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 Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 9:45 pm
She was a friend, maybe, he wasn't sure honestly. He hadn't had much for friends growing up, for various reasons, but Lovina he'd met when she'd been new to Romano's and he'd helped her find her way, he'd been assigned to do so, and from there something had happened. They talked, not like social butterfly's did but they talked. Xi-Wang wasn't the best socially, too worried about upsetting someone, in some way, but it had worked somehow.
They had talked on a semi regular basis since then and still talked even though he'd graduated and had just finished his first semester at DCU, he was going for general liberal arts right now, the other day they'd decided to go out and do whatever last minuet shopping they needed to - and he did need to. It wasn't just that he was shopping for the few people in his life that were of any interest, the family he'd been raised with not counting, but he was also looking for a few things for himself.
What he wasn't expecting, and normally would have turned his nose up at, was the offering at a bakery of a fruit cake sample. He was planning on just getting a small order of cookies, mostly for Caleb and himself, something to nibble on at home, when the offering of the fruit cake had been made. It would be impolite to decline it - right? Not all fruit cake was bad...I mean they made jokes about fruit cake but it couldn't all be bad...maybe this was good? He'd never actually ever tried the stuff so he didn't know a thing.
It was impulse, and maybe feeling guilty for some reason, that he grabbed the offered sample and nibbled it quickly - like a rabbit might. Eating it rather quickly in small bites he found it really wasn't that bad. In fact it was really good...so maybe they had perfected the recipe cause if fruit cake was even half as good as this than why the bad reputation of the stuff?
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Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 8:15 am
Quote: Who knew fruit cake could be so good? A local bakery claims to have perfected their recipe and is giving away free samples. The good news? It’s delicious. The bad news? A few hours after ingestion, something strange kicks in. Suddenly, everything seems so colorful and bright. The music sounds so much better, everything tastes so much better—and then, it stops, and everything is an awful blend of everything. Lights are too bright, smells and tastes are overwhelming, music sounds like noise. You’re sick enough to throw up everything in your stomach—which is good, because within a few hours of that you finally start to feel normal again.
Maybe a little more on the loud side, but people like Xi-Wang looked like they needed hugs.
A sample lady stepped in her path, but she would not be deterred — Lovi grabbed one of the paper cups with a delighted 'thanks!' and continnued trying to cross the bakery. While it was pretty crowded, Lovi got good enough at skirting corners and gently brushing people's shoulders that she could navigate the space pretty easily. Xi-Wang wouldn't escape by the power of people, that was for sure.
When she finally reached him, Lovi moved to give him a tight squeeze from behind. "It's been so long! I can't believe you're in college and all that! Who am I gonna copy my history answers from now?" She joked. Well, half-joked. She still really needed to find someone who would let her copy their history answers or tutor her or something. "I miss you! And Roxanne misses you too, but she turned into a total b***h so ******** her." The smile never faded from Lovi's face, even as she released her captive audience. She wasn't lying, though — she did miss Xi-Wang. Skittish as he was, and sometimes a little wet blanket-y, he let her boss him around sometimes and he was a really smart kid. Good-natured, too.
Lovi bit into the piece of fruitcake afterward, and her eyes lit up as soon as she tasted it. "Holy crap," she spoke around her mouthful of crumbs. She covered her mouth with her hand quickly. "Have you tried some of their fruitcake? It's fantastic!"
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Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:29 am
Not one for having attention placed upon him Xi-Wang wasn't surprised when it happened, not when Lovina was concerned. She was a bit...loud with greetings, which he supposed was alright - it was who she was...and who was he to tell her something she did was wrong? Watching as she headed his way the dark haired male made to assist in closing the distance, by walking towards her as well. Watching as she, along the way, took one of the fruit cake samples.
Laughing he turned towards her, having turned away from the incoming Lovina to avoid being hit by someone, and smiled down at her gently. "I can help you - if you need. I mean just because I'm in university doesn't mean I can't help...." He trailed off as he honestly felt bad for her. He knew history wasn't her subject, at least not always, and he hadn't been able to help her this year. If he offered to help her thought she could still pass...if she was doing that bad - right? What he wasn't expecting was the status of Lovina and Roxaane's friendship, as Lovina seemed upset with the other. For a moment he considered asking her what had happened, as he was sure something had indeed happened, but for the moment he refrained from doing so, not wanting to further upset the other.
"I did...I've never had it before. Just heard rumors on how bad it is. It's not though...." Lifting a hand to wipe a crumb away from her face. "You are going to make a mess."
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Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:48 pm
"Aww!" She cooed around her quickly-disappearing fruitcake bite. "You're so sweet!" A quick and playful pinch to the elbow was followed by a little muss of his hair. "If you're okay fir a little cram session, I could definitely use some help with this history final. It's gonna be killer — Mr. Capello grades like he's trying to ruin our college careers!"
She stepped a little closer to Xi-Wang when she felt an elbow graze her back. A new influx of people now bustled their way in, and the bakery grew more crowded by the second. Lovi swore she could smell every perfume under the sun, along with every flavor of body odor imaginable. At least Xi-Wang smelled pretty clean compared to the rest of the gaggle. "Wow, we're gonna get totally smashed in here." The last of the fruitcake popped into her mouth easily and Lovi discarded the cup into the nearest micro trash can. Cute as it was, she didn't want to comment on it and then get rammed into it by the nearest insensitive customer.
Xi-Wang mother henning over her face made her smile, and she giggled at his accusation. "Okay, Mom. I'll be more careful next time. Hey, you're way taller than me. Can you hand me that box of chocolates up there? And the one next to it. The berries n' creme one. I think that's all I need from here. Since, um, I think we''ll get totally smashed if we stick around for much longer.
"Oh, wait, I'm being dumb, do you have everything? Who are you shopping for, anyway?" As she looked up at him, she realized how good he looked in this lighting. He looked like he could pass for a pop star.
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Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:27 am
This was the first time he was hearing just which history professor she had, though he could have guessed from past comments on the teacher. The man had a reputation, and he was somewhat surprised he'd never been talked to. He'd certainly upset some students, over various things, and some people were upset easily and even easier did they run to the office to report things. "I can help...yeah." Even if he might be busy himself he would be able to help, he'd find time, he didn't want her to do poorly on her final and he knew it meant a lot to her. Reaching up to fix his hair, he didn't like when it was too messy, and found his hand then moving towards the female to brace her.
"It's getting busy in here...maybe the fruitcake..." And other things which were served here...he didn't know, he was guessing really.
A small pout formed on his lips, his nose giving a bit of a scrunch, as she called him mom. A small shake of his head before dissolving into a smile. "I grew a bit actually....half an inch short of six foot..." He'd gained an inch and a half...and he hadn't even noticed it till the regular check up he'd had. It meant things were, thankfully, easy for him to reach...like the chocolates she wanted. Grabbing them from where they were on the shelving he offered them to Lovina. "I don't need anything in here...and I honestly don't know what to get for Caleb..." Had he told her about Caleb? He didn't think he had...but he might have?
"It's hard to shop for people...and I don't have many people to shop for." Very few in fact. His mother wasn't even on the list or the woman she had married, he had never allowed adoption papers to be signed and would never consider her his second mother - never.
"I'm also being a bit selfish and shopping for myself." For which he did sound shameful...this was a time to give to others and yet he wanted things for himself....
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Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 9:47 am
"Thank you!" Lovi accepted both boxes graciously, then checked their price tags. "Yikes. Maaaaybe not…" She casually retired the boxes on the counter by the fruit displays, and made to distance herself from them as quickly as possible. "This place is totally overpriced. The fruitcake's fantastic, but if it's priced like the rest of their chocolates… I don't think it's that fantastic.
"Hey, let's just get outta here. I'd love to not be talking over people right now, you know?" Beckoning, Lovi started to weave her way out of the store. It wasn't a large space, being a specialty mom-and-pop store, so there wasn't a lot of trouble in navigating their way out the door. Since neither one of them had purchases to make, they were good to leave with little more than a tired-but-polite wave from one of the clerks. But she wanted to hear about this Caleb fellow, and with everyone else talking in her ears, she wasn't going to catch all of it.
Finally she led them outside into the chilly night, where gorgeous Christmas light displays danced and twinkled across the snow. Everything lit up in beautiful, lurid colors, and Lovi was very nearly taken with the urge to take Xi-Wang's hands and dance under them. But he'd always been such an introvert, and she didn't want him to die of embarrassment before he got a word out about this Caleb.
"Soooo," she started in a teasing, singsong voice, "who's Caleb? Is he a boy you're seeing? Tell me about him!" She smiled broadly and looked at him with lidded eyes, as if to say you're not leaving until I have every last detail.
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Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 7:02 pm
Rolling his eyes as he watched her put the boxes back and he just as he was considering grabbing them both, and telling her he'd cover them, she was making to leave. If they were that over priced, he hadn't even looked at the prices, than perhaps she was right in wanting to leave. They could find chocolates, if that's what she wanted, somewhere else. It really wasn't hard to find places which sold chocolates, especially ones with all sorts of flavors and fillings, though he really didn't see the appeal in most of them.
"Mmm, too many people here and it's too loud." And he didn't like being in such a crowded place, it was getting too warm, it made it nearly impossible to move without nearly hitting someone. Following behind Lovina, she was thankfully not hard to keep track of, Xi-Wang weaved his way around people as he trailed behind her.
Once outside he was able to take a breath of fresh air, and silently be thankful for the cold winter chill. He'd gotten too warm inside that place, it was too small and too packed with people, and so the cold air was welcome. At Lovina's question his dark eyes locked right onto the Christmas lights, and how they danced across the snow and the play of light and shadow...how the snow glistened. "Ummm...yeah...he is." Nibbling on his bottom lip, the fingers of his right hand toyed with the left sleeve of his coat. He honestly might as well be some pure minded little school girl with the way he acted, and he sort of new it.
"He does robotics at HITS...you know that super smart school with the reputation for that sort of thing." He'd gone to Azure Valley High and Romano's himself, both having good reputations but not like HITS. He knew that wouldn't be enough for Lovina and he knew she would want to know everything, she'd know if he left things out, but he sort of shuffled his feet and stared at anything but her. "He was living on his own in a nice apartment...I mean his parents pay for it but don't live with him." Now it was the two of them living there, he didn't mention it yet as he could only imagine Lovina's reaction to that.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:38 am
She waited excitedly for the truth to come out. And it… Almost did. Well, it mostly came out with Xi-Wang confessing to having a boyfriend (like anyone was surprised), but pretty much nothing about the boyfriend came with it! Was he ashamed of the guy? Of himself? Didn't know the right words? Lovi could hardly guess, but she looked at him with a pouty frown to remind him that he definitely wasn't living up to expectations.
"Oh, come on," she replied as she beat her fists against his chest playfully. "You know that's not enough. I'm not letting you off the hook that easy!"
Stooping, Lovi tried to make a snowball to chuck at Xi-Wang, but found the snow was too powedered to stick. She sighed. "Okay lo-… Oooh. Oh wow." As she straightened, Lovi grasped her head. Mittened hands crushed her boisterous curls against her ears. "Um. I don't feel so good." She looked at the lights, which seemed way too bright (were they that way before? She couldn't remember), and even Xi-Wang was starting to sound a little loud (okay something was definitely wrong), and the aftertaste that was basting in her mouth was turning seriously disgusting (okay no surprises there, Lovina Lee, you ate fruitcake).
"Wow. Um." Even her own voice sounded harsh and grating. "Raincheck on the boyfriend discussion? I'm totally not trying to flake out, but… I dunno. I don't feel good. It's like everything's too loud…" She finished as her head spiked with pain.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2018 3:26 pm
"Ok...he lives on his own...his parents aren't around, or they live separate...and I...Isortamovedinwithhim." It wasn't that he was ashamed of Caleb, or any such thing, it wasn't even not knowing the right words. It was just embarrassment on his part, and a lot of it. The words were rushed out, his cheeks coloring, as he was sure she'd assume things and tease him, and he wanted for a moment to melt into the snow under his feet.
Getting ready to duck the snowball he saw her going to make he wasn't expecting the snow to not wanna cooperate with her, was it not sticking snow? It had looked like it was sticking to things, though he could have been wrong. Well, that was good for him...and something seemed off about Lovina.
Reaching out for her, as if she might fall over or something, concern filling his dark eyes he found himself missing her as he reached out for her. His judgement on distance was off, how off he didn't even know. Trying again he just sort of swept his hand back and forth like a blind person would a walking stick, sweeping about till he hit something. There! His hand on her...shoulder, from the feel of it, he grasped onto her. "Lovina..." So his voice sounded a bit loud in his own ears, but he hadn't raised his voice...had he?
Figuring something was going on he went to take a step, a bit wobbled, as he moved closer to the female...in case either of them fell over.
"Yeah...raincheck...I'm feeling off also - really off. Ummmm...place to go maybe..." Somewhere to work through whatever this was. Could they have both eaten something bad? Had the food been bad? The only thing they'd eaten that was the same was the fruitcake...was it bad or something? As he was pondering this he noted that the lights were getting too bright and blurring for him, like he just couldn't see them in the usual sharpness and clarity he saw them in.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:50 am
Most of what Xi-Wang said went in one ear and out the other in the slurry of noises. She definitely needed to lay down, or take a hot bath or something. Her mom would know what to do — she had every home remedy Lovi could think of and then some. She was sure her mom would've heard about something like this.
Xi-Wang's steadying hands were welcome, but somehow even they felt too loud. And the lights looked too loud. And the wind blew too loud. And the bakery smelled too loud. And the inside of her mouth tasted too loud. What was even going on? It was hitting Xi-Wang too, so it couldn't have been something she had earlier… Right? Maybe there's some kinda weird cologne going on and they got gassed with it in that madhouse. She didn't know. Sleuthing that stuff out wasn't her hobby.
"Yeah, um… I'm gonna go home. I think you should too." Xi-Wang looked just as bad for how his expression changed. t wass catching up with him, too. "I'll call you again later, and we can hang out sometime." Her voiice lacked its usual flair; she didn't want to hurt her own ears, let alone her friend's.
She gave his hand a gentle pat before slipping out, and managed a little distance before she called back to him. "Don't be a stranger!" Owww. Bad idea, Lovi. She rubbed her ears while starting the long trail home.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:39 am
Strickenized Yup, I think so. And we can plot out some sort of follow up.
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