I'm in another state...

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Jackie: It takes Tim a good ten minutes to calm himself down from his little rendezvous with Leech, and he's quite svelte in his trek back to his dorm room. He's mildly surprised when his room, and the one attached, are empty, but is quite thankful for it, as well - given the opportunity, he freshens himself up, trading his traditional shoes for a comfy pair of moccasins and shoving a baseball cap backwards on his head. Heading out of the room, en route to the gym so he can go snag his headphones and ignore the world from the safety of his bed. But he doesn't get too far; head down, he shuffles through the common room only to have Jesse call out from his semi-upside down position on the couch. "Heeeeeeey, Lint."


Jay: For lack of any other options, Michael has involved himself in a game of five card stud with a few other degenerates - played for pennies, since no one has use for actual money here but they can't bet on contraband like he could in jail - and is sitting on the floor, near Jesse's couch position, carefully considering his hand before meeting a raised bet. Only when the kid beside him speaks does Ness look up, visibly brightening for the sight of his roommate. "Hey, lookit that, you're still in one piece. Nothing too nefarious, then?"


Jackie: Jesse smiles broadly for the way Tim lifts his head and widens his eyes, kind of falling back into himself, clearly surprised. The younger boy even cracks a little laugh for Mike's words, eyes rapt as he looks between the two room mates. "Yeah, Lint. What was that all about?" Shifting on his feet, Tim makes eye contact with Mike, probably softens his widened eyes a little bit, but he's totally incapable of stopping a blush from crawling up his face. He tries to rack his mind for an excuse, one outside of getting mauled by his teacher, and he has to clear his throat before speaking. "Nothing, really. Just gave me some paper work from the doctor's visit. And I left my hat in his car." Which he motions to with a free hand. Jesse shifts a little more, until his legs are on the back rest of the couch and his upper half is dangling off the couch, head near Mike's. And just because he's obnoxious, he fake-whispers in his dorm mate's ear: "Guess what?"


Jay: If Michael notices that blush, he merely chalks it up to Jesse's recent announcement, and maybe smirks a little for it. His attention being recalled to the game, he looks back at his cards and calls, without much attention, setting his hand down for the other players to see. "Oh. Guess you're not dying of any incurable diseases?" He could probably guess what Jesse's going to tell him, or at least its subject, but isn't exasperated yet to not play along. "What?"


Jackie: Actually letting out an air of amusement for that, Tim steps a little more into the common room, finding an arm chair to lean against but not fully drop into, yet. "Not that they can find, at least. Vitamin D deficiency, though." Crossing his arms over his chest, he tilts his head, tries to read the cards Mike's playing with, probably in an attempt to change the subject. "Are you winning?" Jesse, squirming to get more comfortable, smiles when Mike doesn't completely ignore him, and keeps at it with that loud-fake-whisper voice. "Tim's got a crush on you!" Which makes Tim close his eyes momentarily, swallow, and then refocus on the cards, completely ignoring his best friend.


Jay: "Better watch that; I heard it causes cancer." This round goes to someone else, but again, Mike doesn't seem to care, and he glances at his stock of pennies. It's respectable enough, but no more than anyone else's, and he shrugs for Tim's question. "Not really keepin' score." He rolls his eyes very slightly when Jesse goes on, responding in a distracted voice. "Yeah? I think maybe I heard something about that. Five times. In the last hour."


Jackie: Not much of a card player, Tim tries to evaluate the game, once he is able to shake Jesse's voice from his mind. But it doesn't work, and he shakes his head, lifting his gaze to give Jesse a narrowed glare. "Jess, stop. Seriously." Of course, that only eggs Jesse on more, especially since Tim has yet to deny it, and he flails his arms out a little in exasperation. "Oh, come on. Both of you. This place is so boring, it's about time something happened 'round here." And then he clears his throat, as if that settles the idea that Jesse can be obnoxious about this, and he continues. "Plus, you two would be cute together. Like Lady and the Tramp."


Jay: Mike might be about to point out that if Jesse wants something happening, he should probably do it himself, but that continuation stops him in his tracks. Narrowing his own eyes threateningly, he turns to look over his shoulder at the younger boy. "...so who's Lady?" When the dealer for this round tries to give him cards, Mike waves them off, pulling himself to his feet instead and stretching.


Jackie: Tim very nearly pushes off of that chair and stalks away, probably embarrassed to all hell, but he's able to shake it off and look down at his shoes, fighting that blush back down. But that head snaps back up for what Jesse say's, and before he can scold the younger boy, Mike is interrupting him. Jesse, still so absolutely amused with Ness' tolerance of him, only flails his arms out in Tim's direction, voice totally over compensating. "What, you think you're the lady? Please. Look at him! All doe eyed and precious. Right, Timmy?"


Jay: That tolerance will probably wane, in time, but for now Mike just smirks again, once reassured that he is, in fact, the tramp. "You got a point." Glancing sideways at Tim, that smirk maybe forms into a grin as he shares a glance of amusement for Jesse's ridiculous hectoring. "Feel like going out for some Italian, Tim?"


Jackie: By this point, Tim has his head lowered again, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose to ward off any impending headaches. And Jesse just absolutely smiles for that, giggling hysterically, and really-- he didn't need to sneak in that joint after prayer group. Flopping around on the couch, he eventually relaxes back into the cushions on his side, looking at Tim expectantly. It takes a minute, but the older boy picks his head up, first glancing at Jesse and then Mike; probably, he figures if he gives in, the torment will stop, and he holds his eyes to Mike's. "Spaghetti does sound good."


Jackie: That tolerance will probably wane, in time, but for now Mike just smirks again, once reassured that he is, in fact, the tramp. "You got a point." Glancing sideways at Tim, that smirk maybe forms into a grin as he shares a glance of amusement for Jesse's ridiculous hectoring. "Feel like going out for some Italian, Tim?"


Jackie: By this point, Tim has his head lowered again, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose to ward off any impending headaches. And Jesse just absolutely smiles for that, giggling hysterically, and really-- he didn't need to sneak in that joint after prayer group. Flopping around on the couch, he eventually relaxes back into the cushions on his side, looking at Tim expectantly. It takes a minute, but the older boy picks his head up, first glancing at Jesse and then Mike; probably, he figures if he gives in, the torment will stop, and he holds his eyes to Mike's. "Spaghetti does sound good."


Jay: Mike, on the other hand, doubts that torment will stop any time soon - at least, not unless Jesse goes back into his depression - but he maybe has more patience than Tim for this sort of thing, since he's not the main target of the taunting. He nods agreeably for Tim's words and snatches his jacket off the couch next to Jesse, just as if he really were going out for Italian food, and heads for the stairs with a pointed look at Tim and, probably, a silent prayer that Jesse will go find a Kellen to doctor or do something besides follow them.


Jackie: Tim watches Mike's movements with more than a little bit of confusion, but eventually deduces that if nothing else, his room mate wants a change of scenery. Pushing off of the chair he's resting against, he snaps his gaze to Jesse, who is doing nothing but looking like a kid on Christmas Eve, bouncing a little bit on the couch and clapping quietly. Tim's eyes hold a steady, threatening look as he starts after Mike, and Jesse then starts making kissing noises and little moans, fully accompanied by obnoxious, orgasmic looking faces that make Tim snap his focus elsewhere. "Ooooh, have fun, you two! Tim, don't fight him for the bill. Let him be the gentlemen." Which, of course, makes Tim bow his head as they round the corner, one hand raising to rub at his neck as he speaks lowly. "...that kid, I swear to god."


Jay: Michael manages to stifle his mirth into nothing more than a snort, at least until they gain the hallway and get far enough down it that Jesse's voice is, thankfully, cut off; then, he might laugh a little under his breath. "He really wasn't too bad 'til you showed up. I got a feeling it's only gonna get worse, though." Reaching their dorm, Mike nudges the door open and goes to his closet, opening it and rifling through the various clothes on hangers until he finds the cigarettes he'd stashed there. Tucking these in a pocket, he starts towards the door again, but then hesitates, not sure Tim didn't follow him merely as an excuse to get away from Jesse. But he overcomes the confusion well, just offering casually: "I'm gonna go for a smoke. Wanna join me?"


Jackie: "I'd applaud his dedication, if I wasn't the facing the brunt of it." Said lightheartedly, of course; he does nothing to deny Jesse's claims, but does dig those finger nails into his skin a little deeper, thoroughly embarrassed. As they round their way back to the room, Tim paces over to his bed, ready to collapse onto it and forget the world and figuring that Mike was only pit stopping on his way to whatever nightly activities he gets himself into. But then his room mate extends the invitation, and Tim doesn't even have to think about it before he answers. "Yeah, could use some fresh air." But then he glances at his moccasin covered shoes and wrinkles his nose, stepping over towards his closet to slip on a pair of boots that absolutely don't match his school wear ensemble. Also grabbing a coat, conveniently stuffed with his own cigarettes, he makes way towards the door, fixing the collar of his jacket around his neck. "Do you have a preferred location?"


Jay: He wasn't entirely sure that that invitation would be accepted, but grins slightly when it is. He zips up his dark blue mechanics-style jacket and shrugs, reaching the door and waving Tim through (like a gentleman) before following, himself, making sure to close that door behind himself. "Outside. Away from your surrogate little brother and his insinuations, maybe?" He really hopes so; nothing will ever get accomplished if Tim spends all this time blushing and hiding his face.


Jackie: Once through that doorway, Tim pauses to wait for Mike to close the door, and then starts towards the stairwell that feeds to the main floor. That slice of humor gets to Tim, and he cracks a smile while extending an arm to shove to Michael's bicep lightly. "Well, I thought that was a little given." Descending the nearby staircase, Tim readjusts the baseball cap on his head, keeping it facing backwards, and then shoves his hands into his front pockets. "Considering the last time I went out in the courtyard after hours, we got blamed for an accidental fire, perhaps you have a better suggestion?"


Jay: Reaching the first floor, Mike also tucks his hands into his pockets, pursing his lips in thought. "Fire wouldn't be so bad. It's fucking cold tonight." Which is explain when he pushes open the door allowing access outside, by the snow falling heavily. The phenomenon makes Michael pause, blinking at the huge flakes spiraling down through the outside lights, before he recalls himself and, once again, waves for Tim to precede him out the door. "Probably we can find somewhere a little less obvious, though. I actually know the place, now."


Jackie: When that door is opened and a rush of cold air (and some blustering snow) comes billowing over Tim, he immediately turns around, tucking into himself because he's from California and two years at this school still hasn't acclimated him to the weather. It takes a moment, but he's able to turn back around, shoulders hunched as he braces himself and starts outside. "Fire wouldn't be so bad, but I'm not sure Leech would be too pleased to see us, later." Not quick enough to stop those words from coming out, Tim shuts himself up-- even mentioning Leech makes his insides turn a little bit, but a quick glance to his room mate makes the feeling dissipate quickly. "Could go over towards the baseball diamond. Sit in the dug out. Unless you've got a better idea."


Jay: Still somewhat entranced with the snow (much less used to it than is Tim), Michael only makes an agreeing sort of grunt for that first statement, and takes a wile to respond to the second one, too. "Yeah...that sounds good." He alters his path towards the field, waiting until they're away from the main building's lights to dig out a cigarette and light up. It's not yet technically past curfew, but no one else seems to be out in the cold, which makes him feel a little like they're sneaking, anyway.


Jackie: Following the same path as Mike, Tim keeps his body hunched down, the wind not blustering as much the further they get from the building. There's a fair amount of snow on the ground, enough to where Tim's boots get a light dusting with each step he takes, and only when Mike takes out his cigarette does Tim grab his own. Stuffing it into his mouth, he looks over at the other boy, one hand reaching out. "Can I borrow your lighter?" And then he pauses in his walking, since it's damn near impossible to light a cigarette, while walking, in the middle of a gentle snow fall.


Jay: A moment after that question, Mike seems to snap back to reality, halting and digging briefly in his pockets. "Yeah, here." Rather than hand the lighter off, he lights the cigarette for Tim, one hand cupped around the flame to cherish it. Once it's lit, he restows the lighter and takes up walking again. "This is crazy, isn't it? I've never seen snow like this." It snowed on their trip, of course, but only light falls with tiny flakes, not these fat flakes that are covering the ground in a matter of minutes.


Jackie: Mumbling around the filter of his cigarette, Tim gets out a quiet "Thanks" as he, too, raises his hands to cup around the flame. Once lit, he takes a few brief puffs to ensure it's set, and then drops his hands and starts back on track towards the field. Side glancing his room mate, he can't stop the small little grin he gets for just how entranced Mike is with the snow, and he kicks out a boot to toss some of the snow over towards Michael's feet. "Guess I've never really paid much attention to it. Always too cold for me." But it's said in a tone that maybe suggests he's warming up to it.


Jay: Recognizing how he's behaving like wide-eyed mystified child, Michael returns that grin with one of his own. "It is pretty fucking cold. Not used to that, either." But to counter the chill, and in true Mike Ness fashion, he digs a flask from his opposite pocket and twists the cap off to take a swig, offering it to Tim thoughtlessly - then remembering that Tim doesn't ever drink, he shakes his head a little and draws it back. "Sorry."


Jackie: "Hate to break it to you, but you'll never get used to it. Pretty sure the only people that don't freeze here are the Bostonians." Ashing his cigarette to the side, he stuffs his free hand back into his pocket to keep it warm, having neglected to bring gloves, and hangs to the right as they approach the distant field. As that flask is offered out, he uses the hand holding his smoke to reach for it, but the alcohol is quickly retracted. Slowing down a bit, Tim shrugs a shoulder, giving Ness eyes that are a little widened. "Can I?"


Jay: As if he could say no to that face. Before he manages to get the lid anywhere near on, that request comes, and he offers the flask back immediately. "Well, maybe I have natural immunity, then. I was born in Massachusetts. Not Boston, though; farther north." Reaching the field, he follows the edge of it to the little hut that serves as a dug out, pushing the swinging gate open to let Tim pass in before following him.


Jackie: Taking that flask, Tim puts the little spout to his lips and pours some of the liqour into his mouth, which instantly warms his throat as it goes down. He scrunches his nose for the taste, mostly because it's not something he is used to, and blindly hands the flask back as they continue walking. He makes a little considering noise for that information, entering the dug out and nodding thanks for the held open gate. "When'd you move to California? I always thought you were from the west coast, born and raised."


Jay: Following Tim in, Michael immediately heads for the bench, but just as immediately stands up again after sitting down, with a noise of surprised displeasure, because that aluminum is cold. Opting to lean against the half-wall at the front of the structure, instead, he shakes his head. "Mostly just raised. We left here when I was five or so, I don't really remember it much. Just, it was...really gray." He shrugs, taking another sip from the flask and setting it beside him on the wall rather than returning it to his pocket, in case Tim feels like indulging more. "Haven't been back since, but I think I still got some family up there."


Jackie: Having a little more sense than to sit on the bench (mostly because he's made that same mistake during spring training, and can only imagine how cold it must be in winter), Tim turns around to lean against the half wall, still lazily smoking his cigarette. It probably takes longer than it should for his face to return to normal after that intake of alcohol, but that doesn't stop him for taking another swig when the flask is left for him to grab. "I haven't really explored much, I guess. Only the places the school takes us, which...I'm assuming, isn't a very good representation of Massachusetts." Snorting some, he offers out the flask to Mike, maybe thinking the other boy wouldn't drink from it so quickly if it was returned to the half wall. "But Boston seems all right. I like the accent."


Jay: "Well, shit, there isn't much Massachusetts to represent. Being here a couple years, you've probably gone over most of it." He takes the offered flask, again drinking from it, but maybe not as enthusiastically as usual. "How many trips do they usually do, a year? I could stand to get out of here again." He smirks some for the comment about the accent, shrugging. "It can get on my nerves, but that's probably because my dad still talks like that."


Jackie: Letting out a laugh for that, Tim lowers his head to maybe try to subdue it, or hide the amusement in the collar of his coat. But he's quick to lift his head back up, leaning more heavily against the wall and using the solid weight of it to pop his back. "Well, then I'm certainly not impressed. All I've seen is a juvenile detention center, a farm, that mountainside cabin, and we went into some suburb to visit a normal high school." Which makes Tim snort again, because these little trips have been nothing but pointless, and he hums quietly, thinking, before offering another answer. "I think they're once a semester. And then they do more...day trip type things in the summer. We'll probably go somewhere a couple weeks after we return from break, I'd guess."


Jay: "A normal high school? That's supposed to be entertaining and educational?" He lifts an eyebrow at that, because it does indeed seem pretty pointless, but then another thought hits him. "I can't imagine this bunch of rejects being taken into gen-pop. Those poor girls." He shakes his head sadly, because he's sure any female high school students were thoroughly terrorized (and apparently, still hasn't gotten over using jail terms). Taking a last drag from his cigarette, he lets it drop to the floor and squishes it beneath his boot. "Summer? Do students stay here all summer?"


Jackie: He shrugs his shoulders, finishing up his cigarette and stubbing it into the wall before flicking it towards the corner of the dug out. "I think it was...to show us where we could be, if we would stop fucking up all the time. Or something." He offers another shrug, because clearly it's all he's good at, and he diverts his gaze to look out at the baseball field, the snow still falling like it's out of a picture book. "Some students do, yeah. Not a lot. They don't really do classes, though. More like general studies, and activities."


Jay: Both eyebrows drop into a scowl for that confirmation, and Michael mulls it over while taking another drink from the flask. "That must be shitty. I'm really glad I'm gonna be eighteen before then." Offering the flask to Tim, again, Mike notices his distraction and half-turns to watch the snow fall, as well. If anything, it seems to have gotten worse, and in the little time they've been out here the ground is already covered.


Jackie: In contrast, Tim's eyebrows furrow in thought for Mike's words, but he doesn't display them to the other boy-- instead, just keeps his eyes focused on the falling snow. He blindly reaches for the flask, taking another drink from it, one that finally doesn't make his nose wrinkle too much, and he holds it back out for Mike to reclaim. "What's your plan? Booking back out to California on your birthday?"


Jay: And Mike does reclaim it, but doesn't yet drink from it again, occupied in lighting another cigarette instead. This accomplished, he turns fully around, leaning over a bit to prop himself on the wall with bent arms. "Oh...I don't know, I hadn't really planned that far ahead." He tilts his head slightly, lips pursed as he thinks it over. "Not sure that'd be a good idea, either..."


Jackie: Tim eventually shifts enough that he's now fully facing the field, crooking his arms up to rest them on top of the half wall. When he looks back over at Mike for an answer, his eyes drop to those pursed lips (because how could they not), but he forces himself to look away, back out to the field. "No? Would've thought you'd be clawing at the walls to get back to California."


Jay: "Well..." He tilts his head the other way, straightening up again and taking a drag off the smoke as he organizes his thoughts. "I'd like to go back there, yeah. I mean, the band, the baby, but on the other hand...there are a lot of people I don't wanna see. And I'm..." Again, the hesitation, obvious reluctance, which he seeks to cure by taking a drink from the flask, finally finishing with: "It's really easy to get in trouble."


Jackie: It's quite enjoyable for Tim to listen to something else talk, not having the focus on his own laundry list of things that are fucked up in his life, so he makes sure to store this information in the back of his mind, in some folder he's dedicated to his room mate. He makes a noise of consideratiion, leaning down enough to rest his chin on his forearms, and he tries to lighten the mood the slightest, shifting his body weight to nudge at Mike beside him. "It's not too difficult to stay out of trouble, too."


Jay: Mike snorts, but drags his attention away from his inner thoughts and the mesmerizing snow long enough to lean his hips to the side and return that nudge. "It's a lot more difficult when all the cops know who you are." Another drink, and he offers the rapidly emptying flask back to Tim, instead. He drags his lower lip into his mouth and gnaws on it, obviously returning to his inner monolog for a moment. "I've been thinking about this visitors-day shit a lot. It's bothering me."


Jackie: Tim actually chirps out laughter at that, more for that nudge than anything else, and he straightens himself out once he's sure Mike is done retaliating. Craning his neck to the side, he hears it pop a few times and reaches for that flask once more, taking a small swig and most certainly feeling a little warmth starting to linger under his skin - the benefit of being a light weight. With that craned neck, Tim watches Mike's face for a moment, his own eyebrow arching in question. "Yeah? Why's that? You've got a couple people visiting you. Should be nice."


Jay: Although Michael is considerably less a light-weight than Tim, he's had at least a few shots worth of that liquor by now, and is probably at least a little tipsy by now, too. On the other hand, it's hard to tell, since sobriety never stopped him from being a candid moron, either. "Yeah, I'm stoked to see Dennis, and Adrianna Michelle, too. And I get that Jace wouldn't wanna let Dennis bring her without supervision, but...I don't get why she agreed to it, at all. Our last conversation ended pretty badly, and then I went to jail, and then I came here. I really doubt her opinion of me has improved so much."


Jackie: Tim forces himself to look away from that pretty face, if only because he can't let himself be so obvious, especially now that Jesse is sure to be overly obnoxious and enthusiastic about his little crush. A shiver runs down Tim's spine unexpectedly, and it's enough for him to cuddle into himself for warm, while the tips of his ears turn a brighter pink for their lack of covering. He waits, thinks over his own words, then offers out his thoughts. "You never know. It could be good. Maybe the distance helped you two out-- plus, I'm sure she'll get that woman-tingly thing that happens when mom's see their baby with their dad. She'll probably just wipe the slate clean at that point."


Jay: Despite his seriousness, he can't help laughing some for that, the noise strangely loud in the snow. "Woman-tingly thing? Is that a technical term?" Cocking an eyebrow in Tim's direction for that, he can't entirely erase the grin, even when he goes on. "God, I hope not. That bitch is flat-out crazy."


Jackie: Tim doesn't fight down the grin that takes over his face, especially when he notices that Mike's got one strewn across his own mug, as well. "Totally. I read it in our biology book." And then he's shaking his head, maybe trying to rid his face of that smile and his mind of any sort of affectionate feelings that are brewing there. "What'd she do to get lumped into the crazy group?"


Jay: That response only makes Mike laugh louder, not quite used to hearing Tim joke like this, and he now tries to hide the grin in a shoulder. Raising his face when it's been contained a little, he takes yetanother drink from the flask, then straightens up and holds it out to Tim, for him to kill the remainder of the liquid. "Well. She keyed my bike when she found out she was pregnant, and she beat me with a stilleto-heeled shoe when I found out she was pregnant and tried to talk to her about it - there were a couple of months between those episodes, when I didn't see her at all. Then she told the cops that I really hated her ex-boyfriend...after he was found stabbed to death."


Jackie: That laugh is encouraging, enough so that Tim sneaks a little glance over at Mike, takes in the way he tries to hide his own grin, and Tim has to look away because it's too dangerous if he doesn't. He finishes off the flask with a quick sip from it, since there wasn't much left, and he screws the lid back on securely before placing it between the two of them, on the half wall. Licking his lips, he moves around again, back to his original position with his back to the wall, and he tilts his head in agreement for that description. "....sounds pretty crazy, yeah. Was that ex-boyfriend before or after you...err. Impregnated her?"


Jay: "Oh..." Mike looks away, scratches at the back of his neck, then looks up, and it's pretty obvious what his answer is before he even actually answers. "Sorta, both. For a while. He left her when she got pregnant, though; he really was an asshole." Noticing belatedly that his cigarette has gone out, he glares at it while fishing for his lighter, then finishes after relighting it. "But I didn't kill him."


Jackie: The more details he gets, the more Tim tries to sort it out in his head, and when he flicks his gaze over to look at Mike, it probably shows the gears turning in his mind. He stays silent for a moment and then nods his head, hands burrowing into the pockets of his jacket, pursing his own lips. "Did the cops think you did? That why you're here?" Because even if he kind of had an idea of why Mike was here, based on his extra curricular activities, he still never got the whole story. Or, at least not a story that included any of this new information.


Jay: Satisfied that his cigarette is now drawing, Mike shoves his free hand in his pocket, because despite the liquor it is damn cold out here. He only halfway shrugs for that question. "No, I'm here because they couldn't prove I did it. If they could, I'd still be in LA, or somewhere worse. If she hadn't said anything to them, it wouldn't have been a thing, but with my record, and no other leads..." He waves his cigarette-wielding hand dismissively to indicate the natural cop reasoning. "They picked me up for something stupid, and did everything they could to keep me in custody."


Jackie: Again, Tim squints as he mulls this information over, and even he can't help it when he glances over at Michael and maybe sees him in a partially different light. But he tries to blink it away, wanting to believe the other boy and take his words for face value, and he raises one hand to rub at his sniffling nose. "...that's rough, man. Really." And he tries to connect his icy blue eyes with Mike's, tries to give him some sort of comfort or at least some guarantee that he believes him. "At least you're almost eighteen. Can start fresh somewhere else."


Jay: Whether he senses the little bit of doubt Tim has, or he's just tired of talking about it, Mike apparently decides it's time to change the subject away from his arrest record. "Yeah...kinda terrifying in its own right, though. You got any plans for when you get outta here?" Shifting to the side, he leans a hip against the wall and sort of slouches into it, facing Tim.


Jackie: Tim isn't about to fight the change in conversation, mostly because he isn't too sure Mike wants any sympathy from him, and he isn't sure what else to offer the other boy. But when the topic focuses more on him, his back stiffens a little bit, and the ever present hand on his neck returns, albeit not moving harshly against the skin - just sort of holding on there, fingernails lightly digging into the flesh. "Me? No, not really. I mean..." He glances up, looks around at their surroundings and then shrugs, going for a lighter tone in his voice. "Coach Stax thinks I could play ball in college, but...I don't even know if they look at students in a school like this." And while the attempt is made, the execution fails, and his words have a slight undertone of sadness. But he's quick to diminish it, shrugging again. "Guess I haven't thought about it, much."


Jay: That wasn't exactly the response he expected, but then, Michael's never been one to think of going to college at all. "Well, that's...an idea. Maybe if you enrolled in college and they saw how well you played, they'd give a scholarship for the next semester? I'm not sure how that shit works." The tinge of sadness to Tim's words is noticeable only in contrast to the recent lightness and conversation, since he's been somewhat down for a few weeks now. In favor to returning to a lighter note, he tilts his head as if in thought. "Or you could just join the mob and beat people with a bat. I'm sure that's lucrative."