Second Floor Common Room: Friday Morning (around Nine-Tenish)

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

The nametag and pen stuffed under Jack's door were a bit surprising. Since he wasn't technically a new student, he compromised and just wore the name tag. If someone wanted to write his name on [his forehead or wherever] later, he wouldn't object. Combining nametags with shirtless day didn't seem like such a good idea: where were people supposed to stick their nametags once they stripped out of their shirts?

Shirtless, name tag stuck to the pocket of his black jeans, Jack was currently dancing in the kitchen. Yeah, he knew shirtless day didn't start until after dinner, he just didn't want to wait.

If you thought he was cooking, you wouldn't be wrong. No pancakes, but there's bacon, eggs, toast and coffee.

Lots and lots of coffee.

Comments

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

"Okay, wait," Greg said, looking deeply puzzled. "How are there humans on other planets?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I have no clue," Isabel admitted. "Maybe there's some truth to those alien abductions stories." And then, because she really couldn't help it, "I mean the story about the UFO crash in Roswell is true after all."

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

"Right," he laughed, only half-joking, "friends of yours?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Actually, I was a passenger," she said seriously. And then laughed a bit when as the conversation she'd had with Walter came to mind. "I've been around for almost sixty years. I just have a really good skin care regime."

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

Greg blinked. Several times.

"...seriously? You're like, sixty?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Yup," Isabel nodded. "I'm sixty. And for fun I like to see how many cradles I can rob." Burying her face in her hands, she shook her head, snickering softly.

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

Realization that she was kidding, at least partly, dawned on Greg's face and he laughed. "Okay, cute. How old are you really? Because if you're sixty, you must have been held back like fifty times. And plus there's the whole...not looking your age thing."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Technically? I'm ten," she said and grinned. "Now who's cradle robbing?"

Isabel picked up a spoon off the table and idly turned it in her hands. "We were in pods when the crash happened. the survivors managed to hide us in the desert and we stayed there for almost fifty years. Ten years ago we, for want of a better word, hatched looking like we were about six or so years old. We were found, adopted, and have spent the last ten years hiding in plain sight."

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

Greg blushed, and took a couple seconds processing this. "Okay. So...if I can ask, um, how come you're not hiding here?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Because a heinous bitch of teacher had to blab the truth to the whole school on the radio." Her tone made it obvious she wasn't thrilled with that. "Once the truth was out there wasn't any reason to hide any longer. At least not here. Back home? It's a different story."

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

Greg softened. "Whoa. A teacher did that?" He gave a low whistle. "I'm sorry, for whatever that's worth. Did the teacher get in trouble, at least?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel's smile was cold. "Not officially, but by the end of the term she'd been reduced to doing radio broadcasts drunk and blithering." Her smile grew warmer as she continued, "Plus there's the whole living well being the best revenge thing. She did me a favor. I like not having to lie to people for a change."

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

"I'd guess that's probably a nice change," Greg agreed with a small smile. "She sounds like a kind of pathetic person, anyway. But still." He shook his head. "That's horrible and I'm sorry it happened to you. If you were going to tell people - should've been on your own terms."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," she said sincerely. "But it all worked out for the best in the end."