Braving the Mall on a Saturday Afternoon

[Bree]

"No problem. Its not everyday that I can make somebody's day brighter.." Anabell said and then jumped, therefore falling out of her chair. "Damn things" she mumbled to herself as she was trying to find her stupid cell.
"Aha!" She found it, in her shoe of all places.

"I kinda gotta take this. It wont be but a minute." Anabell looked at the Caller id. "I better make that two."

She flipped it out, still sitting on the floor.

"Yes bapsha?"
"Yea, yea. Left drawer, right side. gotcha."
Anabell looked at her jeans as she said in frustration " Not another one! I just picked up your stuff! Haven't you heard of rationing?"
"Yea. Whatever."

Anabell closed her phone, got up, and dusted off her butt, which was apparently funny to the "punk goths" that were sitting behind her.

"Do you want to hang out for a while? I still have a while before I gotta pick up some stuff and go to work." She asked Caroyln.

[Odango]

Carolyn's eyes widen when Anabell falls off her chair, then she laughs softly, hiding it behind her hand. It's not so much funny ...just cute. It's something her friend Cass would do.

She munches on her spring rolls while Anabell talks on the phone, not really paying attention to what she's saying because it really isn't her business. She does glare at the kids sitting at the other table when they laugh at Anabell--Carolyn knows everyone in the local punk scene because of how deeply she's connected with the music, the bands, and the whole lifestyle, and she knows everyone in the goth scene because of her boyfriend and two roommates and all of their friends and connections with the bands the lifestyle, and she's only seen one of those kids before, so he's the one she glares at. He quickly looks away when he sees her and the laughter immediately stops--good. He obviously knows of her reputation of not taking shit from anyone.

She looks back over to Anabell with a smile and says, "Yeah, that would be nice. My boyfriend doesn't get off work until eight and both of my roommates are working even later. I'd love to hang out and get to know you better.

[Bree]

"Awesome, but I have to ask something first. Can we stop at the Panda Chow first? I need to pick something up and I really don't want forget it." Anabell picked up her empty Jamoca smoothie container and tossed into the trash, actually making it.

Looking down at Carolyn's stomach, again, and said "Don't worry, it aint nothing illegal or stupid. I just something for my roommate, Maria. {Ria}"

[Odango]

"Sure," Carolyn smiles. "I don't mind." She laughs a little at Anabell's assurance that it's nothing illegal. She can't imagine the other girl doing anything illegal. Anabell just seems too sweet for that--of course, she was wrong about her being a caffeine hyped high schooler, but even so. Practically everyone she knows has done something illegal, so she finds it a little funny that Anabell is worried she might think something like that.

[Bree]

"Alright." Anabell sat back down waiting for Carolyn to finish. "You mention your boyfriend a couple of times. Tell me about him, if you don't mind?" Anabell asked as she slipped her cell phone back into her boot.

[Odango]

Carolyn laughs a little and says, "Well, once I figure out where the hell to start. There's a lot to tell." She pauses thoughtfully, then says, "His name is Marcos, but all of his friends and I, practically everyone who knows him but his teachers and his mom, calls him Raven. He's from Argentina but has been living in the US since he was five, though he and his mom moved around a lot before they settled here. We met two years ago, when he was fifteen and I was seventeen, at the record store where I worked. He came in to get ...I know it was by KMFDM, which album was it ...oh, yeah, the WWIII tour CD, because it had been released two days before. He was absolutely nuts about them back then. Well, it was really slow and he didn't want to do his homework and he knew he'd have to if he went home from there, so he hung around for a while and we talked for about an hour before his mom called to ask where he was and he had to go. He came in every Thursday after that. I never figured out why it was always Thursday and he never really gave me a reason. But he applied there on his sixteenth birthday and I was so excited when he got hired."

She laughs a little, thinking about it. "We were just friends, then. I think we both thought it would be cool if something more happened, but neither of us did anything about it. We were comfortable just being friends. Best friends, after a while. Seven months ago I finally decided, 'to hell with it' and kissed him--there was way more to it than that, but it's a pretty long story that isn't appropriate to tell in place as public as a mall," she grins. "And fast forward and here we are--we're living together and we have twins on the way. I know it happened so fast and we didn't plan it out like this at all ...we both actually nearly had nervous breakdowns when we found out I was pregnant, and for a few months we couldn't decide if we should move in together or if he should stay with his mom or if I should move in with them or what, but we finally decided on the former. He said he wanted to drop out and just get his GED so he could work more to help out more with our money situation, but I told him 'hell, no, you're going to graduate'," she laughs.

"He's the cockiest bitch I've ever met," Carolyn laughs, "but he's a total sweetheart. I really love him." She pauses when her phone plays the opening bassline of Fugazi's 'Waiting Room', digging it out of her purse and flipping it open to read the new text message. She smiles when she reads it, then lowers her phone to the table and slides it over for Anabell to read.

guess what lover, i got a raise at work because i'm awesome! be home by 8 30, after i get off i'm stopping by the store to get some food and then i'll cook you dinner to celebrate! i love you and i'll see you tonight <3

"See what I mean?" she chuckles.

[Bree]

"Aww.. ain't that sweet!" Anabell commented to the text message that Caroyln got. "How do you guys mangage, though? I mean, he obvisouly goes to school and works, but how does everything get done?" Anabell sat back and waited for an answer.

[Odango]

Carolyn smiles and takes her phone back, quickly texting back, all right, i can't wait! :) before dropping the phone in her purse and looking at Anabell again.

"Well, I work as often as I can," Carolyn says. "I'm not in school right now, because I don't have the time or energy to do both, and right now having the money to survive is more important than classes, unfortunately," she sighs. "I'm hoping to go back in a few semesters, though." She crosses her fingers, then drops her hand back to the table. "Our roommates work, too. Bunny doesn't make much money--he's only sixteen and he works at a grocery store, part time since he's still in high school--and Dexter can't hold a job for longer than two weeks, because he's going through a temp agency. But somehow, we manage to get the bills paid each month, thank the gods. As for the chores and stuff--Dexter cleans the apartment to help pitch in, since he can't really pay much in the way of rent, and Bunny usually handles the food to make it easier on me and Raven. Everyone just does what they can, when they can, and no one freeloads. It's working out so far. I just hope it keeps working out."

[Bree]

*Sorry it took me so long to post. I miss our chats! love you! ;D*


"It seems like it will.." Anabell sighed. " I wished it worked that well with me and Ria's last roomie." Anabell shook her head a couple of times. " I like it better this way, with only the two of us. IT might be more stressful, making sure the bills are on time and all, but at least we know that we can rely on each other."

Anabell looks to see how finished Carolyn is with her food.

[Odango]

"Yeah," Carolyn says after she finishes off her last spring roll, "it's really important to have people you can rely on, especially when you're living with them."

[Bree]

"Too bad we did have to learn the hard way, you know?" Anabell said as she stood up to get the kinks out of her back. Anabell looked at Carolyn for conformation as she said "Ready Fready?"

[Odango]

"I know exactly what you mean," Carolyn chuckles. "My first living situation out of my parents' house was definitely less than pleasant. After that, I just lived by myself until Raven moved in with me, then when we got a bigger place with Bunny and Dexter."

With that, Carolyn stands and stretches carefully, throwing her bag over her shoulder and picking up her trash. "Sure," she says, in answer to Anabell's question.

[Bree]

"Kay." Anabell pushed in her chair and started to head over to Panda Express. She stuck her hand into her bag and turned off her CD player as she walked and pulled the headphones completely out of her ears.

As she got closer, she could see that there was a line forming behind the counter. Suddenly she heard somebody yell "Hey it's Bells! Bells here! Go tell 'thaniel that she is here!"

Anabell turned around to say something to Carolyn but somebody grabbed her hand. She turned back around and looked up to see hazel eyes with tints of honey in the background.His deeply tanned body seemed to counteract Anabell's paleness. His nose was slightly crooked with a small scar, barely noticeable, on the right side. His hair was elbow length and was currently tied into a double braid {with 4 parts instead of 3}.

He was currently wearing a a t- shirt like Anabell's {Drop knowledge, not bombs}, but you couldn't tell because of the black overalls he was wearing over it.His right forearm had a japanese dragon with different symbols, like hope, faith, love, clarity, and empathy, surrounding it; You couldn't really see the tattoos though, because he splattered in paint.

Anabell looked down and blushed as she heard "Now Miss Bell. You think you can walk your little tootsie over hear and not say hello. Now what kind of manners is that?"

Anabell looked up, not aware she was still blushing, and said "For one thing, let go of my hand and for another, I WAS coming over here, as you can see, Nathaniel. And I realize I am being rude."

Anabell turned around to Carolyn and said "Carolyn, I am sorry for being so rude. This is Nathaniel, my on again/off again boyfre- Nathaniel interrupted, shook his finger at Anabell and said "Currently on again and technically we have been going out for 3 ye-." Anabell gave him that look that said that she would get him later if he didn't shut up. Nathaniel rose his eyebrows and then was quiet. "Any who, Nathaniel this is Carolyn, Carolyn this is Nathaniel."

[Odango]

Carolyn raises an eyebrow at Nathaniel, her mouth twisted slightly, as if she just ate something that left a terrible taste on her tongue.

She does not like him. At all. She realizes that she's being extremely judgemental and that she's just jumped to some very quick conclusions, but she can't really make herself care enough to feel bad or think twice about it.

Speaking condecendingly to a girl who obviously doesn't appreciate it, touching said girl without her permisson, and interrupting her when she's trying to explain. Eager to explain that they are together, in no uncertain terms, for exactly how long, when she's not thrilled about discussing it. Possesive.

Yeah. He's the kind of guy Carolyn beat up in high school. The kind of guy her boyfriend beats up for her now that she's pregnant and can't risk hurting herself or her twins over.

"Hello," she says coolly.

She turns back to Anabell with a small smile and says, "Don't worry about it. You're not being rude. If anyone is, it's him," she finishes, nodding her head in Nathaniel's direction.

[Bree]

Anabell starts to giggle. She knows why Carolyn thinks that Nathaniel is rude. Heck, she thought he was rude when she first meet him. It is just how Nathaniel is, you know? Possessive and touchy, that kind of stuff. Anabell got used to it after to a while though, it was actually kind of comforting in a way.

Nathaniel looked at Carolyn, then at Anabell, then back at Carolyn.

Anabell opened her mouth to say " Thaniel' don't!" when Nathaniel said quickly " What is this tension between us, dove? Wanting to beat me up and all?"

Anabell put her head down and started to shake it as she cursed him a million different ways."Why does he always have to do that? Expose himself for what he is and all? Anabell thought.

After a minute or so of silence, she looked up at Carolyn for her reaction.

[Odango]

Carolyn narrows her eyes at Nathaniel. "Do not call me that," she half-growls, half-hisses, "if you want to keep all of your body parts attached in the right places. And if you can't see why I want to beat you up, you're so far wrapped up in that thick, self-absorbed skull of yours that you probably wouldn't get it if I tried to explain it to you, but I'll give it a shot anyway. You're rude. You're possessive. You're condescending. All in all, you're a fucking jerk that I want nothing to do with."

[Bree]

Anabell just looks at Carolyn and then says "Now hold on a minute!" Anabell turns to her side and then slaps Nathaniel upside his head because he apparently thought this was funny, and then told him "Andate alla cucina e fate due instabilità e un pollo per andare, idiotia!". {Go to the kitchen and make two runaways and a chicken to go, you idiot.}

Nathaniel started to shake his head, as if to say no, but then realized Anabell was dead serious. He walked over to the counter, jumped over it and then, apparently, into the kitchen.

Anabell then said to Carolyn "Now you listen and you listen well. He might be a possessive, ignorant bastard, but he is the person who saved my life. My stepdad decide to take a 2 by 4 to my head a couple of years back and he was the only one there that actaully helped me. He has scars from my stepdad all up and down his back because he stepped in. He is the one who took me to the hospital so lay off him."

Anabell closed her eyes, counted to ten, and then said "And the only reason he grabs my hand when he first sees me is because I can't stand being greeted any other way. It scares me, is what is does. Especially when people come from behind me."

Anabell opened her eyes.

((Edited by Shira for misspellings and forgotten words))

[Odango]

"Fine," Carolyn says. "I'm sorry. I didn't know, okay? What the hell was I supposed to think with the way he was acting?"

Though she's speaking pretty tersely, she is sorry. She's very sorry, and she's very shaken up by what Anabell just told her--but when Carolyn is scared and shaken up, she gets defensive and snippy. She hates that about herself, but it's a defense mechanism. Showing fear and insecurity were dangerous when she was growing up, because while her parents never hit her, they were abusive in other ways--verbally, emotionally--and any time she showed any kind of weakness, they would just lay into her harder and harder because they knew they were making an impact. If she faked strength, if she faked indifference, they were more likely to leave her alone. The only people she trusts enough to show vulnerability around are Raven and Cass, her best friend. She can't even let it show around Bunny and Dexter, and they've been friends for almost two years and have lived with each other for seven months.

And Raven's dad was abusive when he and his mom still lived with him in Argentina. That's why they left. Raven has said a few times that he doesn't really remember much about it because he was so young--but he does remember his mom crying and rocking him in her arms, though if it was because he was beaten and needed comforting or because she was and she was protecting him because she was afraid he would be next, or both, he doesn't remember. Occasionally he has nightmares about it, waking Carolyn up in the middle of the night as he thrashes around, crying out things in Spanish that she doesn't understand.

And even though none of that shows at all in her voice, it all shows in her eyes, because that's the one place where she could never keep her emotions hidden. And if Anabell can read people at all, even only slightly, she'll be able to see it there.

[Bree]

Anabell walked up to Carolyn and puts left arm around her. "We are really a messed up pair, aren't we? I mean, we get this emotional just walking to Panda Express, imagine us watching a tear-jerker."

Anabell looked down as she said "Uh.. Sorry about 'Thaniel. He likes to do that to people, you know? Especially when he first meets someone new." Anabell shook her head. " I think he uses it to..impress people? I am not really sure."

She looked at Carolyn. "Sorry if he made you feel.. uncomfortable?.. I know that wasn't his intention."

[Odango]

Carolyn smiles wryly and says, "Nah, I was never one to get emotional at tear-jerkers. I always thought the were way too overdramatic."

She did almost cry the first time she watched I Know I'm Not Alone, but that doesn't really count, so she keeps it to herself.

She snorts a little at what Anabell says about Nathaniel. "Yeah, well, sorry, but acting like a condescending jerk isn't the way to get on most people's good sides. You might want to tell him that the next time you see him." Especially not Carolyn's good side.

Obviously she's had some less than happy experiences with people who act like that.

"But you don't need to apologize," she says next. "He was the one acting like that. You didn't do anything wrong."