01<@Ardweden> [Day: Sunday, August 29.  Time: 2:00 p.m.]
 01<@Ardweden> [After a freaky dream turned nightmare and subsequently trying to 
calm herself down afterwards, Tiffany decided she wanted to visit an old friend 
of hers.  She waited until her parents left the house to visit some friends in 
Hartford and called up Christina Fellings, one of the few people she can count 
on to possibly give her a lift to the hospital.]
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina was somewhat dubious over the phone, but Tiffany did 
convince her to come over and pick her up.  Now Christina's driving Tiffany 
through Ashgate in the car she got for her sixteenth birthday, on their way to 
St. Joseph's Medical Center.]
 01<@Ardweden> [Mini Start.]
 06* @Tiffany sits in the car with her hands in her lap, looking down. She's 
been grateful for the car ride, but has been relatively quiet on the way there. 
Though she hasn't avoided conversation if Christina's been talking so...
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina hasn't really been talking.  She sensed pretty early 
on that Tiffany's shelling up, so she decided to give her a little space, at 
least for the first half of the ride.  The radio's been playing, though!  Top 
forty, generally upbeat music.]
 06* @Tiffany does speak up then, though hesitantly. Because she's got more than 
enough awkward silence. "Um...sorry to go through all the trouble of calling you 
to pick me up." She sighs and looks out the window.
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina shakes her head, mostly concentrating on driving.  
"It's okay.  You were obviously down...  If visiting Jason's what you need for a 
pick me up, then I'm cool helping with that."]
 06* @Tiffany looks at her for a moment, a bit wide-eyed. Then looks back down 
at her lap, a bit distantly. "Yeah..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina herself is about Tiffany's age, with light brown hair 
that frames her face quite prettily and hazel eyes.  She has a thing for both 
hats and vintage clothes, and today is wearing a pageboy hat and a dress that 
looks like it's made out of denim.]
 01<@Ardweden> [She glances at Tiffany at a red light.  "Do you want to talk 
about it?"]
 06* @Tiffany frowns a bit and looks down at her hands. She hesitates for a 
moment, as if she's contemplating the question, then responds. "I wish I 
knew..."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Just depressed for no good reason, huh?  *That's* not healthy."  
The light greens again and she drives!]
 06* @Tiffany looks up at her, a bit angry. "That's not fair! It's just..." She 
shakes her head and loses it for a moment. "Sorry..."
 06* @Tiffany brings her knees up to her chest, well as much as the seat and 
seatbelt will allow her, scrunching up and muttering. "It's not like I *want* to 
be miserable..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina winces at Tiffany's outburst.  "No, I'm sorry.  I 
shoudn'tve said anything.  I get that it's hard and it sucks."]
 06* @Tiffany runs her fingers through her hair, glancing out the window and 
letting her breath out slowly, staying scrunched. "It's okay..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Uncomfortable silence as Christina drives.  The radio goes 
through a couple of songs, and then she tries, "So, um, I heard that new guy - 
Hank - he likes you?"]
 06* @Tiffany blinks. She's unfolded herself by this time and just outright 
stares at Christina. "What? Where the hell'd you hear *that*?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina gives Tiffany a deadpan look, then turns her attention 
back to the road.  "Like everywhere."]
 06* @Tiffany sighs and starts playing with her hair uncomfortably again. "I 
knew this would happen. Dammit, I *told* him not to keep sticking around me..."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Oh, come on, Tiffany.  There's nothing really wrong with you."]
 06* @Tiffany looks her over. "What do you mean?"
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina rolls her eyes.  "What I said.  There's nothing really 
wrong with you.  Sure, you get depressed, and yeah, your parents kinda suck.  
But that's no reason you should try to chase people away."]
 01<@Ardweden> ["Especially a really cute guy who's probably lonely since he 
just moved halfway across the country."]
 06* @Tiffany keeps looking at Christina and scoffs. "You don't get it. Hank's 
nice enough, but he's totally clueless. I'm not even interested in him. But you 
think those harpies are going to believe that?"
 01<@Ardweden> ["Nope.  But he's a big boy.  He can take care of himself.  Plus, 
if you're really not interested in him, maybe I can give it a shot."  Christina 
pauses for a moment, then says, "Seriously, Tiffany, protecting someone by 
trying not to be friends with them is all sorts of shades of fucked up, and it 
just means you're going to feel worse.  I know you."]
 01<@Ardweden> [They're nearing the hospital now, and Christina makes a right 
into the frontage road, driving for the correct parking lot.  She's done this 
before.]
 06* @Tiffany chuckles slightly. "You mean I'm *not* all sorts of shades of 
fucked up already? I *know* that."
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina rolls her eyes.  "Yeah, but that doesn't mean you 
should actively try to keep it going."  She parks and turns off her car.  
"C'mon, let's go see Jason."]
 06* @Tiffany frowns and sighs. "I know, I know. I just wish..." She shakes her 
head. "Screw it. Let's go." She steps out of the car and closes the door, 
adjusting her clothes before heading into the lobby.
 01<@Ardweden> [St. Joseph's Medical Center is quite large, especially for the 
small area it serves.  The lobby, instead of sterile white, is more reminiscent 
of a hotel's, with warm but neutral colors and comfortable chairs.  The 
receptionist looks up as Tiffany approaches, Christina in tow.  "May I help 
you?"]
 06* @Tiffany goes up to the receptionist's and puts her hands on the counter, 
looking at the receptionist. "I'm here to visit with Jason Matthews. It is 
visiting hours right?"
 01<@Ardweden> ["One moment."  She types quickly, looking at what comes up on 
the flat screen monitor.  "Yes.  He's in room 313A, on the third floor.  Do you 
know how to get there?"]
<@Tiffany> Yeah, I do. Thanks.
 06* @Tiffany starts heading that way. If Christina comes with, that's her own 
doings.
 01<@Ardweden> [She nods and gestures to the elevators.  "Have a pleasant day."  
Christina goes with!]
 06* @Tiffany 's pretty quiet before she gets to the room, then slows down a 
little, frowning. "I should have brought flowers..."
 01<@Ardweden> ["There's a gift shop that way."  Christina points.  "You want me 
to go get some?"]
<@Tiffany> Yeah, that'd probably be good.
 06* @Tiffany sighs. "Sorry to trouble you." She reaches into her purse and 
gives Christina some cash. "Here."
 01<@Ardweden> [She takes it.  "No problem.  I think I remember where the room 
is... I'll call or text if I get lost."  She waves and heads for the gift shop!]
 06* @Tiffany nods and frowns after turning away, making her way to the room.
 01<@Ardweden> [Tiffany goes up the elevator and exits onto the third floor!  
Walking out of the third floor lobby, everything becomes much more hospitalish, 
with the tile floor and the uniform spacing between doors, but the walls are 
still painted: this time a kind of mintish, pastel green.  She nears the room 
labeled 313A.  Dare she enter?!]
 06* @Tiffany does dare! But she knocks first to make sure someone else isn't 
visiting beforehand.
 01<@Ardweden> [There's no answer!]
 06* @Tiffany heads in then!
 01<@Ardweden> [Tiffany enters a room!  It's quite bright - the curtans are 
drawn - and painted a soothing blue color.  There's a television hanging from 
the ceiling and a bedside table next to the hospital bed where Jason Matthews 
lies.  He's plugged into an IV and a machine or two, and he seems to be sleeping 
quite peacefully... but then, he's been sleeping peacefully for months now.]
 01<@Ardweden> [Jason himself looks pretty cleaned up, as his dark brown hair's 
been cut short recently; it was somewhat overgrown the last time Tiffany visited 
him.  On the bedside table is a vase of fresh flowers.  Clearly, his parents 
visited recently, maybe this morning.  A medical clipboard hangs from the 
footboard of the bed.]
 01<@Ardweden> [Upon walking in, Tiffany's phone beeps and vibrates, signifying 
a text message!]
 06* @Tiffany opens the door cautiously and gives a half-smile when she sees 
Jason, but it doesn't last long as his condition brings her back to reality. She 
steps timidly into the room. "Hey Jason...it looks like you're doing well." She 
loses the energy to fake being happy and sighs, walking over to the chart and 
looking it over. She half-jumps at the beep then pulls out her phone, clicking 
to 
 06* @Tiffany accepts the text.
 01<@Ardweden> [It's Christina!  The text is, "Roses carnations or mix?"]
 06* @Tiffany texts back. "mix sounds good" She then goes back to looking over 
the chart. "I was hoping you'd be doing better...least your family's taking care 
of you well..."
 01<@Ardweden> [Tiffany can't understand much of the language on the chart, but 
she does manage to work out that there's been no recent change in Jason's 
condition, good or bad.]
 06* @Tiffany puts down the chart. Her hand shakes for a minute, but she tries 
to calm it and calm her thoughts before she wraps her arms around her and steps 
up to the side of the bed. "Um. Christina's here too...she's going to get you 
flowers. I don't know if you really knew her that well or not though..."
 01<@Ardweden> [There's a chair by the bed, should Tiffany choose to sit!  Or 
not.]
 06* @Tiffany hazards a look at Jason for a moment and then wipes her face with 
her arm warmers. She sniffs a bit and looks him over more as she walks to his 
side of the bed, muttering. "God, coming here was stupid. I..." She kneels next 
to the bed and puts hands to try and grab Jason's and try to feel a sign of life 
from him.
 01<@Ardweden> [Jason's hand is warm, and if Tiffany cares to check, he does 
have a steady pulse.]
 06* @Tiffany sighs and the pulse does seem to calm her a bit. She speaks, 
almost in a whisper, to Jason. "Things have just been so strange lately. I 
don't--I don't know what's going on anymore."
 06* @Tiffany squeezes the hand in both and sighs. "I guess if you were here, I 
wouldn't be trying to do this, huh? I'd tell 'em all to fuck off and just do my 
own thing." She frowns a little. "Or..." She sighs. "I don't know. It's so 
confusing."
 06* @Tiffany looks at her phone for a moment. Almost daring it to text her. 
Because right now she feels pretty awkward.
 01<@Ardweden> [No texts!  Maybe Christina got swallowed by a rosebush?]
 06* @Tiffany frowns at her phone. Frown! The phone doesn't melt. Bad phone. She 
then looks back at Jason, letting go and brushing her hair aside. "I'm such a 
fake." She sits in the chair and just looks at Jason. She's stopped frowning and 
looks kind of blank right now.
 06* @Tiffany sits in silent for a little while, then brushes her skirt off 
before standing up. "Anyhow, what I'm doing right now many not be doing any 
good. But I'm going to try. For you. So you better goddamned appreciate it." She 
steps out to the door and opens it, then goes to waiting in the hallway for 
Christina to show up.
 01<@Ardweden> [And in a few minutes, show up she does, walking down the hallway 
with a bouquet of flowers in hand.  "Hey," she says as she approaches Tiffany.  
"There someone else in there?"]
 06* @Tiffany shakes her head as Christina approaches but doesn't say anything, 
tight lipped.
 01<@Ardweden> [She looks at Tiffany, concerned, then reaches out and rubs her 
arm a little.  "You okay?  Want to give these to him?"]
 06* @Tiffany responds. A bit hoarsely. "You can give them to him. If you want."
 01<@Ardweden> [Christina gives Tiffany a quick hug and pushes her change into 
her hand, then heads into room 313A with the flowers.  The door behind her 
closes partway.]
 01<@Ardweden> ["Good afternoon, Jason."  Christina's way better at faking happy 
than Tiffany, that's for sure.  "These are from Tiffany.  She's having a rough 
time right now, so I'm giving them to you instead."  There's some silence, then 
she follows up with, "Tiffany really cares about you, y'know.  So try to get 
better for her, okay?"]
 06* @Tiffany slumps against the wall as she hears that. She's looking down. 
Either she's choking back her own crying or numb, it's hard to tell.
 01<@Ardweden> ["And just for the record, we didn't really know each other, but 
I want you to get better too."  There's more silence, and then Christina says, a 
little awkwardly, "Well... see ya."  A bit after that and she's exiting the 
room.]
 01<@Ardweden> ["Tiffany?"  Christina looks worried.  Big surprise.]
 06* @Tiffany whispers out as Christina comes out of the room. "I'll be okay. 
Let's go."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah... okay."  Christina reaches down to help Tiffany up.]
 06* @Tiffany takes the help and then reaches out and gives Christina a quick 
hug. "Thank you..."
 01<@Ardweden> ["Sure," Christina says, hugging back.  "Any time."]
 01<@Ardweden> [Mini End!]