Log:Not in Your Head

2020/05/14 	 Bran Phantom

1

The Spinning Disk Pizza Parlor strives to retain a bit of the old and the quaint in this day and age. The main room of the parlor is large, maybe 1500 square feet. Near the front entrance is a counter with the cash register where customers to make to-go orders, or pay as they leave. It is also where the host or hostess escorts parties to their tables. A small alcove near the front entrance provides a small video arcade machine making luring game sounds to tempt the customer into inserting money into it for a few minutes of entertainment while they wait. The entire restaurant is done 'old-style' decor, with incandescent bulbs in white-frosted glass domes hanging over booths and tables. The walls are done in an inch wide dark wood paneling from floor to ceiling. Paintings and pictures of various famous people: stars, politicians, and even a hero or two, often with the owners or various workers, hang along the walls. Bathrooms are off a hallway in a corner, while the entire rear wall is lined with brick ovens where the pizzas are cooked which are located behind an ordering counter. And of course a pair of swinging doors is just to the side of the ovens, which lead into the back where the full kitchen is laid out.

It's after school, but not yet dinner time. The arcade and some of the tables are flooded with teenagers from schools around the city. Travis is at a small booth, slurping a soda with crushed ice as a personal sized pizza is dropped off at the table. "Thanks," he smiles, wearing his raybans indoors. Based on the table choice, he presumably is waiting for some friends.

Bran doesn't have to work today at the auto repair place, since it's one of his days off. He steps into the pizza place and looks around.

There's a bunch of cute girls at the table adjacent to Travis. They're just laughing and talking gossip when a teenaged guy and his two friends walk up and start bothering them. At first it's just talk, then it's more aggressively trying to pressure one of them into a date, making the girls increasingly uncomfortable. Finally Travis looks their way. "Hey, Brett, take the hint and leave them alone," he says in exasperation.

Bran furrows hiw brow and looks over toward Brett and his friends, his attention drawn by Travis. Someone he recognizes. He gives Travis a wave.

Bran heads to the counter to get a couple of slices, but he keeps his eyes on the jocks for the time being. Must not lash out. Must not lash out.

Travis glances Bran's way and gives him a smile and a friendly wave, just as Brett and his friends turn to face Travis and take the three steps to reach his table.

"Mind your own business, Travis. You don't have your team to back you up," says the boy. He's not that much taller than Travis, but he's bulkier and on the wrestling team for Bayside.

Travis finishes taking a bite from his pizza and sets it down calmly, looking up towards Brett. "Seriously, Brett? This isn't going to work for you. Just...go home." It's a firm command, but it's accompanied with a mental push.

"Ah...he ain't worth it. Let's go," Brett says and starts walking out of the pizza place. His friends look at each other confused, then move to quickly follow.

Bran watches the interaction...but then his gaze drifts to Travis, having definitely noticed...something. Maybe...he might be someone to talk to about his current situation? Maybe. He grabs his food and walks over to Travis's table, "Mind if I join you?"

Travis smiles and leans back in his seat. "Sure, take a seat," he says invitingly.

Bran sits down and smiles, though with a hint of...nervousness? "I umm...saw what you did with your classmate Brett there. Not just convincing him. But...well, doing something else."

Travis's eyebrows raise over his sunglasses. "Something else?" he asks. It's clear his testing Bran for a bit more information, prompting him to be more specific.

Bran nods and taps his temple. "I can see some things with my mind." He looks around to make sure no one else is close enough to hear before he says, "I saw you reach out with your mind and hit him with something. Not sure what. But something. More subtle than what I can do."

Bran smiles...perhaps a little bitterly, "Had I done it, he'd have been laid out on the floor. Or...everyeone in the room would have. One or the other."

Bran blinks...realizing he might be comign off as a crackpot. Maybe it's in his head after all.

Travis's eyes widen a bit more behind the raybans. "Shick," he utters under his breath. "You saw that?" he says quietly. He doesn't have to look around to sense people are now ignoring them. "I just tried to avoid a fight by making him leave. No real harm done. I didn't want to hurt him," he believes, not understanding the laws. Also, teenagers. Would they pay attention anyway?

He sits up and leans a bit closer so they can keep the conversation private. "You can do stuff like that, too? I can't do that to a whole room," he says in quiet awe.

Bran starts to apologize and stand up...until Travis confirms what he saw. Bran noticeably relaxes after that. "Well, I sensed it. Yeah...um....I can. But it's not very...gentle." He takes a few bites of his pizza, and then finally says, "It's why I got expelled from my last school. I got into a fight in the hallway...and I got the worst of it. My...mind lashed out in all directions, and I knocked a good...ten kids unconscious, or close to it? I didn't even know I could do that, but the admins didn't give a . So, I ended up having to leave the school. That's how I ended up living with my sister in town."

Bran adds quietly, "You're the first person I've told here."

"Shick, that sucks that they didn't care or listen. So it hurt you, too?" Travis asks with understanding and commiseration in his voice. Realizing Bran's told him first, he says quietly with a reassuring smile, "Hey, I'll keep it between us. It's for you to tell, not me."

Bran nods. "Yeah. It hurt. A little. I think. I mean...I had already been smashed head first into a locker by one of the football players, so...I was already hurting pretty bad. Got a scar on the stop of my head from it, but it's covered up by my hair."

Bran chuckles. "I bled all over the other kid. Showed him." He snorts and finishes off his first slice of pizza.

"Ouch, man...sorry to hear that," Travis winces sympathetically at hearing he got beat up by one of the football players. Though he does chuckle at Bran's comment. "Sounds like that ass had it coming. The others...well, I don't know 'em, so maybe. Maybe not. Was that the first time that ever happened?"

Bran nods. "Yeah, first time. I'm...getting some help at controlling my powers while I'm here." He doesnt' want to also out his sister's powers, so he keeps that close to his chest. "Got a local referral. And...so far, I've been able to keep my lashing out. But I'm a little nervous about getting involved in a fight of some kind. I see all the metas around...and I want to help, you know? I just...well, I'm afraid I'll it up."

Bran shrugs, "And my solution with your buddy Brett would have been to blast his mind. Drop him like a rock. Not exactly the best option."

Travis picks up his pizza and takes a bite as he listens, nodding. "Can't believe they expelled you for that. Especially if it was your first time and you couldn't control it." He smiles understandingly. "Hey, it's okay to want to help. I mean, anyone can it up, right? Someone hits too hard, misses a throw, but if they were trying to help and do the right thing, how can they get mad? Your heart'd be in the right place." He turns his head to the door and smirks. "I get tempted by that sometimes. When I was little, I would do that. I didn't know what I was doing, though."

Bran rubs the back of his neck. "I...was already a problem at the school. This was just the last straw for the Principal. At least that's what I think he was thinking."

Bran frowns...and finishes off the second piece of pizza in front of him while keeping his eyes down at the table. "I've always been a up. I...got another chance. But I'm not sure how many more I get. Might be the last one."

Bran smiles slightly, though with a slight hint of bitterness, at remembering his sister's nickname for him. "My sister refers to me as 'Flake'. She means well. And I know she loves me. But she thinks I'm flaky."

"Bran...Flake?" Travis finally figures out the nickname. "You know she thinks your flaky, or you're guessing based on the name?"

Bran shrugs, "She told me that was the reason. But that was a few years ago. I think the name stuck after that...as some kind of...'term of endearment' or whatever."

Bran says, "So...I dunno if she still feels that way. Hard to not though, with the way I've been screwing up lately."

Bran takes a deep breath. "Sorry to dump all this stuff on you. You like...barely know me."

"Well, just because the name stuck doesn't mean the rep has to," Travis offers, gesturing vaguely with his drooping pizza slice. "I seriously doubt this is you last chance. So...do what you can, try your best, and if you mess up again? Pick yourself up and keep trying," he says encouragingly. He may be learning pep talks from being on a team, and not the sports kind.

"Hey, man, no anx. Sounds like you need someone to talk to. It's actually cool to have someone to talk to who gets it," Travis smiles, not having any judgements. "It's nice that you trust me when you barely know me, too." His smile dims a little. "Okay, so full disclosure, I'm on the football team, but I don't tolerate bullying. The team still has its share of ***holes, though. I'm sorry the jocks at you old school hassled you."

Bran smiles slightly and sips his drink. "Thanks." He nods. "You play football, huh? No offense, but...you seem nicer than the other guys I've seen who play."

Travis shrugs. "My friends say I should've tried out for the cheerleader squad instead," he chuckles. "I just...don't feel the need to be a jerk. Doesn't seem that hard, but it seems like a lot of the other jocks have problems with that." He thinks of Pierce and his buddies. "And we got some real grade A jerkwads on my team. I don't let them get away with that shick if they do it in front of me, but I got to be careful. I can't always do to them what I did with Brett."

Bran nods slowly. "Some of them stronger willed than others?"

"A little. I also try not to use my abilities on just anyone. Well, trying to get better about not doing that," Travis rubs the back of his head. "I'm...conflicted. I did something I shouldn't have, recently. Nobody knows I did it. It felt right at the time, but I dunno. I'm second guessing myself now."

Bran shrugs, "I can't tell you if it was right or wrong. I don't know what it is. But...probably best if you don't tell me."

Travis nods and smiles. "Probably. Safer that way for all," he adds. "I'll just have to think better about things next time." He slurps some of his soda. "So things are still going okay at this new school?"

Bran blinks. "Umm...yeah. So far. Managed to avoid any trouble. I'm worried about finals, though. I mean, there's only a few weeks before finals, and I have to try to pass classes I've barely been a part of."

"Shick, that's intense. How's that even going to be possible?" Travis asks in dismay.

Bran shrugs, "I...dunno. My teachers are trying to come up with an 'education plan' or some such. I'll do what I can, but I might be a junior again next year at this rate."

Travis winces sympathetically. "Shick, I hope you don't have to repeat it, but it's not really your fault. I'm going to be a junior next year."

Bran nods. "Yeah...I know it's not my fault. But it's a full year. Not sure I want to spend an extra year in school, but I might not have much choice."

Travis sinks in his seat and groans in sympathy for Bran. "Maaaan. I hope you're able to pass it somehow." The table near them clears and Travis takes note of that. "I can't really help much with that, but if you, like, need help with the other stuff, or just someone to talk to about it, you're welcome to come to me," he offers.

Bran smiles, "I apprecaite that. I mean...i'm getting some help, like I said. But...the person helping me is a bit older. Hard to relate to, sometimes."

"They're probably more experienced than I am. I haven't, like, trained anyone in stuff like this," Travis admits. "Still. You need to vent, or having issues, hit me up whenever."

Bran finishes up his drink. "Thanks."