((Theresa Duncan's intro post))
"I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night," sang Theresa, "and still have begged for more."
Jolly would be the word she would've used to describe her mood at that moment. Jolly like old St. Nick looking over his good' list for the year. She held a plastic shopping bag tightly in her left hand. Her bag was slung safely over her shoulder.
"I could've spread my wings," as she sang this line, her volume crescendoed and she stretched her free arm out as far as it would go, "and done a thousand things I've never done before."
Apologising to the passer-by she'd nearly knocked over (really, they'd come out of nowhere, but there was no harm in saying sorry), she checked her shopping bag to make sure she hadn't lost anything yet. Her glasses began to slip off her face as she looked down, but she pressed them back to her head with her index finger. It had almost become a reflex after twelve years of wearing them. Everything was still in her shopping bag. Good. Going back to the other side of the mall to re-buy that detergent was not something she'd planned on doing. The source of her jolly mood was still in there, too her new butterfly net. She'd wanted one for a while, and she'd finally had the chance to buy one. Deciding she was hungry, she headed off towards the food court.
"I'll never know what made it so exciting, why all at once, my heart took flight," her song started again as she browsed for something to eat. Her eyes settled on some delectable looking choc mint ice cream.
"I only know when he began to dance with me," she sang as the girl working in the stall scooped out her ice cream. Smiling broadly, she paid, took her treat and found a place to sit.
"I could've danced, danced, danced-"
Lick.
"All night!"
Could've Danced All Night
((Ben Powell continued from Fencing... No, not that kind.))
The food court. To be frank, it looked more packed than he thought it would be. Sure, he could grab a snack from the other side of the prom, but that's besides the point.
Ben Powell was bored. Venturers was good, but that was a couple of days ago. Same with fencing. All his homework was complete, and he'd gone through that new book he got from the library last week twice.
"Go down to the mall then!" his mother told him. "Meet your friends!"
So he did. Called his friends on the bus there. No answer from two, one was busy, and one had hockey training or something. Then he ran out of credit.
Now he was here. In the middle of the promenade. Bored out of his mind, waiting in line for a late lunch. No pickles. Can you change the coke to a lemonade, please? Thanks.
Even worse was trying to find a seat. Every single table was packed on this side of the mall. Groaning slightly, he walked around. That se- ...nope, taken. That one has a coke spill.
Then he spotted Theresa.
Boredom causes you to do drastic things. He'd had seen her around before at school, talked to her a few times, but nothing much else.
Eh, what the hell.
"Hey, Theresa, can I sit here?"
The food court. To be frank, it looked more packed than he thought it would be. Sure, he could grab a snack from the other side of the prom, but that's besides the point.
Ben Powell was bored. Venturers was good, but that was a couple of days ago. Same with fencing. All his homework was complete, and he'd gone through that new book he got from the library last week twice.
"Go down to the mall then!" his mother told him. "Meet your friends!"
So he did. Called his friends on the bus there. No answer from two, one was busy, and one had hockey training or something. Then he ran out of credit.
Now he was here. In the middle of the promenade. Bored out of his mind, waiting in line for a late lunch. No pickles. Can you change the coke to a lemonade, please? Thanks.
Even worse was trying to find a seat. Every single table was packed on this side of the mall. Groaning slightly, he walked around. That se- ...nope, taken. That one has a coke spill.
Then he spotted Theresa.
Boredom causes you to do drastic things. He'd had seen her around before at school, talked to her a few times, but nothing much else.
Eh, what the hell.
"Hey, Theresa, can I sit here?"
Hearing a voice, Theresa snapped out of her own little world. It took her a couple of seconds to figure out that the voice was actually talking to her.
"Hm? Oh! Of course," she said with a toothy smile, "I can't sit on more than one chair at the same time. I did try, once."
Laughing a little at the memory (one chair on top of another in her dining room it hadn't ended very well), she licked her ice cream again.
"'Ave oo-" she swallowed properly before continuing, "Have you tried this flavour? It's really good. Mint Chocolate Chip, I think it's called. From there," she pointed to a Baskin Robbins store. Another lick of the ice cream. Dang, she thought, I'm getting near the cone.
"Hm? Oh! Of course," she said with a toothy smile, "I can't sit on more than one chair at the same time. I did try, once."
Laughing a little at the memory (one chair on top of another in her dining room it hadn't ended very well), she licked her ice cream again.
"'Ave oo-" she swallowed properly before continuing, "Have you tried this flavour? It's really good. Mint Chocolate Chip, I think it's called. From there," she pointed to a Baskin Robbins store. Another lick of the ice cream. Dang, she thought, I'm getting near the cone.
Giving a small nod and a grin, he chucked the paper bag onto the table, sliding a little away.
"...I'm guessing I don't want to know how that ended. Thanks." Grabbing the chair, he sat down and opened the bag, taking a limp french fry from the insides and swallowing it whole.
Theresa took a lick of her cone. "Have you tried this flavour? It's really good. Mint Chocolate Chip, I think it's called."
"Not really a big ice-cream fan, actually. Sister's lactose intolerant, so we don't have any in the freezer." He looked over at the stall before grabbing a couple more chips.
Munch. Munch. Munch.
Swallowing, he ran his fingers through his long unkempt hair. "So, what you doing here? Going fishing?" he questioned, taking a glace at the net sticking out of the bag.
"...I'm guessing I don't want to know how that ended. Thanks." Grabbing the chair, he sat down and opened the bag, taking a limp french fry from the insides and swallowing it whole.
Theresa took a lick of her cone. "Have you tried this flavour? It's really good. Mint Chocolate Chip, I think it's called."
"Not really a big ice-cream fan, actually. Sister's lactose intolerant, so we don't have any in the freezer." He looked over at the stall before grabbing a couple more chips.
Munch. Munch. Munch.
Swallowing, he ran his fingers through his long unkempt hair. "So, what you doing here? Going fishing?" he questioned, taking a glace at the net sticking out of the bag.
((Stacy Hart's Intro Post))
Stacy had been out shopping for new tops and things when she passed an Orange Julius. It occurred to her that if Coach saw her eating anything from a chain shop, he'd have her running floor taps every practice for the next week, but it also struck her that he wasn't anywhere near and she really wanted one. Glad she was only holding one bag, she slipped into the line and quickly made up her mind. She tapped her foot a little as the line slowly but steadily moved forward. After what seemed like forever, she reached the counter.
"Large original please." She fished a crumpled ten out of her Invader Zim wallet to cover the cost of her drink. She looked at the wallet and chuckled to herself. It was a favorite of hers, and to tell the truth she hadn't actually meant to buy it. It had just been inside a bag that she'd bought, and since it matched, she decided to use it. It was kind of like the prize inside the Lucky Charms that nobody notices when they buy the box, but get super excited about when it falls into their bowl in the morning. She took her change and slid down the counter to wait for her drink. It didn't actually take very long to get it, but for some reason time always seemed to pass by slowly when waiting for a smoothie. She smiled and took her drink, scanning the room for a place to sit. There were plenty of people around that she recognized unfortunately most of them were from baby-sitting. It was a full minute before she noticed a couple of people that were actually in her class. She strode toward the table and smiled even more broadly.
"Hi! Theresa, right? Do you guys mind if I sit with you? It's like Tween Central here, and my feet are aching. Only ended up shopping in one store, but somehow I've run all over the mall." She held up her Hot Topic bag and laughed. "The store's become super-trendy, but the shirts are really comfortable, especially when they're new."
Stacy had been out shopping for new tops and things when she passed an Orange Julius. It occurred to her that if Coach saw her eating anything from a chain shop, he'd have her running floor taps every practice for the next week, but it also struck her that he wasn't anywhere near and she really wanted one. Glad she was only holding one bag, she slipped into the line and quickly made up her mind. She tapped her foot a little as the line slowly but steadily moved forward. After what seemed like forever, she reached the counter.
"Large original please." She fished a crumpled ten out of her Invader Zim wallet to cover the cost of her drink. She looked at the wallet and chuckled to herself. It was a favorite of hers, and to tell the truth she hadn't actually meant to buy it. It had just been inside a bag that she'd bought, and since it matched, she decided to use it. It was kind of like the prize inside the Lucky Charms that nobody notices when they buy the box, but get super excited about when it falls into their bowl in the morning. She took her change and slid down the counter to wait for her drink. It didn't actually take very long to get it, but for some reason time always seemed to pass by slowly when waiting for a smoothie. She smiled and took her drink, scanning the room for a place to sit. There were plenty of people around that she recognized unfortunately most of them were from baby-sitting. It was a full minute before she noticed a couple of people that were actually in her class. She strode toward the table and smiled even more broadly.
"Hi! Theresa, right? Do you guys mind if I sit with you? It's like Tween Central here, and my feet are aching. Only ended up shopping in one store, but somehow I've run all over the mall." She held up her Hot Topic bag and laughed. "The store's become super-trendy, but the shirts are really comfortable, especially when they're new."
"She is? That's a shame. I couldn't live without my ice cream," speaking of her ice cream, she'd reached the cone. This was always a disappointing part for her, but at least this particular cone was nice.
"No, this is a butterfly net. I'm not too sure how well it'll work, but it's worth a try. If it doesn't work, I've always got Enormous Dave and the family," she stopped for a second before adding "they're my stick insects. Mum likes them a lot better than any other pets I've had."
As she took her first bite of the cone, she heard Stacy from her class asking if she could sit, too.
"Go for it," she responded, "it gets like that, doesn't it? In a place like this, you can just end up wandering for ages, even if you only want to go to one place. Are the shirts from there very expensive? I haven't really checked it out much, but it's always nice to know where to get comfy clothes."
"No, this is a butterfly net. I'm not too sure how well it'll work, but it's worth a try. If it doesn't work, I've always got Enormous Dave and the family," she stopped for a second before adding "they're my stick insects. Mum likes them a lot better than any other pets I've had."
As she took her first bite of the cone, she heard Stacy from her class asking if she could sit, too.
"Go for it," she responded, "it gets like that, doesn't it? In a place like this, you can just end up wandering for ages, even if you only want to go to one place. Are the shirts from there very expensive? I haven't really checked it out much, but it's always nice to know where to get comfy clothes."
Stacy smiled and set her bag down as she sat herself, taking a sip from her smoothie and shrugging.
"The t-shirts run about twenty a piece normally, but I filled up my frequent buyer card finally and knocked like ten off my total, and I managed to catch them running a deal. Still spent like forty-five dollars on three shirts...plus the dye. Gotta redo my hair, the color's starting to fade. Brown and blue don't go so well together so well you know?"
She laughed and took another long sip from her smoothie. It was nice to indulge every now and then when Coach wasn't watching. She might have been a team leader, but she was also a girl with needs. Sweet, sugary needs. Besides, since she'd made weight last week she got a little bit of leeway with what counted as making weight. Regionals were next week anyhow, and if she qualified, State finals were the weekend after. With those matches, her wrestling career would come to an end...unless she miraculously won State and went to Nationals...but that was during her senior trip...she'd thought quite a bit about that. If she qualified...would she go? It all came down to choosing between personal glory, and having one last hurrah with her classmates. To choose self, or others.
I'll burn that bridge when I come to it...if I come to it.
"So, what's new with everybody, score dates for Prom yet?"
"The t-shirts run about twenty a piece normally, but I filled up my frequent buyer card finally and knocked like ten off my total, and I managed to catch them running a deal. Still spent like forty-five dollars on three shirts...plus the dye. Gotta redo my hair, the color's starting to fade. Brown and blue don't go so well together so well you know?"
She laughed and took another long sip from her smoothie. It was nice to indulge every now and then when Coach wasn't watching. She might have been a team leader, but she was also a girl with needs. Sweet, sugary needs. Besides, since she'd made weight last week she got a little bit of leeway with what counted as making weight. Regionals were next week anyhow, and if she qualified, State finals were the weekend after. With those matches, her wrestling career would come to an end...unless she miraculously won State and went to Nationals...but that was during her senior trip...she'd thought quite a bit about that. If she qualified...would she go? It all came down to choosing between personal glory, and having one last hurrah with her classmates. To choose self, or others.
I'll burn that bridge when I come to it...if I come to it.
"So, what's new with everybody, score dates for Prom yet?"
Ice-cream, butterflies, and stick insects. Oh my.
Now looking up at the newcomer, he swallowed the last of the fries slightly audibly. It was hard not to miss Stacy, the blue-haired wrestler. And even though she was slightly smaller than him, he wouldn't want to get on her bad side. Unless he had a sword handy, but that's besides the point.
"Er... hey Stacy. Haven't seen you at school for a while."
Jeez. Relax, mate. What, you think she's going to try to kill ya? Oh yes, in the mall with the spikes of her electric hair.
Trying not to grin at this mental picture, he took a sip on his lemonade, listening to the talk about clothes before...
"So, what's new with everybody, score dates for Prom yet?"
Ben stopped sucking. "Oh shoot. Prom. I knew I forgot something. That's... next month?"
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
Now looking up at the newcomer, he swallowed the last of the fries slightly audibly. It was hard not to miss Stacy, the blue-haired wrestler. And even though she was slightly smaller than him, he wouldn't want to get on her bad side. Unless he had a sword handy, but that's besides the point.
"Er... hey Stacy. Haven't seen you at school for a while."
Jeez. Relax, mate. What, you think she's going to try to kill ya? Oh yes, in the mall with the spikes of her electric hair.
Trying not to grin at this mental picture, he took a sip on his lemonade, listening to the talk about clothes before...
"So, what's new with everybody, score dates for Prom yet?"
Ben stopped sucking. "Oh shoot. Prom. I knew I forgot something. That's... next month?"
fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
She grinned as she took a break from her smoothie.
"Looks like I've got Ben's answer. Yeah, it's next month. I don't have a date either yet. Been too busy to really spend much time with anybody not on the wrestling team. All the late season tournaments have been keeping me occupied, and rolling around with sweaty guys in all the wrong ways." She laughed and returned to her drink, well aware of how sexual that could have been taken. Just for good measure she let out a soft "mmm" as she sucked at the straw.
"I'm really ready for the season to end. Well, technically the regular season is over, just tournaments now, but I still have practice every day..."
She gave another couple of sucks on her straw and looked over Ben. She thought about it a moment and decided that if she didn't get asked by anybody in the next week she'd ask him. It wasn't like she was looking for a new boyfriend or anything, just somebody to dance with.
"Looks like I've got Ben's answer. Yeah, it's next month. I don't have a date either yet. Been too busy to really spend much time with anybody not on the wrestling team. All the late season tournaments have been keeping me occupied, and rolling around with sweaty guys in all the wrong ways." She laughed and returned to her drink, well aware of how sexual that could have been taken. Just for good measure she let out a soft "mmm" as she sucked at the straw.
"I'm really ready for the season to end. Well, technically the regular season is over, just tournaments now, but I still have practice every day..."
She gave another couple of sucks on her straw and looked over Ben. She thought about it a moment and decided that if she didn't get asked by anybody in the next week she'd ask him. It wasn't like she was looking for a new boyfriend or anything, just somebody to dance with.
((Anybody?))
((I'm waiting for Evenni. That being said, I think we should get out of here, as there are 3 live topics here now...)
"Looks like I've got Ben's answer"
"Yeah, I've pretty much forgotten about prom. Not even sure if I want to go. Would've thought you could have got someone from the wrestling team."
Ben took a few bites out of the cheeseburger before peeling off the top of the bun and swiping away a stray pickle.
"Although in my case, everyone on the fencing team's either taken or not that good a friend."
"Looks like I've got Ben's answer"
"Yeah, I've pretty much forgotten about prom. Not even sure if I want to go. Would've thought you could have got someone from the wrestling team."
Ben took a few bites out of the cheeseburger before peeling off the top of the bun and swiping away a stray pickle.
"Although in my case, everyone on the fencing team's either taken or not that good a friend."
((Sounds good))
She shrugged and smiled. "The only guy on the team I would consider going with is going to Westwood's Prom, scored a hot date at a tournament after he pinned her brother. I think she hates her brother or something so she did it to piss him off." She took another sip of her drink, then her lazily drooping eyelids popped open as she remembered something.
"Shit, I'm supposed to run my sister to rehearsal. I knew I had something to do today! Okay, half an hour, I can make it if I leave now. Sorry I couldn't hang out, maybe another time, send me a message on Facebook or something okay?"
Stacy lifted her bag and took her drink, waving at her classmates and striding toward the door, mentally kicking herself for forgetting, and thinking about how fast she was going to have to drive to get home and to the other side of town in time to drop of Rachel. She opened her Razr and used the voice dial to get her sister's cell.
"Come on...pick up...hey! Rache, I'll be home in like ten minutes, be ready okay? Yeah, I was at the mall. I know, okay, just be ready, I'll be there in ten, bye!"
((Continued in Looking for Company))
She shrugged and smiled. "The only guy on the team I would consider going with is going to Westwood's Prom, scored a hot date at a tournament after he pinned her brother. I think she hates her brother or something so she did it to piss him off." She took another sip of her drink, then her lazily drooping eyelids popped open as she remembered something.
"Shit, I'm supposed to run my sister to rehearsal. I knew I had something to do today! Okay, half an hour, I can make it if I leave now. Sorry I couldn't hang out, maybe another time, send me a message on Facebook or something okay?"
Stacy lifted her bag and took her drink, waving at her classmates and striding toward the door, mentally kicking herself for forgetting, and thinking about how fast she was going to have to drive to get home and to the other side of town in time to drop of Rachel. She opened her Razr and used the voice dial to get her sister's cell.
"Come on...pick up...hey! Rache, I'll be home in like ten minutes, be ready okay? Yeah, I was at the mall. I know, okay, just be ready, I'll be there in ten, bye!"
((Continued in Looking for Company))
Ben idly screwed up the wrappings of the burger into a small ball as Stacy left.
"Will do, mate. Will do."
He slowly grabbed the rubbish on the tabletop and placed it into the bag, scrunching up the top of it. Turning to Theresa, who was now looking very spacemanish, he coughed and spoke.
"Sorry mate, I've gotta go see a man about a dog. Thanks for the company."
Giving a small grin, he walked to the nearest bin and chucked the paper bag in. Giving one last nod to the table, he walked into the crowd.
Another day, another opportunity.
((Ben Powell continued in Prom Panic))
"Will do, mate. Will do."
He slowly grabbed the rubbish on the tabletop and placed it into the bag, scrunching up the top of it. Turning to Theresa, who was now looking very spacemanish, he coughed and spoke.
"Sorry mate, I've gotta go see a man about a dog. Thanks for the company."
Giving a small grin, he walked to the nearest bin and chucked the paper bag in. Giving one last nod to the table, he walked into the crowd.
Another day, another opportunity.
((Ben Powell continued in Prom Panic))
((I'm sorry for failing so immensely! D: I'm here now, so I guess I'll just get Theresa out of here.))
"Oh, right, I'd forgotten about that. I guess I'll probably go on my own, unless someone asks me."
Nibbling on her cone, she watched in amusement as Stacy's eyes popped open. It brought to mind all those cartoons she's watched as a little kid where a surprised character's eyes would bulge four feet (give or take) out of their heads. Actually, it was mostly just Wyle E Coyote. Oh, and Daffy. When Stacy announced that she had to go take her sister to rehearsal, Theresa waved her goodbye.
"Sorry mate, I've gotta go see a man about a dog. Thanks for the company."
Huh, he had to go, too. Oh well. She waved goodbye to him as well. She sat there for a while before checking the time. Oh, whoopsie. It was a little later than she thought, so she left, too.
...and came back thirty seconds later to retrieve her shopping bag. Then she left for real.
((Theresa Duncan continued elsewhere))
"Oh, right, I'd forgotten about that. I guess I'll probably go on my own, unless someone asks me."
Nibbling on her cone, she watched in amusement as Stacy's eyes popped open. It brought to mind all those cartoons she's watched as a little kid where a surprised character's eyes would bulge four feet (give or take) out of their heads. Actually, it was mostly just Wyle E Coyote. Oh, and Daffy. When Stacy announced that she had to go take her sister to rehearsal, Theresa waved her goodbye.
"Sorry mate, I've gotta go see a man about a dog. Thanks for the company."
Huh, he had to go, too. Oh well. She waved goodbye to him as well. She sat there for a while before checking the time. Oh, whoopsie. It was a little later than she thought, so she left, too.
...and came back thirty seconds later to retrieve her shopping bag. Then she left for real.
((Theresa Duncan continued elsewhere))