Leo was a little surprised Ryan had called him back so quickly, but he was kind of glad too. It would make work tomorrow less awkward.
Driving across town, he keeps one hand on the steering wheel, the other on his phone. "Yeah, well... I guess we all could have expressed ourselves a little better," he muses. "I just wanted to clear things up before tomorrow, ya know? I guess..." He pauses for a red light, letting his mind try and process the words he wanted to say. "I don't know... I guess you were right - it's time I moved on so... maybe I just want to let you know that I'll be trying to be less of a jerk at the shop from now on." He still had pain... he still felt anger for what all had happened, but... it was time he started letting it go.
"Next time though, yell at me before I swing... your boyfriend has a fist that could knock out an elephant."
Alec tosses his tennis ball to the other side of the room, letting it bounce and come back to him where he caught it again. Back and forth, his eyes followed the ball, trying to pass the time. People were leaving for the day... his task with Dalton was done until tomorrow... and he had nothing to do tonight. Nothing. He'd already found out the hard way that his ankle bracelet triggered an override to the security system, not even allowing him to use a code to get out of the building. Needless to say, Reese hadn't been happy, though he'd been just a little smug. Alec would have walloped him, had he not known his future was on the line.
How about Ryan coming here? Alec's hand catches the ball one last time and he ceases his play. She didn't know he was stuck here, so how was he supposed to think she'd come? It was strange not getting any calls or texts from her today though... he knew she was waiting on him this time, but it didn't make him any less stubborn. He'd been defending himself - Leo had thrown the first punch. And besides, what business was it of hers if he had a brawl with someone else? Why should she care?
The tennis ball flies again. Because Leo was her friend too, probably. Alec didn't really get it, but that seemed to be the reason. Well, if Ryan wanted to play it this way, then fine. Alec wasn't sorry. He missed her, and he was mad that he didn't get to see her today, but he wasn't sorry for the fight. A little sheepish maybe, and he'd underestimated Leo for sure, but he wasn't sorry for having it out with him. If Ryan wanted to keep him on a leash, she should have stuck it out with Leo.
Catching the ball once more, Alec flops back on his cot. This whole thing was just stupid. He'd paid attention to Misty earlier, sure, but... even if he did know Ryan cared about him, he wasn't just gonna cave and go crawling back and apologize for something he wasn't sorry about. It's not the way he did things, even if he did care about her too.
Throwing the ball too hard, it ricochets off the back wall and zings back over his head and out the open door. Groaning, Alec rolls over and gets up to go find out where it had landed.
Erik chuckles and shakes his head at Jackie. "I'm sure you know what you're doing, seeing as though this place has produced some success."
He fingers the headphones and looks out at the others for a moment. "Yeah, I think we do alright. Even the best bands can improve though."
Sighing a little, he finally puts the headphones back where Wayne had set them. "Kyle's got a good ear... so whatever you and Wayne come up with... be sure to have Kyle listen too. I know he might be seen as a rookie like any one of us here, but... he's got something special and sometimes he hears things nobody else does."
"Mmmm.... ice cream for everybody..." Kip reaches in his pocket and pulls out his keys, giving them a little jingle. His voice drops to a whisper. "Stealth is key."
Getting to his feet, he jumps behind Twila, peeking over her shoulder - as if she would even be able to hide him. Then turning, he slinks along the wall, jumping into a "shadow" until he was by the door. Then looking both ways, he shoots out into the hall, leaving behind laughter from Twila.
She gestures to Karla. "You better go catch up with 007 before he disappears."
"Oooh." Gage hadn't thought about all those choices before. "I've... never played mini golf before," he admits. "Always looked fun though. Maybe.... that after... pizza?"
His eyes are like those of a little kid. Having been deprived for so long, just pizza was enough to make him happy, and if there was lemonade in the mix, he was even happier.
8/1/10
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