nyc prep continued

"yes sir I am." Carl said with a nod

"you are very welcome...jaime?" he said not pulling away

"It does doesn't it."

:How do you feel about wings?" jeff asked

"Impressive," he nodded. "What classes?"

"Yes?" she asked softly, closing her eyes.

"I wish I could just stay here," Paige said quietly.


"That sounds fantastic." Sam said. She thanked the lady before they left the store.

"my gen eds mostly. My father wants me to get them out of the way before Harvard or Oxford." he explained

Braden reached into his pocket. he didn't say anything as he pulled out a ring box and held it so she could see it, "you don't have to say anything right away and I know I'm crazy but...I had to." he said softly

"you could always skip out on school and come here." Nikki said with a deep breath

"I could," Paige agreed. "Maybe I will. Someday."

Jaimie pulled away, staring at the box. "Are you insane?" she asked softly. "We're teenagers.... We... I..." she shook her head. "Braden... I don't know what to say..."

"Both outstanding schools," he nodded. Footsteps were heard in the hall and Brooklynn's mother came in, wearing grey sweater dress. Brooklynn smiled, glad she'd put on normal clothing.
"Mom, this is Carl."
"Hello Carl," she smiled, offering a hand. "You can call me Sybil."

"this week is supposed to be nice weather...I'm thinking of skipping on monday."

"glad to meet you...Syble." he said shaking her hand and standing up

"I know its crazy and I know we are young and...it doesn't have to happen right away..." he opened the box. the band of the ring was studded with small diamonds. it led up to a halo with diamonds that were a bit larger than the ones on the band. in the center of the square halo there was a square cut diamond that couldn't be less than at least 3k.
"I love you...and I meant that."

She shook his hand, then took a seat in the other arm chair. "What were we talking about?"
"Carl was telling us about his work at Princeton," Brooklynn's father said.
"Oh yes! How prestigious! What would you like to study in college?"

She put a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god. Braden... Oh my god."It was so beautiful, but she was 18... and she couldn't tell him that she loved him. What should she do?

"Monday is always a good day to skip," she said. "Maybe I'll see you here."

nikki smiled, "that would be cool."

"I haven't settled on anything quite yet. Its a toss up between medicine and law I think at this point."

Braden took her hand and put the little box in it, " think about it. don't answer right now if you don't want to."

"Very impressive!" her father said.
"What do you do in your spare time?" Sybil asked.
There was the sound of a whistling tea pot in the next room. Her father got up. "Tea?" he looked around the room. Both Brooklynn and her mother nodded. "Would you like some tea Carl?"

"I'll think about it... I... It's just so much," she said softly.

"oh...no thank you." he said politely, "It may not be a good idea for a clumsy person like myself to have a hot beverage while trying to make a good impression. it could be a...hot mess."

"I know its...not teh way I was going to ask but...it just seemed like the right time." he leaned in and kissed her, "I didn't mean to overwhelm you."

Her father laughed. "Wise choice then," he said before disappearing through the doorway.
"So Carl, what do you do for fun?"

She nodded, clutching the box. "I just need some time... you know..." she smiled slightly. "It's a big decision. And I never really thought about it before."

"i...I spend time with your daughter," he replied a little confused

"It is a big decision and I wouldn't want you to rush to a decision either way. I just wanted you to know how I feel." he said with a soft smile

"Do you have any hobbies?" Sybil asked.
"Carl's really focused on his studies, mom," Brooklynn replied. "You know, like the way you want me to be."
Sybil smiled. "If only he would rub off on you, then." Brooklynn rolled her eyes. "So Carl, what classes are you taking right now?"

Jaimie nodded. "I know... and... and I'm glad you told me. And the ring is beautiful," she added ruefully. "Really gorgeous."

"at Briarwood Academy or Princeton?" he asked she hadn't been in he room to hear that part of the conversation earlier

"I'm glad you like it." his smile grew

"Briarwood," she clarified. "Do you have any classes with Brooklynn?"

"I do," she smiled and kissed him. "And I'd..." she took a breath. "I'd like to wear it forever... but I need to think about it."

"no not really." he said thinking for a minute," I am currently in advance placement math, Science, history and English literature." to list a few

his heart fluttered at her confession. he took her face between his hands and pressed a hard kiss to her lips

"Oh my goodness," Sybil was startled. "That is extremely impressive! You must be very dedicated to your studies!"
Brooklynn's father came back in with a tray of tea cups, a tea pot, and a glass of water. "I thought I should bring you some water," he told Carl. "In case you were thirsty." He set the tray down on the coffee table between the group.

She smiled into the kiss, her free hand in his hair. The other hand still clutched the ring box.

"thank you sir and I like to think that I am. though I do have a natural predisposition that aids me in that effort and makes other activities less... distracting." and there it was. he sounded like a pompous ass

Braden kissed her deeply for a minute then pulled away reluctantly, "Sasha." he breathed

"If you could teach Brooklynn how to do that, you would be her hero," Brooklynn's father said, nodding to her mother.
"Dad," Brooklynn groaned, putting her face in her hands. "Stop it."
He laughed. "Just teasing you, sweetheart."
"Well stop," she replied, taking one of the tea cups.
"So Carl, do you know anything about-" her father began.
"No, you're not going to history him," Brooklynn said. "I'm going to show him my studio." she said, setting the tea cup back down and standing. Her parents laughed and her mother waved her off.
"Okay fine. We'll call you when dinner is done."

Still holding his glass of water Carl followed her a little surprised at the exchange


Braden kissed her deeply for a minute then pulled away reluctantly, "Sasha." he breathed


They went to a nearby bar that served stellar wings. Jeff managed to get them one of the three booths in the far corner Jeff ordered two shots right off the bat, "ok...to what shall we drink?" he asked raising his shot glass

Paige was about to say something when she started coughing again. "I think my medicine is wearing off," she said, "sadly."



Sam picked up her glass. "That we survived my mother's insanity and I actually liked something pink."

Jaimie nodded. "Sasha." She looked at the little box in her hand. "I'm going to put this away. I'll be right in, okay?"

She showed him up the stairs and down the hall. She opened the far door. Inside, there were blocks of wood, clay, and metals. There was a pile of rocks in the corner. On the walls were some splattered tarps. An easel sat in the corner along with a drafting table. Along one wall there was a long table covered with sculpting tools. "So this is my studio."

"Yeah." breaden said pecking her on the lips then heading back into the dining room to his now cold orange chicken

"Wow...this..." he looked at every thing and tried to take it all in,"its really incredible. you do all of this?"

"I'm sorry." Nikki apologized customarily

"Here here," jeff agreed then brought his shot down tapping the bottom of it to the table and downing it in one gulp

Jaimie set the box in her room, but not before looking at the ring again. It really was gorgeous.
"What's up with her?" Sasha asked.

Brooklynn laughed. "Well, I try. But I like having the tools when i need them." On the table there were various unfinished bits of wood and metals and unused lumps of clay. "One day I'd like to do bigger ones, huge life sized pieces."

Paige nodded, "it'll be fine. I can take more later."

Sam set her empty glass down. "I think I'm going to need a few more of those." She said. "How's everything at the shop going?"

Carl walked over to one of the unfinished pieces, "what would you do in life size form?"

"she's just frustrated with your mom coming home." He shrugged

Jeff raised his hand to get the waiter, "its been slow."

"Anythiing that came to mind," she replied. "There's a quote, something about sculpturing is removing the extra material from the already formed piece..." She shrugged and laughed a little. "I don't know, I just really like the idea of it."

Sasha nodded as Jaimie rejoined them. "What were you going to do after dinner?" she asked Sasha.
"I was going to read some more. Why?"
"Just curious," was Jaimie's reply.

Sam nodded. "I've been think a lot lately and I think I've decided what tattoo I want." The waiter brought them another round of drinks with their wings.

Carl smiled, " I like that, the imagery is...beautiful." he nodded setting it down and looking at her," you are a very lucky woman."

Braden got up putting his meal into the microwave.

"Oh?" he asked a bit surprised," what is it?"

The rest of the meal was eaten mostly in silence. Once she was done, Sasha put her bowl in the sink and disappeared. Jaimie began to clean up, putting all the food in the fridge and then washing the dishes.

"I am. Cause I have you," Brooklynn replied, taking his hand.

Carl chuckled squeezing her hand, "Thank you but I'm serious."

Braden started helping her then gently slipped his hands around her waist from behind her

"Me too," she answered.

Jaimie leaned back against him. "You're very quiet," she observed.

Sam nodded and reached into her purse. She pulled out a folded sheet of paper. She opened it and showed it to him. It was an infinity simble that included the word strength. "What do you think?"

Carl's smile grew a little. he pulled gently on her hand pulling her a little closer, "I'm glad." he said honestly. how had he gotten her?

"Its simple. I like it." Jeff said picking up a wing

Sam picked up a wing and ate in silence for a few minutes. "Can you do it?" She finally asked. She didn't trust anyone else to give her a tattoo.

She squeezed his hand and shifted so she was sitting on the counter that held her sculpting tools."Me too. Very glad."

"Now that I have met your parents and you have met mine.." he paused for a minute then stepped to stand in front of her," are we...official?"

"Id love to." Jeff nodded

Braden nodded resting his head on hers, "just have lot on my mind is all."

"If you want to be," Brooklynn replied. "I'd like to be."

"Want to share?" Jaimie asked, turning off the water an looking at him.