#thread: jesse

Jacqui watched at Jesse from across the room with wide eyes, glimpsing him between bodies and conversations and a frenzied undercurrent of dread that seemed to be coating the entire night. Or perhaps that was just them projecting. Because this was going to end badly. Regardless of the reason they were being prompted to do it, Jacqui was under no false belief that any conversation between them would be smooth, let alone one that was about Greer. 

He disappeared for a while, and Jacqui felt a sense of relief - perhaps they could claim they couldn't find him, getting out of this conversation altogether. But of course, they had no such luck, Jesse eventually returning to the party. When they spotted him again, Jacqui knew they may as well get it over - go for it before they could lose the chance again, and not let it ruin the rest of the time till midnight. Relax, and perhaps start the new year with an energy that would prevent any of this from continuing.

Wishful thinking, but it was what carried their feet towards him, Jacqui appearing at his side and beginning to speak with a casual air like it was normal, like their entire relationship wasn't fraught with complexities and anger and betrayal and pasts they hadn't even acknowledged with each other. "You didn't go back to California between term and coming here, did you?" they asked, slipping into the conversation like it had been waiting for them. In a way, the prompting from G had made it so it was - even if Jesse wasn't aware of it. "Did you drive straight here from school?"

Mari had known it would only be a matter of time before her father and Donovan Hart ended up side by side, waiting for the sycophants to approach them to resume fawning over them, check books at the ready. They had a way of stroking each other's egos - or at least, that was how it seemed from Mari's perspective, as full of themselves (and each other) they both were. They probably would've shoved her and Jesse together far more often, to impress each other and tie their families together, if they weren't both so busy in being disappointed in their respective off spring and undoubtably complaining about them to each other. At least that meant with Donovan's approach, Mari would be able to hopefully excuse herself soon, the pair busy blowing air up each other's ass to the point that Mari had long since tuned them out, rolling her eyes at Jesse as they continued.

Even though it had been months since the last time she had spoken to Jesse, Sassa had heard the rumors about his summer - and everything else about his life, the man a subject of plenty of gossip thanks to that news article that his father had put out. She would almost admire it, if it hadn't thrown her into questioning their entire interaction at commencement. How fucked up had he been before he indulged in flirting with her? Perhaps a question that was better left unanswered. .

But Sassa was observant enough that she was fairly certain he wasn't sober now, despite what he may claim, which made it easier to approach him, a hand delicately landing on his shoulder as she appeared at his side. "Imagine this. Here I was at the end of last year, under the impression, you were willing to play with me," she said, not bothering with any greeting as her darkened eyes settled on Jesse's. "Only for you to fail to ever join in," Sassa continued, the slightest pout following the words.

Nate stepped outside to smoke, a drink in his other hand, finding himself not as far from the door as he should've when he leaned back against the brick wall of the old building. He took a long swig from his drink, a hint of bitterness appearing over his features as he drained it, dropping the glass to the ground beside him so he could light the spliff he was holding. He hadn't been out there long - only a couple of puffs - when someone else stepped outside. The light from the door lit them in silhouette for a few moments, a slight crease appearing between Nate's eyes as he tried to place them, the door having swung shut and the darkness of the evening having settled back around them before he realized. He watched Jesse, still propped up the wall, his face not revealing any indication of what he may have been thinking or feeling. "How's sobriety?" he asked, the arch of his eyebrow not giving any indication if the question was being asked in good faith or not, propping the spliff back between his lips.

Cal was putting the finishing touches to the children's corner of the library. He had set up a full table with crafts and a few books on how to make different crafts. It wasn't much but at least it give some people a chance to make something for Mother's Day. Stretching his arms up, he glanced around before spotting a familiar face. "Hey Jesse, long time no see," he greeted walking over to him, "I actually got a few things at the front desk for you."

Jacqui was drunk. 

It was their birthday, so they should be drunk, but they had definitely succeeded at that mission, a fairly large number of drinks having been bought and handed to them without them even finishing the one they had already been working on. But, as they stood waiting for the bathroom, head tipped back against the wall (definitely drunk, then, because who knows what was coming off the dingy wall onto the hair they had spent so long getting perfectly styled for the night out) of the bar, that the realization hit - they were drunk. Maybe it was the moment of separation, waiting in the at least a bit quieter hall that lead to the bathroom alone, or the fact that if they hadn't been leaning, they may well have tipped over at this point, but in that moment, it became very clear. 

In fact, they were drunk enough that when they turned their head towards the sound of another person's footsteps entering the hall where the bathrooms were and saw Jesse, they thought it was entirely possible that he was a figment of their imagination. He had been one of few people that Jacqui hadn't invited to come out with them that night, after all. They stared at him for a few long breaths, head still tipped back against the wall, before they finally spoke. "Why are you here?" they asked, words not unkind or accusatory - just confused. Even though it was a public club and all. Of all places, on all nights, at all times for him to be going down that hallway...why was it when she was?

Mari had been trying to avoid her father at all costs. Even before having returned to campus - the only issue was that Ogden was a fairly small school, making it a much difficult task than when she had been avoiding him over the summer, miraculously just always somewhere he was not, busy if he called. She had to keep her eyes peeled for him now that she was back at the school he oversaw, not wanting to deal with the aftereffects of having backed out of her internship. When she thought she spotted him, she darted off the path she had been walking on, abruptly switching her direction to make sure he didn't see her as he made his way past. It only took a few minutes, Mari's eyes fixed on his back, only relaxing once she was off the hook for at least a bit longer. She let out a sigh as she turned, stepping out of the spot she had tucked herself into in the shadow of one of the buildings, only to come face to face with Jesse.

Ironically, he was someone who could probably very much understand her desire to avoid her father - considering the summer he had had. She was pretty sure it was half the gossip at the school, and Mari - in the brief conversations she had had with her father - had already had it mentioned, well aware that the dean was not thrilled with Jesse's returning to campus, despite his friendship with Donovan Hart. There had probably been a good chunk of money involved in that. She couldn't help the slight wince that crossed her face, half out sympathy, and half out of embarrassment that he had spotted her in the act of trying to dodge her father. What did you even say to someone who had just spent the summer in rehab? "....Hey," she said, awkwardness coating into the tone. "I could explain why I'm skulking around the corner like a creep, but..." she paused, tilting her head slightly towards a shoulder. "Think you might appreciate the warning that my father just passed by more."