This World

Sayo

"Well, that's good to hear. I hope you experience more good ones like them." Sayo said sincerely.

((Unless anyone else has plans for the rest of the day, I think we're getting close to another position where I can do another time skip, if you all don't mind.))

(I do not mind.)

(Me neither.)

(Go ahead)

General Narrative

Three weeks had now passed since the Thanksgiving Dinner at Sayo's house. School had been relatively nomral for the gang, though Jacob hadn't attended school for the past three weeks. Now it was the third day before school was going to end for Christmas Break, and Jacob was finally back.

((...That's pretty much it. It's now into late/middle December and it's the week before Christmas Break. On a Wednesday, to be more specific. Everyone should be at the entrance of school, waiting for the bell to ring for first period.))

As soon as Zach saw Jacob she ran over and hugged him. Then she hit him over the head.

"Where the hell have you been?! I tried to call you, but you wouldn't pick up. I-I was worried."

"Zach calm down. Don't smother the poor guy," Jillian said. He kind of was glad that Jacob wasn't around, but he was a little worried too.

Amy was at Sayo's side and she nodded. "We were all concerned about your absent."

"Yeah," Orion agreed, shaking his head as he walked over to his friend, "School's been so boring with me being the only troublemaker in our group. I can't do anything to Fau because he'd assume it's me!"

Jacob

Jacob chuckled in reply to Orion and Zach's greetings, but there was something stiff about it. The boy's hair was cut short, and there were bags under his eyes, but he was smiling as he studied his friends for a few seconds. It was good to see them all, and though he wasn't going to admit it, he had missed them all quite a bit.

"I was in New York for a while, got some good stuff from my Dad." Jacob replied before looking down at the ground. The Teen licked his lips nervously as he contemplated what to say next, but it came out rather easily after he thought of what to say. "He left almost everyone to me in his will...." Jacob informed his friends before chuckling nervously once again.

Both Jillian and Amy weren't sure what to say. Neither one was close to Jacob as Sayo, Orion and Zach. They both didn't know Jacob's father either. Amy wondered if anyone did.

Zach softened at Jacob's words. She knew how upset Jacob must be over his father's death even if he hadn't seen him in years.

"You were his only child Jacob. He still loved you."

(I notice how Zach is the only character who isn't a single child.)

((...what, I don't think that's entirely true. Doesn't Orion have a sibling? ....that's never been featured. Carry on.))

Sayo

"Oh, Jacob. I'm....so sorry." Sayo said, his worry for Jacob turning into concern for the young teen. He was glad to finally see the boy back at school, but now he knew why Jacob had been absent for so long. It all made sense. No doubt Jacob would want to skip school for a long period of time after something so horrible had happened.

(Maybe. Idr)

(I thought Orion and Jillian both had older Brothers?)

Jacob

Jacob shrugged in reply before kicking a rock in front of him. The boy didn't know what to say, and the whole situation was just rather awkward. That's what he got for acting pathetic right after finally seeing his friends for the first time in weeks.

And so the boy forced a smile in reply to Sayo as he nodded in reply. "Yeah. On the bright side he left me like everything. Like, forty thousand dollars. My Mom put it in a trust fund though, she said I would just waste it all in a month. Probably right."

(Oh yeah. I remember now. Never mind then.)

Jillian frowned. He felt kind of bad for Jacob. He wasn't close to him, but loosing a father must of been hard. Especially after he had to suffer through his parent's divorce. He could also see how tough this must be for him.

"We better get to class," Amy said, giving Jacob a warm smile. "Just because Jacob's back doesn't mean we should be late."

"Dude, that's exactly why we should be late," Orion told Amy, his voice gentler than it normally was. He smiled winningly at his friend, "Your dad was always cool by me. Remember when we all used to sleep over? I wished my dad was like him."

Sayo

"That's true, Amy." Sayo said.

((Anyone mind if I skip straight to lunch? I have something very...special planned for that.))

Jacob

"Yeah, he was alright." Jacob agreed unenthusiastically with Orion. He was too tired to care either way if they missed class or not today. Of course that was probably because Jacob had forgotten about Mr. Fau, but that was a small detail.

(Fine with me.)

(Same here.)

"I remember the first time we met. He said 'I don't understand why a smart girl like you is friends with my Jacob'" Zach said, laughing a little. But she saw that Jacob was feeling down. "But hey we should get going. School might help you take your mind off of him."

(I'm cool with it too)

"Dude. We should be taking him away somewhere," Orion grumbled, a concerned look on his face as he looked at his friend. He gripped his shoulder, "But, I guess school will be finally good for something."

((I'll take that as a yes, AI. Time-skipping, away!))

Sayo

"Well, at least class with Fau today wasn't so bad. In fact he seemed rather....distracted." Sayo commented as he and his friends headed toward the cafeteria.

"He must be losing his edge," Zach said. "But that least it's a plus. I would have punched him if he harassed Jacob today."

"Zach remind me to never piss you off," Jillian said. Since he was a grade above them, he couldn't really comment on Fau.
\

"I know what you mean," Orion told Jillian with a grin, "Zach was the only one keeping me from putting thumbtacks in Fau's chair."

Jacob

"It would have been easy to get him too." Jacob commented in agreement with Orion. He hadn't talked much in class, surprisingly, though he was still in a good enough mood.

Sayo

"Well, it's a good thing you didn't, Orion. Fau is already looking for any excuse to suspend you now. You shouldn't really give him the incentive to." Sayo pointed out.

"It's not my fault I'm too cool for his class," Orion told Sayo, deciding to tease his uptight friend a bit.