[CLOSED] all the roads we have to walk are winding

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

AJ was sitting out on the front porch, her notebook in her hand. She had convinced her parents to let her go, and they had even given her a key in case she didn't get back until the morning. She looked down at her booksack, not sure why she had packed a change of clothes, but her mother had told her to, so she did. She didn't expect to stay there but for a few hours.

Her brother sat on the other end of the porch, calling over to her from where he was sitting texting someone. "You like him?" He asked, but it was more of a statement than a question.

"No.." She said, drawing a lopsided person on the cover of her notebook. Being naturally left handed and forced to write with your right hand didn't make her hand writing very neat.

"I bet you aren't going to learn a thing. You guys are just gonna go off into his bedroom, huh?" He smirked and she turned pale.

"No, Aaron.. Stop it.." She pleaded, but he only shook his head.

"I bet you are. You're not very bright. You'd do whatever he wanted."

"Shut up!" She cried, hiding her face in her hands. "I'm not stupid, Aaron!"

"Alyssa Jane! We do not tell people to shut up!" Her mother called from the kitchen window.

"Sorry, Aaron.." She mumbled, covering her mouth with her hand.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne turned down the music as he pulled around the corner, slowing down to a gradual stop in front of the house.

He eyed her, and the male in the yard, leaving his car idling as he got out, smiling towards her just faintly. There was no problem with her wanting to learn, and quite honestly he was sort of interested in her, leaned up against the car patiently.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

AJ threw her bag over her shoulder, hugging her notebook close. She walked over to Zayne, smiling a bit at him. Her heart started pounding again and she brought her hand to her mouth, looking down at her feet. She tapped her notebook on her leg as she made her way down the driveway. She stopped in front of him, reaching up slowly to fix his hair.

"I.. Do I hug you?" She asked shyly, her hand moving to toy with the ragged edge of her short shorts.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne smirked faintly, shrugging. He draped his arm around her in a half a hug, then led her gently to the passengers side. He opened the door and helped her in, setting her thigs in the back before rounding the car.

He slid into the drivers seat, reaching for a pencil and the pad of paper he had tossed up front. He started up the car. 'How're you?' He jotted down before pulling smoothly onto the road.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She thanked him, folding her hands together in her lap. She glanced over at the notepad, then smiled. "I'm okay. You're okay?" She asked, trying to ask him questions he wouldn't have to write the answers to. She glanced out the window, running her hands up and down her legs slowly. She watched the trees and buildings pass before she looked back at him. She reached up, toying with her nose ring a second before she brought her hand to her mouth, watching him intently.

"I like your hair.." She whispered after a few minutes, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne nodded at her words, smirked at the next comment and lifted a hand from the wheel, signing a quick 'thank you' like he had just the other day.

He pulled up to the apartments, killing the engine and getting out. He gathered her things from the back, then opened the passengers side door, offering her a hand up.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She took his hand gently, sliding out of the car. She was honestly amazed at how much of a gentleman he was. She didn't often meet anyone who was so nice. But he probably didn't often meet someone so reclusive either. She let go of his hand hesitantly, closing the car door gently. She laced her hands together behind her back, following him to his apartment. She wrung her hands together, chewing on her lip.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne smiled at her, leading her inside and closing the door behind them. He tossed his keys on the small side table near the door, setting her things aside, and grabbed the notebook.

'I have pizza I can start, if you get hungry. We can get to work now or just hang out. Or both at the same time.' He smiled, tossing the notebook her way as he slipped off his shoes, heading for the small kitchen to get a glass of water.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

"Ooh.." She mumbled, fumbling to catch the notebook. It tumbled to the ground anyways, and she bent at the knees, picking it up. She shook it by the spine to get it to straighten out, then flipped through the pages to find what he had written.

"I already ate.." She said quietly, walking slowly over to him. She jumped when she saw him, obviously unaware he was so close. "Sorry.." She squeaked, hugging the notebook tightly. "Whatever you want to do is fine.. I'm a lot better at learning, though.." She said, then held out the notebook for him.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne's lips parted with a smile as she jumped, as if in replacement of what may have been a laugh had he been able to. He sighed thoughtfully, throwing together a quick sandwhich.

'Alright' he scrawled, pausing. Baby steps, he supposed. Like teaching a first year class, except probably far more easier with just one person. He bit into the sandwich, chewing quietly. 'We start with the alphabet, then.' He wrote down each letter, eating with one hand as he did so, leaning against the counter.

Dusting his hands off when he finished, he led her over to the couch and sat down, pointed at the letter 'A' and made the shape with one hand, writing with the other. 'Copy it and say it out loud.'