Jail House Blues (open)

[Cassidy Williams]

"Lord, this house is goin' to get raided, yes sir!"

The high voice echoed in the enormous room, interspersed with the clicking of a guard’s shoes, leading her down a hall and into a room with glass windows all around.

"Thirty days in jail with my back turned to the wall, turned to the wall! Thirty days in jail with my back turned to the wall; Look here Mr. Jailkeeper, put another gal in my stall!"

The guard shot Cassidy a withering glare and she smiled pleasantly at him. She took a seat and waited, humming the raunchy blues tune. Presently a thin figure wearing a bright orange jumpsuit was led into the room. Cassidy jumped up.

“Dad!”

She ran over to him and buried her face in his stomach, the point at which her height lay. He swallowed hard and brushed the top of her head.

“Hey Cass.”

They sat down at the little table, all the while Cassidy jabbering on an on.

“So I tried to go by the apartment but the cops were there still, and I didn’t have a chance to get in and bring you anything but I’m awful glad I got to come here and they let me see you which is great, except you don’ t look like you’re getting enough to eat…”

Her father smiled and nodded, strangely distant. When she paused for a breath he broke in.

“Did you get my papers to Raleigh?”

Cassidy frowned and nodded.

“Yeah. I told you I would and I did.”

He swallowed again and then stood up.

“Look Nymph, I got to go now. But uh,”

He pulled her close and gave her an awkward hug.

“You take care of yourself ok? And don’t worry about me anymore. In fact,”

He kissed the top of her head.

“Forget about me Cass. I want you to forget about me, and don’t ever think of me in here again.”

And like that, he pulled away, walking back through the little door with a guard behind him. Cassidy stared after, confused. How could she forget her father?



As she exited the prison, Cass looked around blankly, as if she were lost. The streets didn’t look familiar anymore, even though she knew Coruscant like the back of her hand. The girl bit her bottom lip hard, not even realizing it until she tasted blood. It was getting late and she needed to get back to the Jedi headquarters. But for some reason her legs wouldn’t work.

Cassidy slowly sat down against the durasteel wall that framed the huge prison building and wrapped her arms around her knees.

“Good morning, blues, blues, how do you do? How do you do? Good morning, blues, blues, how do you do? Say, I just come here to have a few words with you…”

[SashaKovalev]

He was headed back towards the spaceport when he realized it. He’d just left his credit card at the store, the clerk never having given it back to him. A curse was muttered under his breath and he turned on his heels to head back in the direction from whence he’d come.

Only in his haste, he had not looked to see who or what would possibly be in his way. It was Cassidy that he stumbled over, the girl having been crouched on the ground with her arms wrapped protectively around her knees.

A hand reached out to the rather dirty exterior wall of the prison to steady himself as another curse crossed his lips. A moment later, realizing that the lump in the sidewalk was a young girl rather than the obnoxious drunkard he’d assumed it would be, he paused, the annoyed expression leaving his serious features.

“Oh, hey….sorry.” He stated, violet eyes flickering to the girl and then to the building she leaned against.

“You ok?” He asked, referring to the fact that he’d just stumbled upon her. Darkness could easily be felt from him, but it wasnt anything projecting an imminent sense of danger.

[Cassidy Williams]

It came as a surprise, to say the least, when the man tripped over her, but Cassidy had grown accustomed to being overlooked, her small size often playing a large role in that.

She scowled and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But God gave you eyes to see with and it helps to use 'em."

That was her father speaking; Cassidy was not at all tactful. She was blunt and only part of it was because of her young age. Growing up with 'Uncle' Eddie and her father had given the child quite a few interesting anecdotes that she never hesitated to dole out to anyone.

She knew it was getting on and that the wise thing to do would be to hop on the nearest public transport and head back, but she felt tired, and just wanted to sit.

The man was still standing there.

Cassidy fixed him with a puzzled look from her seated position and waited for him to say something. When he didn't, she took the liberty.

"Did you want something, or are you just having a bad day?"

[SashaKovalev]

His hands had clenched into a fist, his quick temper on the brink of saying or doing something he might later regret.

Her sarcasm and quick wit, though not over anything particuarly personal to him, still stung.

He hadnt meant to trip over the girl, and certainly he hadnt been interested in engaging her in anything more than making sure she was fine. And clearly she was just fine, for her snappy remarks made it clear she wasnt all that hurt.

Too bad it hadnt been her mouth he'd tripped over. Maybe it would have zipped the damn thing shut.

"If I believed in God, maybe that would give me a reason to wonder why my eyes hadnt seen such a big mouth sitting right there in my path." He retorted, sarcasm entering his voice.

"But as I dont, I guess the only thing I need to worry about is the fact that yeah, I am having a bad day, and you're only adding to it..."

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy stood up (though it didn't add much to her height), indignant.

"I don't have a big mouth!"

She put her hands on her hips and gave the man a once-over.

"It's not my fault that you're so blind you can't even see someone sprawled out in the street!"

Okay, so maybe "sprawled out" was a bit of an exageration, but she gave it no other thought. The only time Cassidy had ever attended a public school, the guidence counsellor had said she was, "spunky". It was a polite way of saying that she had a bit of a temper.

"Just because you're a little nearsighted, doesn't give you an excuse to make me the cause of your clumsiness!"

[SashaKovalev]

Her quick temper was a perfect - or perhaps too perfect a match for his. Though being called nearsighted did little to actually bother him, it was the fact that she was insulting him at all.

"Maybe if you were something worth seeing, I might have noticed you." He retorted, his temper speaking now.

He was actually a rather good kid, with the exception of the dark streak and quick temper. Had they met on another occasion, he would likely never had made such a cutting remark.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a stab of regret. He could hear the biting tone and defensiveness in his voice and he knew, when it came right down to it, she hadnt really dont anything he wouldnt have done - been annoyed with someone being clumsy and unaware enough to trip over her.

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy opened her eyes wide and her mouth dropped open in utter shock.

"You... Dork!"

She stomped on Sasha's foot and kicked him in the shin. Hard.

"I can't believe you said something like that!"

Apparently, she didn't think that leaving the situation alone was an option. In reality it simply hadn't crossed her mind.

[SashaKovalev]

This time, his curse was rather audible. He was twenty years old, and while not all that removed from grade school, enough that he'd forgotten that these were the things that girls did when they were upset.

A part of him thanked someone or something that it had only been his shin she'd nailed with so much anger.

He stepped back, wincing for a moment. He had a strong urge to give her a good shove, but he'd been raised with enough respect for women that he refrained.

Violet eyes glared at her, resentful of the fact that she'd brought harm to him and the fact that something, some tiny shred within him held him back from giving it back to her.

"Is that the wittiest retort you can come up with?" He shot at her, the tone of his voice quite sufficiently expressing his unhappiness with the situation.

And like her, he didnt seem to think that leaving the situation well enough alone was the best idea either. Apparently, he hadnt been kicked in the shins quite hard enough to knock some sense into him.

[Cassidy Williams]

"NO!"

Cassidy's eyes were bright with opposition; it hadn't been the best of days and so she was more inclined to argue with anything that moved.

"I could have said something clever but it seemed to adequetly describe you!"

The pre-teen gave him an equally disdainful glare.

"Why don't you just get away from my spot? I was here first!"

[SashaKovalev]

A part of him wanted to snicker at the loud response of indignation. Until, of course, she added that something clever wouldnt really have described him - no - something as unimanginative as 'dork' had seemed to do.

He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

"Laying claim to the exterior of a prison....?" He commented, raising an eyebrow.

"What, they dont take in pre-teen girls with attitudes? Maybe you need to look for a higher security sort of joint...." He added, his arms uncrossing for a moment. He'd been about to reach for his shin to rub the stinging sensation, but thought better of displaying in any way the fact that her kick had actually hurt.

"You know, somewhere that can handle psychos...."

He'd had an equally bad day, and the verbal spar, while it had his temper on the rise, was actually somewhat of a release.

[Jacen Himes]

Jacen was exiting the prison, whistling as he did, when he heard and saw the two.

His costume was under his clothes, but not visible. He was visiting some friends on the inside. Heck, they didn't even know they were his friends. They knew the murderer who wore a mask. This was just some rich guy giving them fruitcakes with mini-buzz saws baked into them. Jacen had never served time himself, though he desearved it more than the people he was visiting.

He didn't have his weapons on him today and quite frankly felt naked. Which would kind of be fun but not in a men's prison...

He approached the two but was clearly on his way past them.

"Get a room, kids."

The tempermental thing was a school yard norm. Pulling hair, kicking shins(though he hadn't seen that part), and the like. But he really didn't mean it, just felt like saying something.

Then as he walked past, seeing she was quite young and he was considerably older...

"Hey, player, ain't she a little young?" he said, smiling and patting his back.

He continued past them, whistling as he did.

OOC - If you two were continuing onto something, and I interrupted, let me know and I'll edit out. If you don't say something OOC, or in a PM, in your next replies, I'll edit this OOC section out to make the thread nice and tidy looking.

[SashaKovalev]

Get a room, kids.

With this comment, Sasha’s head had turned, a brief expression of disbelief crossing his features.

Hey, player, ain't she a little young? The man had added, giving him a pat on the back.

In somewhat stunned silence, Sasha simply stared. His violet eyes darted back and forth between Cassidy and Jacen before an indignant expression settled on his face.

As Jacen continued past them, whistling as though not a thing in the world bothered him, Sasha gave Cassidy a look, as if blaming her that anyone might have misinterpreted the relationship between them.

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy cast a glare at Jacen.

"Oh shutup, I don't even know him!"

She returned Sasha's look with equal hostility an dput her hands on her hips.

"Will you just leave already?"

She wasn't really planning to stay here much longer but her stubborn streak was showing through. She wasn't going to go until Sasha did. Unfortunatly, Cass had the feeling that he was just as bull-headed as she.

[SashaKovalev]

Will you just leave already?

He stared at her with an eyebrow raised. She’d guessed right hen she’d guessed he was stubborn.

“Last thing I knew this was a public street, and a public building, and unless you’re paying all the taxes for it, I don’t really think you’ve got much right to tell me where Im allowed to stand or not stand.”

His arms crossed over his chest in an act of bull headed defiance.

“And whether you have a right to tell me to leave or not, I make up my own mind about where I feel like going and when I feel like going. So maybe you can find somewhere else to sit and pout if you’re so offended by my presence.”

He knew he was being just as childish as she was, but it really had been a bad day so far, and it felt good to ruin someone elses as well.

“And maybe you can grow up a little in the process….” He added under his breath.

[Cassidy Williams]

"Well I'm not leaving! So that means [Iyou[/I] have to!"

Her temper was getting the better of her but at the moment Cassidy could have cared less. She plopped herself down on the pavement, tapping her foot impatiently, and not looking at Sasha. Try as she might though, the girl couldnot conceal her annoyance.

It took only a few moments before she threw up her hands and stood up.

"Argh! Why do have to be such a boy!?"

[SashaKovalev]

He couldnt help but grin. she'd plopped down as if she were determined to stay the night on the sidewalk sitting there propped against the stone cold wall of the jail. Instead it had taken only a few minutes of rather clear frustration before she'd stood and thrown up her hands in what he interpreted as a sign of defeat.

Argh! Why do have to be such a boy!?

He shrugged, triumph reading clearly in the broad grin that spread even further over his face.

"Maybe because I am?" It was a statement more than a question.

"And maybe because you decided to be such a..." He paused mid sentence. He'd been about to make a comment about how snippy she'd been to him when he'd tripped over her and what time of the month it possibly was when he thought better of it. The kick in the shins earlier in their 'conversation' had been rather unpleasant, and he knew exactly where she'd probably aim next. And he wasnt about to risk that.

And besides, the fact that she'd begun to give up made him feel a little less bullheaded.

"Look, if you really want, I'll leave." He stated.

"Though theres probably a nicer sidewalk to lay claim to a few blocks up and I'd be happy to walk you there...."

This was his attempt at somewhat of an apology.

"Plus they've got a good diner and I'd be happy to buy you dinner for being such a boy." He added.

He wasnt trying to pick her up. He was just trying to show her he wasnt the jerk she seemed to think he was. Not that it really mattered all that much in the grand scheme of things, but he was generally a rather easy going sort of guy until his temper was triggered, and it was just in his character to let some things roll of his back.

[Cassidy Williams]

Cassidy stood, grimacing at Sasha.

"I'm not hungry."

She kept the disgruntled look on her face but it wavered. The heat of the moment was beginning to wear off and she wasn't nearly as upset about her father. Well, she was, but it wasn't anything that showed anymore. She sighed.

"I don't need to be walked anywhere, I'm old enough to take care of myself. But if I were to walk anywhere tonight, it might be to Red's to get a burger. I don't know where you're going but I'm going to head there now."

[SashaKovalev]

"I wasnt suggesting you needed to be walked anywhere..." He began to protest imediately.

Until she mentioned Red's - which was exactly the place he'd suggested to her only moments ago. And it happened to be directly across the street from the place that had forgotten to give him his credit card back.

She was difficult. On purpose, he gathered. But then - so wasnt he sometimes.

"I might consider going there." He replied with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

"I'll just, you know, walk near you but not with you and who knows, maybe we'll end up at the same place. And worse, maybe they'll even put us at a table together...." He added, a teasing tone of sarcasm lilting into his voice.

"

[Cassidy Williams]

"Fine."

One of Cassidy's weaknesses was a reluctance to apologize. She was stubborn and quick to lose her temper, traits that she knew would prove obstacles whilst becoming a Jedi. But she was not in the mood to control them now.

She took off down the street, not saying a word and walking quickly, arms on her chest. It didn't take long to arrive at the diner and instead of waiting to be seated, as the sign asked, she simply pusehd by and sat herself down. It was crowded at this hour.

"Oh dear. I guess I will have to share this almost empty booth with someone. It is so busy. I am sure that someone else is waiting for a seat."

She spoke loudly, over-enunciating her words. Then Cassidy picked up a menu and propped it up, hiding her face.

[SashaKovalev]

Her attitude made him laugh. In fact, the entire walk to Red's he spent attempting to hide a smug expression of amusement. And had she turned to look at him to see if he was following (which she didnt) he would have immediately replaced the expression with a purposeful scowl.

He slid into the booth across from her, shaknig his head at the menu she'd placed rather strategically in front of her.

"Hey, hope you dont mind me sharing this booth with you, its the only one available..." He stated, his voice carrying sarcastic apology.

With the force, finally employing it to di his bidding, he tugged on the menu, tilting it enough so that her eyes could see over it to him sitting across the table.

He grinned.

"Maybe we could start over. Im Sasha..." He offered. Even in this moment, darkness did not emanate from him as it sometimes did. He was amused and had no intention of wreaking the havoc that most Sith sought out.

Though, the force as he used it might have given away a hint of the side that he fell on, not asking for its assistance as the jedi did, but demanding its compliance as a Sith.