01<@Ardweden> [Day: Saturday, September 11. Time: 10:00 a.m.] 01<@Ardweden> [After waking up and going about her morning routine, which apparently includes looking at books on mythology followed immediately by awkward conversations with parents, Tiffany finds herself sequestered in her room - probably to avoid further awkward conversations.] 01<@Ardweden> [What will she do? Let's find out!] 01<@Ardweden> [Session Start.] 06* Tiffany sticks a couple of books in her bag and glances out at the tree outside her window. She still feels a little groggy from last night but doesn't let that stop her. She takes one last look at a couple of the books she'd checked out of the library and sighs as she tosses it in there. She glances out for a moment and then whips out her phone, calling the first number that comes up on her 06* Tiffany list. 01<@Ardweden> [Christina picks up. "Hello?"] 06* Tiffany shoulders her pack for a moment and then opens her window, cradling the phone against her shoulder. "Christina? It's Tif. You busy today?" 01<@Ardweden> ["Not really. It's a Saturday." There's a pause as Christina moves the phone away from her. Maybe she's eating or something. Then she's back: "What's up?"] 06* Tiffany looks out the window for a moment, then back at the door. Then sighs as she tosses her bag out the window. "Nothing much. Just feel like I need to get out of the house for a while is all. Meet up at the mall in 40?" 01<@Ardweden> ["Sure! Want to meet up at the Hot Topic, like usual?"] Sounds good. You know if anything's playing? 01<@Ardweden> ["Nothing I was really looking forward to. We could check out the theater while we're there."] 06* Tiffany climbs out on the edge of the window. "Sure. I just need to blow off some steam. See you then." She closes the phone and then tries to reach out for a branch, like she's done when trying to escape her room before. (That'd be weird if she closed the window while in it!) 01<@Ardweden> [The branch is there and seems like it will be accommodating enough.] 06* Tiffany grips onto it and pockets her phone before swinging onto the branch, hanging for a moment before dropping down. She picks up her pack and starts walking towards the mall! 01<@Ardweden> [Time: 10:35 a.m. Tiffany is in the mall and nearing Hot Topic! Standing just outside is Christina, who for once isn't wearing a hat; instead, she's wearing a white headband with a large, pale pink flower on one side. She spots Tiffany and waves.] 06* Tiffany waves back and half-smiles. "Hey." She slings her bag off her shoulder and in front of her. It was getting heavy. "That's a good look for you." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina grins, reaching up to touch the flower. "You think? I got it off of Etsy." She notices the thud on the floor. "What's in the bag?"] 06* Tiffany sighs and flits her fingers through her bangs. "Just some study work for later. I didn't want to just leave it around..." 01<@Ardweden> ["... Studying? At the mall?" Christina gives Tiffany a strange look.] 06* Tiffany scoffs. "I'm not going to study *at* the mall." She then frowns a bit. "I just didn't want to have to go back to get them after hanging out. That's all." 01<@Ardweden> ["Right." Christina eyes the bag. "Need help carrying that?"] I'm good. Just as long as some mall troll doesn't think we're sneaking sodas into the theater or something. 01<@Ardweden> [She laughs. "Okay. So you want to check the movies?"] 06* Tiffany pauses, then hesitates. "I...think so..." 06* Tiffany frowns. "I dunno. I didn't really think of what I wanted to do. Just needed to get out." 01<@Ardweden> [At that, Christina looks worried. "What's wrong? No, hang on. I'm getting you a coffee, THEN you tell me what's wrong."] 01<@Ardweden> [She picks up Tiffany's bag, teeters with it, and starts towards Gloria Jean's.] 06* Tiffany looks up, a bit flustered and shocked. "Coffee?" 01<@Ardweden> ["Obviously!"] Wh-why coffee? 06* Tiffany follows along distracted. 01<@Ardweden> ["Because you could use a pick me up." Christina is not doing a very good job with the bag, but she's doing her best.] I...you could at least let me carry my bag... 01<@Ardweden> [Christina so doesn't argue with that, handing the bag right over. "I need a boyfriend," she decides.] 06* Tiffany oofs as she gets handed back the bag, then gives Christina a weird stare. "Well, that was random." 01<@Ardweden> ["Not really. If I had a boyfriend, then I could have him carry your bag for you." She grins and walks the rest of the way to Gloria Jean's, unencumbered.] 06* Tiffany hmmphs. "*Usually* you have your boyfriend carry your *own* bag, not your friend's bags. What's into you today?" 01<@Ardweden> ["I'm trying to cheer you up." Christina gets in line and looks to Tiffany. "What do you want?"] Uh...whatever. I didn't even know I wanted coffee until you offered it to me. 01<@Ardweden> ["Okay." And then the people ahead of her move on, and she steps up. "Two medium raspberry mochas with whipped cream."] 01<@Ardweden> [Once she gets the drinks, Christina claims one of the small tables by the window.] 06* Tiffany goes to the table and dumps her bag underneath. "Were you serious about the boyfriend thing? This is the second time you've mentioned it." 01<@Ardweden> ["Well... kind of. I mean, it'd be nice." Christina blows across the top of her cup, not that it cools anything off.] 06* Tiffany takes out a stirring stick and swirls her whipped cream into her drink a bit, looking down at it spinning. "I don't get it. Why *don't* you have a boyfriend?" 01<@Ardweden> [Christina blinks. "Because I... don't?" She seems to think that's a puzzling question.] 06* Tiffany gestures over her a bit to elaborate. "Well, I mean you're pretty and nice and interesting to hang out with. Isn't that enough?" 01<@Ardweden> [Christina actually blushes a little at that. "Oh well, um." She looks down at her coffee. "I don't know, really. Nobody's asked me out." Pause. "Except for Richard, but he was a creepy stalker."] 06* Tiffany blinks. She thinks this is the first time she's heard of this, but she lets it pass. She takes a sip of her coffee. "You were serious about being interested in Hank?" 01<@Ardweden> [Christina shrugs a little. "He doesn't know I exist, and there are prettier girls in the school... I mean, if he's not actually into you." She coffee sips.] 06* Tiffany shakes her head and grumbles a bit. "I don't think he's into me. He's just a nice guy who cares about the underdog." She peeks up from her coffee cup a bit. "You know the Bitch Squad has set their sights on him, right?" 01<@Ardweden> ["What, already? She must be running out of targets."] Hey, he's the new guy and he's kinda cute. Of *course* he needs to know who's the most fabulous at our school, right? 01<@Ardweden> [Christina holds up a finger. "Disagreement. He's downright gorgeous."] 06* Tiffany blushes. "Christina!" 01<@Ardweden> ["He is!"] 06* Tiffany mutters and pulls on her sleeves. "I wouldn't know. It's not usually worth it for me to care about the gorgeous guys..." 06* Tiffany brushes her hair aside slightly and softly side-comments. "I mean, I guess I finally started getting Javy to notice me but..." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina visibly perks up at Tiffany's words. "Javy? Like adorable-but-uncomfortable-in-his-own-skin Javy?"] 06* @Tiffany blinks at Christina's response. "What? But..I..." She then visibly shrinks and holds on to her coffee cup. "Shit. I didn't mean to let that slip out. You ain't telling anyone, you hear me?" 01<@Ardweden> [Christina blinks. "Who'd I tell? Besides, I don't want to ruin things for you." She grins. "Soooooo he likes you?"] <@Tiffany> I...I think so. I don't know. He didn't know I existed until recently... 01<@Ardweden> ["Still, he knows you exist *now*."] <@Tiffany> I know...I just...I don't know... 01<@Ardweden> [Christina sips mocha.] 06* @Tiffany sighs and sips her mocha too, keeping things awkwardly silent. 01<@Ardweden> ["So... he knows you exist now? Like in a good way."] <@Tiffany> I... 06* @Tiffany brushes her fingers through her hair, and lowers her voice. "I think so...I...nevermind." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina blinks. "What's up?"] 06* @Tiffany frowns. "I said nevermind. It's not important." 01<@Ardweden> ["Okay. Sorry." And she goes about drinking more mocha.] 06* @Tiffany frowns more, then mopes with her mocha. "Sorry." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina shrugs. "So, is that what's been bugging you?"] 06* @Tiffany grips her cup tighter and lets out a deep breath. "One of 'em, yeah." 01<@Ardweden> [She just nods.] <@Tiffany> I've just been kind of weirded out lately. You know how it is... 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah, kinda," Christina says, tracing invisible doodles on the table with her finger.] 06* @Tiffany looks down at the table, about at doodle level, and starts up awkwardly. "What...what would you think if you suddenly found out one of the goon squad who's been picking on you all this time might think they've been playing too rough?" 01<@Ardweden> [Christina blinks. "Oh, um... I dunno? I mean, maybe he's not so bad, then?" She pauses, then adds, "But he'd still be *with* them - I mean, it's not like he actually stopped them, or left, or something."]] 06* @Tiffany sighs. "Yeah, exactly. I'm not sure *what* to think of it." 01<@Ardweden> [She shrugs. "Maybe you don't have to."] 06* @Tiffany looks up curiously at Christina. "What do you mean?" 01<@Ardweden> ["Well I mean, it's not like you have to hang out with him or talk to him or anything. Or even decide what you think about him."] 06* @Tiffany frowns a bit and looks at her mocha. "That's true...I'm just..." She sighs and puts her hand on top of her head, lowering her voice. "I'm so confused right now, I could scream." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina frowns, too, but in sympathy. "I'm sorry."] <@Tiffany> It's not like it's your fault.. 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah, but I wish I could help." She pokes at her mocha, then has another drink.] 06* @Tiffany frowns. "Why? I don't get it..." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina gives Tiffany a very weird look at that. "Why what?"] 06* @Tiffany looks at Christina for a moment. "Why do you care so much? I mean...I thought you just started talking to me because you wanted me in the drama club, but..." 01<@Ardweden> ["I still do, but..." Christina pauses, thinking for a moment, then says, "People need friends. And I didn't know when we met, but you kinda... didn't have many? I don't have that many either, so I figured. You know?"] 06* @Tiffany frowns at that statement, then looks away. "I'm sorry...I just kind of assumed..." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina sighs. "It's cool." Although from her tone, it's obviously not cool. She finishes off the rest of her mocha. "Wanna go to the theater?"] 06* @Tiffany looks at her. "Well...what do you wanna do?" 01<@Ardweden> ["You wanted to know if there were any good movies and stuff, so we're gonna find out. Or that was the plan?"] <@Tiffany> Well, sure. But it's not like this time is specifically to get Tiffany out of her mopey funk. 01<@Ardweden> [Christina rolls her eyes. "Okay, or I could leave and you can study, or whatever." She stands and goes to throw her cup away.] 06* @Tiffany looks up, pleading. "Hey! That's not what I meant, stupid." 06* @Tiffany blushes a bit after realizing what she called her. "Um...I mean...sorry." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina winces, and she looks at Tiffany. "For what?"] 06* @Tiffany hangs her head. "Maybe I should. I'm terrible to hang around right now." 01<@Ardweden> [Christina sort of shrugs helplessly, standing by the trash can.] 06* @Tiffany rolls her eyes. "You're right. I'm perfect for drama. I've got the queen part right." She picks up her backpack. "Let's go." 01<@Ardweden> [She grins a little. "Okay."] 01<@Ardweden> [And so they went to watch a movie. Maybe.] 01<@Ardweden> [Session End!]