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Post by charlotte on Aug 15, 2007 19:28:34 GMT 1
:.._._…_.’_:’._:_'._. That was how the note began. Written in plain black pen on the otherwise blank-white envelope that had been stuffed into the locker of Valencia Donahue through the crack between the door and the frame: the space left by the hinge, just big enough for a slip of paper, a flattened candy wrapper, or a postcard sized envelope containing a single slip of paper. It had been pushed through the crack at a high point, on the assumption that whether Valencia's locker was stuffed full of enough things to snag the envelope and keep it hanging in the dark metal box at face level for when she opened it. If not, the note would likely flutter out of the locker regardless, and even if it did not, she had seen more than enough of Valencia's abilities that she knew the senior would likely notice the foreign object in her locker. I'm not sure how to approach this, really, but I have something that I think belongs to you, and would probably be best if you look after it yourself, rather than trust me as it were, to be holding onto it. Now that these Watchers are out an abroad, it's probably slightly inconsequential, but I figured you might like to have it, and it'd give us the time to talk again, since I feel like our last encounter didn't end as well as it could have. I'll be at the tree where we had our first meeting, after school, if you decide to take me up on this.
- Charlotte She had considered writing in the note exactly what it was that she was holding that she felt Valencia would want, but she had decided against it, rather due to her own experiences that had told her the senior seemed to prefer clandestine secrecy about certain matters; probably to protect against discovery. Again, Charlotte felt an unseasy lapse of doubt. The note had been vague, and perhaps it might come off as a threat of blackmail? Perhaps she had misjudged the mannerisms she had picked up from the brief time she had spent with Valencia, or perhaps Valencia would not even come at all? Huhhhh ...A mental sigh accompanied by a vocalized, and the voice of her last-period Journalism teacher intoned in reply, snapping her mind back into reality. "Anders? Do you mind staying awake? I know the inverted pyramid is a drag after the fourteenth time of going over it, but there are only five minutes left of class. Sit up, eyes open now." Charlotte complied simply: correcting her posture and lowering the pen in her hand - the cap of which she had been chewing on lazily. Journalism was, perhaps, her favorite class, and mostly because the teacher had managed to make even the driest of textbook learning somewhat involving and entertaining. A newer teacher - fairly young, and his voice actually had different tones, unlike her math teacher. She stood awake; though her mind budged back and forth to the note she had stuffed in Valencia's locker just before class, she managed to listen to the remainder of the lesson. Presently, the bell rang as the teacher shouted for everyone to sit down while he detailed thier homework. Everyone sat, he spoke, and then he waved his hand and told the class to go home, a small sort of grin on his face. Charlotte, anxious, did not stop at her locker. Taking her books - the item in question that she was planning to give to Valencia stowed neatly in the slim blue binder she carried for the class - she made a hurried walk out of the school and toward the tree where the meeting was to take place. Keeping with the crowds, Charlotte made certain not to run, feeling entirely conspicuous with the folder tucked under her arm - though none could see it. She reached the tree, and with a quick scan of the area, found none had followed her or even noticed a young woman with a cane carrying her school-books to a tree along the school grounds. Huhhhh ...Another mental sigh, also accompanied by a vocalization. And she waited for Valencia. |
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Aug 16, 2007 20:32:34 GMT 1
P_A_L_E_N_C_I_A
:.._._…_.’_:’._:_'._.
Mreh. Close enough. I make dot errors too when I’m in a hurry.
Valencia scanned the message twice, just in case she misinterpreted something. She was mostly curious about what Charlotte had that may be of interest to her, but other than that, she was also a bit bothered that the younger student didn’t think of a different location to meet. Fixed locations work best when they have tight security. Locations meant to be kept safe by secrecy alone are more effective if cycled through a “list” of other hidden meeting places. Whatever the case may be, Valencia reasoned that if Charlotte knew this already, there was probably a good reason why she chose that same tree. If not, ah well.
The day passed with few events in between worth mentioning. She was still curious, but the occasion didn’t call for her thoughts to be etched in her features aside from more glances to the clock than usual. After the last bell rang and a trip to her locker, Valencia headed to her destination with a somewhat heavy backpack in tow. That night’s homework required a computer and her textbook, so no way was she able to lighten her load before the day ended. And finally, Valencia arrived. Her pale eyes spotted Charlotte where she said she was going to be and she approached briskly and quietly. There wasn’t much for her to say. Instead, Valencia was already scanning for whatever it was that Charlotte had that required the temporary security on her persons. Gee, and here she could’ve said hello instead.
((OOC: Mreh. Short, but I have school in a bit.))
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Post by charlotte on Aug 18, 2007 5:24:08 GMT 1
Charlotte's gaze snapped to face Valencia, barely catching her arrival before the senior had reached her. As usual, Valencia caught her off guard; not with the sudden approach - she had expected that - but with the lack of any sort of greeting. Composing herself, however, Charlotte shifted with her back against the treetrunk, propping her cane up alongside her and moving to balance her books in both hands. She openend the binder swiftly, working to retrieve the folder before Valencia came to a stop. Sliding it from the looseleaf pages it had been nestled amongst, Charlotte once more shifted her grip: holding the file between her index and middle fingers, she closed the binder and bent down swiftly to set her books on the ground before her cane. Charlotte straightened, grasping the file in her left hand while her right hand slipped into her pocket. "Hi," she said slowly, her arm extending to hold out the folder. It had been quite some time since she had both looked at the folder and at Valencia face-to-face, and now it was the folder that seemed the least pertinent issue - at least, to the junior. She had tried to arrange a meeting, after all, for more reasons than just a simple item transferrance. It seemed quite inconsequential as she held out the folder; a significant change from when MacMillan had tossed it upon his desk for Charlotte to take, though she could not know if Valencia did or would feel the same. The folder itself was plain, thin, and not entirely exceptional. What was inside, however: A name: V. Donahue. A photograph: one which matched the name of the subject in question. A list of classes, but most importantly a transcript of the 'extra-curricular activies' that had landed Valencia in the particular blackmail predicament she was in. "It's an incomplete copy of your permanent record, but all the important information is in there," Charlotte explained. "MacMillan gave it to me to contact you, just before we first met. I thought you might want to take care of any extra copies of your record that might be floating outside the records room." She shrugged. "No doubt you know the Watchmen are keeping order now, above the Pillars, so I doubt that this blackmail will be as big of an issue for you, if at all," she paused, then added as an afterthought: "but I wouldn't stake my life on that assumption, especially coming from me." It was not the only assumption Charlotte had in mind. She clearly assumed - probably for good reason - that Valencia had picked up in her tone and body language that the junior had other things on her mind besides handing over the file. However - ever the self-doubter - Charlotte decided not to press the issues at mind until Valencia had replied in some manner: whether it be words, or even walking away. Though no longer being quite so much the introvert as she had used to be, Valencia had certainly established quite a pecking order between the two; one that Charlotte was entirely unsure of hiow to approach discussing. |
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Aug 19, 2007 16:56:36 GMT 1
Valencia received the folder flipped through its contents, feeling a tinge disappointed that it was something pretty familiar instead of something “unexpected”. However, even though it didn’t satisfy her curiosity as much as she wanted it to, she’s one to accept gestures of camaraderie… Even though she didn’t feel that friendly towards Charlotte. It’s a “be polite” mechanism going off in her skull. She listened to Charlotte add her piece about the Watchers, which was basically what Valencia knew for a long while now. She was expendable due to lack of power, resources, and influence, but fate decided to be kind and have a different set of consequences occur instead of butchering her. Then again, were there worse things than being used? Valencia didn’t want to ponder about it because being used is bad enough as is.
She swung her backpack ‘til it was in front of her, then rested it on the ground so she can tuck the folder neatly away between pages, binders, and other forms of organization that could be seen within the compartments. Valencia sighed through her teeth, her mind whirring at the concept that MacMillan still had other copies somewhere in the administration offices… No doubt very updated copies at that. Despite her feeling “okay” with being “off the hook”, there was the issue about the lack of guarantee and more importantly—
I’m going to spend the rest of my year in monotony again. At the rate of everything continuously repeating itself… This. Is. Going. To. Annoy me. Big time.
Once that tangent of thought was over, Valencia slung the backpack onto her shoulders again and spoke to Charlotte…
“So… You planned to talk as well? While we look for a change of scenery, did you have any specific topic in mind to discuss?”
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Post by charlotte on Aug 20, 2007 23:38:37 GMT 1
Charlotte stopped down to pick up her books as Valencia slung her backpack over her shoulder, following the Senior's lead. Slinging them under her arm she replied, taking cane in hand as she motioned with her head for Valencia to lead the way if she had a specific area in mind.
"I did, actually," she said with a hint of unease. "Us."
Charlotte left the subject hanging for a moment, letting the unease wash over her more fully before pushing it out of her mind almost entirely.
"I don't suppose you want to hear a sob little anecdote of a story, but I never had much of a mother figure," the Junior said mildly, her voice tastefully sarcastic before she moved to the story itself, for which her tone changed to a strange sort of seriousness.
"Even when I was little she was caught up in school policy and reforms," Charlotte shrugged. "Only child, parents divorced, moved literally across the country. Mother became an alcholic. Or maybe she always was, but I just didn't notice when I was younger.
"And that's the succint version of my missing mother figure story," she said - jokingly light covering the bitterness, "and now that I mention it, parental figure entirely."
"Of course, I have really no idea who you are, or what your life is like. And it's not my intent to bore you with all these personal details or pry into your life, but sometimes it's incredibly frustrating to search for approval from the one mother figure that you really have, and never know if you've got it."
At the conclusion of her explaination, Charlotte glanced at Valencia's pale, almost blind-looking eyes. The delivery of her words had not been vague in the slightest, and neither had been the look. However, the unease - though mingled with a strained relief - washed over her again as she broke her gaze from her confessed mother-figure.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Aug 21, 2007 9:58:10 GMT 1
Mom. I’m a mom. I wouldn’t mind that as much if I had the credentials.
As much as Valencia wanted to know why the hell Charlotte was telling her all this, she kept to herself as the two wandered around the grounds of the school with no particular location in mind. The only real direction the Asian had was to avoid staying in a spot too long or in a place too isolated where voices may carry. She didn’t know whether to feel flattered because of the admiration or annoyed that she was being kissed up to. It’s really hard to describe what Valencia was feeling as her thoughts swam through different things as Charlotte’s voice played in the background.
I don’t have a mom, but at least I manage to find people who are close enough to be. Lots and lots of mentors. Lots and lots of memories.
She didn’t stop for a second as she trekked across the grass towards the gymnasium and gave her input as soon as Charlotte finished talking. No eye contact, nothing.
“You’ll know when you get approval. Quit looking for it.”
Sure, there’s something called conditional and unconditional positive regard, but it’s not like Valencia gives everyone the same treatment, in spite of her sense of equality. What she said may seem really harsh, but she’s a bit like an alpha leader of some pack of wild beasts. Approval will come in the form of equal treatment, in a sense. Once the other animals understand how the alpha animal works and vice versa and they all know how to coexist as a singular whole, they can function as contemporaries. The only difference is that if you try to act like a dolphin by only giving the effort to get the fish, Valencia probably won’t like that. She’d prefer if people worked for themselves, with rewards being the extra… Instead of being the only incentive. Not that she has anything against dolphins, of course.
In short, Valencia was willing to give it, but she’s a tough judge. From time to time, people have to wonder what kind of mentors she learned from…
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Post by charlotte on Aug 23, 2007 7:23:44 GMT 1
Charlotte stayed beside Valencia, noting the surroundings as she did, though keeping her eyes seemingly rooted on the senior.
At the quick, blunt answer she recieve, Charlotte did not stop walking or slow her pace; she merely turned her gaze from Valencia to look straight ahead. Her mouth opened slightly to speak, inhaling, but stopping her half-vocalized exhale midway, closing her mouth and finishing the breath outward through her nose, brow furrowing.
Flicking her head back to push her bangs from her face, the Junior pushed her glasses - which had slid down slighty- back up her nose with her cane-hand as she thought.
"Well," she said simply, not as bothered by the answer as she had expected in the event of just such an answer, "I just was looking to know if I had it or not."
She shrugged, having her answer to the question. Evidently having not known if she had had such approval proved she didn't have it.
Tough love? Good parenting? Charlotte hypothesized as they walked, attempting at a mental joke.
"I don't suppose hugging you would mean brownie points," she said lightly, raising an eyebrow to denote the inherant sarcasm - though certainly not her usually unfriendly sarcasm.
"It's a bit funny though ..." Changing the topic.
"I know almost nothing about you; not really. And I'll guess and say you almost nothing about me aside from what you've 'dug up' from secondary sources," she paused, raising her eyebrow once more, but this time curiously.
"Are you this clandestine with everyone you know? I mean, I can understand me; I wouldn't want to be friends with me, considering I know what kind of person I am ... but what about the others you associate with?"
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Aug 23, 2007 7:59:10 GMT 1
“Most of the time, but not always. Depends on what kind of mood I’m in.” …And whether Valencia knew it or not, she hit the nail right on the head. Hell, her behavior wasn’t just dependent on her mood, but also on the time of day and weather! Sunrises and sunsets seem to make her seem a bit more social, high noon is murder to her, rain and fog puts her in the mood to fight. How many insanity spasms were and WEREN’T recorded in this school’s records?! Who knows what other emotions she had beneath that exterior of hers? For sure, she had much more than she was willing to show and showed plenty enough to prove that she was one heck of a wild card. Does she know all this? More or less, but definitely one or the other. Blame it on reincarnation when it doesn’t work right. But that aside, it really does depend on the people too. Aubrey was able to give Valencia a hug with little consequence. Heck, there’re tons of examples to show that it boils down to “correct” interaction and the scenario. Unfortunately, all this wasn’t going to be obvious to Charlotte as Valencia continued walking until she found a corner formed by two buildings, complete with plenty of shade to cool off under. It may have been weird to journey from a soft grassy knoll to a hard spot of concrete, but mreh. Valencia wasn’t the picky sort in terms of comfort. She placed her backpack against the wall, then sat down to rest her back against it as if it were a cushion. She didn’t have much to say to Charlotte and didn’t really want to know about her, even when she mentioned her past. But if she said nothing, Charlotte might say something that would eventually annoy her anyhow, so she found it necessary to speak. “What are you doing to pass your time?” It wasn’t much, but Valencia was personally growing more and more weary of the things that weren’t changing. |
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Post by charlotte on Aug 26, 2007 20:56:03 GMT 1
(OOC: I'm really sorry, I haven't had much chance to get to a computer these past few days; what with work and having to help my sister pack and move to her apartment for college. Forgiveness?)
Charlotte nodded as Valencia spoke, then followed the senior to the intersecting corner of two buildings; a patch of shade over a strip of rough concrete. Charlotte did not sit, as Valencia had, but leaned against the wall beside her, propping her cane up against the building and once more shifting her books in her grasp.
Trying to figure out the mind and the intents of V. Donahue, she realized, was slowly becoming a complex - and at times infuriating - task and personal challenge. Feeling a perpetual sense of discomfort did not help her endevour; thinking that perhaps Valencia was making an effort to be civil but was really actually annoyed with her, or that the senior just didn't like her. Not that it was such a great deal to Charlotte in the grand scheme - the number of people who didn't like her far outwieghed the number of people who did - the very notion still made her very frustrated.
When the question came of her hobbies, however, she was again thrown off her guard.
"Uh- ..." she half-opened her mouth to reply, though it was more a slight exclaimation of shock.
"... I like to read?" Charlotte managed. "I go running pretty often, or I try to spend time with Leon. More often than not I keep to myself."
She turned to Valencia, slowly lowering her form to sit against the wall on the hard concrete, and pushed her books beside her on the ground. Peripheral vision caused her to note that the laces for one her shoes had come undone, so with her knees bent toward her she leaned foward and redid the tie. Once more her attention turned back to Valencia as that leg slid straight; her other knee remaining bent.
Then:
"Why are you asking me this? Forgive me for thinking so, but I've always got the impression you ... never really enjoyed having me around." It was the nice of way of Charlotte saying that she thought Valencia was annoyed by her presence.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Aug 27, 2007 1:13:58 GMT 1
((OOC: Life first. I don’t put due dates on my threads, really.)) Dadgum it… Not much else than that huh? Unless I’m missing something… But that’s pretty likely, considering what’s going on. Not much to do but school stuff, hobbies, and random things to keep from going insane.Valencia mentally slumped somewhere in a dark corner, almost wishing that she had something to actually “think” about for once. Sure, there was a time when she had too much to think about and nowhere to filter it, but that’s nothing as bad as the absence of thought. The clock was ticking and she felt like a lot of time was used up when she could’ve used it for more interesting things. After Stern’s doings, she felt disappointed that the place went to the doldrums instead of something more worthwhile filling the void. There were the Watchers, but though people didn’t like it… It’s not like they’re doing much about it. It reminded her of what one of her history teachers said about the Tiananmen Square protests in China. They’re all just a bunch of complaining teens. They’re nothing until their parents get involved, or something like that. It was during sophomore year…She heard about how the Pillars weren’t taking to the Watchers fondly and wondered how they were going to do anything to be different from “a bunch of complaining teens” rushing to the massacre. Gee, wouldn’t that be something if everyone got hurt all at once, huh? As cool as that’d be, it’d lack originality. But that’s a thought tucked somewhere else in the recesses of her brain like everything else. The next thing that got Valencia’s attention was Charlotte talking about Leon, AKA Sir Squawk-a-Lot. As much as this Vietnamese “blonde” wanted to keep thinking about how nice it is to have or talk about significant others, she dismissed the notion as soon as she heard Charlotte’s question. No way was Valencia going to share much with Charlotte, especially such innermost thoughts. “I’m getting the topic off of myself and on other things.” No more and no less than that. She didn’t want to address why she was personally irked by Charlotte and found it irrelevant to discuss… At least, at the moment. Blame how “polite” she wanted to be. If there was one reason or other to why she didn’t want to get along with Charlotte, it had to do with the “lack of sincerity”. Charlotte was thrown at her. They didn’t meet casually or have any other sort of decent interaction beyond “business”. Not that Valencia had anything against forming relationships during business, but it wasn’t as though their business-ness was the kind she liked. And don’t get Valencia started on the “ aura”. She tied up her hair into a ponytail to keep her neck from cooking, then continued to stare out into the nothingness, adding a sentence or two to her tangent. “I was hoping to find something different to take interest in. That is all.” |
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Post by charlotte on Sept 4, 2007 23:14:36 GMT 1
There was not much for Charlotte to do but nod in a solemn sort of way and look out toward the school grounds, away from Valencia.
Yet another attempt at talk seemed to have failed, and to make it worse, Charlotte was beginning to feel an even greater sense of detatchment from her professed mother figure. For several moments (possibly even several minutes) she simply stared stright ahead, not quite sure what to say or do, and quite disheartened.
"What kind of things do you often take interest in, exactly?" she said finally, though continuing to stare straight ahead.
"From what I've seen you keep to yourself, you make sure you're intentionally vague in both speech, body language, and emotions." Charlotte's tone had shifted dramatically; from originally banal and calm to an almost matter-of-fact way of speech, barely masking a hint of frustration.
"You're an enigma and seem to prefer it that way. And I'm betting - since I find people who pester me constantly annoying - that you find me annoying as well."
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Sept 5, 2007 12:45:42 GMT 1
Valencia didn’t mind being asked what her interests were, but she did mind when Charlotte didn’t back off when requested.
“If you must have my opinion, I’ve already stated that I’d like to have the topic on other matters aside from myself… Even if this conversation is somewhat contradictory.”
It was Valencia’s way of expressing “politely” that Charlotte was right. The senior was getting pretty annoyed with the junior and her constant badgering. The firmness slowly entering her voice should be the final warning before the Asian resorted to other, perhaps more active means to give herself space. With each step Charlotte advanced, Valencia withdrew two steps into the corner where she may lash out if the junior invaded her any further. As Valencia was seeing it, Charlotte was invading her privacy instead of respecting her boundaries. After all, it was her instincts kicking in as her impulse gradually entered the mix and her intellect edging out to the backseat.
She saw no meaning in Charlotte stating the obvious and if the underclassman was trying to get in her good graces, it wasn’t working. At all. Really, if you know you’re pestering someone, why are you doing it? Okay, Charlotte was trying to know more about her and Valencia sure enough got the message by now… But others had a better chance at getting to know her without stepping on all the wrong nerves, especially since they weren’t trying to do so on purpose.
If she simply wants to know why I despise her presence, must she keep reinforcing my opinions? It’s no different from people not comprehending that not everyone will like them, at least from how I see it. There’re exceptions of some sort out there, but I’m definitely not in the mood to contemplate them.
Valencia closed her eyes and sighed through her teeth. This was getting nowhere alright and if Charlotte was the sort to learn by “monkey see, monkey do”, may all heaven and hell save her the moment the Vietnamese snaps… ‘Cause no way was she going to put up with someone who can’t think for him or herself, figuratively speaking.
I mean, I had tons and tons of mentors to look up to, but at least I still did my own thing…
“I take interest in trying new things, anything to rid myself of boredom really. I like to spend my time in peace most of the time, unless I must release some energy for some reason or other. If I can’t find anything to do, new or old, I just look for something to do and wander about.”
A purpose of my liking would be nice. ANYTHING to keep me from releasing steam in destructive ways.
Not exactly detailed, but Valencia can’t help it if she does too many things to count and isn’t at the stage of camaraderie where she’d feel more comfortable communicating with Charlotte more accurately. That stage was miles away from this one. The one they were at was something best not described.
“This isn’t exactly the sort of weather where I’d prefer to be outside. If anything, I’d prefer to be napping or water coloring somewhere indoors in this occasion.”
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Post by charlotte on Sept 23, 2007 21:07:17 GMT 1
Fair enough …
Charlotte finally conceded to herself. She hadn’t managed to get any nearer regardless of how much pestering she had done, and Valencia always seemed to have a peculiar way of pointing out the Junior’s faults: in this case it was the unsuccessful and ‘contradictory’ conversation. To Charlotte, it was a glaring reminder of her social shortcomings, where Valencia seemed quite at ease with being aloof and enigmatic.
Charlotte didn’t view herself in remotely the same way. By no means was she enigmatic, and closer to be an open book who wasn’t the best at understanding and figuring out people.
“Peace …” she softly muttered, then, louder: “We all hope, don’t we.”
“And what if you had to release some energy right now?"
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Sept 24, 2007 0:11:23 GMT 1
((OOC: Pardon any inconsistencies that may arise.))
Valencia didn’t know how to respond to Charlotte. If she had the energy right now (which she did, oddly enough), she would be doing something more productive than sitting around. Something like running an errand or going to Pier 39. There was another bunch of things she could be doing, but half of them she just plainly didn’t want to do with Charlotte. The Asian placed the straps of her backpack on her shoulders, then stood up before walking away without so much as a second glance at the underclassman.
“I’d release it… After I make sure that my belongings are out of the way.”
I wouldn’t want them to get damaged.
She headed towards the parking lot, aiming to put her stuff into Ruth’s truck before “releasing her energy”. It may be kinda weird for Valencia to care about her backpack and its contents when she’s often understood as one who cared much, much, MUCH less for the general safety of her own being, but who really knew about her mannerisms but her close friends and the most observant acquaintances?
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Post by charlotte on Sept 24, 2007 0:28:13 GMT 1
(OOC: Such an unceremonious and short end ...  Unless you had something else planned, of course) Blink was all Charlotte really did. After all, there was little else to do. There it was: Valencia had openly said she hadn't wanted the conversation to be about her, but stubbornly, the Junior had persisted. "Take care then," she said to Valencia's back as Charlotte simply continued to sit, not quite wanting to follow the senior, or to start walking home. |
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Unless you had something else planned, of course)