Westbrook Academy for Metahumans: Forums

The ancient looking rust orange Chevy might have been an eyesore as it crossed the bridge leading to Talos Island, but at least the heater worked! It was running at full blast so that Cadence wouldn't have to worry about keeping herself and Etienne warm. Both were bundled up, he in his alligator skin coat and she in the coat that had been specially made to withstand her fiery powers, as they braved the cold to go shopping. He still wasn't so sure about dancing in a burial suit, but Cadence had reassured him that wearing one to a school dance was normal. It didn't have the same meaning as it did back home in the bayou. He cast a glance at his passenger seat. She looked tired. In fact, lately she always seemed to look tired. She had been drinking the herbal tea the houghan back home had concocted and sent to Paragon, and Cadence claimed the remedy was working. He had to wonder if she was just saying that for his benefit or not.

He reached over and pointed one of the vents her way. "Dat tea ain' helping much, do it 'moiselle?"

Cadence looked away from the window and over at Etienne. "It's helping some, it really is. Dr. Ellis thinks this is a symptom of whatever's wrong with me." She rubbed her temple. "And...we weren't supposed to be talking about this or Loa problems today, right?"

He nodded as he turned his attention back to the road. "Right. Dis day 'bout fun."

She gave him a bit of a smile, then looked out the window. Today she was not going to think about her illness. And she was bound and determined that the Loa wouldn't dictate Etienne's plans today, even if it was only for a little while. They both deserved to have some fun. She'd already found a dress for the Valentine's dance, and she was looking forward to showing it off. Kai had seen it and voiced his approval. It was certainly going to be well worth the time she'd volunteered to help keep thugs from messing with Lauren's in Independence Port. She was a little unsure if she was going to be any help in regards to a suit, though, She just had to hope that the staff at Bernie's Big and Tall knew what they were doing. She also hoped that Bernie was going to hold up to his end of the deal they had worked out. The Family had been hassling his shop lately, and she'd agreed to patrol near the suit shop, hoping maybe her presence there would deter them. In exchange, Bernie was going to give her a steep discount on whatever suit Etienne picked out.

"There's the turn off," she said as an exit sign came up.

Etienne eased the car off the highway. He had been surprised how easy it was to start the truck in this cold weather, but grateful for it. The truck had been his parting gift from his village when he left for school. Following Cadence's directions, he pulled into the store.

"Bernie's Big and Tall? I tink dey goin' have someting dat fit me here. Do Bernie do good work? It a big store for just one person."

She replied, "He must do good work, otherwise I don't think he could afford the lease on a store that big. Besides that, Bernie's is the only place in Paragon that carries suits for someone as tall as you."

Etienne smiled as he parked the truck. "I ain' no taller'n nobody else my height, 'moiselle."

The rumbling truck went silent as he took out the key. They climbed out, and then wasted no time, heading straight into the men's store. A chiming sound rang softly through the shop as the door opened. Inside, the walls of the store were lined with shelves and racks. Suits in an array of colors hung along the walls, and shirts ranging from plan white and pastels, to brighter bolder jewel tones fill the shelves. A pair of glass display cases and a few polished tables showed off even more dress shirts alongside ties that in pretty much every color of the rainbow. Bernie was talking to one of his clerks when the teens came in from the cold, and a broad grin spread across this face. The man certainly lived up the store's name. He was a girthy man, and was about even height with Etienne. He came forward and took Cadence's hand in both of his own, pretty much swallowing them.

"It's so good to see you! You must be Cadence, the one Combustion Gal said would be coming by."

He then turned and took Etienne's hand in a firm handshake. "You, sir, may have your pick of the store. Any friend of Combustion Gal's is a friend of mine. I can't tell you how relieved I am to know she's patrolling our area. Those thugs in their tacky Italian knock offs will stay away, if they know what's good for them."

Bernie signaled for another clerk, then turned his attention back on the young Creole. "Sergio will get your measurements, and then we'll get you settled. You'll need to take off your... Is that alligator skin? Anyway, you'll need to take it off."

Etienne was reluctant to take it off. It was so cold in Paragon...so much colder than back home. But if this man was going to measure him for his suit, he couldn't exactly leave it on. With more than a bit of trepidation, he took the coat off.

Cadence reached for it. "I'll hang onto it," she said as she pulled the heavy coat into her arms. "Go on and get fitted. I'll wait right here."

Sergio started measuring Etienne as he stood, his arms held wide. "How tall are you?"

"Nineteen hands."

Sergio shook his head, then replied in a gravelly voice. "Six foot four? You've grown, kid. 'Course, your clothes are so baggy, it's not surprising you didn't notice. Who made your clothes? Are these handmade?"

"Yes, sir. Gran make de clodes back home."

Sergio paused in his measuring to inspect his clothing. "Does good work, too. You don't see too many people weave their own cloth, either. Well, you're done. On to better things."

Bernie took over from there, and showed Etienne just about everything in the story. Finally, he settled on a black pin-striped suit with a pink shirt and tie, or a charcoal suit with a pale yellow suit and a gold tie.

"More color'n I used to, monsieur."

He turned to Cadence. "What you tink, 'moiselle. I ain' de one got to be looking at me."

She bit her lip as considered the options. Both suits looked good, but she couldn't decide which she liked better. Both shirt colors stood out in stark contrast with his dark skin...then of course there was the pink hang up. Some guys just had this thing about wearing pink, wouldn't touch it because it was a 'girlie' kind of color. Etienne didn't seem the type to really care about that though. Yellow? Pink? He would look good in either. She realized, after a moment or two, that she was staring. She looked down quickly.

"It's...it's a tough decision. I think the pin-stripe with the pink shirt and tie would look better.

"An excellent decision," Bernie said. "You are going to kill them, Etienne."

Etienne frowned, "Hopeful not so, monsieur. Dey already ain' comfortable 'round me."

Bernie laughed out loud and went behind the counter. Etienne gave Cadence a quizzical look, not understanding the joke.

She glanced up his way, smiling as she reassured him. "It's just an expression. He means you'll look great in that suit."

After writing things down, Bernie looked up. "Alright, you're all set. I'll have this made by Friday, you can pick it up then."

Etienne thankfully put his coat back on, and shivered once. Together, he and Cadence went back out to his truck.

They had waited until everyone had cleared out of the gym. Etienne had promised Cadence that he would help her learn to dance, so she would not feel as uncomfortable at the Valentine's Day dance. They had been at it for over an hour, but were taking a break as the music app on Cadence's phone played through a Bob Dylan tune.

Cadence put her hands on her hips as she looked Etienne's way. She felt so incredibly awkward, and was glad that no one else was around. She was positive she looked like a moron right now, but at least Etienne was the only one around to see it. "Etienne, are you sure I'm doing this right?" she asked, definitely requiring some sort of reassurance on the matter.

"You got to relax, 'moiselle. Feel de musique, and flow wit it. Your moves, dey fine, but all choked up."

She pushed back her bangs, sighing in frustration. "I'm trying!" she said. She took a breath, forced herself to calm down a little. "Sorry...I just...I feel like I just...look stupid doing this..."

Etienne grinned, his stark white teeth bright against his dark skin. "So what? Ain' no dancer dat look good. Dey just confident 'bout what dey doing, and we all go wit it. Relax. Pretend dat you like doing dis."

She didn't reply right away. Dylan was slowly winding to a close. "I'll try and relax," she said finally. "Besides...supposed to be having fun, right?"

He chuckled. "Dis is fun, dough, ain' it? I mean just free of all that outsider stuff, free to relax, and no worries."

She tilted her head up at him, and smiled despite herself. "That's right. No one watching, pointing, laughing, making jokes...and good Lord I sound neurotic," she said, rubbing her hands in her face.

Etienne's chuckle turned into a rumbling laugh. "You just got to live in here. Not literally, but shut all dey bad juju out."

Cadence's hands moved to her ears. "You're right...you're right, you're right. I mean, if I'm freaking out now, imagine how bad it'll be when the gym is full of people?"

"You know, the worst of them going be caught up in his own date, don't you? I mean I tink Kai ain't going let Artur get too caught up in what you doing."

"Good point."

Thinking about Kai and Ar got her to smiling. Yes...she wasn't a fan of Ar, even if lately he'd been slightly less of a jerk. But she liked Kai, and the boy was obviously head over heels. She remembered when she and Kyle first got together. Had she been like Kai? Had Kyle been like that?

"But it gotta be more'n just at the dance. Like dis, all calm, and relaxed, and maybe a little silly."

He spun with the music, his supple movements liquid as he danced.

She watched Etienne for a moment, but didn't immediately join in the dancing. Eventually, her smile spread, and a giggle escaped her lips. "Silly, huh?" She started dancing as well. She was stiff, at first, but finally she relaxed. She was by no means a great dancer, but at least her movements seemed more free as she let herself go.

Etienne, remembering what it was like when he first would go to Mardi Gras, started to do more and more outlandish moves, bobbing, weaving, even silly things like the lawnmower, trying to get Cadence to laugh. Laughter was the key to enjoying anything, and once you started enjoying dancing, you got good at it.

And laugh she did, bubbly and full. She tilted her head up as she spun around, feeling a sense of freedom she hadn't felt in a long time. She smiled from ear to ear as she looked Etienne's way. "This better?" she asked with a giggle.

Etienne nodded, going back to his sinuous movements with the beat of the music. "Yeah. Now, you dancing. Going turn heads wit dose moves, 'moiselle."

"Not as much as you," she replied. "Between the suit and those moves? I don't think anybody's going to recognize you, Etienne."

He grinned, spinning. "Maybe. But with that smile, you the one they going be surprised 'bout. Me, they just going say a monkey can get cleaned up."

Cadence moved a little closer to Etienne. "Well, hopefully they'll be too worried about having their own fun instead of watching the two of us."

Etienne laughed, a deep, warm, rich laugh. "Maybe dat, 'moiselle."

The song came to an end, and the two of them stopped to catch their breath. Cadence's phone, the source of their music, started playing You and Me, by Lifehouse. As the slow songs started, they looked at each other, a little uncomfortable.

She was still breathing a little heavy from the energetic dancing they had been doing. She shifted nervously from foot to foot as she stared over at her phone, then back up at Etienne. That sense of freedom she'd felt so briefly seemed to flee in the awkward moment. "There's...going to be slow songs at the dance," she said quietly, unsure. "But if you want, we can just take a break for now..."

Etienne nodded, then shrugged. "Might as well dance, 'moiselle. Dey going to expect it anyway, ain't dey?"

She nodded, biting her lip a little. "Yeah, probably." She closed the distance, reaching out to take his hands. She stared down at them a moment, at the contrast between her pale hands and his dark ones. She felt her stomach jump just a little. "...so...?" she started to ask as she looked up.

Etienne took her hands, feeling them soft and smooth in his rough hands, calloused by a lifetime of labor in the bayou. He squeezed them gently, reassuringly as they trembled. He smiled at her, lifting her right hand up to his shoulder, and taking her left in his. "Don't worry, 'moiselle. De gator been dead for days 'fore it was ever my coat."

Cadence smiled and her nerves seemed to settle. Why had she been nervous anyway? She felt steady again, as they swayed to the music. With everything so uncertain right now, it was nice to have something solid. She'd had such a hard time relaxing and letting go when they'd danced earlier. This though...she settled into it much easier. It was just the two of them, and Lifehouse singing out from where her phone sat on a nearby bleacher.

Etienne felt her relax, and start moving with the music. Troubled by how comfortable he was, he moved her closer, and closed his eyes, hiding the frown he felt on his face. While they danced, his mind raced. How could an outsider begin to understand? What was she after? How was she using him?

These questions echoed in his mind until they shattered. He relaxed himself, suddenly realizing how tense he was, thinking maybe, just maybe, this was an outsider that he could actually trust.

Cadence was late for dinner, but it certainly wasn't intentional on her part. Dr. Ellis had wanted to conduct some extra tests, to make sure the medications she was taking were slowing the progression of her illness. The weekly visits were frustrating, but she reminded herself that they were necessary. Besides, the medicine was working! She couldn't help but smile at that thought as she rushed down the train station ramp. She felt a little winded as she briskly made her way to the crosswalk, to a little hole in the wall diner just across the road. Hopefully Etienne was waiting for her there.

Etienne waited for her outside the diner, uncertain whether he would be welcome to wait inside without her. Uncertain, for that matter, if he would even be allowed inside. Seeing her approach, he sighed, realizing that he had been tense. The suit felt uncomfortable compared to his normal attire, but he understood this was a formal occasion. Still, he thought he looked good in it, and decided he'd save it for when the Tall Man came to claim him.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she said as she came to a stop. She took a moment to catch her breath before adding, "Dr. Ellis needed to run some more tests."

Next to Etienne, she felt a little under dressed. She self-conciously smoothed the satiny pink fabric of her skirt, and started second guessing her attire. She'd gone with the delicate chain necklace, but should she have worn the bracelets too? Earrings! She should've put in something fancier than simple studs. In all her negative thinking, not once did the matter of the crude talisman around her neck come to mind. She'd been wearing it everywhere but the shower since the attack in the girls dorm awhile back, and more often than not just forgot it was there.

Etienne smiled when she approached, his teeth stark white against his cappuccino skin. His deep voice rumbled his reply. "You are not late, 'moiselle. Not like I was doing anyting 'bout now anyways, 'cept drawing attention to myself for loitering. You look nice."

Cadence glanced down. "Thanks."

She couldn't help but wonder if he was saying that to be polite, or if he honestly thought she looked nice. He didn't seem like the type to just say something just as a pleasantry though. She finally managed to look back up after a moment or two, looking to the flickering neon Open sign in the window of Joe's Diner.

"We should probably go inside. I know it looks pretty bad on the outside, but the food is really good here."

He chuckled, "If it any better dan what dey serve at school, den it will be a treat. You are kind for taking me here."

He glanced again at the sign, "Aldough, if it be de same Joe as de one back home, den dey going have a good gumbo here."

She giggled a little. "I don't know about gumbo, but they've got the best apple pie in Paragon. And the food is way better than cafeteria food."

Inside, the diner was pretty empty and there were only a few patrons tonight. There were a couple cops sitting at the bar, chatting with the short order cook on duty for the night. An older man sat in the back corner, reading his paper as he drank a cup of coffee. A waitress well into her 40s came by to top his mug off, before moving to another table to catch up on her gossip with another couple settled down for dinner. As the door closed behind them with a chime, all eyes drifted their way. Cadence reached for Etienne's hand, uncomfortable all of the sudden at the attention they were receiving. Her nervousness eased a little as the waitress gave them a smile.

"Ya'll go on and have a seat. I'll be right with ya," she said, her voice heavily accented with a southern drawl.

Etienne froze in the doorway, scanning the patron's faces for signs of hostility. Taking Cadence's hand absently, he only detected curiosity in the looks they were getting. He squeezed her hand gently, then nodded down to her before letting go of her hand. Glancing around the diner, he selected a table that had fast access to the door, in case his read was wrong, and sat down.

She had barely settled into the chair across from Etienne when the waitress walked up. She smiled brightly. "Now, don't ya'll just look sweet as can be! Usually don't get the young crowd in here, and the ones we do get aren't nearly as nicely dressed."
Cadence smiled, then glanced down. "Thanks..."

Etienne tensed, his eyes searching for an escape route if needed. Shifting in his seat, he sunk into himself a bit. "I am sorry, Madame. I won't make no trouble here. I can leave..."

"Sug, you just got here! No need to be in a rush to go!" the older woman replied as she pulled a pen and order pad from the pocket of her white apron. "My name's Arlene. What can I get ya'll to drink?"

He sat back down, but still remained ready to leave. "I will have... you don't have sweet tea here, do you?"

Arlene gave him a bright smile. "Sure do! And what'll you have, hun?"

Cadence bit her lip. "I'll have a Sprite."

She knew something was up with Etienne. She didn't ask him about it until after Arlene had left to go get their drinks.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly. In the back of her mind, she was wondering if this was a bad idea. He'd seemed none too thrilled when she'd brought up going to dinner before the dance in the first place. And then she'd brought him here, to Joe's which wasn't exactly a fine dining establishment. Should she suggest they go?

Etienne tried to relax, finding it hard. "I am fine, 'moiselle."

He struggled to put it into words. Finally, he came up with a very simple explanation. "My folk usually ain't allowed in places like dis. Dey tink we dirty, or we going bring bad juju on dem, or even curse dem."

Cadence frowned a little as he explained. She wasn't sure what to say at first. After a moment or two, she replied, "Well...these people don't seem to mind..."

She nodded to the police officers, who spared them just a quick glance, before Arlene came up to fill their coffee cups. Others in the diner looked their way now and again, but none of the expressions on their faces looked anything remotely like displeasure.

He nodded, then looked over the menu, disappointed at not finding any food he was accustomed to there. He settled on the crab cakes and clam chowder combo, figuring these were the most familiar items on the menu. After he decided, he continued to fidget with the menu, trying to get comfortable with being welcome.

Cadence looked the menu over as well, though her gaze kept drifting back to Etienne. She was beginning to feel guilty for talking him into going to the diner. He seemed so ill at ease, and she hadn't a clue what to really say to him. Arlene came by with their drinks, and quickly took down their dinner order. The short order cook behind the counter got to work. For a moment or two, Cadence watched him in awkward silence, before looking back Etienne's way.

"I'm sorry...if I'd known this was going to make you so uncomfortable, I wouldn't have suggested it," she finally said.

Etienne looked up and smiled, "No, no. Dis is good, 'moiselle. I just got to get better at dis, is all. You'd tink dat by now, I'd be used to de stares."

Cadence shrugged a little. She knew what it was like to be stared at. 6 different schools in 2 years, and at all but 2 of those schools, she'd been stared at as the resident freak. In a city full of people with powers, she'd been singled out because of hers. Mutie. That was one that was used a lot. Being looked on as a freak wasn't something that anybody should have to get used to. She glanced to the cops, to the old man in the back, then to the cook and the waitress. Nobody at the diner seemed to be looking at them that way.

"It's something no one should have to get used to," she said quietly as she swiped a finger along the side of her glass.

Etienne nodded, and tried to relax. "And tonight, it 'posed to be 'bout fun, right?"

Cadence smiled, and the tension she'd felt building up in her seemed to ease up. "That's right. Fun," she replied, partially in answer to what he'd said and partially to remind herself to just relax and have a good time herself.

He grinned, "So, fun... how you go 'bout doing dat?"

She took a sip of her drink as she thought it over. "Well...we start by thinking about nothing serious. So nothing about the wierd stuff going on at school, me being sick, or anything to do with the Loa..."

"Dat ain't leave much, do it? What should I be 'specting at de dance? It ain't noting like Fat Tuesday, I hear."

Cadence had no idea what Fat Tuesday was about, only that it had something to do with Mardi Gras. And considering this was the first school dance she'd actually gone to, she wasn't 100% sure what to expect there. Still...she'd been to Shiv, Robi and Becky's wedding reception. So it would probably be a lot like that, sans the wedding toasts of course.

"Well, I imagine it'll be pretty crowded. There's supposed to be a DJ, and I bet he or she'll play a lot of different songs. Since its a Valentine's day dance, there's probably going to be a lot of slow songs," she said off the top of her head.

Etienne grew thoughtful. "Should I have brought someting? I mean, for de DJ?"

She tilted her head a little. "Brought something? Like a tip? No, don't worry about it. They're getting paid to play music for us."

"So de school, dey just pay for everyting? Dey just trowing us dis big party just because?"

Cadence nodded. "I think it's part of the whole...keeping morale up thing. I mean, we should have stuff like this to look forward to no matter what school we go to. And since a lot of us do patrols and hero work on top of class work, it's probably even more important."

"We ain't have noting like dis back home. Fat Tuesday, sure, but dat ain't someting all folk can go to. Dere ain't lots of time for playing like dis. Hunting, fishing, planting, dey take up a lot of de day."

"You don't have any celebrations at all?"

"Sure we do. We got de rites, on All Hallowed, and on Spring Solstice. But, like I said, 'moiselle, your dance parties, dey ain't noting like ours."

"Maybe they aren't like what you're used to back home, but maybe you'll find out you like this sort of thing." She had no idea if this would be the case. She could hope though, right?

Etienne smiled, "Dat what I here in dis wasteland to find out, 'moiselle. Got to learn all 'bout de White Man world. You got some crazy idees out here."

"Oh really?" she asked. She leaned forward a little. "Like what?"

"Well, you be mean to each oder, tinking it funny, for one. Den dere is all de hurrying 'round you do. Ain't noting so important you got be rude 'bout getting dere." He leaned back, a grin on his face. "Den dere de fact dat you all live where it too cold up here."

She giggled a little. "Hey, not all of us can control the weather you know. Seriously, if I could? It'd be summer year round..."

"Not dat, 'moiselle. When would you plant, if dere never was a spring? When would you fallow if there ain't no winter?"

"Well, we'd have to figure that out now," she tossed back.

Arlene came up to the table, carrying a tray with their orders. She set Etienne's chowder and crab cakes in front of him, then set Cady's club sandwich and fries down. "Can get anything else for ya'll?"

Etienne looked up, a smile on his face, "Anoder glass of sweet tea, and some gator jambalaya."

Arlene looked startled at first, then she let out a laugh. "Sug, haven't heard anyone ask for that since I visited New Orleans a few years back. Went with my support group for a little weekend getaway. Y'know, I was the only one brave enough to try alligator tail! I swear, it was the most tender meat I've ever had."

"You should try it when you catched de gator yourself. Makes it dat much sweeter."

The older woman seemed to take the comment in stride as she laughed again. "I think I'll be content and let someone else do the catchin'. Lemme go get that tea for ya, Sug."

Cady watched as the woman walked off to grab her tea pitcher, then looked back at Etienne to see his reaction.

Etienne was conflicted. He was being treated with a lot more respect than he expected, however, he was still sure he wasn't entirely welcome here. Trying to shrug it off, he turned back to Cadence. "It really is much better dat way, you know dat, right?"

She just shrugged and held her hands up. "No idea. I've never had it before."

"You even find yourself in New Orleen, den you should try it. Dere folk dat will take you out hunting gator, no problem."

Cadence shook her head and picked up a french fry. "The day I go out hunting for gators is the day I see you pick up an iPad..."

Etienne smiled, "You sure? De gators ain't dat bad, 'moiselle. It de crocs dat should make you be careful. Gators only get mad if you too close to dey nest."

She let out a short laugh. "I always thought crocodiles lived in Africa and Australia. Had no idea they were out in Lousiana."

"Where dere gators, dere be crocs. Ain't as common, but dey there. Ain't matter much, dough."

He fell silent again as the waitress returned with his tea. He nodded to her asking if the food was OK, and grew comfortable again when she left them. He ate in silence, content to be sharing a meal with his friend.

Cadence nibbled at her fries a little, but she wasn't horribly hungry. She just knew she needed to eat something in order to take her next dose of meds. That and if she didn't, she'd probably be starving by the end of the night. She was glad to see him relax once Arlene left them.

"I know it's not gumbo, but how does it taste? You'd think the food here would be...well, not that great. But surprisingly enough, everything I've tried here tastes great..."

Etienne nodded. "Ain't to bad. Better'n dey serve at de school. 'Course dat may be 'cause de company better."

"Or it could be the fact that food doesn't look like some wierd rejected science project in a bowl..."

Etienne chuckled, "You ain't seen de food down on de bayou. Gumbo and jambalaya, dey ain't look no where near good as dey taste."

Cadence pointed a french fry Etienne's way. "True, but does the gumbo and jambalaya glow in the dark?"

He frowned. "Ain't none of de food a school glow, do it? I ain't never seen it."

"The green jello. The first day of classes at Westbrook, I grabbed lunch in the cafeteria and the jello was like...neon green bright."

"You mean dat s'posed to be food? I tought dat was just a decoration."

Cadence just giggled in response. As the conversation drew on, it was easy to forget that there were others in the diner. For the first time in a couple weeks, she wasn't worrying about her illness, or the Loa that had escaped Etienne the night she'd ridden sidecar. Her thoughts were far from the drama surrounding Westbrook. She was all smiles, and seemed at ease with herself. It was something that didn't come easily to her.

For his part, Etienne relaxed more and more, to the point where he was able to hide his trepidation whenever the server came over. He kept a careful watch on the other patrons of the diner, just to make sure they weren't planning to hurt him. It wasn't so much that he wasn't white, as it was that he was obviously here with a white girl. Even with one eye on their safety, Etienne was able to laugh and keep up his end of the conversation. In a way, he was grateful for the chance to have fun. Besides, the later they stayed, the less likely he would be to have to dance in front of everyone at the school.

Eventually Cadence pushed her plate back, having eaten as much as she could. "You know, I bragged about how good the pie is here. Now I'm too stuffed to have any."

"Den we'll have to come back for it sometime. Ain't no use eating too much, is dere?"

She looked at the half of sandwich and small pile of fries left on her plate. "We'll definitely have to come back for some yeah."

Etienne frowned, "You sure you ain't want eat more? Dere someting wrong wit your food?"

"Oh no, the food was good. I'm just not all that hungry. I just...I have to take my meds with some sort of food is all. Otherwise I get all nauseas and stuff."

"Well, dat would get us out of having to show up at dis ting. Not dat I ain't want go wit you, but de tought of dancing in front of everyone kind of daunting."

Arlene came by with the check. Cadence fumbled with her wallet and paid for the meal before she got a chance to answer. Once the waitress was left to get her change, she replied. "I know...but...we're gonna have fun. Right?"

Etienne gave her an exaggerated sigh, then grinned. "'Moiselle, we already is having fun."

Etienne nearly fled from Cadence's room after the dance. He hadn't realized how close he had gotten, how terrifying that was. Cadence was an outsider, watched over by the White Man, not to be trusted.

And yet, she was kind, and accepted him. She even wore the talisman he had given her, and claimed it worked.

She probably just said that to get closer to him. Or more likely, to mock him. It's what outsiders did. Trivialized the Belief, condemned it.

But she confided in him, checked in on him after tough rides, even started reading the poetry he used to help him adjust to the intense experiences the rides brought.

Still, she was an outsider. It would never work. The Loa would curse him for even entertaining the thought.

Etienne sighed as he climbed down the stairs and on to the boys floor of the dorm. He had gotten too close to his only friend out here. There was nothing left to do. He had to walk away.

Cadence wasn't sure what was going on. The night of the dance...she and Etienne had been happy. Or at least that's what she'd thought anyway. She'd had a good time, that was for sure. In fact...that was probably the most fun she'd had in awhile. And for a moment...just a moment when they were in her room, she'd thought maybe they could be more than friends. She'd entertained that thought for days now, but had said nothing to anybody else at school.

So what had changed between that night and now? She sat on the log that sat at the water's edge under the bridge in Gemini Park. He hadn't really talked to her since the night of the dance, and she had been worried about him. Whenever he had a rough ride, or when he just wanted some space, this was the place he went. She'd adopted the spot as well whenever she just wanted to be alone to think.

His attitude...the way he'd spoken to her...it was almost like a slap in the face. She didn't know what she'd done, but he was treating her like she was after something. He hadn't come right out and said she was using him...but the words he'd used, it certainly sounded like that was what he thought. She'd been lumped in with the other White Men. His people didn't mean skin color when they used that term.

They meant outsiders. People not like them. People who, traditionally, had persecuted his people for their beliefs and practices.

She sniffled a little as she stood up. She couldn't figure out what she'd done wrong. Somehow she'd alienated her best friend, and she didn't even know how she'd done it. Maybe she'd been stupid in thinking maybe she and Etienne could be more than friends.

Cadence reread the poem in front of her for what had to be the hundredth time since the book Etienne had given her had fallen open to it. She should've been studying for biology, which was her hardest class that term. She couldn't keep focused on the lesson though. Eli had said to give him time. What bothered her more about the whole situation? The fact that her friend had tried to push her away, or was it the fact that she had to find out why from someone else he'd told. Maybe it was a little of both?

If she was going to get any sort of peace about it, she was going to have to do something that pushed the borders of her comfort zone. She couldn't give Etienne the space he obviously felt he needed until she got this off her chest. She marked her page in the book, picked up the poppet he'd made for her a coule months ago and what remained of the herbs for the tea the houghan had made for her, and headed toward the boys floor. She felt the looks leveled her way as she emerged from the stairwell into the hall, and did her best to ignore them. She didn't stop until she reached Simon and Etienne's room. She took a deep breath and knocked.

His roommate answered the door. "Hey, Cady...um...you looking for Etienne?"

"Yeah...is he here?"

"He took off a little while ago. He didn't say where he was going though. If you want, I can tell him you were looking for him when he gets back."

If he wasn't in the dorms, then she had a good idea where he was. She shook her head. "No, that's okay. Thanks, Simon."

***

Etienne sat under the bridge over Gemini Park on a fallen tree that protruded into the water. He shivered against the cold, wrapping his alligator skin coat more tightly around him. Cadence frowned in concern, knowing how hard of a time he was having adapting to the northern winter. As always, he read a book, probably more poetry. He'd been doing that more and more, a good indication that the rides were getting difficult.

Cadence picked her way down the slope leading away from the street toward the fallen tree at the water's edge. She said nothing at first as she looked out to where Etienne sat. Finally, after taking a moment or two to muster up her courage, she spoke.

"I know that I'm not all that bright. Maybe I should have put things together about all of this on my own."

She held the poetry book close to her, hugging it against her chest. She'd had this whole thing planned in her head, but the words just left her. She looked pale, as she seemed to a lot more often these days, and the emotions running through her were pretty much written on her face. She spoke from the heart, hoping that maybe she would be able to say what she needed to say.

"I know that the houghan people don't trust outsiders. And I should've guessed that our friendship wasn't a good thing. The Loa protect your people by keeping outsiders away from the village. I should've connected the dots and..."

She stopped herself. "No...you know what? This...what's going on isn't my fault. So...so why am I standing here apologizing? I shouldn't be apologizing at all." she said, her voice thickening a little.

"If our friendship was going to be a problem...that it was going to somehow be in conflict with your beliefs...you should have told me. Instead, you avoided me. That night, at the dance? I thought we'd clicked, and from what I could see we both had a good time."

Her words weren't spoken in anger. Her lower lip trembled a little, and it was clear that her feelings were hurt.

"You avoided me...and then the next time we actually had a real conversation, you made me feel like I had done something wrong. I know that wasn't what you meant to do...but you pushed me away, and pretty much lumped me in with all the other people at school that have made fun of you and made fun of your beliefs. You made it sound like all I was interested in was using you."

She took hold of the boar bristle talisman he'd given her, pulling it over her head and slipping it off. She held it out in front of her.

"When you gave me this, I didn't understand you. I barely knew you, and I didn't know a thing about the Loa or your people..."

She reached into her jacket pocket, pulled out the crudely made poppet he'd given her.

"You made this for me after I told you about my parents ditching me. You told me about the Loa that night..."

She held the poetry book up, the packet of herbs from the houghan. "All these things...I didn't ask for any of them. You gave them to me. For whatever reason, you gave them to me. I'm not here to use you. I've defended you to people at Westbrook so often that I've lost track..."

She set the book down in the grass, set the talisman, poppet and herbs on top of it. She knew her argument had pretty much been all over the place, which was why she'd tried to plan out what she had to say before coming out to the park. But at least things were out in the open now. She swiped the back of her hand over her cheek as a tear stubbornly fell.

"Whether you're okay with us being friends or not...I still think of you as a friend. I'll give you space, give you time to figure things out. But I couldn't back off without telling you what's on my mind first. I couldn't back off and let you think that I was just like everybody else...that I was out to get something from you. I wasn't going to back off, and let you think that somehow I'd been caught doing something wrong and that was why I was avoiding you...out of some sense of guilt."

She started to walk away, but hesitated a moment. The poem she'd been reading in her room before all of this came to mind...and she'd read it enough times that the words came easily to her...

"When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don't stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven't hoed,
And shout from where I am, 'What is it?'
No, not as there is a time talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit."

She bit her lip and turned to walk away. "When you are ready to come and talk to me...when you get everything figured out...I'll be here to listen..."

"'Moiselle," Etienne's deep voice seemed strained somehow. Raspy and worn, as if he'd been shouting for a long time. His face looked ragged, but his eyes shown with that same, calm inner strength that he always possessed. "You ain't should go nowhere witout your taleeman. Bad juju..."

He stood and picked up the stack of things Cadence left for him. Taking the boar bristle talisman, he put it back on over Cadence's head.

"I get what you sayin', and no, it ain't your fault. It just..." He struggled to find the words. "I tried to have someting dat I ain't supposed to have, I guess. Someting I ain't supposed to want."

He somberly handed everything he had given Cadence back to her. In a near whisper, he spoke:

"So dere's my year, the twelvemonth duly told
Since last I climbed this brow and gloated round
Upon de lands heaped wit deir wheaten gold,
And now again dey spread wit wealt imbrowned -
And triftless I meanwhile,
What honeycombs have I to take, what sheaves to pile?

"I see some shrivelled fruits upon my tree,
And gladly would self-kindness feign dem sweet;
De bloom smelled heavenly, can dese stragglers be
De fruit of dat bright birt and dis wry wheat,
Can dis be from dose spires
Which I, or fancy, saw leap to de spring sun's fires?

"I peer, I count, but anxious is not rich,
My harvest is not come, de weeds run high;
Even poison-berries, ramping from de ditch
Have stormed de undefended ridges by;
What Michaelmas is mine!
De fields I sought to serve, for sturdier tilage pine."

He paused, then added. "It like de Loa be telling me dis over and over... I ain't can help it. What I feel, what I tink, and what gotta be..."

He shrugged and left her there, standing on the bank by the fallen tree under the bridge in Gemini Park.