Diego

[nola_donnamoss]

When it came to people or topics she knew well, Jourdaine was nosy. Not in a judgmental way, necessarily, but in a wanting to know what was going on and be a part of things kind of way. Or maybe in an avoid this fuckery kind of way, if it came down to it. So it was very on-brand for her to see someone looking over an endcap filled with LSAT study guides and practice test books and sidle on over like it was her business. Not that he would know it wasn't an unusual thing for her, since she was a complete stranger.

"Don't do it," she warned, though her mouth was quirked up into an almost-wry smile that made it clear she wasn't entirely serious. "Get out now while you still can."

Comments

[nola_joshlyman]

Diego glanced quickly at Jourdaine’s hand, but then he looked at her properly, met her eyes. He nodded with that sam understanding. “Tell me about what you do.”

[nola_donnamoss]

"I'm a civil rights lawyer, I specialize in Title IX claims against schools. For my day job, anyway. I also do some pro bono work with community organizations, and do some political campaigning. Mostly local stuff, but I did some state and regional level stuff in the last presidential election." In other words: this stuff meant a lot to her, and she put in the work.

[nola_joshlyman]

She lived it and breathed it. Diego admired that, more than he could say. “I’m really lucky I ran into you.”

[nola_donnamoss]

That meant more than it really should, coming from a man she'd just met. "You are, because now I know you're on our team, I'm not going to let you back out. Or fail."

[nola_joshlyman]

Diego nodded again, slowly. That felt — he couldn’t describe how it felt. “Thank you. I’m doing this on my own, so… it means a lot.”

[nola_donnamoss]

"No significant other cheering you on?" She didn't know why that seemed important to clarify.

[nola_joshlyman]

“No,” Diego admitted, and looking at Jourdaine, the pang he felt when he said no felt a little less than usual. “Just me and the work.”

[nola_donnamoss]

"Same," she admitted. "It's actually easier, in a way. It tends to be too hard, when you're all in with this, unless they're all in too."

[nola_joshlyman]

“I get that. Or I guess I just sensed that. I was with my ex-girlfriend for ten years,” why was he telling her this? “And I think we broke up so we could be all in with the things we wanted to do in our lives.l

[nola_donnamoss]

"Ten years? Wow." She could probably count on one hand the number of people she knew who were anywhere near her age and had been in relationships even half that long. "But it's definitely better to move on rather than get held back. Not that it's easy, in these highly depressing times." That Jourdaine knew from experience.

[nola_joshlyman]

“Tell me about it. I felt pretty stuck in these times for a while.” Diego never spoke like this.

[nola_donnamoss]

"I left my husband in 2016. Thought I could distract myself by taking a leave of absence from my job and working on the Clinton campaign full time. And then we lost. I spent most of the rest of the year crying in bed." And Daine never talked like this, at least not to people she'd just met. "So that stuck feeling? I get it."

[nola_joshlyman]

“You worked on it? I’m so sorry.” And Diego was leaning forward, more engaged. “What was it like to work on it? Before election night.”

[nola_donnamoss]

"It's amazing. And exhausting. And it's horrible, seeing what you're up against, but you're surrounded by smart people, committed people, people who care, people who make it hard, maybe impossible, not to be optimistic. It's the best thing I've ever done. It'll stay the best thing I've ever done until I do it again and we win this time."

[nola_joshlyman]

“I want to do that. I need to be part of that.” Everything Jourdaine said, it was everything Diego had hoped — or maybe he had already known? — whatever it was, it sounded exactly right.

[nola_donnamoss]

"High school lets out pretty soon, right? And then you'll have the summer off. Take your LSATs, apply to schools. And if you want to get involved with campaign stuff, maybe I'll let you be my assistant." There was an almost teasing edge to her smile, like they had an inside joke there, but she also meant every word.

[nola_joshlyman]

“That’s the plan.” Diego smiled at her, a little surprised by her comment. “If you do need an assistant, give me a call.” That would be an incredible opportunity.

[nola_donnamoss]

"Gimme your phone," she said, holding out her hand for it. Jourdaine barely had to look at the screen as she added herself to his contacts--phone, email, all the important social media--then handed it back. "I went to Tulane, so if you're applying there, I can look over your materials. I'd offer to put in a good word, but we've had to threaten to sue the university as a whole a couple times, so depending on who's in admissions at the law school these days, that makes my word worth either a lot more, or a liability." The perils of being a Title IX lawyer.

[nola_joshlyman]

Diego had never handed over his phone so easily. “I am applying there. If I was young again, I might move, go somewhere else. But I want to stay here if I can. My little brother is here and someone needs to keep an eye on him. Thank you so much for offering to help me — I can’t tell you what it means.” He thought, for a moment, about asking her help as he studied.

[nola_donnamoss]

"You're not that old," she retorted, grinning. "But I get it. Nothing wrong with putting down roots anyway. Easier to get to know a community when you stick around." Daine felt weirdly energized by this encounter, by these plans that weren't even really hers. "You're really welcome. If you need something, reach out. If I can't help, I can probably find someone who can. Or, you know, drink and commiserate. There's a lot of that, trying to get through law school."

[nola_joshlyman]

“I’m really excited for that,” Diego admitted. “For it being so hard it makes me need commiseration.”

[nola_donnamoss]

"I love that part," Jourdaine agreed. "The intellectually challenging, feeling like you're running a marathon, happily collapsing at the end part. Then getting up and doing another one."

[nola_joshlyman]

“I feel like I’ve been looking for that for a long time. I know I can do it and be good at it.” Maybe even great at it.

[nola_donnamoss]

"I believe you. I don't know why, but I do." More importantly, she believed in him.

[nola_joshlyman]

“I don’t know why either, but I’m grateful. And grateful that I met you. I know that’s weird.” But also, it wasn’t weird at all, was it?