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Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 8:32 pm
 The look that crossed Coy's face at her statement kinda threw her off. It was almost as if he was awestruck. Well, it might be shocking that Cassandra was finally refusing to talk to Hunter, however, she realized that that wasn't what startled him. No, he thought that she wanted him to interfere and tell Hunter for her. She rolled her eyes and laughed lightly.
"You're silly...I wasn't intending you to speak to him, just, like, tap me on the shoulder or somethin, and be like 'Don'tcha remember what ya said the last time he was over here'...Simple as that...That is, if I don't remember myself, which I should, but still..." She rambled a little, clarifying her intent a bit before he went off on his own tangent, telling her that she ought to think about being harsher with Hunter. Eventually, the guy would press her to that limit, of that Cass knew. Every visit brought her a few steps closer to her breaking point with Hunter. However, she did agree with him, she too, was growing tired of seeing Hunter showing his face around her work place. It was also just unnatural to see him in a bar. He's not the type, and it's painfully obvious whenever he makes a visit.
"A new guy? Really? None of the guys from around here are my type..not anymore...You know, seeing as that's one of the reasons why I ended it with Hunter in the first place...They'd be just a tie down to this place.." Cass reexplained to Coy. She knew he only meant well with that statement, but if the guy was from Tiptonville, there was a good chance that he was going to stay there. So, that was pretty much not an option. No, not really.
She listened as Coy went on about Noah's packages in the back of his truck. Yeah, she'd have no issue with dropping them off, seeing as he lived next door. No, what threw her off was the bit about the cake batter and eggs. That caused her to raise an eyebrow. Why would he need to make a cake? She racked her brain for a few moments as she went behind the counter and got her purse and pulled her car keys out and traded hers with Coy's as he was ushering her out the door. She walked through the gravel parking lot and over to Coy's old red truck and climbed in. She was thankful that his truck wasn't all jacked up like some of the others around town, else she'd have a really hard time getting in it.
Cranked up and on her way, she headed down to Maverick's first, that way she could pick up the cake batter and eggs first, lest she forget. Plus, she didn't plan on heading back out after she got home. It was easy enough finding what Coy needed, seeing as she'd been in that store a ton of times in her lifetime, and the layout never changed. Once the shopping was done, she made her way back to the house. Cass dropped the groceries off inside before going back outside and knocking on her neighbors door.
"Noah? It's me, Cass.....Coy asked me to drive his truck back here so you could get your packages..." She called out, not knowing if he'd hear.
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:47 pm
  “This place sure is empty…” Noah finally said to the silence. He had been staring at one spot in the wall for a good while, and the white was beginning to blare in his eyes. His old place was fully crowded, most of it being Nathan’s stuff. That was just as depressing as well, seeing as the fullness suffocated him. He wasn’t sure which one was worse, but he did know one thing, he needed to go out looking for some stuff tomorrow.
Maybe he could find some old country art to fill the piercing blank wall. A book shelf was defiantly needed, which he’d fill with the few books he brought and the more he would buy. He’d have to do something about the guest room. Its emptiness reminded him too much of Nathan.
Everything reminded him of Nathan, actually. Books reminded him of the weeks Noah taught the kid to read. Beer reminded him of the nights they used to get drunk. Girls reminded him of their double dates. The list went on. It seemed nothing would let him forget. When it wasn’t Nate, it was his grandparents, sometimes his mom, even his Dad at times. They were the people on his mind moments before he went to sleep and the hours he was awake. New scenery was supposed to change that, but honestly, could anything ever change that?
He was pondering that question when a loud bang on the door took his attention. Cassandra’s southern voice boomed through the door, almost as if she was rushing him. Of course, she wasn’t, but he had a feeling that the hospitality of the town would do that. If someone offered to do something for you, it’d be done in a heartbeat. They would expect the same hospitality, he assumed. Thus, the door was opened just a moment after Cassandra’s voice boomed, and a smile was forced on Noah’s face.
“Thanks.” He said, sticking to his method of keeping things short and sweet. However, he opened his door wide enough to let her know she was welcomed in if she wanted, before walking out to pick up the packages out of the trunk. He made sure to pick up all four, even though it was a little hard to handle, just so she wouldn’t have to do any more. Then, he placed then on the kitchen table, nearly dropping one in the process.
“So…” He mumbled under his breath as he faced her, no longer sure what to say. “Um… Thanks, again.”
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 6:50 pm
 Cass waited a few moments before the door was answered. She examined the look that he gave her as he opened the door and thanked her for bringing his stuff over. Yes, that was one artificial smile he was presenting her with. That's alright, everyone had their off days, or something like that. Anyways, she had walked back out to the truck with him, intending on helping her new neighbor move his boxes into his apartment. However, it seemed as if he had them all.
Really, now, he wasn't giving her that much of an opportunity to be hospitable, now was he? Well, that wasn't all she could help with. It did seem as if he had wordlessly invited her in, so, she walked to the back door, and waited til she had his attention.
"I doubt the landlord told you anything important about the laundry room." She stated, not waiting for an answer as she motioned for him to follow her out the back of the house. With a few steps, she was able to open the laundry room door and walk into the tiny floor space the room provided.
"Now, you share this laundry room with me and Coy." She began as she began emptying the contents of the dryer into a laundry basket. "We usually have our laundry day on Fridays, so feel free to choose which ever other day you'd like." With that said, she picked up the basket and sat it atop the dryer.
"You have to be careful, cause sometimes the washer and dryer trip the breaker box, but that's rare. Speaking of the breaker box, it's out here as well.." Cass pointed to the spot on the wall behind the appliances. "So, if you suspect something's tripped, check here first. Oh, and feel free to use the laundry detergent if you need it. We take trips to the nearest Sam's club about once every two months. Since we buy in bulk, we get it cheaper."
She said all this fairly quickly without noting the small distance between the two in the room.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:08 pm
  Cassandra took only a moment to walk inside Noah’s home, all the way to the back as if she owned the place. The man couldn’t help but to crack a small smile, seeing her there standing by the back door in her too short shorts and dark makeup. The attitude screamed look at me, listen to me, and shut up. Therefore, that was what Noah did, only nodding at her comment about the laundry room and following her out.
Inside the room, the first thing he noticed was the size. Stepping in, he felt the shabby, dusk cluttered walls tightening around him. The washer and drier obviously took up all of one side of the room and shelves took up the other half, leaving only a small hallway. He figured the hall way was usually optimal for a person and hamper. Here, there were two persons and one hamper. One hamper which was, to his dismay, not between them. Noah was feeling the pressure and noticing everything a man was made to notice.
The curve of her thighs, her small waste, and her breast, all bent over as if conveniently saying ‘look at me’. Her words were blurring through his ears, so much that he had to advert his eyes. It was hardly enough, unfortunately, since every time she touched him burned through his pants, bothering him all the more. His policy of being uninvolved was burning away by the heat of the room. Being this close to her was more defiantly involved, and he was not sure he could escape that. Still, he did try.
He tried to edge out the room more when she was pulling her clothes into the laundry hamper, and looked out the small doorway for as long as he could. In his mind, he kept repeating over and over that he was just a man and she was a no good neighbor. Still, he did he best to keep his distance, until she looked up anyways. No sense in looking as guilty as you were.
So, instead of looking at the august sun outside, he looked at her deep red hair and hazel eyes. Her descriptions of the breaker box and laundry detergent muffled through his ears, only slightly hitting home. Still, he nodded as if he understood and forced his vocal cords to form a coherent sentence, which he was praying his deep Brooklyn accent hid the strain in it. Unfortunately, it probably highlighted every crack. “Anything else I need to know?”
His hopes were that this anything else would be anywhere else but the tiny laundry room. That, or she’d be done and he could hide away in his room. Either way, he couldn’t stand this one moment longer.
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:53 pm
 Cass raised an eyebrow at her new neighbor, running his words through her mind. While she analyzed them, she took the liberty to examine him herself. After all, it wasn't like he wasn't doing the same himself. His eyes were lined with the dark circles associated with sleeplessness. The skin on his face was decorated with marks that came with growing up, something that couldn't really be helped, and the stubble that had presented itself during the day. Yes, for someone who had lived up north, he would be able to blend in easily with the worn faces of the small towns of the south. That is, until he opened his mouth.
"That's the most words I think I've heard you say yet....And they don't really support the notion that you talk a lot..." She noted, referring to the slight strain to the words. Despite the fact, she cracked a bright smile. " I can't think of anythin else you'd need ta know just yet. If I do, I'll let you know. Also, if you have any questions, feel free to ask." That being said, she turned back to the dryer for a moment to remove the lint from the filter, pulling off the film expertly before tossing it in the grocery sack that hung from one of the shelves. It was obviously the little room's garbage can. "Now, If you'll excuse me.." She stated, pointing out the fact that he was between her and the exit. "I have laundry to sort and fold...And I'm going to be making me some dinner soon...feel free to stop by in fortyfive minutes or so if you'd like some..." She smiled once again, playfully punching him in the shoulder as she made her way out of the tiny room and through the back door of her and Coy's apartment. Once she was safely indoors, she allowed herself to realize how close the two of them had been inside that little room. Sure, it wasn't a big deal, but the air sure seemed a bit tense.
She herself had noted the little change in his voice, the slight cracking. If Cass allowed herself to react to things like that, she was sure that her voice would have come out a bit strained in her response. However, she decided long ago that no pretty face could get her to stay in the little no name town she was in. Self control, in the romantic emotions department, had been mastered, in her opinion. She let her mind think as she began folding the contents of the basket, placing them in their respectable piles once done.
Now, all that there was left to do was make some dinner. She put her clothes away, put the stack belonging to Coy on his bed, and made her way into the kitchen.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:29 pm
  To Noah’s relief, there was nothing left. Only one more moment when she squeezed past him, forcing his breath in and his heart to pound. It was his very attention to move, but he feet wouldn’t let him. Or, at least that what he feet told him. However, once she was gone, he feet seemed all ready to move. To slide under him in fact, forcing him to lean on the washer for support. Why was it so hard for him to move? Why was he so bothered by her?
After a few heaves of breath, he forced himself to stand and walk out of the tiny room. Every step was incredibly heavy, which he couldn’t name why. It frustrated him the entire few steps into his apartment, and the entire steps to the couch, and the moments it took him to collapse on the seat. Sitting there, he was surprised just how much the image of her was burned into his brain. All making him more frustrated. She was a girl. One who threw bottles and wore too short shorts on top of that. One that was reserved for a one night stand, and in this town, that would be the dumbest thing to do.
Thus, he aimed to get the image off his mind by turning on the TV and browsing the limited local channels of the southern town. Finally, he landed on an annoying cop show, and put all his effort in following every line of drunken dialogue was thrown at the cops. Still, his mind kept trailing back to the heat of her thighs when she brushed against him, her eyes after she threw the bottle towards him, and her probably over dyed hair. It annoyed him more than anything. And, after a while of forcing his eyes on TV, he turned it off and figured at the very least he was going to take a hot shower.
And, in the midst of water pouring down his face and him acting as a man should, he concluded that it was nothing about her beautiful eyes. The only problem was simply that he hadn’t had sex in a while, and he obviously would have to drive to a bigger town for a night and solve that.
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:35 pm
  Sarah Lyondell was the last girl Noah loved. He met her on the coldest day of the year, and her sunflower eyes made him feel like it was summer. They dated two years, and he had every intention of marrying her. A week before Nathan’s death, he bought her a ring. The idea was to purpose to her at the end of the graduation party. On his walk to the apartment, he rehearsed the speech in his head.
“Sarah, when I met you, you warmed me from the cold with your eyes. I don’t ever want to live through a winter without being able to stare into them. Marry me?” He rehearsed, over and over again, even mumbling it as he opened the door. For a moment, he even imagined he heard Nathan’s voice teasing him, just as he had every other time he heard Noah rehearse. This time, no matter how much he wished it to be so, there was no voice coming from the door.
Sarah met Noah at the police station three hours later. When she hugged him, he stepped back. All night long, she sat on the opposite side of the jailhouse bench as him, further than they ever sat apart. For three weeks, Noah ignored her calls and refused to open the door when she knocked. Then, one Sunday right after she got home from church, she found him sitting on her apartment step. He stood up, kissed her hard on the lips, and said goodbye.
Since that day, Noah hasn’t kissed any girl’s lips.
There was only one other girl he kissed. Her name was Mary and she was only nineteen years old. He met her at a bar, and drunkenly took her home. It wasn’t until they were unclothed next to each other that he noticed she was nineteen, and he only cared to look hard enough to learn because he saw the sunflowers in her eyes. It took him only a moment to get up and attempt to get dressed. He was stopped by her mumbling, “What’s wrong with me? Why am I never good enough?” She hadn’t meant for him to hear her, but he did, and with that, he crawled back down on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “No, you’re beautiful.”
That night, he kissed her everywhere except the lips. When he woke up, she was gone. For three weeks, he looked for her in every bar in Cleveland, until he finally found her picture in a newspaper. It was just above the announcement of her death.
Noah woke with images of sunflowers dancing in his mind. He groaned out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. Looking around at the tiles, he couldn’t feel any less at home. It seemed to glare at him, reflecting the morning light into his eyes. The windows were only slightly peeked open, but it was enough to damage his eyes. Squinting, he opened his fridge in vain. Obviously, there was no food in the house. He let out an annoyed grunt and walked back to one of the boxes.
Ripping it open, he found a pair of jeans and a grey tee. He quickly slipped it on, right in his kitchen. Then, after slipping on his boots and running his fingers through his hair, he slipped out and hopped on his bike. He tried to rattle in his mind all the food he needed, but he knew that the supplies were just too much for his small bike.
When he walked in the store, he grabbed one of the carts, which to his dismay, would do nothing to limit the amount of groceries. Still, he walked down the aisles, shamefully passing food he desperately needed and grabbing the little bit he hoped would fit into the saddle bags of his bike.
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Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:59 pm
 Cass truly hadn't expected her new neighbor to take her up on the offer of dinner. He either wasn't interested, wasn't all that social, busy unpacking, or tired from the drive there. Regardless of the exact reason, she didn't really care. She had the apartment all to herself for a little while, and it was quite nice. She ate her fried chimichanga's in peace on the small couch in the living room. Naturally, she finished and cleaned up after herself. She didn't want to leave a mess behind.
Once that was finished, she headed back to her room, knowing that Coy would be in around midnight. Cass had pulled out her secondhand computer and browsed the internet before deciding to turn in for the night. Working that bar did tire her out a lot. Her night was spent in the same fashion as all the rest. Tossing and turning and getting a bit of sleep here and there. By the time she had actually settled into a deep sleep, Coy had decided to get up bright and early and make breakfast. He called out that it was done (which probably meant that he was done eating as well) and told her that they were out of eggs.
It was awfully nice of him to make breakfast for her, though that was the routine. Sure enough, when she exited her room a few minutes after his announcement, he was no where to be seen, and her food was still hot in the kitchen. She ate slowly, not in much of a rush, than made her way back to her room to gather her clothes for the day before heading to clean up, shower and such. Cass applied her makeup as to where it looked more natural. Not as dark as when she was working. After all, that was a pain in the rear to get off every night.
Once she was up and ready for the day, she took her little beetle out to the store to pick up some eggs and any other odds and ends that were on the shopping list, noting that the motorcycle was missing from her usual parking space next door. And, oddly enough, when she saw it again, it was parked in the parking lot in front of their little grocery store. Well, maybe she'd run into Mr. Secretive in the store.
Sure enough, there he was with nearly a trunk load of groceries in his buggie when she spotted him near the dairy. "Ya know...It don't seem like you though out how you're gonna get all that home in one trip.." She said as she came up behind him, heading towards the eggs.
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:52 am
 Work was always the same during the late night shift. Mr. Gregory would come in, sneaking away from his wife, and through every drink he would mumble on about her newest nag. Coy would laugh at all his jokes and hand him more beer. Occasionally, the younger spirits would get rowdy, and Coy would have to break up some fights. Every night was the same. If old Ben didn’t talk so much, Coy probably would pass out on the table. Still, he survived the night and then drove home. To his joy, leftovers were sitting on the table as always. There was something nice about living with your best friend instead of some rowdy boys; she took care of you.
In less than twenty minutes, Coy ate, changed, and was already passed out on his bunk. Only six hours later, he was up. He had to work on his dad’s farm ‘til eleven, then the bar at noon, and finally, Fred’s at eight. That was Coy’s life, and he thought nothing of it as he made breakfast for Cass and him. Her eggs, fried with extra crispy hash browns and orange juice on the side. His? Extra runny with sausage and a glass of milk. He also baked a few biscuits, which were placed on a plate in the middle of the table. He yelled out for the girl to wake, then sat down and ate himself. She wasn’t even out of her room by the time he finished.
“Babe, we’re outta eggs. Oh, n’ milk.” He yelled out as he walked out the door. He didn’t even look back to see her, knowing that even if she was in her bedroom fast asleep, the eggs would be in the fridge when he got home. It was almost effortless to live with her. Almost, anyways.
At his father’s farm, Coy was immediately hit with the annoyance in his father’s tone.
“You’re five minutes late.”
It took strained effort for the boy to hold his tongue. The Dale’s were late to everything – it was in their blood. Besides Coy, anyways, who was punctual to everything, except church on Sundays (he worked on the farm early morning), and when new neighbors came into town.
“I was workin’ ‘til midnight, musta slept in, sorry pa.”
He mumbled as he walked inside. Honestly, he didn’t care about his dad’s approval. He gave up on that in third grade. Ever since then, it was just “yes pa,” “no pa,” “sorry pa”. With his mother, it was simple. She cared about his dreams and wishes. Though, she never hesitated to make other suggestions. She simply wanted Coy’s dad to leave him alone, and she thought that convincing Coy to obey his dad a bit more would solve that. Coy understood her reasons, although he didn’t agree with them, and thus she had a special place in his heart. That’s why, when he walked in, he immediately gave her a huge kiss on her forehead. She laughed, and continued flipping through her paper. She picked it up every Sunday right after church and read it cover to cover by the following week.
“What’s goin’ on in the sports section?” He asked, catching a glimpse of a titian on the front.
“A loss, n’ a big one. 25 ta’ 4. Mhm, it’s the coach, I tell ya.”
“Well get ‘em next time.”
Of course, for this moment, there was nothing to look forward too. Coy’s dad was standing at the door way, waiting for his son to notice him. The boy pretended that he didn’t realize his dad was there for a few minutes and listened to his mother talk about other things in the news. Finally, after a few minutes, his dad grunted to get his attention. Coy turned around, and looked at his dad’s ageing face. Soon enough, the old man wouldn’t be able to even work on the farm. Maybe that was why he was pushing his son around so much, hoping that in the last stretch he’d be able to convince his son to take over. That wasn’t going to happen of course, but Coy could help out now.
“So, whatcha want me ta do today?”
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Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:31 am
  Shopping was the most uncomfortable thing in the world. Through every isle he walked in, he could feel the stares he was getting. The occasional whisper even echoed. A few weren’t even mindful enough to whisper, and talked right aloud about the new comer. Soon, Noah was so focused on avoiding their looks that he stopped paying attention on how much food was in his cart.
Only one other time could Noah remember his life feeling so watched. Just after Nathan died, every time he walked in a store everyone apologized for his loss. Each sorry was like a stab to the heart, so much that he could hardly stand to go outside. The only thing worse was the ever piling amount of dinners. You’d think his college friends wouldn’t help, but somehow they found kitchens or at least some good stores, and his pantry was full. Each casserole, cake, and pie made him feel more alone. Sometimes even, he wouldn’t go to the door when someone knocked just because he couldn’t face another sorry. He’s answer it a little while later, and another pie from some top notch bakery would be sitting on his door step. The problem was they never brought any editable food. No bread, no eggs, no pork chops. Thus, Noah was forced to experience all the other ‘sorry’s at the stores throughout Cleveland. After a month though, it was out of everyone’s mind, forgotten by everyone except Noah. And, he felt like he was living through it again.
The only difference, none of these people knew Nathan. Noah kept thinking about how his best friend would have loved it here. They would laugh at all the strange accents that sounded as if they came out of the movies. They would have rolled their eyes at the concept of southern hospitality, and would have no need for anyone here but themselves. Maybe even then, Noah would charm Cassandra and Nathan would find some other southern broad. They’d take them some trip up north, and laugh at their reactions. Maybe if Noah brought Nate here, the guy would still be alive.
Thinking of those memories, Noah wasn’t sure how to feel. He wanted to laugh about it, but every glare made him feel worse. He just kept grabbing groceries as if it would make them stop. It was as if he was yelling, “see, I eat. I’m normal. Stop looking!” But, they didn’t care. It was as if the things he was grabbing made him a freak. He was some alien from another planet. However, maybe that was the best. Because Nathan wasn’t on this planet, Noah could start over. If only he didn’t start over as such a freak.
His thoughts were soon interrupted as a familiar southern voice peeped through his ears. He was staring to hope that she’d just go away. She was too pretty, too blunt, and too crazy to be any good for him. Nevertheless, Noah knew wishing she was gone wouldn’t work. Wishing that on anyone wouldn’t work here, with a population just over 4,000. A four digit population was incredibly small in comparison of bustling Cleveland, with a six digit population. New York City had a seven digit one. There, if you wanted to avoid someone, it was simple. The tough part was staying in contact with someone. Here, however, it was just the opposite. Noah could tell, since he wanted to keep some distance from her, and here she was.
“Yeah, I guess so.” He mumbled, just now noticing just how much was in the cart. He needed all of it, but only a little bit would even fit in his bike. He gave a small nervous laugh, mostly paying attention to just what he needed to take out of his cart. He could probably come back tomorrow and get some other stuff, and keep doing that until his fridge was full. He had to do in Cleveland anyways. However, in Cleveland, he didn’t have to deal with the staring eyes. Maybe he could starve, that would be better.
Of course, that wouldn’t work, so he grabbed some cheese and put it back in its place. It took out the joy of having cheesy eggs this morning, but he needed to get food for breakfast lunch and dinner today. Thus, he put that along with his prized yogurt back. “I just need to get a truck.” He joked to Cassandra, who to his dismay, was still right next to him.
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:29 pm
 Cass had just continued on her way past him towards the eggs. Her ears were listening to a response, trained to pick out his voice, while she directed her eyes to a carton of eighteen grade a fresh eggs. She popped it open with ease, looking at each egg for cracks, for that happened from time to time. Once she was done with her visual inspection, she set the carton gently into the fold out seat in on the buggie. Since she didn't have any kids, that spot was destined for eggs, bread, and chips so they wouldn't get smashed amongst the rest of the goods she'd be hauling around the store.
"A truck?" She stated, curiously, heading over to the milk, which was conveniently right beside the eggs. She searched for a jug that had a later expiration date, which led her to dig into the recesses of the fridge where the milk was stored. Finally pleased with one, she plucked it up and sat it in her cart, turning her attention back to Noah. "Now why would you go out and spend that kinda money on a truck when you have your bike and a neighbor who is perfectly willing to help out in situations like that?". Her tone was casual, merely offering some help.
"Of course, nothing is expected in return...That's just how we southerners work..I'm goin to go finish up my shopping...just find me and let me know if you're gonna take me up on that offer..." She stated, flashing him a bright smile before turning to continue on her trek through the store. Once again, it was no skin off her back if he didn't take advantage of her proposition. But, he'll just have to end up learning to accept the kind gestures. If they weren't coming from her, they'd be bound to be coming from elsewhere. He'd find out real soon how tight knit everything was.
As she rounded the corner, she nearly ran into little old Mrs. Vantas. Her husband used to be the mayor, and she liked to devote her free time to being a busybody. Naturally, it would seem that she'd flock to the newcomer like a moth to a flame. So, Cass just gave her a bright smile and continued on her way, not giving the old lady a chance to stop her and ask questions. She was on a mission, and starting gossip was not included in her priorities at the moment.
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Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 4:35 pm
  Southern Hospitality. It was a horrid thing. A suffocating thing. The type of thing Noah wanted to stay far away from, especially when that aid was coming from a beautiful, and scary, southern babe. He just didn’t understand it. Why would someone want to go way out of their way to help someone? Was living just next door a reason to help someone? Back in the city, Noah couldn’t even ask a neighbor for some sugar if he needed it. He was on his own, with his own problems. Just as his neighbor was on his own, with his own problems. No one fiddled, and Noah liked that.
But now, it was a whole new ball game. The only people that offered a loving hand to Noah in the city were his friends. After Nate died, Noah had no friends. Just girls who would do anything after a few drinks, and investigators that would buy him coffee whenever they questioned him. That was it. Besides that, Noah had an inheritance and money from his writing. Never before was there a girl offering to help him asking nothing in return. Everything in Noah wanted to say no, and as she walked away he even placing his groceries back.
He would have finished placing the groceries back, if a shrewd voice sparked his ears.
“You sir, I haven’t seen you ‘round here. I’m Martha Vantas.”
She was holding out her hand expectantly, so Noah took her hand and gave her a small squeeze. It wasn’t really his thing to give handshakes, or hugs, or kisses, or any sort of human contact. However, he couldn’t say no to the old lady, who looked like she might faint if you gave her any less than the greeting she would expect.
“Noah Arnolds, m’am. Nice to meet you.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t really nice to meet her, and he did not want to talk to her. But, his accent was something to notice, something to prolong this already unwelcomed conversation.
“Oh, your accent! Where are you from?”
“Brooklyn, m’am. I just came from Cleveland though. Wanted someone quieter. Now, excuse me, m’am, but I really ought to be going….”
“Oh, of course! I’ve a million things to do today, as well! I’m organizing ah charity dinna, to raise some money for the local schools. It’s time for all that, ya know. Ya should come! It’s just next week, in the elementary school house!”
Noah nodded that he’d love to, and she took that as he leave to walk far away. Leaving Noah with a few painful minutes of thought. He could take advantage of Cassandra’s offer. It would spare him another trip to the store any time soon, and the few moments with her would be far more comfortable than another second with Mrs. Charity-Event-Organizer. Thus, Noah took a deep breath, and placed the stuff he was unloading from his cart back in.
When Noah found Cass, he was just in time. She was near the counter, about to check out when he pulled in right behind her. “Um, I’ll, um, take you up, um, on that offer.”
He fumbled over his words as he pulled the stuff out of his cart and onto the counter to have it checked out. He didn’t look up to see her expression, deciding that the milk was far less humiliating that taking any more favors from southern women. But obviously, down south that was the way to survival.
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ElaineeNicolee Vice Captain
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