#bergen_county

Mmm he thinks he's good.

He looks at Zane. "How do I look?"

"Hairs a bit mused and you might want to wipe your brow"

He grooms up. "Better?"

"Much... " he says

"Cool. Sober?"

"mm. hold up" He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a breath spray and hands it to him "Take a spritz of this"

He does, a couple, moves it around, and then swallows.

It seems to clear his head, and definitely clears his breath

"Hooo. Ok?"

"Yeah. Ready to go?"

"Yeah." He's still reluctant, but he stands and leads Zane back to the car.

"I can drive if you want" he says

"Wait till you see it....."

And.... there it is in the parking lot.

And they go to it and "New Air Freshener?"

"Think it needs one?" Scowling, he turns to look at the car.

It's...totally unharmed. There's no dents, no dings.

Not scrapes. Tires look good

"no seriously dude, what's the joke?" Zane asks

"HUH??" He stares.

"Dude, I ran a truck off the road earlier!" He protests even as he goes to inspect the car. "There were.... dents and the ...tires...." checking it out.

"You... ah.. your car looks good to me"

"Yeah but.... how??"

The tires ..look new

"Man, I don't know. I could try to omen the car but I'm not that advanced at mechanical things" Zane says

Adam stands, finally, flabbergasted. "I... I guess... we go home?"

"Hey, yeah, can we go to your place? I can tell my folks I'm sleeping over?"

"You sure? Your folks invited me for dinner. " he says looking at his phone "They're having ribs"

"Aw shit...." He slumps. "Ribs with you and my family or hooking up with Piper? Yeah, man, ribs all the way." Clearly -not- a true sentiment.

"I knew it" He pats him on the shoulder "And dude, invite her over too if your parents haven't already"

A snort, he starts the car and off they go. "Why would they have done that?"

"Same reason they invited me? She's a 'friend' to you?" He says "Okay, yes, I have nicer legs, but otherwise, same thing"

"You do -not-." He assures Zane with confidence. "Look, they grounded me, then ignored me... which was fine.... and now they're all cozy-family again? I just want to have a good time, you know? And....."

Zane .. just listens.

"And that's not easy when your parents keep switching signals." He switched what he was about to say. "Shit, just... you know, let me go? You guys get way more freedom than I do. Even -Lily- does."

"I hear you, man. I think they're still trying to space things out in their head but they're still not grokking the whole wilder hero thing"

"Not a hero yet. Maybe never. DAMN SURE never if I don't get some space."

"Adventure, explore.... " He grins ".... meet new people."

"And make out with the sexy ones" A grin

"Damn right." The grin stays.

"And.... you know, Pennons? And the other time I went to one of those big courts? Or that place in Teaneck? Man, I could -live- there and be just -fine.-"

"Oh Teaneck is more trouble than its' worth dude. it's the spy central of the County. Sure, sounds fun, then next thing you know you're holding the murder weapon in an Aill court with fingers pointing at you and the nobles here going 'how did THAT happen, bad puppet, bad'"

"Yeah, but I'd, like, solve the murder or something. And look good doing it."

"Someone's feeling their oats" A pat on the shoulder "Look, I can't change your parents minds all at once, but I'll stick up for you, let them know what good you're doing "

Soon enough they arrive?

"Well, if not Teaneck then one of the other places."

"Dude, you hate the lodge?" They get out

"Hate it? Naw. I mean.... I mean, there could have been worse places to ... I don't know, get found? "

"Some folks there have been really decent." He admits.