Oaf

Rocky watches Jess, wishing he could do more. He didn't know if he felt worse for himself or her.

"Yeah... I guess it is kinda hard on me too." He swallows hard, his eyes drifting down. "I'll have to tell the others too... I wouldn't feel right leaving them in the dark." He shakes his head, a sorry laugh surfacing. "And we have a concert tonight... Guess maybe we'll have to cancel for the first time in Cryptic's history."

Taking a deep breath, he turns and gets out of the car, coming around to Jess' side as she gets out too. "I'll call somebody to come pick me up, but I'll start walking in my car's direction."

He hesitates, looking at Jess with so much compassion that it almost hurt. He knew that he couldn't overstep any bounds with her - not only because of her own past, but today most certainly hadn't helped her uneasiness around men.

His eyes ask for permission before he reaches over to take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "If you need anything... if anything happens... or even if you just want to talk... please call." He knew they didn't know each other all that well... and Jess might not even trust him any further than the few lunches they'd had together. But for some reason, he was drawn to trying to make her feel better, and as strange as it felt, he knew that if he lost her friendship through this whole thing, he'd miss her.

Rocky finally lets go of Jess' hand and backs up a step, ready to turn and head out to the street. "I'll see you soon."


Axel sat in his chair in the dim light that tried to break through the closed blinds over the window. He felt numb, yet in excruciating pain at the same time. Over and over and over again, he saw the look in Rocky's eye, and he saw the look on Jess' face. They thought he was a monster.

Bending forward, he puts his face in his hands. The embarrassment was immeasurable. The shame was off the charts. He grew hot in the face just thinking about it.

His stomach churned. He didn't know how Rocky had found out, but it must have been some horrid chain of events after Darrel had found out. Axel had known the word might spread, but he hadn't thought it would be that fast, and he'd hoped... he'd hoped Jess wouldn't ever know. Any woman, let alone one with a past like hers, would never want to speak to him again. This storm produced no joy... this storm emitted no light to form a glow after the rain.

Axel know that shortly, all of Cryptic would know. Rocky wouldn't keep it a secret. Axel was as good as off the band now. Cryptic was what had gotten him back on his feet... and he knew that now he would not be allowed back on that team. And why should they let him be? It could really hurt the band if the public knew... and eventually, they probably would.

He was facing the loss of his job, the loss of his apartment, and the loss of all his friends. He was facing the reality that he might as well not even be here anymore. With his past exposed, he wouldn't be able to live here... not and have to endure the looks in people's eyes... the fear... the wondering. No one would trust him again. Taylor would probably freak. The guys would all be upset like Rocky. Carson... well, Axel didn't know what he'd think. Then Jess... back to Jess... Oh, how much pain that thought caused, to try and comprehend what she must think of him, and what she must feel as a result.


Scott looks up at Hope, knowing good and well that she could see his discomfort. He wished he could be doing better... he wished he could have made more progress for her. He knew it made her happy when he made steps forward. But today... this atmosphere... it was just a little too much.

Finally, he gives a little nod. "Okay... the park is alright..." He forces an apologetic smile. "...not so many walls."

Once their food is put in take-out boxes and they're in Hope's car, heading for the park, Scott bites his lip, glancing ahead to a street that didn't lead to the park. "Um..." He felt a bit uneasy in the car with her, and even more so, making this request. But he wanted to. "If... if I show you how to get there, we can pick up Domino... and take her to the park with us? I'd... kinda like you to meet her." Then he hesitates. "I mean... if you don't mind dogs? Or mind them in your car?"

He grimaces a little at his own awkward sentences. "Or never mind... we can just go and eat."


Kyle flops down in a kitchen chair and peels a banana for breakfast. Sifting through some mail and papers on the table, he realizes that Phil and brought home the What's Up? magazing. Not having yet had time to read the whole article Alice had written, Kyle flips to it and leans his elbows on the table, settling in to read.

A small smile comes to his lips. He'd never been this important before... Maybe he'd balk at the attention, but a part of him did feel good. Someone had noticed him... someone had taken interest... someone thought he was worth the bother to write about.

Finishing his banana, Kyle gets up, and takes the magazine back to his bedroom where he put it in his drawer. It wouldn't be going in the trash.


Jason is at the kitchen window and lets a laugh slip at Katie's comment.

Carson glances up from the table and quirks an eyebrow at them, giving Katie an annoyed, but humorous look. "And what are you two laughing at?"

Jason intervenes. "Inside joke."

"Inside, my foot," Carson retorts. "On second thought, if you two have been talking behind my back, maybe I don't want to know what it was about."

Jason tosses Katie a wink, then chuckles, shaking his head. He walks behind Carson's chair, that was tipped back on its back legs. He gives a light kick at just the right angle to send the chair sliding off balance.

Carson's feet fly off the table, but instead of just falling like Jason wanted, he reaches back behind his head and grabs Jason. Both wind up on the floor instead of just Carson, and after a short struggle on the floorboards, Carson's got Jason pinned down on his stomach, one arm pressed to his back. "Though you could get away with that, did you, hmm?"

Jason laughs, despite his position. "Get off, ya big oaf."

"Oaf? Oaf?" Carson tightens his grip and the pressure to Jason's arm. "Who you calling an oaf?"

Out of breath, Jason struggles under Carson's weight. "Watch it or I'll bring the light down on your head."

Carson grins. "Can't beat me without that power of yours, eh?"

Somehow, Jason manages to wriggle out of Carson's grasp, flip around and reverse the hold, now pinning Carson down.

Ryder wanders in from the living room, casually watching the friendly wrestling match. He hooks his thumbs in his jeans pockets and leans on the doorway, then glances to Katie. "Those two always go at it, or is it this great Austrailan air getting to them?" He knew that it was just boredom, and though it was wasting energy, at least they weren't killing each other.