An Apple a Day

[ifnotwinter*]

((Erik Laurin continued from Cooling Down))

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

That was one of his mom's favorite old sayings, and one she never stopped happily trotting out as he bolted out the doors in the morning, more often then not trailing papers and without time to pack himself a quick lunch. They'd almost gotten into a rhythm, this last year, her waiting with her arms crossed by the back door, ready to shove an apple into his hand as he took off towards the bus stop several feet down the road. He'd grown to look forward to it.

Which meant that of course today was no exception. It was a Granny Smith this time, firm and green, and he was about halfway done. For once he actually had a day off - no working, no babysitting siblings, no driving family members to various activities. Sure, he was at school, but he knew that when he caught the bus home he could have the evening to himself.

Sweet.

So Erik was sprawled in one corner of the cafetorium, feet propped up on a table and head dangling off the back of the chair as he cheerfully chewed another large bite of apple.

Yeah. Life was good.

[Danorum*]

((Chloe Strong's intro))

Chloe stepped into the cafeteria for the third time in the past ten minutes, this time with her lunch in hand and her books in her locker. Her lunch had been made first thing in the morning, and although it was a lot less impressive than the lunches she brought before her diet, she knew she did a very good job preparing her spinach salad. The thermos she brought with her was filled with tomato juice. Salty, but very delicious. Not a big lunch, but decently filling and it fit perfectly in her diet for the day. Now she just needed to get off her feet and find a place to sit.

"Where did Erik say he was sitting?"

She toured the cafeteria, stretching her neck to see over all the people. It wasn't too long into her search that she managed to find Erik Laurin, sitting alone in the laziest position she thought possible. Smiling, she pranced her way over to his table.

"Don't tell me that's all you have!" she laughed, gesturing at the apple in his hand.

[ifnotwinter*]

Beaming at Chloe through a mouthful of apple, Erik sketched a wave without bothering to turn his head right-side up. "Eah, I'ff uht uh iver-" pausing to swallow and sit back up, "-'scuse me. Nah, I've got a five on me, Kimmers finally paid me back. It's like...maybe one percent of what she owes me, but she's not working right now, so."

He swung his feet off the table with a thump, give Chloe his customary wide grin.

"Anyhow, how's my Strongwoman this beautiful afternoon? You're looking good, I have to say - prepping for prom?"

[Danorum*]

"She still hasn't payed you back yet?" Chloe asked, "Geez, you're gonna have to start breaking some legs soon!" She snorted out a laugh and poked around at her salad, almost as if she were reorganizing her lunch. Olives on the left, onions to the right, mushrooms up front, cheese in the middle... Undoing the whole process with a simple twist of her fork. She didn't often play around with her food, but things were going well for her today and she didn't have to hurry to the library to study.

Somewhat startled by the thumping sound, she quickly jolted up from her lunch to see Erik grinning widely at her. She couldn't help but laugh at it; it worked every time too, even if she was in an awful mood. Crying, anger, whatever. It always made her giggle.

"Aw, thanks for making my day! I'm doing great so far, I'm actually caught up on my work for once. Let's see how long it lasts this time." She snorted a little again, then continued to speak, looking down once again at her lunch, noticing she absentmindedly rearranged it once more, "About five more pounds and the dress I picked out'll be perfect! Did you snag yourself a date yet? Because you know I'm always free." She winked at him and started on her salad.

[ifnotwinter*]

"Yeah, but if I break legs then I have to deal with her whining for the next eight weeks, and I really don't want that...I'll give her a little longer. Maybe. Or I'll just withhold her birthday present." He rolled his eyes. Kimberly had lost her part-time job almost a month ago, and not three days later had discovered that her older brother was a pushover - and a pushover who had money. He hadn't had the heart to cut her off yet, but soon, he knew, he was going to have to lay down the law.

Well, maybe. It was almost summer anyway.

"I'd offer to help you if you're getting behind again, but since I'm still trying to finish the project that was due - yesterday - I might not be the best person." Erik shook his head, grinning ruefully. Taking another bite of apple he raised his eyebrows at her, although this time he actually chewed and swallowed before speaking.

"Since I've yet to actually see this dress and haven't actually managed to successfully trap a date yet...what d'you say to accompanying me? If no stunningly handsome gentlemen sweep you off your feet, of course."

He tipped a wink at her. "Not that I'm not stunningly handsome, and I probably could sweep you off your feet, but you know what I mean."

[Danorum*]

"Withhold the present and keep a monthly interest. That'll get her motivated." Chloe chuckled, indicating with a smile that she was just kidding. Thanks to her part-time job at the mall and her weekly allowance, she was never really short on cash. Time, maybe. But never cash. "If you're ever short for lunch money, you can always ask me, y'know."

As she unscrewed the lid of her thermos, she thought about any classes she had that Erik could help her in. "Well, I'm still not really getting the point of the book we're reading in English," she began, carefully pouring the tomato juice into the thermos lid, "how much do you know about Great Expectations? We just finished the second part and I still don't get anything." Lifting the lid to her mouth, she quickly drank the juice she poured. It could use some more pepper, she thought, but it's not too bad. After wiping away a few drops that landed on her nose with her sleeve, she swiveled her fork around in her salad again. "And that's really bad, 'cause we just had a quiz on it."

Another laugh, another snort. Chloe's grin had widened as her hand moved closer to Erik's. "Well, mister stunningly handsome," she said playfully, giving her best attempt to sound flirty and over-the-top, "I'll gladly go with you if neither of us find our Prince Charmings. Then maybe after prom, we could go back to my place for some..." she paused, almost dramatically, "...coffee?" With that last word, she let out a hearty laugh for the entire cafeteria to hear. She sighed, then continued with her normal voice, "Oh, but you really have to see the dress! It's yellow, and it kinda makes me feel like Belle. Y'know, from Beauty and the Beast? As for sweeping me off my feet," she paused to take another bite of her salad, chewed, then swallowed, "Well, let's just wait 'til I fit in the dress first, kay?"

[ifnotwinter*]

"Interest - that's not a half-bad idea." Erik contemplated it for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. "But then I'd feel obligated to pay you back, and then I'd have to wait until she paid me back or I got paid, and then it would all just be too confusing and the only solution would be to go back to the barter system." He laughed, running a hand through his long hair and idly flicking the ponytail back over his shoulder.

"Besides, an apple a day keeps the doc away, right?" He finished the apple in another two large bites, core and all, then wiped his hands on a nearby napkin and pursed his lips in thought.

"Great Expectations...can't say I remember a lot. I think I mostly bs'd my way through that unit. Still, I could study it with you if you wanted?" He half-grinned at her notation of the fact that they're just had a quiz, and shook his head. "Well, if you put the name and date that's a point, right?"

He cracked up completely at the 'coffee' comment though, laughing long and loud. Wiping the corners of his eyes, he beamed at Chloe, leaning back again to prop his feet up on a nearby chair.

"So long as that doesn't make me the Beast, it sounds amazing. And I could so totally sweep you off your feet right now if I wanted too." He jokingly flexed his biceps, smirking at her. "We'll be the most amazing couple there."

[Danorum*]

"Right, good point." Chloe giggled, then took a few bites of her salad. She was a little disappointed that there was no dressing on it, but that would count as a "treat" according to the rules of her diet. "Well, I'll just have to start bringing two lunches. I'll make you a fruit salad or something. Plenty of apples. You won't be seeing the doc for a very long time. I guarantee it."

Her hand was placed just under her lip as she attempted to remember if she put her name on this quiz. She didn't for part one's quiz, and that almost caused her to fail it. She gently bit the tip of her index finger to help remember, though she wasn't entirely sure how that would help. "Oh! I did!" It took considerably less time to remember than she thought it would. "So that's like, what? Two percent of my quiz?" She chuckled once more while pouring another lid of juice. "Yeah, a study session would be great. Oh, and I have an end-of-the-book project after we finish the last part and I was thinking of making a movie. Wanna be Pip?" The videos she made for English class were probably the only thing keeping her marks in the passing range. She already made one for Romeo and Juliet, reenacting the balcony scene, which got her a perfect mark. Her independent novel project, a music video on The Little Prince, was well received by the class, though marks were deducted for choosing such a short book, disobeying the guidelines. "It'll be fun, I promise!"

She looked at Erik's biceps and faked amazement. "Wow!" she said, leaving her mouth agape and slapping a hand to her cheek, "I bet I could hang off those!" She laughed, snorted, then took a sip of her juice. "Oh for sure! The other couples will be so jealous of us, I'm sure." Giving him a smile and a wink, she finished off the last of her juice.

[ifnotwinter*]

"Mmm." Erik closed his eyes for a moment, an exaggerated look of ecstasy on his face. "Food that someone else actually made for me...it's like dying and going to heaven."

Okay, so he was exaggerating. A little. These days his dad spent so much time at the restraunt that by the time he came home the last thing he wanted to do was cook, and his mother had always been a little too scatterbrained to keep track of what all five children would eat. So Erik tended to do meals, and he'd turned it into an art form of juggling five different picky eaters who all liked different things.

Opening his eyes again and resuming a normal expression, Erik nodded. "Study session it is, then. And...hey, two percent is better then zero, right?" Chuckling, he poked her shoulder lightly. "Kidding. I bet you did just fine."

Pulling a face, he stuck his tongue out at her. "Why do I get the feeling that if I say no you're just going to rope me into it anyway? Not that I ever do say no." Rolling his eyes, he folded his arms back across her chest. "And I'll have you know that I have very manly biceps."

[Danorum*]

"Then I'll gladly take your life!" Chloe snorted, "I'm out of practice making the good stuff, 'cause of all these restrictions. Geez, diets are hard." She stared at her increasingly boring salad, now devoid of mushrooms and olives, leaving nothing but spinach, onions and cheese. She spun her fork around, evenly mixing all the ingredients. Pulling out a forkful of salad, she took another bite.

Upon being poked, she placed a hand on her shoulder and mouthed "Ouch," then chuckled a little at her own actions. "Well, I suppose that I haven't failed anything in that class yet, so you might have a point." She had actually failed an assignment earlier in the year, but had forgotten about it. "We can study on any day I don't have a shift. Oh, and not at five, that's when when I take Pikachu out for a walk." Her dog had to be walked three times a day, and she was responsible for two of them, the other walk being up to her sister, Gabby, since she was the only one in the family available at noon.

Grinning like an idiot, she rested her chin on her hand, palm down, and leaned forward. "Because you know me too well, because you love me so much, and because I know you wouldn't miss an opportunity to put on an awesome costume?" Laughing, snorting, she reverted to her normal posture, mostly because her back started hurting again. "Erik, honey, you could fit two of your arms into one of mine." This statement depressed her a little bit, but it wouldn't be true for too much longer. At least, she hoped so. She finished off the last of her salad and placed her fork in the now empty thermos, closed it up, and put it back in her lunch bag.

[ifnotwinter*]

"You should come by for dinner this week," Erik suggested, leaning back again with his hands behind his head. "I'll cook something delicious and surprisingly good for you - I'm sure Dad's got some great recipes hidden away somewhere."

He beamed at her happily. "And actually, just to make it nice and convenient, why not do a study session over dinner? You can take Pikachu out and then I'll swing by and pick you up, since I'm out that way to grab the twins from swimming anyway. I'll even pick up pizza for everyone else so that I'm free to cook for you." He grinned, and mimed stirring a pot. "I'll quiz you over the rigatoni. You'll never be able to think of Dickens again without imagining pasta."

As she began to pack her lunch things back into her bag, Erik moved back into a slightly more normal sitting position and leaning forward, putting a hand on her shoulder. The look on his face was one Chloe would have seen multiple times before, usually directed at the brother or sister passed out on the couch or offering up some art project for him to see. A quiet smile, but something worried in the eyes, the anxiety that he tried every day to push away resurfacing. You can't protect everyone, you can't save everything his therapist reminded him every time he saw her, but that didn't mean he couldn't try.

"Hey. Chloe. You know I think you're absolutely gorgeous just the way you are, right?" He indicated her body with his other hand. "You're beautiful. If you want to lose weight, do it because you want to for your own reasons, not 'cause you don't fit into clothes from grade five, okay?"

[Killer_Moth*]

((Robert Barron cont'd from Looking for 'Company'))

Bobby was nervous. He'd done a lot recently, but somehow, this was going to be the hardest thing that he had ever done. He'd decided, after all that had happened, after helping Rachel get the presidency that she so wanted, after putting up with Teo and his hands at the bar the other night, after being so worried that somebody might find out that he hadn't slept for a week. Last night, he'd made up his mind. This was it. Today he was going to tell somebody. Today he was going to come out of the closet. Last night he'd slept like a baby.

Rachel was supposed to be meeting him somewhere so that they could talk. It made sense; she was his oldest and closest friend. He owed it to her to have her be the first one to know. Then, with somebody to confide in, it'd be so much easier to let it all come out naturally. And just in time for prom. There were a few other guys who were already out, so maybe he'd even be able to get himself a date.

He bought his lunch with a spring in his step, and was looking around when he saw them. Chloe and Erik. Two wonderful people, Bobby liked them both. Erik especially. He knew that the boy was out. He wondered how easy it had been for him. Certainly, he hadn't seen him face any serious repercussions at school. The fact that he was tall, and blonde, and good looking, and nervous about his height which made him even more adorable, and Bobby realised that he hadn't crushed this much on anybody since JJ Sturn. But that had just been a passing thing, that he hadn't even realised for what it was. After all, they were 12. But Erik, Erik was something else.

OK Bobby, calm down. The last thing you want to do is come across as some kind of creepy stalker. Especially since he doesn't know that you're into him. Does he? How good's his gaydar? Oh, stop it. You're just making yourself paranoid. Look, just walk over and say hi. Just like any other day.

"Hi guys. Isn't it a heavenly day today? You mind if I join you?"

[Pigeon Army*]

((Rachel Gettys continued from For the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory Are Yours))

"Rachel, come find me tomorrow. I still want to talk to you. Don't worry, it's nothing urgent, but if you get a chance, it'd be appreciated."

Rachel Gettys wasn't one to tolerate being kept in the dark. She hated not knowing what was going on, and when people told her to "find her" so they could "tell" her "things", she immediately grew suspicious.

However, this time it had been Robert who had told her to "find her", and prom was coming up. Indeed, this was one of the few times Rachel tolerated being left in the dark, because she knew exactly what the dark shrouded.

A sly smile crossed her lips as she walked into the Cafetorium the next day for lunch, only to spot Robert standing at a table there, smiling and talking to a couple of people.

Wait a minute...

Rachel looked at who Robert was speaking to. On one side of the table, Chloe Strong, the manatee of Bayview Secondary School. She tried to make up for her gluttony and horrendously obese physique by being perky, but Rachel couldn't stand her. She was like an ugly dog that just wouldn't stop yapping.

However, it was the person on the other side of the table that really sent a chill down Rachel's spine.

Erik Laurin.

It was widely known throughout the school that Rachel was an ardent fundamentalist. No matter what Testament, no matter what chapter, no matter what verse, Rachel tried to live by it. Of course, she had her fair share of failures - shellfish and steaks cooked rare were weaknesses of hers, despite Leviticus condemning both - but she always confessed for them. And even though she was prone to breaking the ambiguous dietary laws and other lesser laws, she never, never abused the big ones.

Homosexuality was one of those big ones.

Erik Laurin was a homosexual.

Rachel Gettys despised Erik Laurin for this.

What's more, Rachel despised how open Erik was about it. Whenever she saw him, her blood boiled with the knowledge that everyone knew and accepted his illicit state of sexuality. He never even confessed or expressed any intimation that he felt guilty about his morally disgusting sexuality. He was an abscess on the face of good, moral society, and Rachel couldn't do anything to remove him.

She walked over to the Cafetorium counter and continued fuming as she mused on the horrific moral state of the school. Homosexuals, gluttons, blasphemers, alcoholics, drug users - heck, she even saw two students preparing to have sex in a classroom yesterday! This school was rotten to the core, but Rachel tolerated it. She tolerated it because of people like Robert - the good Christians, the ones who knew how society should be. She could always count on people like Robert and herself.

"What'll it be, sunshine?"

"Oh, the Caesar salad, thank you, Mrs. Guzhnee."

[Danorum*]

"I have to agree with you here." Chloe responded, now donning a goofy grin, "Food made by someone else sounds absolutely heavenly. Okay, it's a date! Pika only stays out for about half hour, so pick me up at quarter to, kay?" She really enjoyed how casually she could talk to Erik, compared to the way she was forced to talk in English class, lest she lose participation marks for speaking improperly, or whatever. Smiling at the rigatoni comment, or perhaps just at the promise of Italian food (which she would have to mark down in her diet book first thing when she got home), she pointed at his stirring hands and replied, "You're not gonna have to do all the stirring, y'know. I'm gonna help you whether you like it or not!" Though it seemed like a polite offer, in truth Chloe couldn't stand it when anybody else was in the kitchen at dinnertime, and really couldn't stand not helping with anything.

As she finished packing, she felt Erik's hand on her shoulder. As she glanced at him for a split second, just one tiny second, and she saw that look. Damn. The look. Knowing exactly what was coming next, she prepared herself for yet another lecture about how she should be comfortable with her weight.

"Hey. Chloe."

Oh yes, it was definitely going in that direction.

"You know I think you're absolutely gorgeous just the way you are, right?"

She decided to stay quiet until he finished talking. What she wanted to say was definitely something along the lines of, "Well, you're gay. More straight guys think you're prettier than I am. I should be allowed to feel pretty once in a while, right?" Of course, she couldn't say that. Not to Erik, not to anyone trying to help her.

"You're beautiful. If you want to lose weight, do it because you want to for your own reasons, not 'cause you don't fit into clothes from grade five, okay?"

She played around with her hair a little, reaching for what to say. She settled for smiling, giggling and replying with an insincere "Okay. Thanks so much Erik! That really means a lot to me." It wasn't normally like her to reject kind words, but honestly, it was very difficult lugging around everything on her and few people, especially not someone Erik's size (or gender, for that matter), could relate to.

At that moment they were joined by...

"Damn, who is he?"

The look of confusion on her face only appeared for a split second, but it would be enough to tip Erik off that she didn't know him. Hopefully, he'd get it and say his name, jog her memory a little.

"Hi guys. Isn't it a heavenly day today? You mind if I join you?"

Heavenly. Was that the word of the day or something? Either way, this was probably a good opportunity to divert the conversation away from her body. "Sure. Plenty of room here." She moved her lunch bag away from the middle of the table to make some more space.

[ifnotwinter*]

"Sounds perfect. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting on a little help!" He squinched his nose up at her, grinning. In a kitchen full of dogs, cats, and siblings running around, help was appreciated - it was a rare thing that Chloe came over and didn't have anything to do.

At Chloe's reply Erik smiled again, doing a fairly awful job of masking the anxiety still evident in his face. He was a worrier, and he knew it bugged his friends - hell, a few had come right out and told him that he needed to calm down - but he still hadn't learned to let things go. He knew she wasn't impressed with his often perpetual comments on her weight, but try as he might he never could keep them from slipping out.

Fortunately, stopping the awkward moment was Bobby Barron, lunch tray in hand, looking happier than usual. Erik felt a familiar little twist deep in his insides, felt his cheeks heat up for a moment. He'd had a crush on Bobby for a good year or so, but the fact that the other boy was pretty obviously straight meant that he'd never bothered acting on it.

He'd mentioned him by name to Chloe once or twice as well, as a kind of what if thing, but seeing the confusion flash briefly across her face he realized that she'd probably never met the guy. And to be fair, Erik's descriptions were pretty heavily coloured by his own feelings.

"Bobby, hi." He smiled, reaching out at the same time as Chloe to try and move what few items were on the table. Pushing a chair out with his foot, he indicated it, unconciously rounding his shoulders and sinking a little lower in his chair as he did so. "Yeah, sit down, it's so nice to see you. I was just. Uh, I was just saying to Chloe what a nice day it was." He rubbed at the back of his neck for a moment, aware that he was probably laying it on a little thick.

"Uh, Chloe, you remember Bobby Barron, right?" Locking eyes with her, he raised his eyebrows for a split second, hoping the name would jog her memory.