Faith scrolled through her emails until she found the one she was looking for, the one that detailed where Zac was at the moment and what his contact number would be.
Glancing at the screen every so often, she keyed the number in and waited patiently for him to answer.
Zac
Zac heard his phone ring and made a scramble for the back of the bus where his things were.
"Hello?"
Faith
"Hey Zac, it's Faith."
Faith paused slightly, fiddling with the edge of a pillow.
"How are you?"
Zac
"I'm good," Zac said.
He slipped into his bunk bed and laid on his back.
"How are you?"
Faith
"You know, same old, samd old."
Faith was quiet for a bit.
"Lia came back."
Zac
Zac's face lit up.
"She did? Is she okay?"
Faith
"Sorta."
Faith bit her lip.
"Physically she's got a few scratches, but seems fine. But she's just... not really talking much."
Zac
Zac frowned.
"I see," he said. "Have you been able to get anything out of her?"
Faith
"Not really, I don't even know where she's been for the last few weeks."
Faith took a deep breath.
"Angel says not to push and she'll talk when she's ready, but yeah, it's hard to just watch her wander around silently."
Zac
"I can imagine," Zac replied. "Has there been any sign of her old self at all? Old habits or something?"
He chewed his bottom lip in anticipation of the reply.
Faith
"Not really."
Faith rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"It's like she's there, but she's not really."
Zac
"I see," Zac replied, frowning.
He wasn't sure he liked the sound of this ghostlike Airlia, although given the whole apocalypse thing he could kind of understand it.
Faith
Faith was quiet for a moment.
"I won't force her into anything, because I did much of the same thing when I was in that situation. Of course, I got a free break from talking by being in a coma, but you know."
Zac
"No, no, of course not," Zac agreed. "Wouldn't dream of putting her in that position."
He paused briefly before continuing:
"So, all is business as usual then? Trying to ease her back into things by acting normal?"
Faith
"Yeah," Faith said. "Pretty much."
She twisted some hair around her fingers.
"We've just let her know when she's ready, she can come to us."
Zac
"Yeah, I guess that's all you can really do," Zac replied softly. "Thanks for letting me know."
It all seemed so grim.
Faith
"No, that's fine."
Faith sighed.
"Hey, I think the girls want to come around for Christmas..."
Zac
"Oh, okay," Zac said. "That'll be nice. Will you be coming too?"
The thought cheered him up.
Faith
Faith hesitated.
"Do you want to see me?"
Zac
Zac paused.
"Well, yes, of course," he replied. "I always like to see you."
As long as things weren't awkward. Then it kinda sucked.
Faith
"Alright, well, I don't really have much here... Angel is getting scarily into Christmas this year, so I think it would be wise to vacate before I get roped into a pantomime or something."
Faith smiled slightly.
Zac
Zac laughed.
"I can see it all now. And onto the stage comes Faith... as the virgin Mary."
Faith
"Well, I'm very chaste, thank you very much," Faith said seriously. "And also virginal."
She paused.
"Shut up."
Zac
Zac laughed even harder.
"You should... It... You..."
Whatever Zac was trying to say was lost as he disolved into another burst of laughter.
Faith
"Well, you're very lucky we're not together anymore, because I would be cutting you off cold turkey."
Faith nodded.
Zac
"I... I bet the look on your face is priceless," Zac chortled.
He wiped a tear from his eye.
"Okay, okay... What were we talking about again?"
Faith
"Well yeah, it's my regular pretty face."
Faith rolled her eyes slightly.
"Me coming over to Tulsa for Christmas. Which might not happen now."
Zac
"Aww," Zac replied. "Well, well... hmph. So there."
He chuckled to himself.
"No, but seriously, if you do decide to grace us with your presence - and your presents - we'd love to have you."
Zac
"Aww," Zac replied. "Well, well... hmph. So there."
He chuckled to himself.
"No, but seriously, if you do decide to grace us with your presence - and your presents - we'd love to have you."
Faith
"You expect presents as well?" Faith joked.
"I'll give it some thought, I'm not big on the whole Christmas thing though, really. Haven't ever really had a proper family one."
She shrugged slightly.
Zac
Zac laughed.
"I was just joking about the presents," he assured her. "I just like associating 'presence' with 'presents' because they sound so much alike."
Faith
"And I would think my prescence would be present enough," Faith teased.
She rubbed her eyes tiredly.
"Alright, well, I'll send the girls over, and then I'll follow after, I have some stuff to do that day. Thinking, the 24th?"
Zac
"Okay then," Zac replied. "Sounds like a plan. Actually, Hanson are performing the night of the 24th - Christmas and all. You guys can come for the show. We're not the only ones performing, of course. but yeah. Fireworks. Santa. Blah, blah, blah."
Faith
"Well, I do love a good fireworks show."
Faith laughed.
"Alright, I'm in. I'll probably get there on the 24th, not sure about the girls, but with our combined planning skills, I'd say we all just barely make it in time."
Zac
"Yeah, you don't really need to hear us sing 'Everybody Knows the Claus', again," Zac replied.
He grinned broadly. The fact that Faith couldn't see said grin was completely besides the point.
Faith
"Have I ever heard you sing that?"
Faith laughed slightly.
"I'll alert the presses that I am coming, so that I may get the welcome I so rightfully deserve."
Zac
Zac chuckled.
"Yes," he agreed. "We can't afford to have someone as amazing as you insulted because you weren't welcomed in the manner to which you want to become accoustomed."
Faith
"I agree, and if you could just be topless when I arrive, that would be nice also," Faith teased.
She made a face for a second. Should they really be flirting again?
Zac
"Umm."
Zac blinked.
"Well, y'know, I'm sure I could arrange something like that."
Faith
It was Faith's turn to blink in shock.
"Well good," she said, not losing a beat. "It's the welcome I deserve, after all. Anyway... I should go."
Zac
"Okay," Zac replied. "See you in a few days then."
That whole last part of the conversation got so... weird. It was probably best they were hanging up now.
Faith
"Yep."
Faith decided to be brief.
"See ya."
And with that, she hung up.