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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 27, 2007 17:43:25 GMT -5
Early January 1985
Tristin checked the three fake ID cards he had, trying to figure out which one looked more like him. Finally, he pocketed the other two and walked to the front of the bar. “Kona’s… Interesting.” His friend nudged him into going up first, and Tristin merely rolled his eyes and pulled his black coat tighter around him.
He was tall, though his face betrayed him. Luckily, the guy who checked ID cards didn’t look at him, just at the age on the card. The darkness and shadows created by the evening and lamp posts helped keep his face from being viewed easily, anyway. His voice was also very deep, compared to his friend’s, anyway.
Once in the bar, Tristin and his friend glanced around, excited to just be in there. Pocketing the card with his other two, the sixteen year old boy started off walking around the bar. It was a nice establishment, and Tristin began to critique some of the areas that could use a bit reconstruction. Stuck in his thoughts, he was nudged by his friend. Turning to look at him, Tristin frowned. “What?”
“I’m thirsty… let’s get something to drink.”
Rolling his eyes, Tristin walked up to the bar, his shoulder back and his head held high, as if he belonged there. He was as tall as most of those around him, and figured he still had a few inches to go. His friend, Carl, was short for their age. He was also a year older than Tristin, but couldn’t grow any patch of facial hair, no matter how many times he shaved a day.
Stepping up to the bar, Tristin ran his hand over the stubble he had let grow out all week. Sitting down on a stool, he sat back and cleared his throat, trying to make his voice deeper than usual. “Bartender, we’ll have two beers.” Glancing around the room, he tried to sit back comfortably in the stool, Carl moving to sit down next to him.
“Yeah, two beers.”
Glaring at Carl, Tristin gave him a warning glance. His friend’s voice wasn’t as deep as it should have been. Pulling the jacket closer, Tristin slumped in the chair, trying to hide his face until the bartender gave them their drinks. One hand in a pocket on his money, Tristin tried to appear as cool as possible.
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Post by Mikala 'Mik' Kona on Jan 27, 2007 18:04:04 GMT -5
Mik was tending bar as he had always done since Kona's openned. His Father originally resisted the idea of a bar and grill, but Mik knew he needed something to help with the pain of losing Alea. Mik smiled as he thought of his beautiful mother and how happy she must be now that her husband had gone on to join her. It was odd but for the first time in his life, Mik was truly alone. His parents were gone and Michele had died years before. There really was no one left. Running a hand through his thinning hair, Mik wondered why he kept going. After all he merely went through the motions of running the place now.
He wasn't so lost in his thoughts that he didn't the two boys that stepped up to the bar. One was trying not to draw attention to himself while the other was trying to act all big and stuff. Mik smirked, ah the annual SWIM fake ids. He couldn't wait to add two more to his collection. Wiping down the counter in front of them, he heard their call for beer.
Mik leaned on the towel and arched an eyebrow at the bartender. and smirked, "The name is Mik, cousin. What's yours?"
Mik waited a beat and smirked as he held his hands out for the ids, "Let see your ids, cousin. The guard at the door is a bit blind. It's a routine around here. No worries."
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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 27, 2007 18:24:13 GMT -5
“The name is Mik, cousin. What’s yours?”
Frowning slightly as the man leaned over slightly. Tristin couldn’t remember the name on the ID for the life of him… it would look a bit obvious if he just pulled it out to read it. Oh, well, he couldn’t be rude all night. “Tristin Calixso Wright.” Smirking slightly, Tristin leaned forward. He was out of school, wouldn’t be going back next year, and thought he was king of the world.
“Let see your ids, cousin. The guard at the door is a bit blind. It’s a routine around here. No worries.”
Glancing back at the guard, as nonchalantly as possible, Tristin smirked. “Perhaps hiring someone who can tell the kids from the adults would be a wise investment. Then you don’t have to worry about those few slipping in.” He wanted to see his id, and now it was Tristin’s turn to try and stall ‘Mik.’ “So where you from, Mik? Don’t think I’ve seen you in here before.”
Trying to play it off as if he had been in there numerous times, Tristin noticed Carl getting antsy. Carl was tapping Tristin’s arm, telling him they should just go. “Oh, and this is Carl.” Patting his friend on the back, he frowned as Carl got up and started heading for the door. Shrugging, he turned his attention back to the bartender. “Two beers still, I’ll buy you one. You look like you could use one.”
His hand fiddled in his pocket and pulled out the three ID cards. Setting them out on the bar, along with a handful of change, he pushed them across the bar at Mik. “Take your pick!” Leaning back in the chair, getting comfortable, he nodded to one older man down the bar before turning his attention back to Mik. If he appeared lazy, perhaps the man would just laugh it off and give him a beer… “So do you deal with a lot of problems in this line of business?”
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Post by Mikala 'Mik' Kona on Jan 27, 2007 18:43:21 GMT -5
Mik filed the name away. It was probably the kids real name since he seemed panicked trying to remember something when asked his name. A first time offender too it seemed. Yet he was a smooth costumer too, unruffled through out the whole ordeal.
“Perhaps hiring someone who can tell the kids from the adults would be a wise investment. Then you don’t have to worry about those few slipping in. So where you from, Mik? Don’t think I’ve seen you in here before.””
Mik smirked. The kid had spunk. Mik could definitely give him that. He was staying calm and cool while his friend was slightly panicking. That's what really told Mik they didn't belong in the bar or they just turned 21. That was extremely unlikely. Plus His comment about never seeing Mik before definitely proved it. Mik was the owner and was constantly behind the bar, but wasn't going to reveal that yet.
"That's my job, cousin. I got a good eyes for students who try to sneak in. I collect the fake ids." Mik informed him as he waited for the cards still. he was stalling and while Mik had grey hair, his mind was not that spotty yet.
“Two beers still, I’ll buy you one. You look like you could use one.”
"I'll pass, Tristin" Mik commented as he picked up the three ids and held his hand out for Carl's. The Second Boy must have seen the train called busted coming because he bolted from the bar. A few of the regulars laughed at the running boy before returning to their drink. Mik grinned at Tristin as he studied the ids, "Your friend seemed antsy."
"So do you deal with a lot of problems in this line of business?”
"Hmm, it seems Troy Finley's getting better at making these." Mik commented with a mischievous grin, "He is getting better that's for sure. Not too many to answer your question once you get the hang of it. So Tristin how old are you really?"
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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 27, 2007 18:53:50 GMT -5
“That’s my job, cousin. I got a good eyes for students who try to sneak in. I collect the fake ids.”
Shrugging slightly, Tristin only let a bit of emotion come over him before he smirked and put his poker face back on. “At least your eyes are working for you. Students try to sneak in a lot?” Leaning against the bar as if that was very interesting, Tristin frowned and concentrated on Mik. “I mean, it would seem that you would want good eyes from the get go, though. One step wrong and it could be the closing down of the bar, right?”
“I’ll pass, Tristin.”
That put him off for a minute. “Well, okay Mik. I’ll still take the one, thanks.” Pocketing what change was left over, figuring it out in his head how much a beer should cost, he finally leaned against the bar as if he really belonged there. He watched Mik waiting for Carl’s ID, and merely watched. The laughter that followed him out was deserved, in Tristin’s mind.
“Your friend seemed antsy.”
Turning his gaze back to the bartender, Tristin smirked and shrugged. “Who, Carl? He was just some kid I helped get in here…” Watching Mik look at the IDs, Tristin tapped his fingertips on the bar, wondering how long it would take to get his beer.
“Hmm, it seems Troy Finley’s getting better at making these… He is getting better that’s for sure. Not too many to answer your question once you get the hang of it. So Tristin how old are you really?”
Giving the man a frown, he felt a little undignified. “Troy Finley? You’ve got to be kidding me… I made those!” Grumbling slightly, he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back. He wanted credit for his work, damn it! Then Mik threw him for a loop, yet again, and asked his age. Frowning and sizing up the older man, he decided he’d try his luck. “Nineteen. I’ll be twenty in three months.” One thing he had always been told was he was a good liar. “And you, Mik? Let me guess, not a day past sixteen.”
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Post by Mikala 'Mik' Kona on Jan 27, 2007 19:13:00 GMT -5
“At least your eyes are working for you. Students try to sneak in a lot? I mean, it would seem that you would want good eyes from the get go, though. One step wrong and it could be the closing down of the bar, right?”
Mik nodded absently as he looked over the ids. Sure he could get in trouble if it was just a bar. However it was a bit of a restaurant too which meant underage people could come in, they just can’t get alcohol. Plus the Guard wasn’t a bouncer but a regular who enjoyed watching the door. That was the thing about Kona’s. Nothing was as it first seemed.
“That depends on the bar, Tristin. This is a bar and grill. So you students can walk in, you just can’t have alcohol.” Mik commented.
“Well, okay Mik. I’ll still take the one, thanks.”
Mik shook his head. The kid was either dense or persistent. Mik was opting for persistent. He was very clever by not showing any signs of stress or nervousness. Mik held on the cards as he surveyed Tristin making no move to pour the beer. He ignored his explanation of Carl. It was clear to Mik they were friends.
“Troy Finley? You’ve got to be kidding me… I made those!”
“Then Mr. Finley needs pointers from you. The age matches the picture. However I doubt even you could pull off being an Alisha, cousin.” Mik pointed out reasonably, “A good attempt though.”
“Nineteen. I’ll be twenty in three months. And you, Mik? Let me guess, not a day past sixteen.”
“Fifty-two.” Mik remarked nonchalantly with an extremely amused grin, “You are not nineteen, Tristin. Try again. If you were you would know who I am. Now let’s try again and this time some honesty.”
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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 27, 2007 19:53:44 GMT -5
“That depends on the bar, Tristin. This is a bar and grill. So you students can walk in, you just can’t have alcohol.”
Raising his eyebrow, Tristin fixed Mik with a glare. “I’m not a student.” That much was true. He could attend SWIM another year if he so choose, but much preferred ending it as soon as possible. Tristin didn’t plan on using his education for anything, anyway. He was doing well in race horse gambling that he figured he would do that until he could start some business. At this point, he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted.
“Bar and grill, hm? What do you grill here?” Glancing around, he frowned. “Burgers?” That sounded good, and with a beer, then… it’d taste much better. If he could talk Mik into serving him a mug of beer, at least. Hm… what else might be served here? Fish might be good, as well. Anything, actually, would give Tristin some more energy and fuel.
“Then Mr. Finley needs pointers from you. The age matches the picture. However I doubt even you could pull off being an Alisha, cousin… A good attempt though.”
Raising his eyebrows, he leaned up to get a look at the ID. He hadn’t meant to put Alisha… Damn, he would just have to try harder next time. Scratching the side of his cheek, the stubble was in need of shaving off. “Thanks…” Perhaps he would try something different next time. Use his picture, name, and then just mess up the age. Then it would be more believable.
“Fifty-two… You are not nineteen, Tristin. Try again. If you were you would know who I am. Now let’s try again and this time some honesty.”
His mouth opened slightly and Tristin thought it out quickly. “I wouldn’t know who you were if I’d never been in here. Or if I had just moved to Salem’s Peak. Perhaps I was just coming in for a beer and some food.” Frowning slightly, he figured he might as well be honest. “Sixteen.”
His arms rested on the bar, and he watched Mik’s reaction. “Fifty-two, though, you’re a bit old. My aunt is near your age, I think.” Rubbing the back of his head, he shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “So what happened? You ended up a bartender at such a late age out of boredom?” Tristin figured he could push his luck until he was kicked out.
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Post by Mikala 'Mik' Kona on Jan 27, 2007 20:33:15 GMT -5
“I wouldn’t know who you were if I’d never been in here. Or if I had just moved to Salem’s Peak. Perhaps I was just coming in for a beer and some food.”
Mik could concede that point but Mik also knew that there were no new families in Salem’s Peak. He would have heard about it through the rumor mill. The fact that hadn’t heard about it proved that Mik was on the right track. So Tristin wasn’t a student and had a good head on his shoulder. He just needed to a guiding hand. As Mik listened to his questions a plan began to form. He thanked any tiki gods that he hadn’t cross yet.
“Sixteen.”
Two more years and he could legally serve, Mik thought. He had a sharp mind and was good at bantering. Mik smiled at Tristin, this young man was indeed a god sent. He even had good judgement. Perfect fit. A little work and he would be a successful businessman and bar owner. He just needed a strong male guiding hand.
“I figured seventeen but sixteen is fine.” Mik grinned, “So how much longer are you stuck in school?”
“Fifty-two, though, you’re a bit old. My aunt is near your age, I think. So what happened? You ended up a bartender at such a late age out of boredom?”
Mik surveyed Tristin as he contemplated the question. It was a hard tale to tell and Mik rarely talked about his own past. He also needed to get the boy back to the school before someone else finds him here. Nodding Mik whistle to the other bartender and indicated that he was going out. Stepping from behind the bar, he motioned to Tristin to follow him as Mik grabbed a beat up leather coat and tugged it on.
Stepping into the winter air, Mik started towards the school, “I hail from Kona, Hawaii originally. Mikala Kona, owner of Kona’s. Mik for short. I opened the bar to distract my father from losing my mother about 8 years ago. It worked pretty well. He died two years ago. What’s your story, Tristin?”
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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 27, 2007 23:32:01 GMT -5
“I figured seventeen but sixteen is fine… So how much longer are you stuck in school?”
That put a little boost to his ego. Unknowingly his chest pushed out a little and he sat up a little straighter. “Oh, I’ve only got a semester. I’m dropping out after this year, seeing as I don’t plan on needing anything else.” No, he didn’t want to stay in school; it was unnecessary, and he had all his ideas laid out. He’d gamble until he got rich, and then see about playing the real estate field.
Frowning as Mik whistled to someone else, he watched him step away from the bar. Opening his mouth to say something, the motion from him stopped the boy. Standing up off the stool, Tristin followed behind Mik outside. What was the old badger doing now? Glancing in the direction they would be heading, he groaned slightly. Not all ready!
“I hail from Kona, Hawaii originally. Mikala Kona, owner of Kona’s. Mik for short. I opened the bar to distract my father from losing my mother about 8 years ago. It worked pretty well. He died two years ago. What’s your story, Tristin?”
“Hawaii? How is it there? Are the women better looking than those around here? Is the surf a lot of fun?” Then he said he was the owner, and Tristin felt like an idiot for a moment. Of course… “Sorry to hear about your father.” Then Mik asking for his story, and at this point he put his hands in his pockets, trudging along. His eyes on the ground in front of him, he merely shrugged.
“Ah… Well, I’m from Scotland.” That seemed well enough. But then again, Mik had opened up, and he supposed it was only right that he did as well. “My… mother died just… a couple… years ago. Ah, 1982.” Frowning, he kicked at something under him before starting on his way once again. Right, now he wanted to get back to the school faster.
“Moved out to the states because my dad couldn’t handle me, and I’ve been living with my aunt. Until I can graduate, at least. Then I’ll start gambling and doing something productive.” That summed it up. Shrugging again, Tristin frowned and fixed his coat a little. “So what’s with the baseball cap?”
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Post by Mikala 'Mik' Kona on Jan 28, 2007 0:24:14 GMT -5
Mik moved along pensievely through the winter evening with his young companion. It was moments like these He wished he was lucky enough to have a son or daughter. Who knows where he would have ended up? Maybe on Kona running a little place there or here in Salem’s Peak retired. Either way he was here with a very sharp witted young man.
“Hawaii? How is it there? Are the women better looking than those around here? Is the surf a lot of fun? Sorry to hear about your father.”
“very warm and beautiful. Everything there is beautiful. But then again I fell in love with a mainland girl. So it’s all relative.” Mik nodded sadly, “Yeah, he was a great guy. He taught me how to sail and fish. There is nothing that can compare to the freedom of the open ocean and the salty breeze. Not even a broom can come close that feeling of freedom. He was the heart of Kona’s.”
Mik trudged slowly through the Streets of Salem’s Peak as they headed for the school. He heard the pain in Tristin’s voice as he spoke of him own past. It was hard on anyone dealing with death of a loved one especially a parent. Mik could sympathize with Tristin’s pain. He could see that he wanted this walk to be much much shorter.
“Ah… Well, I’m from Scotland. My… mother died just… a couple… years ago. Ah, 1982. Moved out to the states because my dad couldn’t handle me, and I’ve been living with my aunt. Until I can graduate, at least. Then I’ll start gambling and doing something productive.”
“A gambler, huh? And you don’t think you’ll need anything you learned in school?” Mik asked amused, “Maybe I can help with the productive part and we can curb the gambling a bit. After all from what I heard debtors’ prison is not the best place to be.”
“So what’s with the baseball cap?”
Mik started laughing. Oh the kid had gumption. Mik loved it. With a little work, he would be a sensation. He was a definitely gambler. Mik grinned at Tristin as he lift his cap to reveal the already appearing bald spot. Mik refuse to be one of those comb over guys so He just took to wearing caps. They were dead useful when sailing.
“Any other questions, young jedi?” Mik joked.
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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 28, 2007 12:04:23 GMT -5
“very warm and beautiful. Everything there is beautiful. But then again I fell in love with a mainland girl. So it’s all relative.”
Fell in love with a mainland girl? Interesting… Tristin hoped he never fell in love. It seemed to complicate things too much, and made life difficult. Obviously, he didn’t see the girl that Mik had loved with him, so something had happened. Tucking that bit of information away, he figured he’d ask about her later.
“Yeah, he was a great guy. He taught me how to sail and fish. There is nothing that can compare to the freedom of the open ocean and the salty breeze. Not even a broom can come close that feeling of freedom. He was the heart of Kona’s.”
Letting Mik get out his feelings about his father and… sailing? Frowning slightly, he looked up at the man and scratched the back of his head. “Heart of… Kona’s the bar? Or your family… Kona?” Tristin was a bit confused, and figured the man next to him would explain it. But sailing sounded fun, and maybe fishing too. “See, I like horses.” What an odd statement to make…
He supposed he thought riding a horse was better than a broom. You could feel the power under you; move the animal with a few gentle pressures against their side… How the horse and person could become one, moving in fluid motion among the hills and trees. It was something he missed. Perhaps one of the only things he really missed about being home.
“A gambler, huh? And you don’t think you’ll need anything you learned in school?”
Shaking his head, Tristin glanced at Mik. “No… Not really. I all ready knew how to gamble before SWIM… Maybe some of it was important, but I feel ready to be done.”
“Maybe I can help with the productive part and we can curb the gambling a bit. After all from what I heard debtors’ prison is not the best place to be.”
Tristin laughed and shrugged. “I don’t think I’d end up in debtors’ prison, Mik. I’m good at gambling. Have been since I was little.” However, the first part of his statement had confused him, though Tristin didn’t want to ask for more information on that part. Curb the gambling? Why? There wasn’t much to it, he just picked a horse and most times the horse won.
Mik started laughing, and Tristin turned to look at him. When he lifted the cap, Tristin slowed to look, and noticed the bald spot. Ah… that made sense, he supposed. Smirking, he started walking next to Mik once more. Not the best fashion statement, perhaps, but it seemed to work for the bar owner.
“Any other questions, young jedi?”
Confusion lit his face. Sure he had other questions… Tristin always had questions that he wanted answered. Most times he was just pushed aside and told to wait. However, Mik was encouraging him, for good or bad… “Jedi? What is that?”
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Post by Mikala 'Mik' Kona on Jan 28, 2007 21:25:08 GMT -5
Mik smiled as he walked along the snow covered street. He glanced at his companion as they moved. Mik grew up in a place where snow was something you saw on TV. So his first winter was one of awe. He was 21 when he first saw snow. He just stood on the deck of his ship and stared at it. It was endlessly amusing to his buddies, but Mik never lost that child like fascination with it. He absolutely enjoyed it when he moved his father to Salem’s Peak and Jason Kona was bedazzled by it. He was pulled from the memories by Tristin’s voice.
“Heart of… Kona’s the bar? Or your family… Kona? See, I like horses.”
Mik paused as he pondered the answer. His father was the heart of many things. Of his family that was all his mother, Alea. Alea held Both Mik and Jason together through the hard times. She was always singing or humming something as she moved. Once His father told Mik that Alea was the best Hula dancer in all of Hawaii, and Mik believed it. Still did to this day.
“He was the heart of the bar. That’s why it’s named after him. Sure he teased and gumped about it when it was first being built, but the second those doors opened, he was on cloud nine. Especially when we would get the students. He loved telling them stories from Hawaii.” Mik grinned, “But my mother was the heart of my family. It nearly killed my dad to lose her. Mine too. She helped me through some tough times. I even wrote a song about her. The Angel of Hawaii. Ever heard of it?”
Mik thought about the horses bit. Jefferson McFly owed him some money. Maybe he’ll trade off and let the boy look after at his horses. God knows, Jefferson couldn’t do it anymore and his grandchildren all moved away to New York City. Yes, Mik was going to have a talk with Jefferson and see if he could get Tristin up to the farm. There was nothing wrong with gambling but Mik believed that too much can get you in trouble with the wrong kind of folks.
“No… Not really. I all ready knew how to gamble before SWIM… Maybe some of it was important, but I feel ready to be done. I don’t think I’d end up in debtors’ prison, Mik. I’m good at gambling. Have been since I was little.”
“I can imagine. You also probably didn’t think you would get nailed using a fake id or be walking back to your school with a bar owner talking about the past.” Mik smirked, “Show you how funny life can be. First bit of advice, Tristin, Never try to think you can predict life. It tends to have a two by four waiting for you if you do.”
Mik adjusted his hat and looked at Tristin as he asked about what a Jedi was? Mik noted to get a copy of that new trilogy of movies to show Tristin. Seriously these young wizards and witches need to start checking out Muggle Culture a bit more. They have some really interesting things over there.
“It’s from an interesting movie series called Star Wars. I’ll see if Geoff the cook has a copy for you to borrow. It’s an interesting Muggle movie series that my father enjoyed. In Hawaii there is no separate culture. It’s part of ohana. This culture that everyone is family.” Mik explained, “I wished more people followed it.”
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Post by Tristin Calixso Wright on Jan 31, 2007 1:02:41 GMT -5
“He was the heart of the bar. That’s why it’s named after him. Sure he teased and gumped about it when it was first being built, but the second those doors opened, he was on cloud nine. Especially when we would get the students. He loved telling them stories from Hawaii… But my mother was the heart of my family. It nearly killed my dad to lose her. Mine too. She helped me through some tough times. I even wrote a song about her. The Angel of Hawaii. Ever heard of it?”
Listening to Mik, Tristin wondered how much the man could talk. However, he could be attentive if needed. Most times Tristin wouldn’t give one bit of caring to someone else’s troubles, but with Mik, he felt some sort of… bond was really pushing it quite yet, but it was something. Shaking his head when Mik asked if he’d ever heard that song, he shrugged. “I don’t listen to much Muggle music.”
He hadn’t had much chance, nor would he have given himself the pleasure. Perhaps he just assumed Mik wrote Muggle music because he looked like one. Truth was, he didn’t listen to much music, whether it was Muggle or Wizard. “Sorry you lost both your parents.” Tristin didn’t think he’d mind losing his father; the man hadn’t had much to do with him. His mother had been there for him, even when his little brother was born.
“I can imagine. You also probably didn’t think you would get nailed using a fake id or be walking back to your school with a bar owner talking about the past.”
Shrugging at that, he rubbed the back of his head. “I expected someone would eventually figure out I was using a fake ID… and no, I guess I didn’t think you’d be taking me back to school. Most times when I get caught I just get told to move along.” Talking about the past wasn’t something he did much. He wasn’t up for talking about talking about it. Was it not enough to be doing it?
“Show you how funny life can be. First bit of advice, Tristin, Never try to think you can predict life. It tends to have a two by four waiting for you if you do.”
Frowning, Tristin all ready had his comment for that. “You planning on giving me much more advice, Mik?” He didn’t take to many people telling him what to do. Call it his rebellious attitude. Or his attitude… Tristin didn’t think he needed more ‘advice,’ though he couldn’t stop the annoying tickle in the back of his mind that said he kind of liked hearing it. At least Mik put a little humor in it.
“It’s from an interesting movie series called Star Wars. I’ll see if Geoff the cook has a copy for you to borrow. It’s an interesting Muggle movie series that my father enjoyed. In Hawaii there is no separate culture. It’s part of ohana. This culture that everyone is family… I wished more people followed it.”
Perhaps learning more about Muggles was something to look into. They had odd movie titles, though. Star Wars? Glancing up at the sky, he frowned in thought. “Okay.” It was odd, but it felt okay to think he would see Mik again. Ohana, though, made him pause. His brows drew together in thought, and Tristin shook his head. Not everyone was family. No way. Perhaps he was too jaded at such a young age… but there was no way he would allow everyone to be treated the same. His family didn’t deserve it. Absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't realize the look on his face as he trudged alongside Mik.
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