locked_down | i'm just young enough to still believe, but young enough not to know what to believe in

[ What do you do after all that?

Well, you mourn. After...an hour or so, a note goes out, under everyone's doors- everyone's. ]

If you also don't want to be alone after the day we've had, come to the second floor of the dormitories. Food and drink will be provided. Alcohol will be confiscated immediately.

[ You'll find Rebecca's set up the common area with food, that she seems to keep supplying, every so often. It's kind of strange, though, she seems like the sort of person to harp on eating well? She definitely has, for some of you. Yet, the food seems a strange split. On one side, there's all kinds of fruits and vegetables and breads. Legumes, made maybe not the best, but it's still an effort. Vegetable soups, no meat in sight. Simple seafood. If you're familiar with Greek culture? Yeah. It looks a lot like something they'd describe in...a history book.

On the other side? God, it's all burgers and pizzas and...pineapples? Pineapple juice? What the heck, Rebecca? In any case, there's enough food to keep everyone fed, and it seems...Tess, oddly enough, keeps bringing batches of burgers from the kitchen?! What a team-up.

The Starbucks is open too, where it's a bit...quieter? Some tea and coffee set up, there.

For those who just want to cry, in peace. ]

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[ Tess can actually be found, of all things, in the kitchen for a lot of the party, just... she's just making burgers. So many burgers. She just kind of hit a groove and hasn't stopped? They're not super fancy but sometimes she'll do something neat for a batch like cook them in mustard or something.

She does eventually go to the actual party, though, where she can be found grabbing a bunch of... she's pretty much just on the junk food side, don't judge her. It's what she's pretty sure Hank would have wanted or something like that. ]

I wonder...

[ What the fuck is decorum, Tess is trying to just stick burgers between two slices of pizza and eat it??? ]

[Sorry, you have someone staring at your pizza burger...

He's tempted to try it, but...]

[ Looks at him, mouth full of pizza burger. ]

Mrph mphme?

[He just raises his eyebrow and leans in. What? What did you say?]

[ At some point. During the cooking process. ]

...

Thank you. ...For offering your help.

[ ...

she smiles a little ]

Yeah, well. We're all in this together, right? Contrary to popular belief, I'm not just here to run around yelling like a... what's the word? Bowbag?

Bawbag. [ She's just slightly off. Just slightly. ] ...Ohhh, I've been a judgmental piece of shite here, haven't I?

[ It's self-deprecation night. ]

Nah, I'm trouble. But I also remembered going through a big wild change in life, and so... less of the anger towards non-school-staff entities.

Those weekly memories changing perceptions for you too, huh? I have jumped to conclusions, far too many times. ...I suppose you were right in that way...sort of.

[ A month ago, they were shouting at each other. Development! ]

Anger's a good thing, you just gotta know where it belongs. [ she laughs ] Like ramped in your car right into a crazy knifey murderwitch, for example.

...Excuse me?

Oh, uh... this lady with knives and magic powers wanted to kill one of- my best friend, and I ramped my car straight into her face.

...Of course. Magic is normal, where you're from, that's somehow not a surprise.

Crivvens, you- you could've gotten hurt!

Not normal, but some people can do it.

[ nervous laugh ]

Could've is. An understatement for what happened, but I did survive, so.

[ the most powerful teacher glare ]

I trust that's not a recklessness you always have? I don't have to keep my eye out around you, and...vehicles, do I...?

[ She kind of trails off a little, remembering the stupid tire tracks and golf cart, but. ]

Not unless someone's trying to kill Sera, who is not here.

[ she'd do it again ]

Ugghh.

[ Just. Turns back to whatever food she's cooking. Kids...

...

Al...though..... ]

I'm too tired to lecture today. And I- I guess I understand. Wanting to do anything, to save your best friend.

[ Isabella's bright, warm smile. She'd give anything to see it again. ]

Trust me, I got lectured for it already. You're good. Besides, I only managed it because I'm the only person I know with a car.

[ Tess Rubikov owns a car ]

But yeah, that's... about it.

...I wasn't in the best place, when we first met.

[ Why's she saying this? Well... Isabella. ]

I'd- ...I'd just...lost my best friend. I feel like that probably...that definitely contributed to...how I reacted to you.

Ah.

[ She idly... flips a burger. ]

... Belle?

I was hoping you'd have forgotten that.

[ But. Yeah. ]

We fought a lot. Just...before she died, actually. You're not- ...you're not really like her, but...I guess some of it just...carried over.

I forget a lot of things, but that's not the kind of thing you forget.

[ she sighs ]

Me and Sera fight all the damn time, but... fuck, losing her would suck. Though that's pretty obvious.

It does.

[ That's not even getting into...the rest of it. Into finding her body, into Ashton, into everything here, into...everything else the ghost has taken. ]

...If we can get out of here, and...and you see your Sera again...just try not to fight with her, as much. Or...resolve the ones you do. They're the kind of regrets you... That you never get over.

...Wonder about what?

[ ...Tess what are you doing to those two poor slices of pizza.

He's kind of staring at that, but. He managed to ask the question first. ]

i'm just young enough to still believe, but young enough not to know what to believe in

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in the kitchen

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cw uh car crash talk? but not the usual kind???

oh fun

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actual party;