You and Laurie aren't doppelgangers like Gabe and I are. She died and you didn't. If Gabe died then I'd cease to exist. The mutual thread between us is him. You, on the other hand are Laurie. Her dna is yours. Yours is hers. Even twins have differences. You do not." It was information he had gotten from Gabe's brain as he saw his wife up there letting Selene in on the details. "You are already her. You're just not seeing it."

Selene sat in the stool comfortably, looking at him prepare the sandwich and snacks for her. She loved seeing him in action, it was a testament to his progress now that he had left that lab. "Mhm, I'll take strawberries." Her brows furrowed in response, she didn't see it? But, he did? She then remembered him reading minds, part of his abilities now, and figured he probably tapped into Gabe's thoughts. Listening to him, she nodded slowly as he explained. "I kind of see what you're saying. I am her, I'm just not her yet." She still lacked the knowledge and the habits for it. "It might take me a while. Do you think you'll manage adjusting to being him?"

Her friend's words landed gently, like another tap on her shoulder. The comforting type anyway. Like, maybe it wasn't too outrageous to be friends with Jack. She wanted that, to not lose having him in her life. "I think we want to make that work," she confessed to her. "If one thing didn't work, you know." Their relationship hadn't been disastrous, but she was sure it had been a lesson learned about dating colleagues. And friends. Despite her parents whole philosophy about friends being the foundation for a beautiful relationship like theirs. Rosaline hummed in response, "you and Luca are super mature. Most people never get to the agreeing part. That's going okay, right?" Clearing her throat, she used the moment to think of a response. "I...hm. I think that's for the best, being friends. We tried, you know? And, I don't want to put something out there again and hurt him." Messing with his head with her confusion wasn't worth it. It'd affect him, his performance. "It's probably for the best to just let things lie."

"It makes sense but even so that's a lot of pressure you are put under just by being the only child. All I'm saying is to not let your mom rule how you live your life. It's yours to live. She's lived her prime already. Don't take this as a way to be rude or anything but if you're always twisting to fit the box she's provided you won't reach the exact measurement of what she wants. Everyone needs a little rebellion. Haven't you ever let go and done something just because? Without thinking of the things others would say?"

"Yeah, look." He had ordered his waffle bowl first and since he had come in here multiple times a week, they knew his order before he walked in. "Take the syrup swirl, or whatever topping you got, it doesn't need to be syrup and squirt it over and then," he showed it off, how the chocolate sauce had dripped to the side and got his spoon and pierced it. "My biggest thing is this thing with Ricks. It sucked so, naturally, I stab it and take a huge bite out of it. Thus,' he swallowed and smiled. "It doesn't stay with me. You try."

"Yeah," her shoulders slumped slightly, feeling a small weight shift off her. Relief, perhaps? Understanding? "It does feel like a lot sometimes." She couldn't bring herself to comment on her mom wanting to rule her life. Building it in her image. The thought once crossed her mind followed by guilt of thinking that of her parents. "Don't worry, rude was not what crossed my mind at all. Well, no not really. Maybe for like smaller things, my dad sometimes sneaking us out to get McDonald's, stuff like that. But, not the most rebellious thing ever, I suppose."

She watched carefully as he explained how he set up his ice cream order. It shouldn't have been surprising, seeing his order reach the table before they even looked through the menu. Laurel was mesmerized at the way the chocolate sauce dripped to the side. "That's..." she watched as he took the bite, trying to not stare so obviously, but she found herself licking her upper lip. "That's a pretty good strategy to not hold things in. Okay I'll try," she said holding her hand out for his spoon.

"That's a terrible assumption," she pointed out, and something she didn't think was her fault. How did men even assume no means yes? Weird. "I guess he might be free to make that assumption but I don't know, can't guys tell when someone's just not interested at all? The lack of energy? But yeah I think you're right about that, maybe waiting around until I say yes. Hm, this almost feels like tutoring lesson number one. How to break up with someone who isn't my boyfriend. What else do you have up your sleeve?"

"I have sisters. I think I'm more equipped to hear the shenanigans because it's my daily life. But, I also do listen. I like to help so I wouldn't really call it drama. It's just being a safe space for others to vent." He took pride in being a safe space to be heard when others would just close up.

Eli nodded along and listened. The more he did, the more her mom sounded toxic. Someone who didn't want to admit they weren't young anymore and wanted to live vicariously through her daughter. As Laurel continued, he looked at her but it wasn't through pity. He laughed at the cardboard comment and nodded. "Maybe that's why he speaks like he's six feet tall and not like he's this tiny." Eli made the finger gesture and smiled. "Do you ever feel like your mom has impossible standards so a little rebellion wouldn't matter because the goal keeps moving?"

He wasn't going to butt into a situation he knew nothing about but some food for thought was what he left her with. As he grabbed the menu he flipped through the pages and landed on the options. "There's this page where you get to make your own. I feel like this page is dedicated to the indecisive ones and I like that. You can't go wrong with the choices." He handed it to her in a way to make her see he wasn't going to give her the answer to what she wanted. "I think I'll get mine in a waffle bowl. I'll show you a neat trick after."

It wasn't meant to be a ranting session. She was only sharing a bit. But, after a few sentences, Laurel got into the rhythm of essentially, complaining about her mother's overbearing moments. It didn't even occur to her, to look over at him. Until she finally caught her breath and found him looking at her. She expected him to look at her with pity, the look of, poor you. But that wasn't what she saw and she half-smiled. "Oh, definitely. He acts like he's the biggest guy in the room," his finger gesture making her chuckle. "Oh hmm, I don't know. I hadn't thought of it that way. She has very high expectations for sure. I figured it's because I'm their only kid, only one chance to do it right or whatever." Even as she talked though, she couldn't fully believe her own words. "Are you prescribing a little rebellion?"

Laurel glanced down at the menu before looking back up at him. How easily they switched conversation topics. Her ranting to the ice cream selections. It could almost give her whiplash. "I think I'll be taking that page," not that it meant that she was indecisive. No way. "A neat trick with a waffle bowl? Consider me intrigued. I think I might go with the classic cone, but two scoops." Because, why not? Who was judging?

"I just gave you a rundown on my mom, I think we're past the prying point." All that to say, he wasn't prying at all. "Well, he's not exactly the hint type. I think you're right about having to have it drilled into him, but I guess I haven't really told him word for word I'm not interested. I thought the cancelled dates and dodging was enough." But, she also knew she hadn't exactly been too direct with him. Hoping he would be the one to give up first so her mom wouldn't blame it on her. "Do guys really not get the hint easily?"

Eli's eyebrows knitted together in complete confusion. He wasn't bothered by whatever Rick had said. He was confused and a little annoyed at being cornered but other than that, he wasn't on his radar. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? I'm not scared of him. Though he did come across as someone who needed people to be afraid of him. End of the day I don't know him and am not in his business. But, you seem incredibly bothered by this. So, if you need to vent, I'm all ears. I promise whatever is said here doesn't come out."

The saying made him chuckle as it was cute. "Did you know that saying has a game attached to it?" It served having a little sister who taught him all these new things. He took to being an older brother like a hand to a glove. Whatever was happening didn't matter when he was home. He left the serious shit to Isa. "Hey, like I said. I'm all ears. Trust me, girl problems are not a deal breaker. I'd like to help."

"Well, because it was unnecessary and completely out of the blue, I assume. Not many people are confronted for befriending someone. I didn't say you're scared of him." Rick wasn't exactly the scariest guy out there either. "He does have that vibe," she chuckled and shook her head. "Yeah I guess bothered's right. I'm...it's a whole thing." She considered his proposal for a moment, venting and everything being kept between them. It was tempting.

"What? No way. What's the game that comes with the saying?" It was so funny, how they were having like ten different conversations at the same time. "You're familiar with all the girl problems? Because you might be in for a ride with my stories." Laurel wasn't trying to exaggerate, but she thought of her mom's demands and thought maybe she shouldn't tell him everything all at once. "Well, we'll see how far we get during lunch. Wait, so if girl problems aren't a deal breaker, what is?"

Laurel listened and found herself smiling at the story of the jittery jujus. The bond he had with his family sounded so lovely. She almost envied him for it. To be surrounded by friends like that. "Well if you give me a pass to use it, is it still copyright infringement?" She wasn't thinking, when she grabbed his hand too. Instinct. Once they crossed the street and she heard him speak again, she almost snapped back to reality and gently let go of his hand. "Desserts first, huh? Doesn't that ruin the fun, jumping to the end?" Looking up at the sign, she grinned at the description. "You're talking a big game here."

His eyes shot up at her question and had a sarcastic comment on the tip of his tongue but saved it. By the way Laurel's face scrunched up, he knew this had affected her greatly. Eli sighed and grabbed his things, and got up following her out the door. "Hey," he began as his feet made pace with her. "Are you okay? I wasn't trying to make something happen. I just wanted to ask, if it was really an issue, I don't want to have a dumb fight to erupt. It just caught me off guard that he came up to me. It felt like it was a threat if I were to take it that way."

Laurel only half-registered his reaction, still too astonished by what she had heard. What even was going around this campus that she wasn't aware of? It hadn't registered to her that her feet had already carried her out of the classroom, her backpack resting on one shoulder as she walked down the hall. It was quiet, enough where she heard her own steps echo. Hurried steps that made her look crazy, she was sure. Her face was warm, from the embarrassment or the anger - she couldn’t decipher that one. It took her a little while, only because her thoughts were loud in her head, but she heard Eli’s familiar voice. She turned to look at him and her head tilted. Had he really skipped class? “It’s,” she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Thinking about Rick a little more, she could half guess where this was coming from. “I’m okay, just not exactly expecting those news. It’s not an issue, and I’m sorry that he even came up to you in that manner. You definitely shouldn’t be caught in the middle of whatever he’s imagining. Are you okay?” Shaking her head, she dismissed the threat notion. “It’s nothing like that, he’s in way over his head. Give a mouse a cookie, I swear,” she muttered. She had told her mom about this, and yet! She didn’t listen. “Sorry, not that you’re interested in my topsy turvy world. Girl drama I guess.”

Laurel watched half-astonished as he moved seats and landed next to her. "Whatever happened to these habits?" Class hadn't started yet, so it was the perfect time to get caught up. She nodded a yes, confirming Rick was his name. Laurel just didn't understand what he would approach Eli for. "Wait, hold on - what?" This was the first she was hearing of it and it showed in her features. She couldn't remove the shock in her eyes, the way her mouth was agape as she tried processing the utter ridiculousness. "I'm not a girlfriend? Where did he even...?"

Her words were breathy, trying to contain herself to keep the conversation going. Time was limited, after all. "Well, hold on. There shouldn't be a fight to begin with." There was nothing to fight about after all. "But, I am definitely very confused right now. Anything to know, well uh...he is a friend. His family knows my family kind of thing, but, oh my god, nothing going on there. That's just so weird, I'm sorry they cornered you like a 90s movie." She looked up at the clock, then back at her notebook - Laurel couldn't think straight right now. "I actually can't be here right now, I gotta go." Stuffing her notebook in her backpack, she turned to look at him. "What are the chances you'd ditch class with me?"

Flipping his phone he smiled at the Basil contact name. Something so simple made him laugh and couldn't believe they had a inside joke. He hovered over her text and decided not to text too quick. He hadn't finalized his week so couldn't give her an accurate time to get together. Instead, he put down his phone and turned on the tv as it lulled him to sleep.

The next few days were like clockwork, class, study and sports. He had been busy and didn't have the shared class with her. It didn't stop him from thinking back to her and her smile. The day had come back around when chemistry was on deck and he had an extra pep in his step. He walked down the hall and was met with an arm against his chest. His eyebrows knitted together but before he could get a word out, he was being read a list of why he should stay away from this guy's girl. He was gonna brush past him when the name stopped him in his tracks. Laurel. With a soft whatever, he pushed past him into class. He didn't even look over his shoulder to see if he followed. Clearly not, since the door closed and he took his seat.

He should have known that Laurel was of course taken. If the indication of the guy who didn't let up his gaze was a tell sign that she was not free at the restaurant wasn't clear enough. The talk between him and the guy, Rich, Rick something did it. Though as she turned to face him he couldn't help but smile back. "I'm a creature of habit. It's tough to break." His eyes shot to the empty seats beside her and sighed. "No crew today?"

“Hm, no need to break habits,” she said happily. Habit was what had them sitting in consecutive rows after all. Laurel’s brows furrowed in slight confusion before looking around the empty seats. “Oh, yeah. There’s some flu going around. Everyone’s home sick right now. Wait, wasn’t your brother sick too? How’s he doing?”

Her attention was split when she heard someone calling his name. Without meaning to, she turned to follow the voice. Laurel didn’t say anything as they talked and only piped up when he addressed her again. “That’s great, well just how many people do you tutor?” The rest of her question died before she even began. She raised a brow in response, trying to gauge whether he was joking. He sounded amused, but if it was a joke, she couldn’t understand it. “I don’t have one?” She half-answered, half-questioned. “Is this your way of dropping me as your partner?” Her tone was also amused, laced with confusion, but the amusement remained. “I haven’t spoken to anyone about this project. Why? Do you dislike public speaking? Because if so, just further proves we’re a good pair. I don’t mind public speaking at all.” Hey, if he wanted to drop her, she was curious to know why.