* - - No Super Man

[Jeremy C. Marks]

Jeremy Marks had been running around school most of the day, going back and forth over who he would be asking to the homecoming dance. Or if he even would be asking anyone. Sure, there was a group of his guy friends going, and that was always fun. Pranks, jokes, and great memories usually resulted from nights like those, but he'd had plenty of them in the past. He kind of wanted an actual date for the big dance this year. He was a senior, afterall. It was his last homecoming, might as well make the best of it.

Hoping to have a little luck after school, he headed towards the local ice cream joint. He knew his sister worked there, and maybe there was just a part of him wanting to check in on her after not seeing her for a few hours. While he'd never admit it, he was extremely over protective of his baby sisiter. He just didn't want to see her fragile soul shattered anymore than it already had been.

But he really didn't want to think about that tragic part of himself right now. Sudden death and heartbreak weren't exactly pleasant feelings, and definitely not ones that should be dwelled upon too often.

Jeremy shoved the hard thoughts back into their box, locking the key and tossing it away for a later date. He pushed through the doors of Trevor's, smiling at the crowd already starting to gather there as he walked up towards the counter. This place was rarely ever empty, which meant even more opportunities for prospective dates. Well, if the girls didn't laugh in his face. There was a deep fear that they would. He was the clown of his class, so it would be expected. But... maybe he'd turn the laughs into something he wanted by making a joke of it in the end. That was his escape for everything, no matter what. And asking pretty girls out fell into the category of "must turn into a chuckle if I fail" to him.

TAG: Open!
WORDS: 350!
NOTES: :D

[Danielle S. Marks]

One of Danielle's gloved hands reached into the freezer full of various flavors of ice cream, while her other hand gently held a waffle cone. She gently scooped up a ball of black cherry ice cream into the metal spoon and gingerly placed the reddish pink ice cream into the cone. After placing the scoop back into the container of warm water, Danielle reached over the counter to hand the ice cream to the customer. She smiled with her nearly white smile, her front teeth slightly over the bottom. It wasn't perfect, but it was charming and had character. People always told her she had her mother's smile, but after that night those years ago, she never saw that smile again.

Her attention was on the various ice cream combos that she was creating for the customers lined up in front of her. As she was pouring caramel onto a sundae, some of the sticky and viscous liquid dripped down her hand, off her gloves and down her arm. Danielle winced at the slight warmth of the caramel and quickly assembled the sundae. She then took the opportunity of quiet (the after lunch rush was pretty much over) to head to the sink and rinse off her hands. She peeled off the plastic gloves and tossed them into the garbage before turning on the water. Using a paper towel, Dani scrubbed the now almost solid caramel off her arm. It had made it almost three quarters of the way down her forearm. Shaking her head, Danielle dried her arm off with another paper towel. It was a messy job, but it paid for Dani's spending money, which normally included clothes and books.

Her grey ankle boots click-clacked across the floor as she headed back towards her post by the ice cream freezer. Dani glanced up at the happy customers spread out across the parlor, enjoying their various treats. Some people were munching on brownie sundaes made with Danielle's brownies she baked at the beginning and end of her shift. They were always warm from being kept in an oven on low, and Danielle's recipe kept them moist as well. Her eyes scanned over the doorway and to her surprise, saw a very familiar figure.

Her face lit up when she saw her brother walk through the doors. For some reason, everything felt better when he was around. She didn't mind that he was overprotective. Some people wouldn't want their older brother constantly looking out for them, but for Dani, it was a comfort. Nobody else at the Academy knew about the tragedy of her past, and whenever she was feeling particularly glum, she could count on Jeremy.

When Danielle thought she had caught her brother's eye, she gave a beaming smile and spoke in a clear yet surprisingly delicate voice. "Hey Stranger. Could I get you a scoop?"

[/color] Dani raised the metal scoop out of the container for emphasis. Glancing at her bare fingers, she quickly put the scoop down and pulled a pair of fresh gloves from her red checkered apron. Thankfully this was the only uniform she really needed. Dani enjoyed fashion freedom. After quickly slipping the plastic gloves over her fingers, she looked up at her elder brother once more.
[/center]

TAGS?! Jeremy xD
OUTFIT?! clicky
WORDS?! 543
MUSE?! not bad
NOTES?! none

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[Jeremy C. Marks]

Jeremy's eyes glanced around the buzzing ice cream parlour, taking in the happy couples and satisfied children digging into various frozen treats. His stomach grumbled, hunger leaking into his eyes as he looked around. Maybe skipping lunch to go hang out with some friends wasn't such a good idea. Well, the quality laughs and memories had been, but his body was paying for that now.

He made his way up to the counter, hair concealing a good portion of his smiling face. While he knew Danielle worked here, he hadn't expected to hear her voice right away. When he usually came, she was in the back making those infamous brownies whose leftovers always got brought home for him to devour at his leisure. Jeremy loved his little sister's cooking, and told her so as much as she'd allow him to. It was true that he petted her to no end, but that he did it only because most of the compliments were quite true. "I'd think so, seeing as you're getting paid to," he smiled warmly at her for a moment, then let his eyes turn to the array of choices. He already knew what he wanted, but it couldn't hurt to check the other options out, could it? "One of your famous brownie sundaes should suffice for now," he finally nodded and turned his attention back to her.

Like always, he checked her over once, making sure new external scars had been made. While he could only see half of her, Jeremy had a strong feeling she was okay. That always made him relax a bit, unless he was wrong. Then it just freaked him out more than really necessary. "How's buisness going today?" he questioned, still smiling but giving his words a double meaning. By buisness he, obviously, meant her life. He was very nosy when it came to her, and even if he begged her to butt out, he never would. Jeremy was over protective, and that trait came out most amoung her. Seeing as their dad was a little distant, he felt it his job to make up for the parents' slack. He tried his hardest to be everything Dani needed, but he knew he wasn't as good as the real thing and never would be. "Did you get your homework done on your break, or are you staying up 'til midnight to do it again?" His voice was a little disapproving now, having staid up with her the past few nights while she did homework. He'd been working on a new song

He knew he was asking a lot of questions, but it wasn't abnormal for this to happen when they met up. Jeremy liked to know everything about her life, even if some called it stalkerish. Well, then he'd be known as his sister's stalker. It wasn't the worst thing to happen in his life, anyway. Besides, he'd only see the high schoolers for another year. Then he was gone and off to college. But then again... leaving the small town might not be so fun afterall.

TAG: The Baby Sis <3
WORDS: 537!
NOTES: :D

[Danielle S. Marks]

Danielle exhaled quickly and pursed her lips in order to redirect a stray piece of hair from her face. She noticed Jeremy had been looking around the parlor, from happy couples, to smiling children. It indeed was still crowded, even though not many people were ordering at the moment. And you would think that with a ice cream shoppe full of people eating, that it would be silent. But somehow people manage to carry on coherent and sometimes quite loud conversations despite the fact that they were munching on delicious treats. Dani couldn't help but smile with a hint of pride. A lot of what they were enjoying was a result of her own recipes. As soon as she mastered her own waffle cone batter, the owner was going to replace the premade batter with her own. But the person who seemed to enjoy and appreciate her baking the most was nobody other than her brother. Dani was incredibly close to Jeremy, and felt most comfortable when she knew he was close. Perhaps this was due to the lack of a substantial father figure after the accident, but either way, Jeremy was the most dependable person in her life.

Danielle grinned as her brother joked about it being her job to get the ice cream. She shook her head as she got to work in assembling the sundae. "You never know Jer-bear, you could have been here for the... scenery"

[/color] She said with a sly smile as she placed the brownie at the bottom of the bowl. When she said 'scenery' she kind of did a glance around the room to emphasize her point. She was confident that he was looking for a homecoming date. I mean, who wouldn't? (well, besides Dani, but that was different). She raised her eyebrows in a teasing manner. Talking and having fun with Jeremy was just so easy. Sometimes she wished she didn't have to worry about socializing with others.

As Danielle was scooping chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla onto the sundae, she heard Jeremy's question. She gave a small sigh as she instantly understood the meanings behind his casual words. He was always so worried about her. "Business is fine." She replied just as casually as she placed the scoop back into the warm water. "No problems at all."[/color] This wasn't a lie. There were no problems. There wasn't necessarily any progress in terms of her assimilating into the school, but it wasn't bad. Danielle grabbed a handful of cookie dough bits to sprinkle on top of the whipped cream she had placed so gracefully on the sundae. As special touch she reserved for her brother.

Danielle shook her head at his second question as she handed him the ice cream. "I have break in ten minutes, but thanks for reminding me. I would have forgotten."[/color] The gratitude was obvious in her voice. Some times things at the parlor got so hectic that Dani forgot to get a jump start on her homework. It was so like Jeremy to worry about her getting a work done on time. "And even if I do forget, you shouldn't stay up with me."[/color] She said this first part with a serious tone. She felt terrible for making him lose sleep. But she then added playfully, "You need your beauty sleep Jer-bear. Especially if you want to impress a girl when you ask her to the ball." She placed a dramatic emphasis on 'ball'. Of course she meant homecoming, but around Jeremy she loved to joke around. It was quite odd actually. Around anyone else she was quiet and reserved, but around Jeremy, when nobody else was paying attention, she lit up like a brilliant chandelier and was as playful as can be.




[/center]

TAGS?! Jeremy xD
OUTFIT?! clicky
WORDS?! 627
MUSE?! xD
NOTES?! none

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[Jeremy C. Marks]

Jeremy didn't consider himself a very observant person, but when he was looking for something, or someone in this case, he could be quite good at seeing instead of speaking. It was no secret he rambled and talked a lot, especially when around his closer friends. And definitely around his baby sister. While she wasn't technically a baby, that would always be her name if you asked him. Danielle was only a year younger than him but it was still younger, no matter how short the amount of time. It amazed him how close they were when some siblings couldn't stand to be in the same room for more than thirty seconds. Dani was like his best friend, and he felt comfortable coming to her about most things. He didn't worry about her telling his secrets to the world, and hoped she returned the trust. It was something he highly valued in their relationship, seeing as they were pretty much each other's only family, after all. And if they couldn't trust each other, who else was left? Definitely not their parents. Friends, sure, but they were prone to go spilling secrets, too. It pretty much stuck them together as each other's confidants.

He gave her a warm smile in return for her grin, enjoying seeing the happy expression on her face for once. Whenever she smiled, Jeremy couldn't help returning the gesture. It was natural to, afterall. Some people said smiles were infectious, and he didn't doubt they were. Especially when the first smile was Danielle's. "Ah, you caught me, like always, Sissy," he chuckled, holding up his hands in defeat. There was no use in lying to her. She'd always catch him eventually, even if it wasn't right away. "I'm searching for a homecoming date, an activity you should be doing, as well. Unless some unfortunate boy has asked you already?" He rose an eyebrow quizically at her. If someone had asked her, the boy would be very unfortunate. Being the over protective big brother he truly was, whoever decided to attempt to steal his sister's heart was sure to have a hard time of it. Nobody hurt Dani, even if she wanted them, too. But, Jeremy also knew that she might want to branch into the dating game soon. He'd swept her away from it as much as he could, and yet there had still been times when he'd grit his teeth at a boy who was obviously trying to flirt with his sister while he was standing right there. Usually, those young men ended up with a stern "talk" and a few threats that would strike fear into even the bravest of suitors.

Jeremy watched his sister prepare his sundae, smiling a little at the especial tweaks she made just for him. Like using chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla. What could he say? He loved his sweets. "Just how it should be," he nodded, tapping his fingers aimlessly on the counter as he continued to watch her. That was a version of the answer he usually recieved, but it would suffice for now. He could cross-examine her more closely at home, when they were in the semi-safety of their own bedrooms. Jeremy always felt comforted with the fact that Dani was right across the hall at home, where he could hear her if anything went wrong in the middle of the night. While their parents' room was on the first floor, he never ceased to worry that one of them might sneak upstairs at night and start screaming at Danielle. He stuck up for her as best he could every time it happened, trying not to get her into any more trouble than she already was in.

It was part of the reason he didn't sleep well, and hadn't for years now. Jeremy only teased that her and her homework were the reason, but it wasn't true in the slightest. "You've got ten minutes of homework?" he said, amazement in his voice. "Lucky Juniors. Us Seniors, we get at least an hour a night," he sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "You know I'll stay up, even if I don't tell you." There was another smile on his face as he said this, a little more playful than the last few. His cheeks turned a light pink when she mentioned asking someone to the dance. "Yeah... I doubt any girl is insane enough to go with me, even if I begged her on my knees," he chuckled softly with a shake of his head. "And besides, I don't need the beauty sleep. I'm gorgeous enough." Of course, his voice was joking now. Jeremy loved how he could get his quiet and timid little sister to open up with him. It was just another fact that proved how close they were.

TAG: The Baby Sis <3
WORDS: 854!
NOTES: :D

[Danielle S. Marks]

Danielle smiled slyly. In response to Jeremy's confession. "Jer, I only catch you because I know you so well."

[/color] This was a very true statement. Danielle knew pretty much everything about her big brother: who he liked, his friends, his secret passion for guitar. But she wasn't very intrusive. She tended to let Jeremy do his own thing, but wouldn't pass up the opportunity to tease him. She rolled her eyes when he inquired about whether or not she had a date. "You know I don't do big social events. Plus, the night of homecoming is the opening on the documentary about Steinbeck. I wouldn't miss that for the world." Her eyes sparkled with excitement at even the thought of books. She then added with a sly grin, "Besides. Even if I wanted to go, I think you've deterred nearly all the male members of the Junior class from even asking to breathe next to me."[/color] The playful tone remained in her voice. She was well aware of Jeremy's efforts to keep Danielle from entering the dating scene... not that she minded. If Jeremy hadn't turned them away, Dani would have with her naturally shy nature towards others.

She stole a quick glance at her brother as she placed the finishing touches on the sundae and couldn't help but smile at the eagerness and appreciation in his eyes. Danielle doted on her brother, in her own ways: baking extra special sweets, saving some cookie dough and bringing it home for him, giving him tips on how to deal with old books (the type that Dani tends to enjoy the most). She gave a small sigh of relief when Jeremy didn't question her any further about her 'business', but deep down she knew he'd ask more questions another time. She just wasn't in the mood to talk about the deepest intricacies of her life at this particular moment.

When Jeremy commented on her small amount of homework she shook her head. "I'm going to get as much done as I can during break...the boring stuff. And then I'll save the good stuff for tonight."[/color] The good stuff in Dani's case was reading for English class. It was perhaps her favorite part of the day. Yes, half the books she had read already, and some several times over, but she still enjoyed the class. That kind of stuff was exciting to her. Perhaps this was another reason she was so disconnected from the rest of the people at school. Yes, her tragic past had a lot to do with it, but she did like things that some people just didn't. "Well. Then there's nothing I can do but slip you some Benadryl ."[/color] She placed her hands on her hips in a 'what can I do but joke' kind of manner. Danielle smiled at Jeremy's self depreciating statement, assuming he was being dramatic. "I'd like to say that was true"[/color] She stated, the teasing tone clear in her voice. "But I could think of some people that would loooooooove to go with you. Beauty sleep had, or not." She was teasing but the message was true. Her brother was an attractive guy, with a good sense of humor and just as loveable as a teddy bear. She was well aware that even people in her grade had googoo eyes for her brother.

"Could You hold on for a sec?"[/color] Danielle asked as she maneuvered her way from out behind the counter. "The table of rowdy freshman look like they are in need of their check."[/color] Danielle smiled weakly, her bubbly attitude already fading as she prepared to leave the proximity of her brother, even if only for a few moments. Danielle walked over to the table, slowly returning to her timid self. She managed to flash one last bright smile before asking shyly.."You ready for your check?"[/color] She gave them their check and scooted back on over to where her brother had been.
[/center]

TAGS?! Jeremy xD
OUTFIT?! clicky
WORDS?! 661
MUSE?! not bad
NOTES?! none

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[Jeremy C. Marks]

Jeremy chuckled softly at his sister, nodding his head at the true statement. "That's quite true, so I won't dare to debate you about it. Besides, you'd out talk me in half a minute," he teased again. Danielle was his closest female friend, but he figured that was because they were related. She had as much a right to know all about him as he did about her. But, there were exceptions to that right on occasion. Like all the times he fought off rumours for her that he heard whispered from the Junior classmen. Being a year old, he held a bit of pull with them. Especially since he knew plenty of big, buff jocks who could pummel their little butts if they didn't obey his commands. "You don't, but you should. Next year, I'm making you go if I have to drag you. You have to go for your Senior year, even if I'm not here to see it," he teased, the though making his eyes dim a bit, though. He was going off to college next year, and that meant being home less and less. That also meant more time alone for Dani. It worried him, especially because she'd have to fend for herself when it came to their parents. "That's my job as the big brother, isn't it? Keep all horrible guys away from the baby sis at all times," he grinned with a small laugh. "When you finally get a boyfriend, be sure he's tough. 'Cause if he dares hurt you, you can bet he'll get his ass kicked." Now Jeremy was completely serious. One day (and probably soon at that) a boy would steal her and her heart away. And he would be right there to catch her if that guy ever upset her. Or dared to, at that.

Of course, Jeremy could expect some special treatment from her in return. They had a nice balance going, even if he job was more physical and a bit scarier. He loved everything that Dani did for him, though, and always returned the favor in any way he could, despite looking out for her twenty four seven. And one way of doing so, in his eyes, was to dig his claws into her life whenever possible.

"I'm assuming you're doing algebra and biology here, english and history at home?" he grinned when she explained her homework plans. He should probably be working on his instead of getting ice cream and chatting with her, but it could be saved until later. Besides, he'd rather be out talking than cooped up in his room with a text book and pencil. He'd be making up for it later, though, most likely when he was staying up with her into the early hours of the morning. "That would not be nice and you know it! I've got homework, too, y'know," he laughed warmly. The laugh continued as she spoke again and he couldn't help shaking his head. "Oh really now? Could you make me a list? I'd like to know who they are." That would definitely help him a lot. It'd save him the trouble of being turned down by a bunch of girls, at least.

"Alright, I guess. Go do your job," he teased, taking his sundae from her as she scurried away to go serve some group of people. Jeremy set his ice cream on the counter, leaning against it as he dug in his back pocket for his wallet. He pulled out a five, then shoved the wallet back into his jeans and grabbed his frozen treat again. Jeremy dug into the chocolate and cookie dough, savouring the taste as he waited for his sister to return.

TAG: The Baby Sis <3
WORDS: 657!
NOTES: :D

[Danielle S. Marks]

Danielle couldn't help but smile as her brother admitted her knowledge of his life. Sometimes, he could be so right, about her being right... As crazy and backwards as that sounds. And she knew a lot of the stuff that he did for her, stuff that she constantly told him was unnecessary, but still appreciated. She knew that people looked at her funny when she kept her mouth shut. But she didn't really care, well not too much. She just wanted to get through high school, and out of her parents' house. She couldn't stand being at home most of the time, and the only thing that made it relatively better was Jeremy. But in a year, he'd be gone, and she'd have to fend for herself at home.

Danielle made a point to roll her eyes dramatically at Jeremy's statement about her having to go to homecoming her senior year. She knew how much it meant to her brother for her to eventually immerse herself into the social world, but some things, like making serious friends, terrified her. She knew he was teasing her, but deep down she knew it bothered him to see her be such a social outcast. "You would have to be here to see it because you'd drag me there. And secondly, who's going to question the guy to the third degree?" She teased him back, throwing a bit of logic into her 'argument'. Her expression softened to one of appreciation at he next statement. "Jer-bear, You know you're the best big brother right? But I look forward to seeing you beat up my first boyfriend when I'm seventy years old."

[/color] She ended on a teasing note, glad she had one, and only one person in her life she could confide in. Having too many friends just go messy; she saw the way some of the girls in her year acted, gossiping, stealing boyfriends. To be honest, she liked the simplicity of her life, and when on all of her adventures while reading. But the truth was she loved knowing that if anything went wrong, she'd have her big brother to be there to catch her when she fell, and she didn't trust anyone more.

Danielle nodded sheepishly when Jeremy pinpointed which homework she'd want to get out of the way, and which homework was fun. "I don't care how interesting people say Biology is, I just don't get it. Too many numbers and preconceived right answers and not nearly enough words and chance for thought."[/b] She paused as if reflecting on her own statement. "Though I always tend to remember the vocabulary... it's just the calculations that make my head explode."[/color] Her eyes glanced across the parlor, making sure she wasn't needed before turning her attention back to her brother. "I had noooo idea." She stated dramatically, her voice slightly wavering as she held back laughter. "Could you imagine explaining to your teacher why your homework wasn't done? 'Uh. My Kid sister drugged me.'"[/color] Dani had to hold back her own giggles as she made herself busy brushing stray sprinkles into a garbage can. She raised her eyebrows when Jeremy asked for a list, but the smiled slyly. "A list? Well that would ruin the fun of watching you search for 'prey' amongst the female population." She smiled and wiped a few more sprinkles into the garbage before looking up to see the rowdy table.

After she excused herself and made her way to the table, she asked them if they wanted the check. Some nodded, others grunted...she figured that meant yes, so she ripped the check off her pad and walked back over to where Jeremy was now digging in to her creation. Her liveliness and talkativeness returned as she got closer to her brother. "I always wonder if you breathe when you eat these sundaes, or if I should be studying your respiratory system in Biology."[/color] She laughed softly and washed her hands once more, a practice she had become more and more accustomed to. Dani leaned her hip against the counter and turned to her brother. "So, have you set your eyes on a lucky...or maybe unlucky lady?" Danielle asked, partially making conversation and partially curious as to who her brother was gaga for now.
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TAGS?! Jeremy xD
OUTFIT?! clicky
WORDS?! 714
MUSE?! omnomnom
NOTES?! none

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[Janie Gordon]

Today had been hectic and rather eventful to be fair. Gym class was hilarious. Janie enjoyed listening to all her classmates' feeble excuses as to why they couldn't participate. Some were just laughable. English class hadn't been too bad. The teacher was a right hunk and the girl she had sat next too seemed lovely, shy, very shy in fact, but still, lovely. Using her telepathic powers she knew, well thought, she had figured out who some of the other gifted students were too. Let's just say that she was in a relatively good spirirts.

So, being in a good mood she decided that she would brave a busy populated area and treat herself to her favourite ice cream at the parlour. There was nothing like indulging yourself to end a relatively good day.

The place was busy, busier than busy. Luckily, because of her great mood she was in control of her power so could shut out most of the crowds thoughts, atleast to a faint whisper.She saw the girl from English class behind the counter talking to a guy. They looked quite similar, maybe siblings.

"Hey," Janie smiled, as she reached the counter, "Can I have some mint choc chip ice cream please?"
Then she smiled a hello to the guy, hoping she hadn't interrupted an important conversation.

[Jeremy C. Marks]

Jeremy chuckled as his baby sister rolled her eyes, smiling at the fact that he was getting her to be more social. If she'd do this with other guys, he knew her dating life would be extremely busy. It scared him, but he wanted her to be happy, too. Even if that meant letting her take the risk of getting hurt again.

Leaving for college also presented a risk, one that couldn't really be helped in his eyes. Jeremy wanted to go to college, wanted to finish his schooling so he could get a good job and not end up like his parents. That didn't mean visits were banned, though, and he was planning on making plenty of those. Or just dragging Dani up to his campus on weekends. "You know I won't leave you here all alone. I'll come back so much, you'll barely have time to miss me. Which means I'll have time to drag you to as many dances as I want," he grinned over at her.

Another chuckle fell from his lips as she went off about homework, nodding in agreement as she spoke. "That's 'cause your an English-geek, not a science geek," he teased. "Yeah. Little innocent Miss Marks drugged her big brother. They wouldn't believe it if I talked myself blue." He shook his head with a laugh.

Jeremy stuck his tongue out at her when she turned down the offer of making a list. "Aww, but come on. I can't flounder around forever, can I?" he pouted, giving her a puppy dog face. He consoled himself with the sundae she'd made, digging into it like any typical guy. "I do breath, but its through my nose instead of my mouth," he joked back. "The male's body is a lot different than yours. We can inhale food easily, whereas you'd choke within two seconds."

He blushed lightly at her question, using the excuse of chewing some brownie bits instead of talking. Honestly, he hadn't really found someone yet, but he had been looking at a certain girl. Of course, she just happened to not be here, which was in some ways good, but in others bad. Right as he opened his mouth to say something, a new voice came along. Jeremy blinked, turning to look at the girl. He returned her smile, giving her a nod of recognition, as well. "D, I believe that would be your job," he teased her, moving to lean against the side of the counter so Dani could talk with the customer.

TAG: The Baby Sis <3 & Janie!
WORDS: 454!
NOTES: :D