"Peaches."

I suppose we're going with that. You never could lie very well in the heat of the moment, could you Meela Paireerak? Best thing to do now is double down, be so genuine she has no choice but to believe it.

"Just like, how expensive they're getting. Peaches. Long story it's not worth ...

"OH, RISSA UH, welcome back." she blurts out, palms on the table in a very nothing-going-on fashion. Very much achieving the opposite effect, mind you.

Thankfully, the girl wasn't paying that much attention to her surroundings -- Meela wasn't sure it even registered to her that Raya and herself ...

"I.."

Was this real? Was this actually an experience she was having right this second? That smile, it was... different to how it usually is. She couldn't look away from Raya as she got closer, a flash fire of red, orange and pink inches away threatening to burn everything away. Was this the start ...

Yes. Yes, it really was because of that.

She could NOT just say that though, or... or could she? It's the truth, she wanted to hang out with Raya more and this was the place she could do that without it seeming weird. Besides, it's not like she didn't like the core activity of this club, it's just ...

Mitch never passed up the opportunity to throw out the Horns in solidarity, even in a setting like this. Sorry God, it's tradition.

His ever-present friendly smirk widens a bit more as Florida greets him, lankily waltzing his way to the huddle of semi-familiar faces. "Heyyyy, Florida!" he replies ...

Woah, okay.

Don't panic. It's just Raya asking a question.

Just breathe. Say something that makes sense.

God damnit, why'd she have to smile like that.

"H-huh. You think? I mean, I haven't really thought about it that way..."

She twiddles with the strap of her apron, which she has not ...

Quite honestly, she wasn't expecting much praise. This was the expected outcome, after all, all she did was follow the procedures and carry out the work. So to be blindsided not once, but twice with sincere compliments kind of caused a crash in her brain's internal operating system. She liked ...

Meela saunters over to Raya and the grinder with an amount of confidence that could only be described as 'practical'. Both her hands are upon the equipment in the blink of an eye, though a brief moment of hesitation passes over Meela for a second as she now holds the tool. No, it was more akin to ...

'A Vernet is never late; he always arrives when he's supposed to...

or something like that. Haven't watched those movies in years, probably should again. Get people 'round, make it a thing. Could call Ebs, Heather maybe.'

Mitch pushes the entrance doors open as these thoughts meander around his ...

Meela watches as commander-in-chief Raya explains scarfing to her, arms folded as she absorbs the information via the art of conversational osmosis, something she has perfected. It should be noted that conversational osmosis is more than merely 'paying attention' -- it is the act of taking on-board ...

If Raya was the brain of this operation and Clarissa the right hand, Meela may well be the nervous system. She didn't come up with the ideas or perform much of the heavy-lifting, but there was one thing she provided to this club besides its very existence:

Efficiency.

Any and all procedures and ...

AND I'LL FORM THE HEAD

anyways,

Mitch Vernet - Rhythm Guitar and Supporting Vocals

"Right here."

[Meela Paireerak continued from The Crate Escape]

Peaking awkwardly into the room from the left side of the door frame and holding a lazy peace sign up with her hand, Meela enters the scene. She could already feel the heat of the kiln on her face without having to step one foot in ...

"... huh."

That answer seemed to satisfy Meela's curiosity. Why she was curious at all about this random guy from her class she'd never spoken to before now, god knows. Probably 'cause Chester was the least annoying thing in her immediate vicinity, she thinks -- may as well savor it while it lasts ...

" God."

Meela sounds exasperated in her response, as though picturing herself wedged amongst thousands of much taller people inside a busy subway train somewhere in central L.A. Otherwise known as her worst nightmare.

"See, I could never live in L.A. I need like, personal space, right?" she says ...