Welcome to Gaia! ::

Neti received a call on her cell phone and scowled briefly before snapping her phone shut. "Danella," she said quietly in the middle of her talk with Steven, "I'll meet you at my house, okay? There's something really quick I need to do."

Neti hurried in the direction of her house but continued past it to the indoor ice-skating rink Mariah frequented. The rink was not yet closed but there were hardly any people hanging out outside anyways. Neti grimaced at the girl in the furry pink and white jacket clearly visible under the street light and ice skates tossed over her shoulder like she was just about to go or just had been skating. "What to you want?" Neti asked, her tone unpleasant. "We're not even supposed to associate. Technically, you don't even exist any more."

"Relax," Mariah said. . "This is for your own good." She ignored the comment about her existence and took a small cube package out of her pocket. "For you."

"I don't see how you're going to bribe me," Neti said, not taking the object. "My monthly allowance is probably half what you get in a year."

"This isn't money."

Neti took the package and ripped off a side of the wrapping. "A CD? Why'd you get me a CD? And why didn't you just send it to the house?"

"CD, nail polish, and mini-jewelry kit," Mariah replied, sticking her hands back in her coat pockets. "I thought it was time to stop ignoring you. I know, technically I don't exist anymore. Not here. But outside of this little city, I do. And I didn't want to have rejecting you on my conscious while traveling around, you know?"

"Awww...not. Thanks for the loot though."

"No problem. I hear you're hosting a dinner party tonight?"

"Mom is...MY mom. But I invited Danella and Peony along."

Mariah nodded. "Anyways, have fun with the stuff. There's more than one set of the makeup stuff, so you can share with your friends. And um...careful with the CD...it took me forever to get it autographed."

"Whose? The school janitor's?" She sneered

"Um...Phyllis's? The artist's?"

Neti squealed. "Where?!" She tore another side off and a few nailpolish sets fell. Neti picked them up, impressed with the quality, and stuffed them in her pocket before continuing to try to free the CD.

"Inside cover," Mariah supplied.

"I am totally going to show Danella and Peony this! We're going to have a sleepover and stay up and a pillow fight and OH MY GOODNESS!"

Mariah laughed merrily. "Have fun! I'll see you at school!"

Neti nodded, waved, and ran the entire way home, careful not to drop her new present. She dashed upstairs and finished unwrapping the cube and pulled out the CD in it. Again she squealed with delight and set the CD on her rack. She checked the time, changed in a hurry and hopped down the stairs in a blur of excitement. "Smells good, Mom!" she said. She slowed down at the door and checked her appearance in the large wall-mirror as she waited for the guests to arrive.
---

Mariah waited until after Neti had run out of sight before turning around and entering the building. She found her usual locker, unlocked it, and set her skates and jacket back in and took out a few paperclips. Then she proceeded to DB Corps.

She first glanced at the parking lot and identified Lewis's car. Working overtime, I see Mariah hid her bright pink hair quietly in a navy blue beanie and tried the door. To her pleasant surprise, it opened smoothly and silently on well-oiled hinges.

Mariah snuck in, closed the door and slipped into the lobby. From there she followed a series of opened doors to the hallway outside Lewis's office, where she saw Jam and Lewis talking. Phyllis? What's she doing here?

Mariah shook her head and pressed on, using the well-placed maps in the halls to find her way to the place the cells were kept. From there she looked around for a sign of Christrose.

((Um..no idea what to do about security...so I'll work on that tomorrow and maybe update this post? >.<))

((Nice! We'll ignore the security razz

"I'll see to it that she is checked up on," Steven promised before heading his way as well. Once at his apartment though, he looked through his briefcase and realised--of all things--that he had forgotten to bring his laptop back. Gah, this is ridiculous. I don't want to go all the way back to get it. But...then I won't be able to play free cell tonight...agh, who cares? I'll just...do something else. I'll be at the stupid party anyways.

He then changed and proceeded to walk to Neti's house.
--------------------

Once she finished work, Tiffany rushed home, showered, changed and took two minutes to check the mail. Seeing nothing of importance--and remembering that she had already paid the bills--she hoped that Peony was already at the house and started in the appropriate direction.

"Tiffany, how sweet to meet you!" Steven called.

Tiffany turned and smiled. "Good evening to you too!"

"Now what're you all dressed up for?"

"Dinner with the Iekelazis. And you?"

"The same. A dinner party, I see," Steven took her arm and led the way to the house. "Where's Peony? Not coming?"

"With friends. She's probably coming later, if she isn't there already?"
---------------

"Right," Peony said, smoothing out her dress--she too had changed before meeting up with Danica. "How are we going to detain her though? Should I tell her Neti cancelled it or something?"

((thanks! biggrin

I have no idea what to do about security...we'll um....pretend there happened to be a technology malfunction or the security guard watching the cameras was asleep? >.<))

This is totally not going to work, Mariah thought, trying to figure out how to open the cell doors. She gave up and slipped towards the back door and propped it open for Danica and Peony.
---

Neti opened the door with a brilliant smile, which promptly faded a little. "Oh! Hello Mr. Steven, Ms. Tiffany. Dinner's almost ready. The dining room is behind this wall to the right," she said. "Where's Peony, do you know?" she asked, Tiffany, straining to see if the strange double was outside.

((Lol, Danella just got pwned.))

Peony continued towards Neti's house, cafeul not to look back and jumped when Danica appeared next to her. She blinked and nodded fervently. "That was...considerably quicker than I thought..." she finally stammered finally.

They reached the house after Tiffany and Steven and Peony piped up as much courage she could and said, "Hi Mom! Hello Mr Corbolo."

"Oh! You're here," Tiffany noted and sighed in relief. "Hello Danica," she greeted the other, not knowing about the double.

"Actually, it's Danella, mom."

"Oh. Sorry about that, Hello Danella." Huh. Double. Why would she need a double though? She was fine the way she was!

Steven turned and smiled as well but proceeded into the house, dragging Tiffany along.

Peony held the door open for Danica, her smile gone, replaced by a worried frown directed at Steven.

"So," Neti said once the adult were in the other room. "You guys will not believe what I just got. Come on up to my room and I'll show you.

"Oh...is something wrong, Peony?" she asked. "Ugh. Are you worrying about your original or something? Trust me girl, forget her."

She sighed. "I know just what you need." She smiled at Danica--who she thought was Danella--and Peony. "You guys totally have to stay over for a sleepover. I'll ask my mom. This is going to be like the best night of our lives."

"Girls! Dinner's ready!"

"Coming!" Neti called back. "Come on." She led the way to the dining room, which was set up rather elaborately for a party of 7.

"Hi Pops! How was work?" she said and kissed Mariah's dad on the forehead. She received a pat on the back and a murmured, "Ok ok...take your seat now."

Tana came in with a few last plates. "Oh hello dears," she greeted with a wide smile. "Tiffany, Steven, how nice it is you could come. I know it's rather small, but please, enjoy the buffet," she said, gesturing the various plates and bowls of food set out on the table.

Neti winked at her friends. "Save room for dessert."

((it's okie dokie))
Danica smiled and giggled. "The food looks amazing. Thank you." She grabbed a plate and put a few things on it that she remembered Danella liked. "So you going to ask your mom for us to stay Neti?"

Danica couldn't remember which one Danella prefered to drink. She almost paniced. "Soda is fine thank you." She said, only after the matter did she remember Danella liked Cider. s**t, first mistake. Danica thought.

Danica sighed in relief when no one caught her slip. "This looks delicious." She said and ate a bit of her food to cover up the slip more.