The Melancholy of Jaina Solo (J/Z)

[emlayy]

So, how many of you have ever heard of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya? No one? For shame, general public! No, no, I'm kidding. It's one of my favorite series and I found that there were quite a few parellels between characters. So, this is a crossover! Yay! But as a general disclaimer: I do not own the plot of the story. That belongs to Tanagawa Nagaru. Though I guess in a way I sort of do, since I did massive amounts of editing in order to keep this PG. Hehe. This is a ROUGH, UNBETAED DRAFT of the story. It's currently being betaed over at TFN, but I want to get some response here so I can tweak it a little. Okay? Okay, here we go!

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It all started when I was seventeen. After years of being schooled by Peckhum, he had decided that I should go to a real school and learn the things that he couldn't teach me. (I love Peckhum, but his knowledge doesn't go much farther than ships.) When he picked a school to send me to, he sent me to the Coruscant School of Higher Education. (People who do not have that much time on their hands prefer to call it Coruscant High.)

Coruscant High is located in the middle levels of the planet. However, I live in the underlevels, which are actually farther away from the middle levels than the high levels are. Since I am not in the possession of a speeder or enough money for even a hovercab, I had to wake up a half hour earlier than normal in order to make it up to the middle levels in time.

I don't mind waking up early, and I don't mind walking long distances. I've done it before.

It's just going to an actual school with kids that are definitely richer and higher class than I am. That bugs me. Oh, and then there's the part that despite being seventeen, they deemed me too stupid to be in that class. I am instead in the first class with a ton of fifteen-year-olds.

Our main instructor stood in front of the class and gave an introduction about herself: she is the shockball team coach, she used to play professional shockball, shockball is underappreciated, there aren't enough members on the shockball team and anyone who enters will be accepted immediately, shockball is the best sport in the world, she loves shockball, and so on.

She finally wound up her speech and exclaimed, "Now, let's introduce ourselves!"

We went around the class, saying our names, interests, criminal backgrounds, and so on. I quickly stood up and mumbled something about being Zekk (no last name, the school listed me as 'Ennth'), seventeen, something or other. I can't exactly remember what I had said because of what happened next.

The girl behind me stood up for her turn. I don't think it's something I'll forget as long as I live.

"I'm Jaina Solo. You might've heard of my parents. I used to be a Jedi in training, but I left the Academy a year ago."

Those would be the only sensible words to come out of her mouth that day, or ever for that matter. I'd seen her in holos, so I didn't bother to turn around.

"Normal beings don't really interest me. If you're from another galaxy, a time traveler, or an esper, then please come find me. That's all."

After hearing something like that, I would have to have had a will of durasteel not to turn around. As it turns out, I don't have a will of durasteel. I turned around.

She had long straight brown hair, and brown bangs that hung just above her eyes, which were a light brown and full of daring and challenge. I'm not sure how much I can elaborate, considering what she had just said, but to make it short, she was quite pretty.

Her eyes swept the class slowly. She paused to give me a look (my mouth was hanging wide open) and then sat back down. She didn't even smile.

The classroom was in dead silence for a while. Everyone was wondering whether or not to laugh.

It's a good thing we didn't, because Jaina hadn't been joking. When it comes to aliens, time travelers, and espers, she is always serious.

Always.

That's how we met.

Based on everything that happened afterward, and what I learned, I really hope I could say that it was all a coincidence.

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A few general questions: Is my characterization good? I've never written from Zekk's POV. Also, since this is AU from pretty much the whole YJK-NJO, I've meshed all of Jaina's characteristics together, so this isn't a particular Jaina. Uh...yeah. If there's anything you think I need help with, please tell me and help me out! Also, about the esper thing: since it's lowercase, it would normally just describe a person with supernatural powers (ESP), so it should work. However, it'd be better if I could find an alternative. Any ideas? <3!

[Cassa Solo]

Nice job.The 'Coruscant High' thing sonds a bit cliche' though.Either way it's a pretty good story.

[emlayy]

I know. That's why I'm just making it short for 'Coruscant School of Higher Education'. I'm not sure what else it could be called in the SW world. If you have any suggestions, though, I'm open to them, because I really didn't want to use Coruscant High, but I can't see the characters having enough time on their hands to say the full name.

[Courtney Solo]

Pshaw. I like it!
It's good to have a bit of *normal-ness* in the SW universe.

[emlayy]

Thank you Courtney! But normal? Oh, this is not going to be normal. Anything but.

Alrighty, here's the second post. And it's not even getting interesting yet...but it will. Trust me. It will. Also, this chapter has not even been sent off to beta. The story will be posted pretty much as fast as it can here so I can get some response and help from our audience before getting it on TFN. But enough of my ramblings! Here we go!

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After shocking everyone in the class with her introduction on the first day, Jaina Solo suddenly became a normal teenage girl. She had a knack for mechanics and tinkered with machines before class. It was as if the first day had never happened.

Anyone with a recommendation from any instructor is allowed to attend Coruscant High, since it's not a private and exclusive insitute of education. (That's The Coruscant Private and Exclusive Institute of Higher Education.) Peckhum recommended me, and I'm assuming Luke Skywalker recommended Jaina Solo. Anyway, so people from all over had come to this school, and two would happen to have been at the Academy with Jaina herself -- Anja Gallandro and Uldir Lochett. Unfortunately, I didn't speak with either of them beforehand, so they were unable to tell me that this was just the calm before the storm.

So, without any idea of what I was getting myself into, I turned around and said to Jaina, "Hey there."

She pursed her lips and didn't say anything. I tried again. You can't blame me for losing my mind for a moment.

"What you said yesterday...were you really serious?"

"What do you mean, what I said yesterday?" Now she's frowning.

"The stuff about the aliens and...everything."

"Are you an alien?" she asked. She didn't look too happy.

"...no, I don't think so."

"Then why are you talking to me?"

"Uh..."

She just glared at me.

I found myself muttering "Sorry" and turning back around before I knew it. You can't blame me. Jaina Solo is a rather terrifying female.

A few people were looking at me with great interest. Two were nodding sympathetically at me.

It was later I discovered that those two were Anja Gallandro and Uldir Lochett.

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Hee~

[Cassa Solo]

Gooooodddddd!!!! ;D

[Marybeth (anni)]

I'm always happy to read J/Z ;D

Don't have much to say other then how good this story is and that i like how you're writing Zekk.

[Courtney Solo]

This is awesome! I really like Zekk's characterization (as people have said before me) and I'm starting to wonder why Jaina has such prejudice for humans.

Great work! [face_applause]

[emlayy]

Hee~! Thank you both so much! I was wondering if I got Zekk (and Jaina!) right. About Jaina and humans: it's not humans, it's just normal people. You'll see. And here's a new post! Because I'm a feedback junkie!

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I decided to just keep my distance from Jaina from now on. A few other girls attempted to talk to her, but they too were met with rebuffals. I instead decided to look for friends elsewhere.

I ended up eating lunch with Raynar Thul and Uldir Lochett. Uldir had been to the Academy with Jaina, Raynar wanted to go to the Academy but was doomed to be a merchant.

We ended up talking about Jaina. It's not as if it was uncommon in the school now anyway.

"I see you tried talking with Jaina today," Uldir said casually while dissecting a piece of bread.

"Right."

"And she told you to stop talking to her because you weren't an alien and you didn't know what to say?"

"Right."

Uldir sadly shook his head. "Just give up! That's all I can tell you. She's just not normal. I went to the Academy with her. She was okay for a few years, but then she just got weird all of a sudden. Pretty odd. Anyway, I know how she is. She always does really weird things. I thought that once she got out of the Academy she would straighten out, but apparently not. You know what she said in her introduction, right?"

"About the aliens?" Raynar asked. "I know. What was that about?"

"Yeah," Uldir said. "She's got this fascination with them. You know how she's good with machines? She built this...this something or other, and used it to draw this huge symbol in front of the Temple. No one knows what it meant."

"Wasn't that on the HoloNet?" (Raynar, by the way, loves asking questions.) "I saw that. Something about a mystery vandal at the Jedi Academy."

"Right. So guess who pulled that one?"

"Jaina?" Now it was my turn to ask.

"The very same. She even admitted it herself, so it has to be her. She wouldn't say so otherwise. And that's not the only thing. Jaina's pulled tons of other insane stunts before. One after the other after the other -- finally, Luke got sick of it all and told her that if she wasn't going to learn to be a Jedi, then it might be best for her to leave. So she did."

Uldir paused to swallow a huge mouthful of soup. I picked at my stormtrooper rations disguised as what Peckhum had called wheatmeal.

Jaina obviously wasn't in the room as we talked about all this. After classes ended for the lunch break, she always grabbed her bag and ran out of there as fast as possible. (Which was, by the way, rather fast.) I don't know where she goes. Obviously not to go eat lunch, because it doesn't take that long to eat something. Then again, living in that Imperial Palace must give you a lot of food.

"But she's very popular with guys," Uldir continued. "She's pretty and smart as well. Even if she's weird, as long as she doesn't talk, she's great."

Wait, how can you have a relationship with someone who won't talk to you?

"Where did you learn all this?" Raynar wondered.

"There were a few boys at the Academy. What's even weirder about Jaina is she won't turn any guy down if he has dark hair and green eyes."

Raynar fixed his gaze on me, and Uldir's followed. They both burst into laughter.

"I'm not interested," I said sharply. "Really."

Uldir just laughed harder. "You are. Everyone is. But really, give up. You may not be able to tell she's a freak when she's just sitting there, but once she opens her mouth..." He heaved a false shudder. "Quit before you try and she stomps all over you."

Say what you want, Uldir. I'm not interested in her the way you obviously think I am.

Really.

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Heheeeeee. This is more a backstoryish post, but Jaina's whole alien obsession will come out later. Trust meeeee~

[Cassa Solo]

Jaina not a jedi........fasination with dark hair and green eyes........ some kinda facination with aliens.Oh I LOVE where this is going.

[emlayy]

Hehe, thank you. I had to put in Jaina's fascination with dark hair and green eyes. It just cracks me up so much. <3.

[Courtney Solo]

*SHRIEKS* I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
AUUUUGH! MOOOORE!

[emlayy]

*taken aback* Wow. Um, thank you!

I've got the next, like, bajillion posts written out. The next one should be up...*headscratch* Well, I posted yesterday, so the next post should be today.

*bites lip*

Now?

[emlayy]

I'm double-posting, and I'm sorry, but I want to get this show on the road. Woo. Okay, here's the post!

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For now, actually, Jaina was behaving rather normally. It was actually a rather relaxing month for me. It would be another month before Jaina started getting weird again.

During this time, though, I still managed to notice some rather eccentric behavior.

What would make me say this?

One:

She changed her hairstyle every day. It wasn't randomly, she actually had a pattern going on. The first day of the week, Jaina would come to school with her long hair down, wearing a yellow ribbon as a headband. The second day, she tied it back into one tail with a red ribbon. The style actually looked very good on her. The third day, it was in two tails, each tied with a blue ribbon. Following that pattern, on the fifth day, she should have four tails on her head. Now I want to see her hair on the fifth day.

Two:

Like most schools, we had a class each day where we exercised to make sure we didn't wither away in the classrooms. Each classroom was marked with either a red stripe or a blue one. Girls changed into their exercise clothes in the red striped rooms, and boys changed into the blue ones.

Jaina never bothered to go into a red striped room. No matter what classroom she was in at the time, she would unzip her flightsuit and step out in her underclothes. Without even noticing all the guys' jaws drop, Jaina would toss her bag onto a desk and start dressing. It was if we were no more than a ton of trash bags to her. Anja would have to drive us guys out into the hallway and shut the door apologetically.

On another note, Jaina has a really great figure -- no wait, now is not the time to think about that.

Three:

At the end of the day, when the chronos turned to 1500 and starting beeping to signal our release, Jaina grabbed her bag and bolted out of there. I naturally thought she was going back to the Imperial Palace to go sit on expensive chairs and eat expensive food and have the family droid do all her work for her.

Wrong. Instead, she went around joining all the clubs in the school. One day she's hanging out with the amateur X-wing pilots at the school landing pad, the next she's dismantling and reassembling whole classrooms with the mechanics. The day after that, she's drinking tea and sitting up ramrod straight while crossing her legs delicately at the ankles with the rest of the proper girls. Day after that? Rolling in the mud while playing shockball.

In the end, she did none of them permanently. Her reason? "It's boring to do the same thing every day."

What is she trying to pull?

The latter two had earned her fame in her own right as "that freaky Chief of State's daughter." I wonder how Han Solo and Princess Leia feel about this, really.

With all these things revolving around Jaina, the next month quickly arrived.

We do have a weeklong break during this month. I managed to hang out in the undercity the entire time, scrounging up some things to give to Peckhum to sell -- a normal, ordinary life. What it was like before Coruscant High and Jaina Solo. It was nice, it really was, to just stay where I belonged.

But it only lasted for five days, and then it was back to the daily grind of higher education. I once again began my trek up to the middle levels.

While it was cool down in the lower levels because of all the shade the upper levels provide, it was unnaturally sunny in the middle to high levels. It's not heat season yet. This isn't Tatooine!

Of course, as it always seems to turn out, the heat would be the least of my problems.

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This is a bit of a filler, but trust me. It's going to get very interesting. *evil cackles*

[Cassa Solo]

I imagine it would be Ms.Perky Evil Genius.

[emlayy]

It will. IT WILL~

Also, I started school today so while updates will continue once a day, they might slow down sometime. We'll see.

[emlayy]

Again, sorry for double posting. And here be a new post~!

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Jaina was already in her seat when I entered the classroom. She had two tails on either side of her head. Today must be third day.

For some unknown reason, I once again turned around to attempt to talk to Jaina Solo. Someone, please beat some sense into me.

"Do you change your hairstyle every day because of the aliens?"

Her head slowly turned around. (At least I think it was slowly. Maybe it's just because, in hindsight, this was a very dramatic moment.) "When did you notice?" Her tone held some interest.

"For a while."

"Really?" Jaina tilted her head the side and dented her cheek with her finger.

"Yeah. You look and feel different every day."

She nodded. This was the first time we'd had an actual conversation! "For color...first day is yellow, second is red, third is blue, fourth is green, and fifth is white."

I kind of get what she's saying.

"That means, if you use numbers, first day is zero and fifth day is four, right?"

"Right."

"Shouldn't first day be one?"

She glared at me. "Did I ask what you thought?"

"No?"

Unsatisfied by my answer, she scowled at me. I sat there, looking at her. I'd rather not be the first one to back down.

Finally, she spoke again. "Have I seen you before? A long time ago?"

"No, I don't think so."

She nodded and turned away.

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[Cassa Solo]

I'll beat some sense into him.

[emlayy]

Aw, don't be so mean to poor Zekk-kun, Cassa!

No post today, but hopefully tomorrow. My mom doesn't want me on the computer so I'm being sneakeh. I'll try to get on tomorrow.

[Cassa Solo]

Okay..... .I guess there's no more staying up till 1 am while IM with a freind now that school has started huh?

[emlayy]

No, not anymore, but I do have a post!

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Even if that conversation wasn't anything special, it might've been the turning point I was looking for.

The only time I had to talk to Jaina was before class. Of course, I had a better chance than most considering I sat right in front of her.

Thing that had surprised me what that she had actually answered me properly. I had thought she would've given me her trademark glare and ignored me. Maybe I'm just as weird as her?

No, that's impossible. I'm perfectly normal!

But when I came to school the next day, I found that Jaina had cut her hair! The long hair that once went down to her waist had been cut to shoulder-length.

Is she looking down on me?

When I asked why, though, she responded with a simple, "No reason."

She's obviously not going to tell me.

After that, talking to her before class had become a bit of a routine. But I had to start the conversation, and if I tried to talk to her about something ordinary -- holodramas, the weather -- she would ignore me. So I had to pick my topic of conversation carefully.

"Did you really join all the clubs?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Is there any one that's more fun than the others? I'm thinking of joining a few myself this year."

"There aren't any. Trust me."

Trust you?

She shook her hair out, and then continued talking. "I thought that once I left the Academy, things would be different. Not as boring, anyway. All we did there was meditate and meditate and meditate. Didn't even let us use the lightsabers we built. But it looks like I joined the wrong school."

What criteria were you employing when you picked a school?

"And also, all the clubs are the same. Sports clubs. People who want to be X-wing pilots but can't fly for anything. People who want to be mechanics but don't even know what a hydrospanner is. It's so boring. Why aren't there any unique clubs in this school?"

"What gives you the right to decide whether a club is unique or not?" I hope Jaina's feeling merciful today.

"If I like a club, it's unique. Otherwise, it's boring."

Somehow, I knew she was going to say that.

Jaina muttered something under her breath and turned away, marking the end of the day's conversation.

Another day:

"Did you really go out with all the dark-haired, green-eyed boys?"

"Do I need to hear this again? Especially from you." She shoved some hair behind her ear. "Did Uldir tell you? I can't believe I'm still in the same school as that idiot, even after the Academy. But yes, I did."

"There's no one you want to have a serious relationship with?" Please don't get out that lightsaber and chop my head off.

"No one. They're all so boring."

"Then who would you consider interesting?"

"Any guy, as long as he's not normal."

"Why do you always insist on things that aren't normal?"

"Beause normal is boring!"

"That...maybe you are right." Well, that'll be the only thing she'll be right about, anyway. After all, if Uldir (who was currently watching Jaina and I to see how long we could talk before she ended the conversation) turned to be a combat waiter from the future, that would be great. If the Twi'lek girl at the front of the room was really the leader of an extragalactic invasion force, even better. If Anja Gallandro (who for some reason kept smiling at me) turned out to be a superpowered spy, my life would be as exciting as it could get.

But even if any of them were, what are the chances they'd just walk up to us and say, "Hi, I'm actually an alien?"

"That's why!" Jaina suddenly stood up.

Did I say that out loud?

"That's why I'm working so hard!"

"Sorry I'm late!" our flustered instructor said as she rushed into the classroom. She suddenly stopped in her tracks when she caught sight of Jaina Solo standing up with her fists clenched, panting, gaze fixed firmly on the ceiling. "Uh...class is about to begin!"

After that, the atmosphere reverted back to normal. All was well.

Of course, normal is the sort of thing Jaina hates most.

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Ooooh~!

[Cassa Solo]

Here's a little qoute to describe how I feel at the moment,this might make me seem hypocritical.

"Heeee~ XD"

[emlayy]

Ahahahahah! *ded*

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Somewhere, very deep inside, I'm rather envious of the way Jaina thinks. I remember when I too believed in aliens, time travelers, and espers. Of course, after realizing that staring at my datapad for hours wouldn't move it a single bit, and glaring at Peckhum's head would not reveal his thoughts to me, I gave up. Jaina, though, hasn't given up. She still believes that one day she'll find them, even though it's futile. And she'll work for hours upon hours trying to call them out, but in the end, nothing shows up and she's left with that feeling of failure.

That might be why Jaina always has a "to-all-nine-Corellian-hells-with-the-galaxy" look on her face.

"Hey, Zekk," Uldir tried to corner me. "What kind of magical spell did you cast? Are you witch or something?"

Don't be ridiculous, the only witches are from Dathomir and they're all girls anyway.

"What do you mean, magical spell?"

Uldir shook his head. "Never mind. What did you two talk about?"

"...I don't know. I just sort of asked her whatever was on my mind."

"Amazing," he said dryly.

Raynar popped up behind Uldir. "Zekk's got a history of liking strange girls."

Don't say things that will cause a misunderstanding!

"It doesn't matter if Zekk likes strange girls. What I don't get is why Jaina would talk to him."

"Maybe Zekk's as weird as her?"

Hey, I'm still standing right here.

"I want to know, too," came another voice. Anja Gallandro joined the conversation. "She was pretty normal at the Academy, and she just got weird the last year there. How did you do it?"

"I don't know."

Anja shrugged. "Well, so I guess you two are friends now, huh?"

Friends? How are we friends? The only expression Jaina ever gives me when I talk to her is a scowl!

Not waiting for a response, Anja turned around went back to the growing gaggle of boys around her. Uldir looked at me suspiciously.

"Zekk, we're friends, right?"

"Yeah...?"

"Then what's going on here?"

Even Raynar nodded.

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...I have nothing witty to say here. I'm sorry.

[Cassa Solo]

I love da posties.Have you posted this on TF.N? It would surely do well.

[emlayy]

I'm sort of hanging on posting it on TFN...yeah. It'll be posted there, the question is probably just WHEN.

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Someone had decided that our class should change seats monthly. They passed around a tin with slips of flimsi with seat names on it. I drew the seat in the last row, second from the back. Not bad.

But guess who got the seat behind me?

That's right. The irritable and ever-scowling Jaina Solo. This is a coincidence, right?

We started talking again. It's getting a little easier now.

"Why hasn't something interesting happened yet? Like the invasion of an otherworldly race? That would be great."

Stop saying things like that!

"I joined the Mystery Study Group," Jaina said, changing the subject.

"How was it?"

"Boring. All they did was read mystery holonovels. And then were was the Supernatural Study Group."

"And?"

"All they did was talk about whether or not the Jedi really had the Force if they were faking it. The Jedi have been protecting the galaxy for ages now. How can they think that?"

"I don't know."

"This is all so boring. Why can't something happen? Why isn't there an interesting club?"

"There isn't really anything you can do about it..."

She sighed. "I thought after I left the Academy things would be more exciting. I guess I was wrong." She looked out the window with a depressed expression on her face.

I decided to put in my opinion. "Well, it can't be helped if there aren't any. Most beings are happy the way they are. Those who aren't normally go out of their way to create something to make them happy. Someone wanted to get to different worlds faster, so they invented hyperdrives. Someone wanted to be able to carry around information easier, so they invented datacards. But all of that was created by beings who had special abilities. So -- "

"Okay!" Jaina cut off my speech and turned her head back to look out the window.

I should never have had that conversation with her.

Because I'm sure that's how she got the idea.

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This is where the fun begins.

[Courtney Solo]

*sigh* Why won't people tell me that my favorite fics have been updated!?!?!?

ALL these posts have been WONDERFUL, Emily! OMG!
I cant wait for the next post, and WHEN YOU DO POST IT, could you leave a little memoin the Cbox??? [face_batting] Thanks.

C S

[emlayy]

THANK YOU COURTNEY! *glomps*

I would edit the title to say it's been updated, but no one could see it anyway. ;P Also, the Cbox...I can't post in it. It's really weird. Do you have to be using IE or something?

(But when it does let me post in it, I'll definitely drop a note in there. But the posts will most likely come every day or every other day.)

[Dorian Ravencroft]

court just look at the posts.

[emlayy]

OMG NEW POST!

Before I post, I'd like to say that this entire post was written out while listening to the 1 minute 29 second clip of Cherry Boom's "I Wanna Rock" on YouTube. Over. And over. And over. Mmmkay. Just had to let you all know. ;D

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The random wave of heat made everyone sleepy. I sat there with my head leaning on my hand. Sleep was such a good idea right now...

Wham!

A hand grabbed my hair (yes, my hair) and pulled me backwards with such force that my head hit the desk behind me.

Well, there went my afternoon nap.

"What are you doing?" I demanded to the person sitting behind me. The culprit was still holding a handful of my hair and grinning so brightly she could light up an entire room.

"I've got it! Why didn't I think of it before! It's perfect?"

What's perfect?

"If one doesn't exist, then I can make it!"

"Make what?"

"A club!"

Oh, Force. "Can you let go of me now?"

"What's with you? You should be happier!"

"I'll talk to you about your idea later. But we're still in class."

"Oh."

Finally releasing my hair from her grip, Jaina leaned back into her seat. I shrugged apologetically at the instructor and the curious students. Class resumed.

A club?

I'm not already a member, am I?

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*cackles*

EDIT: Okay, I know that if I tack on an UPDATED to the title, no one will see it. I also don't know why, but the Cbox doesn't work for me. SO: if you want to know when this thing is updated and not just being spammed up with us crazy kids talking, tell me and I can PM a little "ZOMG UPDATED" notice to you.

[Marybeth (anni)]

*giggle giggle*

I can see that new club now.....

Oh, and I am sooooooo ing Zekkie right now