Jackson Square

[issie]

Liv Aldis

"I am... not so good with English sometimes." Liv said, trying to piece together what she had said before when she spoke quickly. The girl named Erin waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "It's fine, really, don't even worry about it."

"That's cool.. your guy... he is Japanese? What is his name?" she asked, struggling with speaking for a bit.

Apparently Liv had asked the right question because just then, Erin's face lit up like she had just been crowned the best person in the world. This made Liv smile. Suddenly, her hand shot down to her pocket, a look of happiness and pride written all over her excited features. "Yeah, his name is Yukito Maki, and we've been dating for a year and a few months now, and--" She stopped speaking as she showed a little keychain to her, lighting up a picture of them together.

Liv still held the friendly smile on her face, but inside felt like her insides had shattered. It couldn't have been the same person... it couldn't have been Natalie's Yukito. She was quickly swept up into denial as Erin started speaking again. "I'm just kind of messing around until he gets off work. Y'know, convincing my bandmates not to be so stupid and chill out about him permanently playing with us. Actually, it's only one being a pain about it, but he's a big baby, and oh! Sorry, I totally forgot, we were talking about Norwegian!" They both laughed again as she clasped her hands together and gestured towards Liv. "Okay, your turn now. Norway?"

"I can say something in my language. what do... you want me to say?" she asked, going through the common phrases in her mind over and over again, just in case.

"Um..." Erin glanced up thoughtfully, "What would you say to me if we just ran into each other in Norway?"

"Hmmm..." Liv thought for a moment, then said, "god dag. Meg navnet er Liv , hvem er du?" Pausing a moment to translate it back into English so she would understand. "I said, 'Hello, my name is Liv. Who are you?" She laughed a little, knowing that her language sounded nothing like English.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Erin waved off Liv's apologies for her English, hardly fazed by it. So she said, "That's cool.. your guy... he is Japanese? What is his name?"

Immediately Erin started looking for her keychain that had some pictures of them on it, responding brightly, "Yeah, his name is Yukito Maki, and we've been dating for a year and a few months now, and--" She stopped and proudly showed Liv her current favorite picture of them.

Liv didn't say anything, so Erin kept on. "I'm just kind of messing around until he gets off work. Y'know, convincing my bandmates not to be so stupid and chill out about him permanently playing with us. Actually, it's only one being a pain about it, but he's a big baby, and oh! Sorry, I totally forgot, we were talking about Norwegian!" They both laughed again as she clasped her hands together and gestured towards Liv. "Okay, your turn now. Norway?"

"I can say something in my language. what do... you want me to say?"

"Um..." Erin glanced up thoughtfully. "What would you say to me if we just ran into each other in Norway?"


"Hmmm..." Liv paused, then started saying something that sounded too fast to be natural to Erin. "God dag. Meg navnet er Liv , hvem er du?" Erin grinned, hoping she'd get the opportunity to try to translate for herself, but Liv cut in before she could start. "I said, 'Hello, my name is Liv. Who are you?" She laughed a little, and Erin pouted a little. "Aww.. I didn't get to try to guess!" Now she giggled. "Okay, can you say that again? Slow, so I can try to say it, too?" She paused, then tried another, smiling pixily. "You think I could learn how to say 'I love you'?"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Shelby Wright

It seemed to take a while for the car to heat up, or maybe it was just the bitter cold that seemed to be seeping into Shelby's very bones that made the wait take longer. In any case, she was full-out shivering by the time the first warm puffs of air hit her face. They pulled away from the square and started driving, the only sounds in the car being the dull roar of the engine and the little girls' quiet, sleepy breathing from the back. Oh, and their teeth chattering, of course. Can't forget that.

"Oh, you don't know where you're going," Shelby said suddenly, looking up and over at Preston as the thought struck her for the first time. "You've only been to our mom's house." She paused for just a second, thinking. And we all know what happened the last time you were over there...I'm actually glad we're at Dad's. Eliminates some of the awkwardness, doesn't it? "We're at our dad's house right now. Those two--" she said, meaning Cecily and Grace "--live across the street. It's in the Lower Gardens. Melpomene Street. You know where that is?"

"If I don't, we'll get there eventually!" Preston responded through his chattering teeth, nonchalant as always. Cool as a cucumber, that's what Dad would say. Such a dorky saying, really...and why am I thinking of these things anyway? Ugh. Just be careful not to voice any of your thoughts out loud. We all know what happens when I talk. Just get through this car ride and go home, forget all about this night...

But even as she thought that, Shelby knew it wasn't possible.

"I think someone fell asleep," he voiced after another couple of minutes, once Shelby had given him the proper directions to their house. Shelby turned around to be met with the sight of both girls apparently fast asleep, Grace with her head on Cecily's shoulder. "Aww," she whispered quietly.

"I hope they sleep like that on Christmas Eve, they'll be a lot better off that way. They're really very adorable. It was fun hanging out with you guys tonight."

"Thanks," said Shelby, her voice still barely louder than a whisper. She looked up as they pulled into the driveway of Grace and Cecily's house, her own right behind them on the other side of the street. "I almost don't wanna wake them up..." She unbuckled her seat belt.

"I don't suppose we're ever gonna bring up that kiss again, are we?"

Caught off guard, Shelby could only sit in silence for a few seconds. She looked up at him, giving a little shrug. "I don't know," she said, surprising herself with the truth in her words. "Do you want to talk about it?"

[Elda Forever]

Preston Brailsford

"I think someone fell asleep," he voiced after another couple of minutes, once Shelby had given him the proper directions to their house. Shelby turned around to look around into the back, letting out a quiet, "Aww," once she saw the two sleeping angels in the backseat that he had spotted in the rearview mirror.

"I hope they sleep like that on Christmas Eve, they'll be a lot better off that way. They're really very adorable. It was fun hanging out with you guys tonight." He smiled warmly despite the chill of the car that still lingered.

"Thanks," said Shelby, her voice still barely louder than a whisper. He couldn't resist arching an eyebrow. It seemed like a weird response. A thank you for actually enjoying their company. He stopped the car right outside the house Shelby indicated, and looked toward her as she unbuckled her seat belt.

"I almost don't wanna wake them up..." she admitted.

"Yeah," he chuckled, glancing back at the two, "They're pretty sound asleep. Maybe we should let the car warm them up a little bit before we take them in..." He studied their sleeping faces for a moment, then turned to Shelby. "I don't suppose we're ever gonna bring up that kiss again, are we?"

He wondered if he'd been too blunt after a seemingly long time in silence. Or maybe she was just being overtly cautious with her words and response, since the last time she'd been impulsive her lips had happened across his. After awhile, though, she looked up at him and shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Preston smiled, "I like to finish things. Especially conversations. I suppose since I oh-so-suavely introduced the subject, we oughta go through with it." With that same, almost-blissful smile, he leaned forward onto the steering wheel, watching her face. "So... sorry for being blunt, but... why did you do it? Before that I was pretty sure you were going to hit me or something." Because you didn't make any move as if you liked me, and you knew I liked you. He ran his hands along the steering wheel slowly, trying to keep his hands busy. "I mean... that makes it sound like a bad thing, almost. And as dorky as it sounds, I'm pretty sure you know I've been wanting to kiss you. I just didn't think... um... that you would. I mean, seriously.. you're very hard to read, Shelby Wright."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Shelby Wright

"I almost don't wanna wake them up..." Shelby said of the little girls, looking back to glance at them one more time. Partly because they really did look adorable back there, and partly because she really didn't want to figure out how to get them back into the house. Preston could carry Gracie again, she guessed, but that wouldn't really be fair to Cecily to have to walk, would it? Weird. I never used to have to think about things like that before. I'm always the youngest, people always used to cater to what was fair to me. I wonder if Cassie ever thought about things like this, if it bugged her...if it did, she never let on.

"Yeah. They're pretty sound asleep. Maybe we should let the car warm them up a little bit before we take them in..." Preston said. Shelby nodded vaguely, looking back up at the house. Most of the windows were dark, and she wondered if it was later than she thought it was. "What time is it, anyway? Besides past bedtime, I mean."

"I don't suppose we're ever gonna bring up that kiss again, are we?"

And there it was. The unspoken question, the awkwardness that had hung over them like a cloud, the white elephant in the room that no one wanted to mention. He had gone and asked the question, and now it was up to Shelby to answer it. But how could she answer something that she didn't even know herself? I can't get used to this. I used to always know the answers...God, I sound so pathetic, don't I? After a minute or two, she allowed herself a brief shrug. Might as well just say what I think...maybe for once it won't completely blow up in my face. "I don't know. Do you want to talk about it?"

It was a loaded question, a Catch-22. Part of her was hoping that he didn't, just to make things easier. But the other part, probably more persistent than the first, was dying to know why she had kissed him out by the tree house all those months ago. She had kissed him. It had been strange and surreal and brief and surprising, but a kiss was a kiss. And it wasn't like Shelby at all. Had she done it just to see what it was like, or what would happen? Had she done it because she just hadn't known what else to do? Or did part of her actually...

"I like to finish things. Especially conversations. I suppose since I oh-so-suavely introduced the subject, we oughta go through with it." He was smiling at her like that again, that way that she didn't like because it felt like he knew too much. It was as if he could see right through her. "So... sorry for being blunt, but... why did you do it? Before that I was pretty sure you were going to hit me or something."

She looked at him, searching his face to try to figure out whether he was joking or not. "I was tempted to hit you, actually..." she admitted with a sigh. "But I knew it wouldn't do any good. I was horrible back then...I looked like I'd spent a year or two in Auschwitz, didn't I?"


"I mean... that makes it sound like a bad thing, almost. And as dorky as it sounds, I'm pretty sure you know I've been wanting to kiss you. I just didn't think... um... that you would. I mean, seriously.. you're very hard to read, Shelby Wright."

She let a small chuckle escape her lips. "That's what they tell me," she said quietly. "Look, in all honesty, I don't know. I just did. I guess..." she paused, practically making up the words as she went along, trying to string all the thoughts in her head into some sort of coherent sentence. "I guess it was because you kept trying to get some sort of reaction out of me, to get me to talk, or...whatever. And...and nobody else did. They all gave up on me, and you just sort of...didn't."

[issie]

OOC: I apologize for the long wait, I've been kinda crazy lately and whatnot but im posting now. =) BIC:

Liv Aldis

"I can say something in my language. what do... you want me to say?" Liv had asked, going through the most common phrases she knew. "Um..." Erin glanced up thoughtfully. "What would you say to me if we just ran into each other in Norway?"


"Hmmm..." Liv paused for a brief moment, then started speaking as normally as she would if she were back home in Norway and speaking to one of her friends. "God dag. Meg navnet er Liv , hvem er du?" Erin grinned, and Liv gave the translation. "I said, 'Hello, my name is Liv. Who are you?" She laughed, feeling a sense of pride from the use of her native language. "Aww.. I didn't get to try to guess!" Erin said with a giggle. "Okay, can you say that again? Slow, so I can try to say it, too?"

Liv was about to repeat what she had said earlier, but she cut in before she could speak, a smile on her face. "You think I could learn how to say 'I love you'?"

She arched an eyebrow in reply to her question and nodded hesitantly. "It is... not hard. You could do it." Switching subjects easily Liv said, "God dag. Meg navnet er Liv , hvem er du?" Making sure to slow down considerably from when she had said it before and pausing after every phrase. She kind of liked being the one to teach a language she already knew because absolutely no one could tell her that she was wrong. It made her smile.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

It was easy, of course, for Liv to rattle off such typical phrases in her native tongue. Erin listened hard, trying to catch any familiar sounds, but it was really too fast to tell. Nearly immediately, Liv translated herself. "I said, 'Hello, my name is Liv. Who are you?"

"Aww.. I didn't get to try to guess!" Erin responded, laughing a little. She really had wanted to guess, though. "Okay, can you say that again? Slow, so I can try to say it, too?" She paused only for a second until another thought came to her, and Erin added excitedly, "You think I could learn how to say 'I love you'?"

Liv hesitated her answer, and Erin tried to remind herself to slow down when she talked instead of shoving all her words together and forcing her new friend to pick them apart. "It is... not hard. You could do it." Erin grinned, expecting the answer to her question, but instead Liv was answering her first one and repeating her initial sentence, much slower now so she could try to copy. "God dag. Meg navnet er Liv , hvem er du?"

Erin nodded, eager to repeat it and learn. "Goad dawg... Meg nav....net... er... Erin?" She held up her hands in an unsure gesture, unable to keep from smiling, positive she sounded so silly attempting such a foreign tongue, but she liked the fun of it. She started laughing. "All right, I'm totally a Norwegian expert now!" She pumped her fist into the air in "victory." Then her hands went into her pocket and she raised and lowered on the balls of her feet. "You're totally gonna have to come around more often. I'm having fun with this language thing! You're totally more than welcome to come over and watch a movie with me if you want. I have ridiculous amounts of spare time right now and plus, I think you're awesome."

[Elda Forever]

Preston Brailsford

"Yeah. They're pretty sound asleep. Maybe we should let the car warm them up a little bit before we take them in..." Preston said. Shelby nodded vaguely, looking back up at the house. "What time is it, anyway? Besides past bedtime, I mean."

Preston automatically looked to the car's radio getup, looking for a time, having forgotten for the hundredth time that the clock was broken. He dug his cell phone out of his pocket, "Almost ten." Preston looked back at the girls in the back, then let his gaze slip to Shelby. "I don't suppose we're ever gonna bring up that kiss again, are we?"

The silence between his question and her answer was awkward and he couldn't guess at what her answer could be. Her face was so unreadable. Especially in the dim glow of the streetlights. "I don't know. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I like to finish things. Especially conversations. I suppose since I oh-so-suavely introduced the subject, we oughta go through with it." He smiled over at her, but didn't see any visible response in her expression. "So... sorry for being blunt, but... why did you do it? Before that I was pretty sure you were going to hit me or something."

She looked at him, and he got the feeling he was being studied on a different level than was his usual. "I was tempted to hit you, actually..." she admitted with a sigh. Preston wanted to laugh, but kept it to a quiet chuckle for the little ones' sake. "But I knew it wouldn't do any good. I was horrible back then...I looked like I'd spent a year or two in Auschwitz, didn't I?"

"Honestly?" He hesitated. "I thought you looked more like the Corpse Bride." Preston sent up a shrug, rethinking his previous statement and running his hands nervously along the steering wheel. "Sorry. I mean... that makes it sound like a bad thing, almost. And as dorky as it sounds, I'm pretty sure you know I've been wanting to kiss you. I just didn't think... um... that you would. I mean, seriously.. you're very hard to read, Shelby Wright."

She let a small chuckle escape her lips. "That's what they tell me. Look, in all honesty, I don't know. I just did. I guess... I guess it was because you kept trying to get some sort of reaction out of me, to get me to talk, or...whatever. And...and nobody else did. They all gave up on me, and you just sort of...didn't."

Preston watched her, quietly, a small smile on his face. "I guess I didn't..." he looked down and let out a small chuckle, "I dunno why.. I guess it felt like you needed someone who wouldn't do that to you." He grinned, tilted his head at her playfully, "Y'know, if you'd like, we could try it again, without the part where you ran off like a scared little Corpse Rabbit being chased by Jacob Black." He lifted both shoulders in a shrug. "Just sayin'..."

[issie]

Liv Aldis

"You think I could learn how to say 'I love you'?" Erin had asked enthusiastically. Liv hesitated with answering her, attempting to comprehend everything that she had said as quickly as possible. "It is... not hard. You could do it." She said and the girl grinned broadly.

"God dag. Meg navnet er Liv , hvem er du?" she said, much slower this time so that Erin could copy what she had said.

With a nod, she eagerly attempted to repeat the phrase. "Goad dawg... Meg nav....net... er... Erin?" Holding up her hands in an unsure gesture, she smiled and Liv laughed a little bit. "You're close," she stated, slightly impressed and slightly amused by her attempt.

The girl laughed again and Liv couldn't stop herself from joining in. "All right, I'm totally a Norwegian expert now!" She pumped her fist into the air in "victory." Causing another fit of laughter from the foreign girl. Placing her hands in her pockets, Erin raised and lowered herself on the balls of her feet. "You're totally gonna have to come around more often. I'm having fun with this language thing! You're totally more than welcome to come over and watch a movie with me if you want. I have ridiculous amounts of spare time right now and plus, I think you're awesome."

Nodding in reply, Liv smiled at the girl, silently amazed at how talkative and trusting someone could be whenever they first met someone. The same thing had happened when she met Chance. Not everyone was like that, but she found that a lot of people here were. When she first moved here, she wondered if she was the only one who was wary of everyone around her. "You're awesome too," she replied with a friendly smile.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Goad dawg... Meg nav....net... er... Erin?" She laughed at her own attempt, sure she botched it but happy that she at least got all the words out. Now if she could remember...

"You're close," Liv confirmed, and Erin laughed again, pumping a fist into the air. "All right, I'm totally a Norwegian expert now!" Placing her hands in her pockets now, Erin raised and lowered herself on the balls of her feet. "You're totally gonna have to come around more often. I'm having fun with this language thing! You're totally more than welcome to come over and watch a movie with me if you want. I have ridiculous amounts of spare time right now and plus, I think you're awesome."

Liv nodded, seeming happy at the idea of hanging out with Erin again. "You're awesome too."

"Aw, thanks! Gosh, I love your accent. It's so different!" Once more Erin took out her phone and looked up at Liv again. "Hey, can I go ahead and put you in my phone? I can just text you my number. And I'll send you our address to, or directions, or whatever one you want, or we could come pick you up sometime... I don't have my license yet, so when my boyfriend's feeling all legal and stuff I'll ride with him, but sometimes I'll drive, so it's just, like, a surprise or whatever," Erin rattled off with a few laughs.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Shelby Wright

Of course he'd wanted to talk about it. He was just that kind of guy, wasn't he? He wouldn't be the type to want to sweep it under the rug and pretend it never happened like Shelby did, just because it was easier. No, he was one of Those kind of guys. What had Shelby done to have herself so strangely compelled by one of Those kind of guys? She didn't know. After the way she'd acted, she should end up with a careless guy, someone who used her or something. Or better yet, no one at all. Wasn't that what she had wanted all along? This is not my life. It can't be.

But what exactly was so bad about the fact that he was one of Those Guys? Shelby couldn't even tell that for sure. It didn't feel right to her. It didn't feel real. It was too fantastical, too much like something out of a dream or a movie or a fairy tale. And Shelby didn't want a fairy tale...did she?

"I was tempted to hit you, actually...But I knew it wouldn't do any good. I was horrible back then...I looked like I'd spent a year or two in Auschwitz, didn't I?"

"Honestly? I thought you looked more like the Corpse Bride." Shelby looked at him, unsure whether to take that as an insult or a compliment. "Sorry. I mean... that makes it sound like a bad thing, almost."

She arched an eyebrow at him and said nothing. Yeah. It does. "And as dorky as it sounds, I'm pretty sure you know I've been wanting to kiss you. I just didn't think... um... that you would. I mean, seriously.. you're very hard to read, Shelby Wright."

Yes, she had known--he hadn't been all that subtle about it to begin with. But she had chosen to overlook it, to pretend it didn't exist like she had been raised to. Still, she chose not to mention that when she said, "That's what they tell me. Look, in all honesty, I don't know. I just did. I guess... I guess it was because you kept trying to get some sort of reaction out of me, to get me to talk, or...whatever. And...and nobody else did. They all gave up on me, and you just sort of...didn't." Even though I'm sure you wanted to, and even though I wanted you to. I don't know if I want you to now, though.

"I guess I didn't...I dunno why.. I guess it felt like you needed someone who wouldn't do that to you. Y'know, if you'd like, we could try it again, without the part where you ran off like a scared little Corpse Rabbit being chased by Jacob Black. Just sayin'..."

Shelby was quiet for a second. "Well, first, thank you for that. That is a mental image that will be haunting me for quite some time. Secondly...I dunno. We can try it again if you want, but I'm not going to take the initiative this time. I've embarrassed myself on that account one too many times."

[issie]

Liv Aldis

"Goad dawg... Meg nav....net... er... Erin?" The girl laughed at her own attempt and Liv couldn't help but to laugh a little as well. But she gave it a good effort, so she made sure not to laugh too much, in fear of hurting her feelings.

"You're close," Liv confirmed, and the girl laughed again, pumping her fist in the air triumphantly. "All right, I'm totally a Norwegian expert now!" She exclaimed happily before putting her hands in her pocket. She watched as Erin raised and lowered herself usung the balls of her feet before speaking again.

"You're totally gonna have to come around more often. I'm having fun with this language thing! You're totally more than welcome to come over and watch a movie with me if you want. I have ridiculous amounts of spare time right now and plus, I think you're awesome."

Liv nodded, smiling at the compliment and amazed that she had invited her to hang out again sometime. "You're awesome too." she said, feeling the need to compliment her as well. Plus, she did think that Erin was pretty cool, she was fairly easy to talk to and she seemingly had a VERY good sense of humor. That was always a plus.

"Aw, thanks! Gosh, I love your accent. It's so different!" Retrieving her phone, she said, "Hey, can I go ahead and put you in my phone? I can just text you my number. And I'll send you our address to, or directions, or whatever one you want, or we could come pick you up sometime... I don't have my license yet, so when my boyfriend's feeling all legal and stuff I'll ride with him, but sometimes I'll drive, so it's just, like, a surprise or whatever," she said with a couple laughs and Liv didn't even bother with trying to piece it all together, instead, she just took out her phone and flipped it open, because she had already put the number on the 'home screen' or whatever it was called, so she wouldn't forget. Handing Erin the device, she was slightly embarrassed by the large crack running down the screen from when her parents had gotten mad at her and thrown it down on the floor. "The number is at the top." she stated with a small smile, just in case she didn't notice it offhand.

[Elda Forever]

Preston Brailsford

"I was tempted to hit you, actually...But I knew it wouldn't do any good. I was horrible back then...I looked like I'd spent a year or two in Auschwitz, didn't I?"

"Honestly? I thought you looked more like the Corpse Bride." Shelby looked at him, and he thought back on what he said, coloring instantly. Luckily, the car was pretty dark, what with it being night and all. "Sorry. I mean... that makes it sound like a bad thing, almost."

He could see in the dim, color-washed light that she arched one dark eyebrow. "I thought the Corpse Bride was awesome," he said before he could stop himself, the words coming out quickly and stupidly. Quickly he switched subjects, as if to just make things more awkward for himself. "And as dorky as it sounds, I'm pretty sure you know I've been wanting to kiss you. I just didn't think... um... that you would. I mean, seriously.. you're very hard to read, Shelby Wright."

"That's what they tell me. Look, in all honesty, I don't know. I just did. I guess... I guess it was because you kept trying to get some sort of reaction out of me, to get me to talk, or...whatever. And...and nobody else did. They all gave up on me, and you just sort of...didn't."

"I guess I didn't...I dunno why.. I guess it felt like you needed someone who wouldn't do that to you. Y'know, if you'd like, we could try it again, without the part where you ran off like a scared little Corpse Rabbit being chased by Jacob Black. Just sayin'..."

Shelby was quiet for a second. "Well, first, thank you for that. That is a mental image that will be haunting me for quite some time." He chuckled, mumbling a quiet apology. "Secondly...I dunno. We can try it again if you want, but I'm not going to take the initiative this time. I've embarrassed myself on that account one too many times."

He looked up at her, not sure he'd heard her right. That was basically a go-ahead, like an invitation, right? Or was she doing that calm, sarcastic thing that was hard for him to pick up on? Glancing back over to see if the girls were still asleep, then back to Shelby, he smiled. "I think that embarrassment thing includes both of us. I was kinda wandering aimlessly around your yard. And the first time we met, I almost ran you over." He smirked, then leaned forward, saying more quietly, "I thought you were pretty, then, too." Preston reached up, gently held her chin to tilt it up towards him, and touched his lips to hers, letting the moment linger when he could taste her before pulling back, ever so slowly, and smiling. "See? I'm not so scary..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"You're totally gonna have to come around more often," Erin rattled off. "I'm having fun with this language thing! You're totally more than welcome to come over and watch a movie with me if you want. I have ridiculous amounts of spare time right now and plus, I think you're awesome."

Liv nodded with a smile. "You're awesome too." Erin wondered briefly if it would freak Liv out to know Erin thought she was kind of adorable in her shyness and foreignness. Yeah, probably.

"Aw, thanks!" she chirped. "Gosh, I love your accent. It's so different!" Retrieving her phone, Erin said, "Hey, can I go ahead and put you in my phone? I can just text you my number. And I'll send you our address to, or directions, or whatever one you want, or we could come pick you up sometime... I don't have my license yet, so when my boyfriend's feeling all legal and stuff I'll ride with him, but sometimes I'll drive, so it's just, like, a surprise or whatever," she rambled, until cutting herself off to breath and let Liv respond.

Liv just took out her phone, not saying anything until she handed it to her with the front screen lit. Erin took it and glanced over at her new friend curiously, not wanting to ask why she'd just handed her her phone. "The number is at the top," Liv said, and Erin's face brightened with understanding. "Oh! All right! And here, I'll just put my number in here since I have it..." She quickly stuck her number in Liv's phone after several quick strokes, then used Liv's phone to text her number to Erin's own phone. It didn't take her long, and she found it amusing to have two cells in her hands for a moment, then handed Liv's back to her once her job with it was complete. "I like your phone!" she chirped. Erin had a thing about phones-- right now she was pretty sure she would do anything for a touch screen like the iPhone but that wasn't going to happen any time soon. She liked hers, and was attached to it, but also wouldn't complain if she could get online with hers, or touch the screen, or take better video, or use it as an mp3 player. "So what else are you doing today?"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Shelby Wright

Look, in all honesty," Shelby began, the right words somehow coming to her as she went along, "I don't know. I just did. I guess... I guess it was because you kept trying to get some sort of reaction out of me, to get me to talk, or...whatever." Basically antagonizing me, but we can forget about that part for now. 'Hate at first sight,' right? Like...I dunno, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy? No. That's lame. Who am I, Cassie? Definitely. I'm not the lovey-dovey type like that, am I? I used to be. Not anymore...Still... "And...and nobody else did. They all gave up on me, and you just sort of...didn't."

"I guess I didn't...I dunno why.. I guess it felt like you needed someone who wouldn't do that to you. Y'know, if you'd like, we could try it again, without the part where you ran off like a scared little Corpse Rabbit being chased by Jacob Black. Just sayin'..."

Despite the terrifying mental image that went along with his words, Shelby knew that he was asking permission to kiss her again, in his weird roundabout way that he had about doing things. Did she want him to? Yes, her mind answered immediately, while the more rational side of her protested. She had kissed him on a stupid whim, hadn't she? She still didn't even know why she had done it, and now she wanted to do it again? She had to be crazy. And why does he want to kiss me, anyway? I'm the weird emo loner girl that everybody hated, aren't I? Yukito hated me. My sister hated me. My mother hated me. I skipped school and didn't eat and sat in my bedroom all day long. I was horrible to everyone, even him...so why does he want to kiss me?

"Well, first, thank you for that," Shelby began after a pause, still not knowing where the words she heard coming out of her mouth were even coming from in the first place. It was as if the old Shelby, the one who had known how to be around people, had come back and was taking over her actions. "That is a mental image that will be haunting me for quite some time. Secondly...I dunno. We can try it again if you want, but I'm not going to take the initiative this time. I've embarrassed myself on that account one too many times." Dimly, Shelby realized that she was basically giving him the go-ahead, and she stopped herself from taking back what she had just said. I've already said it. Deal with it. Just...don't do anything stupid again.

"I think that embarrassment thing includes both of us. I was kinda wandering aimlessly around your yard. And the first time we met, I almost ran you over."

"Don't forget stalking me. You did that too. I still have no idea how you found out where I live."

"I thought you were pretty, then, too." Before Shelby could respond with anything more coherent than a blank look, she felt his still-cold hand reaching out to touch her face, gently taking hold of her and angling her face until their lips met again. It was then that Shelby felt acutely aware of the fact that she had no idea how to kiss. Or, at least, kiss someone back. Her fleeting one by the tree house seemed to have been so brief neither of them really had any time to react. This one was longer, and Shelby had no idea what to do. Luckily, Preston pulled away before she had to make any major decisions. "See? I'm not so scary..."

"Guess so," she agreed quietly. "Although I still have no idea what you see in me..." She blushed, realizing that she probably shouldn't have spoken that last sentence out loud. "Um...we should probably...um, yeah..." She vaguely waved her hand around as if to gesture to the girls still blissfully unaware in the back of the car. "...Get them inside, or something...?"