Room 406, after work

[izzyalienqueen]

The store had been quiet so Isabel was able to finish writing her Christmas cards. They were stacked up on her desk, waiting to be mailed once she'd gotten Christmas stamps.

For now she was busy wrapping Xander's birthday present and thinking about the past week. Mostly realizing that it was nice to finally have things back to normal and to be able to spend time with friends without drama or holiday chaos.

The door was open.

[ooc: Expecting a call but otherwise open. Slowplay till about 7:30.]

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

*ring*

Celebrating was still going on in Parker's suite, now that her exams were over. Currently, nogg was being drunk, food being eaten, and Jarod was beating Nourhane at Halo.

Time to check in.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

A quick check of Caller ID had Isabel smiling. And slightly worried. "How much bail money am I going to need?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Less than you would have needed on Saturday," Parker said, grinning as she walked into the living area of her suite. "Jarod is currently defending the Earth, or something, against my roommate. Much better than he was before."

Jarod waved absently back at her, then went back to mercilessly shooting at Nourhane's troops.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Are my relatives invading again?" she grinned. "Just give them some chocolate and they'll go away."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Oh, sure, like I didn't try that before. And then they ate my shoes." Parker snorted, and settled in on the couch next to Stella. "Congratulate me! I got through the exams without an ulcer attack! How are things going there?"

"Who are you talking to?"

Parker threw a pillow at Jarod. "Isabel."

"Hi Isabel! I'm winning!"

"Not for long," Nourhane muttered, and brought in the Blackhawks.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Congratulations," Isabel told her, truly happy to hear that. "Things here are quiet and relaxed and normal. It's odd."

"Hi Jarod!"

"He sounds cheerful."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"He should, he's still Up to Something." Parker's irritation with that was not going to go away any time soon. "But we hit half the London tourist spots after my exam today, and went drinking with the roomies and half the second floor earlier."

"And we have popcorn and pixie sticks!" Jarod called toward the phone.

"You keep doing that, I'm just going to give the phone to you."

"Okay."

"You'll lose this round of Halo."

"Still okay."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Popcorn and pixie stix?" Isabel laughed. "Talk about a sugar high. The crash is going to be ugly."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Yes, and he can't stay here when it happens," Parker said, leaning over his shoulder.

"Yes he can," Nourhane and Stella chorused.

"Traitors."

"Hi, Isabel," Jarod said into the phone, leaning back to talk into the receiver. "Did you get my postcard?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"NO!" she pouted. "No postcards, no letters, no emails. Not even a carrier pigeon!"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I sent you rocks from Vietnam," Jarod protested. "Geodes. They didn't get there?"

Parker frowned at him. "Jarod, did you send them by Portalocity?"

He stared at her a moment, then sheepishly told the phone, "I owe you some rocks."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel knew what geodes where, but she couldn't resist teasing him. "Rocks? Nice to know you think that much of me. Maybe I'll see about getting you some nice coal for Christmas."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"No! They were great, aquamarine and sapphire, and why would you be sending me coal?" Jarod wondered, then grinned at Parker. "Oh, right. But I've been good this year, you know."

Parker snorted.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No news for six months," she pointed out. "Not good."

"Of course a nice Christmas gift would go a long way towards making up for that."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Really," Jarod drawled, amused. "It's always possible I already bought it. And wrapped it."

"And left it in my closet," Parker said, leaning forward to speak into the phone. "Because he had too much time on his hands this week, when he wasn't causing mayhem."

"You don't know I was causing mayhem."

"Yes, I do."

Jarod cleared his throat, making a show of ignoring Parker as Nourhane giggled. "So things are going okay? Parker says you have a new boyfriend."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Well Christmas shopping is an admirable way to pass time," said the girl who started planning her gift list in August. "And I vote for mayhem."

"Things are wondeful. Wyatt's awesome, I've got college applications in. Life is pretty damn good," Isabel told him. "I assume Parker told you about what happened with Antar?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Yes, she did." Jarod looked up at Parker, and shook his head at her cocked eyebrow, not wanting to get into details in front of Nourhane and Stella. "I'm sorry about what happened. But I'm glad you're staying here." His eyebrows lowered. "And you and Wyatt are happy? He's a good guy? Parker said something about seeing him naked--" A pillow may have whapped him over the head. "Hey!"

"Don't answer that, Isabel! Don't encourage him!"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You heard her, I can't say anything. Sorry," she laughed. "But yes, we're happy."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Good. I only wanted to know that he was treating her right," he said to Parker, matching her glare for glare. "And if he's ever a problem-- I'll be in better touch, this coming year. I promise."

"Tell her about Saturday."

Jarod squirmed as Stella gave him an inquiring glance. "She doesn't want to hear about that."

"Tell her anyway!"

"So, where are you going for college?" Jarod asked, shoving Parker off the couch.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Good. It'll be good to hear from you more often," Isabel nodded, gathering Xander's gifts together. "I don't know where yet. Acceptances don't get sent out till mid-February. Maybe Cornell, maybe UNLV."

"What about Saturday?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the background noise

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Parker's making a big deal over nothing," Jarod said, then quickly added over Parker's squawks, "I didn't even threaten anyone. And good, I'll definitely check in to find out where you finally decided to go then."

"Gimme the phone back," Parker demanded.

"I think I'm going to have to go, Isabel." Jarod got up and held it way over Parker's head, grinning the whole time.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'll get the details from her later," Isabel told him, laughing as she visualized the scene in Oxford. "And you'd better check in. I'll be waiting. It was good to talk to you Jarod. Take care of yourself."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker had managed to grab the phone back by dint of standing on the couch and strong-arming Jarod, then climbed over the back of it saying, "It's me again, Isabel. I'm going into my bedroom."

"Bye, Isabel!" Stella and Nourhane called with Jarod.

Parker shut her door and said, "So, yeah, he showed up for my date with Lukas. And he says he's sticking around to meet Ronan. Remind me why I'm not killing him?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"He crashed your date?" That sounded like Jarod, she realized with a snicker. "And you didn't kill him? I'm impressed."

Ronan visiting Parker. Huh... "I was hanging out with Ronan last night. He was extremely cheerful."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"He eeled his way out of there before I could do anything more than slap his wrist, and just kept talking and ducking the next time I saw him," Parker said. "He did get kicked though. The brat. God. He couldn't be leaving tomorrow afternoon, instead of Saturday morning?" She grimaced, then smiled. "Really? How's he doing? Ready for his vacation?"