Ariella hoped off the counter and walked to the door. She doubted anyone would notice if she left. And she wasn't going far. She was going to wait at the curb for Lucky to come back. She had scared off her one friend she had Mads and she wanted to make it right.
She sat down on the concrete and let the air warm her skin. The slight breeze whipped around the small pieces of hair that had fallen out of her braid.
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Ronni nodded slowly. He at least got where she was coming from. That was good.
She thought for a moment, before pointing a him, then shrugging.
So⦠tell me about you?
Maybe if she got to know him, she'd trust him.
Maybe she'd find out why she shouldn't trust him.
And maybe she'd wind up with a friend.
Lucas blew a piece of golden blonde hair out of his eyes and smiled.
"Uhm, I'm Lucas and I have a dog named Clover and a younger sister Gabriella." He told her. "I don't like crowds and loud noises because of past experiences and once in middle school, I got stuck in a baby swing at a park and my friend had to call the fire department."
Ariella hoped off the counter and walked to the door. She doubted anyone would notice if she left. And she wasn't going far. She was going to wait at the curb for Lucky to come back.
Lucky rode for a while, until he managed to bring down the hurt in his chest. He couldn't figure out why he was so bothered, butβ¦
Well, his emotional state was garbage at the moment, and Ariella's resistance to even talking to the rest of the group was driving him a bit crazy.
He had just kind of ridden around the block in an ever widening circle, and had come upon a parking garage. He was reminded of what Ariella had said about the truck being crammed.
It took him a few minutes, but he managed to find a car that hadn't had the windows smashed or the locks ruined or the tires stolen or anything wrong with it that he could see. It was only a block over from their apartment, so if he went back and got Ronni, she might be able to hotwre it and they could use it. It was a 4 door sedan, average size, with plenty of trunk space. Very helpful.
He rode back to the apartment, arriving back about a minute later. The NYC blocks were big.
Ariella was sitting outside on the curb, and he hopped off Sinjoro near her.
"Found anoher car, like you asked. Gonna get Ronni to hotwire it." He started to head inside.
Lucas blew a piece of golden blonde hair out of his eyes and smiled. "Uhm, I'm Lucas and I have a dog named Clover and a younger sister Gabriella." He told her. "I don't like crowds and loud noises because of past experiences and once in middle school, I got stuck in a baby swing at a park and my friend had to call the fire department."
Ronni nodded as he spoke, and snickered when he mentioned the swing. She started to gesture, before shaking her head, and miming writing.
Got something I could write with?
Ronni nodded as he spoke, and snickered when he mentioned the swing. She started to gesture, before shaking her head, and miming writing.
Got something I could write with?
Lucas nodded and dug in his bag for a pen, which was blue and he ripped a piece of black paper and handed all three of them to her, the journal so she could place the paper on it and make it easier for her to write, since the spiral notebook kept the paper on a hard, smooth surface.
Ariella looked up as Lucky approached her. She swallowed, expecting some sort of reaction, but he just brushed passed her. Hurt welled in her chest. She jumped up from her spot on the curb and she grabbed Lucky's arm. "Can we talk? Before you go in?"
Lucas nodded and dug in his bag for a pen, which was blue and he ripped a piece of black paper and handed all three of them to her, the journal so she could place the paper on it and make it easier for her to write, since the spiral notebook kept the paper on a hard, smooth surface.
Ronni wrote for a minute, before handing the sheet back to him.
You know my name, I like Ronni. My favorite color is blue and I don't really have any funny memories from highschool. I like mac&cheese, if that will ever exist again, and I get nervous around big crowds and big men.
Ariella looked up as Lucky approached her. She swallowed, expecting some sort of reaction, but he just brushed passed her. Hurt welled in her chest. She jumped up from her spot on the curb and she grabbed Lucky's arm. "Can we talk? Before you go in?"
Lucky stopped, swallowing hard. He turned to look at her and nodded slowly. "If you want to, but don't let me take up more of your time." He didn't say it angrily, just like he really believed she was wasting time and effort on him.
Ronni wrote for a minute, before handing the sheet back to him.
You know my name, I like Ronni. My favorite color is blue and I don't really have any funny memories from highschool. I like mac&cheese, if that will ever exist again, and I get nervous around big crowds and big men.
Lucas read it and nodded.
"Ah," he said "it sounds like you've had some traumatizing experiences with big guys like me then." He smiled softly at her. "I can't say I blame you though, I guess all guys like me are a bit scary."
Ariella dropped her hands to her front where she started picking at her nails and skin, a nervous habit. "I-I'm sorry if I made it sound like I don't trust you. I do." Not fully, but they had only just met. "You've given me your food and water. And you were ready to protect me against the others even though we had only just met. You haven't asked anything from me in return."
She bit her bottom lip, looking down at her feet. Her face scrunched in a wince as she drew blood. "I don't do well in groups. Not anymore. And the others haven't offered me anything or proven they can be trusted." She really wasn't comfortable explaining her scar. "I was with, uh, friends right as this happened. We lost a couple in our group and one of my friends went crazy. He's, well, he contributed to the situation that got me this." She pointed to her cheek, cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
Cassie keeps his eyes carefully on the dog as he pants. His fur did look soft but Cassie didn't feel the need to touch him.
He shakes his head quickly, his blonde curls flopping over his face. He turns around and runs inside, not knowing what else to say.
Eva sighs "sorry. He doesn't have a good past with dogs. Most of the family doesn't" she says, looking back to the open doorway into their house. "you can come in if youd like." she asks, her arms still wrapped around her slender figure.
Just then, Liana comes back in a bucket of water for the dog, struggling to hold it up with all of her arm strength. "howdy" she says in a fake western accent, her body leaning out to one side as she carries the bucket, her other arm outstretched for balance.
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Zeus managed to get up and go to the bucket, greedily lapping up as much water as he could without choking.
"It's fine, I completely understand that," Alastor replied to Eva. "And I'd love to come in."
He turned to Liana, smiling at her gratefully. "Thank you so much for getting him water," he said. "I was worried he'd get a heat stroke or pass out soon."
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(did anyone interact with my characters? if so I missed it)
Liana sets the water bucket down on the porch while he laps up the water, splashing water on the wooden porch around the bucket.
"yeah! It's the least i could do. I would bring it inside but mom wouldn't let me" she says, rolling her eyes.
"I dont want my floors ruined. The finishing is wearing out and we dont have the means to repair anything anymore. Unless you know how to repair moldy hardwood floors" Eva retorts back to her daughter, holding the door open for them.
"ill leave the door open for him if he wants to come in though" she says to Alastor, looking down at the dog.
(did anyone interact with my characters? if so I missed it)
(I dont think soβ)
(I dont think soβ)
(ok thanks. :D)
Alastor looked at Zeus in amusement as the dog accepted the invitation and walked right in, wagging his tail with much more enthusiasm now.
"I think he'd definitely like to come inside," he chuckled before going in himself and looking around.
"Was this your home before the flu happened, or is this just a temporary shelter?" Alastor asked Eva as Zeus laid himself down on the floor with a sigh.
Eva leaves the door open in case Zeus wanted to go back outside. It was obvious Eva wasn't used to them or their characteristics. Though she tries to be patient.
"This has been our home beforehand. I bought it right before Cassie was born" she says with a small smile, tucking a peice of hair behind her ear.
Liana takes a sharp turn into the kitchen, though soon poking her head out of the door frame to look at Alastor "you want anything to eat? We ate eggs for breakfast todayβ¦and every other day" she says excitedly.
Cassie comes back into view of the four with a small basil leaf from outside, holding it carefully in both of his hands as if he were holding a cup of water. Eva turns around to look at him, giving him a small chuckle "what's that?" she asks. It was obviously a leaf from the garden Eva had outside but she'd thought she would indulge her son.
"Basil" Cassie states as he focuses on the leaf.
"I'm good, thanks," Alastor replied to Liana with a smile.
"It's great that you guys have been able to be safe here. Searching for a decent place in the city sucks," he commented, leaning against the wall closest to him.
Eva pauses, looking down to Cassie then back to Alastor, "its been really nice. I was thinking that-" she pauses, a heavy sigh, thinking about how she would go through with telling her kids. Liana raises a brow "what?" she asks.
"Well, i was just thinking about going down there⦠to the city i mean" she says anxiously as she fiddles with the blade of the knife in her hand.
"Did.." Eva looks back to Alastor "did you just come from the city?" Eva asks him
Lucas read it and nodded. "Ah," he said "it sounds like you've had some traumatizing experiences with big guys like me then." He smiled softly at her. "I can't say I blame you though, I guess all guys like me are a bit scary."
She nodded, before writing some more. I thought I'd mentioned men make me nervous, but. Yes, all of you are a tad nerve-wracking.
She glanced up at him, thinking, before writing some more. Dream vacation, before all of this?
Ariella dropped her hands to her front where she started picking at her nails and skin, a nervous habit. "I-I'm sorry if I made it sound like I don't trust you. I do." Not fully, but they had only just met. "You've given me your food and water. And you were ready to protect me against the others even though we had only just met. You haven't asked anything from me in return." She bit her bottom lip, looking down at her feet. Her face scrunched in a wince as she drew blood. "I don't do well in groups. Not anymore. And the others haven't offered me anything or proven they can be trusted." She really wasn't comfortable explaining her scar. "I was with, uh, friends right as this happened. We lost a couple in our group and one of my friends went crazy. He's, well, he contributed to the situation that got me this." She pointed to her cheek, cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
Lucky watched her, carefully. He wasn't sure they were on the same page.
"Hey, look. It's not that I feel like you don't trust me. I'm more confused why you do trust me, even a little. Because I gave you food? The rest have contributed food, it's all in there in the kitchen. Because I was ready to protect you? Sure, but nobody has attacked you. None of them have attacked you. So they all meet the same criteria I do, but you won't even talk to them, Ariella." He tripped over her name, but kept going. "And I can't figure out why I'm different. The only thing that comes to mind is that you pity me so much, you're not bothered." He hated that thought, that her friendship was a result of pity. It had been eating at him since it occurred to him.
"I'm sorry you went through something awful. I'm sorry it scarred your face and your mind. That's awful, and I can understand it makes things difficult. But nobody in our little group is without scars, and you're the only one being unreasonableβ¦"
He knew she was making an effort to explain, and he wanted to give her credit there. He gently took one of her hands, trying to figure out how to navigate this. "I just want you to be able to function. This isn't healthy, and⦠at some point, in order to live, and not just survive, you have to let people in again⦠there will always be the potential for hurt, but⦠there's no other way to do life."
Ariella looked down at their hands, squeezing it tightly. She sniffled, trying to will away the tears in her eyes. "I just need time to adjust. I-I'll try to better." One thing she hated most was when people were angry with her. She was a people pleaser, or used to be. And this was just a trait that seemed to carry with her. She didn't know how to handle it when people were mad at her and she would do just about anything to correct it.
"I don't even know what to say to them. The only person that's talked to me is Alastor and he used to be a policeman. I really don't trust the police. The dog is cute though." She shrugged her shoulders as she shuffled on her feet. God, she wasn't good at this.
Eva pauses, looking down to Cassie then back to Alastor, "its been really nice. I was thinking that-" she pauses, a heavy sigh, thinking about how she would go through with telling her kids. Liana raises a brow "what?" she asks.
"Well, i was just thinking about going down there⦠to the city i mean" she says anxiously as she fiddles with the blade of the knife in her hand.
"Did.." Eva looks back to Alastor "did you just come from the city?" Eva asks him
Alastor nodded. "Yeah, there's an apartment that I'm staying at with a group of people." He paused. "And a horse, too. I came out here on a jog to clear my head, and I brought Zeus with me."
What if the others left while I was gone?, He thought with a start. I hope they haven't stolen my backpack. Or my belt.
"You can come with me to meet them if you'd like," Alastor offered. "We'll probably be moving out of that apartment soon, it's too small to fit a lot of people."
Eva raises her brows at the mention of a horse, Liana as well. "oh goodness" Eva says, putting a hand to her chest just below her collarbone.
Cassie looks up to Eva before he runs off into the kitchen.
"I would like that. But id have to come back to the house. This is the kids' home after all" Eva shrugs. "Are theyβ¦" she pauses, thinking whether or not it it would be rude to ask.
"Are they decent?" she says, lowering her voice just a little. Liana lets out a loud 'ugh! boring'
"lets just go. ill get Cass ready" she says, running down the hall.
Eva sighs "we-we don't need to do that right now." she taps her fingers on her lips as she looks around the house "you need some rest hun." Eva says to him, not making eye compact though