Puppy Love (Sept 3)

[Snick]

Revan was walking across the beach, a bright pink ball the size of a baseball clutched tightly in her hand. At her feet was a very jumpy terrier who's eyes were focused completely on the ball. Revan would wave it back and forth, teasing the little guy, getting him revved up to go after it. Finally, she wound up and threw it as hard as she could down the beach.



This prompted the terrier to take off at a mad dash, flinging sand every which way in his pursuit. Revan couldn't help but laugh in Solo's eagerness. He was going to be one very sad pup when she started classes the next day and he was stuck inside until his lunch time walkie.



At break-neck speed, the dog's very short legs closed the distance between himself and the ball. By now, Solo was talented enough to run past the ball, turn around, and then pick it up on the way back. When he finally arrived back at Revan's feet, he dropped the ball right on top of them. Then he moved back a few steps and waited for the next toss. His tail was wagging so hard that Revan was almost certain that with a good wind, the terrier could actually lift up into the air.



"Ready?" She asked him again, waving the ball around before this time, throwing it closer towards the water. It wouldn't matter if Solo got a bit wet. He was a good swimmer and the odds of him getting swept out to sea were slim, as long as she was here with him.



Revan watched as the dog took off again. Before she could call a command out, however, Zot Drake appeared out of nowhere, just in time to have Solo crash right into his legs. The young woman cringed. True, a Cairn Terrier was small but at the speed Solo had been running...



Instantly, the game was forgotten and she began running for the pair.



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After the meeting, Zot had found himself walking a little taller. He had stood up for what he believed in, much like Hope and Glory would be looking for. As stupid as Elizabeta had thought of him and the others in the meeting, he knew he didn't regret his own actions. Other than his outburst, at least he had been polite.



With his congratulatory thoughts in his head, he found his way to the beach. There was something soothing about the sound of the water. It reminded him of Florida, though colder than the Gulf waters. The strings of his hoodie flapped idly in the breeze blowing off the water. The dance was certainly something to think about. Though it was just the welcome back for the entire school, Zot was growing tired of always going alone. He briefly wondered if he shouldn't ask one of the girl's to the dance.



That thought was the last thing he remembered before he was eating sand, feet over head as something small had barreled into him and knocked him clean onto his face. He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, coughing out wet clods of sand and spitting. "Oy," he croaked, idly wondering if maybe it was a sign that he shouldn't ask anyone to the dance after all.



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Revan quickly reached the pair, dropping down onto the sand as though sliding into a base - knees first. She stopped a few inches from where Zot had just picked up his head. "Are you okay?" She asked, her face white.



Already, she could see Solo easily wiggling his way out from underneath her fellow sophomore. Already, Revan could see the look on it's face as it limped over to her, favoring his front paw. The dog mommy gave him a look of disbelief and immediately he started wagging his tail and running around the pair, perfectly fine.



"Zot?" She asked. "I am really sorry." Revan could not help but cringe at the sand that was now sticking to him. "He gets so excited."



Why did it have to be him, of all people? Revan fought to keep the blush off of her face as she began talking to Zot, who was finally sitting up. They had talked occasionally before. It wasn't a friendship but they weren't really acquaintances either. For her first three years at Salem, this status had suited her just fine.



However, puberty had come during her freshman year, followed by the realization but that boys were not just fun to play sports with. And with that realization, Revan had suddenly began looking at her male friends in a slightly different light. Zot, however, was the one she had noticed first (after her ex-boyfriend, of course).



Being at school, though, Revan had a lot more time to spend with Zot whereas she and Zach had broken up because of the long distance thing. Since the end of last year, the girl had been trying to figure out how to tell Zot how she felt. However, despite her bravery in many aspects of life, talking about her feelings was one of the few places that her courage failed.



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He hacked up a little more sand here and there, the tips of his ears pink with slight embarrassment. He looked up shyly at Revan and nodded, his tic picking up it's pace once more due to his folly. "I think so," he said before offering her a warm but shy smile. His mouth quickly shut however when he realized he probably had wet sand on his teeth.



Zot ran his tongue over his teeth and spit a few more times, away from the girl of course, before standing up. His legs were a little shaky, but otherwise he was fine. Later he would probably have a couple of bruises on his shins, but it wasn't anything he wasn't already used to from his love of sports. He avoided Revan's gaze, instead looking at her dog who was prancing between their legs. "Cute dog," he said quietly, before kneeling down to offer the back of his hand to the pup.



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"Solo," Revan named him. "I mean, his name is Solo - like Han Solo from Star Wars." She clarified.



"I am glad you are okay. As I said, he really loves to play and there's still a bit of puppy in him. His feet tend to get ahead of his brain more oft than not." She ignored the flushing of his ears in the hopes that he ignored the slight change in color of her cheeks.





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"You like Star Wars?" he asked, looking up briefly. He indeed noticed the flush of her cheeks, but thought it was because of the breeze blowing across the beach. "I like Star Trek," he said as he looked back down at the dog. The pup was lapping at his hand so he turned it palm up and began to scratch beneath the dog's chin.



He grinned warmly as the dog leaned against his hand. Zot shifted his fingertips until he was scratching it behind the ear and Solo was panting in contentment.



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Revan clucked her tongue at the announcement. "A Trekkie." She said heavily, shaking her head. It was universally known that the Sci-fi world was split between Star Wars and Star Trek. Even more well known was the fact that the two parties very rarely ever mixed.



"I suppose not everyone can be perfect." Revan teased. She looked down at the dog who was more than happy about the attention. "You do realize that you have just made a friend out of the neediest dog in the world." She warned Zot.



"And forget about your hand. If he has his way, you will have to pet him like that until the end of time."



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His warm smile turned into a grin, still focusing on the dog. "I like animals," he said with a shrug. His tic was noticeably slowing down with the release of stress from petting the dog. "Well accept for in Magical Creature's class. Some of them aren't so friendly."



It didn't help that nervousness helped to amp up his jumpiness and likelihood of his outbursts. He held no ill will toward Star Wars fans. If they enjoyed Sci-Fi, then that was all good for him. He just happened to like the starships that Star Trek had to offer. "So Jedi or Sith?" he asked as he looked up at her. Somehow he could picture her with a bright green light saber, swinging mightily through bad people. His ears turned pink again.



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Revan gave him a mysterious smile. "Like any woman, it depends on the day. Most often I wear the Jedi robe, my trusty green and silver blades in hand.



"However, there is an occasional day where the black robe better suits me. However, I have no interest in having a red lightsaber. It simply does not appeal." Revan announced as though she had actually given excessive thought to the subject.



"I have never been all that fond of cats." She confessed. "What use is an animal that thinks I need it more than it needs me.



"No, give me a good dog any day. I have found that no matter how bad my day has been, it is nothing that can't be washed away by a few loving dog kisses." A look of contentment crossed her face as she looked down at the little dog who had captured her heart and made every day better than the one before.



"Have you any pets?"



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His grin grew as she described herself as a Jedi and was surprised by how easily he could actually picture it in his mind. Revan would look radiant all decked out in Jedi robes. Granted all the girls in school probably would look that way doing something they loved.



He looked up at her again, his thoughts causing his flush to spread from the tips of his ears to his cheeks. His grin became a little more shy. "I used to have a turtle," he said with a slightly squeaky voice. "But he died last summer."



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"Oh, I am so sorry." Revan said, unsure of what else to say about it. To ask if he had thought of getting another one would be rude, outwardly saying that pets could just be replaced. They certainly could not.



"I don't know what I would do without Solo." She confessed. "At times, I have wished I could become an animagus to get out and really play with him. Imagine - being at his eye level, seeing what he sees, experiencing as he does.



"However, I have yet to hear of becoming an animagus in Transfiguration, not to mention, my grades there aren't exactly top notch." Revan went on, this time with a slightly guilty face. "Have you ever considered the animagus path?"



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"He does seem like a neat dog," he said before he finally straightened up much to the dog's dismay. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.



"Honestly...no, I haven't," he said with a shy smile. "But it would be kind of interesting."



Idly he wondered what kind of animal he would be if he were an animagus. Zot really had no idea. He couldn't think of any animals that twitched, except for maybe a rattlesnake. But they seemed so untrustworthy, and Zot didn't want to be associated with being untrustworthy.



"What kind of animal do you think you would be?" he asked her, suddenly curious as to what her answer was. "I don't know what kind of animal I would make. Maybe a loud one." There went his ears, lighting up like the lighthouse during a storm.

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"Loud isn't always a bad thing." Revan reminded him. "Lions roar - the loudest is the most intimidating. It is what keeps many young lions from challenging the leader until they are old enough to actually compete. Trapped animals in a forest die if a compassionate person doesn't hear their squeaks or whimpering. Cows on a farm can lose calves and even die if a farmer does not hear their lowing.



"I would hope to be a dog, something with a lot of energy and maybe a spunky sort of cuteness - much like him." She grinned, waggling her fingers in front of the dog before pointing towards where his ball was gently being pulled away from shore by a wave that had finally caught it.



Revan cocked her head at him for a moment, obviously deep in thought. Finally, she nodded. "I believe you might make an tremendous squirrel. And I promise you that that's a complement."



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He smiled as she spoke of wishing to be a dog like Solo. Zot thought she was far more graceful and powerful than that. He thought she'd make either an excellent big cat or even a bird of prey.



When she mentioned that he wound make a good squirrel, Zot's smile faultered slightly. His hand rose as he scratched the back of his head absently. "A squirrel? But I'm allergic to nuts," he said somewhat lamely.



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Revan looked at Zot with a look of bewilderment as well as amusement.



"All of the things that you could think of and you come up with that you are allergic to nuts?



"There are so many other factors than just what they eat. And to shed a little light on things, squirrels don't eat just acorns. I have seen many that eat bird seed as well as dried out, left over corn. It is what they live on up where we live during the droughts."



There hadn't been one for a few years but from what the farmers had been saying, the time was coming. Sadly, the girl would bet on the wizened farmers in the area she lived than any seer in the wizarding world when it came to predicting weather. They were uncanny!

[Snick]

He flushed a little deeper as she corrected him and he looked toward the water absently. He bent down and picked up Solo's ball. He tossed it between his hands for a moment, watching as the dog began bouncing excitedly in anticipation. Soon he gave it a good chuck down the beach and watched as the little dog barreled down the line of sand toward the ball.



Zot let his eyes shift back over to Revan for a moment before he looked shyly away. He wasn't sure why all the girls at the school were suddenly talking to him so much. First Esther and Siobhan, and now Revan. He stood up a little straighter for a moment. Maybe it was the couple of inches he had added to his height over the summer. Or maybe the few extra pounds of muscle from his work outs with his brother.



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"A good throw!" Revan complimented him. She cocked her head slightly in his direction. "Did you grow over the summer?" For a second, she bent at the knees to shorten her height and then straightened a bit. "You did, didn't you!"



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His ears turned brilliant pink again as he briefly wondered if she had read his thoughts. Zot gave her a shy smile and nodded, before averting his eyes toward the dog that was already bounding back toward them with the ball merrily in his mouth. He bent down and took the ball before giving it another good chuck down the beach. Playing with the dog was a fun way to practice tossing a ball around.



His eyes darted over to Revan to see if she was still looking at him before shifting once more back toward the dog. A cool breeze blowing in off of the nearby waves tousled his hair slightly.



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"Do you know that you blush more than any person I know?" Revan asked. "I do not mean to embarrass you all the time. I am a bit blunt with my speech more often than may be needed. I guess it's because my mother and sisters engage in so many lies- so many different stories to keep the family image spotless that I fear that if I am not careful, I will become like that. It's not with everyone."



That embarrassed her. While Revan could not help but feel attraction to Zot, that did not make her bashful around him; just the opposite. If they could not be happy together, which they probably could not, she wanted to at least make him happy as a friend. He did not seem to have many but then, neither did she. It was the one thing she did have in common with her sisters, to her disgust. However, some habits were just hard to break.



As Solo came running back with his ball, the young woman pulled out a treat for him. She took the ball and handed it over to Zot to throw for the dog once he had finished the doggie bacon Revan had stockpiled before leaving South Dakota.



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Her comment only served to make him flush more. The crimson spread from the tips of his ears, down to his cheeks and further down his neck. "Erm, sorry?" he said with uncertainty.



He wondered about the differences between their families. Where his brother was friendly, even with his popularity, her older sister was a complete bitch as far as Zot had seen. He felt kind of sorry that Revan had to grow up with such a girl.



He took the ball from her, completely oblivious as their fingers brushed against each other. After the dog happily horked down his treat, Zot gladly threw the ball as far and as fast as he could. He chuckled as he watched the dog go bounding after it.



After a moment he looked at Revan and grew a little braver in the hopes of making a friend. "Well I'm glad you aren't like your sister. You are a whole lot nicer and I like that," he said in the somewhat shy way that was all him.



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At his comment, now it was time for Revan to be a bit embarrassed. Not much but it was still a bit odd to hear someone say. While she was not the bitch that her sister was, Revan wasn't the sweet girl that most guys liked - hence why she figured things with her and Zot would never work out. While she had never seen him date, he just seemed like the guy that would want a nice girl, a GIRL girl. Even if she wanted to be that person, Revan simply could not do it.



"If you think she is bad, you should meet my other sister." Revan mentioned, her voice sounding a bit edgy.



"However, it is too nice a day to go on about such dark things. So what are your plans for the rest of the day, if Solo ever lets you stop throwing the ball?"



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He shrugged a shoulder as he looked at Revan with a shy smile. "I don't know really. I was thinking about maybe swimming or body surfing," Zot said, turning his gaze toward the ocean. "It's not as warm up here as it is in Florida, but it's not as cold as it will be by Halloween. Figured maybe I'd take my last day of freedom and enjoy it."



"What about you?" he asked, just a subtle tic now as he once again threw the ball down the beach for the dog who had already returned. It was as though he couldn't throw it far enough for the pup.



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When he told her his plans, Revan was actually shocked. "You body surf?" Weird but it was just not an image that she could build when looking at Zot. "Seriously?"



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He nodded, "Yeah. My brother and I do it all the time when we're home. Actually, he's kinda moved on to actual surfing. Him and his buddies like to go out to Daytona a lot."



"Me? I like the warm water in the gulf. It feels really good against my skin," he said with a shrug. "It kinda makes you feel like you are just a part of the water instead of just moving through it like swimming does. Wanna try it with me? I can teach you."



The boy was so eager for a friend, he didn't really think about the fact that in order to teach her meant getting awefully close to her in the water. He'd likely have to launch her into the waves and would see her in some semblence of a bathing suit on Revan. His brother would have been all for it, but Zot tended to look at girls differently. Sure he could tell when a girl was pretty, but he was attracted to more than just looks. He felt he had to be since the school was full of pretty girls.



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Revan's eyes widened at the offer. She had never really been involved in many water sports. During the summer, she swam with the rest of her friends - since there was a pool just down the street from where she lived.



However, in her area, there were no other sports. They did not even water ski. Not that there wasn't the space. After the flooding not too many years ago, new lakes had sprung up all around the Britton area. However, since they formed in places that had once been pasture and fields, swimming in them more often than not simply wasn't the best plan.



Suddenly, the main idea popped into her head. Revan got to see Zot in a bathing suit! That right there could be worth it. How often was she going to get a chance to see him shirtless? Of course, that meant she was going to need to put on her bathing suit. "I would love to learn!" The young woman finally agreed. "You just can't laugh at me when you see me in my suit."



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"Why would I laugh?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. A few slight tics moved his hair before his eyes but he continued looking at her genuinely. He honestly had no idea why seeing her in a swimsuit would make him laugh.



"I should probably go change. Meet you back here in about a half hour?" he asked with a shy but excited smile.



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Revan tried to hide her amusement at his question. "Yeah, I will collect the Energizer Bunny and get changed. See you in half an hour!"



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As Revan hurried off, Zot made haste to his own dorm room. Once there he began searching the drawers of his dresser for his boardshorts. He had several pairs, so any would do.



Soon enough he found a pair of black trunks with white trim along the edge and a brandname scribbled across one leg. After changing out of his sand covered clothes, he slipped into his boardshorts. After digging out a pair of flip flops and his favorite beach towel, Zot headed back to the beach.



He wasn't wearing a shirt, instead having the towel drapped around his neck as he walked along the shore waiting for Revan to return. His mind was already out in the waves.



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Revan managed to wrestle Solo into submission, finally able to get him back up to her room. It was obvious that he felt the day should not have been over already. However, since Revan did not know how to do this sport, she felt bringing the dog along would just be dangerous.



Thus, she locked the little guy up in her room, making sure he had a fresh puppy pad set out in case he had to go potty and a full bowl of water if he got thirsty. Revan had to pull out one of her bags that she had brought from home to finally produce her only swimming suit.



It wasn't all that sexy or skimpy or girly. Most girls her age wore bikinis or tankinis - the sexier the better. However, Revan did not want to jump off the diving board and find out that her top had come away so all she wore were one-pieces.



Sliding into the blue and yellow suit, the young woman located some old sandals and finally one of her towels. As a last thought, she grabbed her Grumpy Bear over shirt that her father insisted she wear. With one last furry kiss to the top of Solo's head, Revan went shooting out the door to get back down to the beach on time.



Even for her, this rush was an actual work out, leaving her a bit breathless by the time she rejoined Zot on the beach. "Hi." She gasped out, dropping her towel.



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"Hi," he replied before looking at her with concern. "Are you ok?"



He pulled the extra large towel from his neck and quickly spread it out on the sand. He did the same with her towel, but made them overlap so that sand wouldn't get on the towels as easily. "Here sit down for a moment and catch your breath. Do you need some water?"

[Snick]

Revan groaned. She forgot to grab something to drink. "I must have left my brain back in my room." She admitted, shaking her head. "I just did not want to hold you up. Good work out." The young woman looked around the beach to see if anyone else was nearby.



She tried not to show her nervousness but it was difficult. Even though her arms and legs were toned from all her exercise, Revan had a bit of a tummy that she found embarrassing, not to mention, her breasts weren't exactly going to get her noticed. While a B-cup was helpful with a tight chest guard required for catchers, it was not so great when it came to skin tight swimming suits.



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"I forgot water too, but I can go get some if you need it," he said with a slight smile. "But if you would rather, we can start swimming a bit. The surfing is easier once we get used to the feel of the water and the waves. Then I can show you how."



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Revan smiled. "That is very nice of you but no thank you. I have a feeling once I get started, I am going to have more water than I would have every wanted." She assured him.



"Now remember, no laughing." She warned him before grabbing at the hem of her shirt and finally pulling it off, revealing her overly tanned arms and legs, showing that she had worn the suit quite a bit over the summer. Now that she was more exposed, Revan sucked in what little gut she had, figuring it was just until they got into the water.



At first, she did not want to look at him. Her friends back home had a hell of a time mocking her - mostly because they only had to wear shorts...bastards. Finally, however, Revan closed one eye, as though the sun overhead was blinding. The young woman turned her head towards him, trying to hide the hopeful look on her face. It would not be the first time Zot had seemed ignorant of the opposite sex. Maybe he would do that with her as well.



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He was polite (and nervous a bit though he didn't know why), and looked away as she removed her shirt. Granted, he wasn't sure why considering he would be looking at her plenty once in the water. Once she was free of the shirt he casually looked back and smiled. Not only was Revan pretty but she was smart too!



"Good choice," he said sincerely. "Most girls who try this make the mistake of bikini's. Body surfing can be dangerous and hard on your skin if you aren't used to it."



He flashed her an excited grin before nodding his head toward the water. "Race you to the bouy?"



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Revan was relieved at his praise. She had never thought about the fact that a bikini might have been problematic. However, Zot did not need to know that. At his challenge, the girl ran straight for the water. This was going to be incredibly cold. Granted, she wasn't going to show that off to him.



Gritting her teeth, she ran straight into the surf, shrieking at the feeling of the cool water splashing against her skin. While it was not yet freezing, it was much colder than the waters she frequented. It stopped her for a second or two, trying to push past the icy flecks on her bare skin.



However, there was no way she was going to give in to something that he probably was completely used to at this point in his life. Revan took a few deep breaths, then continued into the water, until it was splashing around her thighs. Wincing, she knew there was only way to solve this. Holding her breath, the young woman dove under water to completely submerge herself. At this point, Revan let the silky water move over her, spurring her on. The fact that she was racing someone was completely forgotten as the inner mermaid in her began to emerge once more.



As she finally emerged above the waves, Revan quickly checked her position to the buoy before resuming her strokes in that direction.



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He smiled as she took his challenge and began an immediate bolt for the water. Zot was close on her heals, knowing to pace himself, especially in the colder waters. It wasn't nearly as warm as the Gulf, but his body would adjust soon enough.



He hopped over a few rolls of water where they were still able to touch bottom, but as the water deepened he bent forward into it. The cold prickled against his skin, but he propelled his body through a small wave and allowed his body to grow used to it. Slowly, he began gaining on Revan, using his strong legs and the powerful pulling strokes from his well toned arms to cut through the water. They were nearing the bouy, but he couldn't tell which one of them was in the lead.



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Revan kept moving forward, though it was easy to see that Zot was the faster swimmer. That did not mean she was going to hold back. By the time they reached the buoy, it was easier to see that Zot was a few feet ahead of her. Knowing that, she ducked under the water, swimming around underneath him. It would be fun to see how long she could hold her breath anyways.



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He took his strokes with ease, pulling toward the bouy. He didn't bother looking to see who was in the lead, too focused on his goal and the feel of the ocean surging around them. It felt good to be in the salty waters again.



After a few more strong strokes his hand touched the metal rail on the bouy and he brought his head up out of the water. After taking a couple of breaths and blinking back the droplets that had fallen into his eyes from his hair, he looked around for his challenger. Not immediately seeing Revan, Zot felt a sudden sense of panic. Twitching hard, he began turning about in the water as he tread. "Revan?!" he yelled out over the waves.



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Revan chanced opening her eyes a slit, trying not to gasp from the burn of the salt water. She nearly choked in some water. That would make a hell of a shock for poor Zot...having to rescue her.



Although...



For a second, it flashed through her mind. If he saved her life, it would give her an excuse to be around him a bit more. Only fair to repay life debts and the like.



However, the thought passed as soon as it came. He was so looking forward to surfing today. It would not be fair to take that away from him. Biting the burning in her chest, she slowly floated up, her finger grabbing at his toes playfully before finally popping up a foot or so behind him. "Little fishies bite the toes." She giggled.



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His panic rose slightly as he felt something nipping at his toes. What if one of the creatures from class had gotten loose? His mind was whirling with all of the possible horrible things that could be lurking in the deep when suddenly he heard a giggle behind him.



With a couple of hard twitches he turned to find Revan grinning her head off. His eyes narrowed slightly and he seemed to float backwards a foot or so. "Not funny. I thought you got swept away but the undertow," he said, though there was a bit of a nervous twinkle in his eyes. He wasn't about to admit that he thought she'd been eaten by a monster. Or that he had thought he was next. Before she could react, he suddenly used his hand to gently splash her. He flashed a shy grin as though that was her payback for worrying him.



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Revan tried to curb her smile. "I am sorry, Zot. I could not resist." She took the splash, trying to look ashamed of herself. It was only fair. The young woman should have thought about it sooner. Who knew what Mr. McKay had running around this island! To have something sneaking up on you in the water, the one place you really could not use magic as easily.



Plus, he usually swam in the gulf, where sharks ran rampant, preying on swimmers and surfers who could not defend themselves. Now she did feel a little guilty. "I really am. I wasn't thinking. I am used to swimming in a pool where the only sharks I see are the ones painted on the pool floor." A wave pushed her forward, right into him. Their bodies touching, Revan's eyes widened. She needed to move away.



Move stupid! But all she could do was blink a few times.



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"It's okay I guess," he said with a slightly twitchy shrug. When a low wave rolled in and pushed her forward, his arms came up and braced easily. He gave her a shy smile, not thinking much about her closeness. Afterall the ocean tended to bounce you around like a washing machine most days.



He treaded water, gently holding her at the elbows. "Time to get used to the ocean," he said cheerfully as though he was right at home. "We're going to let the waves take us in closer to shore. Watch and feel how the water moves against you."



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DAMMIT! Revan swore to herself, trying to keep breathing. Only he could be so close and not feel a damn thing. Luckily, he seemed oblivious enough that he would never mistake her quickening heartbeat as to anything other than the power of the water around them and the exertion they were under taking. N



For a moment, her eyes closed and she felt the water around her, trying to ignore his touch. Her eyes finally opened, watching the waves around her, bobbing and moving around her...around them. No! Don't think about 'them'. There was no 'them'. "



Revan bit her lip purposefully then thought of her sister - the tramp that walked these grounds and the fool she made of herself. No, she would not be that person. She needed to focus on Zot as a friend, just another guy on the team. Sucking on the blood, the young woman was careful not to let any of it hit the water.



"It's amazing." She agreed as the waves moved them closer towards the shore, allowing Zot to decide the speed of their arrival there.



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"Yeah it is," he said with a wistful sigh and a goofy smile on his face as he looked out at the waves and the rolling water. Zot was right at home and felt more comfortable than he had ever felt at the school. Which was surprising since he was actively trying to make friends again. That alone was enough to give a kid like him an aneurism.



He finally turned his attention toward the shore and nodded to himself before looking back at Revan. "The trick to body surfing is pretty much just getting your body into the right position and letting the waves do all the work," he began to explain. "You start with your body at a downward angle until you can feel yourself gliding down the wall of the wave. Once that happens you can slowly straighten yourself out and ride it out. Here, watch me."



With a grin he released one of her arms and shifted until he was next to her. One palm remained on her elbow for a few moments before he found the perfect wave coming toward them. He gauged that it would fold itself out by the time it got to their current position so it would be the perfect spot for Revan to watch and learn. He released her and swam hard toward the slowly rising water. As it got higher he briefly disappeared, only to reappear partially in the wave. His body was diagonal in the water, his head pointed downward as he began to travel against the liquid. He carefully outstretched his right arm until he looked like Superman in board shorts and his body righted itself. He was able to ride the wave for quite a distance until finally he seemed to lean into the wall of water and disappeared once more.



A few moments later he resurfaced behind the downsizing crest and swam back over to Revan. Once he began treading again, he reached up and swept the wet hair from his forehead and eyes and grinned. "It's a rush," he said simply. "Think you can do it?"



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Revan watched him, actually impressed. When he had said body surfing, that was definitely not what she had been expecting. The young woman had thought it would be a lot easier than that. But how did he figure out which waves would work and which wouldn't? That was something she could not figure out.



"I am not sure." She confessed. "May I watch you once more. I am not so sure about the process of picking the wave."

[Snick]

He nodded, "Sure. If it helps, I can always launch you into a few of them until you get the hang of it. It's how our Uncle Paul taught us."



Zot quieted down for a moment, silently twitching as he watched the water. Soon another wave rolled in and he went for it, swimming strong. He rode it out like the first and exited out the back of the wave once more.



He swam back to Revan and grinned. "Don't be nervous. I won't let anything bad happen."



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The young woman watched him, the wonder on his face as he finally got to do something that he really loved. It did not take a genius to figure out that this was something that Zot enjoyed as well as excelled. "What's the worst that could happen?" Revan laughed. "Just tell me when to go and I will give it my very best. I just cannot make any promises."



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He settled for a nervous grin instead of pointing out that worst case scenarios, she could get caught in a riptide and drown, or get eaten by a shark or stung by a jellyfish or any number of things. It was best if Zot didn't really think about that either.



"Just remember, you need to exit the wave before it collapses. So if you see the crest coming over to much, or you feel yourself losing it, just roll your shoulder into the wave," he explained. "It's much easier and safer to get out that way. If you go the other way, you'll get stuck in the rinse cycle."



"Float on your stomach, and I'll launch you into the next one," he said. When she complied, he rested a gentle but sure hand against her stomach to help keep her a float. After a moment or two a wave started rolling in. He shifted his hand from her stomach to the outside of her thigh, his other hand going to her calf.



"Alright, remember keep your body as straight as you can," he said. He steadied her before giving her a mighty push out of the water and into the top of the small but fast wave.



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As Zot began giving her instructions about things not to do, a small amount of fear built up in her. It seemed like fun, a real laugh but if these were scenarios that could easily happen, suddenly it made the whole thing more worrisome. And then, when he laid his hands on her, she could not help but get all chilled. It was simply more distracting, to her horror as he suddenly pushed her out into a wave was mounting fast. Panicking, the girl did try to keep herself flat.



However, any good swimming coach would tell you that the worst things to do while in the water was breathe while underwater and stiffen while trying to float. Revan barely hit the wave before she disappeared. As the wave passed, however, Revan followed the breaker in so that Zot did not get nervous.



"Maybe I am not quite ready yet." She winced. "I kind of lost my head."



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He gave her a kind smile and luckily didn't laugh. Unless it was his brother, Zot wasn't in the habit of making fun or laughing at other people's misfortune. He shook his head, "Nah, you did great. My first time I couldn't even stay straight at all I was so scared."



"I'll understand if you don't want to try again," he said with a shrug. Zot was just happy he had someone to share the water with who wasn't making him feel dumb.



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"Normally, when it comes to sports, I am normally rather good." She said, somewhat dejectedly. "How about I sit back and watch you for a bit. After all, this is what you came out here for. Maybe after a bit of observation, I will get a bit more comfortable. It probably would have helped if I had spent much time in the actual ocean instead of just pools." Revan shrugged.



"I guess I have been too sheltered." That was a laugh! Of anyone in her family, it was Revan that was the least sheltered. Normally, she was the one that threw herself into the high risk situations - not hanging back and letting other do. However, it was far too easy for water currents to get the drop on you - one of the few reasons she had not come out to the ocean much. It was the one thing her brother had asked her to be careful of and that she had agreed to listen.



With Zot here, though, the girl had seen his swimming enough to know that between the two of them, nothing really bad could happen.



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He shrugged again, wet hair clinging to his forehead, dripping water into his eyes and down his nose. "We can just swim around a bit," he said. "The best way to be comfortable is to just be in it."



He smiled before a thought occured to him. He blinked a few times and then suddenly seemed a little nervous. Maybe she was just saying that so that she could get away from him? "Unless...you would rather just take a break or stop swimming at all?"



He hoped she didn't. It was nice not to be alone for once out here in the ocean. But he'd understand if she had something better to do.



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Revan shook her head. "Absolutely not! I may not seem like it from my extraordinary skill a few moments ago, I am a mermaid during the summer. Between baseball and the local pool, my family rarely sees me. Being here in the water long after I expected is heavenly." She lay back on her back, letting herself float in the less severe waves.



"If you ever want to come back out and you don't want to be alone, I will be glad to come with you." She promised. "Somebody should keep an eye on you."



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His smile returned full force and he nodded eagerly. "I'll probably come out here as much as possible until it's too cold," he said with that dopey grin. He flipped himself onto his back, letting his head dip into the water to resaturate his hair. He then moved back to treading water and watched her for a moment.



Revan was really nice. The fact that she enjoyed sports as much as he did made it a great deal easier to talk with her than it was with other people, other girls especially. It was one of the few ways he knew he was different than his brother. Where as Ryan seemed to have a new girlfriend every month, Zot looked more at personality than looks. Revan's sister for example was physically attractive, but was a raging bitch most of the time. Thus, he had zero interest in her at all. Revan herself? Well Zot didn't know the first thing about talking to girls in such a way. Besides, while she seemed keen to swim with him and let him play with her dog, he doubted there was any other interest in him than as a friend. He was ok with that though, as friends were exactly what he needed at the moment.



"Mermaid huh?" he said after a minute. "I'll pit your mermaid against my dolphin?"



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Revan laugh. "I scoff in the direction of your dolphin!" She declared.



For the next hour, the pair splashed about in the waves. Zot engaged in a little more body surfing but for the most part, the two of them competed but playfully. However, they could not stay in for forever. Just under two hours later, Revan and Zot finally emerged from the waves. The girl lay out her towel on the small beach and lay out on it, letting the sun dry her skin.



"I am going to just soak here. If you want to go on though, I will understand." The girl assured him. "I know that some people have more sensitive skin when in direct light." Like people on certain medications who needed to slather on the sunscreen to keep from viciously burning or redheads like her sister.



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Zot practically collapsed onto his towel next to Revan with a laugh. The past couple of hours had been the most fun he'd had in a long time. He lay on his back, droplets of the ocean running off of him as the sun began to dry his skin. His decent tan was evidence that the rays didn't bother him too much.



"Nah, the sun feels awesome right now," he said before placing his arm over his eyes to shield them. He sighed in contentment as he felt the warmth beginning to warm his tired muscles.



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As he lay down beside her, his eyes shaded to protect from the sun, Revan could not help but study his naked body once more. Their bodies still dripping wet, the young woman found Zot's glistening skin tantalizing in it's own right. Zot's upper body had a better upper body build than her ex had had. While Zach had height, Zot had more definition in his arms and chest. It was not the annoying six pack that all men insist they have, no matter how big their beer belly. A nice little cut was seen, however and Revan found it refreshing to find someone athletic that did not think they needed to unnecessarily bulk up - something Zot's brother did. It seemed every time she went into the gym, he was more than happily hogging the machines.



When Ryan had been chasing her sister, it had been the longest span Revan went without seeing him in the gym. It was the only time she had been interested in her sister's dating habits. The longer she held out, the longer Ryan would be absent for longer periods.



And of course, from the way he had acted for the last two hours, Zot seemed to have no clue that there were opposite sexes, let alone the fact there could be attraction between them. This was what she got for believing that sex was the natural progression in a relationship. Once you got used to it, it seemed harder and harder to live without.



"So..." The girl drifted off, trying to think of something to actually talk about with him. "You looking forward to your classes this year?"



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His arm shifted, but he didn't uncover his eyes as she asked her question. He was completely oblivious (as he was to most things) that she had just spent the last few moments checking him out. Zot never saw himself as attractive, nor did the thought occur to him that a girl might think him so. Girls were into his brother, that much he knew given how many of them Phin had dated.



"Not really," he said with a slight sigh. "It's hard to get excited about something that you often interrupt with...outbursts."



It wasn't that Zot didn't like school. Quite the opposite in fact. He was an A/B student and did well, especially with theory work. Sometimes during the practical or high stress moments in class, he had some issues. Much like the meeting in the library, if he got worked up or wound too tightly, he would have a bit of a fit. Though he had grown fairly used to the strange looks, hand covered giggles and looks of sad disappointment from teachers, every once in awhile that old familiar embarrassment would creep up on him. It wasn't nearly as often as it used to be at least.



"What about you? Any class in particular you are looking forward to?" he asked in an attempt to make small talk. Finally he removed his arm and rolled over so that he could lay on his stomach, but propped up on his arms. His twitch was slow and barely noticeable, like an exaggerated blink and very slight jerk of the head. A warm, kind smile was on his face as he looked over at Revan.



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"Fabrications is always a good class for an easy grade. I am not bad with my hands - my uncle swears that I am his child, not my father's. There are days..." It was obvious that she was wistful for that scenario.



"I love the dueling club. I am not normally one to boast but I believe that I am no slouch when it comes to dueling. The best part of the year, however, is Astronomy. I absolutely love Astronomy. It is something that I can actually study with muggles, since it's not restricted to one or the other. My best friend studies it; he is really interested in being an astrophysicist.



"Out in South Dakota, one of the nicest things about it compared to here is that I can actually study the stars themselves instead of models that Mr. Djembe has to keeps on hand for cloudy nights. While the models and spells are pretty accurate - of course - I have always preferred the real thing."



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He smiled as he listened to her talk. He had no trouble believing that she was a good duelest. She had the speed from all her years playing baseball. Zot didn't quite have the concentration for it. He found that he liked the way her face lit up when she talked about the stars.



"Back home, there is too much light polution unless you go to the beach at night," he said thoughtfully. "It's kind of crazy to see all of the stars sparkling off the ocean."



"What's it like living there?" He asked, suddenly more curious about Revan.

[Snick]

At his question about her home, Revan's face lit up. "Oh Zot, some day you must come home with me to see it for yourself. It gets colder than here in Salem so it would probably be best during the summer." She considered.

"You can go out into a field and see nothing for miles - nothing but corn or beans or, if you go a bit further north, sunflowers. The sunflowers just before school starts are awe inspiring. And of course, there are the cows to go mucking, rodent hunting - have you ever fired a gun before?" Revan asked, actually curious. The odds were less than likely but then, she would never have expected him to body surf so who knew unless one asked.

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The way she began beaming and the excitement in her voice made Zot think that maybe she was glad to be becoming his friend too. This thought made his smile grow wider and warmer as he nodded. "I think I'd like that," he said before he shook his head. "I've fired a paintball gun, but never a really gun. It was a tough enough fight with her when Ryan got me a paintball gun last Christmas."

He grinned happily though as though feeding off her excitement. "Maybe I could talk my mom into letting me come see you up there. Think maybe your parents would let you come to Florida? There are tons of cool places I could show you there. Well, cool to me at least," he said, his ears turning slightly pink again.

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"That sounds fantastic!" Revan insisted. "I have only been to Florida once.

"However, it wasn't the greatest experience. I am betting it would be better if I were there with someone I actually liked." She insisted. "We can give you a pellet gun. You really can hurt someone but the odds of killing someone are incredibly unlikely. My brother is still a little shaky too but I have been trying to help him get back to where he was - I swear to you Zot, he was a crack shot and now, he is lucky to hit the bulls eye."

For a moment, there was a dark look in her eyes - one of great sadness as she thought of the wonder Mikolas Gemini had been before the accident. He had been the only sibling she had that actually tried to get along with her; to accept her as she was - the tomboy that could whoop his ass anytime she wanted; the girl that owned one dress and wore it for Christmas only.

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His grin grew as his excitement began to match Revan's. "Well there is the themeparks and waterparks in Orlando of course. They are only about an hour or two away," he said gleefully. "Then there are some of the swamps and bogs, which don't sound so exciting, but you can see some weird creatures there. And there is this lagoon..."

He trailed off from his excited gush and twitched but retained his smile. Hopefully Revan wouldn't be turned off from visiting based on swamps. When she suggested a pellet gun he nodded, game for just about anything. Then he saw the sadness in her eyes as she talked about her brother.

It was clear that she looked up to him like Zot looked up to Ryan. He reached a shaky hand over and gently placed it on her shoulder, holding himself up with one arm. "I'm sorry Revan. Don't be so sad. At least you still have him."

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Revan smiled at his comfort. "Until that day, I did not believe in the possibility of there being a higher power watching over us. But when he came out alive...

"It sounds foolish but I thank God every day for saving my brother." The young woman confessed. "I am sorry, I am ruining the good day we had been enjoying." Revan touched his hand, shooting him an appreciative smile.

"You paint a wonderful picture. Softball is over the weekend after the fourth of July. We have a wonderful carnival in celebration and a whole tournament. The whole town seems to just shut down for a weekend. I do not know how your family celebrates but maybe you will consider coming to see it with me. My dad loves having company for Independence Day; it's his favorite holiday.

"And I highly doubt that they would mind my coming to visit you afterwards. One of the perks of having family who were in a legacy together." She reminded him gently.

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His smile didn't diminish as he nodded, "That's right. Your brother was in Hope and Glory. I used to have all of their legacy alumni memorized..."

It was Zot's turn to look a little withdrawn now. Slowly his hand on her shoulder fell away and he once again balanced on both elbows. "I was preparing to pledge last year. Had their legacy history practically memorized," he said. He shifted his body weight and began drawing a little flag in the sand at the edge of his blanket. Next to it he traced out a simple version of the Hope and Glory symbol.

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This was when Revan frowned. "But why? I understand pledging, to a point, but why would you pick there? I don't remember you ever paying any other legacy the least bit attention." She commented. "I mean, I understand their creed; the emotion behind the legacy. Patriots are needed for every generation.

"But does living in a house affect the person you are? Aren't you that person, whether you wear a pin or not?"

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He shrugged. "I guess so. Its just that..." he paused as he tried to find the right words. It was always so hard for him to be completely articulate. Ryan could smooth talk just about anyone, but Zot tended to stumble through everything.

"It's been my dream to be in that legacy. Ever since I saw Ryan pledge and started learning about Hope and Glory," he started to explain. "The sense of pride, sportsmanship. Most of the athletes are there. I guess its the only one that ever appealed to me."

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"I considered Upsilon for a bit. However, I simply did not qualify - so to speak. It was slightly disappointing." Revan shrugged. "Hope and Glory extended the opportunity to me but I felt that it was misplaced - honorary because of my last name, not the person I was. The same goes with BTP."

Yeah, that would probably go over great with him. She had the opportunity to pledge and turned it down while he was desperate to establish himself there.

"Maybe it was because my siblings went ahead of me and I wanted desperately to be my own person. As much as I love my brother, it is quite obvious that I am a different person. Teachers already expect me to either be intelligent, a goodie-goodie, or a total, all out bitch. And if people ask me to sing for them one more time, I swear their heads are going to be on my wall. Frankly, with three other kids before me, it's all I can do to stand out.

"I am already dismissed as an athlete in a sport that is predominantly male. Astronomy, my favorite class, is considered one of the weaker branches of magic among wizards. The only real talent I have when it comes to magic is Dueling- something Magryta enjoys exceedingly. Of course," A wicked smile crossed Revan's face, "It is the one wonder of enjoying a similar hobby - when I drop her to the ground in a duel, the look on her face - well, it's just like Christmas, my birthday, and the 4th of July all at once."

Revan paused for a moment, half reveling in the amusement, half trying to remember where the conversation was going.

"I can understand that you wish to join your brother. But, as my grandmother has used to comfort me before - 'It is hard enough to fill your own shoes without having to fill those of another'."

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He listened as she explained that she had gotten an offer to join Hope and Glory. Zot couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Granted, she was a legacy in the truest form of the word, so it was to be expected but it still stung just a little. As she continued, he found himself contemplative. He had never thought of being automatically put into Ryan's mold. He supposed a couple of teachers hoped he could be more like his brother, probably almost as much as he did.

Zot let his smile expand a little as Revan relished the thought of beating her sister in a duel. He had to admit it would probably be a funny sight to see. Life had been almost hell when Ryan had dated the bitch. He was thankful it was short lived, like most of his brother's girlfriends. It was hard to hang out with a guy whose entire attention was on a bitchy witch with a superiority complex. "I'd pay to see that," he said with a chuckle and a twitch.

He looked back at the simple sand drawings when she said what her grandmother always told her. Zot wasn't sure he really wanted to think of it like that. It made him slightly uncomfortable.

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Revan sighed. "Zot, I just don't want you to sell yourself short or beat yourself up because you can't live up to your brother, the jock and playboy." She frowned thinking about that for a moment.

"Could you really see yourself like that, let alone act like it? Dating all sorts of women, a new one every couple weeks; women like Maggie? And then standing there and rubbing it in other jocks faces that they are nothing in comparison to your greatness? Because if that's who you are going to be..." The young woman pulled her towel up around her as though to cover her body from his visage. Had his brother been here, there was no way she would be caught wearing a swim suit.

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He looked back toward her in time to see her beginning to cover herself up. Had he done something wrong? He scrambled to sit up, a panic stricken look on his face. "Did I make you feel that way? I'm sorry," he said nervously.

"That's not the part of Ryan that I look up to. There is way more to him than that," he tried to explain, but found himself twitching. "Honestly I don't agree with how he goes through girls. I think he misses the bigger picture there and will probably miss his soulmate by a mile with the way he goes."

"But its not all he is. He has stood up for me and looked out for me ever since we were little, after Dad...disappeared," he continued, looking at Revan with his deep, earnest blue eyes. "He always pushes himself to be better, which yes, at times might make him seem like a jerk, but he's just driven. If it wasn't for him, I don't know if I would be strong enough to have stayed at Salem. He kept as many people as he could from teasing me for being a freak."

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"He wasn't the only one." Revan muttered. She did not add to it, however. If he wanted to make notice of it, that was his choice. Hopefully he would not ask for clarification.

"If you say that he is not just that, then I will take your word for it. Maybe in time, I will see it in him." Revan offered. She seriously doubted it but that did not mean Zot was not right. Sometimes, a person was more than just what he presented. And there could be the possibility that Revan was prejudice since he had been dumb enough to date Maggie.


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His brow furrowed as he indeed heard her mutter. Zot was unsure of what to make of it, so he simply asked, not thinking any harm would come from doing do. "What do you mean Revan?" He asked before realizing he might need to clarify his question. "That he wasn't the only one?"

He could tell she had a low opinion of his brother and he wanted to know why. Was it just because of his dating habits? Or was it one of those weird opposite things where Revan had a crush on Ryan but he didn't really notice her because of the age difference between them, thus she hated him kind of things? Zot felt a little sting in his chest at the though of that, though he wasn't sure why. Great Houdini, why did girls have to be so confusing and complex?

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Revan hesitated but then, she had always believed in the truth. She had seen enough people playing games in her life - the one biggest thing she had insisted upon was that the young woman avoided such things. That did not mean she did not have her secrets. She just did not go around, announcing everything she did for the glory of it.

"Your brother is not the only one that has tried to keep people from picking on you, Zot." Revan informed him. "I am really freaking lucky that this school does not expel you for getting detention too many times in a week. I did have the record for a short period last year, however." That was probably an exaggeration. However, there had been a few periods of time where the young woman would swear that a lot of those detentions went on for weeks, not days.

[Snick]

His brows lifted in surprise as Zot understood what she was trying to say. "You..?" He inclined his head to the side, his still damp hair remained clinging to his forehead until he twitched. "But why?"

He hadn't thought anyone else would really care enough to do that other than Ryan. It was almost as surprising as Esther's declaration that she considered him a friend. He had been assuming all these years that people's outward kindness and politeness toward him had been born of pity and not out of desire to actually be his friend.

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"I am one, yes." Revan agreed. "You may think that you are walking alone in this world, Zot but the truth is exactly the opposite. You do have friends here; maybe not bosom buddies but they like you. The probably is that you have a poor self esteem. You think that your syndrome wraps you in a little bubble, keeping you from the friends that are here, waiting for you to realize that your twitches and outbursts are just a part of what makes you - you.

"People that really care about you - like you don't care what you say or do or look like; they care about your personality. Some will care about your looks but mostly, it is because you are humble, a little bashful, an excellent athlete in your own right, and have ears that turn pink." She gave him an encouraging smile.

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Her words were indeed making his ears turn pink from slight embarrassment. There was a part of him that still thought she couldn't possibly be telling the truth, but there was a part of him that hoped she was right and perhaps felt a little relief at the thought. Maybe Esther hadn't just been pitying him. Maybe Revan really did want to be his friend.

"So...you really want to be my friend?" he asked in that slightly bashful but incredibly adorable way of his.

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Revan smiled. "That is what I am telling you, Zot!

"I am just a bit more forward. After awhile, I get tired of playing games." Yeah, it had taken nearly two years but she was definitely tired. However, Zot had always seemed a bit more timid - like a deer. You had to work your way over to them in little motions lest you startle them.

Of course, she wasn't going to put a hunting knife through his neck. This memory made Revan's smile droop just slightly but she did not want him to second guess her intentions

"I am glad that you are finally here with me, though."

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The more she spoke, the more hopeful Zot became that she was, indeed, telling the truth. His ears darkened, but he seemed to be almost glowing with happiness. He couldn't stop the intense grin that broke free on his face. For the first time, he really, truly, had someone he could call a friend.

"I guess I never really thought of it that way," he admitted. "I'm glad I'm here with you too...friend."

It was almost enough to make him go bounding for the water again. He briefly thought about it until a rather strong wind decided to pick up in that moment. It chilled his still damp board shorts and he flinched. He looked up at the treeline toward the end of the beach and noticed that the trees were moving quite a bit. Zot looked behind them toward the water and noticed how choppy the surf was getting. With an odd expression he looked back over at Revan. "Looks like a squall might be coming in. We should probably get back to the school," he said, though there was a sadness in his tone. He obviously didn't want his excellent afternoon to end.

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"Are you sure?" Revan asked, looking around. "The waves are just a little stronger. Or are you getting cold? I did not feel a change in temperature..."