[Thursday, September 2, 2004.] [Veronica and Christy, they study in the library, with lots of Shakespeare-y! Though they may be getting bored with it by now, because it's been a while.] [Well. Not a long while. But long enough for them to be bored. What'd you expect with these two?] [Christy has the book on her face and is muttering in tongues.] [Session Start.] * Veronica sighs and takes a good look at Christy. "Are you even reading Shakespeare anymore?" ["Yuh huh. I'm up to the part where they dance to the Macarena."] * Veronica snerks. "Now I KNOW that's not in Shakespeare." ["Are you sure? How about doing the Hamlet?" ] That might be true. * Veronica closes her book with a snap and lets out a deep breath. "You're going batty too, aren't ya?" [Christy sits up, the book tumbling onto her lap. "We can be sure Ophelia's doing the Hamlet!" This gets her a glare from the librarian. Christy beams at her!] I don't know. I heard she goes to a nunnery or something. ["I heard she died in the last act."] Weren't you listening during class? *Everybody* dies. * Veronica sighs and leans back. "So spoiled." [Christy hmphs and folds her arms. "Not *everybody*. I bet the ghost doesn't die."] Well, no. On account of he's already dead. Focus, Christy, focus. ["Okay. What about Norway?"] I don't know. I haven't read the end of the book. Are we done now? [A flash of relief crosses Christy's face. "Are we ever." She shovels things back into her backpack. "I hate studying."] * Veronica rubs her head. "Yeah. Me too. I wish I were one of those people who just, you know, got stuff. Like Krista. Stupid bookworm." ["Yeah. Hey! Maybe we can invite her next time. I mean, she gets it, right?" Christy zips her backpack closed.] Nah. She'll probably talk to us as if we're idiots. * Veronica puts her stuff in her backpack and shakes her head solemnly. "And even if she doesn't, you'd be able to tell by her look. I mean come on..." ["I could?" she asks blissfully.] * Veronica gives Christy a look herself, and then gives her a shove on the shoulder. "Dork." She slings her backpack over her shoulder. "So where should we head?" ["I dunno," she replies, ignoring Veronica's little dig as she heads out of the library. "Where the wind takes us!"] * Veronica heads out too. Is there any wind? [Upon leaving the school, there is some wind. It's blowing east. There's also drizzle, so it doesn't just blow, it shoves water in Veronica's face.] [The parking lot is empty, save for a few spaced out cars. The late busses have not arrived just yet.] * Veronica heads for her car. "You wanna just go for a ride? I could use the gunk blown off me." [Christy follows, pulling up her hood. Gasp, she has a hood! "Maybe we could get some munchies. I'm starving."] Sounds good. What do ya feel like? ["Something good and greasy. Maybe Italian beef."] * Veronica gets out her keys. "Pizza then?" [As they approach Veronica's car, Veronica spots a couple of girls leaving the school from the same set of doors. One looks awfully familiar, though she's looking downwards and is a bit hard to place through the drizzle.] * Veronica looks at the girl. "Hey now. I thought we were the only ones here this late." ["Huh?" Christy looks over, too. "Guess not."] [The other girl - Asian, kind of short, plain, and very physically fit, grabs the first by the arm and pulls her away from walking into the parking lot, saying something to her. The first girl (her hair's a sandy brown, Veronica can see) sorta nods and turns to walk where directed.] * Veronica strains herself for a better look. She's so nosy. [Veronica recognizes sandy blond hair girl as Tabby! Her arms are full of textbooks. Another giveaway. She looks pretty miserable, though.] Huh? Hey, it's that other girl. Krista knows her I think. * Veronica looks at Christy. "You think she needs a ride?" [Christy wrinkles her nose. "In this weather, who *doesn't* need a ride?"] Good point. * Veronica waves over. "Tabitha! Hey Tabitha!" [Tabby perks and looks over. She smiles a little bit. The Asian girl frowns.] * Veronica calls out. "You need a ride?" [Tabby blinks. So does the Asian girl. Tabby looks to the Asian girl, who shrugs and starts walking over to the pair of you. Tabby follows. "Where are you going?" said Asian girl asks. She's wearing walking shoes, jeans, and a leather jacket.] We were just going to head out to a bite to eat. But it's starting to look ugly out here. I know I wouldn't wanna be caught in this lousy weather without a ride. * Veronica stuffs her hands in her pockets and sizes the Asian girl up. [They exchange looks. Tabby seems all for it, while the Asian chick (who's a younger student, yes) is a bit dubious.] [Veronica sizes her up! She, as stated before, is on the short side, with plain features. Her hair's also on the short side, though not quite boyish. She has a backpack, but unlike Tabby's, it looks like there's almost nothing in it. She carries herself like someone who must play in sports.] [So maybe she's a jock? Or just works out. Regardless, she looks back at Veronica and says, "If you really want, maybe you can take us to Chinatown." Tabby doesn't show any sign of agreement or disagreement at that.] [Christy pokes her head around Veronica. "Heeey, are they both friends of yours? Hi! I'm Christy!"] * Veronica glances at Christy for a brief moment. "Wellll, I know her." She juts her thumb at Tabby then glances at the Asian girl. "But I don't think we've been introduced." [Tabby smiles nervously. "Um, Tabitha. Or Tabby." And the Asian girl just nods. "Sunny works."] * Veronica grins. "If you're sunny, you should smile more." She waves her hands immediately after. "Sorry. Bad joke. I'm sure we could give you a ride." She glances at Christy for confirmation. ["Sure!" Christy chimes in. "I'm always good with loaning Rica's car."] [Sunny just shakes her head. "Sorry," she says. "It's been a bad... it's been bad."] * Veronica lets out a sigh and gets a serious face for a moment. "You're not in *our* class." [Sunny blinks. "What?"] * Veronica unlocks the doors. "But go ahead and get in. I'm Veronica, by the way." [Tabitha bites her lip, then says, "You guys are in Mr. Mendel's class, right? With the..." She tries to gesture, but her hands are full of books. "Fire?"] * Veronica then nods silently to Tabitha. [Christy nods. She doesn't look so happy now that that was mentioned. "It was pretty freaky. Hey, door! That's the way to fried rice and nachos!" She runs over to open her own door and distract herself.] [The two younger students just sort of blink as Christy does that. "Thanks," Sunny says to Veronica. Pause. "Is she always like that?"] Yeah. She is. [Sunny cracks a small smile. "Cool." She enters the back seat, scooting over for Tabby, who crawls in after.] * Veronica then gets in the drivers seat. "Anyway, I thought you said Italian beef. Fried rice and nachos are SOOOO not Italian." (Everyone's inside?) (Yes! Va-va-vroom!) ["But they have beef! We could get it with pasta. Mmm, carbs." Christy settles back into her seat.] * Veronica starts up the car. Barring it exploding or anything, she is able to put it in gear and leave the parking lot. [The car doesn't explode! Instead, she drives along. Towards Chinatown?] (Si.) * Veronica puts on the radio and then looks in her mirror back at Sunny. "So why Chinatown?" [It's a bit of a drive; she's basically going through some of the busier parts of Chicago. Sunny looks up and says, "Uh? Oh. That's where I live."] [She proceeds to look out the window again. Tabby looks at her, a bit worried. Or sad, or something. Hard to tell with the big glasses.] * Veronica keeps her eyes on the road solemnly. "'kay." She shifts the mirror a bit onto Tabby. "You going there too or do I need to drop you off somewhere else? [Tabby fidgets some. "I'm going, too. Thanks."] ["Dude," Christy says, "If we're going to Chinatown, I so vote we get some noodles and barbeque pork. Forget the Italian."] * Veronica glances back at Tabby (using mirrors of course). "Hey. You okay?" [She rubs at her neck. "Okay enough." Sunny glances at her. "Sorry about that," she apologizes, and Tabby waves her off.] * Veronica looks Sunny-ish and sounds concerned. "About what..?" [Sunny blinks, then she looks down. "I, um... I kinda overreacted-" "I said it's okay!" Tabitha interrupts. She looks Veronica-ward. "Her uncle disappeared. She thought it was my fault."] * Veronica blinks. "Your--" She turns her eyes back on the road. "I'm sorry." After that, she gets pretty quiet. [Sunny turns her attention up to look at Tabitha, but at hearing Veronica's statment, she just sort of nods. Christy has the good sense to stay quiet. She's not entirely tactless.] * Veronica still doesn't say anything, unless someone else speaks up. The ride to Chinatown's probably pretty quiet. [It passes in silence! They're just entering Chinatown when Sunny says, "Thanks for the ride. I can show you a place to park if you're going to get noodles."] Yeah, that'd probably be good. Uh, thanks. [She nods. "Sure."] [Christy twists in her seat. "Heeeeey, do you know a good noodle place, too?"] [Sunny nods. She *almost* looks like she might be offended. How can't you know a good noodle place!] ["Sure. I can walk you to it; it's by the shop." And then she directs Veronica to a parking lot. It's kinda gravely, but no big deal. And cheap parking, too.] * Veronica pulls into the parking lot and parks. And succeeds! Unless it's parallel. Darned parallel parking. [It is not! The girls immediately start fumbling with their seatbelts and tumbling out of the car. Christy bounces a little. Sunny's definitely more subdued, and Tabby's gathering her textbooks.] * Veronica grabs her backpack and makes sure she locks the car and sets the alarm. [Beep beep!] * Veronica shoulders her pack and turns to Sunny. "Alright. Lead the way." [Sunny nods. And does so! She leads the girls down a few streets in Chinatown, but not particularly far. It's getting later in the day, but it's not dark yet. There are some kids running around, and people walking and talking: part in Chinese and part in English. It's a little dirty but not particularly.] [Plenty of knick knack shops around and restaurants, too. Veronica and Tabitha stick out. Christy sticks out even more. She doesn't care, though.] * Veronica looks around as she goes through. "I don't think I've really been to Chinatown much." ["Neither have I," Tabby says, trying to adjust her glasses while her arms are filled with books. She fails and the slide farther down her nose.] [Christy bounces and looks. "Oh, we've *got* to come here some more, Rica. Never been to Chinatown my right shoe."] * Veronica looks at Christy and blinks. "Look, when I moved here, it wasn't exactly for touristy stuff..." She erks and turns to Sunny quickly. "No offense." [Sunny glances back. "Some of us *do* live here." She looks forward again. "But it's okay. Uncle tries to catch tourists, anyway."] [She picks up her pace a little.] Yeah, that's why I corrected myself. [You pass a grocery store. It smells like fish.] [Uncooked fish. Probably because it's still alive.] * Veronica sighs and rubs the back of her neck as she walks after Sunny. She's keeping one eye on Christy. [Christy wrinkles her nose. "My least favorite part," she half-whispers to Veronica.] [Before much longer, though, the smells get better. A lot better. Sunny turns a corner and stops at a dingy looking restaurant with flaking red paint. There's a couple of roast chickens hanging by their feet in the window, dripping sauces downwards.] * Veronica looks at Sunny. "This is it?" [Inside is a bit crowded with, yes, more Chinese folk, and it doesn't look the cleanest, but the smell is fantastic. "Yeah," Sunny says. "The shop's right down there." She points down the street. "So I come here a lot. It's really good."] Alright. Well thanks. It was good meeting you, Sunny. You off? [She manages a weak smile. "Yeah. Thanks for the ride." She glances at Tabby, waves, and walks towards where she pointed the shop as.] [Tabby nods, still clutching her textbooks close in the drizzle. "See you later?"] ["Sure!" Christy chimes. She looks at Veronica.] * Veronica waves at the two of them. "Sure...yeah..." She glances at Christy after they leave. "I wonder what that was all about." [Christy shrugs. "I dunno. In?"] [Tabby, by the way, scurries off after Sunny.] * Veronica looks at Christy for a moment. "Err, yeah. In's good." [Christy shoves her way inside. "Great, because I was getting soaked."] * Veronica makes her way inside too and looks about. [It's crowded and noisy, filled with chatter in Cantonese. Christy's already claiming a table near the middle of the restaurant.] * Veronica follows Christy into the restaurant and looks at the food. She's being pretty solemn for her. [End!]