Stairwell to the second floor, Tuesday evening

[lovemykilt]

Priestly had been all set to go out and walk around and generally be fairly broody over the whole Amber-turning-out-to-have-an-exclusive-boyfriend-who-turned-into-brownies thing. He had the whole look -- jacket, hands shoved in pockets, downturned look, hunched shoulders -- and he strode out through the lobby and out the front door with great purpose.

And immediately turned around and came back in because jacket or no, it was freaking cold out there!

Which would be why he was now sitting on the stairs between the lobby and the second floor, brooding. It wasn't quite as atmospheric, but it would do.

[ooc: Dude, it's a stairwell. Totally open.]

Comments

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that," she said easily, seating herself on a nearby stair and folding her legs underneath her. "We're quite mad, I assure you, and I should know of madness. It doesn't help that we've been conditioned to never ask for what we'd like, and told that it's far more polite to lie than be honest. Is someone being difficult towards you?"

[lovemykilt]

"They teach you to flirt even though you've already got a boyfriend?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

Alice frowned, distastefully. "No, indeed," she said. "I never learned to flirt at all, and one would think that having a boyfriend would keep one from toying with other gentlemen. How terribly rude."

[lovemykilt]

"I know, really? So now I'm stuck going out to dinner with her as 'just friends'. The friends-thing! It's like the kiss of death."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"You could always cancel," Alice said shrewdly. "Tell her, no-thank-you, you aren't fond of having your emotions played with, or paying for the privilege of hearing about her boyfriend all evening. I'm terribly sorry, by the way. Especially considering that it's giving you a rather unfortunate first impression of your new classmates."

[lovemykilt]

"Yeah. 'Cept I already said the friends thing was okay." He sighed. "Man, how do girls always manage to spin me around like that?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"That's a fair question," she said, hugging her knees. "Though in this case, I'd blame the girl herself more than anything. I assure you, we aren't all cruel in that manner. Crazed, perhaps, but not manipulative. Did she offer any explanation, to you? Or apology?"

[lovemykilt]

"Nope. She did say she thought I was engaged. I'm sixteen! Why would I be engaged?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Engaged?" Alice was now staring as if Priestly had grown a separate head. "She thought that? Where on Earth would she gather such a notion from? That would be a touch surprising in my own time, much less here."

[lovemykilt]

"I have no idea!" Priestly practically shouted it. "I've been trying to figure that out all day."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps she was covering," Alice said. "She has a boyfriend, therefore, she's going to say she assumed you had a girlfriend, should you be upset that she concealed it. It's all terribly confusing, I'm afraid. Although I imagine that, all things considered, you might considered yourself fortunate, once you take a closer look at the situation."

[lovemykilt]

"Yeah?" Priestly looked up. "How's that?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Well." Alice shook her head. "Imagine the situation differently. That you went on a date with this girl, had a lovely time, and then discovered that she had a boyfriend. Or, worse, that she didn't have one at all, and you became her boyfriend, and while you were, she was asking around for dinner-dates from other boys. I would say that either of those predicaments would be worse, to be honest."

[lovemykilt]

Priestly nodded. "Okay, that's a good point. Still kinda sucks, though."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"That it does," she said sympathetically. "And as your big sister, I feel it's my duty to assist, in some manner. Ice cream, perhaps? Or would you like someone to call her rude names?"

Alice had no idea who the girl in question was, but she had little problems with rude name-calling if it was deserved.

[lovemykilt]

Priestly thought of her new names for months and smiled. "Bet you'd think of some good ones, huh?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"I'm particularly good with that sort of thing," she grinned. "I don't promise that they would all be understandable, necessarily, but I suppose she would catch the meaning nonetheless."

It wasn't as though Jabberwocky was any less unclear for inventing half of its words.

[lovemykilt]

Priestly laughed softly. "That's cool. Probably shouldn't call her stuff to her face, though."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Conveniently, I haven't the name of your mystery friend, so I won't be inclined to dash off and be horrible to her at a moment's notice," she laughed.

[lovemykilt]

"Yeah, that was pretty slick of me, huh." Priestly shifted to bump his shoulder gently against her. "So, I'd say ice cream would be cool, but it is way too cold out for that."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure what other foods go well with failed love interests," she grinned, leaning to bump her shoulder back against his. "I'm very new to food consolation, you see. And this isn't half so cold as a proper English winter."

[lovemykilt]

"Ooof. I think I like my proper California winters. But, hey, I'll adjust, right?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"I thought California didn't have winters?" she said. "Well. If it's too cold for ice cream, that suggests hot chocolate, perhaps. Have you been to the Perk?"

[lovemykilt]

Priestly shook his head. "Can't say I have. I haven't really explored the town much yet, though. Hot chocolate sounds good."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Very well," she smiled. "When are you free? I work at the music store tomorrow, and I've class on Thursdays and Mondays."