hanging out

Who: Alexis and Lullaby
Where: Alexis' House
When: Evening

Alexis was in a good mood after leaving the Dance Team try outs, and in an even better one when she remembered that she was having Thia over for dinner. She knew it was probably a little awkward, since they barely knew each other, but how else was she to get to know her? It wasn't like they were going to pass at school. As soon as she got home, she climbed in the shower, hopping out to dry her hair and throw on some clothes, all the while listening to music. She was practically dancing around the house by the time Thia was supposed to arrive, cleaning in an attempt to make it presentable for a guest. Hopefully Thia liked spaghetti and meatballs.

Lullaby was nervous as well. It had been a long time since she'd stopped to meet someone new. She used to do it all the time--went out of her way to, even--but that was pre-death. Since then, obviously, her social interactions had been notably limited. Pretty much the last person she befriended was Dean...and, well. She still had him. Either way, she was both looking forward to this, and convinced she was going to screw it up somehow. If for no other reason than she didn't generally hang out with girls. So, she was bound to mess up, right? Don't go there, or at least wait til later to go there. she told herself, before heading up the porch steps to Alexis' house, and knocking.

When Alexis heard the knock, she turned down the radio and rushed to the door. Just be yourself, she reminded herself, wondering when that had become all that hard to do. Smiling, she opened the door. "Hey, Thia," she said, "Come on in. It's good to see you again. Do you like spaghetti? If you don't, we can always run to the store." Annnnnnd, she was rambling. Fabulous.

Lullaby smiled in return. "Spaghetti is fine!" she said. Really, kinda anything was. She didn't usually eat at all, so it would be novel. "How're you?" she asked. "What's been going on in the life of Alexis?" she continued, wondering how long it was going to take her to have to point out she was deaf to the other girl. Or if she'd pick up on it from her voice. A lot of people did--but certainly not everyone.

It wasn't the kind of thing that Alexis would normally pick up on, but she also had the tendency to speak loudly in situations where she could. Like in her own house. Luckily, she was also good at directing her attention towards the person she was speaking, and it was considerably easier when there was only one of them. That didn't prevent her from occasionally looking away though. "I'm good!" she said, leading Lullaby towards the kitchen. "I tried out for the dance team today, so I'm hoping that went well. I thought about cheerleading, but I can't even do a cartwheel, so I may be better suited for this instead. What about you? Anything exciting in your life?"

Well, let's see. My best friend was nearly deported, which would have been absolutely devestating. But now it's okay, because his guardian popped off to get married. Which is all fine and good and everything, but it was still weird and jarring as hell. Now I'm not sure where I'm going to be staying. Oh yeah, and I think I've developed feelings for him. Like, for real feelings. I'm not sure how to go about dealing with that. "Not a whole lot." she said instead. Since how did she even start explaining any of that? "But dance--that's pretty cool. I heard homecoming was this past weekend, did you do anything for that?"

"Nothing?" Alexis said, tilting her head to the side slightly. "We've gotta get you out more then!" Not that she was the most outgoing in the world, but she was working on it. "But, yeah, dance," she smiled. "There are these two other girls, Breezy and Lily, that I think will make the team too. They just moved here as well. You ought to meet them. They both seem really nice." She was excited about having so many new friends, even if a little overwhelmed. She'd been there since school started, yet seemed to be meeting everyone within a week. Of course, this was all part of what she wanted, but it was shocking how quickly it was happening. "I didn't get to go to homecoming," she said. "I didn't have a date. And the guy I kind of had my eye on went with, like, the queen bee of the social scene. Now they're dating, so, oh well," she shrugged. "We only talked a couple of times, so it's not like I had dibs on him or anything."

"Thom?" Lullaby asked, remembering that's who Alexis had said she'd been crushing on. Or at the very least that she'd liked. "That's no good. But I'm sure there are plenty of guys out there who are just made of awesome and just waiting for someone like you." she said. Breezy and Lily...she definitely didn't know anyone by those names, and she'd said they were new. Maybe it would be okay to meet them. God this whole hiding her being dead thing was a pain in the ass. So much to remember.

"Yeah," Alexis said with a little smile. She was surprised Thia remembered his name. "He's now dating this girl, Chrissy, and she's kind of a bitch. He seemed like a nice guy and all, so I wouldn't have thought she was his type, but maybe... I dunno. Guys are motivated by different things, I guess." From what it sounded like, Chrissy would be much more likely to put out than she was. And that was just about all Alexis could find appealing about the girl. "I'd like to think so," Alexis smiled. "There's a cute guy in my chemistry class who flirts with me on a pretty regular basis. I just can't tell if he's interested or if that's just the way he is. Is there anyone you're crushing on?" she asked.

Lullaby blinked and almost burst into a coughing fit. Just because that didn't add up. Thom Harkin? With Chrissy Bitch-Of-The-Universe Chapman?! What the hell? But then again, she knew he'd dated Em, but still! But...she wasn't meant to know anything about these people. Gah!! "Um--yeah, definitely um. Motivated by different things." she agreed, trying to recover. "Yeah, who in your chem class?" she asked. "And cute is good." she added, with a smile. When asked about her own situation, she blushed a faint bit. "Um...well..."

"A guy named Kyle," Alexis said, "He plays on the hockey team. If you've ever gone to the games or anything." She wasn't sure how Thia met people in the area, but she must do something, right? She couldn't imagine being home schooled in high school. It had to be so hard on her social life! "Well?" she asked, grinning as Thia began to blush. "I'm assuming that means there's someone," she poked. "Care to talk about it?" she asked, then turned to fill a pot with water for the noodles.

Lullaby made a face and sat down, kind of hiding her features for a moment. "Um!" she said. "I dunno. It's...complicated." she admitted. Then she propped her head on her hand and tried to think of a way to explain it. Really, that was easier than she would have imagined. "Well he's my best friend. He's been there for me through...some really rough times and everything, and we're just...y'know, the inseparable types? I'm there for him, he's there for me, I love him to death, all that stuff. Only Like, a couple weeks ago I kinda sorta started noticing him in a different way if you know what I mean. But I don't want it to ruin anything, and he doesn't like me like that anyways. Like, I'm pretty sure the very idea would make him laugh, or just stare at me in abject horror."

Alexis leaned against the counter as she listened, her attention on Thia and the story. It wasn't the kind of situation she'd ever been in herself, but she imagined it would suck. "If he's your friend, I don't think he'd laugh at you," she said. "But it might fluster him a little, you know? Because once you have that knowledge, you can't forget it. Are you sure he'd never be interested in you though?" she asked. "Like, what's he act like around you?" From what she'd seen, guys had a hard time being close friends with girls and not being attracted to them in some way. But maybe that was just her experience.

Lullaby had to pause and think about that before answering, not sure how to even start. "I'm pretty positive." she said first, because that at least she could answer. "And okay, maybe not laugh, but see, I know you're right there, you can't like...un-know that. It would be this weird uncomfortable Thing, and he'd probably wonder like, every time I hugged him if I was just doing it to get closer because I'm this desperate little thing with a crush." she said, sighing heavily. "What's he act like around me...um." Yep. Tricky. "He's protective, but that's mostly just because I got...hurt, not too long ago." she said, going for what was close to the truth, anyways. It wasn't a complete lie, after all. She'd definitely gotten hurt. She just hadn't actually lived to tell the tale. "And he's always trying to watch out for me n stuff, but I do the same with him, so that's not like..y'know. It doesn't make me special. But, like, he's never paid me a compliment, or anything. Only like, almost-compliments, and I think i can count maybe twice that he's ever done that. So it's not like he thinks I'm pretty or anything." she attempted to explain. Then she made a face. "Feel free to tell me I make no sense."

"Well... how does he act around other girls?" Alexis asked. "Because it's hard to tell without a reference. Some guys aren't super flirts, you know? But you could be right; being protective isn't always a sign that a guy likes you. He could think of you like a sister, at which point he doesn't want to hear you like him like that. But it could go the other way. It could be that he's in the same situation," she said, lips twisting in thought. "Sorry. I know that's not very helpful. It might be easier to tell if I saw you two together," she smiled. "What's he look like?" she asked. "What's his name?" Now she was just being nosy.

I have no real idea how he acts around other girls anymore, it's usually just us. I know he hated the Janice situation, but...yeah. I didn't see it. And do guys like, curl up and sleep with sisters? I don't think so, but the again, I used to do that with Journey and never thought twice about it. went through Lullaby's mind. "He could definitely think about me like a sister. Or like...like I don't count as an actual girl." she said. "His name is Dean. And he's...." She blushed a bit again and sighed. "Incredibly good looking?" she suggested. "Hot, in a kind of...quiet way. He's not a really flashy kinda guy. He's got dark hair that's kinda in his eyes most of the time. And I'd call it that sort of strange color that isn't blonde, and isn't brown either. Kinda in the middle." Then she smiled a little. "And don't be sorry if you don't have all the answers for me, I don't expect them. I do appreciate you listening though." she said genuinely. "Y'know, since he's my best friend, I can't exactly go to him with it..."

"He sounds cute," Alexis grinned. "Or, not cute, but hot. I know what you mean though. One of those guys that makes you want to just sit back and stare. Every time I meet one of those it's like my brain ceases to function correctly. I can't come up with a proper sentence to save my life," she said rolling her eyes. "But I don't mind listening. Sometimes it's just nice to talk about it. Make sure you're not crazy, you know? How long have you know him?" she asked.

"He can be cute when he wants to be." Lullaby said with a little half smile. "I just usually have to drag it out of him." she replied. She giggled. "I think that's like...everyone though. Sometimes it happens to me as well. That moment where you're all 'woah...' and distracted. He does that to me a lot, lately." Then Lullaby thought about it. "Since a little before the school year started. I don't know the exact time. So I dunno. I don't know what's considered a long time?"

"See, from the way you talk, I'd have thought years," Alexis grinned. "Like, it sounds like you grew up together, but since you didn't, maybe he's into you?" She shrugged. "You two just sound cute. I hope it's not one sided 'cause it sounds like you have something special. You're lucky." She wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship like that, where she trusted someone with so much. She couldn't imagine it and she knew she'd never come close. "Wait-- so he's known you since you were hurt?" she asked, putting that together. "This was this year?"

"...I guess it feels like I've known him for years?" Lullaby suggested. "We know each other way too well. Maybe we were just the type of people who clicked really well and that's why. That and the majority of our time is spent talking." When we aren't dealing with trauma, and let me tell you about the gun... "And I still doubt he was into me...I mean...I guess we've been in enough situations where if he wanted to make a move, he probably could have? And he's never even made the slightest indication that he would want to. And I guess I have to say I think it's special even if he doesn't ever see me like that. I'd rather sit and pine from right beside him forever than not have him in my life at all." That was just unthinkable. "And um, I got hurt since he knew me. Um...like a car accident?" she suggested. "I've got these little scars..." she pointed out the worst one on her face, just under her eye, which she was sure Alexis had already noticed, but then again, she thought they were a lot worse than they were. "It was after the demon attack thing I told you about."

"If you can be happy just as friends, then maybe that's all that matters," Alexis said, dumping the noodles into the water. "I mean, you still have him, and you get to hang out with him and everything. So maybe all you're missing is physical stuff, which can just be messy, you know?" At least, that was her impression from the outside. Or maybe that was just an excuse to make her feel better for missing out on it. She certainly didn't want to deal with all the complications it could bring. "You've had a hard year," Alexis said, letting the noodles cook as she turned back to Lullaby. "I'm really glad you're okay. It's great that he's been there for you." She was hoping to make some close friends of her own this time around. Maybe if she did, she could talk her dad into staying longer than a year. Maybe...

Lullaby wondered in the back of her mind if Alexis ignoring her scars or not acknowledging them really was a good thing or a bad thing. If it meant they were barely noticeable, or she was just being polite. She didn't really want to think about it though so she pushed the thought away in her mind. "Yeah, I have." Lullaby agreed, voice a little quieter. A hard year? That was understating it really badly. But, it was all best left unsaid. "And thanks, yeah, it's good to have someone who's really there for you no matter what." she agreed. Then she smiled. "And hey, I haven't known him for that long but we're really close, maybe you'll find someone that you just really click with. Only y'know, without the weird 'hey I like him but he doesn't like me' business."

"Yeah, maybe," Alexis smiled. "I think they're hard to find either way. What if they like you, but you don't like them? Then it's awkwardness in the other direction." She did think any sort of relationship would be interesting, just to give her an idea of how they worked and what she wanted. Now that Alexis was putting herself out there more, she was wondering if it would increase her chances of meeting someone. Staying home every night hadn't done her much good. "What was your relationship like with the last guy you dated? Anything like what you have with Dean?" she asked, moving to stir the sauce. At least she'd started that before Thia had arrived, or they'd be in the kitchen all evening. This would leave time for brownies later.

Lullaby shook her head. "Not really." she said. "With my ex, things were just...I dunno. Different? I was kinda different, though. I think I did a whole lot of changing." Correction. I died. I did a hell of a lot of changing. "And there were some things I needed he couldn't give me, and that he needed that I couldn't give him...one of those type things? Like I said, I really didn't break up with him because he was a huge jerk or anything. He's a really great guy. Any girl'd be lucky to have him, we just didn't work together, I guess." she tried to explain. "But when we were together it was nice, before I went weird. Like we had hanging out time and watched movies and..." Dug up abandoned mines on caving grounds and found magic spring water that heals you and we lost a bunch of friends... "...and well we kinda dealt with the Weird and stuff sometimes too. But it was nice. Went to a few parties, stuff like that."

"Sometimes things just don't work out, right?" Alexis offered. "Maybe I'll meet him. He can mend my broken heart," she teased. She wasn't even sure she could call it that, seeing as how she'd only talked to Thom a total of twice. It was just such a disappointment, especially considering he'd ended up with Chrissy Chapman. Of course, there was also Kyle... He was cute... Maybe she was just a little more boy crazy than she realized. "Things happen so fast, you know? One day the world seems normal. You know what to expect. Then the next day your feet are pulled from under you. Relationships can be like that too. I'm just hoping to fall in a good way," she laughed. So what if it was unrealistic? She could always dream.