How Green Becomes Wood

"Oh, yeah. I've been getting good ones, I think. I'll see when they're developed." Milo replied, looking down at the camera and turning it over in his hands.

"Because it's private," Sloan replied, frowning, "If they wanted to tell you, they would. And if all you have to go off of is stereotypes, then that's not any different than presuming someone of a certain race is good at a certain sport. Like, what does a gay person look like?"
 
"Sweet! I had a friend at my old school who did pictures, but he used, like, high-end tech stuff and focused on sports. Sold some pictures to a couple of mags. It always looked real hard to me," Toby told him.

"I dunno, which is why I can't seem to get a date," the girl told her, cracking a smile. "They all end up being straight. Apparently, I don't have the mythical gaydar, so I'm stuck. Are you gay? Either way, do you want to dance? I watched you dance, and you're awesome, and Sherri won't dance with anyone."

Her friend turned red and mouthed, "I'm so sorry."
 
"I think, you know," Milo shrugged, still not looking up, "Everything is hard if you don't know how to do it."

Sloan's face also flushed at the comment and her eyes widened, "Um... I..." She swallowed, trying to figure out how on earth to respond to that, "I'm, sorry, I don't think we've... met."
 
"That's true!" Toby grinned. His Jersey accent was a bit stronger than his mother's. He folded a wide slice of pizza in half and started eating. "That's how it is with skating," he mumbled. "Then it gets fun. What's fun for you?"

"Oh, right, guess I did get ahead of myself." She stuck her hand out. "I'm Rumy. And this is my best friend Brigette. She hates dancing. I love dancing."

"Sorry," said the pink-faced Brigette. "I'm just going to get a drink."
 
"Nice. I'm into skateboarding and rollerblading. It's the best, feels like you're flying! Until you crash," Toby laughed. "Oh! There's Moe! I'm going to shove off. Nice, meeting you, Milo!"

"Oh, that's Brigette. It's a long story," Rumy grinned. "This is a great party, though. Do you want a drink? I hear they're really good."
 
Milo nodded, feeling like he probably understood since he liked to ride his bike... But what if it was different? He didn't know how to skateboard, it probably felt different, and if he said that he understood, he'd look damn stupid if he was told that he didn't, actually, and then--he scratched his arm, trying to think of a response--if he told him I bet it does, he'd probably sound dismissive, and he didn't want to be a jerk, but now he had taken so much time thinking and staring at his camera. "Nicetomeetyoutoo." He mumbled, looking sharply up as Toby walked away.

"I thought you wanted to dance," Sloan said, tucking a curl back, "but, I... I guess we could get a drink, if you'd like."
 
Xander watched Milo, taking a sip from his drink, noting the arm scratching. "You okay there, Stitch?" he finally asked.

Rumy shrugged. "Well, I'm obviously not good at reading people, but it looked like I was freaking you out. I thought maybe a drink might be less freaky?" She smiled and shrugged. "You can say no, if you want. I'd understand. I'm not everyone's cup of tea."
 
Turning and looking at Xander, he made eye contact and then quickly looked away, "I just didn't get the manual."

"I was just... surprised, I guess. It's not what I was expecting." Sloan replied, taking a brief glance around the dance floor, trying to figure out how this other girl was connected back to her friend group, "I don't mean that negatively, or anything."
 
"Wait, there's a manual? No one even told me there's a manual. I totally would have stolen one by now," Xander scowled. "You think it's too late to snag one now?"

Rumy grinned. "So. You wanna dance, drink, or duck out of this conversation? I respect any choice you make."
 
"I think so." Milo said, "I just don't know how to talk to people."

"We... we can get a drink," Sloan said, shrugging, "I mean, when's the next time we'll be at a place like this with an open bar. We may as well make the most of it."
 
"Me, I'm brilliant at it. I'll teach you everything I know," Xander told him with a straight face.

Rumy brightened. "Right on! It looks like Sherri already got something and headed to a table, and there's no line! I'm telling you, this is like the best day ever! And the best party I've ever been to." She led the way to the bar and quizzed the poor bartender for several minutes before picky a fruity concoction that had a little umbrella in it. She instantly took the umbrella out, licked off the end, and then stuck it in her hair like a flower.
 
"Isn't it the one thing people are supposed to be able to do?" Milo asked with a sigh, taking a few more pictures.

"Oh perfect," Sloan laughed lightly, and then ordered the same drink, "Now you're ready for when it rains. It is a pretty cool party. I guess Peter wanted to do something special. I mean, if you have the resources... Why not?"
 
"Not naturally, no, not in general," Xander shrugged. "My dad is a lot like you, believe it or not, but he learned how to be a good speaker and talk to people because he wanted to. Mama takes him to her super fancy work parties and he does really well. You and me, we could be like that if we wanted to. I don't, but I could."

Rumy grinned and shook her head so her blue-tipped dark hair flicked. "Right! Always be prepared! And Peter is pretty awesome. You want to join Sherri? She's over there."
 
Milo looked at Xander, "Mr. Dark is also tall and handsome. I'm not charming." He shrugged, "I don't think even with practice I could be like that."

"Sure," Sloan said, walking with her to where Sherri was waiting, "He almost moved a few months ago, but his family decided against it.'
 
Xander took a long sip out of his mostly empty glass, making it gurgle annoyingly. "You're tall. You ain't ugly. Charming is something you learn. I'd say you're ahead of me there. At least you don't have to start by unlearning how to be an ass."

"Really? Wow, that would have devastated Sherri," Rumy told her.

Sherri was sitting sipping her drink as she watched Peter and Alec having a complete blast on the dance floor. She looked wistful, but as soon as she realized Rumy and Sloan were approaching, she pulled herself up and pretended to be watching Tom and his partner awkwardly slow dancing to a song that wasn't actually that slow. "Hey! What did you guys get?"
 
"Yeah but I'm not," He gestured with his hands, trying to indicate broad and strong, but it didn't turn out particularly elegant, "Your dad has, I don't know. Presence. You've got it, too. And you can talk better than I can. My mouth goes dry."

"I got... whatever she got, I guess," Sloan said, actually looking at the drink for the first time, "It looked pretty fun. And a bit over the top."
 
"Not everyone needs to make a splash wherever they go. That's where we get spies and some awesome artists, 'specially street artists. But you can learn to talk. I mean, you're talkin' to me right now, ain't you? And remember back when I yelled at you and you called me out? Sure weren't dry-mouthed then, were you?" Xander reminded him.

"I guess it wouldn't be as fun otherwise, would it?" she asked with a smile. "I think that it tastes pretty good, though."

"Mine's awesome and tastes like blackberries," Rumy said cheerfully.
 
Milo shook his head, "That's different. Not letting people push you around isn't the same thing as being able to just... talk."

"This is the right night to get something over the top, right? I mean look at this place, I doubt prom will even be this fancy... What grade are you both in, by the way?"
 
"I dunno. I always thought that standing up for yourself was way harder, but you didn't just wake up one day and be able to talk full sentences, did you? You had to figure out how words worked and what they meant. It's the same thing with talking to other people, and it's something I had to learn. What I'm still learning." Xander held up his hand to look at it thoughtfully. "I'm learning Judo. Sometimes, it hurts. But when I get hurt, I learn how to fix it so it doesn't hurt. It's the same with talking to people. Sometimes I still say the wrong thing that hurts other people, and that hurts me, so I learn to not say those things. Each time, it gets a little easier." He dropped his hand. "But even if you never get charming, slick, and cool as hell, there's always someone who will like you no matter how angry you get or how awkward and stammery you are. Not everyone likes slick just like not everyone likes stammery."

"Junior," Sherri told her while Rumy attacked her drink. "I hope prom is cool, but I don't think it'll have even a chance of beating this out!"
 
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