Burning Bridges, Building Love

The girls playing natives stood in the room awkwardly as Jake and the rest of the guys stood across the room from them like a horrible middle school dance. Only a few of the girls were actually dressed in typical outfit as scientists. The same went for the men but none of those dressed in little clothing seemed to care, self conscious wasn’t their thing.

“This is awkward.” Jake whispered shifting lightly as the half dressed women tried to covered their stomachs, their thighs, and what of their chests that were exposed all at the same time.

“Trust me, this is the calm before the storm.” Big Cat sighed as he pulled on his khaki vest. “Really, khaki? Ghetto.” He grumbled eyeing the nearly all khaki outfit they’d put him in. Khaki pants, hiking boots, khaki vest and a cream colored work shirt. “I feel like that dead Crocodile dude.” Jake snorted that the comment, covering his mouth. “I do.” He huffed. “Oh god.” Big Cat put a hand over his face. “I need new friends.” He sighed.

“Starting to sound like Rayne?” Jake questioned. Big Cat just groaned nodding slowly. “Don’t worry, you’ll have to drink a lot of energy drinks, and take more happy pills than man could produce, ever, to sound like her all the time.” Jake nodded as Big cat stared at him with a blatant look that stated ‘I know right, dude?’. It made Jake laugh at him. “So what about this being the calm before the storm?”

Big Cat exhaled through his nose eyeing all the awkward women. Not all of them were perfect but that’s what made them beautiful, they just couldn’t let go of their insecurities and the ones that stood proudly were far too skinny.

“They’re self conscious and insecure now.” Big Cat whispered turning around so they couldn’t read his lips. “They’ll really be conscious and insecure when Ray get’s out here.” Jake frowned.

“What’d you mean?” He whispered back.

“Have you ever seen her with out a shirt, or a pro-extreme action athletes body? Let alone a girls?” Jake shook his head.

“Dude! You’re Crocodile Dundee!” Rayne laughed seeing Big Cat’s back. “Aw, you’re cute.” She giggled walking towards the group.

Jake curled his lips in to not let his mouth drop open at the lines and curves to Rayne’s body as she stood in nothing more than a pair of green short-shorts with a dark brown loincloth around her waist, a bikini like green top hugged her small chest as decorative jewelry hung around her neck, both wrists, and both ankles.

He’d never seen a woman so fit before. Not a single spot on her body held fat, only curves and lines her tan, taught skin, made over the toned and well shaped muscle below. Her muscle was worked and shaped perfectly. As if Greek God’s had created her. With the muscle not only came lines across her torso that made his mouth water but she still held feminine curves to her hips, thighs, and even in her smaller breasts.

“Hey!” She pointed laughing. “Atleast you don’t look like Big Bird.” She pointed at the feathers, jewels, and a few fake bones teased and weaved into her hair. “This took fucking days.” She groaned.

“Says the woman who rolls out of bed and it looks like that naturally till her helmet smoothes’ it out.” Big Cat laughed.

“Dude, not even.” She began scratching her head. “It itches like a mother….what?” She groaned as Gloria glaring at her. “I didn’t do it! I swear!” She paused glancing at Jake since Big Cat had his hands over his face. “Wait, am I in trouble?” She whispered up at him as he tried to get his eyes to reel back in.

“I…uh… don’t know.” Jake mumbled.

“Young lady…” Rayne turned looking at Gloria nervously.

“Dude,” She whispered up to Big Cat. “Scarier than my mom.” Big Cat slapped his forehead. “She is!”

“Young lady!” Gloria snapped making Rayne turn back to her. “What is that?” she pointed at the thing in Rayne’s hand. Rayne lifted it and shrugged “What is it?”

“Uh…” Rayne stuck it in the front of her top. “What’s what?” Jake began laughing.

“Dude, that things not small, how does that hide in there? You don’t have any boobs to…ugh.” Big Cat dropped to the ground once Rayne’s elbow had made quick, swift contact.

“Remember,” Jake snorted. “She’s stronger than you.” He laughed. “What was that?”

“None ya!” She laughed. “As in, none ya business!” She huffed.

“You shouldn’t do that again.” Jake stated seriously. “You and the gangster thing, yeah, doesn’t work.” He smiled as he mouth dropped open.

“Rayne!” Rayne spun around before she could shoot off a response to Jake’s comment and blinked startled. “Don’t make me call your mother.”

“She won’t do anything but send Tommy, who won’t show up at all. It’s Hawaii. He’ll find the closest convenient store to a beach and shift between the two places, smoking and hitting on woman way, and do mean WAY out of his league.” Gloria stuck her hand out. “Why? It’s mine!” She pouted.

“What are you? Five?” Kristin snorted annoyed.

“I’m six actually!” Jutting her tongue out at the woman Rayne huffed. Jake covered his mouth trying not to laugh at her face. She was entertaining that was for sure. “Get it right, and try being nice.” She huffed hotly. “You’re always mean. I don’t know what crawled up your ass or didn’t for that matter but fix it. Shesh!” Rolling her eyes Rayne turned back to Gloria. “What! She is always mean!”

“I love how your twenty and you still answer to people like you need to explain yourself to half the adults you meet.” Rayne sighed.

“I know bro.”

“It gets you in trouble.”

“Then shut me up!” She groaned

“Nah.” Big Cat smiled. “It’s entertaining.” Jake laughed at the two.

“You act like siblings.” Jake pointed out.

“He was in the room when I was born.”

“That horrific day the earth stood still as it witnessed the true bringer of destruction born into human form. Derek and I had full successful and well choreographed lives before that day but the second you screamed all our hopes and dreams were shattered as hell froze over and Lucifer began to relax as his hard thought out plans were easily countered and taken care of by the hand of god and your parents’ inability to stop at five.”

The room stood still watching Big Cat stare at the ground with pursed lips and slowly began to bob his head. Rayne frowned at him as everyone else stared at him with wide eyes.

“Why are you so god damn depressing dude? Jesus Christ.” Rayne broke the silence with a lack of articulate grace Big Cat processed.

“That held deep profoundness man. That came from the heart didn’t it?” Jake laughed.

“You have no idea.” Big Cat laughed. Rayne frowned. “Aw fuck.” Quickly he turned off his hearing aids as her mouth opened.

“Dick.” She laughed.