Get Out, If You Can

Precipice of Amusement

He didn't like how he was constantly being left out of the loop, as if he were purposefully being uninformed. And he figured that it had to do with something that Eiji had come up with, but it didn't feel good being the last to hear of it, or rather thrown into it haphazardly. He found himself sitting in a booth at a rather boisterous bar alongside Eden and Dexter, though it appeared that something else was going on unbeknownst to him. Eiji was sitting across from him beside Dexter and they seemed to be discussing something whilst looking over the cherished tablet that his friend tended to carry with everywhere. Eden looked bored from the pair of boys talking in whispers together and turned to look to TJ for some form of entertainment. She nudges him gently with her elbow to gain his attention as he were staring off around at the people occupying the same space as them. He raises his eyebrows in silent question as his eyes shift to the side to look to her. He allows his face to follow the path of his eyes and leans his elbow against the table to prop of his chin with his fist.

"People watching? See anything good?" She whispers and scoots closer, mimicking his propped up posture.

TJ veers away just a tiny bit feeling uncomfortable with the closeness and shakes his head slightly. He adjusts the glasses on his face and sniffles. Eden sighs and looks over him wearily, she could tell that he didn't want to be out and the last thing that he wanted to be doing was being around people. He seemed to appear as if he was drained of everything, his eyes were bleak and glossed over since him and Eiji arrived. And he honestly gave off a feeling that he was angry, what she could gather was that he wasn't pleased with being dragged along by Eiji, naturally he was prone to decline. But Dexter had been really excited to hear that Eiji was bringing TJ along. He had become so much more isolated in the past given months and they had seen less and less of him.

Ever since he had visited asking about that girl, they hadn't really heard from TJ. Eiji had asked as well and they had told him about his background check on the girl, seeing as how worried Eiji seemed to be. But now seeing TJ, his eyes red rimmed and hallow, something was up.

"TJ, come with me to the bar?" She asks and point over to the bartop. "I don't want to go alone.." She adds in catching his raised eyebrow as if asking her if she knew whom she was speaking to.

His eyes dart to Dexter and Eiji as if to check if they weren't more readily available to be the escort. Eden shoves his shoulder and rolls her eyes.

"Leave them to it, let's go get a drink." She urges until the somber company scoots out from the booth.

TJ groans and sighs now standing on his feet. He reaches back to offer his hand to Eden out of courtesy and helps her up as well. Leading the way he weaves through people passing by as well as around the smaller tables stationed around the floor. Arriving at the bartop he turns sideways for Eden to scoot in to flag down a bartender. His eyes scan over the people leisurely not finding anyone of interest to hold his attention for even a fraction of a moment.

"Hello, sorry for the wait, what can I get for you?"

TJ's eyes shift to the side recognizing the voice instantly. Cyren's eyes go wide on him and then looks to Eden and back to him. He can see her mind racing through her emerald gaze searching the pair of them. He looks back to the table to see Eiji smirking at him and then turning back to discuss something with Dexter that was showing on the tablet screen. He hears Eden place her order to Cyren and then an awkward silence falling over them.

"TJ, what do you want?" Eden presses, elbowing him in the chest.

His eyes flit back and forth between the two women completely caught off guard and not sure what to say or do in that moment. He drops his gaze to the dark wood of the bar now making the connection as to why Eiji insisted that they go out, why he had been forced to come along by his friend, this was some elaborate plan to see him interact with the girl. And also telling him that he knew whom she was but was waiting to be introduced. Eiji had set up a perfect platform for this to unfold in his favor. And this bothered him to no end, he was being played out like a marionette on strings.