Catching Up

Posted on Thu Jul 13th, 2023 @ 11:03pm by Caeda & Major Sacha Lavigne

Mission: Historiae Terrae Et Imperii
Location: San Francisco
Timeline: Date 2371-08-13 at 1830
2602 words - 5.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Sacha was once quite the party animal, but he hadn’t exactly spent his time tasting the party scene in the last few months. Instead he had been working and spending sporadic moments with his fiancé. She was so hard to pin down; a girl who had grown up without enough hugs. Sometimes he was convinced she hated him and that it was only a matter of time before she called the whole thing off.

He lifted the brown liquid to his lips and sipped, having stopped listening to the story one of his friends was telling some time ago. They were fine men, but he wasn’t in the mood for a guys night out. He had allowed one of the men to strong arm him, but his mind was locked on other things.

“I need to take a piss.” He said to the group quietly, and then stood and started on his way toward the bathroom.

Coming the other way from the ladies room was a young woman dressed in a pink one shoulder dress that came up high on her thigh, but not in an overly immodest way. She was wearing heels, but walking in a bit of an unsure fashion in them. Neither was particularly paying attention to where they were going, so they collided at the shoulder in passing.

“Oh, sorr- Sacha?” She had stopped and turned to look at him, frowning. There before him was none other than Selena Summer, though she looked more put together than usual for the common day out. A party was one thing, but this was just a random evening. She looked more like a lady. On realizing it was him, she smiled and stepped toward him.

“Hey, fancy seeing you here!”

“Selena! It’s good to see you.” Sacha said, smiling at recognizing his friend and approaching her for a hug. “How have you been doing back on Terra? I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around more. Where have you been hiding?”

His hug was returned warmly and she remained close to him after they broke off, one hand on his upper arm. “Oh I’ve been doing alright. Really busy with a lot of social engagements and getting my feet back in the upper class proper. You’ve also been really busy yourself. I’ve been watching your interviews, you know. You’ve been doing great and the people love you.”

“It’s a funny feeling. Most of my life, they were trying to keep me away from the cameras. High Society doesn’t like the perineal boyfriend of rebellious daughters everywhere.” He said, biting his lip and smiling a wickedly charming smile. He didn’t flinch from her hand on his arm, but he did recall that they were in public. Now was hardly the time for scandal since he and Giana were incapable of getting on the same page anyway. “So, tell me. Are you starting to like kissing ass again or do you miss your marine fatigues?”

Selena laughed and squeezed his arm, then her hand fell away to her side. “Honestly, it really isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe I’ve grown up a bit, who knows. What about you, though? Still just as awful for you?”

“Actually, you’ll never guess this, but I actually like attention quite a lot.” He said with a chuckle. “So I have found it to be much more fun than I thought. I don’t like schmoozing and talking about nothing with boring old people, but I can mostly escape that by letting other people do the talking.”

“Oh gods I know, right? They never shut up.” Selena laughed and shook her head. “Who are you here with? Do you want to sit down and get a drink and catch up?”

“I’d love that, actually.” he said with energy, but then paused, seeming to reconsider in an instant. “But people are here, and people gossip. Unless you want to appear on television with me, we should probably find somewhere private or bring in a third wheel of some kind.”

Selena frowned, having not really considered that. “Oh. Yeah maybe. But I mean it’s a public place and we aren’t really doing anything wrong. Wouldn’t trying to find somewhere more private just make it seem like we were?”

Sacha nodded, seeing her point.

“Okay, how about this. I’m going to go into the bathroom and handle some business of mine. When I get back, we can join my group of friends. We can sit next to each other in the couch area and tune them out for the most part. How does that sound?”

“Yeah, okay. Sounds good. Just don’t take too long; these heels are such a bitch to stand around in.” She prompted him with a half smile. They really were not comfortable to wear at all.

Chuckling, Sacha entered the men’s room and got straight down to settling his needs. He was only there for a few minutes and exited after washing his hands. Seeing Selena, he gave her a wink.

“You look absolutely stunning in that dress, Selena.” He said, walking past her and toward the table with the guy friends he’d come with. “A bunch of these guys are marines and army stationed on Terra.”

“Anyone I know?” She asked, turning to follow him back to the table while she pulled her Vox out, texting her own friends she was catching up with someone for a few minutes and would be back to them soon.

Sacha tried to answer the question. It had been too long since they knew the same people.

“No one from the academy, but I guess it’s possible you might recognize some of the others.” He said before approaching the group. “Guys, this is my friend Selena Summer. Former marine come back to find a rich husband.”

Sacha’s friends greeted her warmly enough, but there was clearly a few levels or surprise, confusion, and even a “knowing” smirk or two as two of them elbowed each other in a way that clearly communicated between them that they knew their friend wasn’t really all about that life with his little Gigi.

Selena’s eyes ran over the group and she didn’t see anyone she knew nor was she greeted with any sort of familiarity. It didn’t really bother her though since she was wanting to catch up with Sacha. She moved to the couch he had indicated and carefully took a seat though she did wobble on her heels a bit which made it a less than graceful motion. Once he was next to her, she breathed out.

“Well alright then. So, how’s things?”

“What can I say? Living the dream.” He said, rolling his eyes and leaning back on the couch next to her. He looked relaxed and casual, his fit body draped like he hadn’t a care in the world. “I do my job during the day and then I go home like a good little boy. There’s a first time for everything, huh?”

Selena kept a respectful margin of the couch between them and leaned back into the comfortable cushion. When she saw Sacha roll his eyes, she lifted an eyebrow. “I mean… you kinda signed up for it, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes but Let’s just say there’s still an adjustment period. I’m learning to have a relaxing evening at home. I’m learning to drink moderately. I’m learning to talk to beautiful women without flirting.” The expression on his face was sour, but also amused. He didn’t mention how Giana had been feeling lately and the strain that was there. “You know what I mean, Selena. You’ve been on your best behavior, I’m sure. Unless you’re high right now, that is.”

“Oh gods, I wish I was.” She replied without thinking and then immediately blinked and frowned at what she had said. “Ah… forget that. Safe to say it’s been a pretty big adjustment for both of us, yeah?”

“No worries, Selena. So do I.” He said, slumping down slightly on the couch and letting himself become somehow even more comfortable. Around them, his friends moved on with conversation on their own without attempting to interrupt the two of them. Every now and then, one of them would look their way, but only to steal a glance at Selena’s award winning legs. “How are things with Helge? Are you planning to make an honest man of him?”

“Ah, sadly no, not Helge. Gods he is gorgeous though.” Her eyes suddenly became distant as she thought of the man, his chiseled jaw, and that gorgeous blonde hair. Snapping out of it, she shook her head. “But yeah I was introduced to his brother Magnus and a few other people at that soiree last week. Giana helped me through it though; man she can cut with some words. Swear she could cut down some marines no trouble.”

“Yes, she sure can.” He said with a knowing grin. “No one ever accused her of being too agreeable with people. And she and her mother are a bit scary when they are working towards the same goal.”

He shrugged and looked at Selena again, his eyes lingering on her beautiful face framed by perfect blonde hair.

“I meant Magnus, actually. I misspoke. How are things with Magnus?”

“Eh.” Selena lifted her hands in a shrug. “The man doesn’t have a ton of personality and his brother is much more attractive, but he seems nice enough besides being a bit dull and maybe even that is just figuring out how he can act around me or… whatever. Men are weird.”

“They say there’s more to people than looks, but I don’t know.” Sacha said with a lift of his brow. It was a joke delivered dryly. “You could get him into the gym. Maybe, if he were ripped, you’d be able to stomach him plodding around on top of you one day.”

“He’s not bad in that way, I guess, just not my cup of tea at a glance. You know I prefer blondes.” She grinned at him then and gave him a wink while thinking nothing of it; this was just how they were with each other after all. At least one of his friends noticed the wink but said nothing.

“Oh, I know it.” He said, tossing his hair back. It was strategically messy, making him look both rebellious and put together.

“You always told me when we were high.” He said with a laugh. “I could hold him down and dye his hair, you know. It would be easy. He’s kind of scrawny.”

Selena burst out laughing at the thought, covering her mouth as her eyes closed. She gave Sasha a playful shove against his arm with her hand, then opened her eyes to grin and look at him. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that.”

“While I’m at it, I can show him how to throw a proper punch. I know how much you love violent me.” he said, referencing an inside joke from their past. It was years ago, but he was curious if she would remember where it came from. He offered an amused expression, turning his face slightly away from her and being cheeky.

“Oh you mean like when you-” Her Vox buzzed and she stopped, pulling it out and looking down at it. “Oh shit, my friends are leaving. I should…” She frowned, “Yeah, I should probably go with them…?” It had started as a statement, but on the very last syllable her voice raised.

“Yeah. I should.” She decided with more certainty.

Sacha nodded, showing automatic understanding. In his heart though, he really was enjoying her company more than any of these other people. He missed the old days when they were young and there were no consequences as long as they didn’t get caught. He looked side to side to see if anyone was watching, and when he saw he was clear, he said what the hell and focussed on her again.

“I’ve got some snakeleaf in my apartment.” he said with a somewhat paranoid expression, mimicking a side effect of the drug for some reason. “You know that walking trail that goes up the Garganta do Céu by the beach?”

When he leaned in, Selena had looked interested and ready to intently listen, but as the words came out of his mouth, her expression fell immediately. She pulled back from him, looking somewhere between hurt and offended. “Sacha… no. I came back to Earth to try and straighten out my life and get clean. I was so fucking miserable for so long… this could be my chance.”

Sacha’s eyes went big. He had miscalculated, forgetting the years in between then and now. He was doing that a lot lately. He pulled back too and stood up.

“You’re right, sorry,” he said. “Don’t know what I was thinking.”

Turning to his friends he offered a smile which was laced with something besides happiness.

“I’m out of here, boys. Don’t get too sloppy without me.”

His friends looked very confused and Selena just looked more frustrated. She grabbed her purse and got up as hastily as she dared. “I’ll see you around, Sacha.” She said and then walked away without waiting for a reply.

“The fuck was that?” One of Sacha’s friends piped up.

“I have a way with women, as you all know.” Sacha said as she walked out. “A way of making them absolutely furious with me.”

Everyone was growing up except for Sacha Lavigne, it seemed. Maybe he should give up on love and go for a promotion instead.

“Yeah you do.” One commented and the rest laughed, oblivious that Sacha was actually frustrated. “Sit back down and let’s drink. Fuck ‘em.”

“If I just wanted to fuck ‘em, there’s be no grief at all, boys. I can fuck better than all of you combined; your girlfriends tell me so at least.” Sacha said, stealing one more glance as Selena rejoined her friends. “I mean to marry one, and I’m not as good at that shit. I think I’d better get out of here and get ready for tomorrow. Big parties and all that.”

“Yeah, which one?” Another “friend” asked and then the group erupted into laughter.

“Your mom, you fuck.” Sacha said, reaching over and punching the man in the arm hard. He wasn’t angry, but he used the moment to reassert his dominance. He chuckled then. “Asks the guy whose girlfriend just left him for a delivery boy with a nice car.”

“It is a damn nice car. I’d leave me for the car too, shit.”

Again, laughter, and more drinks were downed. “Come on, Sacha. Sit back down.”

“No, I need to get some rest.” Sacha said. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Yeah, yeah fuck off then.” One of his friends spoke, drunk and jovial and gave Sacha a dismissive wave.

Sacha turned then and proceeded toward the door. He wasn’t sure if he’d made any mistakes that mattered that night and, if he did, he wasn’t sure what they were. He just hoped that the next day would look up.

END