EIGHTH SHOT

[dog_eat_dog]

[Dictated quite cheerfully:]

Wish me happy birthday, people, I'm 40 years old today and therefore officially old.

Comments

[willrememberthat]

Happy birthday, Tess.

I don't think you look old.

[dog_eat_dog]

Thanks, kid.

I lucked out, I guess. Look at Joel and all his grey, the old dog.

[willrememberthat]

That's not nice to say.

[dog_eat_dog]

Oh, lighten up. He's heard it all before.

[willrememberthat]

Then why do you need to say it?

[dog_eat_dog]

Kid, Joel and I have known each other for longer than you've been alive. He knows why I say it.

[willrememberthat]

Christopher Elias used to say mean things about me in school.

[dog_eat_dog]

Yeah? What'd you do?

[willrememberthat]

I told on him. But then his friend Julian said he actually liked me.

[dog_eat_dog]

If he really liked you, he wouldn't treat you like shit.

[willrememberthat]

Then you don't like Joel?

[See what she's getting at?]

[dog_eat_dog]

You know, even if "old" were an insult, which it isn't... It isn't your business how we talk to eat other.

[willrememberthat]

[Got you. ... Maybe.]

Sorry.

Where's your room?

Clem

[dog_eat_dog]

516. Why?

[Tess doesn't out her address publicly.]

Tess

[willrememberthat]

[No response, but about an hour later there's a paper slid under the door, followed by a knock... and little feet running off.

On the other side of the paper, there's a drawing in crayon. It's a gun, and it's accurately labeled.

Happy Birthday Tess is written in purple and green on the bottom of the page.]

Clem

[dog_eat_dog]

[For the most part, Tess is unswayed by cute childish antics and baby gurgles and all that nonsense, but there's always room for heart-melting exceptions. She laughs to herself when she picks the drawing up, tickled. The kid drew her a gun. That's fucking cute.

(On her end, she definitely holds it up for Joel with a smirk and a "can you believe this shit?" look. Look at how cute this shit is. A gun diagram.)

And in the journal, she leaves a message for Clem:]

Real cute. Thanks, kid.

Tess

[willrememberthat]

You're welcome.

[Now stop being so mean!]

Clem

[dog_eat_dog]

[Never.]

How's training with Carley going?

Tess

[willrememberthat]

Good. She's a good teacher.

Clem

[dog_eat_dog]

Glad to hear it.