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]

“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?

[nola_donnamoss]

"It's not weird." It probably should be, but it wasn't. "I'm glad I met you too. The rest of the world is going to be mad because I now feel even more justified in being nosy as hell, but who cares, right?" She made the rest of the world mad all the time.

[nola_joshlyman]

“The rest of the world probably deserves whatever you’re doing to it,” Diego replied. He believed it.

[nola_donnamoss]

"You're not wrong," Daine answered, pleased. Pleased with having met him, pleased with how this was going, pleased with his opinion of her.

[nola_joshlyman]

“So were just lurking in here looking for future law school students, or..?” he couldn’t quite say goodbye.

[nola_donnamoss]

"Yes, I'm the fairy godmother, esquire," she replied teasingly. "No, I was just browsing, seeing if anything piqued my interest enough to replace the HGTV I usually watch in bed at night. But no, House Hunters wins again in the keeping-me-up-until-late-night-shows-are-on category."

[nola_joshlyman]

“Well, House Hunters asks so little of you. Also, you get to hate people.” It was a quality choice.

[nola_donnamoss]

"And oh, do I hate them. I'm actually not big on the kind of reality tv that pits people against each other, but when it's us against their stupidity, it's weirdly compelling."

[nola_joshlyman]

“Nothing more satisfying,” Diego agreed. He’d never had much time for stupid people.

[nola_donnamoss]

“Well I can think of a few things, but.” But she probably shouldn’t be flirting with someone she’d basically just offered to mentor, right? “But I should head out and get some work done before then. It was really good talking to you, Diego.”

[nola_joshlyman]

Was she flirting with him? Was this flirting? Diego honestly couldn’t remember, but he felt it. “It was really good talking to you, too. Thanks for taking the time.” He rose to his feet, politely, taking a second to really look at her as he did so.