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       #Post#: 387--------------------------------------------------
       The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: MissM Date: April 28, 2013, 4:24 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The cafeteria is a fairly straightforward cafeteria, albeit more
       upscale and better tasting than most other school cafeterias.
       When you first come into the cafeteria, you are given the option
       of a buffet or choosing from various meals. You can get almost
       anything you wanted, although some of the more specialized foods
       are not stocked fully, and you have to get there early if you
       want whatever it is that week.
       And then, of course, you could choose to sit indoors, where the
       majority of the seats are, or outside. Or, if you wanted to, you
       could leave the cafeteria entirely, after swiping your student
       ID card, of course, and enjoy your luncheon elsewhere. If you
       choose to sit inside, you could choose from basically wherever
       you wanted, because there are always more than enough chairs to
       go around. The only thing you can't choose is what the TV's show
       -and they all show the same thing- but who wants to watch the
       news at lunch anyway? The windows facing the outside eating area
       are very large, keeping the cafeteria cooler in the summer and
       still pretty cold in the winter, but it is always bearable.
       The tables each have four chairs each, but they are easy to move
       together if a larger group chooses to come in and eat together.
  HTML http://www.paulnoll.com/Books/5000-Words/8000-pic-cafeteria.jpg
  HTML http://extranet.acsysweb.com/vsitemanager/ORMC/Public/Upload/Images/Cafeteria/cafeteria.jpg
       #Post#: 435--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: MissM Date: May 4, 2013, 12:41 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Verochka Stolich-Königin (OOC: 'S-K' in the future because I am
       NOT writing out both of her last names every time...BIC)
       It was her first day at the Academy, and so far, she was bored.
       Math was reasonably challenging, but boring, and she'd tried to
       give up halfway through, but the teacher and come by and told
       her that while it was OK to take a short break, she must
       continue working for the majority of the class. She'd tried to
       argue but the teacher was having none of it, so she finally gave
       up arguing and went back at it, although she dragged her feet
       for the rest of the class. All she really wanted was to go to
       sleep...
       Then the bell had rung for class, and she bolted out of there
       like lightening. Anything was better than math... She walked
       into the cafeteria, and nobody else was there, so she went
       through and took her time making her choices. She grabbed some
       stuff to put in her bag as a snack for later, then settled on a
       hot meal and tucked herself into a table, spreading out some of
       her stuff across the table and pulling out the design she'd
       started to work on in math.
       Her concentration was interrupted by the tv's scattered around
       the lunch room turning on only a few minutes later, and she
       shook her head.
       "Why don't they turn it to cartoons or something? The news is
       just boring..." she said to herself. "Or at least turn the
       volume down..."
       #Post#: 439--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: Tigger Date: May 4, 2013, 11:52 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Jessica Seeley
       Jessica walked slowly, head held high despite her still
       recovering leg. Her posture was one like a movie star or a
       model’s- seemingly filled with purpose. This was how she
       attempted to walk everywhere she went, her stride as graceful as
       she could possibly manage. For most people, practicing to walk
       was a silly thing but to her it was one of the most important
       things one could do. If done correctly, one can radiate
       confidence, elegance, and beauty just by walking across the
       room. Jess was not naïve enough to believe that she had achieved
       that then, but that doesn’t mean that she would ever stop
       trying. It was important to her to always be better than what
       she thought she could be. It gave her motivation- something to
       work towards. In fact, she had practiced walking in a pair of
       her favorite heels before deciding to come to school, desperate
       to not make the same mistake as last time and have someone
       notice the slight limp in her step. It was humiliating for her,
       showing such weakness in front of someone else. The medicine the
       doctors gave her helped with the pain immensely, but she wasn’t
       oblivious to the fact that everything seemed slightly off and
       fuzzy when she took the pills.
       She had never been to the school’s cafeteria, opting instead to
       go out and eat at other restaurants, but her curiosity got the
       better of her this time. Plus, she was beginning to think that
       people had started rumors about how strange it was that she had
       started keeping to herself and such. In reality it was because
       of the fact that she needed to hide the accidental burns she was
       getting. She didn’t know what the other girls would come up
       with, though. She knew first-hand how rumors spread like
       wildfire when mixed with a bunch of immature girls looking for
       the latest gossip to give them a reason to jabber on and on
       about things they didn’t even know anything about. All in all,
       Jess had built up an image that she was proud of- an image that
       she would have done almost anything to maintain. So rumors about
       her just wouldn’t do. She wouldn’t allow it. So that was her
       mission, to go to the cafeteria, meet strangers, and be social.
       In her mind, her reputation depended on it.
       Jessica stopped dead in her tracks when she realized that there
       was only ONE person in the whole freaking cafeteria. Out of the
       whole school. One girl. Frustration ticked in the back of her
       head as she stole a glance behind her, but there was no one in
       the hallway quite yet. They must have still been in classes or
       something. She brought her hand up to pinch the bridge of her
       nose, composing herself before walking into the room, completely
       ignoring the empty area where students were to line up and get
       food. In all honesty, she had absolutely no interest in eating
       the processed garbage that everyone else seemed to enjoy.  She
       didn’t go there to stuff her face like others did- she was more
       like a woman on a mission. A mission to branch out and make some
       sort of connection with other students, whether it was good or
       bad. It didn’t take a genius to realize by the long red hair and
       the thin body build that it was a girl. That could either be a
       blessing or a curse. While some girls understood the importance
       of dressing well and having good hygiene, others did not. She
       only hoped that the girl had a designer bag in her lap or
       something. Jessica noticed by watching her that she was either
       drawing something, or shoving her entire face into her plate.
       For the girl’s sake, Jess hoped that it was the first option.
       When she reached the table, she could hear the girl saying
       something.
       "Why don't they turn it to cartoons or something? The news is
       just boring...Or at least turn the volume down..."
       “Possibly because cartoons are for children and patients in
       mental hospitals.” Jessica replied in a matter-of-fact tone,
       pulling out a seat across the table from her. “At least the news
       can inform you of what’s going on in reality. It’s a school for
       supposed adults, not a nursery.”
       She put on her award-winning smile and met the girl’s eyes. “I’m
       Jessica, and you have lovely hair.” She paused a moment to
       furrow her shaped eyebrows just slightly, “Don’t get me wrong,
       it could use a good brush and maybe a week or so of using
       product but other than that, you’re almost model worthy.”
       Calmly, she laid her forearms on the table- a move she wouldn’t
       have pulled had they been anywhere worthy of note.
       “So what are you working on?” Jess briefly nodded her head
       toward the book that she had in front of her.
       #Post#: 441--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: MissM Date: May 5, 2013, 1:00 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Verochka S-K
       "Why don't they turn it to cartoons or something? The news is
       just boring...Or at least turn the volume down..."
       “Possibly because cartoons are for children and patients in
       mental hospitals.”  A voice said from across the table, and
       Verochka looked up at the owner as she pulled out a chair across
       the table. “At least the news can inform you of what’s going on
       in reality. It’s a school for supposed adults, not a nursery.”
       The girl smiled widely. “I’m Jessica, and you have lovely hair.”
       She paused a moment and frowned slightly, “Don’t get me wrong,
       it could use a good brush and maybe a week or so of using
       product but other than that, you’re almost model worthy.”
       "Hello, Jessica. My name is Verochka. My hair is fine the way it
       is, as I have no wish to damage it. The color is perfect, I
       would hate it to turn grey too early from damage." Calmly,
       Jessica laid her forearms on the table, and Verochka's eyes
       narrowed a tiny bit. She didn't take kindly to anyone who
       insulted her hair.
       “So what are you working on?” Jess briefly nodded her head
       toward the book and papers that she had in front of her.
       "I am working on putting my math away, and finishing a design
       for a dress I started earlier." Verochka closed her textbook
       after withdrawing the sheet she'd drawn on, and put it in her
       bag, flipping the drawing face down. Drawings were always
       conversation ruiners.
       "What is your Enhancement?" Verochka asked. "I have seen so many
       different ones here..." She remembered finding out about
       Erin's... the number of ideas she'd had for dresses that could
       play off of the water-related part of it.
       #Post#: 442--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: Tigger Date: May 5, 2013, 1:36 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Jessica Seeley
       "Hello, Jessica. My name is Verochka. My hair is fine the way it
       is, as I have no wish to damage it. The color is perfect, I
       would hate it to turn grey too early from damage."
       Jessica arched an eyebrow at this. “You do know that product
       isn’t just dye and such, yes?” Her voice turned skeptical and
       she sighed, wondering what she might have gotten herself into.
       “All I meant was conditioner and maybe some hairspray. You have
       a bit of a frizz.” She motioned at her own head, trying to point
       out where exactly she saw it on the other girl. “You really
       shouldn’t get so bent out of shape over that.” She sighed
       lightly, moving her arm up to rest her head on her hand.  So far
       she was failing the little tests Jess was conducting to if they
       could possibly become friends one day. “Put it this way. Say you
       sat in a disgusting pile of used gum. Say you didn’t notice it.
       Would the person who points out that you have a huge wad of
       grossness on you’re a**  be the ‘bad guy’ in this situation, or
       would you rather someone tell you? It’s not an insult, it’s a
       comment linked with a suggestion. IF I had insulted you, then I
       would have said ‘Your hair looks like crap. Is this true? No.
       Did I tell you how you can possibly fix it? No. Ergo… insult.
       You can choose to follow my advice or not, but in fact I gave
       you two compliments. You’re hair looks nice, and you’re almost
       model worthy. As for my suggestion, take it or leave it because
       I never repeat myself. So you’ll never hear a frizz comment from
       me again.” Another pause. “Plus, the fact that I commented at
       all just means that I think you’re worth talking to. If I
       didn’t, then I would have turned my athletic little butt and
       walked out of this ghost town of a cafeteria. So smile.” Jess
       fought the mild urge to roll her eyes slightly and instead moved
       onto a different topic. She would never understand why people
       here could never seem to take constructive criticism. The girl’s
       eyes narrowed at her and she smirked. She had seen more
       intimidating looks than that, and for things that weren’t as
       trivial as one’s hair being a touch frizzy.
       “So what are you working on?” Jess briefly nodded her head
       toward the book and papers that she had in front of her.
       "I am working on putting my math away, and finishing a design
       for a dress I started earlier." The girl closed her textbook
       after withdrawing the sheet she'd drawn on, and put it in her
       bag, flipping the drawing face down. That may or may not have
       been a huge mistake on her part. Jessica knew for a fact that
       good drawings were great conversation starters and a good way to
       gauge the other person’s likes and interests. On the other hand,
       if it was terrible the conversation would have ended before it
       began.
       "What is your Enhancement?" the girl asked and Jess arched an
       eyebrow at her once more. "I have seen so many different ones
       here..."
       “My Enhancement..” she started, then thought better of it, “Is a
       work in progress.” She winked at the girl, not entirely lying.
       The doctors did tell her that they were working on a way for her
       to be able to control it and adding a fan or something. “Really,
       everyone has an Enhancement here, so no one is really special.
       What’s the fun in talking about that?” She said this only
       because she had been asked that so many different times before,
       and originally she had went ahead and told them, but after a
       while it got seriously annoying.
       “So you were saying something about a design, not drawing. Do
       you mean website design or something? I could picture you being
       into computers and such.”
       #Post#: 445--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: MissM Date: May 5, 2013, 2:06 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Verochka S-K
       "Hello, Jessica. My name is Verochka. My hair is fine the way it
       is, as I have no wish to damage it. The color is perfect, I
       would hate it to turn grey too early from damage."
       Jessica arched an eyebrow at this. “You do know that product
       isn’t just dye and such, yes?” Her voice turned skeptical and
       she sighed, wondering what she might have gotten herself into.
       “All I meant was conditioner and maybe some hairspray. You have
       a bit of a frizz.” She motioned at her own head, clearly trying
       to tell Verochka where she had frizz. Verochka smiled just a
       little bit, watching the girl try to tell her how to take care
       of her own hair. As if she needed instructions from strangers.
       “You really shouldn’t get so bent out of shape over that.”
       She sighed lightly, moving her arm up to rest her head on her
       hand. “Put it this way. Say you sat in a disgusting pile of used
       gum. Say you didn’t notice it. Would the person who points out
       that you have a huge wad of grossness on you’re a**  be the ‘bad
       guy’ in this situation, or would you rather someone tell you?
       It’s not an insult, it’s a comment linked with a suggestion. IF
       I had insulted you, then I would have said ‘Your hair looks like
       crap. Is this true? No. Did I tell you how you can possibly fix
       it? No. Ergo… insult. You can choose to follow my advice or not,
       but in fact I gave you two compliments. You’re hair looks nice,
       and you’re almost model worthy. As for my suggestion, take it or
       leave it because I never repeat myself. So you’ll never hear a
       frizz comment from me again.” Another pause, during which
       Verochka had to stifle a laugh, bringing her hand up to cover
       her mouth just in case.
       “Plus, the fact that I commented at all just means that I think
       you’re worth talking to. If I didn’t, then I would have turned
       my athletic little butt and walked out of this ghost town of a
       cafeteria. So smile.”
       Verochka smiled. "Well, thank you for the information, but... I
       do not generally use hair spray, because it usually makes me
       break out. I'd rather a little frizz than pimples." A flat out
       lie, of course, but anything to get this Jessica off her back
       about her hair. "Besides, its getting towards wintertime, when
       the air is normally drier where I live, and even when I've tried
       hairspray in the past it doesn't necessarily help. The static
       electricity runs wild. Especially when I'm making things to
       wear. Raw silk is notorious for creating static." She smiled at
       Jess widely, letting her teeth show. The conversation about her
       hair was over for her.
       “So what are you working on?” Jess briefly nodded her head
       toward the book and papers that she had in front of her.
       "I am working on putting my math away, and finishing a design I
       started earlier." Verochka closed her textbook after withdrawing
       the sheet she'd drawn on, and put it in her bag, flipping the
       drawing face down. She was burning to share the drawing, now,
       but now she would make the other girl ask or at least hint about
       it first. That way she would be doing the girl a favor by
       showing it to her.
       "What is your Enhancement?" she asked and Jessica arched an
       eyebrow once more. "I have seen so many different ones here..."
       She remembered learning about Erins, and Natalies, and then
       Phoenix's... this place was a treasure trove of ideas for things
       to make.
       “My Enhancement..” the girl started, “Is a work in progress.”
       She winked at the Verochka, who smelled something half-baked.
       There was something fishy. The enthusiasm at the beginning and
       end didn't match. She'd grown up around politics for long enough
       to at least understand when she was being fed a half-truth. But
       she'd also lived long enough to know that people also didn't
       like being ratted out for those half truths. “Really, everyone
       has an Enhancement here, so no one is really special. What’s the
       fun in talking about that?”
       "Oh, I didn't want to know the details, but I love designing
       dresses, so I was thinking I'd design one for a few people based
       off their enhancement." Verochka smiled politely, then took a
       small bite of food. She was starving.
       “So you were saying something about a design, not drawing. Do
       you mean website design or something? I could picture you being
       into computers and such.”
       Verochka laughed fully out loud at that.
       "Oh, darling. I draw my designs out, on paper. They are much
       prettier that way, and I can also keep track of what is for
       whom. Because it is easier for me to find paper than an
       electronic file. I do not do well with computers, no madam. I
       can barely keep track of my e-mail. It drives my parents off the
       wall but I will not change that any moment in the near future...
       Oh, gosh. What ever gave you the impression I was 'into that'?"
       She laughed again, wondering in the back of her mind if all the
       Academy students were this weird.
       #Post#: 472--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: Tigger Date: May 7, 2013, 4:59 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Jessica Seeley
       Verochka smiled at Jessica’s lengthy explanation on common sense
       things before talking again. "Well, thank you for the
       information, but... I do not generally use hair spray, because
       it usually makes me break out. I'd rather a little frizz than
       pimples."
       Jessica knew that this was probably a lie. The girl looked
       completely uncomfortable with the topic at hand and silently
       Jess wondered if she had ever had someone speak the blunt truth
       to her.
       “Well then.” She smiled a little knowing smile. “Tell me…” she
       paused, trying to remember the girls name.” ‘S***… well it was
       definitely a V word.. Veronica? Vespucci? Vutton?’ “V,” she
       continued after a moment’s hesitation, “What kind of hairspray
       did you use. And I can give you a list of some of the more
       expensive ones, they’re less likely to wreak havoc on your
       delicate skin.” Jessica stifled the laugh that was bouncing
       around in the back of her head and put on a completely straight,
       convincing face.
       "Besides, its getting towards wintertime, when the air is
       normally drier where I live, and even when I've tried hairspray
       in the past it doesn't necessarily help. The static electricity
       runs wild. Especially when I'm making things to wear. Raw silk
       is notorious for creating static."
       “You’re not buying the right ones then.” Even though the girl
       smiled at Jess, the look in her eyes told her that the
       conversation was over. Truth be told, she was getting bored of
       the topic. It was fun for a little while, simply because she
       liked to watch how people squirmed. Some fidgeted in their seat,
       some stuttered like a child with a speech impediment, some
       simply walked away, and like V, some people just tried to lie
       their way out of discussing something they didn’t want to talk
       about. In Jess’ mind, she despised when people lied for such
       simple reasons. It was absolutely ridiculous.
       “So what are you working on?” She changed the subject.
       "I am working on putting my math away, and finishing a design I
       started earlier."
       "What is your Enhancement?" she asked and Jessica arched an
       eyebrow once more. "I have seen so many different ones here..."
       “My Enhancement..” the girl started, “Is a work in progress.”
       She winked at the Verochka, “Really, everyone has an Enhancement
       here, so no one is really special. What’s the fun in talking
       about that?”
       "Oh, I didn't want to know the details, but I love designing
       dresses, so I was thinking I'd design one for a few people based
       off their enhancement." The girl smiled a little before taking a
       bite of the cafeteria food. A moment’s pause and Jessica ever so
       tactfully ignored the living hell out of her statement. The last
       thing she needed was to be honor-bound to wear a dress that
       someone she didn’t know made for her. Especially if her skill
       level wasn’t quite where it should be to please Jess’ extremely
       but expertly strict style.
       “So you were saying something about a design, not drawing. Do
       you mean website design or something? I could picture you being
       into computers and such.”
       The girl laughed. Loudly.
       "Oh, darling. I draw my designs out, on paper. They are much
       prettier that way, and I can also keep track of what is for
       whom. Because it is easier for me to find paper than an
       electronic file. I do not do well with computers, no madam. I
       can barely keep track of my e-mail. It drives my parents off the
       wall but I will not change that any moment in the near future...
       Oh, gosh. What ever gave you the impression I was 'into that'?"
       Jessica visibly twitched a very slight bit when the girl called
       her ‘darling’ and ‘madam.’ She wasn’t sure what the heck was up
       with the whole ‘fall back to the 18th century’ speak, but
       whatever it was, Jess had an insatiable need to correct it. A
       twitch of a smile before speaking and all verbal heck broke
       loose. “Okay, that’s cute. But seriously, darling is what my
       mother calls me, so if you intend to call me that again, don’t
       be surprised if I call you ‘mumsie’ or some fake crap like that.
       Don’t believe me? I’m sure by now you get the idea that I’m just
       crazy enough to do it. And while we’re at it, let’s save the
       ‘madam’ for someone who is old enough to earn that title… like…
       some corpse from the 18th century or those weirdo rejects who go
       to Renaissance fairs and dress like they’re from the middle ages
       and play pretend jousting in their fourties. This is the new age
       of the twenty first century, with cell phones and TVs and
       hybrids, oh my! I appreciate you trying to verbally play around
       with me, really I do. But in all honesty I enjoyed it about as
       much as I would enjoy getting the stigmata… in my eye. And yes,
       that makes sense. Don’t ask me how, it just does. Now! You can
       call me Jessica, hey you, the girl with the face, that one girl,
       the girl who likes to ramble, Jess, the list goes on and on. But
       let’s leave the past in the past and not try to dig nicknames
       out of the graves of our ancestors, ‘kay?”
       "Oh, by the way. I think it's cool that you make clothes." she
       added with a shrug.
       #Post#: 474--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: MissM Date: May 7, 2013, 6:22 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Verochka S-K
       “Well then.” Jess smiled an impish smile, “Tell me…” And then
       she visibly paused, and Verochka couldn't help but think the
       stranger hadn't paid much attention to her name.
       “V,” Jess continued after a moment’s hesitation, confirming
       Verochka's suspiscion, “What kind of hairspray did you use. And
       I can give you a list of some of the more expensive ones,
       they’re less likely to wreak havoc on your delicate skin.”
       Verochka sighed. Sometimes people couldn't take the hint. She
       cared about her hair, for sure, but she hated that other people
       were so obstinate that every hair had to be in place. She
       couldn't live with that. She'd tried that once, and it made
       everyone around her tell her to grow up.
       "No offense, Jessica," she said, emphasizing the girl's full
       name, "I do not do hair styling. Sure, fine,  I might look a
       little frizzy now and then, but I don't understand why people
       have to worry about every hair, like the world is constantly a
       fashion show. Of course, if that is what it is for you, ok, have
       your fun. But don't try and wrap me into your little game of
       looking perfect at all times. That's not who I am. I tried that
       once, and felt disgusting at myself after, and my boyfriend made
       me promise to never do those kinds of things again."
       "Besides, its getting towards wintertime, when the air is
       normally drier where I live, and even when I have tried
       hairspray in the past it doesn't necessarily help. The static
       electricity runs wild. Especially when I'm making things. Raw
       silk is notorious for creating static, and I work with a lot of
       it." The girl really had no idea how much she was talking about.
       She smiled, showing her teeth, making it clear that part of the
       conversation was over. For all she cared, the girl could drop
       off the face of the planet.
       “You’re not buying the right ones then." Jessica paused, taking
       note of Verochka's smile. "So what are you working on?” She
       changed the subject.
       "I am working on putting my math away, and finishing a design I
       started earlier." She half hoped the girl would ask to see the
       design later, even if it was only half-done. Erin was a fun one
       to design for, and hers being an aquatic enhancement, she could
       potentially wear the dress into the water if need be... "What is
       your Enhancement?" she asked and Jessica arched an eyebrow once
       more. "I have seen so many different ones here..."
       Like Natalie's, and hearing about Phoenix's... She half-hoped
       the girls had something in contrast to her personality, instead
       of matching it, for once.
       “My Enhancement..” the girl started, “Is a work in progress.”
       Jess winked at her, but her expression was still carefully
       curious. “Really, everyone has an Enhancement here, so no one is
       really special. What’s the fun in talking about that?”
       "Oh, I didn't want to know the details, but I love designing
       dresses, so I was thinking I'd design one for a few people based
       off their enhancement." She smiled, and took a bite to eat.
       "But if you don't want one, I guess that is ok also."
       She wondered if Jessica would pick up on her accent or bad
       English. She knew she still made mistakes, but she couldn't ever
       tell if they were just being ignored or if she actually wasn't
       making any. She lost that train of thought when Jessica started
       talking again.
       “So you were saying something about a design, not drawing. Do
       you mean website design or something? I could picture you being
       into computers and such.”
       Verochka laughed, a little bit louder than she'd intended. She
       couldn't help it. Her work on computers? She knew she'd just met
       this girl, but surely she was a better judge of people than
       that.
       "Oh, darling. I draw my designs out, on paper. They are much
       prettier that way, and I can also keep track of what is for
       whom. Because it is easier for me to find paper than an
       electronic file. I do not do well with computers, no madam. I
       can barely keep track of my e-mail. It drives my parents off the
       wall but I will not change that any moment in the near future...
       Oh, gosh. What ever gave you the impression I was 'into that'?"
       She'd been unable to keep herself from slipping her
       mock-American words into her sentences. It was a bad habit of
       hers, when she was being overly emotional, she couldn't keep her
       words straight. But the effect on the girl was startling, and it
       only made Verochka laugh a little harder. Pretty quickly,
       though, she regained control of herself. This girl was clearly
       all about control. It started her wondering what her Enhancement
       was... if it suited her personality... hmmm... what if it
       didn't? Fire was pretty uncontrollable. And there was something
       off about her arms- Verochka had been taking measurements and
       watching models move and wear dresses enough to know that there
       was something off. But just what, she couldn't tell.
       Then she saw Jessica's mouth twitch into something that may have
       been a smile, and then a verbal pipe broke.
       “Okay, that’s cute. But seriously, darling is what my mother
       calls me, so if you intend to call me that again, don’t be
       surprised if I call you ‘mumsie’ or some fake crap like that.
       Don’t believe me? I’m sure by now you get the idea that I’m just
       crazy enough to do it. And while we’re at it, let’s save the
       ‘madam’ for someone who is old enough to earn that title… like…
       some corpse from the 18th century or those weirdo rejects who go
       to Renaissance fairs and dress like they’re from the middle ages
       and play pretend jousting in their fourties. This is the new age
       of the twenty first century, with cell phones and TVs and
       hybrids, oh my! I appreciate you trying to verbally play around
       with me, really I do. But in all honesty I enjoyed it about as
       much as I would enjoy getting the stigmata… in my eye. And yes,
       that makes sense. Don’t ask me how, it just does. Now! You can
       call me Jessica, hey you, the girl with the face, that one girl,
       the girl who likes to ramble, Jess, the list goes on and on. But
       let’s leave the past in the past and not try to dig nicknames
       out of the graves of our ancestors, ‘kay?”
       There was a pause, as Verochka tried to process everything the
       girl had said. Just about the only thing that she actually
       understood in the rush of words was the list of names she was
       allowed to call Jessica. That and something about... a
       'stigmata'. Whatever that was.
       "Oh, by the way. I think it's cool that you make clothes."
       Jessica added with a shrug.
       "Ok, so... Sorry for my 'nicknames' offending you, but English
       isn't my first language. And what the heck is a... 'shti...
       stig-ma-ta'?" "St"s were still difficult for Verochka to leave
       the traditional German pronunciation out of, especially at the
       beginning of words. A slight color rose in her cheeks, more from
       anger that this girl in front of her thought she could just
       assume things about Verochka than embarrassment. And if Jess
       continued to forget her name, she would remind her. She liked
       her name. It meant 'faith' or 'purity', something Jessica
       clearly didn't care for.
       "And I don't make 'clothes'". Verochka put extra derivation on
       'clothes'. "I make dresses, matched perfectly to the wearer's
       body type and shape, and complimenting their personality as
       well. If you don't want one, go ahead and forget my offer. But
       you do not get to come  back for one later unless you'll a
       paying customer be. And my prices run high." She smiled at the
       girl again, briefly, hoping it wouldn't be so long before she
       was asked to show her design, still sitting beside Verochka,
       face down, taunting even Verochka.
       She took another few bites of her lunch, trying to get something
       into her stomach before Jessica's obsession with looks gave her
       an ulcer. Just because she'd been the only one in the cafeteria
       didn't mean Jess was obligated to come and sit with her, that
       she knew of. And usually, an obsession with looks came with an
       obsession with money or status. Not that Verochka didn't care
       about her appearance, she just didn't feel like going overboard
       with it. That was for other people to do. She just wanted to be
       comfortable in her own skin, that's all.
       And she didn't actually know what she should be pricing her
       dresses at--she'd never actually had to sell one before-- but
       she was sure it would be too expensive for this young woman
       sitting before her, even if she thought that wearing so called
       'designer' clothes--even if she thought being able to afford the
       designer crap would afford her a dress.
       #Post#: 479--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: Tigger Date: May 7, 2013, 9:58 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Jessica Seeley
       "Ok, so... Sorry for my 'nicknames' offending you, but English
       isn't my first language. And what the heck is a... 'shti...
       stig-ma-ta'?" Jessica heard the funny way she said ‘stigmata’
       and barely noted it in the back of her mind. She could catch the
       accent from the very beginning of their conversation, but didn’t
       really care in all honesty. She had met so many different people
       in her lifetime, all from different countries so she didn’t give
       it a second thought when someone had an accent. At least it
       wasn’t a speech impediment.
       “I’ll let you look that one up.” She said simply, not wanting to
       risk going into a religious debate of any sort. Religion was a
       nasty business, and not to mention the fastest way to get a
       person to argue about meaningless beliefs and such.
       "And I don't make 'clothes.’” The girl put an emphasis on the
       word. "I make dresses, matched perfectly to the wearer's body
       type and shape, and complimenting their personality as well. If
       you don't want one, go ahead and forget my offer. But you do not
       get to come  back for one later unless you'll a paying customer
       be. And my prices run high."
       Jessica could have laughed at the girl. On one hand, she admired
       her confidence, and on the other she knew that if she wanted a
       dress, she would get one. From a designer with a good review,
       not someone she knew nothing about. Not to mention if she had
       decided she wanted a dress from V, then she would get one.
       Simple as that.
       “So…” she began, pinching the bridge of her nose in mild
       frustration, “You don’t believe dresses are a type of clothing?
       If not, then what are they?” Really, sometimes Jessica wanted to
       facepalm herself, but had too much dignity and self-respect to
       go through with it.  ‘That sure as hell aren’t an accessory.’
       “Dresses are a type of clothing, therefore you make clothes.”
       “And it’s good to hear that you have a business when you’re so
       young! Tell me, how much do your dresses sell for? How many have
       you sold?”
       #Post#: 485--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Cafeteria: Inside
       By: MissM Date: May 9, 2013, 1:00 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Verochka Stolich-K
       “I’ll let you look that one up.” Jessica said, and left it at
       that. Verochka hardly noticed.
       "And I don't make 'clothes.’” She put an emphasis on the word.
       "I make dresses, matched perfectly to the wearer's body type and
       shape, and complimenting their personality as well. If you don't
       want one, go ahead and forget my offer. But you do not get to
       come  back for one later unless you'll a paying customer be. And
       my prices run high." She started running numbers in her head,
       tapping her foot as she did the calculations to try and come up
       with the USD price. Rupees probably would send the girl running
       the other way...Ah, ok...$6000, she hoped. If it was too high,
       the girl might back off. The girl looked at her, some kind of
       disbelief running over her face before she pinched her nose.
       “So…” she began,“You don’t believe dresses are a type of
       clothing? If not, then what are they? Dresses are a type of
       clothing, therefore you make clothes.” The girls' voice was
       clearly condescending.
       "Dresses are in their own class." Verochka shrugged, not rising
       to the girls' tone. "It's not like you'd wear one of these to an
       every day dinner, even if it was a nice restaurant. These...
       well, I think you call them 'balls' or whatever. Or maybe a
       fashion show if you were feeling like it." Verochka remembered
       the first time someone other than her or her mother had worn one
       of her dresses. It had been a disaster, but Vera had been able
       to patch it without too much trouble, and the night had gone on.
       She smiled, remembering how much fun it had been to be touted
       then.
       “And it’s good to hear that you have a business when you’re so
       young! Tell me, how much do your dresses sell for? How many have
       you sold?”
       Oops Verochka thought. Forgot that I needed a business to sell
       things... Wait, do I? She turned her confused face to Jessica.
       "Why would I need a business to sell dresses? I just sell them.
       I'm a... 'private contractor', I think the phrase is. The money
       I get goes half towards a charity of my choice and half to me.
       And the prices they go for are.... around $6,000 dollars US? The
       conversion is kind of difficult, but I think that is it. Depends
       on the color, shape, and how long you want it if you don't like
       the original design."
       She sniffed, remembering the only time she'd been argued with
       over length. The girl had ended up tripping on it, as Verochka
       had told her she would. The memory of the girl tripping still
       made her smile, though she had paid for it, literally, the next
       day.
       "As for how many I've sold... Hmph. Why does it really matter to
       you? Worried you won't be getting your money's worth, or that
       I'm unreliable or something? That is an affront to me. And if
       you are so worried about it, forget about it. It is clearly not
       worth your time or energy." She made as if to get up, packing up
       everything but her design. She still wanted to work on that. But
       the lunchroom was clearly not the place to do it. Taking the
       last few bites of her meal, she stood up and disposed of the
       tray.
       "And, Jessica, if I want fashion advice-- or advice on hair
       styling-- I will ask someone who actually knows what they are
       talking about--in the case of my hair, my hairstylist. Someone
       who has dedicated their life to hair. And..." she paused,
       running her eyes up and down the girl, knowing it would at least
       piss her off, "...you might want to walk and look like a model,
       but... you've got a long way to go." She remembered the models
       at the last fashion show she'd been to. Much better of a strut
       than this girl had. At least in her opinion.
       She wondered momentarily if the girl would attack her actual
       clothes next, although she didn't really care. Her clothes were
       her own business. The only critiques she ever actually took were
       the ones that were decently phrased, and aimed at her dresses.
       She sat down, straightening out the shirt she'd been wearing,
       trying to get the barely-off-the-shoulder neckline into the
       one-side-on one-side-off style. The light pink shirt did go
       pretty well with her white capris, or so she thought.
       Then she sat back down, setting her elbows on the table and
       cradling her chin in her fingers, palms down. "Anything else you
       want to say before you leave, or are you going to pretend to be
       my friend anyway? Because I think more students are about to
       show up, and I've a few things to do before lunch ends."
       Her silk braces were digging into her arms, almost painfully
       now, but she would rather die than admit defeat to a little
       pain.
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