[Friday, August 27, 2004.] [It's late afternoon, though the sun is still out, seeing as this is the tail of the summer. It might start to set in the next hour or two. Ivy and her mother have just parked, and her mom's leading her to the hospital. Ivy can react to this as she likes, seeing as she is Ivy.] [The parking lot is well kept. Though it's a parking lot, so one would hope so. No potholes or anything. Just leaving the door they're walking up to is Charlotte.] [Mini Start.] * Ivy 's body is hunched, her face somber. She's mostly looking at the ground, so she doesn't note Charlotte as of yet. * Charlotte walks away from the door, eyes down and face rather melancholy. She doesn't notice Ivy either. [The woman with Ivy certainly bears a family resemblance, being a tall, slender, and very attractive woman in her mid-thirties. She has long, blonde hair held back by pins, green eyes, and is wearing a skirt and blouse combination.] ( It's OlderIvy ) [Charlotte notices the woman well before she runs into her, seeing as she was directly on track. The woman doesn't look over, seeing as she's busy looking at Ivy and making sure she doesn't run home.] * Ivy doesn't run, but she does look very nervous, like running sounds like a good idea. * Charlotte quickly sidesteps, before there's a collision. "Oh, sorry, I... Ivy?" [The woman looks over to Charlotte at that.] * Ivy darts her eyes up from the ground to look over at Charlotte. She blinks. * Charlotte changes expressions almost immediately, smiling and waving. "Hi! I didn't expect to run into you here." * Ivy gives her a small baby wave, but doesn't smile. She then pulls her hand down and silently fidgets, but her eyes move from Charlotte to her mom and back. [The woman looks at Charlotte for a moment, then she smiles at Ivy's return of the wave. "Is this a new friend of yours?"] * Ivy gives a small nod. * Charlotte turns her attention to the more elderly woman. "Hello. I'm Charlotte Matthews." [She turns that smile to Charlotte, and she offers her hand for her to shake. "Jerine Thorne."] * Charlotte shakes. [Mrs. Thorne removes her hand from Charlotte's. "How did you two meet? Are you in the same classes?"] * Charlotte nods. "We've both got English and the same lunch period." [She keeps smiling. "That's good. Ivy needs people who care about her." She gives Ivy's upper arm on the side opposite herself a little squeeze.] * Charlotte counter smiles. "So, you came to visit Jeremy?" * Ivy glances down at that. ["Yes. How about you? Same reason, I'd guess, if Ivy's friends are yours."] * Charlotte nods. "Yeah." [She nods. "Are they still having visiting hours?" She glances at Ivy. "We weren't sure, but we had to try..."] ( Are they? ) (They were when you left.) * Ivy still has her head down, her hands folded around her arms to stop from fidgeting. * Charlotte blinks a bit and rubs her eyes. "Sorry. Yeah, they're still letting people visit. Jeremy wasn't in the mood to talk much though. * Charlotte smiles at Ivy. "But they say he'll be fine." * Ivy glances back up to Charlotte at that last remark. She gives her an unsure smile, some of the tenseness leaving her muscles. * Charlotte grins at Ivy. ["Well, let's hurry in," Mrs. Thorne says, like that's settled. "Would you like to come with, Charlotte? I'll take both of you out for ice cream after this."] ["Ben and Jerry's. Come on."] * Ivy takes in a short breath and starts for the hospital doors. * Charlotte looks questioningly to Ivy. [Mrs. Thorne lets Ivy go, though she doesn't quite leave her sight. She glances at Charlotte in askance.] * Ivy, apparently, assumes they'll follow her. * Charlotte shakes her head at Mrs. Thorne. "Thanks, but it's getting late. I should head home." * Ivy gets inside the hospital, and her eyes widen as she takes in the place. [She nods. "All right. It's been nice meeting you, Charlotte." She waves and heads after Ivy.] * Charlotte smiles and waves back. "Nice to meet you, too. Tell Jeremy I said 'Hi again'." * Charlotte waits in the parking lot for a bit, watching Ivy until she's out of sight. * Ivy glances over to her mom and then gets a confused look on her face. She points outside as if in askance. [Mrs. Thorne shrugs. "Your friend said it's too late. Too bad, really. I guess we'll have to eat a sundae by ourselves."] ( Sundae? Noooooo! ) (TOO BAD.) * Ivy slowly puts her arm down and then gives a small nod. She then glances around the hospital some more, taking it all in. She looks a bit spooked, but not too bad. [Mrs. Thorne pats Ivy on the shoulder and enters the building ahead of her.] * Charlotte heads off on her own! * Ivy follows close behind. [Inside is a lobby! It's carpeted, and there are potted plants, and secretary types at their computers and desks to one side, which is probably the information place. Also, some chairs and benches and magazines.] [Mrs. Thorne walks right up to one of the secretary types and asks if visiting hours for Jeremy Prescott are still in effect, and if so, where he is.] * Ivy continues walking, her face constantly moving from side to side. She then stops when her mom does so she doesn't run into her! [Mrs. Throne appreciates it, believe you me.] [The secretary has a pair of glasses perched on her nose, and she's hrming as she clacks through files on the computer. "For another half hour," she says. "Take the elevator up. He's on the third floor." She jots down a number and hands over the notepad sheet. Mrs. Thorne thanks her, and you're on your way!] * Ivy follows more! [Ivy and her mother follow directions. They get a little lost trying to find the right room, but they've regained their way and are coming on it now.] [The door's open, and it sounds like whoever's in there (hopefully Jeremy) is watching Wheel of Fortune.] (Ha!) ( Hey, Ivy. Vannah's like you, if she were younger and prettier and mute.) * Ivy glances over to her mom, fidgeting with her hands once again as she doesn't move into the room. (Bwah!) [Jerine Thorne looks down at Ivy, then shrugs to herself and knocks on the door. From in the room, Jeremy can be heard saying, "Yeah?"] ["You have a visitor," Ivy's mom replies. She looks to her daughter. "Go on, Ivy."] * Ivy 's face looks nervous and slightly panicked for a moment, but then she finally tentatively steps into the room, her eyes downcast as she does. [Jeremy's in there! His arm and torso are bandaged, and the room's pretty Spartan... though there is a television, and a few bouquets brighten it up a little. Who gives a guy flowers? Apparently, some people do.] (I bet Charlotte did. Damn hussy.) [He's sitting up in his bed and wearing a hospital gown, and upon seeing Ivy, he rubs at his face with his good hand. "Oh, man."] (Homing in on your man!) (I know!) * Ivy's body hunches as she hears that, but she does move her eyes over toward him for a quick peek to make sure he's okay. [Jeremy smiles a little awkwardly before looking away. There's a long moment of equally awkward silence, with Mrs. Thorne standing behind Ivy, looking at Jeremy, and not saying anything.] ["So," Jeremy says, clearing his throat uncomfortably and looking back to Ivy, "Uh. You been okay?"] * Ivy glances over to him fully now, though she's still looking quite timid. She looks down to the ground for a moment as she meets his eyes and then back up to his face. She then shakes her head as if she's not sure how to respond to that and then gestures to him. ["Me?" Jeremy grins. "I'll be out of here tomorrow. It's just a shock thing." He glances at Ivy's mom. "With the lights," he adds.] ["The lights?" Mrs. Thorne frowns.] * Ivy's eyes downcast once again, her body hunching. ["Yeah," Jeremy says, looking back to Ivy. "The lights, I think. I dunno for sure, but... I mean, it was just crazy! First Camila gets set on fire, and then I get burned. I dunno for sure, but I think that was it."] * Ivy lets out a small breath as she looks back over to Jeremy. [Ivy's mother nods, putting one hand on Ivy's shoulder and rubbing it a bit. "If it was the lights, I'm sure they're looking into it now. If *not*, I think we're going to have to talk to the principal."] ["It was probably just a fluke, Mrs. Thorne," Jeremy says with that awkward smile.] ["I hope so!"] * Ivy turns toward her mom and points to Jeremy for a second, and then to herself. She then glances to the door and then back to her mother's face. [Mrs. Thorne looks briefly confused, then she makes an 'oh' sound. "All right. You kids can have some time to yourselves." She looks to Jeremy sternly. "But no causing trouble."] [Jeremy laughs a little. "Sure thing, Mrs. Thorne." Jerine smiles in return, pats Ivy's shoulder, and leaves. Her heels can be heard on the tile as she walks away.] * Ivy watches her go and then turns to Jeremy. She gives him a nervous wave, taking a couple steps closer to his bed, but not too close. [Jeremy reaches his good left hand towards Ivy, even though that's the one away from her. "It's okay."] * Ivy glances at his hand for a moment and then shakes her head. She pauses a few more seconds and then pulls out a piece of paper from her pocket. She quickly moves the piece of paper onto the table near his bed and then moves back away. [He blinks, then he picks up the paper with said left hand and reads it before setting it back down. "It's okay."] * Ivy glances over at his bandaged arm and chest and her eyes begin to glisten. [Jeremy looks a little worried. "Ivy? It's okay. This won't even get in the way of the game."] * Ivy studies his face for a moment and then finally gives a tiny nod. ["So don't worry about it so much." He leans back and lets out a breath.] * Ivy gives him a worried look as he does that, moving a couple steps closer. ["Didja talk to Charlotte?"] * Ivy nods. She glances over to the different sets of flowers around the room and then back to Jeremy. She nods again. [Jeremy swallows, then says, hesitantly and quietly, "She said you told her that you got me and Camila."] * Ivy's eyes widen as she takes a few steps more forward (which puts her right next to his bed) and shakes her head emphatically. [Jeremy looks relieved. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I told her off."] * Ivy blinks and then looks relieved herself. She grabs a random pen on the table where her note is on and writes on the paper, 'I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone.' [Jeremy reads that and nods. "I know." He smiles a little. "And it's cool. It's not your fault."] * Ivy gives him a tiny smile and then slowly moves her hand out to him. [He reaches over and grasps it with his left hand.] ["So you don't need to worry about it, okay?" He frowns. "I can't believe Charlotte did that."] * Ivy looks even more relieved when they touch and gives his hand a light squeeze. She then frowns at his words, but doesn't do anything beyond that. ["Yeah." Pause. "So, um... wanna watch anything? I got a TV, and Wheel of Fortune can get kinda boring."] * Ivy's face brightens slightly at the change of subject and gives a small shrug. She takes a seat on the side of his bed so they don't lose hand contact. [Jeremy straightens a little and starts flipping channels.] * Ivy's body relaxes visibly as Jeremy begins flipping, looking about as calm as Ivy gets. Aww. [Aww!] [Mini End.]