"Nevermind, you know that everybody has been crazy worried about you?"
He never did consider this part when running away. He was too filled with his own emotions. Confronted with the question he felt childish.
"Sorry. It's nice to see you."
Professionally speaking, It had been awhile since he ran away. But life-wise it had not been long at all. Definitely not long enough to expect a person to look older. But she did. And he saw her different now.
"You wouldn't have time for a coffee would you?"
"At this hour? You? I mean yeah I'm down but you never drink caffeine after noon."
Jack grinned. She was right. He had even avoided caffeine after 11 if he could help it.
"I guess things changed."
She gave him a deeper look with a furrowed brow. Jack imagined that she was wondering if this was indeed Jack.
They went down to the cafe by the pier. She had a Americano and he had a
cappuccino
. She told him about life in California after he left. How the team kept up with the brand in his absence expecting him to return in decent time. They finally shut everything down when they gave up and realized that he wouldn't come back in time for the audience to care about him.
"So the world doesn't care about me anymore?" Jack asked. The setting sun glimmered against his eye.
"I mean. You're still famous--"
"But people aren't checking for me?"
With a hesitation she said, "Yes."
A smile. She was confused at first. Why was he smiling. But then she looked further and deeper and recognized this
smile
. She had seen it years before. Before he became Jack Attack.
"Do you want to come back with me?" she said.
"Yeah I suppose it's time I return to California. I think I've exhausted my American road-trip appetite."
She blushed. Jack suddenly felt blood flowing into his chubby.