Your Own Personal Jesus of Trivial Truths

 Ten minutes into the presentation, Xander’s mind once again began fixating on a newfound curiosity.

‘How is she friends with the dolts? For how long? Are they really close? Is she as much of a blundering idiot as those two? They don’t seem to be from the same industry, so work and college are out as options.’

While the man next to her was boiling with unanswered questions, Taisa had fallen into a complacent state while staring off into space.

It was a relaxing habit she liked to indulge in situations where she needed to fake attention. Taisa did it in school, at plays, at work briefings and even on bad movie dates. A nice comforting trance where everything around her was slightly muted - less intense, loud and fast-paced.

“How do you know Victor and Max?” might as well ask whatever he had on his mind at this point, he really had nothing to lose.

Awakened from her reverie, it took her a while to register what Xander had asked her.

“Oh. Well, we met through a friend of mine who was at that time Vic’s girlfriend. It was her birthday party, I think. And after that, we started hanging out as a group. Some people fizzled out and we just kinda got stuck with each other, I guess.”

“Funny, don’t recall you hanging out with them during their pub-crawling heyday.”

Taking in a very sharp breath, she pondered whether she should share just how much intel she had on him. “Well, I don’t think you hung out in the same circles. I heard it through the grapevine that you weren’t exactly buddies.” Withholding information for too long wasn’t exactly her forte.

“I can imagine that this is the censored version of what you’ve heard.”

“Oh, not really. Just that you had differences of opinion most of the time. But they have given you credit for your achievements in the industry… in a way.”

“How kind of the grapevine to be so truthful” The sardonic reply did not go unnoticed.

“I’m guessing the feeling is mutual.”

“Your assumption is correct.” ‘Aside from the part that they have virtually no achievements worth acknowledging,’ he mentally chimed in.

“I get that they can be a bit too much for most people - especially Vic - well, mostly Vic…But they’re all heart.” Without being fully aware of her actions, she dug a hand in her pocket, took out a cracker, and started munching away absentmindedly.

Noticing he had gone abruptly quiet, she quickly glanced to her side to catch his bewildered expression.

“Oh, how rude of me…You want one?” she asked while holding up another cracker, freshly- dug out of the pocket.

“No, thank you. I don’t tolerate lint.”

“Do you tolerate anything?” she muttered.

‘Is she being snarky with me?!’

“Big words coming from someone who’s eating loose biscuits from their outer garment,” came his acidic reply.

“At least I’m eating. And they’re crackers, not biscuits.” Immediately another one disappeared into her mouth.

‘Fantastic; I’m getting lip from an underpaid waitress whose posse consists of Dumb and Dumber. And who eats at a conference like they’re at the movies?’

“You are aware that you’re not supposed to bring food and drinks in this area, right?”

“Thinking of ratting me out? I was willing to share, you know.”

“More like poison me.”

“Lint is not salmonella.”

“With your improper storing conditions, I’d rather not take any chances.”

Her usual easy-going demeanor was slowly cracking. He was getting to her more than she would like to admit. No wonder he butted heads with her boys.

“Y’know, no one’s keeping you here.” Maybe he could take a hint and then take a hike so that she can munch in peace.

Realizing that he had hit a few buttons, his sadistic side told him to keep on pressing.

“I can sit wherever I want.” He leaned back, further asserting his stance on the matter.

“And I can eat wherever I want.”

“I think it was previously established that you can’t.”

“I can’t be charged for a crime no one has seen me commit.”

“I just witnessed the entire thing.”

“Like I said, no one.” A sly smile marred her face, and she sealed her verbal victory with one last cheese cracker. “And now I have destroyed all the evidence needed to incriminate me.”

“How mature of you.” The rational part of his brain told him to end the conversation there; nothing would come out of it aside from childish tit-for-tat, but some other, masochistic side just could not let it go. Fueling banter wasn’t something he normally did; he seldom entertained a light chat, for that matter. He was taught that in life you should get straight to the point; anything else was just frills - decorative and devoid of any substance or importance.

“I see you are still here in spite of my display of immaturity.” She tossed the haughty observation to her interlocutor.

Oh, it would get frilly. “If I am no one, as you say, then it doesn’t matter where I’m sitting, correct?”

Peeved that he was relentless with his questioning, she took another jab.”So sorry for your existential crisis.”

“Never said that I agreed with your assessment. But based on your perception of me, I can ascertain whether or not I should bother moving.”

“Ah, so you DO care what people think of you.”

“Never said that as well. You keep assuming compulsively.”

“Mmm… compulsive assumer…sounds like a disease, or a home appliance thingy you buy on the shopping channel.” Amused and distracted by her own thoughts, she resumed her staring into nothingness, occasionally letting out a muffled giggle.

‘Is she laughing at me? Or actively ignoring me?’ It irked him at some level that there was someone that was disregarding him so easily. Whether he was liked or not, people rarely ignored him. Years of cultivating a commanding and overbearing presence seem to not matter at this moment.

Another 5 minutes pass in silence. Well, to him at least. The stage was animated with Victor’s boisterous performance, with a few chuckles escaping the crowd whenever he would insert some of his characteristic quips.

“I see something else that should be on the shopping channel…” rolling his eyes, he laid back his head slightly.

Brought back from her musings, she drawled: “Mmm, well it gets the people to buy what they’re selling. Or invest. I really don’t know the endgame of this shindig.”

“Overblown marketing in my opinion.”

“Do you ever go to concerts ‘n’ such?” Now that took a sudden turn. She cocked her head sideways while waiting for his answer.

“Don’t see the point in being trapped in a loud and crowded area for more than 2 minutes. Let alone hours.”

“Overblown marketing for music,” she whispered.

Suppressing a smile, Xander lifted his head to examine her.

“Don’t tell anyone I said that.”

“And why not?”

“I’d get crucified. Everyone believes it’s “the ultimate fan experience” to go see your favorite artists live.” The inflections in her voice made it clear that she was not of the same opinion.

“Oh, the Jesus that died for our trivial truths.”

“Sins are for full-timers. Thought I’d start light with humanity’s redemption.”

“We are truly damned with a second-rate Messiah like you.”

With a cheeky smile, she fixed her gaze on him. “Well, at least the cross is lighter.”

A roar of applause erupted from the crowd. The conference was over and people were already getting up and ready to leave. Xander wasn’t exactly sure how or where 40 minutes went by, but then again, his watch worked perfectly fine.

It had been one of the best conferences to date.