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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:29:17 GMT -5
[This thread is an attempt to find someone who may wish to resire Jac]
It’s amazing how everything in your life can seemingly be coming together, but you can still have a strange sort of void within such. That’s not to say that Miss DeVen is unhappy, or even wallowing in discontent. It can more be described as, well… Jacqueline Couldn’t Describe it, at least not adequately.
These feelings weren’t something she spoke of to anyone. Not her coworkers, not those people she was assisting across the check out, and most definitely not Christian. Jacqueline wasn’t one who traditionally seeked pity, or even comforting words. She was a mostly self-sufficient young woman, who’d managed to survive a good nineteen and a half years without many comforting words, thoughts, or gestures. And she’d like to think she was well adjusted.
But then she had it. She’d gotten a taste of what a family could be like, and needless to say she hadn’t been ready to give it up when she was forced to. She’d learned what it was like to have people care for you, simply for sharing the same blood. It was settling, and Jacqueline missed it, even if there was little interaction between herself and her sire, or her siblings. It was that illusion of closeness that she missed.
It’s her restlessness that brought her out of the apartment building this evening.
Her hands are empty, save for the tiers of her skirts which were balled and pressed firmly upon her palms. Jacqueline almost wished that she’d brought along her messenger bag, despite the fact that it was an unnecessary, it served as a touch stone of sorts, something comforting to cling to almost desperately. Sure, holding fast to a loose fitting shirt worked fine if she was just wishing for something to cling to, except it’s then Jacqueline realizes she’d no pockets.
And no money.
Her gaze is set upon a news paper dispenser. It’s bright blue in color, and almost awkward in shape. She once recalled reading of a contortionist stuffing themselves inside one of these. But there was no contortionist packed into this one. Simply a news paper with it’s bold headlines lacking any definite articles or prepositions. Grammatically incorrect sing songy words about some horrendous tragedy. It’s nothing new, but still Jacqueline felt obligated to read on.
She finds herself patting down her own being with a knit to her soft brows. She knew she wouldn’t find any sort of change within that skirt of hers. Or the camisole she was sporting. There was no room for either. Those blue eyes of hers fluttered closed and she’s sighing out loud before turning her attention towards the sidewalk before her.
A small hand lifts before settling on the next person’s shoulder - the being closest to her, “Do you have a quarter I could borrow?” she’s questioning with a carefully knitted brow.
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:32:50 GMT -5
Who’d have known that it was possible to feel two completely different things at one time? It was a curious predicament, and it was one which Chloe was indulging in. She almost looked at the state of her own emotions with a scientific clarity, examining them underneath a looking glass in order to try to decipher their meaning—or at least from whence they had come.
On the one hand, Chloe was gleeful. It was the kind of emotion which one could describe as being ‘over the moon’. She knew to whom she could attribute this gleefulness; Thaddeus E. Roosevelt. How a single person could make her feel so happy was a mystery. But whatever the case, she couldn’t wait to be back by Thadd’s side. But of course Thaddeus was human, and he had to keep somewhat human hours. Besides which, Chloe could hardly expect him to want to spend his every waking moment with her. It didn’t matter. Just knowing that some time in the near future she’d be seeing those sky-blue eyes was enough to keep a skip in Chloe’s every step.
But, on the flip side, there was a lingering doubt tearing at Chloe’s insides; it was a heart-wrenching anguish which could almost bring the tears dancing to her emerald eyes. The majority of that, however, could be attributed to the song which blared through the tiny white earphones which were trapped in each of Chloe’s ears. It was a song which never failed to make her feel something. It wasn’t even the lyrics which struck a chord—it was only the way in which the song was sung, the melody of the thing. Really, she ought to have stopped listening to it if it was going to have such a horrendous effect.
But she’d always been a bit morbid like that—she enjoyed those songs which made her feel miserable. Only the good songs could do that.
But perhaps the only reason it could effect her in such a way was because she did have lingering doubts. Thaddeus, again. He didn’t know what she was; it was a hefty secret which she didn’t know how to divulge, or whether she ought to even divulge it at all. But if she didn’t…what then? Would she have to never see him again and give him no sufficient excuse? Even thinking of it caused her anguish.
So she quit thinking about it. She chose to remain gleeful, and only gleeful. The problems of the future could remain in the future—they could remain elusive, and she’d not go searching for them on purpose.
She’d been on her way to the busier part of the city where she could find the shops which stayed open later than usual—she wanted to buy some more music. Some more books, perhaps. It was like her money was burning holes in her pockets. It needed to be spent. She’d reached one of the busier streets and had only a block and a half to go. She paused at an intersection—the little man on the other side was flashing red. She may as well wait for the next set of light, and while she did that she could change the song to something a little more upbeat.
She retrieved the little green nano from her jeans pocket, its eerie white light illuminating her features as she stared at the small text.
It was then that she felt a tap on her shoulder; she hastily removed the earphones from her ears and turned to the tapper, blinking twice. Obviously, she’d not heard the question, but she smiled politely anyway—it was an open invitation that the question be asked again.
But after the second blink Chloe’s head tilted to the side curiously as recognition dawned upon her slow-acting mind. She knew this girl…where did she know this girl from? It only took her a few moments.
“Jac!” She exclaimed, eyes bright as she recalled the night of her birthday; of standing around at a bar, listening to live music and chatting to Elektra, a guy called Vincent and to this one…Jac. It was indeed a small world.
“Hey! How are you?” She asked—it was force of habit, that cliché greeting. Chloe didn’t even stop to think that Jac mightn’t remember who she was; indeed, she assumed that was the reason she’d been tapped upon the shoulder.
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:35:01 GMT -5
There’s a sweep of fading music as that other girl’s headphones are plucked away from her ears. Jacqueline is watching them fall for a brief moment, and wondering if by any chance she would have known the song if offered another listen. It was the distant static of white noise, and perhaps that would what Jac could always define it as. It was the soundtrack to this odd moment, in companion with the bustle of people brushing pass, irritated drivers in the roadway, not to mention more natural sounds.
Every moment needed a sound track, or so Jacqueline liked to think. No one wanted to die in silence, after all. Sure, it’s a morbid thought, but it was all too real, and true. Not that Miss DeVen had any intention of kicking the bucket any time in the near future, that was.
It’s the sound of her own name that draws her gaze away from those limp ear phones, and back into reality. Her blue eyes widen, and the girl seems almost shocked in that moment. “I…” she begins to stammer, displaying her social awkwardness for all to see. A short minute passes, in a not quite literal sense before everything seems to be slowing down, and dropping into place as though a game of Tetris was raging inside her mind, It seemed Jac’s connecting piece had come, and not a moment to soon, “Chloe!?” it’s a question, of sorts, though the little ragamuffin is near positive that this woman before her is, indeed, the Chloe she’d encountered in a pub, alongside another woman and a man which Jac had almost easily labeled a tool.
The newspaper she’d been eyeing previously had become no more than a distant memory in these few passing moments, and Jac is more than eager to cling and socialize someone she had a bond with. Even if that bond isn’t particularly strong. Things needed time to develop, after all, and there was no better time than the present, or so the saying goes.
How was she? There were many words that could be used to describe the inner turmoil raging within this one nineteen year old girl. She’s lost for one, near giddy for another, alone, and near complete. To put a cliché to it, Miss DeVen is a walking contradiction, but then again, all teenage girls were. At least that’s what Jac told herself.
“I’m sort of… fine? I suppose,” Jac’s lips part once more following her words with a distinctly awkward, nervous, laughter. Her nose wrinkles upon hearing such, and her lips clamp shut for a moment. Already, not even ten words into a conversation and she finds herself second guessing her words. At least she hadn’t resorted to prodding upon her touchstone as of yet; that lip-ring of hers. This is all pushed aside, all that uncertainty, and mixed feelings. She even attempts to quell that teenage awkwardness that will more than likely plaque her to her grave, “How are you?” There’s a hint at a smile lingering on her warm pout.
There’s something comforting about simply knowing someone. Even if in all actuality you knew very little of them. There was always room for improvement, but you had your foot in the door, and an edge on someone completely anonymous.
“Were you going somewhere?” Jac finds herself questioning. It’s proposed in a manner which may suggest Jac could walk with, if Chloe was in some sort of rush, or actually had to be somewhere. After all, it’s not like this little ragamuffin had anywhere important to be, well, at least not this night.
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:35:32 GMT -5
A wide grin spread the breadth of Chloe’s face, turning her cheeks upward; even her eyes smiled. It was a classic Chloe-smile—the genuine kind. Along with that grin came a nod of assent. Yes, her name was Chloe. And also there came the realisation that Jac hadn’t known her beforehand and thus can’t have tapped her on the shoulder for that reason.
But whatever the reason had been seemed to be forgotten, swept away by recognition and the promise of something a little more interesting.
Because although Chloe was a self-proclaimed introvert and as much as she liked to claim a hell of a lot of time as her ‘me time’, she still craved company. It was a trait of humanity which she doubted could ever be properly banished; humans are social creatures. Granted, some are far more social than others, but ultimately most people need friends. It was a sad fact that Chloe could only count her close acquaintances on only one hand; Seppuku, Toshiya, Christian, Elektra, Thaddeus. Four of those were ‘family’ and were obligated to be acquaintances, so did they even count?
The point of the fact was that Chloe was somewhat gleeful at having run into Jac—it was as if she felt the need to cling to the other girl and keep her. Of course, her actions didn’t betray that deep-seated urge, no. She didn’t want to freak her out.
And it was refreshing to find someone so truthful. Usually, when asked how one is, a person will reply with the usual ‘good’ or ‘fine’. And although Jac did answer ‘fine’, the word was accompanied by uncertainty. Immediately, Chloe was urged to press the matter, to ask whether everything was alright. But she didn’t. She didn’t know Jac well enough to be so personal, as yet. No, best to let it slide, and if Jac wanted to talk about it she’d do so on her own terms.
As was expected, the question was echoed. Chloe, too, shrugged, though the grin remained steadfast upon her lips. “I’m excellent, I think.” She returned. Now that her head was no longer filled with the somber tones of Jason Mraz (or that particular song, anyway—Jason Mraz, at the best of times, could hardly be considered somber) she was free to feel as good as she wished.
As the next question was put to her Chloe glanced upward and at the red man across the street – he suddenly turned green, the transition accompanied by the dull beeping of the button beside her.
“I was just going to do some shopping.” She replied; the green man was urging her onward and her body leant in the direction of the crossing. Her emerald gaze swept back to Jac, to her casual attire and her lack of other belongings. Chloe wanted the company, she realised, but would Jac want to come?
So, she hesitantly put the question to her old, and yet new again, acquaintance;
“Do you wanna come?”
And even as she proposed the question she was winding the white cord of the headphones around the little green ipod, ready to push the contraption into the khaki bag which was slung over her shoulder.
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:37:29 GMT -5
What came next was most definitely unexpected. Though today just seemed to be full of surprises, beginning with the fact that Jacqueline had even bothered to exit the apartment building by herself. No Christian, no Daisy, not even Pip was accompanying her.
Jacqueline had been alone, but the small girl wasn’t anymore. She was with Chloe and she’d been invited to do some shopping, or at the very least, tag along with the young Irish woman. It was borderline comforting, and after having spent what was most definitely months within the company of one single man, it was nice to spend some time with someone else. Of course, that’s not to say that her time spent with Christian was unpleasant, or that she wished to be spending less time with him. It’s just that most people could easily agree that diversity within one’s life is essential to keeping themselves happy.
And Chloe is excellent, in all honesty that was pretty great to hear. Jac had little to no interaction between the other citizens of RavenBlack city, but as a general rule, she’d come to notice most people were a little on the mopey side, their beings ladened with almost ridiculous woes of epic proportions. Occasionally Miss DeVen wondered how in the hell a whole city of people like that could simply exist without a case of mass-suicide. Vampires, or not.
“That’s good to hear,” Jacqueline finds herself confessing with that warm, borderline awkward smile crossing upon her soft pout.
Her gaze is lifting upwards, upon hearing that dull blipping to peer upon the walking-man across the street, where Chloe’s gaze was likewise focused. It’s then Chloe proposed that Jacqueline accompany her, and, well, that sounded delightful, and Jacqueline almost stated such, but for fear of coming off as over-eager she rethought her words, and simply settled upon a mildly-enthusiastic “Sure!” it’s not meant to be neutral, or offensive, as it may have come off, Jacqueline is simply attempting to contain her enthusiasm to the best of her inexperienced abilities.
She finds herself stepping down the curb and into the crosswalk. Jacqueline leans forth, just to be sure some wayward car wasn’t about to come blowing by and picking either of the two girls off. Jac had grown up in what could be considered a dangerous city, and in a place like Detroit few people paid heed to the state of stop lights.
“So, it’s been a while,” Jac continues onwards with a knit to her brows. Her fingertips tangle easily into the hem of that overly eccentric skirt of her. “What have you been up to?” the tiny girl questions with a lift to dark brows. For all Jacqueline knew Chloe could have done a number of things within the past few months that they’d not seen one another. And she’d probably done more than Jac had!
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:38:02 GMT -5
As soon as the single word leaves Jac’s lips Chloe grins and pushes the ipod into its designated pocket, leaving her hands free. The two of them step off the curb almost simultaneously, weaving their way between the pedestrians coming at them from the opposite direction. Chloe never really did like crowds, and loathed the fact that they couldn’t adhere to the same kind of traffic rules on the sidewalk as they would if they were in cars. Instead it was all confusion and sidestepping. She was just as prone to sidewalk-rage as she was to road-rage, the only difference being that she’d be swearing like a trooper when trapped inside the solitary confines of her car.
It was far easier to let her rage go, however, when with company. Somehow, when with someone else she was able to ease herself into the sidewalk traffic and she could go with the flow. It was easier not to pay attention, perhaps. Perhaps it was now the other people who had to dodge them.
The frown merged into one of concentration as Chloe cast her memory back to the night she’d met Jac—she then concentrated on the large gap of time in between and everything that had happened. At first she was about to shrug and tell Jac that nothing had happened, that her life was dull, always had been and always would be. If she’d done so she’d have just been falling into her default setting. But she’d also be lying.
“Well…” Chloe began. Where to begin? What was important? What would Jac even want to hear?
“I met a few people. Or… two in particular. I ah.... ‘adopted’ one of them,” (she really didn’t like the word in this context…Christian was older than she was in human years, there really was no rationality behind the thought that she’d adopted him) “and I think I’m kind of dating the other.” She said, unable to stop the grin from spreading further. She glanced sideways at Jac, and suddenly felt the urge to confess – Thaddeus was human and had no idea what Chloe was, and Chloe had no one else to admit this to. Would Jac be able to help her figure this one out? Too soon to tell…
“And what about you? What have you been up to?” She queried, only because social conventions forced the counter question from her mouth. It would be rude to rant about the things she’d done and not give Jac the same opportunity. They had all night to discuss things, as it was. There was no reason to rush anything.
The two of them had, by then, reached the other side of the street. They seamlessly blended with the crowd, becoming a part of it, as they all seemed to be heading in the same direction—toward the lights, toward the more crowded parts of town.
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:53:20 GMT -5
Jacqueline couldn’t exactly say that she enjoyed crowds, however, they were tolerable. The small girl had grown up in what could be considered a larger city where walking from place to place was the norm. People on sidewalks could generally be considered rude, and conscious of only themselves. These people have places to be, and those places were far more important than any sort of wayward wanderer upon the sidewalk.
What was Chloe up to? Apparently much more than Jacqueline had been doing. It’s not very long before the two of them are stepping up, and onto the curb opposite the one they’d just left. Her brows furrow for a short moment at the young woman’s confusion, before things seem to be taking an up turn, not that siring someone was a bad thing, far from it in fact. It was fantastic, and something Miss DeVen dearly missed.
But what could be better than getting close to a boy? Well, there wasn’t much that Jac could think of there are a few questions that come to mind before Jac can even think of replying to Chloe’s own question, “What’s his name? What’s he like? Is he cute? What color are his eyes? How old is he?” Jacqueline could have easily been mistaken for some younger sister, or even a best friend of sorts within this moment. The smile on her lips is almost embarrassingly wide, those blue eyes of hers curious, and probing for the answers to those questions. Christian was terribly cute, had blue eyes, and was more than a decade older than her. It was definitely a unique relationship, and one of the only Jac had been involved in. Miss DeVen is all too curious over Chloe’s possible relationship.
What of Jac, though? Well, not much has happened. “I moved in with my…boyfriend,” Jac finally replies, upon receiving all her own answers. But Jac is hesitant to use the term boyfriend in application to Mister Devereux. He wasn’t a boy, and he wasn’t exactly sure that she was in a relationship in the first place. The two of them were definitely lovers, and they used fond terms around one another. He was her southern gentleman, and he’d called her pretty almost countless times. Either way, “I haven’t been doing much else. He’s the only person I really spend time with,” Nineteen year old girls should have friends in abundance, shouldn’t they? Or at least a small handful of them. Jac had neither; she had Christian, and a small number of acquaintances. Chloe was one of those people she barely knew, but was on good terms with, “I’m getting sort of lonely,” she confesses with an almost awkward laugh.
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:54:17 GMT -5
Chloe laughed softly under her breath, though her grin widened. The questions were absolutely welcome, and Chloe hadn’t realised how much she’d wanted to gush until now. “Oh! His name is Thaddeus…I have no idea how old he is but he can’t be too much older than thirty, if that… and he has the brightest blue eyes. They’re like… a clear blue sky in summer. He’s cute as… as well I don’t know what! And I think it’s too soon to tell exactly what he’s like but I’m absolutely infatuated nonetheless!” And then she stopped, bowing her head and blushing, if only slightly. She wasn’t really in the habit of talking about her crushes—she didn’t know whether she was being rather immature about it. But Jac had initiated the excitement. Chloe could only assume she’d not judge in return.
There were certain worldly things Chloe claimed to know about. Things that she could philosophise about, and this she’d do mainly when she was alone. She was alone most of the time, and though she sometimes got lonely she also had people whom she could count on for company in a moment’s notice. Thaddeus now being one of them. The thought warmed her heart. And because she was an introvert by nature and because she didn’t mind being lonely and because she was truly a romantic at heart, she couldn’t see what Jac’s predicament was. But she had to keep in mind that not everyone was like her, and that people could get lonely even though their hearts were full.
“We’ll certainly fix that.” Chloe replied; this was where a truly bubbly and extroverted person may have slipped their arm through Jac’s in an overtly friendly nature. But Chloe was shy and had lived her whole life in a bubble, unable to break out of it unless someone broke it first.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t have many ‘friend’ friends.” Chloe admitted, with a frown. “Most people I know are men… and they’re kind of obligatory relationships due to blood.” She said – it was like talking about a family, really. You can’t choose your family and though you mayn’t agree with them sometimes, you’re fond of them anyway. There was Elektra—Elektra was the only true friend Chloe could claim these days.
Perhaps after tonight, hanging out with Jac, that might change.
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:56:24 GMT -5
”He sounds magnificent, Chloe!” Jac coos with an impossibly wide grin to match the other woman’s own.
It wasn’t as if age mattered in a city like RavenBlack, someone could look thirteen, and be as ancient as the gravel beneath Jacqueline’s old, worn sneakers. Age is simply a question that needed to be asked, out of habit. Well, maybe it wasn’t out of habit, it’s not as if Jac had much experience in the art of girl talk; gushing like some foolish little high school girl. It was all very foreign to her, but at the same time it was almost natural; ingrained within her very psyche. Maybe it was Chloe that brought this side of Jacqueline out. After all, upon meeting the older woman, Jac had likened her to her very own being, and there was something comforting about being in the presence of someone you could relate to, even if on such a minute scale.
Either way, Jac is more than pleased to hear Chloe’s eager words, accompanying that wide smile of hers. It’s a sign that she’s comfortable around Jac, even if only somewhat. It brought ease to Jac’s own mind, she felt less bothersome than she had mere minutes ago, whilst standing at that newspaper dispenser. Of course she doesn’t speak these convictions, that would be highly awkward, and maybe a step too far forward within their still-wary relationship. Jacqueline wasn’t quite ready to make that leap.
Friendship was a different sort of commitment than an actual relationship was. It’s almost strange to think that a near-twenty year old lass is far more comfortable handing her heart over to a man more than ten years her senior than she is offering the simplest of feelings towards someone she would never even dream of sharing an apartment with. Jacqueline had had boyfriends before, and maybe that was the problem, she’d had a few good boyfriends, but next to no true friends. The majority of them had been fakes who cared little of Jac’s well being, and were simply taking care of themselves.
Still, Jac’s soon found offering her own wide, and almost childish smile at Chloe’s words. Bad friends didn’t say things like that, did they? Well, maybe, but Jac found it hard to think back on a time where one of her past companions had offered such false support only to let her down. Maybe it’s Chloe’s warm attitude clouding her memory, but the young lady can’t seem to muster a time when she’d been allowed to fall so far, after being promised so much. That’s not to say Chloe is getting in deeper than she may have wished, but the fact of the matter is that it’s almost amazing how a single night on the town can raise a person’s spirit’s a considerable amount.
“I don’t have many, either,” Jac confesses in quick succession to the other woman’s own. It seemed the two of them were very much in the same boat, perhaps more so than they would have liked to admit to. “I don’t even have a family anymore,” she grunts. Then again she never really did. There was that brief, and almost deceitful spark within the Horrer line which had faded almost as quickly as it’d come into her life. And then she was left with nothing. Jac is lifting a hand to flap it in a dismissive manner, though she wouldn’t allow the other woman to even consider feeling sorry for Jacqueline, “It’s no big deal,” she continues onwards, punctuating her prior gesture with words of a similar tone.
“Where were you headed to?” she questions, almost as if to distract from the previous topic.
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:56:38 GMT -5
He certainly did sound magnificent. Chloe had wondered whether her fascination with Thaddeus would fade, or whether he was merely a phase. But phases generally weren’t Chloe’s forte – when she fell, she fell hard and without restraint. But she never did let the other person know that she’d fallen; never would she risk the chance of the other person finding out and running scared.
Jac admits that she doesn’t have many friends either, and Chloe merely nods. It wasn’t something unknown. There were plenty of people in this world who didn’t have many friends; some didn’t have any friends because they just weren’t liked. Others didn’t have many friends because they chose to only have a select few. Chloe liked to believe she was one of the latter. A few good friends were far preferable to several dozen acquaintances.
But Jac didn’t finish there. She went on to say that she didn’t have a family anymore either. To begin with, Chloe wondered whether Jac meant her human family. Chloe had been away from home long enough to have become numb to the homesickness which had plagued her upon first coming to the city. She had no connection to her human family anymore, and she wondered whether that meant she didn’t have any family. But she soon realised that Jac may very well have meant the other kind of family—the kind of family most of the vampires in this city had. The family connected only by blood.
Before she even thought about it, Chloe used what she called her ‘sixth-sense’ to peruse Jac’s connections only to find that she had none. She didn’t look any further, however—it felt slightly intrusive and she’d not do that to Jac. A frown puckered at Chloe’s brow and Jac waved away her prior words—apparently it was no big deal.
It would have been a big deal to Chloe. Her own sire was never around and she rarely ever saw him. It frustrated Chloe, but Tosh never did anything to harm her, and was always very apologetic when they did meet. Sometimes her anger had her thinking about severance; but she’d got closer to her grandsire and, only just recently, her great-grandsire. Family wasn’t a thing that could be picked up and thrown away on a whim. It had to be worked at. So Chloe stayed where she was. She didn’t know what she’d do if she didn’t have a family. But not everyone was the same.
So Chloe let the subject lie, for the time being. Jac obviously didn’t want to talk about it, and Chloe wouldn’t push the matter.
As she was asked she was headed to, Chloe’s features brightened. “Oh! It’s just over the next block. It’s this little niche of the city that I stumbled across one night. I think… I think it must cater to the vampires of the city ‘cause the shops are open all night. There’s a book shop, a CD shop, a little gallery… all kinds of things, really. It’s all very cult.” Chloe admitted.
“I need some new music. And something to read.” Chloe said. Stupid, really. She worked at the library and yet she still felt the need to buy books. It was an addiction.
“You like books? Music?” Chloe inquired, wondering whether this little niche mightn’t be to Jac’s liking.
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:57:08 GMT -5
Jac wasn’t much for self-pity. But then again, that’s what this whole night was about, wasn’t it? She’d gone out feeling sorry for herself, and she’d met up with Chloe still feeling sorry for herself. She was well aware that she’d be fine, and that by the next nightfall she’d be back to what she could consider her “Old self” and be all soft smiles, and warm touches with Christian.
Did she like Music, or books? Well, yeah, of course Jacqueline did. She was a teen after all, and a young person who didn’t enjoy some sort of music was viewed as strange, at least in Jac’s eyes they were. Sure, Jacqueline liked music, but it had been some time since she’d read a book from cover-to-cover. Probably since high school, which was verging on two years, now. It’s not as though Jacqueline didn’t have time to settle down and crack open a book. She only worked eight hours a day, after all, and, well, Jac simply didn’t have an excuse for not bothering with anything larger than a magazine.
“I listen to music,” Jacqueline confirms with a crinkle to her nose. Her mind falls back to the lengthy mixed tape she’d made Christian some off months ago. Her tastes were…eclectic to say the least of them, and to be nice about it! Some of her tastes could easily be considered strange, especially when considering the rough streets she grew up upon, though it’s not as if she had some Weird Al collection sitting within the back of her closet, hidden away from the light of day, only to show it’s face on those days she spent on her lonesome.
“It’s been a while since I last read a book, though. I think I’ve forgotten how,” which was a lie, Jac read through small amounts of written work occasionally, mostly short news paper articles, and supply lists, subtitles on movies. Nothing with any weight or credibility.
“I think the last book I read was The Secret Garden,” Miss DeVen confesses with a broad, and almost shameless grin. It wasn’t the first time she’d read through that classic, and odds are it wouldn’t be the last time, either. It was one of the few books she could read cover-to-cover time and again, and actually enjoy, let alone want to re-read such. It’d been one of the few miscellaneous objects she’d brought to RavenBlack upon leaving Detroit, “It’s one of my favorites,” Jacqueline murmurs, leaning in close. Her voice is soft, pitched for Chloe’s ears only, as though it were some sort of scandalous secret.
That smile upon her soft lips lingers for a moment more before she’s tipping her head to look for those small shops the two were headed for. Sure, she’d been in this part of town, though only for a short time, whilst running one errand or another, definitely not long enough to do any exploring, and Jacqueline was more than eager to do some looking around.
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:57:28 GMT -5
She listened to music. That was a good thing. That was all Jac said, however. She didn’t say which kind of music she listened to, or what she’d be interested in purchasing if it came to that. But Chloe hadn’t asked that question, so she let it slide.
And it was always a shock to hear that someone didn’t read much. It was only an initial shock, however, until Chloe realised that not everyone was like her. Not everyone needed books like they needed air to breathe. Not everyone liked to read books; not everyone had the patience for it. It was actually quite surprising that Chloe had the patience for it—she hardly had patience for anything else.
“Nonsense! You could never forget how to read a book!” Chloe exclaimed. Although she was accepting of Jac’s stance, she still had to have her opinion known on the matter; she chose to do so in an amused way. It was a small push—no one could forget how to read, so with that in mind Jac ought to go read some more.
“The Secret Garden… it’s a good book.” Chloe said, nodding. She was trying to cast her mind back to the pages of the book, but could only remember the time when she’d torn a whole chunk of pages from its center. She’d regretted doing it later—but she’d been nine, and she was in a furious mood, and had needed to take her anger out on something. Alas, ‘The Secret Garden’ was the poor book that ended up in Chloe’s clutches. And she’d not read the thing since. Maybe she’d buy a copy tonight and re-read it.
They got closer and closer to the bright lights of the little shopping district. It was probably the outcome of this conversation that would decide which shop they went to first.
“What kind of music do you listen to?” Chloe asked, curious. She was of the opinion that a person’s musical tastes defined, to an extent, who they were. She was always very interested to find out what kind of music someone listened to, and she always loved when their answers contradicted what she’d assumed to begin with.
Chloe wasn’t perfect. She knew that she was guilty of judging people straight away. But they were judgments that were always open to be changed.
“And you know, you’re always welcome to come have a look at my books…if you ever feel the need to read.” Chloe added as an afterthought. She certainly did have a massive collection, and she was quite willing to lend to her new friend. “The same goes with the CDs….and the DVDs.”
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:58:08 GMT -5
Normal people would have made conversation off of Chloe’s question. Did she listen to music? Yes. Who didn’t though? Normal people usually know how to handle themselves in any social situations. She’s just flustered is all. She’s not exactly use to having close friends which she could talk about music with. Someone who encouraged her to be open with. Her friends hadn’t been much of anyone she could trust, let alone people she could share secrets with. Giggle about things with.
Still, she’s happy to find that Chloe is a kind soul, and it wasn’t just some ruse that first night the two of them met; her being polite for politeness sake.
Jac’s gaze lifted upwards to trail across the faces of the various buildings which they wandered past; some restaurants, some simple department stores, like the one she worked within, and others specialty shops, as Christian’s shop would be. It may seem like she’s not paying attention to Chloe’s words, but she is, the small girl is simply looking over the displays, and towards the names plastered against the buildings, “Yeah, I know,” she breathes in retort, of course she knew how to read! She’s almost twenty, not six, when reading could have been considered a struggle. Still, nowadays, Jacqueline dealt more with numbers than she did words.
She felt as if she were some sort of computer, simply racking up mundane calculations. She was much more well-appreciated than a computer, however.
Now, then, what kind of music did she listen to? Well, that was more of a loaded question than not, and Miss DeVen finds herself furrowing her brows and considering such for a short moment, “I’ll listen to almost anything,” she coos, “GooGoo Dolls are my absolute favorite.” and she doubted her opinion on such would ever really change, “I’m not a huge fan of polka, though,” it’s the truth, but her words hold an almost teasing tone to accompany the soft smile on her warm pout. Then again, Jac didn’t know many kids her age that could say they could enjoy the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sounds of polka.
“What about you, Chloe?” she questions in retort, a single brow perking skywards as she turns her attention from the brightly lit window-scapes to peer upon Chloe’s pretty face. Were they musically compatable? Especially if the girl was offering to borrow her a number of items! Could she be friends with a potential polka-lover? Well, maybe, it just meant that the two of them couldn’t go out to concerts with one another, which Jac doubted would happen anyway due to her financial standings.
“Is this where we’re going?” she finds herself questioning, pausing mid step and lifting a hand to gesture towards the building the two of them were standing before. It vaguely resembled a barnes and nobel, save for the fact that it was probably more intimate, and there wasn’t a coffee bar inside, at least not one that Jac could see past that small window display. She turns towards Chloe for a confirmation of sorts.
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Post by Chloé Flannigan on Oct 31, 2009 21:58:19 GMT -5
It was a good start. Jac said she’d almost listen to anything, which was where Chloe stood, too. Her music collection was eclectic to say the least. She had rock, alternative, punk, jazz, pop… no country or polka, however. No rap or R&B, either. Those were her only exceptions.
“Oooh, Googoo Dolls. I like them. I don’t think I own all their albums, though. But I do like them.” She replied, nodding her appreciation. She’d first discovered Googoo Dolls when she saw the movie City of Angels. They had a song called Iris which she absolutely adored. It was one of her favourite songs of all time. But then she shrugged.
“I don’t know if I have any favourite singers. It changes all the time. I’ve been listening to a lot of Muse lately though…” She admitted, voice trailing as she stared into the distance, trying to remember the names of the bands she’d been listening to before that.
They finally came to a halt in front of the book store and Jac asked if that’s where they were going. Chloe shrugged her shoulders, again, but nodded. “If you want to? It’s where I was heading. They have a good collection—they’ve got CDs and DVDs as well as books. I need some more CDs…” She said, glancing longingly at the building.
She started walking again, assuming that was alright with Jac that this shop was the one they went to first. She probably shouldn’t have assumed—she should have asked the girl first. But that wasn’t the point with shopping, was it? It had always been annoying to Chloe when she’d go shopping with certain friends who didn’t seem to know the etiquette—you wander aimlessly until one or the other of you sees a shop they’d like to visit. It just gets tedious if you have to ask permission every time you want to enter an establishment.
When they walked into the shop the girl behind the counter smiled at them, but then continued to read the book she had propped open in front of her. There were only one or two other people in the shop, that Chloe could see, and there was a whole other level above them. It was toward the escalators that Chloe headed, as she knew the CDs and DVDs were upstairs.
“So how about that guy we met, huh? That…Vincent?” Chloe queried. Their topic of conversation seemed to have neared its demise, and a new one needed to be brought up. She and Jac had only met on that one occasion, so there was a limited amount of things Chloe could bring up that she knew the other girl might be interested in.
And, well, Chloe’s first impression of Vincent was that he could possibly be alright…someone to crush on to keep her imagination fuelled. But it was when the guy had started playing air guitar that she thought he might have tabs on himself. There was nothing Chloe loathed more than people who thought they were better than everyone else. The escalators brought them to the next level and Chloe meandered toward the CD stacks.
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Post by Jac[leen] on Oct 31, 2009 21:58:46 GMT -5
“Sounds great,” Jacqueline murmurs in retort, glancing through the bright windows of that building with a similar fondness. Thos blue eyes of hers searching almost prematurely through that blinding spread of books within the front window.
It seemed a nice shop, especially when considering what sort of town RavenBlack was. It was dirty, and disgusting, with people you thought you could trust one minute, and then those same people would be the ones to toss you down a flight of stairs the next. It’s almost one large high school campus. A miniaturized Detroit, Michigan, if you will; dangerous at worst, and unattractive at best. Still, this shop was bright, brilliant and sleek compared to the dingy bars Jac found herself trekking to and from during those mundane quests.
It’s not long before they’re swinging into such a shop, and to be honest, Jacqueline wasn’t quite sure where to start! It’d been sometime since she’d gone on a simplistic shopping trip, and even more so when she was accompanied by someone who could be considered her friend. She tags behind Chloe almost absently, wide eyed with wonderment, like some sort of misplaced child. Jacqueline finds herself stumbling onto that escalator with relative ease, one small hand pressing towards the moving railing with a firm sort of grip.
Vincent. He’d been the only male within their small group the first night which Chloe and Jac had encountered one another. He’d put on quite the display in the form of a fist fight, with cheeky sort of moves, and ways of addressing the three girls, “Hm,” she considers with a purse to her lips. Would Chloe be offended if he dubbed that male as some sort of Jack ass? Well, maybe, but the two of them would never become good friends if she couldn’t share her honest to god opinion on a male that she’d probably never see again, “In all honesty, he came off as sort of a show off,” Miss DeVen finally confesses. “Don’t get me wrong, he was plenty attractive, but even that can’t fix asshole.” And, oh, make no mistake that she did find that Vincent plenty attractive, with dark eyes and dark stubble upon those masculine features.
Jac offers up another one of those warm grins, before her face is tipping downwards to track the progress of that escalator. It wouldn’t be long before she’s managing off that machine with an off-count to three. Despite her best attempts. This one was at least mildly successful, with only the tiniest of scuffs of her toe upon the tiling below, “What did you think of him, Chloe?” she questions with a warm smile, fingertips dragging from that hand railing to touch upon the swell of her hip. “If I’m not mistaken, I do elieve I saw some googly eyes back then,” she teases, pressing her teeth to her lower lip thereafter.
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