By the time Zack's lecture was over it was already lunch time, the twice weekly four hour class was considered by him a test of endurance, attention span, and bladder as a mind numbing yet required course. By now Zack needed food and something woefully unproductive to recover, the student union was the staple source for both with arcade games and fried food in which contained less nutrition than the paper plates it was served on. From his pocket he fished out a small wad of $1 bills and calculated enough for some deep fried cheese and a few rounds of Tekken. 

"Well, if my car dies completely I won't have to worry about where I'm gonna get gas money." he muttered to himself in light of his finances, or lack there of. A wise man once told him that you'll never feel more broke than when you're in college.

Astrid would normally go out to a restaurant, but today she couldn't be bothered and decided to try the Student Union instead. She heard horrible stories about the food there but then she would decide that for herself. A little bewildered with so many students milling about, she wasn't watching where she was going and bumped into someone near a snack bar. 

"Sorry!" She quickly said and tried to gather her expensive wooden art case which had been dropped in the process along with her books. She was clumsy as her brother when it came to walking in a crowded place. She also felt out of place, she felt like an alien among humans.

With a combination of dollar bills and loose change Zack got himself an order of fried mozzarella sticks and a can of Pepsi while still ensuring some money for the game room. Junk food was just the thing he needed after listening to a professor whom he had somehow cultivated a rivalry that would only end with the death of one of them. Too bad he wouldn't be able to eat it. Just as he turned to find a table Zack found himself on a collision course with another student. The result was a carnal explosion of cheese, books, and soda leaving his lunch on a floor he wouldn't have the guts to walk on barefoot let alone eat off of.

"Figures," he muttered to himself, more angry at his luck than the girl who yelped an apology. Feeling gracious Zack knelt down and helped her pick up her things. "You might want to be a little more careful, next time it could be a sandwich or even a pudding cup lost in the fray," he said as he wiped off a Pepsi splattered textbook.

Astrid hesitantly bobbed her head, "Sorry...that must be your lunch that I knocked off. I am not fond of being in a place with lots of people." Astrid carefully checked her art box and gathered her things into neat pile. "I am Astrid Bevingad, I am sorry again for the mess. I will buy your lunch. We will definitely eat somewhere else either then here. Food here is terrible,” she said, looking at him. Some sort of déjà vu came to her; she swore she had seen him somewhere in one her of classes.

What do you know, the universe doesn't hate me, Zack thought to himself at the prospect of a free lunch. "I'm Zack Valentine, and don't worry about it, I've yet to go to a party and not hide in the closet. So what do you have in mind? There's a Taco Bell down the street." 

Astrid replied, "Taco Bell? I have seen it but never tried it. I guess I will have to try it someday. Come on, you have to be hungry, I will drive there." Then she strode out the union building that was filled with too many people. Her car was parked not too far from the union building. She then unlocked her silver Mercedes Benz's door. It was small compact version of the fuller model but it served her purpose, she didn't want something like her brother's car.

It struck Zack as a little odd that any red blooded American (and a college student no less) had never eaten at Taco Bell. "Nice car." he commented when she led him out into the parking lot, then it snapped in his head that she was rich, very rich. Back when Zack himself used to be wealthy the Bevingad family was well known in Chicago's high society where the Valentine's vacationed, they still are apparently. Small world....

Zack wondered if Astrid knew about his family, if she knew that his entire estate had been foreclosed years ago. Probably not, by high society's standards they were never very wealthy and therefore not very famous. For some reason you're worth is measured by how much unnecessary indulgence you can afford. "So, where to?"

Astrid didn't know what to say, "Umm...thanks. We are going to this Japanese restaurant I am addicted to. I hope you don't mind it." Astrid's head was running about, trying to find name Valentine somewhere. As she started to drive and pulled out of the parking lot, she asked, "Do you take any fine art classes?  I have seen you somewhere before, I believe."

"Actually it's my major, I also branch out into commercial art just in case I have to sell my soul," Zack replied matter-of-factly. Zack wondered for a moment why she had asked, but then did a mental double take when he realized that she was in his Art Club. After thinking about he realized that she had been in a few of his classes in the past as well. "Hey, I remember you now!"

"Ah, but I am not sociable person that much but as of late I am trying,” Astrid replied.

* * *

When the restaurant came into view he saw that it was a fancy Japanese place, even though Astrid said it wasn't fancy it certainly was compared to his usual fast food diet. As he got out of the car he silently wondered why he never tried the place before when he had money, but then he remembered something.

Zack had tried sushi once when he was a child, which incidentally turned out to be the time he found out he was allergic to seafood. It was an experience he didn't care to repeat. Zack was reasonably sure that Japanese cuisine wasn't limited to sushi, that there was a strong possibility he'd have non-swelling inducing options but he was too self conscious to ask and be certain.

Astrid parked her car in front of a Japanese restaurant. "Here, it's nothing fancy but they make good food." She then proceeded open the door and enter the restaurant, which the manager waved seeing one of their regulars. "Miss Astrid! You have brought along a companion! Is he your boyfriend?"

Astrid blushed bright scarlet red, "Umm...he is from the art club at UCLA. Zack, meet Mr. Tsukino and Mr. Tsukino meet Zack Valentine. Mr. Tsukino knows my mother and owns several restaurants in LA."

Mr. Tsukino heartily laughed, "Glad to see you are trying to socialize. Your mother was absolute Asian beauty. Your father is lucky. And you take after her in beauty."

Astrid whispered to Zack, "My father is Swedish and my mother is Asian."

As they went inside they were greeted by the maitre d' (who soon after turned out to be the part owner). Zack shook his hand and for a split second entertained the thought of greeting him with 'konichiwa', the one Japanese word he knew. But he backed out and would later realize that it could have ended badly in three ways; he'd get offended at the notion that just because he's Asian he speaks Japanese, he'd see through Zack's pathetic attempt to impress him, or he would go into a full conversation in Japanese thinking that Zack was fluent. Instead Zack went with the ever effective, “Hello.”

Mr. Tsukino's presumption left Zack a little red as well, but soon after he had to suppress the urge to smile at the sight of Astrid's face. Then Mr. Tsukino went on about Astrid's mother, to which Astrid whispered a personal footnote on her lineage. Zack was part Russian and French, which he hasn't been very verbal about since the nation decided that it was okay to make fun of the French, so he was impressed by her diversity and gave a visible nod."

Tsukino directed them to a seat near a tranquil garden setting. Astrid asked Zack, as she already ordered hers, since she knew the menu by heart, "What do you like best? Don't worry there is more then just sushi in Japanese cuisine." 

Zack smiled at Mr. Tsukino's comment and the odd coincidence that he mentioned there was more than sushi available. "I'll have the chicken teriyaki and a Coke please," he said as he handed back the menu. Looking back to Astrid he started on some small talk. "Thanks for taking me here, do you come here often?" 

"Yeah, sorta. My brother discovered this place and is addicted to it like one does to a hobby." Astrid wasn't sociable so she decided to talk to him about art. "So who is your favorite artist? classical? impressionist? Art Nouveau? Gothic?"

"I prefer classical, Van Gogh, Titian, Monet. But I paint more of a Gothic style with some neo-impressionist influences." Zack said. "But at least half the time I don't bother with styles, I just take a pad and some charcoal and draw what I see. What about you? What's in your portfolio?"

Astrid smiled. "I prefer Art Nouveau artists or artists Tieplo, and the likes. I remember seeing the Italian churches filled with paintings and I felt I wanted become like that." Astrid then thanked the waiter as her order came in.

For the next hour or so Zack and Astrid talked about unimportant things as they ate. Every once in a while Zack scratched a spot on his neck growing steadily more red, he didn't think about it much and the idea of his allergies kicking up never really entered his mind. But as it turned out his sensitivity increased as he got older, as is sometimes the case. So he was he was much more vulnerable than he knew, he never thought to carry a medical bracelet much less an epinephrine kit.

Zack's allergies were so sever that the fumes from the kitchen and tiny traces of processed herring in the cooking oil were enough to put him on the way to an anaphylactic shock.

Soon after the waiter took away the plates Zack began to sweat profusely and almost instantly formed hives on his skin. Zack was now certain that something was wrong and took a long drink of water, realizing that he had trouble swallowing and then realizing that this was exactly what happened the last time he had a reaction.

"Oh crap." he muttered in a weak voice just before passing out at the table.

Astrid noticed some scratching, like if Zack ate something he was allergic to. Then after awhile, before she could ask if he was feeling okay, he passed out. "Zack!"

Astrid leaped up and called Mr. Tsukino who was calling an ambulance. Astrid lifted his head up gently and saw the red spot on his neck. 

Then the ambulance people came in and lifted him in to the stretcher and into the ambulance. They asked her few questions and also left the restaurant with them to the hospital. Waiting in the emergency waiting room, she waited
patiently.

* * *

Divorce had a strange effect on Kai, for starters it made him slightly crazier than he already was. He bought a Ducati Superbike the day he was served the papers, had a fourth tattoo done the day it was finalized, and he took in three kids during the week of what was supposed to be their third year anniversary. The latter was the least of his regrets.

Their father was an old friend of Kai's who was now serving eight to ten years on armed robbery charges, and their mother was a former Smoke Screen dancer who was rehab for her coke problem. The two older children, Brian and Annie, worked hard to support their younger sister, Lilith. Brian stole car stereos and Annie worked as a waitress. But when they realized that the money they brought in wouldn't pay the bills Annie made the critical decision to start selling herself.

By strange luck however she just happened to choose a corner on Kai's patrol area. She was arrested before she had a single client. Kai took them into his home as their god father where they spent the majority of the summer. Annie was scheduled to start her junior year the next day, while Brian would start sophomore year. Both a year behind but still it was no small challenge getting them in.

* * *

"What's this?" she asked looking up to Kai.

"Sesame Chicken, just like I promised." he said to Annie as he handed her a bag from her favorite Chinese place, her reward for going back to high school. Brian got no such reward for reasons which will be revealed shortly.

"Yeah but I thought I'd get a stereo or something."

"Get into college then we'll talk." With that Kai walked into the kitchen to find Brian leaning against the counter eating a bowl of cereal.

"S'up" Brian said.

But Kai didn't answer, instead he fished into his jeans pocket and pulled out a dime bag of weed which they both knew belonged to Brian. "Honestly, the toilette tank? I'm a cop and a Black Sabbath fan, I know all the hiding spots. Now siddown." Said Kai sternly.

The young man did so with a worried expression on his face, he knew he was busted but now came the punishment. Kai walked over to the cupboard to pull out a skillet, then to the fridge to pull out an egg. Brian rolled his eyes that he was going to get the brain-on- drugs speech, but the cop went ahead any way and placed the egg on the table.

"This is your brain." he said, and then with great force Kai smashed the egg with the frying pan, sending bits of shell and yolk across the kitchen. Kai picked a piece of shell off his cheek and continued "And this is your brain on drugs. I don't mean that as a metaphor by the way, I will actually hit you over the head with a frying pan if I catch you with this shit again. Any questions?"

Brian shook his head no. This was actually the first time he had ever broken one of the rules, Brian was a good kid if not a very bright one. He had a history of petty theft and reckless endangerment, plus he idolized the cast of Jackass, that alone should give you an idea of what he's like.

"Good," Kai said. "No phone, Internet, TV, or skateboard for the next two weeks."

As soon as Brian left for his room Kai put his palms on the table and hung his head as he remembered the similar conversation with his own father when he was caught once. Now this was uncharted territory if he had ever encountered it. Ever since the concept of random drug tests was introduced to him he stopped smoking pot. But in his younger days Kai lived by the weed, and now he was actually dealing punishment for it. Something he swore on his bong never to do.

Just then Kai got a call on his cell phone. It seemed that Zack had got himself into anaphylactic shock and Kai was his 'contact in case of emergency' name. He then grabbed his jacket and headed out the door, telling Annie to watch over Lilith and not to let Brian do anything remotely interesting.

* * *

Astrid waited patiently after Zack's emergency contact was contacted. Who ever this person was better come fast. She tapped the tip of her boots as she waited. It seem to make the time go faster, when it seemed to drag before.

"I can walk y'know," said Zack as he was being pushed by wheelchair towards the exit. He was clearly agitated, Zack always hated hospitals, the sterile smell and all the white, it was like being inside a giant golf ball.

"It's hospital policy sir," a male nurse said, who also agitated for having to put up with people like Zack for the last eleven hours.

The young art student then noticed that Astrid was sitting alone in the waiting room even though it had been about four hours since he was admitted. He was surprised that she had been there the entire time.

Zack got out of the wheelchair and began walking towards the waiting room, instantly feeling the look of spite from the nurse. "Sue me." Zack stated simply.

The nurse replied. "Don't think we won't." but then a pair of EMTs burst through the door with a car crash victim and the nurse suddenly had more to worry about than a misbehaving patient.

Zack then walked up to Astrid and sat down in the beside her. "I'm going to make it a point to be rich enough to afford my own room the next time this happens. All though I can now say that I've spent three hours in a room with a guy who says he's a messiah from planet Zyphron. You really can't buy an experience like that," he said brandishing his usual dark humor.

Astrid smiled lightly, something she didn't often do. "Glad you are back to life. I thought you had a heart attack first, and be glad that the guy wasn't some cult psycho. I think your emergency contact been contacted, should be on the way. We should wait till he gets here."

Then sat silently, giving off creepy feeling in the busy emergency waiting room. "Allergic reaction," Zack replied "I'm allergic to seafood, apparently I'm so sensitive that just the cooking fumes from the restaurant set it off." He then pulled back his sleeve to reveal a small medical bracelet. "But on the plus side they gave me this nifty thing. Now I'm just a pair of prescription shoes away from being a complete geek."

Soon after Kai walked into the waiting room dressed in street clothes. "Hey Kai!" Zack shouted as soon as he was spotted.

The cop walked over to where they were sitting "Lemme guess, you tried to lift weights again."

"Allergies," Zack responded somberly.

"Oh yeah, that whole thing in Florida when you were 12. You tried lobster for the first time and turned into that girl from Willy
Wonka, except unable to breath and going into shock." Kai then noticed the girl he by now realized wasn't just another patient. "Hey, this your girlfriend?"

Now it was Zack's turn to become red with embarrassment. "Not really, this is Astrid, she's in one of my classes."

Astrid nearly choked at Zack's brother's suggestion. She presumed he was Zack's brother. She stayed silent, studying Zack's brother, totally opposite of Zack she thought. It was like her and her brother, their life was total opposite end of the scales in terms of 'good and normal'. She got up and offered him her hand as formal polite gesture, "Astrid Bevingad."

"Hi there." Kai replied as he shook Astrid's hand. "So, I heard you were brought in by ambulance, either of you need a lift?”

"Well, my car's still at the student union," he then turned to Astrid. "What about you, did you drive or get a ride with the paramedics?"

Astrid then remembered that she left her car back at the restaurant too. Astrid sighed, "Rode with the paramedics." Astrid missed her class but oh well, a life is more important then an Advanced Flash MX class.

"All right then. Let's go kids." said Kai as he led them out to his car. The restaurant was closer so Kai had dropped off Astrid first. Zack stepped out of Kai's car to when she did. From an external viewpoint one might tell Zack to run away from the girl and not look back, but Zack couldn't help but feel a little intrigued and wanted to see more of her, maybe even ask her out. That is of course if he could get past his crippling social awkwardness.

"I had a good time." Zack said but immediately realized this wasn't an event you have a good time on. "Well, as good a time you can get with anaphylaxis."

"I had an interesting afternoon, no offense meant. To tell you the truth I am unsociable person. I can drive you back anyways if you want, or do you want to go with your brother?" Astrid offered, but she didn't know why. Maybe because he didn't
presume things about her. She hated that the most and a lot of people did that, especially higher up in the society.

Zack lit up as much as he was capable of, which was actually nothing more than a sincere smile. "Sure, if it's not too much trouble." The young art student the went up to driver's side of Kai's car and told him about the new plan.

Kai made no presumptions about what was going on. In fact if Kai were to be entirely honest he wouldn't be sure if Zack even enjoyed the company of women more than men. Not that there'd be anything wrong with that, but it would explain why he skipped the super bowl to go to an art exhibit.

"Alright kids." Kai said as he restarted the car. "Have fun and try not to land in the hospital again any time soon."

Astrid started her own engine too, taking a little time to boot back up due standing in half sun for hours. She wondered maybe she should get a sports power car like her brother. "Come on hop in, I believe both of us will have something to do that has been delayed." Astrid poked her head out of the rolled down window.

Zack climbed into Astrid's car again noting how expensive it must have been and again realizing that he was way out of his league just hanging around with her. "Listen, I want to thank you for waiting for me at the hospital. Not a lot of people would have done that. I thought maybe I could repay the favor by taking you out to dinner sometime." 

Astrid shrugged, "That's fine by me, I am not exactly great person for one to make friends with. I don't exactly have a lot of friends. I would give up all these things to have friends who will not care about my heritage. To have normal life like others. As they say happiness is something money can't buy. Are you sure? I won't be your old pal you can get comfortable with...at least we have common interest in art."

After that she didn't say anything, just drove on. It wasn't a long drive but it seemed quiet long when everything was silent. As they pulled up to the near empty union parking lot, Zack pointed out his dying Firebird with a small measure of embarrassment. He then thanked Astrid for the ride and got out, limiting his goodbye to a simple wave.

Zack sat in his sick car for a moment to reflect the day. Nearly dying of an allergic reaction and getting a new friend, and the inevitable after effects. The hospital would send him a bill in a couple of weeks, likely involving four figures since Zack had no health insurance. Kai still had some of his trust fund and Zack knew he could get a loan if he asked. But Zack hated asking for help and as long as he was still able to sleep indoors then he was doing ok.

Zack turned the ignition only to hear an ungodly sound from an engine that refused to start, meaning he would need a toothbrush and a stick of gum to get it moving. It also confirmed what he suspected the last few days about his scholarships and trust fund no longer being able to support him. Zack was going to have to get a job.