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Post by Lena on Jul 16, 2011 1:08:57 GMT -5
This was her second job interview this week. Her feet were killing her, and all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and watch one tree hill all day with Serena. Was she going to get the job? Who knew. All she knew was she needed to get out of these hills and into her pajamas.
But first...she needed food. Lena had been running on empty ever since she woke up and realized she only had an hour to get ready. Which meant no time for any type of food at all. Between getting ready and waking up Jude to feed Serena, she had no time to feed herself.
She hung her purse on the coat rack and slipped her keys and phone inside it. Her stomach was telling her that going the whole morning and half the afternoon without food was not okay. Listening to the sound of her shoes on the tile floor she could only think about the wonderful smell coming from the kitchen.
"Ainslie, what ever you are cooking I hope you made enough for me!" She laughed softly rounding the corner to enter the kitchen. Though what she saw was not the curly red heads figure cooking...no it was a guy. A guy whom she had never seen before.
"Oh god. I'm sorry I was sure it was Ainslie cooking since it's always either me or her cooking an actual meal in here." Then she raised a brow tilting her head. "In fact I've never seen a guy down here cooking...ever. And I'm sure I've never seen you here before..." Lena really dug down deep to see if she had seen this guy before, but she hadn't. She was sure she would have remembered seeing someone like him.
"I'm Lena, but I'm sure you have already heard about me through the houses grapevine..." She grinned as she faked a curtsy and walked towards the fridge. "I guess its a bowl of fruity pebbles for me.." She opened the fridge and just gazed trying to forget about how handsome this new guy was, and how he probably already knew all about Jude and Serena.
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Post by Nicolai Wilder on Jul 16, 2011 1:37:07 GMT -5
Mine, is the face of your future.After a long day of work, and then a jog, Nic grew an insatiable hunger for something good. Unable to find anything in the fridge, he took to the freezer. Seeing some chicken, he quickly baked up some Jerk Chicken. With the array of aromas flowing through the house, his stomach growled even louder.
"Ainslie, what ever you are cooking I hope you made enough for me!"
His head turned, looking around as a voice echoed through the house. Brow slightly raised, he poured the tea he made earlier into a large glass container and set it in the fridge. By the time he finished and turned around, the mysterious voice entered the kitchen.
"Oh god. I'm sorry I was sure it was Ainslie cooking since it's always either me or her cooking an actual meal in here."
He waved it off. "No big." He spoke softly as he checked on the chicken in the oven.
"In fact I've never seen a guy down here cooking...ever. And I'm sure I've never seen you here before..."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "My mom taught me." And there it was, his country accent coming out thick. Laughing, he hung his head. "I'm Lena, but I'm sure you have already heard about me through the houses grapevine..." He shook his head. "Um no. But, it's nice to meet you Lena." Bopping himself on his head he laughed again. "Where are my manners. I'm Nicolai. But you can just call me Nic."
"I guess its a bowl of fruity pebbles for me.."
He looked over at her as she was bent over looking in the fridge. "Oh come now, there's plenty." He told her with a light smirk. Thanking the heaven's he wasn't caught checking her out. "I hope you like Jerk Chicken."
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Post by Lena on Jul 18, 2011 0:17:52 GMT -5
"Um no. But, it's nice to meet you Lena." Bopping himself on his head he laughed again. "Where are my manners. I'm Nicolai. But you can just call me Nic."
She really took this in as she had made her way to the refridgerator. He knew nothing about her, which means either she sounded like she was hiding something or that she thought everyone knew her. Which made her sound conceited. "Nice to meet you Nic." She gave him a bright smilebefore she bent over to grab the milk.
Just as she was about to grab a bowl he spoke. "Oh come now, there's plenty." She gave a small smirk. "I don't know. I don't usually let new guys fix me dinner." She giggled. "But how can I resist it smells great."
"I hope you like Jerk Chicken."
Lena raised a brow putting the milk back where it went. "Well I can honestly say I have never had it, but I love chicken so I'm sure I'll love it." She flashed him a small smile. Deep down in her mind she cursed herself. Could you flirt any harder, Lena. Good God woman. He's a new guy you can't just open your legs everytime one shows up.
Then she felt bad for feeling like she was leading him on. Which was absurd considering she was barely flirting and had said less than 60 words to him. It had to be the fact that she knew he knew nothing about her....nothing about Serena. "What I said earlier about already hearing about me..." She paused feeling her palms start to sweat.
Most of the people here already knew and never treated her bad about having a kid at 17, but new people were the ones you had to worry about. "I just figured because..." It was so hard to form the words. "Well I mean before we have dinner together, y'know I just thought you should know."
Lena, you're an idiot just tell him already before you completely make a fool or yourself....too late. "I have a 2 month old daughter, who is probably asleep upstairs..." She smiled at him nervously fidgeting with her hands as she waited to see his reastion to all of this. And feeling completely stupid for making it such an awkward thing. She wasn't embarrassed of Serena, but she made herself feel that way.
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Post by Nicolai Wilder on Jul 18, 2011 0:31:22 GMT -5
"I don't know. I don't usually let new guys fix me dinner." She giggled. "But how can I resist it smells great."
The moment the first sentence left her mouth, his opened for a snarky comeback. But, it seemed she was only joking, so he quickly shut his, shooting her a light smile. "Well, thanks Lena." He chuckled. "Old family recipe." His eyes flicked over to look at her. "I'm guessing you never met a southern man before, huh?" He smirked as he pulled the chicken out of the over.
"Well I can honestly say I have never had it, but I love chicken so I'm sure I'll love it."
"Well, here's hopin'" He chuckled as he pulled out some plates and another glass for her tea. As he set everything up, she sputtered around something that he assumed he needed to know.
"What I said earlier about already hearing about me... I just figured because... Well I mean before we have dinner together, y'know I just thought you should know. I have a 2 month old daughter, who is probably asleep upstairs..."
As he placed the plates on the kitchen table and put ice in the iced tea glasses, he gave her a look before setting them too on the table. Taking a seat, he sat there a moment, reliving the words she just said. Was she expecting something more than dinner from him? No woman back home would spill something like that in front of a man, unless they were dating.
Biting on his lower lip, he grabbed his glass of iced tea, as his eyes flicked back over to her. "I bet she's just as cute as you are. Congratulations." And that was all he had to say. Because, let's be frank here. They had just met, and he had just made a wonderful dinner (sure it was suppose to be just for him, but these things happen), and if she wanted to talk more about her sleeping daughter, then more power to her.
But, it really wasn't his place to comment about her life. Because, well.... it was her life.
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Post by Lena on Jul 24, 2011 23:22:21 GMT -5
"Well, thanks Lena." He chuckled. "Old family recipe." His eyes flicked over to look at her. "I'm guessing you never met a southern man before, huh?"
Lena found her way to the kitchen table and stood there a moment really feeling out of place. She shouldn't be down here. She was messing with things that shouldn't have been messed with. Her and Jude were definently in a good place. What was this, whatever this was, going to do to the harmony the two of them had created.
Shaking the thought she felt herself smirk. "No, never had the pleasure to meet one. Do they all cook dinner and have great manners?" She giggled. Sitting down at her usual place at the table she looked over at him as he began prepping everything. "Well, here's hopin'" She felt bad for just sitting there while he did all the work.
"Can I help you with anything? Setting the table?" That's when all hell broke loose. She knew she shouldn't have said anything. What was one little dinner with a new guy? Nothing? It was just a dinner for heavensake. And he didn't act like it really phased him. He just took all the plates to the table and brought her some tea.
She slid into her seat blushing and wanting to just melt into the background. "I bet she's just as cute as you are. Congratulations." She just looked at him humiliation written all over her face. "I'm sorry. That was way too much to through out there. How about we start over?" She giggled softly. "I'm Lena. Thanks for letting me join you for dinner."
Finally taking a deep breath she took a sip of the tea, and grabbed the fork in front of her and looked at the steaming plate of delicious smelling food. She stabbed a piece onto her fork and blew on it until she thought it would be cool enough to taste. It was great, and she was glad she had joined him for this meal. Because it was amazing. "So what part of the south are you from? I must visit...if all the men cook like you." She laughed and took another bite of the chicken.
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Post by Nicolai Wilder on Jul 24, 2011 23:59:59 GMT -5
"No, never had the pleasure to meet one. Do they all cook dinner and have great manners?"
He chuckled and shrugged slightly. "Well, manners sure. Cooking," He paused. "That's my specialty." He grinned, sliding into the chair across from her after he grabbed his plat and iced tea.
"I'm sorry. That was way too much to through out there. How about we start over?" She giggled softly. "I'm Lena. Thanks for letting me join you for dinner."
"Starting over sounds good." He smiled. "Nic, and your very welcome." He grabbed his fork and took a piece of chicken and brought it to his mouth. "Mm." He nodded, as he chewed. "Good stuff."
"So what part of the south are you from? I must visit...if all the men cook like you."
"I'm from Davidson, Alabama; ma'am." He chuckled softly. "Alabama is a beautiful state, you should definitely visit." He took a sip of his iced tea before placing his elbow on the table. "So, Lena. Where you from?"
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Post by Lena on Jul 25, 2011 17:51:10 GMT -5
"Starting over sounds good." He smiled. "Nic, and your very welcome." He grabbed his fork and took a piece of chicken and brought it to his mouth. "Mm." He nodded, as he chewed. "Good stuff."
The fact that he didn't completely get up and run was already amazing her, but the fact that he agreed to "start over" with her just blew her mind. Instead of risking making a fool of herself once again she shut her mouth and continued to eat this amazing chicken.
"I'm from Davidson, Alabama; ma'am." He chuckled softly. "Alabama is a beautiful state, you should definitely visit."
Lena smiled. "Never been to the south maybe I should visit." Then she felt the pit in her stomach grow as he asked her where she was from. "Well honestly, I have been all around the northern states. But I'm mostly from Manhattan, New York. Nothing too special." She managed a grin before taking another bite of food to avoid the pain from her past.
"So how do you like it here so far?"
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Post by Nicolai Wilder on Jul 25, 2011 18:08:19 GMT -5
"Never been to the south maybe I should visit."
He smiled crookedly as he chewed. "I think you'd like it. Warm, good place for kids to grow up." He told her before he sipped his tea. "So about this daughter who maybe sleeping upstairs, what's her name?"
"Well honestly, I have been all around the northern states. But I'm mostly from Manhattan, New York. Nothing too special."
"New York is rough. First night here, got mugged." He chuckled. "Jokes on them, I never keep money in my wallet." He grinned. Seems you made a friend He thought to himself as he finished up.
"So how do you like it here so far?"
He took in a deep breath as he ate the last bite and sat back. Sighing heavily, he shrugged. "S'not bad. But it's not home. Y'know?" He soke softly, feeling that twinge of homesickness fill his stomach. "Ainslie's nice. She's nice enough to let me stay till I can gather up enough money to find my own place. So, it ain't too bad." He couldn't help but chuckle as he heard his southern accent come out thick once again.
"How long have you been here?"
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Post by Lena on Jul 25, 2011 19:19:34 GMT -5
"I think you'd like it. Warm, good place for kids to grow up."
Lena smiled. "Sounds like it. Though I could never leave here too much baggage to leave it all behind like that." She shook her head as if shaking all the painful thoughts away. "So about this daughter who maybe sleeping upstairs, what's her name?"
She laughed softly. "Her name is Serena. And I probably have to go get her in a little while." Her heart saddened a bit. Not that she didn't want to see her baby, but she didn't want to leave this moment. She was so relaxed finally and was really enjoying Nicolai's company.
"New York is rough. First night here, got mugged." He chuckled. "Jokes on them, I never keep money in my wallet."
Her eyes widened. "Wow. I would have went back home if it had been me. You're brave." She truthfully was surprised that he talked so lightly about getting mugged. People get killed while getting mugged, but it sounds like he barely flinched. She took the last bite of her food and sipped on her tea as she listened to him talk .
"S'not bad. But it's not home. Y'know?" He soke softly, feeling that twinge of homesickness fill his stomach. "Ainslie's nice. She's nice enough to let me stay till I can gather up enough money to find my own place. So, it ain't too bad."
"I understand, but to me this is home. The only place I felt like I belong, b ut I can see why you would miss home. You sound like you have a great family." She smiled softly and stood up grabbing her empty plate and his. "Ainslie is nice. She has been there for me alot in last couple of months. She's more of a mother to me than any of my foster mothers." She smiled down at him as she began to walk about to the sink.
"You cooked, so the least I can do is the dishes." She shot him a smirk as she turned the hot water on. "How long have you been here?" Lena grabbedthe sponge and began scrubbing. "A year and a couple months at the most. It's been a good place to me." She grinned to herself.
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Post by Nicolai Wilder on Jul 25, 2011 19:36:48 GMT -5
"Sounds like it. Though I could never leave here too much baggage to leave it all behind like that."
His tea was still in his hand as he listened to her. "Well, to me sounds like more of a reason to leave." He replied gently, not wanting to upset her. As she told him the baby girls's name, he couldn't help but smile. "Serena, huh? Beautiful name." He nodded softly, as she said she had to go get her soon. "That's fine."
"Wow. I would have went back home if it had been me. You're brave."
He chuckled softly. "Being raised in the south, you learn to protect yourself, and being up here.." He shrugged. "Guess I gotta protect myself more. But brave? Nah." He smirked. As she grabbed the dishes he shook his head. "You don't have too."
"I understand, but to me this is home. The only place I felt like I belong, b ut I can see why you would miss home. You sound like you have a great family. Ainslie is nice. She has been there for me alot in last couple of months. She's more of a mother to me than any of my foster mothers."
He nodded, turning sideways in his chair as he watched her pop the dishes in the sink. "I think it'll just take time to consider this place, this state even, home." He nodded. "So, you were a foster kid huh? Must've been rough." He said pausing. "I can only imagine."
"I pray everyday for the life I was given. It was a good one growing up. My best friend was right next door and, childhood down there was like living in a movie." He smirked, thinking back on the old times.
"You cooked, so the least I can do is the dishes."
All he could do was smile. "Allright, I agree to those terms." He chuckled softly. "A year and a couple months at the most. It's been a good place to me." Nodding lightly, he hummed softly. "Want some more tea?" He asked as he got up, grabbing his empty cup.
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