2nd Floor Common Room, Monday morning

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

No classes today combined with new students, meant Johnny was in the common room playing with fire. Mainly just bouncing fire balls back and forth from one hand to the next.

He was relaxed (back from an awesome island trip) and in a good mood. ESPN was broadcasting a motocross race, and he was pretty damn content.

Awesome!

[Of course it's open!]

Comments

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

"Hey." And again with trying not to stare. Because really, no sense in being rude to anybody. Plus hey, he was hot. (What? She was capable of noticing a hot guy! A zombie apocalypse so didn't take that ability away.)

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

Except Johnny was totally used to chicks checking him out, especially cute ones, fire or no fire.

He smiled, extinguished the flame. "I'm Johnny Storm. You are?"

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

"K-Mart." She smiled sheepishly. "Yes, like the store. My actual name completely sucks."

It was strange how weird explaining it made her feel. Nobody in the convoy had cared. (Not that anybody here would necessarily care, it just seemed like she had to explain.)

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"Why K-Mart?" he asked, curious. Seriously, it made him think of blue light special and... probably wasn't a good idea to mention that thought.

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

He could, though. Turtle already had.

"I, um, was found in one." She smiled awkwardly.

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

...

...

"Shit. Man, I'm sorry." Chicks were always leaving their kids in bathrooms and crap. Totally sucked.

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

"It was just me by that point. Well, me and the dead bodies stacked up in lawn and garden." Which had been really traumatizing for poor nine-year-old Dahlia.

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"Wait. What?" Totally confused.

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

"Two words. Zombie apocalypse."

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"Seriously?" he asked, brows raised. "Damn. Is that why you're here?"

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

"Yup." She nodded. "Claire -- that's... well, I guess you'd call her my guardian now -- sent me here to give me a shot at a normal life."

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"Man, that's... " wow. "...well, good for you. For claire, to send you here. This school is awesome. We're all pretty cool. But uh, anyone tell you about Caritas yet?"

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

"... no, why?" And why did she have a bad feeling about this?

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"Don't freak out or anything but Caritas is a bar in town, and they have a zombie band."

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

To her credit, she didn't panic. She did, however, go several shades of pale.

"... remind me to avoid the place, then."

Or at least brave it once she'd made a few friends.

[fantastic-torch.livejournal.com]

"No need to worry. All they do is play, seriously. In fact, I've never seen them anywhere else. If you ever want to check it out, ask me, I'll head over there with you." Because he was nice like that.

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

She relaxed a little at the offer -- and the fact that the zombies didn't go anywhere else. "Thanks," she said, smiling. "I appreciate that."