Another Blackwell's Island? (Damien)

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Finally, someone who actually saw the meaning behind my name... Finally, someone who actually understood it. The people who gave it to me did so as a half-joke, but I took it seriously, especially after doing some research on jesters... The bit about speaking about controversial subjects then claiming it a jest was exactly what I embodied... Well fuck, only took four years. Finally someone sees it.

"You know, you're the first person to fully grasp my nickname." I smiled, pulling up to a red light, giving me a moment to look at her. "I've had it for four years and all their guesses just scratched the surface. You however, got it." I clapped my hands together a few times.

"However, you are more than correct about the execution and the danger... All too many times, I've been threatened by how I act. Apparently, no one appreciates a good court jester anymore." The light turned green and I began to drive, seeing the shopping center in the distance. "Everyone at 42 is so serious and angry... No one loosens up anymore. It gets boring so often... I make a joke, I get threats for it. I say I'm kidding, they try to beat me up..." I noted the word 'try' as I spoke.

"So, what about you Demetra? Any interesting nicknames?" I returned the question, hoping there was something interesting behind it for us to discuss... and if not, c'est la vie.

[Demetra Katsaros]

I got it? Really?! It was too easy. I wasn't exactly aiming for a guess at the meaning behind it; I was just making conversation about jesters in general because it happened to be brought up. "Nobody else thought of that?" I asked with a skeptical look on my face. "That's kind of weird. It seemed obvious to me what a jester does. I mean, even Shakespeare mentions the importance of jesters in his plays." Ah, that's probably where Damien got it. He said he liked theater-- you can't be a thespian too long without bumping into Ol' Willie at some point. "Man, I thought there was something really complex about it, like an acronym that I'd need to figure out or a word scramble of some sort." Nah. Kids weren't that creative about their nicknames. "But I guess the meaning is fitting for you. It's pretty sad how many meat heads there are at this school. To actually go out of your way to physically assault a person because of a few words is rather ridiculous." He made it sound like it didn't pose much of a problem, though. He must've packed some muscle underneath that suit of his.

"As for me, I don't really have any interesting title or whatever." My eyes shifted upward, as if the answer I was seeking were lingering in the roof of the car. "My dad calls me 'Pookie' sometimes, but it's not really a nickname I embrace." I snorted in disdain. Why did I even bring that up? "In fact, I don't think I'd receive it very lightly if somebody else attempted to call me Pookie. If some one comes up with a reasonable nickname, I'll go by it, but for now, I'm just Demetra."

[Damien Kross, Jester]

I listened to her closely as I pulled into the shopping center's parking lot, looking around for a space. I went towards the back, knowing there would be openings... People were always too lazy to walk a few extra yards, so those who didn't care about the extra exercise had an easy time with parking.

I pulled my Camry, Natalya, into an open space just as she finished her last statement. I put the car in park, turned her off, and pulled the keys from the ignition.

"Noted." I mentioned. "So, where do you want to eat Pookie?" I joked- or well, jested. "Plenty of good places here. It all depends on what you like."

I knew throwing the nickname out there was a bit risky, but I could tell she was level-headed to see it as a joke, especially after a talk about me being a jester.

[Demetra Katsaros]

Pookie? God damn it. I should have totally seen that one coming. In fact, the little voice inside my head probably did see it coming, but thought that'd she'd shut up just to see the joke play out. Cruel little bitch.

"Ha ha, very funny." I stepped out of the car and glanced around. It looked like a mall. Well, not an indoor one, obviously. The stores and eateries were visible with entrances on the outside. I guess he figured I could make some sort of selection based on what I saw before me. Ah, that was the part of the awkwardness I failed to mention before. I was a rather picky eater. Er, I was a picker consumer, to put it in clearer terms. It was very likely that the whole place would have nothing I was interested in, and that would naturally piss off poor Damien. I imagined it was frustrating dealing with a chick like me who was generally hard to please. But I wasn't going to be bothering him with my nitpicky-ness yet. "You're a little young to be my dad, though." I hoped I didn't just walk right into a potential MILF joke. I was very close to my mom, and I was comfortable with the idea of her being with other guys, which happened every so often, but I still didn't want anything disrespectful said about her.

"Anyhow, I don't really come here much." That was an understatement. "In fact, I don't really eat out much." Another understatement. "There must be somewhere that you particularly like here, seeing that you chose to drive to this place." Was I being subtle enough?

[Damien Kross, Jester]

I got out and locked the car, part of me satisfied with myself for getting out of the Pookie joke unscathed. I looked around, remembering my choices... May as well just give them all to her straight forward.

"Okay, there's..." I pointed to the left-most end and moved my finger down the line, making sure to note the places on the other side of the building, out of her sight. Those, I would have to recall from memory. "A Subway for sandwiches, Panda Express Chinese, Romano's, which is a nicer Italian place, I think there's a Sun Garden on the other side, that's health food- uh... there's a Japanese place over there, and a Chuck E. Cheese, which we both know is a breeding ground of sin..." I gave her a look. "Pretty much, if you like food in general, there's something here for ya. Then, I shrugged. "And if not, I don't have a problem driving somewhere else for you."

I just hoped I wouldn't have to... I just met the girl, so burning a lot of gas wasn't high up on my to-do list... Plus, everything was in this Goddamn shopping center. There HAD to be something... Please God?

[Demetra Katsaros]

Apparently Damien wasn't nearly as picky as I was, seeing that he was listing out choices. He must not have anything against the places if he was willing to tell me them allowed, so I assumed that meant I could pick whatever and he'd be satisfied.

I had a dislike for chain restaurants. They did whatever it took to cut back on expenses yet still get you to buy their product, but I didn't really have sympathy for them, seeing as they had enough business as it was, and my money didn't need to add to it (erm, Mister Kross's money, to be accurate). Plus, I was a vegan, which narrowed it down a bit. Sure, I could get a bunch of plain white rice from Panda, or a veggie sandwich with no cheese and no mayo from Subway, or meatless, cheeseless pizza from Chuck E. Cheese (which Damien affectionately labeled 'a breeding ground of sin)... but that was lame.

He mentioned Sun Garden as a health food place. You'd think that I'd be the kind of girl who'd go to health food places a lot, considering they most likely had a bunch of fruits and veggies, but I don't. If it had a recognizable name, it was probably a chain. I didn't trust it. Yeah, I was incredibly neurotic, but this was how I lived my life, and I was happy making my own meals for the rest of my existence. That wasn't the idea of going out, though.

"How about the Japanese place, then?" I didn't expect it to be organic or vegetarian. There was probably going to be a fair share of raw fish and beef, but it was going to be there whether we went there or not. I liked the fact that he didn't know the name of the place; maybe it was a small family business, which I could empathize with a little more. And I liked Eastern culture.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Oh thank God, the Japanese place... The health food place was good, but it wasn't tickling my fancy at the moment... Sushi however, was always on good terms with my tummy. Unfortunately, I'd have to take it slow and not gorge myself on sushi like normal... Gotta put on a good appearance for the client.

With a smile, I replied. "Japanese it is." I said as I began to walk towards the building where the restaurant was located. As we reached the door, I would open it for her as I did the car. We would be seated, supplied with water, and menus. I already knew what I wanted, but I gave Demetra time to look over the menu.

"So, seeing anything that interests you?" I said with a smile, propping my head up on the table with my arm. Their menu was quite large for a small place- different sushi, ramen, and hot entrees available for a moderately nice price...

[Demetra Katsaros]

I grinned widely. "Oh, I knew what I wanted before I got here," I told him. Still, I gave the menu a fair shot and glanced it over. Nope. It seemed my mind was set. Haha.

This may sound even crazier, but I wasn't really used to eating cooked foods. I mean, if a vegetable could be eaten raw, why zap away all the vitamins? Why wait the extra time just for the damn thing to be hot when it was perfectly fine beforehand?

Now that wasn't a rule that I lived by; I could much easier eat cooked veggies than, say, a cheeseburger (I won't even get into everything that's wrong with me eating a cheeseburger). It was just more, um, wasteful than necessary. Hopefully what I planned on getting didn't require too much energy to prepare.

I sipped on the water before me. Yay. One of my favorite drinks! That didn't make me a total loser, right? I wondered...

"So, is coffee the drink of champions as far as Jester is concerned," I began, putting my glass down, "or is there some other concoction you like even better?" Maybe I should rephrase this. "That is, what's your ultimate favorite drink?" He probably wasn't going to say water, but I was curious.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Interesting question. Seemed kinda odd, even for random table conversation. My favorite drink...? Oh wow, umm... Shit, there's a lot of em... Well, may as well select a Best Of list for this. I DID like making lists afterall...

"Well, coffee IS quite up there... Water, vodka, pomegranate juice, Hypnotiq, Amp..." I listed a few. "I kicked soda about a year ago, so I'm free from that crap..." I smiled and took a sip of the water.

"So, if I may, what prompted such a random question? Favorite drink isn't usually high up on the 'getting to know you questions' list." I set my glass down. "I think it's fair regardless for me to shoot that question right back at you. What is YOUR ultimate favorite drink?"

[Demetra Katsaros]

I lifted my eyebrows as a bunch of different drinks slipped off his tongue. Huh? "You mix all of that together?!" I chuckled. "Wow, that's uh... quite a drink." Oh wait. I think I took that the wrong way. Even smarties like me had their ditzy girl moments. Fail points! "Or, um, did you mean separately?" I shook my head. "Anyhow, it's good that you kicked soda, but I don't know if replacing it with booze and caffeine is much better." How did high schoolers get a hold of alcohol, anyway? Were there really a lot of places that didn't card them, or did somebody always know someone else who knew a person who was over 21 and willing to provide liquor to parties? I wasn't much of a party-goer myself, which was probably fortunate for those who were. I'd be a total buzz-kill, nagging people constantly.

Now I was getting off track again. Common occurrence in the life of Demetra. "I guess it was kind of random. I was just thinking how I really liked water. Maybe I was just really thirsty, but somehow water seems really nice right now. But I do make juices sometimes. My roommate just got a juicer, so it's a heck of a lot easier now, and we keep fruit right in a bowl on the table, so it's just begging, 'Squeeze me! Squeeze me!'"

I drank some more water. Talking about it made me want more. "But getting back to ordinary table conversation, what made you interested in journalism?" Did he consider his work journalism? Hmmm. "That is, what made you shift from theater and slam poetry to news and broadcasting for the school?" The pillar position obviously had something to do with it, but at the same time, I imagined there was an initial desire to have that responsibility in the first place.

[Damien Kross, Jester]

Ah, now we were getting to table conversation...

"Well, I was chosen to be the Director of Media because of my involvement with journalism, not the other way around. I didn't give up on theater and poetry however- those I still take part in quite often. However, as far as my love for journalism goes, I see it as a challenge." I took a sip of water. "High school students are a tough crowd. They demand entertainment from journalism, but react only to immaturity. So, instead of stooping to their level, I find a balance... Sometimes I get a little carried away, sometimes I don't get carried away enough... Equilibrium is hard to attain."

"And what about you?" I shot it back at her, once again. "What's your story on journalism. Any deep meaning behind it for you? Or did you just take an elective and like it?" I asked, knowing that wasn't the case... Just the kinda ting I had to throw in.

[Demetra Katsaros]

Equilibrium? That probably wasn't the approach I myself would have taken, but it wasn't a bad idea. "It makes sense. You want to provide information, yet at the same time, you still want people to listen. Finding a balance between entertainment and quality news is actually pretty essential, then, because you can't have one without the other, if you want a large amount of informed students."

I leaned in closer across the table. He had given me an opportunity to talk about myself again. Mistake? Possibly. "I think I mentioned this before, but I took a couple of journalism courses outside of school. There's a program where high school kids can take community college classes for free over the summer, so I thought, why not? I took one of mass media communications, and another on newspaper journalism. I can show you some of my old tests and assignments, if you're interested." And if I still had them... Ahem.

"The thing is, I'm more into the creative side of non-fiction rather than fiction. Artsy stuff like theater, stories, and poetry is an entirely different field." How could I explain this without being offensive? "So, uh, let's say that you had a main character, either for a play or a story or for one of your poems. Wouldn't you want him to be like you? As in, he would like purple like you do, he would drive a blue Camry like you do, he would wear suits like you do, he'd have a caffeine addiction like you do, he would drink the same drinks as you do--" I inhaled deeply, partly to take a breath, but mostly to engage my sense of smell "-- and he'd smoke the same brand of... whatever it is you smoke. He'd have the same beliefs and habits and way of talking that you do. Am I painting a picture here for you?" I raised my eyebrow. "I'm obviously not talking about you. I'm talking about myself, because the only fiction I'd want to be part of is one where I can have the same beliefs, hobbies, habits, and so on, as I do now, 'cause I like myself, and I'd want a medium that would represent who I am and what I think." I paused for a bit. "But then, that's not really fiction. That's reality. And my reality is that I want to let people know what's going on, not just so it can sit around in their brains, but so they can do something about it, either having their lives improved or encouraged to improve the lives of others. I can promote what I already do, what I've seen, or just what I've collected from other people that seems important."

I leaned back from the table, my back resting against the chair. "Well then, I think all that talking has made me ready for food. Chewing on something will let you enjoy a little more silence."

[Damien Kross, Jester]

I smiled all through her mini-speech. Even though I sounded like a broken record repeating it... this girl liked to talk about herself, a lot. Like, more than Kid Rock sings about himself... Like, more than Stephen King writes stories set in Maine. Still though, even with the unyielding barrage of words, I didn't grow tired of it. For the first time, someone's droning was bearable.

Finally, she shu- I mean, stopped talking, and made a comment on not only food, but a jab at herself about getting carried away.

"Don't worry. Silence is overrated." I grinned. I flagged down a waiter, trying to do so in a pleasant matter. The young Japanese woman came over and took our orders. I allowed Demetra to order first, then placed my own. "I'll have the Yaki Udon with beef, a side of rice, and an appetizer order of gyoza." I said nicely, knowing exactly what I wanted. I loved being able to get a usual order somewhere... Makes you feel known and recognized.

"Well Demetra, I'm definitely interested in getting your help. You're smart, you know your practice, I get along with you... I don't see how I can say 'no.'"

Dude, make her sleep with you.

Jester... Why do you choose NOW of all time to decide to bother me?

Cause I'm me. Get used to it.

[Demetra Katsaros]

"Silence isn't overrated. It's fucking golden!" I knew they used that in movie theaters, though God knows the last time I actually went to the movies, but it was really about some story about a guy competing with another market person selling a singing bird. Why buy a bird that sings beautifully when you can have some quiet object instead? I don't blame him, though. I wouldn't buy a bird, either.

"I'll have an order of edamame, cucumber sunomono with very little vinegar dressing, please, and a bowl of miso soup if the dashi isn't made of niboshi or katsuobushi. Kombu or hoshi-shiitake dashi are fine." I hoped the waitress knew about the stock in the soup. I was just assuming she'd have some idea. Oh well. At least the sunomono should be good- cucumbers, man! It reminded me of a little song I heard in middle school:

Cucumbers, cucumbers, cucumbers are better than guys
Because cucumbers, cucumbers are hard all the time!

Hahah. It was funny, even though it didn't rhyme.

I turned my attention back to Damien. "But you're interested in me, eh?" Hmm. Maybe I should rephrase that. I planned on keeping the relationship completely professional, and I didn't want to screw that up so early on. "That is, you're interested in my work. Well, I'm certainly not going to convince you otherwise, even if you haven't seen any physical proof yet. You've got plenty reason to trust me." I winked at him. "And I hope we can continue to get along well. 'Getting along' with people isn't usually my specialty, but I'll make an extra effort if your my editor-in-chief." That was what I'd call his position, right? "It's funny, how you've been so nice to me, with your chivalry and taking me for food and such, when really I'm the one supposed to be sucking up to you." Well, I wasn't being as mean as I could be. I would've grilled his ass about eating cow flesh, but this was obviously not the right opportunity.

The suit. Oh yeah. I had offered to make a suit. "Except for making you a suit. Hahah. But we'll say that I'm doing that as your buddy."

[Damien Kross, Jester]

I had noticed a slight change in her demeanor. First, an obvious, yet amusing Freudian slip, then a wink. Good, at least now we were on an open friend basis. Then, came the comments on chivalry. Meh, I knew they'd arrive at some point. May as well address them now.

"As far as my kindness goes, it's just the way things should be. Opening doors, displaying manners, and giving respect are things that every person should be able to do, not just a man doing them to a woman... And just because of our positions, you don't need to be sucking up to me at all Demetra."

Yeah, more like suc-

NO.

"Sure, I'm doing you a favor by listening to you and taking you to lunch. But it's something I enjoy doing. It's not something out of total obligation or forced chivalry. I'm enjoying this, so I have no problems with doing any of it." I shrugged. "The suit however, I look forward to." I returned her wink with a grin.