Animorphs by K.A. Applegate

Dakota shrugged with a smile, "That's neat enough as it is. " she smiled as she took another bite, trying to first d another topic. "Your eyes are pretty." She said finally for lack of words. No one ever said she thought before she spoke.

Phoenix took a few more bites. He didn't really know what to say....his eyes were nothing special that he knew of...hm. Maybe they changed. "Uh...thanks."

October
"A little out of town, by that hiking park..." That I can't seem to remember the name of... I sigh slightly as we walk, shuffling my bag in front of me. "That's where he usually disappears now a days." I think... Never really was that close to my brother though. He was in high school when I was born, off to college as I grew up a seemingly only child, and came back when I was seven because the company he was at layed him off and he couldn't afford his apartment anymore.

Dakota grinned and took a few more bites as she tried to figure out what to say. "Your welcome." She said, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "So, what.l are you doing after this?" She asked finally having nothing else to say.

Phoenix sighed as he thought about it. Back to his home of nothingness. His parents didn't care about him, they ignored him fully. "Nothing...nothing at all." Phoenix said it kind of nervously, as if his parents would suddenly walk in and pull him away.

Shawn looked at her, walking along with his bag. "Ah," He replied, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't really relate to having siblings like that...he had a little sister before...but they never found out how she died... When the police came, they said she died from falling down the stairs, but Shawn never really believed that.

Dakota grinned, finishing her Burger and wiping her hands on a napkin. "Well, then you should hang out with us, you're fun to talk to." She smiled, twirling a bit of hair around her finger as she watched him or his reaction to her words.

October
"Sooo..." Awkward silence. Never was any good at breaking those. "...Besides the mall and disappearing into the woods, what's there to do around here?" I give a cheerful smile, trying to shoo away that solemn look on his face.

Phoenix gave a smile, a foreign expression. "Maybe I will," There was no doubt though, he was most likely going to hang out with this group, unless the guy, Tyler, booted him. Phoenix had finished his burger and drink.

Shawn blinked. "Well...honestly...there's a theater. I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting a few things..." He felt as if his mind was swept blank....but also felt as though he needed to be somewhere.

October
I nod. "Saw that on my way here. Looked big." He looked distracted. "Sorry for my questions. Just trying to get the hang of livin around here. If I'm...holding you up or anything..."

Dakota smiled and glanced at Karelle who had finished her salad, well, eaten half of it and gone back to reading. Sighing she swatted Karelle's arm and glared at the book.

Annoyed Karelle slid the book back into her bag and scooted out of the Booth as Dakota grabbed the bill. "I'll take care of this." She said, darting towards the register before anyone could protest.h

Tyler regained his mind and looked at his mostly eaten meal. He saw Karelle go pay, but somehow it wasn't right. He was being a jerk about it. He moved and Phoenix slid out, obviously knowing he was going to protest. Tyler went up to Karelle at the register. "You're not paying for all of it."

Shawn shook his head. "Nah, you're not. It's small around here...so you should get used to it quickly." It was actually a big town, but compared to where he wanted to live, New York, it was nothing. Of course though...it was all the way on the east coast and there was no way he could move there...

Karelle snorted, rolling her eyes as she pulled out her wallet and handed over the bill. "I'm not? " she rose a brow at him, practically daring him to stop her as she waited for the amount then after to hand over the cash

October
"Oh okay. You just seem like there's something on your mind. Like you're distracted is all," I chatter embarrassed. My mouth just seems to run or zip up when I'm embarrassed, there's never any in between...

"I'll pay for at least half." Tyler replied, looking at the bill. "I'd pay for all of it, but apparently you want to pay so whatever." He had his wallet out, looking through it. His wallet was actually organized, which was strange.

Phoenix looked around the restaruant, where it wasn't so busy anymore. He picked up random pieces of body language from Karelle and Tyler. It seemed as if they hated each other.

Shawn looked at her. "Right now...do you feel as if...we're supposed to be somewhere else? Like it's really important?" He looked to the exit, where people were hurrying in and out. "Or maybe I'm just loosing my mind."

October
I pause a moment, wondering. "Well, my grandmother always said to indulge in such feelings. They would lead you to unexpected gifts." I pause again before blushing. "...She was old fashioned like that..." I murmur before giving a small laugh. "I'll come with, if you'd like."

Karelle bit back a harsh reply and just handed over the money, turning imedatily on a heel to go back to the table. "I don't remember him being this annoying. " she grumbled, tucking her bag firmly over her shoulders.

Dakota grinned, watching them with amusement.

Tyler made sure they had split the bill. He was about to tell her off, but then decided that he would probably do the same thing. Probably.

"Are they always like that?" Phoenix asked, observing the negative force between them.

((when Karelle, Dakota, Tyler, and Phoenix leave the restaraunt, everyone will meet up))

Karelle tucked her bad even closer to her body as she eyed Tyler out of the corner of her vision. Why did he have to be almost exactly as she remembered him? It didn't make it easy to try and be angry, which she was managing to do with a certain amount of effort.

Dakota shook her head, turning back to Phoenix. "I don't know, I didn't know Tyler before today except for passing him by in school, or hearing girls talk about him. And I had no clue that Karelle knew him." She stood as she spoke, smiling happily. For all the tension this was turning out to be a good day.

Tyler felt the glare of her on him and decided to just keep his mouth shut. Better to be silent then cause a fight and regret their words. The friendship they had when they were young certainly wasn't going to be revived. "We all ready now?" He asked, a certain harshness bitten back.

"Ah." Phoenix replied, standing up. He had some new friends...well at least one. He was surprised at himself for staying the whole time and not ditching as soon as he was done.

responce for shawn?

Karelle sighed, biting her lip to keep from giving a sharp reply. Instead she gave a short nod and glanced to Dakota who was smiling happily.

"I'm ready." Dakota chirped, standing and stretching her arms slightly.

Glancing at Tyler again Karelle sighed, her anger disappearing into a bit of sadness. She had agreed to try and give him a second chance hadn't she? "So am I." She muttered, her voice slightly warmer than before by a lot of effort on her part.

Shawn glanced her way. "Well...she was smart...." He replied softly, half to himself. "You can come if you want to. I just don't...know exactly where we're going." An adventure. Or just a weird event....hm.

Tyler headed out of the restaraunt, glancing at everyone else before leaving. The Phoenix guy is still a mystery, he thought to himself. "Well then....let's go..." He wasn't sure what the others were doing....but he was probably going home to stay up late, watching TV.

Phoenix held a small grin as he stood next to Karelle and Dakota, not sure where everyone was going to go. He wanted to stay with them as long as possible, but he didn't want to be annoying and tag along when no one wanted him there.

October
Well, I had to learn my way around the town somehow, and if anything happened I was with a freaking jock, for God's sakes. And mom made me take those self defense classes before we moved anywhere populated with more than two houses along a mile stretch of road. Paranoid....
"Sure," i say with a light smile, pausing a moment at a place to rest my backpack to stuff my American Eagles bag in.

Karelle hesitated only slightly before following him out, working hard not to just turn the other way once they were out of the restaurant. Agreeing to giving him a second chance was one thing, putting the words into practice was another entirely. She didn't have the chance to really think about taking off for long before Dakota's hand was around her wrist, tugging her in the direction that Tyler had gone.

Dakota continued to keep on that pleased smile, not giving away any indication of what she knew had to be going through her friends head. Instead she continued to try and decide how to keep up the conversion between her and Phoenix.
"I'm not quite sure how we haven't spoken much before," she finally settled on saying. "You're very interesting to put it mildly."

Tyler put his hands in his jacket and decided to keep a small conversation going with Karelle since Dakota was talking to the beaten up kid. "So...have any plans this weekend?" He guessed that she would read books, like she would when they were children, but Karelle could have changed her habits.


Phoenix was surprised by this revelation. "Really?" He tried to not sound too eager and continued to walk on the outer edge next to Dakota. He pushed his thoughts of Tyler and the other girl out of his mind and concentrated on the conversation with Dakota. "I can honestly say no one has told me that." A small grin appeared on his face, accenting some of the freckles on his cheeks.