fandomhighdorms | Second Floor Common Room [Night]

Second Floor Common Room [Night]

Jessica waltzes into the 2nd floor common room wearing her light blue nightgown with white lace trim and slippers, carrying a romance novel in one hand and a cup of tea in the other, and takes a seat on one of the couches. Although she is of course in a good mood, and it shows, a tad of concern shows through. Mostly she is just worried about those she hasn’t heard from since the snow monster attacks. "They are probably just fine," she tells herself, as she smiles to herself. She sets the tea down, opens the book, and as she reads starts to laugh.

[ooc – Jessica’s not terribly involved in her romance novel really, so you can say hi, or use post for all your 2nd floor common room needs :)]

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Susan pads in and goes straight to the window. The wether has cleared and the snow is melting. "Blind Io, this town is wierd." She looks over. "Hi, Jessica."

Jessica looks up from her book and covers her mouth to stop laughing. After her laughter subsized she turns to Susan, smiles, and waves happily. "Hello there Susan. How are you on the this lovely evening?"

"Warm and indoors," replies Susan promptly. "How did you fare with the snow monsters?"

"Oh, I fared quite well. Actually I didn't even hear about them until the whole ordeal was over. I guess I'm just ~~oblivious~~ lucky" says Jessica with a nod. "How about you dear?"

"Got to poke snow-sharks with a sword," says Susan happily. "It didn't do much damage to them, but it was fun." She grins and flops down on the couch. "Good book?"

Not knowing what else to say, Jessica smiles at Susan and says "Oh, thats nice dear."

Jessica looks down at her book, and laughs a little as she flips through it. "Its a romance novel...I find it quite hilarious actually" says Jessica with another laugh or two.

Susan still isn't quite sure if Jessica is mocking her when she uses that tone. She shrugs it off.

"Ah, romance. Those books can only be read for comedy value, I think."

"Agreed. I mean on this page..." Jessica points to a page in the open book, "...two strangers meet in a park by accidentally bumping into each other at a hot dog stand." Jessica pauses and shakes her head. "And on the very next page..." Jessica flips the page and taps it twice, "...the strangers are waking up in a hotel room together, confussing their undying love for one another, and planning their honeymoon!" Jessica shakes her head again and roles her eyes. "Maybe I should start hanging out around hot dog stands...or open up one of my own." Jessica laughs, then sighs, then laughs again.

"As if that's a really healthy basis for a long-term relationship," says Susan with heavy sarcasm. "And - let me guess - at the end of the book they ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after. I tell you what, I'd love to write sequels to these things. Tell about the seven kids and him cheating and her flirting and the messy, messy divorce."

Although she had three children, she couldn't help but think of Chester. About how he cheated before the wedding, during the wedding, after the wedding...things were definately 'messy' now, quite 'messy' even, but divorce? Jessica closes her eyes and messages her temple. In responding, she tries to appear unaffected by what Susan said. "Yes...silly books" says Jessica with a smile and laugh. She closes it and places it gently next to her.

Susan notes the other girl's reaction. Everybody in this town has a story, even somebody as shallow-seeming as Jessica. "My parents met and married under rather... hurried circumstances," she tells her gently. "But it all worked out for the best, in the end. They were married for seventeen years." She smiles in fond rememberance. "Sometimes the stories can come true."

[[OOC: Sorry, had to rush off for a bit there]]

[ooc - Aw! So an opportunity for bonding here...maybe we can continue tomorrow? Slowplay as I'll be in and out?]

[[ooc: Sure! It'll have to be slowplay as I'm on Australian time, but this? Is just begging to be played out!]]

Jessica smiles back at Susan. "Well, that is quite a lovely story..." Jessica picks the book up again, places it on her lap, and folds her ands over it, smiling. She thinks about her parents. "My mother died when she was ~~a teenager, a teenager the first go around anyway~~ young, and my father ~~still thinks WWII is going on and shoots at our neighbor because he drives a Mercedes so he thinks he's a Nazi~~ is a little crazy...but when they were together they were quite happy too."

Susan winces a little. "I'm sorry to hear that." She studies Jessica for a moment, thoughtfully. "My parents died last year," she finally confesses. "In an accident."

[ooc - correction, supposed to be "My mother died when *I* was a teenager-" etc. etc.]

Jessica puts her hands over her heart and gasps. "Oh poor dear, how aweful, I am so sorry..." She gets up from the couch, walks over to Susan, and puts one hand on her shoulder. She tries to offer a comforting smile, but finds it very hard to smile after hearing such a tragic tale.

Susan goes very still under her hand, unused to and uncomfortable with casual touch. "It's alright," she says steadily, and smiles a little glassily up at Jess. "Really. I was away a lot, and they'd both lived far longer than anybody could have expected, and it was over quickly..." she trails off, and looks away. "And there's no use getting emotional about it," she finishes, a little crossly. "I'm perfectly fine."

She's totally not fine.

Jessica, surprisingly, notices Susan's uncomfort and removes her hand from her shoulder. She rubs her hands together for a moment, then puts them together behind her back.

"Of course you are fine...you're strong. You are." Jessica pauses for a moment. "You see I wasn't strong, well, aren't strong. I tend to get...quite emotional over things. Luckily I have a full-proof method of hiding it..." Jessica smiles and points to said smile with both pointer fingers.

Susan looks at her for long moment, then stands up suddenly so they're on a level. "Oh, Jess," she says. "Emotion isn't a weakness. You shouldn't have to think that you need to hide what you're feeling."

"I know...I know," says Jessica, nodding in agreement. "I just prefer too I suppose. I mean if I let even half of my feelings about people show, whether good or bad, those people might get upset, or hurt, or confused...and I wouldn't want to cause that dear. So, you see, it just makes things easier and much more pleasant, for everyone, if I tuck those emotions away..." Jessica smiles and looks Susan in the eyes, then changes her focus to the window behind her and stares at the deep night sky. "My, it is getting quite late..."

For a moment, Susan looks as though she might try to pursue the line of conversation, but her face softens. "Yes, it is, isn't it. And I've taken you away from your book." She turns to go, but turns back, and touches Jess's shoulder in a deliberate mimicry of her earlier gesture. "Look, Jessica. If you ever need somebody to talk to - I mean, it's not good for you to bottle it all up inside. And I don';t get offended easily, I promise.

Jessica puts her hand on top of Susan's. "Okay," she says with a soft smile and a nod. Jessica picks up her book and sits on the windowsill. "Night night," she says with a wave as she turns back to her book. When Susan is gone she closes the book and stares back out at the night sky.

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Second Floor Common Room [Night]

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