The roar from Jude's bike ripped through the silence that surrounded the tiny street, lined with small houses. They rode slowly, he and Kaili, his
eyes looking through the quickly falling dark as he tried to read the numbers on the houses. He liked the small cottages, all with their own
personality, but with something very...united about them. It was a community, so unlike the stupid apartment complex that he and his uncle
lived in. Everyone was so disjointed, so into their own business and their own lives that someone could be killed the floor above and no one on the
floor beneath would care, even if they heard the whole thing. And Unc' Li wondered why Jude kept to himself and stole away without a word as to wear
he was going. It was simple. He was a product of his surroundings.
With a point to the right, he signaled the house that matched Kaili's description and a nod verified that he was correct. It was exactly what she said
it was. Tropical flowers all around, blue (from what he could see)...but what she didn't say was that it was one of the largest on the street.
Quietly, he took it in and what he'd heard on the beach. Big house, complete power over Nui and all of his ignorance...she had to be a rich girl. But,
who had the biggest wad of cash in their pocket or their daddy's wealth didn't really sound like something that would even be important in the Shore.
So what was it. Even as he pulled up to the curb, near her house, his mine teemed with too many thoughts. Mostly about the beach, the authority in
Kaili's voice...and the power it had to make him stop in his tracks.
Switching the ignition off, he listened to the silence falling over the street, his eye catching the flutter of the curtains in the neighboring house,
next to Kaili's. Yep, one big community, it seemed. Everyone on the street probably knew about him now. Not like there was anything to really...know.
He was just some guy. Some unknown, bringing her home...oh his bike. Yeah.
"So..." He started, taking his helmet off as he steadied the bike, straddling it as he waited for her to get off. "This is you, huh?"
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She's with some guy on Kai Pulehu... A simple text from Nui and his father's all day search came to an end. Kaili had run off on the other
side of the island and their father had no idea where she'd gone. She knew there would be hell to pay, but now that Keahi knew who she was
with "hell" was an understatement. Since Nui hadn't sent a name, Keahi knew there was no way the boy was from the shore and if his sister was dicking
around with some haole ass surfer, he was going to beat the hell out of him and then her, because she knew better...but for now he would keep
his temper at bay.
Keahi gave the socket wrench in his hand one final twist over the nut of the car battery he had been working on. He'd promised one of the tribesmen he
could help him out with his car trouble before he left for the night and he was really cutting it close; and now with Kaili acting like she's lost her
mind he had more to deal with. He stood, bringing his head from under the hood of the car before the sound of his bike met his ears. Keahi knew it had
to be Kaili, because there were two people in all of the shore who even owned a bike and neither of them was in his tribe. This was the outsider's
bike...
Throwing his shirt over his shoulder and dropping the wrench into his tool box he moved to the front of the house, just as the engine stopped. He was
speaking to her when Keahi drew close enough to speak himself. "So you decided to come home-," he said, his eyes burning into her as she handed the
boy his helmet back. "Did he touch you?" Yup. Straight to the point. If she lied he would know and the boy would die. It was simple.
Her eyes grew wide as she finally looked at him and spoke, "Oh my God, Keahi! You did not just ask me that in front of him-," she pushed at his chest
and his hands caught her wrists, his eyes meeting hers. He didn't give a shit about her embarrassment. If he hadn't, then she had nothing to be
embarrassed about. She knew to answer and the silence between them didn't last. "No...-," she finished slowly...It was true...and he wouldn't have to
bury anyone before his night with the Pueo.
"Go inside." A command that she knew to obey. She sighed snatching away from him and looking back at her new friend...Oh right. "And you. You must be
new or incredibly stupid. Which is it?"
Before he could even get an answer to a question that was so obvious, he probably shouldn't have asked it, he heard a noise sound from the garage of
her house. Putting down the kickstand, he moved off of the bike himself, putting his helmet and watching Kaili as she tried to remove hers. He
couldn't exactly see her face from the dim light of the street as street lights were nonexistent, only the light from the porches of the houses that
lined the street illuminated them. But he could read her body movements. She was jerky. Staring at the house with wide eyes. Almost like she was
expecting something. Something that would probably come in the form of her father emerging from the house, face beet red in anger at him for taking
his daughter and running with her like a...kidnapper or something. Yeah, perhaps he should've thought his actions through a bit more carefully. But it
had been that offer. The offer to expose him to a world that he had longed for so long to see. To see where his uncle had forbade him from even
thinking too hard about. It was selfish. His desire to go to the South Shore. And now that desire had gotten her in trouble. He couldn't ignore the
guilt that welled up in him.
Before he could open his mouth to speak, what Kaili had been waiting for emerged from the garage, walking quickly towards them. Jude stiffened as he
recognized the fact that it was a man...a younger man. His build was stockier than Jude's, he was taller. The gait wasn't worried, it
was...meant to intimidate. Finally, he walked into the light, his growl directed at Kaili, even though his eyes had probably been on Jude since he'd
walked out of the garage. Like his Uncle taught him, his gaze never faltered. There was no challenge in his eyes. No, he wanted to walk away from this
without having to see the flashing lights on his Unc's truck pull up because he lost his cool. And the losing of cool wasn't even a threat as Jude
heard the next words out of his mouth. Did he TOUCH HER? What the...
An incredulous look fell on his face, his mouth opening to rebut even though he knew that anything he had to say in the situation would start shit.
But Kaili spoke instead, defending him. Defending herself. So, this was her brother. Jude knew it without even being told. The defensive stance, the
blatant question that should've gotten him slapped if he was anyone like Nui. Even Kaili's blush as she answered it and took the order to go inside
without more than a backwards glance at him. Jude knew what that meant. He couldn't lose his patience the way that he had almost lost it with Nui and
he couldn't walk away. He had to stand there and take what was coming to him. And what was coming to him was more insult and disrespect. Foreigner or
not, he could only take so much more of this shit...
"Uh...neither. I'm from the other side...of the island." He said, his voice wavering as he tried to keep it steady, tried to keep the anger out of it.
"Look, I didn't mean any harm. Kaili offered to show me the Shore. I accepted. Nothing more."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
He answered slowly. Carefully. He was neither new nor stupid...that remained to be seen. He had just admitted to being an outsider that had basically
kidnapped an elder's daughter. Anyone else would have been dead already, but Kaili had gone willingly with this boy. Spent the day with him even. Ugh.
He hated this. It was one of the reasons he'd had Kaili marked. He didn't want her hurt by...fucking scheming ass dudes. All of them were after one
thing and with Kaili it was worse because they figured they could marry into a'lakai Akame's good graces and have a free pass for life. Keahi
and his father tried to do what was best for Kaili...but damn did she make it hard.
Especially bringing this home. The boy continued, telling Keahi how he didn't mean any harm and Kaili was just showing him around. How much,
he wondered? Surely, Kaili knew what was off limits to outsiders and what was not...then again this boy was the first...visitor she'd
had."Well, that's obvious, outsider-," he spoke harshly, addressing his 'other side of the island' comment. "If you weren't you'd know that Kaili
Akame is not to be...courted, in any way, shape, or form. But you obviously didn't. Now that you do, I'm sure you'll be leaving my sister and
my 'side of the island' alone-," Keahi smirked with his challenge, waiting for the boys reaction, ready to have him give him a reason...
"Keahi, stop it. He doesn't know who you are, okay? Just let him go-," Kaili's plea to have her friend spared. Noble. But as long as the friend knew
his place, he didn't need to know much else. He was alone on the "wrong" side of the island. He had to be smarter than he looked.
In disgust, Jude's lips clenched together, closing against any further apologies that he had even thought to muster up to Kaili's brother. There was
that word again. Outsider... It made him flinch every time it hit his ears. Every time it left the mouth of someone who belonged there. As if
it didn't already make him sick as hell to see people that looked almost exactly like him, that could've shared the same blood that ran through his
veins and to never know if any of that could be true? It hurt. Yeah, he admitted it. Some thing actually had the possibility of getting through that
steel exterior, that thick skinned that deflected all of the words and looks...and laughs from the other outsiders that looked nothing like him. But
standing in the face of people whose skin tanned the exact way his did, browning in the summer like finished bronze. Seeing the raven colored hair
that was so black, it nearly blended into the quickly settling inky, night sky. That...hurt Jude the most. Because he knew he didn't belong there.
That made it real.
Akame? No offense, but what was that last time supposed to have to do with his sister...dating? Not like they WERE dating, but what did it
have to do with him just speaking to her? Hanging out with her? Learning from her? Obviously, there was something that he was missing, that being
native would've told him when he came across Kaili's path. And that message was "stay away". Why? She was...nice, from what he could tell. She wasn't
some tribal pariah? Well, probably not of her own doing, so that couldn't have been it. The tone in his voice was too protective. Menacing. Oh. She
was "protected". This guy was probably the sibling of all siblings to have, Jude was sure. Ready to snap the neck of any person, outside or not, who
even LOOKED at her too long. Or at all, he gathered.
"It isn't like that..." Jude's teeth ground at the sound of Kaili's brother's voice, forcing himself to stay calm and keep his comments smart. "I said
I didn't mean any harm. " Again, he had to will himself to retreat, with words that were meant to jab at him doing aptly so. With a final look to
Kaili, Jude backed up a couple of steps, deciding whether it was smart to turn his back on this...Keahi. Especially on a street full of people who
probably felt the same way about "outsiders" as he did. Jude wondered as he studied Keahi, if Kaili was the only one who felt...different about people
like him. Spoke for them. Defended them. Defended him, at least. Especially as it looked like Keahi was just getting started.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
He was beginning to get peeved. Good. Keahi couldn't be the only one frustrated in this situation. Gah. He didn't need this shit before duty. Kaili
knew how important his obligation was and she chose now of all times to return. Of course, she had probably been hoping he'd be gone already, as the
sun had set more than twenty minutes ago, but the elders would understand and excuse him...hopefully. Damn it, if he caught trouble behind this stupid
shit, Kaili would hate it more than he did. This whole fucking situation was her fault; bringing this fucking outsider to their home and "showing him
around". The Shore wasn't a fucking tourist trap. Keahi worked hard to keep it that way.
And there was no fucking question as to just how far "outside" this kid was. The confusion on his face at the mention of their last name was enough to
tell Keahi that the kid had no idea who the fuck he was even talking to...or the real reason why. Kaili wasn't just some chick from the
Shore. She wasn't a piece of ass he could use and pass off...not if he planned on continuing to breathe. He had obviously been ill-informed.
That was fine. Keahi would educate him; that's what he came here for, right?
"Oh no. I heard what you said. You didn't mean any harm, Kaili was your little tour guide around my home because you're not from here. I heard what
you said-," he could sense his sister behind him, that worried look on her face when she knew he was on the verge of losing his patience.
"What I didn't hear was that you would no longer be seeing my sister and I won't catch you in the Shore again." He could hear the screen door of the
neighboring house creak open before clapping shut again. He didn't look in that direction, simply raising his hand in a silent call-off. His eyes were
still locked on Jude as he finished, "That's what I'm waiting to hear..."
"Keahi-," It wasn't the voice he was expecting. Kaili was still behind him, but the voice that spoke came from their front porch. It came from his
father. "He gets it. And you have somewhere else to be, son." Finally pulling his eyes from the boy's face he turned to face his dad. Really? Fucking
really? He knew this was the kid Kaili had been with all day and he was calling Keahi off? Bullshit. But what choice did he have? He took a step back,
as his father approached the group. "Change and go, Keahi-," he finished as he drew closer. That was the end of it? The kid got a fucking pass?
Without speaking, Keahi headed toward the door. Confusion was clear on his face, but his father said nothing and he knew not to question him. The
fucking kid got a fucking pass.
"What's your name?" Alemana asked, his tone not one of challenge, just genuine curiosity.
Was this guy trying to piss him off? Of course he was, there wasn't even a need for Jude to ask the question. This absolute...Jude couldn't
even put into words what he wanted to call Kaili's brother at that point. Wasn't it obvious that he'd already gotten his point across when he told him
to get off of "his side" of the island. His side. Apparently, his protection went well past Kaili and his family. It went to the very island itself.
The funny thing was Jude could tell that this guy actually thought that the South Shore was his. Pompous douche. How was Kaili related to
this guy? The crazy authority that she'd had over Nui was nothing compared to this. Well, if anger was what Keahi wanted, he was near getting it. Even
if he knew he had to keep it together. Even if he knew that the only reason that Keahi was still at him, even as he tried to leave, was because he
wanted a fight. A reason. All Jude needed to do was give him a reason. No problem.
"No, apparently you didn't hear what I said." Jude said simply, his voice as calm as his uncle's when he meant business, answering Keahi's rudeness
with a bit of his own. His voice was still, steady. As if he had nothing to be afraid of, although he was in the middle of a neighborhood full of
people that probably would come out of their houses, fully armed, at the first site of violence towards one of their own. But he didn't care. Nope, he
had taken up residence in the land of "I just don't give a fuck".
"Because if you did, you would know that none of this has to do with your sister." Not a lie. None of this had to do with his sister, because it
wasn't his sister that drew Jude to the Shore. It was the history of the place. Everything about the culture felt...right to Jude. Everything that
Kaili had told him, the 'lore, all of it, it felt like the puzzle pieces that were missing...from him. It had never been about Kaili. She was sweet,
hospitable. It had been about...home.
"So, if you want to go at it, stop fucking around and come at me." Bracing himself, he waited for the collision. Instead, he heard a voice, calling to
Keahi, drawing him back, reminding him...of his responsibilities. What responsibilities, Jude didn't care. All he knew is that Keahi was out of his
face and back into the house before he registered what was going on. Shakily, he exhaled. Although there wasn't time to exhale as he looked where the
voice had come from and saw a man who was Keahi's height and stature advancing towards him. Great. The fun just wasn't ending that night.
But the man stopped. Asked him his name. Not to mock him like the rest had. But to...really know his name. His chest heaving, Jude drew in a couple of
breaths, trying to calm himself before he answered.
"Jude...Jude Kāne, sir."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
By the Gods, if Keahi didn’t just leave the poor boy alone! She should have told him! She should have told Jude from the start who she was and what
it meant to the Shore. She should have known it would come to this. And now she could only watch as Jude bit his tongue, while Keahi ripped into him
about how he wasn’t welcome here. He had said so more than once, but he was waiting on Jude to react. Waiting for him to do something that would get
him hurt, or worse. She pleaded with her brother to leave him alone, let him go. Jude had done nothing wrong and this whole mess was her fault. But of
course he wouldn’t. Keahi was from a tribe of warriors and his short temper didn’t help the situation much at all. He was going to push Jude until
he acted and then he would have license to do as he pleased...
And Jude wasn’t going to make him wait much longer, his tone calm as he finally got in a rebuttal to Keahi’s pestering. Oh no...An amused smirk
settled on Keahi’s face as Jude finally said something other than ‘he didn’t mean any harm’. And then things just got worse, his words
becoming harsher, all leading to a challenge. Stop fucking around and come at me. No. No, no no! Kaili moved to get between then but another
voice stopped her. Her father. Jude’s savior, regardless of whether he knew it or not.
He spoke only to Keahi, reminding him that he had duty to get to; as if he needed a reminder. Keahi did the only thing he could after his father’s
command. Disappearing into the house before her dad spoke again, this time to Jude. Asking what everyone had been asking since they were found on the
beach. Who was he?
“Kāne...-,” he smiled slightly, something Kaili would have never expected and something that scared her more than anything ever had. “Well,
Jude Kāne, I would hope that the next time you decide to run off with Kaili, you’ll let someone know first...”
“Next time?” Kaili couldn’t comprehend what that meant. Jude was allowed in the Shore and he was allowed to...be with her? Really?
“Not for a while, Kaili-,” he said harshly. He was still pissed. Shit...but there would be a next time. She kind of liked the sound of
that... “But you can never have too many friends,ku’uipo-,” his hand came to rest on her back as he gently pushed her to stand in front
of him, “Say goodnight to your friend, Kaili.” He finished, nodding to Jude before turning to go back inside. An awkward silence settled over the
two of them, but it didn’t last.
“So I feel like I keep having to apologize for assholes...”
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Jude's blood still pulsed, hot, in his veins as the man who was the spitting resemblance of Kaili's hot-tempered brother stood in front of him,
looking him over. Asking him his name. But he hadn't asked him like the others. He'd asked him...with something much different in his voice. There was
purpose there. More than just to point him out as an "outsider". Almost as if there was more to see than the unfamiliar face. He looked deeper. Into
those wide set, light brown eyes and saw something else. Familiarity. Hesitating for a moment, he answered, adding his last name, the only
thing that he knew that was a direct connect to who he was and where he was from. The man pondered his last name, repeated it as he smiled at Jude.
That smile was something that he wasn't expecting and nor was Kaili, his eyes setting on her in just enough time to see the confusion, mingled with
fear, that sat there. Fear...was not good. And for some reason, Jude couldn't help but feel a bit more unsure than he had around Keahi.
Finally, Kaili's father spoke...and surprised the hell out of Jude. The next time? There...there would be a next time? First of all, meaning
that Jude would walk away from the South Shore with body parts intact? And secondly, meaning that he could come back? Hell, he could barely hide the
smile that was trying to creep to his lips, fighting so hard to keep it at bay. He wanted to pump his fist. Thank the man profusely, although he
didn't really know how his permission meant that it was okay for Jude to visit the Shore. But he didn't care. He could come back. That's all that
echoed in his ears as he nodded and answered the warning of permission before running off with Kaili again with a simple "Yes, sir."
Adverting his eyes as Kaili spoke to her father, or was admonished actually, he looked back to the house, his jaw clenching at the feeling he got. The
feeling that he...and the interaction between he and her father had been spied upon. That he was being watched. And he didn't have to think
too hard to know by whom. Clearing his throat as her father pushed her in front of him, he nodded a silent "goodnight" to her father, taking in the
silence. His hands found his pockets as he stood there, smirking at the loss of what to say after everything that had just happened.
"You don't have to apologize..." He answered quickly. Shifting, he looked towards the house again, knowing that he only had a moment or two to ask
what he needed to ask.
"Is...is it that simple?" With hesitation, he went on. "You know, now that your dad said I can come back. Is it really...okay?"
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
She still couldn’t get over it. Next time? Her father was allowing her “kidnapper” to not only return to the Shore, without hassle, but
he was allowed to ‘befriend’ her. Kaili was willing to ignore that semi-creepy smile at the mention of Jude’s name if it meant that they could
still hang out. She enjoyed his company. It wasn’t something she was ashamed to admit. Jude was really cool to be around with all his questions and
such. It was...cute. And in a way it kind of made her feel important to someone. Sure, she was who she was to the tribe, but that was just blood. Jude
thought she was special because of who she was as a person, not what her lineage meant...Hell, he had yet to discover what her lineage meant...
But she had the opportunity now, her father leaving the two of them on the lawn as he disappeared back into the house. Kaili’s eyes fell on Jude as
she drew he bottom lip in after her apology. What? Keahi had been an asshole about the whole situation! If daddy wasn’t mad, why the hell was he? By
the Gods, he could be so full of it sometimes...but that was a problem for another time. Now she was supposed to be ‘saying goodnight’.
Jude quickly informed her that she didn’t have to apologize, his eyes darting between her and the house again. He was waiting for Keahi to come
back. She could put his mind at ease. Her dad had cleared him, Keahi probably wouldn’t even speak to him on his way out. She was about to tell him
so, but Jude spoke first, his words a bit rushed, but hesitant at the same time. Was it okay? Well of course it was. Akame word was law...Oh. He
didn’t know that yet.
“Um...yeah-,” her eyes found her feet as she tried to pull together an explanation he’d understand. “You know that story I told you on the
beach? About the Pueo and the alaka’i?” Her eyes came back to his to make sure he understood. “That’s my father. And my
brother soon...Which explains his assholey-ness.” She winced a little, thinking about how weird it might sound to someone who hadn’t heard the
stories since birth...He had permission to come back, but that didn’t mean he’d want to use it now...
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
That answer, the short response of "yeah" was enough for Jude. With a nod and a barely noticeable smile, he nodded his head, a strange warmth welling
up inside of him that he hadn't felt in a long time. If ever. Sure, he'd felt the feeling of happiness before. It wasn't too foreign to him. When he
got his Harley from the scrap yard using the birthday money he'd gotten off of his uncle since the age of six. When he got his first tattoo, the one
of his forearm that his uncle was STILL after him to get removed. Yeah, there was this feeling of...happy accomplishment after those things. But this.
This warmth filled his chest, reached out to the very tips of his fingers, wrapped around his neck, tingled in his legs. It was excitement, joy and
deep at the core of it...some kind of acceptance. The kind he'd unknowingly been after for a long time.
So wrapped up in the thoughts of what it would be like to see more of the Shore, unedited, he nearly missed the next thing Kaili said. The story on
the beach? Yeah, okay, but all of that was folklore. What did any of it have to do with her father and Jude's allowance on the shore? The
alaka'i? What did that mean again? Leader. Wait, what was she saying? Was she saying what he thought she was saying? Her father was
a leader? THE leader? And what did that make the rest of the story? About the spirit guide and the...no, the rest of that couldn't be true.
But her father being a leader for their tribe? Whoa. Was there any need to say that Jude was beginning to see everything in a new light?
"So, you're dad...is a...chief? Or something?" He so intelligently deduced. With a smirk, he attempted to hide the embarrassment he felt, not knowing
the correct titles for what Kaili had known all her life. Looking at his feet for a moment to hide how completely dumb he felt, he let what she'd told
him sink in. Not only was her father a leader...her brother would be too. "And, your brother? So...what does that make you? A pri-" With an eye roll
he closed his mouth before more stupid came out. A princess? Really? Yeah, he was sure that her life wasn't the movie Pocahontas. He just had
so many questions. Like what did that mean for her? Was she promised to someone and that was why her brother had such a fit. Was she promised to
him? Wait...this wasn't Hickville, USA. It was Hawaii... And...and what about the rest of the story. How real was everything else? Where did
the folklore stop and reality start?
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
He was pleased...Whether it was because he could hang in the Shore or because he could hang with Kaili, she wasn’t sure. If she had to be honest,
she kind of hoped it was because he was clear to get to know her...Jude was the first guy she’d ever been able to spend more than a couple minutes
with that wasn’t basically family. Keahi had friends and they were at the house a lot of the time, but none of them could even look at her
for too long. Nui had been the only one brave enough to let his eyes linger and that was only because he was sure Keahi wouldn’t beat his head in if
Kaili ever decided to return his advances. Yeah...She was hoping he was into her, because...she was already kind of into him.
Of course, she wouldn’t out herself like some lovesick teenage girl. It would only add to the awkwardness of her telling him who the men in her
family were. Tribal leaders. The men who made law on the island and kept order in the Shore. So your dad is a chief or something?
“Or something-,” it wasn’t Kaili’s voice that responded. Keahi had come from nowhere and was passing between the two of them on his way down
the street. “Be careful what you share, Kaili. If he doesn’t know there’s probably a reason.”
She sighed audibly, “Stop being an ass, Keahi-,” she said to his back as continued to move. Her eyes came back to Jude’s before she finished,
speaking more to Jude than to Keahi, “Jude’s a good guy.” A small smile graced her lips as she drew in her bottom lip and her brother
disappeared into the night for whatever the hell the Pueo had him do when he was away. Jude waited for him to clear before he finished. What
did it make her? She almost laughed out loud at what he was about to say. Was she a princess? Clapping a hand to her mouth, she giggled just a little,
“I’m just a girl, Jude. It doesn’t make me anything.”
Yeah, she was Akame and that made her virtually untouchable, in every sense of the word, but she didn’t have a title or anything. No responsibility
to anyone. “It’s uh...it’s kind of a long story-,” long and complicated. As much as she hated it, Keahi was right. All of the Pueo
lore couldn’t be shared with someone who wasn’t Mokukeiki, “But daddy seems to like you. Maybe-,” she paused looking off so that he couldn’t
see her cheeks turn in the dim moonlight, “maybe if you’re around a little more I can explain it better...”
Okay, so maybe it was a set up to get him to spend more time with her. But he wanted to know right?
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
With a subtle jump, he heard Keahi's voice behind them, showing up out of nowhere. In everything that he was thinking, everything that he wanted to
take in in the little time that he had left with Kaili, he hadn't even heard her brother leave the house, nor make his way towards the both of them.
With cold eyes, he watched her brother pass between them both, his eyes lowering in as much respect as he could muster as Keahi's met his face. Jude
didn't have to think to hard about what his problem may have been. Over protective brother. Future leader to a tribe, it seemed. Yeah, Jude kind of
got it. But with all of that responsibility, that didn't mean he had to be an absolute douche about it. Their father wasn't. He was actually pretty
cool considering how the entire night had gone down. Jude didn't exactly know how things went when it came to the next leader being chosen, but he was
sure everyone was less than ecstatic about Keahi taking lead.
Ignoring Keahi's words, he looked at Kaili and smirked sourly, hoping she got that he wasn't paying attention to her brother and his goading. But she
was already returning his quip and...calling Jude a good guy. His expression fell a bit as he watched her face, her bottom lip drawing into her mouth
as she was probably about as embarrassed by that comment as he was. With a tiny smile, he cleared his throat and kept rambling, probably overloading
her. Thankfully she just smiled and answered his question.
"Oh." He said, thinking about her answer more than he should've. And there it was, another invitation to listen and learn about Kaili's people. But
this one...was different.
"Yeah. Definitely. I'll be around. Just uh...you can call me or...I can...call you."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
Keahi wasn’t always like this. All tense and hostile. He just didn’t know Jude. He didn’t take well to anyone he didn’t know a lot of the
time, because if he didn’t know you, you weren’t from South Shore. Kaili wasn’t sure if it was something the elders instilled in him or if he
was just really that adamant about it, but he harbored more hostility toward an outsider than any normal person in the shore. Her father had been the
same way...until now, it seemed. Jude had caused a change in him. She didn’t know what it was about him, but if it meant they could still hang out,
it had to be a good thing right?
It was to her, and apparently Jude was excited about it too. She still didn’t know the reason, but she was clinging to the hope that it was her. She
was cute right? And she was a gymnast; what man wouldn’t love that? He could like her, right?...couldn’t he? She was trying to find out
as she kind of hinted that he should come around more often. His response only heightened her hopes.
She struggled to keep the stupid grin from her face as Jude said that he would call her. She failed, but only slightly, a light smile on her lips as
she responded, “Uh, yeah...just um-,” she paused, reaching into her back pocket and pulling her phone out, before passing it to him, “Just dial
and I’ll save it. I’ll, uh...text you when my dad is...y’know, not as pissed at me.” She shrugged a little trying to show nonchalance when she
was more excited than she had ever been.
God, she hoped she didn’t seem clingy...
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Taking the phone from Kaili's hand, he started fingering in his number on the keypad and he wondered...just how long her father would stay upset with
her. How long would he have to wait until he was beckoned to the Shore again. It was so selfish of him. This want to roam the Shore without having to
be chaperoned around like a little child, Kaili holding his hand, making sure he didn't get too far away from her apron strings. She had been so kind,
so nice to him, explaining things to him that he would never understand or know without her. He just wanted...more. So much more already.
Like a greedy child, he had gotten a taste and now the only thing that ran through his mind was how simple this all would be if he could just do it
himself. If he had never been coined a stranger, an "outsider" in the first place. If his father and his mother were still alive. If he knew the land
like the very creases on his palms.
"Oh. Okay." Another simple answer that hid what he really felt and the questions he wanted to ask. When? When would her father finally let
her go again? When would he get to see the land that he was already beginning to fall for again? With a quiet sigh, he nodded his head and started the
walk towards his bike again. Kaili falling into step beside him. Shit. In all the thinking about when he'd get what he wanted, he didn't even THINK
about Kaili and the trouble she'd be in when she got inside. Sure, she had gotten off a bit, her father giving her the freedom to see Jude when she
wanted, but there was no doubt that her father had been upset by her disappearance.
"Hell, I'm sorry...for getting you in this mess. I should've..." Cared about something other than himself? Yeah, probably.
"I just hope you're not in too much trouble."
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
His warm hands brushed hers as he took the phone from her and began to key in his number. She was hoping her dad wasn’t as upset as she thought he
might be and that she’d be able to invite Jude back in a couple days. She was excited. Jude was cute, and funny, and he had this thing he did when
he was nervous, and...Oh god, she was gushing! Damn it! Her father couldn’t be too mad could he? Kaili was home safe and sound, without a scratch.
Besides, she came to the Shore with Jude. She stayed where she was safe right? He couldn’t be too upset with her. He just couldn’t!
Jude pulled her from her thoughts as he passed her phone back to her, nodding a little as he turned to head back to his bike and Kaili fell into step
beside him. They closed the short distance without words, but he stopped before he got on the bike, looking to her. He was apologizing? Why? She was
the one that had talked him into taking her home. She had basically used him...she just didn’t know then how much she’d enjoy it.
“Oh, no-,” she waved her hand a little, dismissing his apology as it wasn’t necessary, “It’ll be okay. He’s been mad at me before. Same
stuff, different day, y’know?” Wait. What? Oh hell, that didn’t come out right. “Not to say that I go off with random guys often, just...-,”
she stopped taking a breath and sighing a little, “He won’t be upset forever.”
Smooth Kaili. Real smooth.
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
Hovering over the seat of his bike, he pulled his hair into a ponytail, knotting it around itself as Kaili brushed off his apology. He wished she
wouldn't as he totally meant it, but if the situation wasn't as serious as Jude believed it was and her father wasn't THAT upset, the he guessed the
apology was unnecessary. Hearing the last part of her comment, his eyebrows lifted. So, she ran off with guys a lot? Jude wasn't one to judge really,
he knew about wanting to just...run away sometimes. But it sounded a whole lot like Kaili made a habit out of doing what she'd done with him that day.
No wonder her brother was pissed beyond reason and completely defensive. He probably just wanted to look out for her, especially if she as a
bit...free spirited. Eh, Jude didn't know, he didn't have a sister...or even siblings, for that matter.
"No need to explain." His lips pressed together against the laugh that wanted to free itself from him at Kaili's jumbled words. Seriously, he wasn't
judging her. He didn't think twice about anything that she was or wasn't. Hey, if she was one for riding around with guys the way she had with him all
day, then he was lucky for it. He got to see so much that day, so many historic landmarks, so much of a culture that was foreign, yet so much home to
him.
"Good." Picking up the helmet that he normally wore, he pulled it on and fastened it underneath his chin. "That means I'll see you and South Shore
sooner than later, right?" Looking away from her before she saw the sadness in his eyes, regret in having to part with the land, for now.
Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man...
Oh good. It was time for him to go and he was going to leave here thinking she was a complete SLUT who rode around all day with whatever guy was
interested. Lovely. Great job on that, Kaili. Gahh! She wanted to fix it and explain. Tell him how that wasn’t even possible with who the men in her
family were and how he wasn’t just another dude that could piss off daddy (it wasn’t as if he had). God! She should have just said he wasn’t too
upset and left it at that...but there was something about Jude...It was the same something that had her tripping over her words as she tried to clean
up her former statement.
Apparently she didn’t have to though. He didn’t need an explaination? Oh yes he did! She knew what he was thinking, but it wasn’t true! Argh!She
tried to keep her face from giving away her frustration as he put on his helmet, his legs already straddling his bike.
“Yeah-,” she smiled a bit. “Definitely sooner.”
I'll let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans;
be your teenage dream tonight.
![[*]](images/davis/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
