What I'm Saying to You: Things Can Change

[Sunnybunny]

"It's good lighting! And you look..."

How she wanted him to look? A way she'd want to remember? She couldn't just say she was going to look back on this and laugh herself silly, it wouldn't come out right, like she was poking fun at him and not herself. The things she really wanted to say, no, that wasn't fair, because wasn't-

"Yeah. I'm swooning over here, come look!"

Smiling, acting for reasons she couldn't explain if she tried to, she flashed her spiral at Thomas, the beginnings of a sketch that wasn't wasn't bad at all. Even if that was all she said, she knew Tomtom would understand well enough. She wouldn't have to look back to this and wonder what she could have said for it to go differently. Everything was perfect, in a way.

There wasn't anything to regret.

[Catche Jagger]

Thomas stepped a bit closer to look over the sketch his friend had produced. It is rough, but still quite good, certainly better than anything he could’ve produced. The drawn version of Thomas, even without all the details, seemed to have a more easygoing way about him, some of the edge of the real thing smoothed away in the act of translation.

He hoped he wasn’t somehow jealous of the fucking drawing someone had made of him.

“It’s good, really good.” He said simply, sincerely, eyes moving from the art to the artist.

He couldn’t think of a proper joke or remark for the moment, it was just nice. He assumed Sakurako would pick up the slack anyway.

[Sunnybunny]

"Really?"

Her delight was so clear it was nearly a tangible thing, lighting up both her voice and her expression. It wasn't like she never got compliments, but it felt differently when it was about something she didn't copy instructions from. It was the smallest thing in the world, and she wasn't exactly an artist, but Sakurako had done this.

She let the moment rest there for a bit, was neither the jester or the actress.

After a beat, she hummed softly, put her pencil to the paper once more. He'd be able to recognize after a bit that she was adding herself to the little sketch she'd done, standing beside him. It wasn't as hard as you would think, doodling yourself from memory. Even if it turned out bad, it didn't matter so much because this wasn't so much about her as it was about them. Her friends as a collective and her friend, here with her now.

"The City's a big place, so I'll keep you company. Okay?"

[Catche Jagger]

"I mean, yeah. I'm not an art critic or anything, but yeah. It's great."

To Thomas's surprise, she didn't throw out some joke, or anything of the sort. Sakurako instead seemed as content as he was to allow the moment to be what it was. Thomas smiled to himself, not saying anything further until Sakurako continued.

He took a few more steps toward her, observing her hand as she once again went about its work, sketching out a new figure.

"Maybe you can give me the grand tour. Check out all the cool spots, huh?" He remarked, before remembering to correct himself.

"Give us the grand tour." Thomas added quickly, feeling just a bit foolish. There were others meant to join the sketches of Sakurako and him: Tristan, Zen, Daria, and plenty more. Lots of good people.

"Thinking you can get everyone in today?" He asked, genuinely curious.

[Sunnybunny]

"I'll take whoever wants to go wherever, so long as it's not Times Square. Fuck that tourist traaap... but I'll be there for half the summer with big sis before I go off to school."

Speaking of which, she could start getting acceptance letters any-freaking-time now. Any time.

Making her hair a little bit bigger in the drawing, she shook her head.

"I could if I could stay here for a few more hours, but you know how vain those guys are." She posed, her expression haughtier, the very picture of a diva. It was all in good fun though, teasing out of love. "Yuka-chan'll flip if I get the wrong shade of eyeshadow, I don't know if Ned's going to be feeling more Nintendo or Playstation, Daria might actually want period clothing!"

And that was before she took Tris or Zen into account.

"For now it'll just have to be us."

[Catche Jagger]

"Well, just us isn't a bad place to start." Thomas replied, chuckling as Sakurako went over all the alterations and conditions that would likely come about when consulting the other people in drama, knowing that she was likely spot on.

He did hope that his idle suggestion wasn't about to become some big thing that people might get upset over or something. That was the last thing he wanted.

Still, Thomas kept such concerns to himself, as him getting anxious would just fulfill his own worries.

He didn't comment on Sakurako going off to school, or to New York. Maybe it was rude, but the two of them had discussed it for a bit and that was about as much as he was comfortable with for the time being. There would always be another time to ask about that summer trip, to talk about the future.

For now, he leaned a bit closer towards the pair of sketches and smiled.

"For now I'm cool with just being Sakurako and Thomas, Not-So-Lost In New York."

[Sunnybunny]

"Start spreading the news, we're leaving today... I want to be a part of it~"

There she was, bursting into song as if this was a musical. Ah, but Thomas would never tell her dirty little secret about her very decent voice, so it was fine. She chuckled, then settled down, finishing up the last touches of her drawn self's shoes.

The thought of people she loved in the city she loved was a bit overwhelming, even if it was just a silly notion in her head.

But on to more practical matters. At least, more likely ones.

"You mind getting Not-So-Lost in Chattanooga before we head home? I can hear a shake calling my name and it's getting kind of loud!"

Taking about big apples may have activated her sweet tooth, something that rarely ever made an appearance. Fries wouldn't be awful either, especially dipped in said shake first... no sense in holding back if she was going to indulge.

[Catche Jagger]

Once Sakurako started with the first line, Thomas found his voice joining hers in an impromptu little number.

"We're leaving today… I want to be a part of it~"

He laughed along with her. It was silly, he knew, but he was comfortable with that here, with his friend.

And that was why he had to get over this… thing, this crush, this whatever. Things were fine how they were. She was great how she was. Sakurako didn't need him, not like that anyway. And so it'd pass with time. Everything was supposed to pass with time.

Thomas was brought back from his thoughts as Sakurako made the suggestion that they go grab something before heading home. He was a bit surprised when she mentioned a shake specifically, but he wasn't about to complain.

"I'm down. Though I hope you can give me a ride, unless this is your way of saying I need some cardio or something." He grinned, though he quietly hoped that he wouldn't take the idea seriously.

[Sunnybunny]

Once she got home, she would fix dinner alone and eat it alone. She would do her homework, she would find a project to build on, and it would be enjoyable and comforting, alone. She'd listen to music, something that made her want to sing, alone as ever, and that was just the way her life was.

But right now, they were here together, and it was as wonderful as anything could ever be.

"Ya got me. Hit the bricks, buddy!"

Her voice lilted over the words, teasing. Looking over her things and the room once more, Sakurako straightened up what she'd moved out of place and headed for the door.

"Of course I'll give you a ride. Come on, Tomtom."

Giving one last look back to the classroom, she casually gestured for him to follow her out.

"Ah, and thanks for stopping by."

[Catche Jagger]

Sakurako knew how to make somebody smile. It often seemed to just be an effect she had on most people, a contagious affability that could work wonders on anybody, not just Thomas. Knowing this didn't make it any harder for him to grin as she teased him a bit.

He had, at times, wondered if it was foolish of him, to so often take her at face value. Everybody had shit bubbling under the surface, he knew, and some were just better at dealing with it, or hiding it, than others. Still, what was he to do? If she needed to share things, she knew he'd be there.

He hoped she knew.

"Don't worry about it," Thomas shrugged as he followed Sakurako out of the room, "always happy to help a friend in need." He continued, matching her lilting voice over the last bit.

At the back of his mind, Thomas reminded himself that he'd now have to send a text by his mother about going out, and that he'd then need to be prepared for all the irritation and probing questions that were sure to follow. No surer way to upset an obsessive planner than to make one's own plans without consultation, particularly with how his brother had been lately.

But now he was going to have a fun afternoon out with his friend. There was no need to soil that for himself, for her.

A person could only have the happiness they chose to make.

He wanted to believe that.

((Thomas Buckley continued in Pregame))

[Sunnybunny]

In these all-too-brief moments, Sakurako was who she wanted to be. Understood, understandable, very nearly transparent and if she could just tell Thomas to look closer...

(had she ever heard him sing?)

But it was alright. In a school with the meanest of the mean, she trusted that they'd get through the rest of this year just fine. Hand in, well, fin in fin in the social ocean that was George Hunter High. For now it was okay to be a clownfish. It was more than worth it to amuse.

"And that's why you're my hero~"

Shutting the door on the way out of here always felt more like leaving home more than headed toward it, but they'd be back again. When she caught his smile, it brought one back to her face, a feedback loop she'd gladly keep going.

For all her longing for the Big Apple, she'd never been able to have this there. So, if home was truly were the heart was...

Then she'd always have a safe place to come back to.

((Sakurako Adina Jackson continued in The Hunger Artist))