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Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 4:18 pm
Never before had Yvette needed to juggle her schedule so much. She had the work thing, she had the school thing, she had the homework thing (which was also technically tied to the school thing), and amidst all of this, the quiet girl still attempted to find some time to hang out with friends. It was a very tricky act, but she had been learning how to do such as efficiently as possible. On weekdays, it was impossible, but Yvette had never really been the sort to hang out and have fun during the week prior to Daddy's accident. However, weekends did give her a short outlet of time. Work was in the morning, which meant she got out in the early afternoon. If she took a bus straight from the mall, she could usually meet up at someone's house.
Today was Sunday, and after working for 6 hours with a constant blush upon her cheek, she was soon enough out and about, able to do as she pleased. The dark-haired girl changed into a rather ruffly low-cut shirt and short skirt combo at the mall, and then shuffled herself into a bus. Today's victim was Tara. The plans were simple. Meet up with Tara at her place, and then they could go to the fabric store.
It was under the guise that Yvette needed help picking out some cloth for her Prom dress, but the reality was that the shy girl wanted to surprise her Star Wars friend with the offer to sew up a Prom dress for Tara as well. Of course, Tara was still going to have to pay for the cloth, but that was some other issue she'd get to later on. She couldn't hide that tiny smile of hers when she reached the apartment door. She knocked on the door, and like any good guest, waited for a response.
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:33 pm
Tara hated dresses. They got caught on fences and branches. They got stuck in doors and chairs. They tore easily, and then she would have people constantly telling her about the holes in her skirts. Not that Tara particularly cared if she flashed the world, but after a while, having everyone and their uncle inform her of the fact got boring.
Prom was no exception. Tara hadn't thought about what she was doing for prom, but she was sure it wasn't going to involve a dress. Shopping for dresses was one of the most boring activities she could think of, so she was glad she could spare herself from the tedium.
Or so she thought. There was, in fact, one very good way to get Tara out shopping for dresses: guilt.
Yvette had arranged to meet her after work. Work that, had Tara been faster, might not have been necessary. If Aquarius had been more capable, her father wouldn't be at home with a handful of broken bones. If she had done this, if she had thought that... but there was no time for "what if" anymore. All she could do was live with the consequences.
"It's not dress-shopping," she told herself, waiting on the couch with large bag of M&Ms. "It's fabric shopping. That's gotta be better. And it's not like you need a dress. You're just there for moral support. Right."
The knock, while expected, interrupted her pep talk. Tara spilled several M&Ms into the couch cushions, but didn't bother retrieving them. Instead she headed for the door. "Yvette! I'm so glad you're here. Hang onto these a sec, would you? I don't think I can finish them."
She handed over the bag of M&Ms and winked, stooping to put her sneakers on. "How's work? I should really come by sometime, I want to see what you do. And um." She paused to swallow a lump in her throat (or a spare M&M, maybe). "How's your dad?"
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:06 pm
It took maybe two seconds for everything to go from uneventful to making the girl's head spin. A bag of candy was thrust in her direction and a barrage of questions were what greeted Yvette. She blinked, looked down at the candy (Mmmmm M&Ms), and managed to squeak out a simple "A-are you sure?" If it had been her own bag of M&Ms (like she'd ever have the chance to buy something as indulgent as candy thanks to her current family situation), she would have saved the candy for a later time. There was no rule that you had to finish it all in one go.
Still holding onto the bag, occasionally blinking as she looked it over, she attempted to answer the questions which Tara flung in Yvette's direction. "Um... work is okay, I guess... b-but... you really don't need to stop by. It really isn't all that interesting." Embarrassing was probably a much more accurate word to describe her place of work. "I mean, i-if you want, you can stop by, Ican'treallystopyou... um... m-maybe lunch one day?" Her cheeks were already starting to turn rather pink, thinking about Elizabeth's Secret. It wasn't that bad a job, but it wasn't the sort of place she'd feel most comfortable in. At least Mrs. Ortiga was able to overlook her quiet voice.
If it had been her bag of M&Ms, she might have snuck in and popped a candy into her mouth when she moved onto the next subject. However, it wasn't her candy. No matter how much Tara insisted, the bag of candy was still hers, not Yvette's. Instead, her eyes drifted down to her own shoes. "D-daddy is doing okay... we got to bring him home recently. He's been a bit of a pain to live with, because he's getting so bored just sitting around the house." She offered a small, weak chuckle, but it was obvious that it was a bit difficult for her, even with her Daddy home.
It was still very tempting to take some candy and pop it in her mouth, but she continued to show willpower. "Um... so are you okay with taking the bus to the fabric store, or did you want to do something else?" Even though the shy dark-haired girl had been hanging out with Tara more often recently, there were still things she didn't know. One was whether or not her friend had a driver's license or not, and then beyond that, if she had a vehicle she could drive.
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Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 1:04 am
"'Course I'm sure," Tara replied, shifting to her left knee and pulling on her right sneaker. "I had a late lunch, so I'm not really that hungry." Not that one needed to be hungry for M&Ms, but would make Tara happier to see Yvette enjoying them. To see Yvette enjoying anything. To see her not in a fit of anguish and tears.
Shoes tied, she grabbed a denim jacked from a hook by the door and swung it over her shoulders casually. "Lunch sounds good. I could ask Kent to show me how he makes ravioli, maybe. Or maybe it would be easier if I just asked him to make some. The last time I tried cooking something alone, I let it cook too much and, well." Tara grinned sheepishly. "Let's just say there's still tomato residue on the ceiling."
It wasn't so much that Tara was a bad cook as she was an easily distracted one. Recipes like pudding and salad were more forgiving. But her baked goods tended to end up burnt, her soups overboiled and dry, and if she tried anything in a pan, it usually wound up on fire. There was a reason Kent did most of the cooking for them, and it wasn't just laziness on Tara's part, although that didn't help matters any.
"I'm glad he's home." Tara's throat tightened, but she managed to speak without sounding too odd. "Maybe I can bring him something to keep him occupied? A book or a Rubix cube or something?" She had no idea whatsoever what sort of activities Mr. Weaver liked; the only time she met him, he had been heavily sedated. But it seemed like the right thing to do.
She shook her head quickly at Yvette's question and slipped out the door. "The bus is good. I'd ask Kent to drive us, but he's working. Ah well. Lead on then, since I've got no idea where we're going."
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Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 12:14 pm
As her friend somewhat hopped from one foot to the other, Yvette finally succumbed to the temptation of the candy. However, it was only because she had permission. Her little fingers dug into the depths of the bag, and out came a few colorful pieces of chocolatey goodness. She didn't sit and admire them for very long (there were two greens and a brown), for soon enough they were popped right into her mouth.
The quiet girl had her mouth full of candy (because 3 pieces of candy was obviously too much to fit in Yvette's mouth), so when her friend offered the story of her previous cooking experiences, all the girl could offer was a slight giggle. She wasn't about to speak with food in her mouth. Most people would have inhaled the M&M pieces, but apparently Yvette literally waited for the pieces to melt in her mouth.
By the time the pieces had melted, Tara was already talking about letting Yvette's Daddy borrow something to pass the time. Another giggle slipped from her, and then she offered something pretty helpful "Daddy is trying to keep himself as toned as possible so when he goes back to work, he isn't a cream puff." With the lack of a good leg, that reduced the amount of activities that he could do by a lot. Mr. Weaver was probably going to be doing a lot of weight lifting to compensate.
"The bus stop isn't too far!" Almost like a puppy on a leash, the quieter of the pair shot off ahead a bit, but then paused to look back to her friend. If her friend was willing or able to walk faster, then she'd pick up a rather steady trot, eagerly making her way to the bus stop she had just arrived at earlier. When they arrived to the stop, Yvette easily glanced over the schedule.
"Not this next bus, but the one after it will take us there!" She could feel the excitement bubbling up inside of her. Yvette wanted to tell Tara now about the plans for making a prom dress for her friend. However, it would be best to wait until they were in the store.
Yes, it would be better to wait.
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Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:55 pm
Tara was already starting to miss her M&Ms, but as she watched Yvette eat them, she knew she had done the right thing. There wasn't a whole lot that she could do for her friend, so she was resolved to do the little things that she could. Even if it meant sacrificing her chocolate. That was what Yvette meant to her.
"A cream puff sounds tasty." Maybe she should have had more or a snack before they left. "But I remember seeing your dad in the hospital, and I have to say, I don't think he could ever be a cream puff." She would have to look for something that might help, but so far, she had no ideas.
Giggling a little, Tara took off after Yvette, not wanting to let her get too far ahead. The fact that she seemed to be enjoying herself was infectious, and most of her previous doubts were floating away. "The bus after next. Got it. You know, I've started to take the bus more, since Kent's been working late lately, but you're way better at it than I am. You never think of riding the bus as a skill until you end up halfway to the next town."
Then again, that was less riding the bus and more remembering when to get off.
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 5:02 pm
As the girl took up a spot on the bench at the bus stop, she let out a small giggling noise. "Daddy's job is labor intensive. That's how he likes to explain why he's such a bulldozer."" With her daddy not going to work, he had to find another way to get a good "workout."
She intertwined her fingers together for a moment and reached forward to stretch out her hands a bit. It wasn't anything graceful, it just happened. The mention of the bus scheduling caused a faint blush to color her cheeks. "Well... umm..." Apparently it was somewhat embarrassing to confess this still. "I live right next to a bus stop. I can see it from my bedroom window. It's kinda how we always got around. Daddy always took the truck, and Mommy and I would use the bus." She paused to scratch at her head a bit.
"It really isn't all that bad once you get used to it. You always meet such interesting people on the bus." Miracle of all miracles, did Yvette just admit she actually talked to strangers?
Speaking of buses, one bus with what seemed to be green speed stripes painted on it pulled up to the curb. A couple people shuffled off, a few squeezed in, and soon enough the bus was on its way. It was a smooth transaction, showing that everyone involved was definitely a frequent bus rider.
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:34 pm
The comparison was an apt one. Tara closed her eyes for a moment, imagining Yvette's dad working as a bulldozer. What she got was a cross between a robot and the talking machinery on Bob the Builder. Opening her eyes, Tara burst out laughing. "Sorry," she said, not wanting Yvette to think she was making fun of her. "I can totally see it, though."
She nodded, not at all noticing Yvette's discomfort. "I grew up in the suburbs, so it took a little getting used to. I like the city a lot better though; it's way more convenient. Before I had to beg my parents to drive me if I wanted to go anywhere I couldn't walk to. This is so much better. Even better if you meet cool people." Tara, who talked to everyone, hadn't yet tried that. Now it would be lucky if anyone riding a bus with her got a moment's peace.
The bus pulled away as Tara watched, looking to see if the next one was coming. "So your dad's a truck, but what's your mom like?" The question was asked with a bit of apprehension: if Yvette was suffering, surely her mother was as well. But there was another reason she was asking. Tara and her mother had never gotten along well, and she was curious what kind of relationship Yvette had with hers.
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:44 pm
No bus pulled up yet, much to Tara's dismay. Yvette remained seated on the bench, eyes watching her friend as she explained her own upbringing.
"Sometimes... I wish I had grown up someplace that was a bit less crowded..." She let out a sigh. Her home was quite crowded with 3 people living in the small house. They really didn't have much of a backyard, their front yard was rather horrid looking, especially after the accident. There wasn't much space between houses, so it almost always felt like the neighbors were encroaching on the little bit of space her family had. Yet, the neighbors truly cared for those that lived near them. It was everything that she knew. "...but I don't think I'd change anything."
As various cars and vehicles whizzed past, Yvette caught her friend's question. For a moment, she glanced up to the sky, truly thinking about an accurate depiction of Mommy. "Hmmmm..." A finger touched her chin.
"Mommy is a bunny rabbit." Considering that Yvette was much like a mouse, a rabbit didn't seem very different at all. "Umm... she's calm... and quiet... but very nice. A lot of people consider her very bookwormish though."
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:40 pm
A crowded house sounded nice to Tara. Her home wasn't all that big, but considering precious few times all four occupants had spent together in it, it might as well have been empty. Getting the run of the house and yard was nice, in a way, but just remembering it made Tara feel lonely.
"I'm glad you have such a great family," she said, meaning every word of it. But what Yvette said pulled at her a little. Despite how distant she and her parents were, despite the fact that the only person she felt really knew her was her brother, would she change anything if she could?
... yes. Yes, she would. But that didn't mean that it was too bad to live with. It was what it was.
"Your mom sounds like she'd like my mom." Tara thought about it again, then nodded. "Yeah, probably. My mom's a teacher- bookworm city. She'd like you, too. She's tried to teach me to sew, but... well, I told you how that turned out." Shrugging sheepishly, Tara moved on. "What does she do? Your mom, I mean, since your dad's a truck." No matter how many times they met, Mr. Weaver was doomed to forever be, in Tara's mind, a truck.
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:19 pm
"Mommy tends to attract opposites..." Mrs. Ortiga was just one example, but perhaps the perfect example if anything. However, there were a few other colorful people in Mommy's life, generally proving that Natasha indeed attracted lively people and frequently served as the "quiet one" in any group.
The next bus pulled up before Yvette could actually answer about her Mommy's career. This one was a silvery bus with a couple tasteful black stripes painted on it. There was a rather large ad along the side for an upcoming movie (Yvette wouldn't have been able to recognize it, she was too sheltered). The large vehicle sounded as if it could have used a bit of maintenance, but nothing overbearingly wrong with it. It just came across as noisy, easily masking any attempts the quieter girl might have had to answer any questions.
Knowing exactly what to do, the girl got up from the bench and walked up to the bus. She turned her head slightly to make certain Tara was doing the same. People filed out, and then they were able to make their way inside.
As they made their way to a seat where the two could sit next to each other, she finally answered the question.
"Mommy is in jewelry resale. Nothing overly fancy. She is just very knowledgeable about jewelry and stuff. Though, in her spare time, she also crochets quite a bit. She says it is soothing for her." A tiny smile curled upon her lips as she settled into a green-leathery seat and scooted towards the window to leave room for her friend.
The two girls chatted about random topics during the ride, ranging from parents to school to working at the mall to plain old riding the bus. When they got off the bus, they still continued to talk as they walked down the sidewalk until they were in front of the fabric store. Somewhere in Yvette's purse was a wonderful coupon that took 40% off the total purchase.
Her smile grew larger than she usually allowed upon her tiny lips. This was going to be fun. "Hopefully you don't mind keeping me company, Tara!" Perhaps it was a bold move for the usually shy girl, but her fingers snatched up her friend's hand and soon enough she was tugging the girl in the door, much like a child dragging a parent around the zoo to the lion exhibit.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:28 pm
"Really? She must have a lot of magnetism then," Tara quipped. It seemed to her that Yvette had inherited her mother's tendency to attract energetic people, if their relationship was any indication. That thought, along with her bad pun, was enough to make her grin.
Even though she knew how to travel by bus now, she still followed Yvette's lead. This trip was all about making Yvette happy, and Tara was pleased to sit and chat with her on the bus ride. It had been a while since she'd been able to just sit and chat with a friend, and despite the supposed normalcy of the situation, it was quite enjoyable.
Her smile slipped as they approached the store. Tara eyed it warily. Most of the fabrics displayed in the window were ornate and flashy, embroidered silk and delicate lace and the like. It's not like you have to wear any of it, she reminded herself. This is for Yvette. And it can't all be fancy-shmancy... right?
"Are you kidding? This'll be great!" A bit of a lie, but worth it if it made her friend smile. It wasn't often that Tara saw Yvette's face light up the way that it did when they got to the entrance, and she was determined to make this a good trip for the both of them. Giggling at the shy girl's enthusiasm, she allowed herself to be dragged. "So what kind of fabric are you looking for, anyway? Not that I can tell silk from satin from polyester, but call me curious."
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:02 pm
Yvette couldn't keep this charade up for much longer. She had been holding back all of her excitement the entire bus ride, and it was now at the point of exploding.
They had just barely gotten in past an aisle with simple cotton cloths when she had to stop in place.
"A-actually...I uh..." She swallowed a little lump that had formed in her throat. Wow, this was harder to say than she thought it would be. "I uh... I s-sorta... w-wanted you to come with me f-for a different reason."
She was still holding her friend's hand, and as she found herself getting more and more embarrassed, her fingers began to fumble over her friend's hand, trying to find a way to hold it that didn't seem too awkward. As usual, her eyes began to fall from her friend's face and down her body until her deep purple eyes were upon the fingers she was holding.
"S-since... since y-you've b-been so nice... Imean... withallthemoviesandofferingtogowithmetoprom... I... I wanted to know... i-if...?" Her fingers squeezed Tara's, as if asking her to give her the courage to finish up her question.
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:31 pm
It was comforting to see that the store dealt in fabrics that weren't over-the-top blinged out. Tara smiled at a bolt of cute cloth with petit fours printed on it. That was fabric that she and Yvette could bond over. Anything with chocolate on it would be an automatic hit with both of them.
She started to point it out, but Yvette started talking before she could. "Hmm? What's the matter?" Yvette was shy, she knew that very well, but she was talking like she was even more nervous than usual. What went wrong? Was her discomfort that obvious? Had she ruined what was supposed to be a fun outing?
"If I said anything or did anything that upset you, I'm really sorry, Yvette." The smile was completely gone. Tara was upset, and determined to make things right however she could. "You can tell me anything. Or ask me anything. Anything at all. Okay?"
A horrifying thought occurred to her- what if Yvette was going to ask something senshi-related? Had she been too lax with protecting her identity? It was too late to back out now, so all she could do was hope the question was something she could answer truthfully. After her promises and reassurances, it would really suck to have to lie.
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Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:35 am
The girl's eyes shot up for a moment to her friend's eyes. "Oh, no no no no no! Youdidn'tdoanythingwrong! ...it... it just..." Once more, eyes fell to their hands, which almost looked like a tangled mess thanks to how Yvette kept trying to find something less "awkward."
Her cheeks were easily now the shade of roses and her fingers once more squeezed tightly to her friend's hand. "I... I wanted to know... if... ifIcouldsewyourpromdressforyou!!!" Her eyes already pinched themselves shut, as if waiting for rejection. Oh god, Tara was going to reject her, and then this whole trip to the fabric store was going to be absolutely pointless. And to make matters worse, it was going to make the rest of the day awkward.
Oh god, what had Yvette done this time?! Tara was going to not want to talk to her for the rest of the day, and there was plenty of day to go still. In her head, everything was spiraling to heck (because hell was not a word she used), and it was spiraling to heck as fast as possible.
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