[Day: Wednesday, November 24th. Time: Lunch] [Shani gets to take a half day because her boss is crazy, and that means she can come up near Cheryl's school to eat at an indian buffet! So easy!] [Cheryl is already there! She's closer, after all. Shani gets to show up! Lucky! Sessiony thing start.] 06* Cheryl is sitting at a table in a pink v-neck sweater, bookbag at her feet, looking around a little. 01 [The table is a four top with a white tablecloth. In fact, all of the tables have white tablecloth, including the buffet station, which is serve yourself. There are paintings with Indian land and cityscapes on the walls. The place in general is fairly cramped and busy, with students and faculty coming in for the lunch rush, and conversation is bouncing off the walls.] 06* Shani enters somewhere between five and ten minutes after Cheryl's settled in, removing her sunglasses as she looks around. She has her long coat on and purse, and she's wearing heeled boots (all fairly typical for Shani). She spots Cheryl and waves, heading over. 06* Cheryl smiles a little as she spots Shani and as she gets close, she says, "Hi... find the place okay?" 06* Shani grins. "Yeah, wasn't that hard." She unbuttons and removes her coat, draping it over the back of her chair - she's wearing a forest green button down shirt (with a white shirt underneath that, as they're not all buttoned) and jeans. "Wanna grab something to eat?" 06* Cheryl nods and stands with a smile, "Yeah... it's been a long morning. It's always a long morning." 06* Shani snerks. "Long everythin', right? I just had to deal with my idiot of a boss." She moves to grab a plate, probably with Cheryl, her purse still over one shoulder. 06* Cheryl does too, and laughs a little before saying, "Well, you always do, don't you? I mean... that's most of your job, unfortunately, yes?" 01 Yup, nets me a paycheck. And the hours *are* pretty fuckin' good. 06* Cheryl lets out a quiet laugh before saying, "That's maybe the best thing, given your life." She piles foods onto her plate, although mostly large amounts of a few specific things. "So... what was he doing today...?" 06* Shani ehs, checking the labels before spooning food on her plate. "The usual crap. Showed up late, complained that I made the wrong tea... knocked the accounts I was workin' on into the garbage bin to make room for breakfast." 06* Cheryl gives a small sympthetic smile. "At least you have the afternoon. Okay day to have it, even for November." 01 Yeah, with Thanksgiving comin' up tomorrow. I gotta start helpin' in the kitchen pretty early. 06* Shani grabs a couple of slices of naan. 06* Cheryl says, questioningly, "Oh...? Of course, you're old enough to help." She lets out a small laugh. 06* Shani grins. 01 Yeah, and I've been helpin' since I was twelve or so. How 'bout you? Catchin' a flight up home? 06* Cheryl starts to take her plate to the table. "Mother was a little too focused on doting when I was back last year... aah? No... no." She shakes her head and sits down, waiting for Shani to sit before she finishes, "I... I said I was busy," she murmurs, eyes not meeting Shani's. 06* Shani frowns as she adjusts her seat. "... Yeah?" 06* Cheryl nods slightly, and is silent a moment, before saying, "I... don't think I could deal with being home and... being... on the job again." 01 Right. Because of... before? 06* Cheryl nods a little, before adding, "I just... can't hide it from them again." 01 But... you gotta see them sometime. You know that, right? 06* Shani picks up her fork and pokes at her food a little, but she doesn't eat yet. 06* Cheryl nods a little and says, "Maybe... maybe for Christmas." She licks her lips and looks back down before taking a bite and mming. Then she looks back to Shani. "It's... I know what will happen." And I know I don't want that, so... it will be easier to... fool them from here. 06* Shani tilts her head. 01 What's gonna happen? 06* Shani rips off a piece of naan and dips it in masala, soaking up some juice before having a bite. 06* Cheryl smiles a little wanly. "I go home, they ask me all sorts of questions, and eventually I tell them what I've been doing after as much lying as I can stand." They're... very involved parents. 01 Damn. Moving out here has to be crazy, then. 06* Cheryl mms and says, "It's been an adjustment for all of us... but for school, well, it is the best." 01 Yeah, I believe it. 06* Shani grins. "Found a little more to focus on than you expected though, I bet." She scoops some meat into naan. "So you doin' anything for Thanksgiving, then?" she asks before eating. 06* Cheryl smiles a little at that, then says, "No... just talking with them over the internet. Abigail... isn't a big Thanksgiving person either, so..." she trails off and eats, not really looking particularly pleased. 06* Shani frowns. "What's up?" 06* Cheryl makes an, "Aah?" noise, then says, "Well, it isn't that I don't want a Thanksgiving, it's just that there's... not one to have." 01 Yeah... 06* Shani thinks about it for a moment, then sighs. "I could ask ta invite ya over, maybe? I mean, you'd be trading your own family weirdness for mine, and I don't know if they'd say *yes*, but..." She pauses. "But you are gonna need to talk to your parents over the 'net, right?" 06* Cheryl looks up from a bite of food, wide-eyed, then swallows and says, "But they won't ask any big questions, right...?" 01 Uh, who? My family? 06* Cheryl nods a little. 06* Shani laughs. "Nah. I mean, assuming you were comin'..." She pushes her food around a little with her fork. "I mean," she says to her plate, "We all got some experience lyin' to each other at Thanksgiving. It's easiest if you don't have to. So we mostly stick to safe topics." She glances up. "*Might* ask me how I came to be invitin' a white girl, though." 06* Cheryl blushes a little, eyes tilting down, and she says, "Hit it off at the store, I suppose." 01 Yup, ain't no reason to lie about that. 01 Anyway, I'd hafta ask. But if it's not a go... our dinner's pretty early anyway, like noonish? I could stop by your apartment after, bring some turkey and stuff. 06* Cheryl smiles warmly and says, "I'd like that if... it doesn't work. You don't have to ask if you don't want..." she trails off, eating more. 01 Nah, I don't mind askin'. And I don't mind you bein' there, but it's tricky, y'know? Thanksgiving's been a purely family thing with my folks. So I have no fuckin' clue how they'd react. 06* Cheryl nods a little and says, "That kind of thing seems sensitive, yes, but I'd be really grateful." She smiles a little, then her eyes widen and she scowls at nobody. 06* Shani eyebrow raises, because she knows what's probably going on. 06* Cheryl licks her lips and says quietly, "Abigail has... strange ideas about gratitude." 06* Shani snorts. 01 Makeouts in the rain? 06* Cheryl says, a combination of bitter and annoyed, "Nothing so chaste, I assure you." She shakes her head and takes a bite. "Honestly... she is so bluntly forward. It is a wonder she and Kyosuke got along so well." 06* Shani shakes her head, too. "I don't know Kyosuke that well." And eats a bit more. 06* Cheryl eats too, and says, "Oh, he is a very smart, respectful man. Still her junior, but only a few years. I suppose their intelligence helped. She does love to spar verbally." He's basically... a detective. She wants me to say 'Adult Detective Conan'... as though that has meaning? 06* Cheryl shakes her head slightly and mms around another mouthful of food. 06* Shani laughs. "Yeah, I think I got an idea." 01 But yeah, she does - they seein' each other, while he's in town? 06* Cheryl shakes her head and says, "No... they have had conversations, but she ... doesn't believe it would be fair to me." A small shy smile, then she says, "She is quite considerate, and says she has... expressed the problems with such a thing to you before? What she and Mizuki... shared?" Her cheeks redden again. 06* Shani shifts in her seat a bit. "Yeah... kinda. I mean. I guess it's sort of inevitable, after a point, if you want something like that with, uh, pretty much anyone. Sounds like it's nice that she's at least waitin' until you're comfortable." 06* Cheryl nods a little and says, "Yes..." she trails off, then adds, "It seems... so complicated. Not very traditional either..." a weak laugh. "The church wouldn't approve." 01 Eh. Church doctrine don't account for what you guys got either, on like any level. 06* Cheryl licks her lips and nods slowly, before saying, "Yes, but that doesn't make it easy." A small smile, before saying, "I'm getting used to it. It's... just another thing I won't be able to have fully. Much like Broadway." 01 Yeah... kinda sucks. Hopefully the benefits'll outweigh the drawbacks. 06* Cheryl nods and says, quietly, "I... doubt any performance I could give would mean as much as someone's life." 06* Shani nods. 06* Cheryl shakes her head, then says, "It is the difference between a gift and a calling, I suppose." She takes another bite, swallows, then adds, "Ah... and if you want me to bring something, lemme know... I'm sure I can find time for something." 01 Sure! But lemme find out if you can come first. 06* Cheryl nods and smiles slightly awkwardly. "Aah, of course, yes..." 06* Shani eats for a bit, then asks, "You got class after this?" 06* Cheryl shakes her head slightly and says, "Not immediately, no... just more practice." 06* Shani nods and picks up her water, having a sip. 06* Cheryl continues to eat somewhat quickly all the same, swallows, then says, "Did you see the message about a bunch of... new arrivals to the... scene?" 06* Shani blinks, setting her glass down. "Yeah. Ain't too sure what to make of it." 06* Cheryl nods a little and says, "Me either... but Christian seems to have taken to one of them." 06* Shani tilts her head. "Yeah? He told you?" 06* Cheryl smiles a little. "Not in so many words... but I think he does not get concerned if he doesn't care." 06* Shani chuckles. 01 Yeah, sounds about right. He likes to pretend he don't care, when he really cares a lot. 'Bout most everything. 06* Cheryl 's eyes flick down a moment, then back to Shani before she nods. "Yes. He... stammered his way through a conversation about it last night." A small pause, then she says, slowly, "He seemed... concerned about Thanksgiving as well, but not for himself." 06* Cheryl smiles a little sadly, then finishes, "So I... would guess it's for this new arrival." 06* Shani nods and says, softly, "Yeah." 01 Well... y'know. It's rough, gettin' involved in this sorta thing. 06* Shani smiles a touch. "We were just talkin' about it." 01 But I think they'll be all right. He didn't bring it up with me. 06* Cheryl nods slightly and says, "He didn't say much... he was a fan of she who came before, so I think that helps him talk." A slight laugh. "A little." 06* Shani shakes her head. "Gettin' Christian to talk can be pretty fuckin' hard. He usually says one thing when he actually feels pretty different." 06* Cheryl smiles a little wanly, then says, "I guess. It's not... usually my purpose. Abigail understands him far better than I." 06* Shani combs her fingers through her hair. "Yeah, well, she's gotta deal with him more." 06* Cheryl nods a little, then says, "Not more than you, though... since you are still... going out, yes?" 01 Yeah... it's a little tough sometimes, honestly, but... nice. 06* Shani rolls her eyes. "Sometimes I wanna smack him, though." 06* Cheryl nods and says, "Well... like you said... not a very clear talker." 01 And he can get so fucking obsessed with the smallest shit. Like his reputation, or whatever. Like anyone cares - *he* don't even care as much as he thinks he does. 06* Cheryl nods along as she eats, making a 'keep dishing'-esque 'mm-hmm' noise. 06* Shani shakes her head. "'s just weird." 01 He's gotten better. Guess that comes with some perspective. But still, yeah. 01 Think that's what this boils down to. At least, on the surface. He's concerned with his rep, so he needs to say certain things and act like he don't care so he can look like a certain guy, even if it ain't who he is - even if it ain't what he *actually* wants people to think he is. 06* Cheryl mms and nods a little. She swallows before saying, "Mmm.... sounds complicated." 06* Shani wrinkles her nose. "Yeah." 01 But he's a good guy, y'know? Thoughtful. And he cares a hell of a lot, whatever he says sometimes. 06* Cheryl nods and says, "It's what drives him, I think." 01 Yeah. 01 [And so, they ate and then maybe did some hanging out afterwards! And eventually Shani asked her parents if Cheryl could come over.] 01 [FOR THANKSGIVING] 01 [Session End!]