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 Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:33 pm
School was like a secret government administration specially designed to keep Casia shy, quiet, and studious. Something about the teachers made her feel as though they were watching her at all times, waiting for her to trip up. The only exception was during Music, when she actually felt proud about her singing ability, but other than that, she very rarely joined in group activities (unless required to), and didn't say much in class unless she was called on, but that was a whole other level of embarrassment!
Thankfully this "secret government project" actually pitied her and allowed her and the other students to break for snack and lunch, in which she usually sat by herself or with a friend or two. The siren had overslept that morning and completely forgot her box lunch in the rush, regretting that she even put her favorite dessert, chocolate and vanilla pudding, in it, too. What could she do? Right after lunch and recess was Music, and without food, she wouldn't be able to sing properly! The teacher would send her out for neglecting her musical duties! She'd be a stain upon the community! And Anna! What would she say!? Pausing in the doorway to the lunch area to panic, she quickly hurried to an empty table and threw herself onto the bench, burying her head in her arms.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:36 pm
Antony was reading as he walked. It was a Terry Pratchett book, which looked as if it were classy, so he figured he could get away with it. Absently he sat down at one of the tables, pulling out his store bought plastic box of sandwiches, bag of chips, and pack of cookies, along with the pop he had bought earlier. He didn't even glance up from his book as he uncapped the bottle.
Thus he didn't notice that the table was already occupied.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:43 pm
Hearing the creak of the bench opposite of her, Casia looked up quickly, giving a small chirp of surprise and fear. It was Antony! Good heavens, he chose to sat at this table with her! Seeing that he was preoccupied by the book, the siren rubbed her eyes quickly and dusted off her skirt and blouse, before mustering up the courage to speak to the pretty teenager.
"H... h-hello, Antony," she said quietly, eyes suddenly dropping like bricks from his face to the ground. This was becoming a nuisance, and as she tried again to make eye contact, her cheeks grew hot and she quickly looked back down.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:49 pm
"Hmm?" he asked, finally looking up from his book. "Hello," he said, trying desperately to remember her name. The last time he had seen this one was when she had been a baby... he thought? Had he seen her since then? Oh, wait, he was almost certain she had been at the egg hunt, too... but at the time he had been examining his shoes.
"Have you eaten already?" he asked, rather than asking her name. Surely it would come to him sooner or later!
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:54 pm
"I-I-I-I-" she stammered, before coughing and fiddling with the collar of her shirt nervously. He was addressing her, now, which was worse than standing in front of an audience of 2000 and a giant spotlight on her. "I, um, I-I forgot my lunch this morning.. I was, er, watching Help!" A little white lie never hurt anybody, did it?
Quick, she had to cover it up by saying something random that would divert his attention. "Your, um, y-your shirt's nice." There! That wasn't too hard; the siren now focused on sed shirt, rather than stare at her shoes for half an hour.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:56 pm
"Thank you," he said, reaching into his bag and pulling out his wallet. He pulled out a card, offering it to her. "This is a food card," he said. "If you give it to the lunch lady she'll give you a meal. Go get yourself something."
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:06 pm
Her eyes grew to the size of dinnerplates as Antony handed her the card. She took it with both hands, holding it as though it were the Holy Grail. He was so kind! What a gentleman! What a prince! Her savior! How could she repay him?! Now she was in his debt, what could she do for him?
She took a deep inhale, and then sang out a loud "Thank you", before running through the doors, her wings fluttering so that every other step sent her hovering off the ground. In less than 5 minutes, she came back out with a plastic tray carrying a styrofoam box revealing pasta, a cup of vanilla pudding, and a plastic baggy of grapes. Her face was lit up, beaming happily to Antony. Sitting back down at the bench, she began eating her pasta. In mid-bite, she paused to ask, "I-I owe you one, Antony, th-thank you." After a bit of silence, Casia spoke again. "You l-like Elvis, right?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:08 pm
"Mmm," he said. "You can give me my card back, now," he added, barely glancing up from his book as he ate his sandwich. "And it's not a problem. As the son of a teacher I get them for free. Don't worry about paying me back."
He got them for free, but would only resort to eating the crap they fed in the cafeteria if he was starving or hadn't had time to get his own lunch on the way to school, that was.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:14 pm
"A-ah, sorry," Casia replied sheepishly, digging in her breast pocket to hand the card back. She then shook her head, curls bouncing slightly. "Mm-mm! I owe you something. I've got Music next, and if I didn't have lunch, the teacher would probably throw me out or something.."
She finished her pasta in silence, trying to recall whether or not that hipster music store sold any Elvis records. Perhaps there was one or two somewhere.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:16 pm
"I doubt that," he said, turning the page of his book. "But starving is a bad thing for a kid. Especially with the rate that we grow." He finally glanced up, looking over at where Chris had half a table of food in front of him, and was making quick work of it. "Of course, some need more than others."
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:21 pm
The girl turned to see the hulking child, and waved, even if he was too busy to notice. Turning back, she shrugged a bit. "I wouldn't say I'm starving. Anna said my regular appetite matches my appetite for music." At this, she looked back down at the ground, blushing lightly.
"Hey! Do you have a record player at your house?" she suddenly asked, looking back up at Antony. Hopefully if he did, she could get him a record to listen to!
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:23 pm
"Ah, yes, but it's possessed," he said blandly. It was hard to tell if he was joking or not. "I try to avoid it. But that's easy enough, since it's in the attic. Although the moaning in the middle of the night can be a problem."
Then he realized what he had just admitted and turned another page, wondering if she would think it was a joke.
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:28 pm
"P-possessed?" she repeated, eyes growing wide. "Like by a ghost?" Suddenly, Casia gasped. "Maybe it's Elvis' ghost! Since you like listening to him and all!" she yelled a little too loud. "That's really boss -- er, cool!" Lucky Antony, he got to have a rock star's ghost living in HIS house. Maybe she could get the Beatles to come possess HER record player!
"Even if it is Elvis, maybe you should play records on it! I'm sure he won't get mad if you play The Beach Boys or The Beatles or even The Doors!"
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:30 pm
"No, it's not Elvis," he said. "I was joking," he added. "There's no such thing as a possessed record player." He smiled at her, showing just the right hint of amusement. "You shouldn't believe everything you're told."
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Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:34 pm
Casia was ready to retaliate when the smile rendered her helpless. She nodded, cheeks turning red once again. Curse his good looks and her shy attitude!
She began eating her pudding, pondering why on earth he went to all that trouble elaborating on the non-existent record player? Oh no! If he didn't have a record player, she couldn't get him an Elvis record or anything! The little siren slowly began to look upset, as though she would cry in the next 15 seconds at the rate her eyes were welling up.
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