(2018-06-23) Movie Night!
Movie Night!
Summary: Kaylee pulls together a movie night at the school, and students trickle in here-and-there.
Date: 2018-06-23
Related: NA
NPCs: NA
Scene Runner: NA
Players:
kaylee..sierra..bryce..quinn..sydney..callisto..

Great Hall/Dining Room, Winbarry Estate
Sat Jun 23, 2018


The round tables from the original school have been placed in the dining room, the familiar chairs surround them. A few tall hutches line the far wall, and hold the necessary plates, glasses and flatware necessary for meals. On the sidewall a credenza is set and holds various packaged snacks for between meals, there is also a wooden bowl with apples, oranges and other such fruits. The oak paneled walls and wood floor has been polished to a shine so the room looks quite pleasing. A large flat screen TV hangs on the other wall and is usually set to some music station, though the remote is handy should someone want to change the channel.

===

Saturday evening in Coral Springs can be rather hit or miss as far as entertainment and adventure go. While the town does offer a movie theater, a dance club, a skating rink and various parks, the number of kids present at any one of those locales can't be reasonably predicted without previous planning. However, there is a fixed number of students staying at the estate over the summer which can easily be planned for, and thus Kaylee has decided to have a movie night in the great hall!

Tables and chairs have been moved out of the way and pushed to the sides and bean bags and pillows have been brought in and placed about. Ambitious students could probably even drag in a couch or love seat if they so desired, but Kaylee wouldn't go that far on her own. Having acquired plenty of snacks and soda, there is a veritable smorgasboard of sugary or salty goodies ready to be consumed. Kaylee is presently working on pulling them out of grocery bags and setting them up for whoever decides to come around.

Sierra is up for it. As long as they're not showing soppy romantic comedies but with Kaylee in charge…Sierra steels herself to watch some soppy romantic comedies as she wanders in alone. "Hey, Kaylee. So what are we watching? I have a pirated copy of Jurassic World 2 if you want." She looks over the table of goodies and seems impressed - must be nice to afford all this whenever you want.

Sydney almost wore her pajamas. Movie Night translates to "Slumber Party!" awfully easily for the steel girl, but she literally just emerged from the shower. Apparently she found a day gig on Craigslist. Her hair is tied back out of her face, and she still smells a little like the mineral oil she uses to keep her skin from rusting in all this humidity. Fresh coating of the stuff. There's a dab of musk essential oil in this bottle, along with the usual dab of cloves. Still. She's a little bit of a stranger to this century, so she chose to come dressed, albeit without shoes.

She wanders in alone as well, but she waves to Sierra. The awkwardness of it would be visible to just about anyone. "Hey." She looks at the spread, secretly glad she had dinner already.

In true Callisto fashion, she just.. walks right into the middle of things that she hadn't exactly kept her finger on the pulse of. Saturday night will have seen her staying 'in' regardless, either being her boring-ass self and meditating in some dark corner of the mansion; sleeping; doing 'bendy stuff' (yoga) or all of the above and back to sleeping. So when it came time to go down to the kitchen to prepare a smoothie or salad for herself, the mentalist instead took note of some activity brewing in the great hall and sloooowly… like a curious cat… Callisto peers into the big open space as Kaylee sees to the finishing touches. Sierra is noted too, and cerulean eyes sliii~iiide over to look upon chairs, tables…. oh!

Callisto finally steps into the hall, her expression flushed. Socializing is another New Thing that the reclusive girl is still getting a handle on.

Behind Sydney, she strides in.. she is in sleepwear: an ivory cotton gown from another time, thin straps, hair pulled back into a braid. "Ah.. hn," A half-smile. "Good evening." She offers to those assembled.

Humming softly under his breath as he enters into the Great Hall. The golden blond teen known as Quinn was definitely having issues with this whole idea. He was not sure about this movie night thing. The teen was dressed in his white t-shirt and blue jeans but sans any form of shoes right now. He stretches a little bit as he tries to flex his body. This is one of those things that he needed to deal with in order to integrate a little bit better. This is his first experience with movies.

Waving at Sierra without turning around, Kaylee cheerily greets her. "Hi-HI-hi, Sierra! We should definitely not watch anything illegally like that, but thanks for offering! I have pretty much alla new releases on my Vudu, so I figured we could just pick something! Depending on what everyone wants, I thought Tomb Raider was really good or Pacific Rim Uprising, or even Black Panther or something. Or, if people are more in a funny mood, Game Night is good. There's also Wrinkle in Time, or Annihilation, or … lotsa stuff!"

As more students make their way in, Kaylee finishes putting the food out and turns around, bouncing back towards the TV. "Hey everybody! Help yourselves to snacks and stuff. I got soda, diet soda, and lemon-lime if you don't like soda! I didn't get cups out yet, but they're in the kitchen! Does anybody have a movie they're like, dying to watch? Or one they would absolutely hate?" she asks, looking between the arriving students.

Kaylee's movie choice seems okay to Sierra…except maybe 'Wrinkle in Time' so it won't be that much of a traumatic experience. "I vote 'Tomb Raider'…though I guess that's quite close to my life. Sort of. In a way." she pours herself a Coke before waving at Sydney - no awkwardness on her part - and then the other new arrivals. "Hey, everyone. Welcome to the 'Cinema de Kaylee'." Sierra is dressed in an oversize Mexico soccer shirt that reaches down to her knees and a pair of legwarmers.

Sydney says, "Well, I just found out there are six more Star Wars movies that I haven't seen, so any of those would be fine by me, but… I'm easy. I haven't seen a movie since the turn of the century." She finds a place to sit on the floor. She's hard on unprepared furniture."

Deer in headlights much? Callisto finds herself feeling a little awkward, here in her bedclothes… but it's too late to back out now! THere's a choice of… of movies? Where to begin?! Dare she say that she rather loved the silent films of the 1920s?

Hovering close to the snacks, Callisto considers.. "I know naught.. you pick." Says the girl who, also, isn't huge on movies.. ie. doesn't know of them very much! She nudges a beanbag cushion with a toe and slowly.. lowers herself into it. c_c

"I have never seen a movie." Quinn says softly, the nervousness evident in his voice. He didn't know what Star Wars was, or really any of the other movies that were being bandied about. "So I will be of no help with choosing one." Many of them will probably be dangerous to him.

"Well, Tomb Raider IS pretty good! And since that's the only vote we've gotten, let's watch it!" Kaylee chirps happily. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and starts swiping at it as she moves away from the television. She plops herself down on a beanbag, only halfway facing the television, and sets up the screen sharing functions so that her phone's desktop appears on the screen. … complete with unicorns and rainbows and stars, right out of a Lisa Frank poster. Vudu is opened, then she navigates into her movies an pulls up Tomb Raider's 'UHD' option and starts the movie. "I hope nobody minds if I leave the closed captions on! I have a really bad habit of talking or missing stuff, so the closed captions help."

Sydney jumps and looks around as she hears the sound of a phone ringing. After a couple of rings, she fumbles for her pocket and pulls hers out. "What? That's tonight? Oh crap. Yeah, I'll be ready." She hangs up. "My ex-foster-fam is coming up with the rest of my stuff. I gotta go. Sorry."

Bryce walks into the dining area with his nose buried in a book. Well, not literally but as close as possible. Apparently, Bryce didn't know about the movie night and it's just coming for a snack. He doesn't bother looking up be used he knows the layout so well, but with the room changed for the movie he ends up walking into, tripping over, and falling on a bean bag chair. "Woooah."

"Will you use the Spanish close captions?" Sierra teases before she takes her hoard of goodies and plonks down on a beanbag in front of the television. Just in time to see Sydney take off in a rush. A wave to the girl before Sierra starts munching down on Pringles. "You talk through the movie?" the Latina frowns at Kaylee…though she shouldn't be surprised. "They could make a movie about me becoming a superhero and call it 'Tomb Wanderer'. Hey…this reminds me. Should we show off our powers in town? Even little things like flying?" And speaking of flying, there goes the bookworm.

The Metis girl is just getting used to the feeling of a bean bag seat beneath her arse when the sound of a body FLOOMPHING into another bean bag chair breaks her out of her reverie. Callisto turns to eye whomever it was who took flight, and her expression softens immediately upon spying Bryce. "Are you alright?" She asks of the bookish boy, her brows quirked. She has not yet picked a drink or something to gnosh on, but give her time. She's still adjusting~

The girl glances toward the screen as the movie is found and toggled.. and not for the first time in her existence, Callisto is visibly amazed by technology.

When Bryce gets closer to the bean bag that spells his doom, Kaylee does try to warn him! "Bryce, you should watch where you're- …." But, alas! Failure. Kaylee raises a hand to cover her mouth to avoid letting her snicker get TOO loud, though her grin is readily visible. "Never mind," she singsongs, wrinkling her nose. Then, she turns her head towards Sierra. "But I can't read Spanish!" she says, before realizing the other girl is just teasing. She sticks her tongue out, then, and makes a face. "Well, I'll TRY not to talk through the movie! I mean, if nobody talks back to me, then I'm usually not so bad about it. But, I do tend to react to what's on screen, so …," Kaylee trails off, grimacing a little as she tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear. "If I'm bothering anyone, though, you can tell me to just be quiet and I won't be upset! Promise!" she adds.

Bryce is still in the bean bag chair. There are some mumbling sounds as he starts talking before sitting up. Finally, he starts sitting up and says, "What, what just happened?" He just looked down and noticed the bean bag chair that he ingloriously fell into. "Um, this is, er, what is this?" He looks at Callisto and says, "I think, uh, the book is okay. What did you, um, say Kaylee?" He then notices all the changes are. "What is, uh, going on?"

Sierra smiles sweetly to Kaylee. "It's okay. You can talk if you want. Just be yourself" she shrugs before a little sigh at Bryce. "Bookie…you really need to be more aware of the world around you. You won't fall over that way." She reaches out to pet the beanbag next to her. "Come sit over here and watch a movie. The movies are always better than the books. Take way less time." Sierra looks over at the dazzled Callisto. "Cali…did that call you got when we were on the beach work out okay? We're not about to be attacked by anything, are we?"

"T'is a bag, full of beans… upon which you seat yourself." Callisto asides to Bryce in a hushed whisper.. it's as if she, too, is having trouble comprehending how people can use these as furniture. But do you see Ms. Faerie hastening to rise from this deceptively cozy nest? Oh hell naw. Look at her. Going nowhere. If anything she pressed her arse deeper into the 'hug' of the beanie.

"T'is perhaps one of the most comfortable things that I have ever…. sat upon." Callisto utters huskily, reverently. Mind blown.

She'll just sit there, mulling over bean bag chairs and how she can get one for her meditation stints, when a voice addressing her pulls her out of her reverie. Her silence can easily be taken by Kaylee as no objection to her desire to talk about the movie and really, Callisto doesn't mind. She turns her white-haired head to Sierra.

"Oh.. t'was alright, please do not be concerned." She says gently, though her brows furrow a bit deceptively. "My kin and I are not on the best of terms. T'is an ongoing battle to deal with them.. though they are not so stupid as to cause trouble here." She explains to the Latina. "Thank you for asking, though."

With people getting settled in and the movie starting, Kaylee sighs happily and snuggles herself down into her beanbag. Reaching out one arm, a disc of light begins to spin itself into existence in her hand. Then, with a casual flick of her wrist, the disc flies away from her and slides itself effortlessly under the giant bowl of popcorn. It then lifts, bringing the bowl of popcorn more to the center of the floor so people can enjoy it without having to get up all the time. "Well, I'm super happy everybody could make it, tonight! I hope you all enjoy! If you get bored or anything, don't feel compelled to stay here, I won't be upset!" she offers, then nuzzles herself further into the beanbag before reaching for some popcorn. And, because Kaylee doesn't care, she's not anywhere close to facing the television, sprawled out at an angle away from it.

Bryce turns his head to Sierra. Clearly she was joking. Something better than books? Though the comment about it taking less time than a book makes him curious. "Less time? The, the last movie took, um, much longer than a book. How long is, is this movie?" He then looks at Callisto. He has a bit of a shocked look on his face. He wouldn't believe it, but there it is. He starts trying to get off the bag and looks more like a the bag is trying to eat him. "Um, how do you, er, get out?"

"I suppose you read really quick or something" Sierra muses at Bryce. "Well…for me…movies are a lot quicker than the books. I think this one is about ninety minutes…without the credits." She nods to Callisto. "Families can be a pain but you wouldn't exist without one." A curious look at how Kaylee is ignoring the screen but she has seen it before. "You know, Kaylee. The number of times you say that you won't be upset suggests you would be upset" she smiles.

The fey girl does not watch the movie; she eyes the discus of energy, carrying popcorn! Her eyes round themselves in her face, "Oh—" She exhales. Now that would be handy for getting hard-to-reach things! Especially if she were to be contorted in some yoga position that is ridiculous and impractical. She listens to Kaylee's words and turns to watch the blonde girl thoughtfully. "Thank you, Kaylee," Callisto offers, genuinely too. Her accented voice does lovely things to the speaking of other peoples' names. Now what.. what does she say next? Callisto is awful at small talk… listening? Spot on. But filling silences and carrying casual conversation…? Yeah it takes practice.

Callisto goes back to contemplative silence, considering Sierra's words as her glacial gaze moves toward the screen. She will be silent for a time as she settles in.

Currently Quinn is seated upon the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and his eyes fixated on the screen. To him this is a marvel and a bit scary. This will probably NOT be helpful in getting him to trust vehicles but that's beside the point. He rests his chin upon his knees and begins to hum just very very softly.

"Oh, no, but I really wouldn't be! Honest! I just want people to know it! I only set this all up because not everybody feels comfortable going in to town and stuff on their own. Oh! And yeah, to answer Sydney's question, in case anybody else wondered, too, we don't have to like, HIDE our powers or ourselves in town. But, we probably should avoid showing off. The town knows we're here and most people are happy to keep it quiet. But, if we made it all super obvious that a bunch of powered teens were around, the bad guys would probably target us even more than normal!" Kaylee explains. Then, she turns her face towards Callisto and offers the girl a smile. "You're welcome, Callisto! And I'm really super happy you came and are hanging out more! It's good to see you."

Finally, she smiles at Bryce's 'predicament' and winks at the boy. "You don't. You're trapped, forever and ever, and have to watch movies with us and have fun and make friends. It's a fate worse than death!" Looks like nobody is willing to help the poor kid!

After fighting with the bean bag for a while, Bryce seems to resign himself. A few seconds later, a beam of energy comes up from him and starts to make one of his constructs. The arcade claw appears and begins to lower itself in order to pick him up. However, it stops and then fades from view before picking him up. Did he decide to stay and watch the movie after all? Zzzzzz. Oops. Seems the poor kid fell asleep. He has been working hard the last few days.

Sierra hopes that Bryce doesn't snore. That would be an annoying soundtrack! But there's also Quinn making strange noises and the Latina looks over at the poor soul. "Are you okay? You look…frightened? I won't hurt anyone. Neither will Kaylee…" Sierra thinks on this and then hand wobbles. "Not intentionally at least. Want some Pringles?" She offers the tube in his direction.

"What are pringles?" Quinn asks blinking at Sierra, his eyes quite large from the events on the 'screen'. "I am not afraid of you… It is strange to see these things." He says gesturing to the screen. Technology was still baffling to him, but hey! He willingly entered a room with the things again. This is improvement. He's also not running and screaming from the noise. "Lots of noise and sound and violence…" He says, not sounding like he's upset by it but more like he was discussing the weather.

"Pringles are a kind of chip!" Kaylee offers to Quinn, ever so helpful. "And this movie isn't based on a book, it's based on a video game, Quinn. So, that's something else we'll have to teach you!" she offers, reaching for and acquiring a handful of popcorn on which she begins munching.

"Be warned though" Sierra smiles to Quinn as she keeps offering the Pringles. "You won't be able to stop at one. And you should get yourself a soda too. Don't worry about the movie" she adds with a nod towards the screen. "I had to explain these things to my guy too. It is how they tell stories these days. Just think of it as sitting around the fire and listening to someone tell a tale…with lots of sound effects. I can show you the video game later if you like."

"I saw Callisto playing that downstairs once… It wasn't nearly as violent as this, but she was quite… upset over things." Quinn says as he reaches slender fingers to pluck a chip from it,"I tried soda before… It made my heart race. I do not know what was in it." He says before eating said chip. "I think I shall have but one."

What of Callisto? She's been awfully quiet! Seems the thrum of voices, the background noise of the movie and the sweet sweet feeling of thousands on beans cushioning her faerie ass has lulled the girl into a doze! A particularly 'animated', bombastic portion of the movie soundtrack jolts her awake and the girl sits up straight again, as straight as she can in this sort of seat! Her name being spoken brings her back wholly and the mentalist is still for a few seconds, regaining her bearings. She squints over at Quinn and is soon following precisely what he means. "Video game—" She says, sleepiness making her voice husky, "Ah. Mario. A fiend." Said as she rubs her eyes gently.

Sydney returns some time later, looking subdued. She's also changed into her pajamas. Her eyes are rimmed with the color of rust. She pauses to marvel at the sheer size of the screen, and the clarity of what's going on there, then tries to pick up the plot. She rubs at her eyes absently, and brushes the rust she loosens there off the same way normal people brush sleep out of their eyes. She tries to slip into the room without drawing attention.

With Tomb Raider in full swing on the television, Kaylee's actually the quiet one for a change! Even though she's not facing the screen, from her facial reactions, it would appear she's watching the movie. Yay for LED televisions! When Sydney comes back, though, Kaylee waves at her and waves for her to come join folks closer to the TV. Unfortunately, while the TV's lights are easy for Kaylee to pick up on at distance, the nuances of facial expressions and possible rusty waterworks are lost on the girl. "Syd! You haven't missed too much yet! Come watch with us!"

Sierra is watching the movie AND looking in the direction of the screen. Pringles disappear into her mouth with monotonous unthinking regularity - along with mouthfuls of Coke. She does manage to see Sydney's return and give her a wave before eyes front once more. "Yeah…Mario sucks" she nods absently to Callisto. "Yoshi forever."

Yoshi forever… from whom did Callisto hear that exact proclamation? Her lips curl upwards at their corners slightly, and she snorts a singular little spat of laughter. "I much prefer Luigi." Said smoothly. Knowingly. "Understated, underestimated… the ones who are to be feared most." Whispered conspiratorially, obviously joking. Callisto has not yet chosen food or drink and at this stage she likely won't. She is simply content to be resting, in the company of others.. though Sydney's return catches her attention despite the other girl's attempt to be subtle. Callisto glances towards her, noting… what's up with her eyes?

Callisto tilts her head delicately. "Everything alright?" She asks, not quite honing in on the possibility of there being something wrong.. but asking in an earnest, friendly manner. For Callisto, anyway.

Sydney nods quietly. "Yeah. Just had some business to take care of. I had to say some goodbyes, and they wanted to take me to dinner and all that." She looks at the screen. "This is kind of like Raiders of the Lost Ark…"

"Yeah…a bit" Sierra nods to Sydney's Raiders comment. "Except it's a girl…so it's better" she smirks before a wink to the metal girl. The talk of 'business' has her a little worried. "It was your family you went to see, wasn't it? Why does everyone have problems with their families?" That question including Callisto.

Sydney shakes her head. "Foster family. Things have been arranged for me to stay here until I'm legally eighteen, so they're… moving on to the next kid. So I had to say goodbye." She nods toward the screen. "She's ripped. That's like… an eight pack." She feels through her pajama shirt where the extra two muscles would be. "Damn… I've never even seen those muscles on someone before."

That is a question that leaves Callisto hesitant in her response. She has been a quiet, watchful presence though her eyes have flit to Sydney's direction here-and-there. Could hse be sensing the unrest in the steel girl's mind? The fae girl is no empath but she can clue into the 'patterns' of one's mind; naturally things go helter skelter with emotional unrest. "My family… balks at kindness. I am going against the norm, being here. T'is the nature of what we are. I should like to remain separate from what they are and what they represent." It is like a mantra at this stage. Callisto doesn't expend upon the nature of her kith and kin because she does not feel that they are deserving of her regard. To even speak of them here, in this place… just no.

She lifts a hand to push back her hair, tucking it behing tapered ears. She watches Sydney again. "I am.. sorry that you had to say goodbye. I do hope that you are coming to call this school home, or as close to a home as one could hope. I cannot imagine what it must feel like, for you, at this moment." And she can't. Callisto said a 'loving' goodbye to but one person, fifty years ago. He was definitely not family. She observes Syd with a softer gaze.

"That sucks, Sydney" Sierra frowns a the metal girl. "But…but…won't they still be your family? I mean, if you get married or something, won't they be giving you away? That kind of thing. It doesn't just stop…does it?" The Latina is thankful she doesn't have to worry about such things…not with her enormous brood. A laugh at Callisto. "Yeah…she has quite the abs. Hey…does she remind anyone else of that Grace girl?"

Sydney smiles a little at Sierra. "They said I could still call them mom and dad if I wanted, so… yeah… they probably would." She looks at Sierra. "Haven't met Grace," is all she adds. She looks at Callisto and nods. "They're worth saying goodbye to. When I ran away from my real family, I didn't bother." She goes stonily quiet after that, jaw clamped shut, watching Laura Kroft. "Kinda flat chested though…"

The fae girl listens quietly, then squints at the lead actress. She knows the girl to whom they are referring and Callisto's head tilts sidewards questioningly. "Hmn… I can see something there." She agrees, though she needn't even supply the notion that the actress looks a bit older than the wolf girl. The resemblance is uncanny, though! Maybe Grace should be shown this movie!

The mentalist yawns softly behind a hand, "Forgive me.. I must take my leave." Unlike poor Bryce, Callisto has a slightly easier time rising from the cozy hold of the bean bag seat. She smoothes her skirts and looks between the two, though her gaze lingers once more upon Sydney. "Remember them fondly, I pray t'is easy for you to get in touch with your mom and dad. They shall always be in your corner, no?" She manages a slight smile, before bowing her head.

'Ran away'…?

One shall not be able to easily discern the 'like' emotion that arises briefly in the fae girl's features.. there's an understanding there. "Enjoy your movie." Said softly before she moves near-soundlessly from the great hall.

Sydney nods slowly. "Probably." She looks at Callisto as she gets up to go, and then slowly watches her go. "Sleep tight."

"Boobs aren't everything" Sierra shrugs before glancing down at her own…still growing and getting more in the way every day. "See ya, Calli. Sleep well." And then there were two…and a couple of dozers. "Remember when we used to have the energy to stay up all night?" she giggles. "Ah…when we were young."

Sydney hefts her own, which are considerable. "No, they're not, and they're a fucking nuisance a lot of the time. It just figures that I wake up in 2018, when you can actually buy bras in my size that are pretty and reasonably comfortable, and I really don't need one anymore. I just… lock up my skin and everything stays put. I'd have killed for 21st century underwear, and I didn't even know it.

"Seriously? You can just stick them in place and they do? I guess that's how Saoirse does it when she hangs upside down" Sierra muses before a pouty sigh. "I wish I could figure out a spell for that. Sydney…do you wear clothes or make your body look like clothes? Because if it is the second one, then I guess you're naked even when wearing clothes. You know?"

Sydney blushes, her cheeks growing a little straw colored. "Noooo. Well I mean yes… I mean… Ok. You can't tell anyone this. I mean no-one." She takes a deep breath. "I learned to fight naked, because when six-hundred pound flexable steel me hits the floor or the sand, any fabric I'm wearing tends to shred. I wound up topless just sparring with Lazarus. Now. When I started wearing clothes again, I found out real fast that even modern, 21st century bras can't handle me. They're only designed to handle like 10 or 15 pounds of…. you know. Breast. Mine are the same stuff as the rest of me. They're probably six times that heavy. One sudden move, and even a good bra falls apart. So I learned to…like I said. Be my own bra. I'm doing it right now." She taps on her chest. It deflects… a little… "What I'm working on right now is what you're talking about. Being my own clothes. It's tricky, and making huge mods to my body gives me the willies if I keep it up too long, but being my own clothes… doesn't seem to bother me as much. So I'm working up a fighting costume that is exactly what you said. Made of me. Right now, I can change into it, but I have to puddle out completely to turn it off." She tugs at her long t-shirt. "So this is real. Came from the thrift store."

"Lazarus saw your boobmeat?" This is Sierra's first takeaway from the conversation. "Wow…and they call me the school whore" she giggles - only teasing. "Sounds like a good idea though. Being your own clothes…as long as people think that they're looking at clothes." A little sigh. "I should go kick ass more. All I do is sit around in my room…mostly. So you can puddle too? I had an old girlfriend called 'Puddles' who could do exactly that."

Sydney stiffens somewhere around the 'school whore' part of what Sierra says. "Um. I'm not sure… we're talking about the same thing when I say 'puddling.' I mean I…melt, basically. Into a puddle of very thick goop. I have to do it somewhere I won't wash down a drain or into the ocean, because I'm air breathing goop." She's quiet a few moments. "And… please don't ever call me a whore. Even in jest. It's a word with…baggage for me."

"I won't call you a whore, neither will anyone else…not with me around. But, maybe, dating Saoirse will prove to people that I am not what they say. She will be the only one" Sierra smiles hopefully. "Mabel used to do just that. Turn into a puddle puddle. She couldn't go near the water in case she was diluted too much to reassemble. Her clothes were just her skin. I think you would have had a lot in common." Sierra looks distant for a long moment before summoning up a smile. "But I hope you do not get taken away one night."

Sydney nods. "Thanks. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Except the problems with water. I'm not water soluble." She shakes her head. "And yeah, not being taken away in the middle of the night… that's kind of why I'm here too. I listened to Laz's history and it's like…shit I'm glad I woke up in the medical examiner's office and went straight into the legal system from there." She reaches out to take Sierra's hand. "One other thing. I um. I told Saoirse that I kissed you."

"Mabel was taken from this school…or the old one at least. Be alert. This place…it must work for the government or someone even shadier. Don't think this will always be protective" Sierra warns before a curious look at Sydney. "It would have probably been better if I told her myself but that's okay. Nothing happened. It was all for science. It wasn't like I was cheating on her or anything."

Sydney wraps her arms around herself. "I told her that too. And I asked her to talk to you about it. She said it's between you and her now. I kissed her, too. I figured…it would…balance things, you know?" She shakes her head. "It made sense in that moment."

"You kissed her? Did she let you? I mean, it doesn't bother me if it was the same as when we did it. I know it didn't mean anything. You knew it too. It cured you of your crush on me for a start" Sierra giggles before looking a little worried. "Was she mad? Why would she be mad that I kissed you if she understood what it was all about?"
Sydney says, "It wasn't for science, it was… like I said. I felt like I'd done something wrong and I figured… if you'd both kissed me, somehow things would be better. I don't think she's mad… but she's not happy." Syd looks away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed either of you.""

Sierra sighs as she purses her lips in thought. "She can't be /that/ mad" she repeats, trying to convince herself. "But who knows with Saoirse. She doesn't know relationships…and I don't think I do either." She looks over at Sydney. "Did I fuck up? It takes two, Sydney. I shouldn't have agreed to the kiss without talking to Saoirse first. But I felt so sad after you told me your story. I hoped it would cheer you up but it sounds like I just made a mess…"

Sydney slips her arms around Sierra. "I don't honestly know. I don't know much about relationships either. I know it was for science, I know you were being kind… it was…very sweet." Syd sighs. "It's just…for me, I thought I was at least sure I liked boys and not girls. Romantically. I thought… like you said, that people get crushes on their own sex, and it doesn't mean anything. And it turned out…I was only mostly right. About being straight.

"Mostly? Have you been dating girls now too?" Sierra asks, not minding the arms around her. People hug all the time after all. "You and Vinny are an item anyway" she points out. "Saoirse and I are a couple…or we were a week ago. But we must be still, right? She went away for the weekend. She wouldn't do that if we were breaking up."

Sydney shakes her head. "No, I haven't been dating girls. I don't know how serious things with Vin are. We're as serious as I can comfortably be, I think. Not super-serious yet. I told him if he got a better offer, he should go with it." Syd rubs her forehead, then shakes her head again. "I have no idea what Saoirse is thinking, to be honest. She said she was disappointed. I asked her… I practically begged her to talk to you. So I don't know."

"Well she hasn't yet" replies Sierra with some concern. "I haven't talked to her for a while…and I do not know if that is a good sign." A frown at Sydney's words. "Don't say that kind of crap. Vinny is lucky to have you. I doubt he will find anyone better." Sure, Sierra puts herself down all the time as well but do as she says, not what she does. A deep breath. "I won't know until I talk to her. I hope we are not breaking up. I tried for a long time for us to be together. Changed for her. I hope she does not throw that all away for a friend kiss."

Sydney hugs Sierra again. "I'm sorry I made such a mess out of everything."

Sierra returns the hug. "Not your fault. Not anyone's fault. There is no need for there to be a mess at all. Nothing happened. I mean, Saoirse nuzzles everyone she meets but I know she cares about me. I hope it stays that way. If not…" She stuffs a pringle into her mouth. "I might give up on dating for the summer. Too many lost girlfriends."
Sydney gives Sierra yet another squeeze. "A very wise man once said… 'you must do what you feel is right, of course.' I just… I don't know. What I know about relationships you could write in a matchbook."

"As another wise man once said 'No one knows anything'. Relationships are what they are. We're young. This is one of the things we need to learn about that the teachers cannot teach" Sierra expounds with all the wisdom of her seventeen years. "Maybe we should just watch the movie?"

Sydney sits next to Sierra carefully, as not to break the furniture. "Yeah…

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