New Job and a Bad Feeling

[raihnstar]

Janine stepped out of the Bureau of Employment with a pleased smile. This was it. She was finally a city arquitect! And she had twenty people at her disposal! Raises rocked! Being the CEO of We Build Bridges wasn't going to be easy-- But Janine felt like she was ready for it. Definitely ready. She left the building and flipped her cellphone open, dialing a number quickly. "Hey-- Da? Yeah, I got the job!! It's going to be awesome I'll-- what-- oh jeez, well why didn't you /say/-- RIGHT! BYE!" she ended her call in a rush and grinned, shaking her head.

He shouldn't keep his phone on while he was shacking Jamie up. Talk about awkward. Still, it wasn't like Janine wasn't used to it. He wasn't exactly shy about sex, although he did try to be discrete around his sons and daughters. In the plural. Because he had over twenty. Speaking of-- Janine began to dial again, long distance this time, to somewhere in Italy. "Hey-- Marco? I was hired! Yeah we can work on it together!! Oh I know, it's going to be fabulous working with you! Right-- well, long distance... I'll see you in awhile."

She flipped the phone shut, cringing internally for the amount of money she'd have to pay for that call. But you couldn't just transport yourself everywhere all the time. It got tiring. And Marco had said he was with his boyfriend so if she could please-- Seems like everybody has somebody these days... Janine shook her head, her lips tightening for a mometn. Get over yourself.

[ßlue]

<sub>Geo walked out of a nearby building. He was wearing sunglasses and his hair was short, spiked His ears were laid back to accommodate a sleek zoot suit style hat, black pinstriped. It didn't exactly have a feather sticking out of it, but it was very cool looking. He was wearing black dress pants with a long sleeved silk shirt. He was on a slim black phone, smiling and walking with long strides down the sidewalk. H had changed, but not by much. Again it had seemed he had added an inch or two to his height. His voice was smooth and there was a caring tone to it as he spoke to the woman on the phone. He was about Twenty now. He was working under his Dad at his design studio. It made good money.

"Yeah, I know... I think you'll like it... uh-huh... Of course... God I want you... Yeeeeah I knooooow... Uh-huh... Yeah... You too Clarette... See you soon... Okay... Yeah... Okay... Bye"

He was grinning and so zoned out as he clicked his phone shut he ran into a someone. He didn't run into people often so he didn't have to pretend how shocked her was as he started apologizing for jogging them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention, and I..."

He stopped, mouth still open as he looked into the eyes of an old friend. Holy Shit. JANINE!!! He was speechless and even took off his sunglasses, as if making sure it was her he was really seeing. What a coincidence.

"Ja...Janine?"</sub>

[raihnstar]

"Ow-- HEY! What the hell, asshole!" Janine snapped, turning sharply and gasping. Oh my god. This was not happening. She'd never planned to see this person again. Ever. Not in a million years. And here he was. Bumping in to her, and looking exactly the same as when she'd left him standing in the ally with her, a year ago. Maybe a little taller. Now he was looking into her eyes instead of tilting his head up at her a little. "...Yes." she said, keeping her face carefully guarded.

Her stance was rigid, like she was poised for an attack. She didn't say his name, but her face clearly said 'I recognize you.' Finally, after an extremely uncomfortable silence, where Janine was trying to keep her feelings together and not completely explode out of the blue, she smiled thinly. "Geo. You look well." she managed to murmur in a regular voice, her hand going up to her dreads and tugging on them nervously. Her phone rang and she picked it up, with a half glance directed at her old best friend. "What? Oh. Yeah. Can we talk later?" she asked in a short voice, and hung up.

It felt like somebody had paused everything around her, and she wasn't sure what was going on. Why is this happening to me? she thought to herself yet again.

[ßlue]

<sub>Geo had been about to smile, the upwards tilt of his lips disappearing as he saw her face. Oh, right. She didn't like him anymore. He felt an old pang and was thinking about just smiling apologetically and walking on, but she finally said something. You look well. He seemed to think on it. He looked her up and down. He was as tall as she was now. He let a friendly smile bloom on his face. He had missed her, a lot, more than he thought he would. He let his face show what he felt. He was relieved to see her. He really was. He was glad to see her again. And after all this time.

"Yeah... You too. What are you doing around here?"

Her phone rang and he let her answer it, not like he was going to stop her if she just kept talking and blew him off. He wouldn't have minded, but he would have been a little happier through the day having seen her after so long.</sub>

[raihnstar]

"I...got a job. I'm the uh...CEO of We Build Bridges." she told him in what she hoped wasn't a completely stiff voice. Another awkard silence on her part, and she felt the flicker of anger flare inside her. He stole her. Your best friend did that to you. Janine flicked her blue eyes away from his and glanced towards the cars without really seeing them. No. It wasn't his fault. But I can't-- I can't do it. I can't forgive him for taking her from me. Not yet. The tall woman folded her arms and tried to pretend she wasn't clenching her fists. Not ever. "So...what are...you doing here?"

The question might have been slightly cold, although she'd just been trying to be polite. Janine bit the inside of her cheek and her toes squirmed inside their converse, "Are you...getting a job?" her voice was slow and she spoke haltingly, as if she wasn't used to its sound. As if she'd kept a vow of silence for a year and was finally being forced to speak. And that was like it was. Strange. It was strange talking to Geo. She could see he was trying his best to be friendly but she kept the cold wall of ice between them.'

Those months after she'd found out about Clarette had been grueling. For the first three weeks she hadn't left her room, despite all the attempts of her siblings to get her out. It wasn't until her father came back from his trip that she was finally pried away from the darkness, and even then she had cried herself to sleep every night. And she missed them. She missed them so badly. (There was a box in the garage of every single thing that had to do with them, and ever so often she'd go by it, and look at it, but wouldn't open it.) She missed having them close, joking with Geo, kissing Clarette...she even missed the fights. Because some contact seemed better than no contact. But Janine was done. Had finished as soon as she said she had.

[ßlue]

<sub>Geo looked behind him at the building he had come out of and smiled as she asked if he was here to get a job. He laughed, shaking his head and noticing her strain to keep things polite. His face fell slightly, but he aimed another nice smile at her, a sort of sad wishing swimming in his eyes that said he really missed her, all that time having gone by and never talking to her.

"No, I work for my dad, I was just here visiting a client of his. He's interested in my dad's work and wanted to know when he was open for a business meeting..."

There was a pause and Geo tilted his head, looking meaningfully at Janine and then saying what was on his mind.

"It's really good to see you Janine. Really. We've missed you. It's not as fun without a threesome."

He smiled, trying to be joking about it. After it was out though he worried she might not think it was that funny. He looked down, realizing it hadn't been the right time to say something like that. He looked up, some sadness on his face.

"You should call her. She has always felt so horrible for what she did Janine, please don't be angry at her for what happened. I... I don't know what else I can say. Everything that day just happened so fast and... I dunno. She misses you. She does. We both love you Janine. We didn't mean...

He looked down again, looking like he really wished he could say something to make her feel better and to convince her to be their friend again. He wondered for a second if he should tell Clarette when he got home that he had seen Janine. Instantly he knew he had to. He would tell Clarette, he had to.</sub>

[raihnstar]

"Oh." Was all she could manage to say, and Janine cleared her throat nervously, glancing down at him repeatedly as he looked at her and told her that he missed her, and that Clarette missed her as well. "No. It isn't as fun." she agreed quietly, her dark eyes troubled and serious. He seemed to realize that he'd misstepped and he looked up, his face a little sadder. "I--" Janine started, stopped and shook her head. "Geo... I'm not angry at her. Not really, I mean. It's not her fault."

She looked around unhappily before meeting Geo's eyes again, "But I can't call her. I can't." It was tempting. It was really tempting. Go back to how it was before? But it wouldn't be the same. "I'm not angry at her, no... I just still love her." She could almost smell her on him. She could almost pretend she was here with her. "It wouldn't work, Geo. We could pretend, but it wouldn't be the same. Better not to try." Her voice had gone back to its chilly state, after that brief moment of intensity when she'd said she still loved Clarette.

[ßlue]

<sub>Geo felt a small flare of anger as Janine said she couldn't. It wouldn't be the same. Better to not try. He glared at her suddenly.

"If you still love her so much you should call her Janine! She misses you! We both do! I can understand how it'd be hard for you and really, I'm sorry! It's been a year though! Sometimes I still hear her whisper your name when she's asleep! She cries sometimes and she comes to me and I nod and say I know, that it was a long time ago and wherever you are she's not mad anymore. So if you aren't mad then just talk to her again! You dont even have to see her! Just talk to her, please! We miss you Janine! Anything is worth a try!"

His glare had softened while he kept talking and now he looked at her sternly but with a sad look to him. He didn't want to be angry at her, but Clarette was important to him and he didn't like seeing her when she got thinking about Janine. She would get guilty and sad and cry. He didn't want her to cry. His heart broke every time a tear spilled from those beautiful blue eyes. His eyes were pleading now, changing so fast it seemed he didn't know what to feel. He wanted to be friends with her again, he wanted Clarette to be happy knowing that Janine wasn't angry at her anymore, he just wanted everyone to be happy. God damn it was so frustrating. His eyes watered at her and he blinked, realizing he was almost crying in frustration and rubbing his eye with a sleeve quickly.</sub>

[raihnstar]

Oh. She was pissed. Because some of the things he was saying were true, but also because he just didn't get it. It was over. For. Ever. She grabbed his shoulder, tightening her hand painfully and looking into his eyes, anger welling in her own blue depths, "No, Geo. You can't understand. Come with me." She grabbed his arm roughly and dragged him towards a small coffee shop that looked a little sketchy. It was almost like old times. When janine used to drag her friends around to places around town she'd 'discovered'. Sometimes they were dangerous, and sometimes terrifying, but they were almost always fun when they were all there together. She sat him down opposite to her, glared at the waitress until the woman left, and then stared at her hands mutely.

Shit. What had she brought him here for? "Look, Geo. You don't seem to be completely aware of what's going on. I'm done with you two. Done. No going back. Remember that day? I said I'd never forgive you? I havn't. I'm sorry. I can't. I can't." Her voice was trembling and she covered her face so he wouldn't see the tears creeping down her cheeks. Janine continued with difficulty, "The last time I saw you together, I almost hit you. And she was there-- and then I almost hit her." Her hands tightened at her face and she had to pause for a moment. "If-- If I see you two together-- I will hurt you. And I will hurt myself. Physically-- or mentally-- Do-- Do you get it now? Do you understand? It's better just to leave this whole thing alone. To just forget, okay?"

[ßlue]

<sub>Geo was startled as she grabbed him, but kept his eyes on her without flinching. He had forgotten how strong she was. Then she was tugging him after her and he had a flashback of years ago when they were kids and she had been pulling him to a shop she'd found. She had told him Clarette would love it and sure enough, when Janine had brought her there on Valentines day Clarette had adored the shop. Clarette had never gone there again since Janine left. She had looked at the shop when she passed by, or sometimes she would stand on the other side of the street and watch the shop, as if expecting to see Janine some out. Geo had followed her one day. He was plopped down in a chair and brought back to what was happening. He watch Janine as she began to talk. He felt his heart thump painfully. He could tell even as she put up her hands that Janine had begun to tear up. She was crying. He sighed, anger washing away and leaving him feeling tired. He stood up, stepping around the table and taking Janine's hands, pulling her up and looking her in the eye before his arms wrapped around her protectively.

"Okay Janine. I love Clarette. I just don't like seeing her sad whenever she thinks of you. But if you don't want to forgive us. You don't have to. I'm still your friend Janine... No matter what. You don't have to ever forgive us. But... I think it would help... if you just called Clarette. To tell her you aren't mad anymore? Please? Janine... We both care about you. And I don't want to ask you to do anything you don't want to. You don't have to forgive us... Ever. But no matter what. We are still your friends. And we love you."

His eyes were shimmering, but he refused to let enough tears build up to fall down his lashes. If they don't run down your cheeks technically you aren't crying. Your eyes just got a little watery... Thats all.</sub>

[raihnstar]

It hurt to know somebody else loved her as much as she did. Tough titty, Neen. He loves her too. He pulled her against him and she stiffened, pushed him away gently and wiped away the tears on her face. "Don't touch me please." she murmured quietly, looking up with half dead eyes. "I'm sorry Geo. I'm not going to call her. But-- tell her you saw me. Tell her I'm not mad at her. I never was." Janine started to walk away from him and paused, "...I'm sorry, Geo. I really am. But some things just can't be fixed. It's best if you forget about...what once was."

And it was the truth. Janine was very sorry. She still loved both of them very dearly. Still missed them. But she'd said she would never forgive them...and it was true. She couldn't do it. And to ruin what they once had by trying to replicate it-- was folly. She truly hoped they could forget about her. And she hoped she could forget them.

But she doubted that.