[right][sub][color=dimgray]Friday, nearing dusk.
Collab with [@Hey Im Jordan][/color][/sub][/right]
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/gVkDrv0.gif[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/iiDCV5o.png?1[/img][/center]
[indent]Their food had just arrived, but Damian never wanted to leave a place more than he wanted to leave this one, right now. He had never found himself made more uncomfortable, more [i]embarrassed[/i], than he was right then and there. For fuck’s sake, his dad had just revealed that he carried Plan B around in his backpack, like he was some kind of trogoldyte. He wanted to eat though, and there was still delicious milkshake! He eyed the table, watching as Ender picked up the cream soda and finally took his first, drawn out, delicious sip.

Damian needed an out, and luckily he had one. He just needed Joy’s help. He glanced at his girlfriend, and then at his watch. Would it work? He hoped it would. He wanted [i]out[/i], he wanted to go anywhere else on the planet. Anywhere else in this, or any other galaxy! He realized they only had one good weapon against their parents: stealth. Pulling his phone out and glancing at it under the table, Damian quickly typed out a message to his girlfriend:

[quote][i]To: [b][color=#6175ff]Joy[/color][/b][/i]
[b][color=#309b75]hey… wanna go somewhere else??[/color][/b]
[b][color=#309b75]jk i know u do[/color][/b]
[b][color=#309b75]follow my lead[/color][/b][/quote]
With that text sent, Damian looked up at the gathering of parents, and cleared his throat. [b][color=#309b75]“Hey, Joy and I should actually take off… she just got a text from Jericho. They need a babysitter, ASAP. Amie just got a call for some really important meeting, and they both need to be there. Tragic, I know, but we can do this some other time.” [/color][/b]Lying came so easy to him. Oh man, was that a bad thing?

And as if on cue, Jude’s phone rang with Amity’s ringtone, which was her and JJ’s love song. Uptown Funk. They even performed it at their wedding. Joy wasn’t a simple thinker, she knew to get past her parents, especially the analyzer, her mother, she had to make the lie believable. She had signal words she could text her uncle and then it was only a matter of time. The word she sent was: Platypus, which meant call with a babysitting lie. Jude couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at the children. Digging in her purse, she grabbed her phone and answered it, placing it by her ear,  [b][color=#4a86e8]“Amie… hello.” [/color][/b]

[b][color=#00ff7f]“Hey is this a bad time?! Oh my god, I need to run out and there’s no one to watch my baby! Is Joy free? If not, I guess I can reach out to my sister and see if my nieces or nephew may want to. But no one knows Tyty like Joy does. All his allergies and his particular mood swings. Joy is absolutely the best. I’ll DO ANYTHING IF YOU LET HER BE MY SAVIOR!”[/color][/b]

Amity was talking loud enough for the people around Jude to hear. There was a strained look on the Darling’s face. Oddly perfect timing. Suspicious. Her dark gaze went from Damian’s face then to Joy’s, before she simply responded, [b][color=#4a86e8]“It’s her choice.” [/color][/b]which was a short version of ‘yes’. 

[b][color=#00ff7f]“Thanks so much! We need to have a barbeque or something soon. I miss youuuu! Love you, Juju. I’m out. Byeeeeee.” [/color][/b][i]Click. [/i]

[b][color=#6175ff]“So yeah… we’re just gonna’ get going.” [/color][/b]Joy hated to leave her food and milkshake behind, but they could pick something up on the way to wherever. It wasn’t a big deal. [b][color=#6175ff]“Could you get this to go? I’d love to have it when I get back home!” [/color][/b]

[b][color=#2e8b57]“You’re leaving already!?” [/color][/b]Melody pouted. They didn’t even get to the juicy stories yet. How upsetting! Just when she felt like her and her son were making up for the past week. He already wants to LEAVE her!

Damian nodded his agreement and looked at his parents, gesturing for them to get out of the way. This was the perfect plot, there was no way this was going to backfire. He was going to have to give Joy his compliments later, and as Connor slid out of the way and pulled Melody out after him so that Damian and Joy could escape, Damian looked at his girlfriend and shook his head, [b][color=#309b75]“it’s fine, we can just box it up ourselves. I’m sure the little guy would love some snacks.” [/color][/b]He explained grabbing her plate and his and balancing them in his hands as he gestured for her to follow.

Connor looked at his son and shook his head. Damian really was a chip off the old block, wasn’t he? Damian had never thought much of the ‘apple never falls far from the tree’ saying before, but Connor had run all these tricks himself when he was younger. He [i]knew[/i] what Damian was doing, but he was honorbound by an agreement he had with his son to not say a word. Better that Damian keep calling when he’s drunk, rather than suddenly not trust his father anymore and get a DUI like that Henry kid. [b][color=#d32626] “Have fun babysitting, my bro.” [/color][/b]He said in a sarcastic voice, prompting Damian to nod.

[b][color=#309b75]“Oh yeah, totally. Hey, baby, can you grab our drinks?” [/color][/b]Damian was already headed toward the counter where they had the little boxes. Mentally, Damian O’Connor was checked out of this ‘lunch date’ with their parents.

[b][color=#6175ff]“Yeah, sure.” [/color][/b]With ease, Joy grabbed their mostly drank milkshake and the second one that Mandy brought out because Joy didn’t get any of the first one. Her eyes rested on her father, as she gave him a loving, cheesy grin, [b][color=#6175ff]“Let’s go paintball soon. Parents versus kids. Doesn’t the sound awesome?” [/color][/b]She was standing now and looking at the group that she considered her everything. Her parents and her godparents. She didn’t like telling white lies, but they were necessary for her to have a good time. Plus, her father and mother could use a night with Connor and Melody. They could use a drink and time to relax. [b][color=#6175ff]“I love you guys.” [/color][/b]As if a newfound confidence washed over her, she beamed at all of them before walking away, going to her boyfriend’s side.  

They were almost home free, Damian was stuffing their food into the to go boxes, when he heard his godfather’s voice and he turned around to look back at Ender.[b][color=#7d1c7f] “Be.” [/color][/b]Ender was speaking through gritted teeth, with all the teeth grinding he was doing since those two got together, he was going to need braces in no time. [b][color=#7d1c7f]“Careful. Just. Be careful.” [/color][/b]He said, picking up his cream soda with a white knuckle grip, which Damian eyed with some degree of concern — was he going to shatter the glass? — before he lifted it up to his mouth and drank from it. Damian nodded slowly.

[b][color=#309b75]“Uh, yeah, of course…” [/color][/b]He said, closing up the boxes and leading Joy outside. While they exited, Melody took charge and happily laughed, [b][color=#2e8b57]“Sooooo we have so much we need to catch up on! MANDY CAN WE HAVE ALCOHOL IN OUR SHAKES?!”[/color][/b] Once they were safely locked into his car, he looked at her and grinned. [b][color=#309b75]“Smooth! Good job, I couldn’t handle another ‘story’ from them… I would have lost my goddamn mind.” [/color][/b]He started the car and they pulled away from the Sunshine Diner and their parents, and toward freedom.

Wide-eyed, finally with space to breathe, Joy stared ahead, with a large styrofoam cup that held their combined milkshakes. Everything that was discussed was [i]finally [/i]hitting her. There was no more embarrassment to distract her. [b][color=#6175ff]“My mother… lost her virginity… three hours after she met dad.” [/color][/b]Her life was turning out to be a big ass LIE! Everything she painted of her mother being such a clean cut, polished woman who rarely entertained topics for degenerates: A FUCKING LIE.  [b][color=#6175ff]“I DON’T KNOW MY MOTHER!” [/color][/b]Yeah, Joy wasn’t pleased by this information because she thought she knew everything. She thought she was top shit and could pick up on all the signs. But she had one big oversight with the woman that gave birth to her! 

Damian shrugged his shoulders, taking a left. He knew where he was going now, but he had to listen to Joy yell first. That was just part of spending time with women, he knew that already. Damian had spent time with a few women in his lifetime, and one way or another, they all got loud. This was just par for the course! [b][color=#309b75]“Well, I mean… our parents were kind of degenerates, did you know that? It’s crazy. And don’t think about it like you don’t [i]know[/i] her, just think that you don’t know [i]parts[/i] of her, because you still know some things! Just not like, all of them. And that’s cool, you know.” [/color][/b]Damian explained, reaching into his box for a french fry and throwing it into his mouth. Besides, from his perspective, it seemed like Joy was missing [i]the important part[/i], [b][color=#309b75]“the good news is we’re [i]finally[/i] going to get some freakin’ alone time, Joy!”[/color][/b]

Yeah, that’s true. Joy shouldn’t worry about not knowing everything, even if she liked knowing everything. She should focus on being grateful, in this moment, that she and Damian could be alone together. The big talk with their parents was over and behind them. It was time to move forward. It was a good thing she had a boyfriend that knew how to handle the worst kind of women — his mother  — because someone like Joy in comparison was easy to handle. [b][color=#6175ff]“Where are we heading to anyways?” [/color][/b]She grabbed the plastic spoon and scooped some of the ice cream out of the shake and put it in her mouth. God, this was so good and weirdly enough, a peace was washing over her the further they got away from the diner. She was content. 

[b][color=#309b75]“I have an idea.” [/color][/b]Was all Damian would say in that respect, shrugging his shoulders mysteriously. Life was better with a dash of mystery wasn’t it? That sounded like something his dad would say, and his dad was [i]usually[/i] right about [i]a good portion [/i]of things. He kept driving, and popped another fry into his mouth. He glanced over at Joy and put his hand on her leg, giving it a little squeeze. They drove in silence for a minute or two, with Damian’s warm hand resting on her thigh, before the car came to a stop, and Damian opened his door, [b][color=#309b75]“hey, follow me.” [/color][/b]He suggested, leading her out of the car (Dames opened her door, of course).

Damian led her around the buildings, and to their destination, a bench at [url=https://stage.visitcalifornia.com/sites/default/files/styles/welcome_image/public/VC_California101_VeniceBeach_Stock_RF_638340372_1280x640.jpg]Venice Beach.[/url] Once they sat down, Damian popped open his box of food, draped one arm around her shoulder, and looked out at the ocean. [b][color=#309b75]“This is where we’re heading. I figure we can eat, talk, and creepily watch people on the beach.”[/color][/b]

Joy couldn’t help but be surprised by him, time and time again. Knowing his reputation, it made this side of him news to her. The romantic side. Up until the New Years Party, they rarely talked, at least not since they were kids. He was the star jock and she was an underrated genius.  She carefully and thoughtfully eyed him, as he stared off at the blue azure. With their drink on the ground between them, she grabbed her fork and sliced a piece of pancake with it. Before putting the piece in her mouth, she used this opportunity to apologize for her parents’ overprotectiveness, especially her father’s, [b][color=#6175ff]“I’m sorry things have been rough for you. My dad still cares. I know he does. You’re just… my first.” [/color][/b]And hopefully only.

[b][color=#309b75]“Aw, no worries. Sometimes dads get like that, and I’m… you know, used to it.” [/color][/b]Damian tore a piece of chicken strip with his mouth, and just shook his head. He knew what Joy was getting at, but he’d dealt with this a bunch of times before. He’d been around girls before, and that meant he’d been around dads before. And dads were predictable, he really should have seen an upset Ender coming from a million miles away — he knew the dude after all. [b][color=#309b75]“Trust me, he’ll relax in a while. It might take a week, it might take a long time, it might take a short time… nobody knows, but I’ll deal with it until then, you know? That’s the plan, anyway.”[/color][/b]

Slowly, she chewed her pancakes, giving ‘that’ look that her mother gave at the diner table. The one that tried to read behind the expression. The one that was overthinking. He [i]was [/i]used to it, wasn’t he? Looking away from him, she focused on the sunsetting. It was weirdly timed, as if mother nature was trying to build an atmosphere she hoped was [i]earnest. [/i][b][color=#6175ff]“You better be serious about me. I don’t forgive easily.” [/color][/b]She ripped off a piece of bacon in her mouth. Love was stupid. It was like she had to trust someone else that wasn’t herself. She knew exactly how she worked. She knew what she liked and how to make herself happy. Now here she was trying to open up her heart to one of the most popular boys at her damn school. Basically begging to be a red target for all the other girls that have fucked him or want to fuck him. How do couples just ‘let go’ and live in the moment? How do they just naturally trust that the other won’t deliberately hurt you? Why the hell was she such a skeptic when it came to love when she had no idea what love was? The questions were driving her insane.

[b][color=#309b75]“I’d be surprised if you did forgive easily! Your mom still hasn’t forgiven my dad for something he did like 20 years ago, so… yeah. Don’t worry so much, I’m not un-serious about you. Now, I’m not thinking about marriage or anything, but we’re not even 20! It’d be wild to think about stuff like that [i]already[/i], so just… relax. Eat your pancakes, enjoy the ocean breeze, and look… see that guy? He just dropped his ice cream cone in the sand. Poor fucker.” [/color][/b]Damian said, pointing with his chicken strip at a large man out in the sand, who was staring sadly at a lump on the ground. Damian took another bite, and squished Joy closer to him, shaking his head, [b][color=#309b75]“remember. No pressure.” [/color][/b]While Joy was worried about all of the things she was worried about… Damian was remarkably calm, relaxed, and… well, enjoying the lack of pressure. They were just kids, after all. [b][color=#309b75]“We’re gonna go to a hotel room tomorrow, we’re gonna make out, we’re gonna fool around, maybe we’ll have sex, maybe we won’t… Don’t worry about it.”[/color][/b]

[b][color=#6175ff]“Are you talking about that time when your dad sexualized my grandma because of her ‘past’ job?” [/color][/b]Joy knew that detail, at least, from her mother’s past. The fact that her grandmother started off as a stripper to take care and raise her. Of course her mother wouldn’t take kindly to one of her friends glorifying that and thinking her grammy Nana would be [i]easy[/i]. Her eyes fell on the ice cream on the floor. [b][color=#6175ff]“Poor dude, for sure.” [/color][/b]

[b][color=#309b75]“Yeah, that sounds accurate. Truth is, I never got the gory details. I just know that Dad is ‘in trouble’ and has been ‘in trouble’ for a long time. I dunno what that means. Are parents are scuffed as hell, that could be a sex thing for all I know! It’s not important, it’s not. What [i]is[/i] important is that you need to make sure you have a nice outfit for our trip. We’ll probably be going to a fancy hotel, which means there will be a fancy dinner place, which means we’ll have to be, temporarily, fancy.” [/color][/b]Damian figured he’d ticked off all the boxes, all the important things they needed to worry about for tomorrow. How Joy would take it, he hadn’t considered — but if he had, he would have figured that Joy was probably going to overthink and stress. Damian of course, wasn’t going to do that at all; this was far from his first rodeo. [b][color=#309b75]“Good move on getting your aunt to call, by the way. That’s why you’re in AP classes, and I’m not.”[/color][/b]

Joy smiled at her boyfriend and nodded, [b][color=#6175ff]“Admittedly, I never thought I’d use it for sex or any of that. I’ve built a system with them a long time ago so I could be out longer and see my uncle contend. Just a safety thing, y’know? Since my mom worries a lot. Hell, I’ve even used this system to have little adventures with Katie without stressing about what my mom was thinking, which, I’ll need her help if you want me to go all out. She’s better at this kind of stuff. I’d ask my mom, but she has to go on this business trip for this classified prototype. JJ’s too lazy to show his face, so she’s going instead.” [/color][/b]Now that she thought about it, this could’ve been another reason why her mother was stressing. She always had to mentally prepare herself for presentations, since she was more ‘approachable’ and ‘welcoming’  than her uncle. Truthfully? This dinner was a tremendously good thing for her and her mother. Joy felt like she was starting to understand her mother better, thanks to Damian.

[b][color=#309b75]“With what kind of stuff? Being pretty? That’s up to you, babe.” [/color][/b]Damian thought she was already pretty pretty, she didn’t [i]need[/i] to go all out, but hey. He wasn’t about to complain. Finishing up the rest of his meal, Damian leaned against the girl who was still eating her — very fucking large — meal, and focused on the ocean and horizon out in front. For the former football captain, the future seemed bright; a big difference from just a week ago.

[b][color=#6175ff]“Yeah… I want to look nice.” [/color][/b]Joy whisperingly replied, her cheeks peeking to a champagne pink. [b][color=#6175ff]“Hey, Damian?” [/color][/b] 

[b][color=#309b75]“What’s up, buttercup?”[/color][/b]

Nervously, she cleared her throat and softly muttered, [b][color=#6175ff]“I love you.” [/color][/b]
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