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[img]http://i.imgur.com/kmzc5TZ.png?1[/img]   [img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjQ0LmZhZmFmYS5KZywsLjA,/mr-de-haviland.regular.png[/img]   [img]http://i.imgur.com/C3XHjvl.png[/img]
[sup][b]|| Ｌｏｃａｔｉｏｎ ||[/b]
[color=c0e03e]FiFi's Apartment[/color] → [color=darkcyan]The Salem Diner[/color]
[b]|| Ｉｎｔｅｒａｃｔｉｎｇ Ｗｉｔｈ ||[/b]
Each Other [@lovely complex]
[/sup]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/uc7HZKc.png?1[/img][/center]
[indent]It wasn’t long before the bath water cooled to a temperature that verged on chilly, and Ffiona’s only options were to leave it, or become a popsicle. Fi stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in a fluffy rainbow striped towel before she started to comb the tangles out of her hair. She contemplated blow drying it, it being stormy and wintry outside and all, but then she remembered her overly sensitive hearing and decided against it. Ffiona stared into the mirror at her reflection, which she could see perfectly without glasses on - more than perfectly, even. Jesus, since when were her pores that large? And had her freckles multiplied overnight?

The vibration of phone against tile startled the redhead out of her brief bout of self-criticism. She snatched it up and glanced at the screen: [i]Eliana[/i]. Looks like it was time to plan out that friend date. Ffiona answered with her usual, cheerful greeting, no matter who the caller was.

[color=c0e03e]“HelloHello~!”[/color] Ffiona said quickly, and then cautiously held the phone a few centimeters from her ear.

[color=008b8b]“Hey, what’s on today’s agenda?”[/color] Ellie’s response rang clear as a bell, despite the distance. FiFi couldn’t help but feel like she heard an echo of her friends voice… weird.

[color=c0e03e]“Uhm… well, I just ate soup, but I’ve had the literal [i]plague[/i] for days, and I would absolutely kill for a diner shake right now. How soon can you be here?”[/color]

Eliana’s voice was soft, elegant, almost feathery-like. Smooth and clear, her words came out of her light pink lips like a refreshing summer breeze as she, out of pure habit, enunciated her reply, [color=008b8b]”As was I... with the plague, I mean.”[/color] Bringing her gaze from the apartment front entrance to the brisk sky, she smiled to herself, [color=008b8b]“Diner food sounds splendid. Come, come. I’m already here. Unless you’d like me to go upstairs and fetch you?”[/color] How caught up was Ffiona in the happenings of Verona? Surely she knew the newest scoop in their tiny town. If not, well, she’d find out soon enough. 

Ffiona looked down at her woeful lack of clothing. [color=c0e03e]“You’re here?! Oh, shit… hang on. I need to get dressed! The main lock downstairs is eternally broken and my door is unlocked, so just come on up, I’ll trytobequickokaybyeee!~”[/color] Fi’s final words ran together in a pile up before she disconnected, tossing the phone aside and tornadoing into her bedroom. Articles of clothing were strewn about chaotically as Ffiona pawed through her drawers and closet. With no time to debate outfit decisions, FiFi picked a faithful combination: blue jeans and a cozy plaid flannel. 

In contrast, the guidance counselor was in no rush. After opening the forever-broken-lock door, she strided upstairs with her natural grace. Her thoughts ventured in the realms of motherly duties and what she would be cooking tonight for her son (and possible visitors, since her home was open to many young people who sought her companionship). Erik hadn’t told her he had other plans, so perhaps tonight, they would share a dinner together. Dinner with her son was one of her most cherished times of the week. 

He had a constant itch to go out and explore, which led to him forgetting about his petite mother who loves him dearly. Ah, but he was young. She was once like him. Free, restless, constantly going with the wind. Without a doubt, the wanderlust still resides in her, and yet, nowadays, Eliana chooses to be in a place where people could find her, while the one and only man in her life (that mattered) followed his impulses. 

Just like when her mother had arrived, Ffiona could hear Eliana’s approach - the creak on the staircase, the footsteps, the front door opening. What the...? Two accounts of the same instance was too much to be considered coincidental. FiFi peeked out of the bedroom doorway with a puzzled look on her face. Concern marred her features as she locked eyes with her friend [color=c0e03e]“I think… I think something is wrong with me…”[/color]

Naturally, Eliana acted like the motherly figure that she was, and placed the back of her hand on her friend’s forehead, [color=008b8b]“You feel fine. What are your symptoms?”[/color] Eliana would have replied jokingly, but everyone in Verona was recovering from a dreadful illness, so she could only assume FiFi was still battling the plague. 

[color=c0e03e]“I just…”[/color] Ffiona huffed in frustration. It wasn’t that simple to explain? [color=c0e03e]“I don’t know, I don’t feel sick anymore. Not like I did the past few days, at least.”[/color] There were a few moments of silence while Fi measured her words. [color=c0e03e]“Maybe I’m just stir crazy, because it would sound crazy. To say. Out loud.”[/color] They engaged in a long stare. Ellie was doing that counselor thing - it was a look that she just naturally wore sometimes, one that made you want to keep talking, even if it wasn’t an easy thing to talk about. [color=c0e03e]“I gotta think about it, maybe it will come out easier with some milkshake in my belly.”[/color]

Of course, Eliana wouldn’t press on until FiFi felt more comfortable expressing herself. Though, she did have a way of asking questions that ultimately led to her finding out personal information about people. Years upon years of practice. [color=008b8b]“I’d like to think the best people are the [i]slightly[/i] insane. Leaves for good conversations, don’t you think?”[/color] Holding the door open, Ellie gestured for FiFi to lead the way to the grand outdoors, [color=008b8b]“Maybe that would do everyone good. A stomach full of milkshake, especially after all the strange things happening lately. I’ve been up since… god, who knows how early, cleaning glass on Main Street. The sensical theory would be kids up to no good, but the way the glass was shattered, makes me question the probability of that. Ah, I’m just ranting now, let’s get some milkshakes and [i]maybe[/i] it’ll help you be less stir crazy.”[/color]

[color=c0e03e]“Shattered glass? Wow… I guess Momma Bear did mention something about cleanup duty when she was here earlier. That sounds awful, hmm, yeah… let’s get out of this apartment! Yikes!”[/color] Ffiona grabbed her purse and inspected it for the proper contents, keys and wallet, check! At least she’d have the essentials. After grabbing a coat, they were out the door and heading into town.

The sunlight was as blinding as it could possibly be, and it wasn’t even sunny out. Thankfully, like any great-outdoors-loving 25 year old, Ffiona always had a pair of sunglasses stashed away in her purse and car. So, as silly as she might look, she wore them without making any comment on doing so. There were a lot of people helping out on Main Street, it was messy and LOUD, but it was nice to see the town coming together to help out like this. [i]The Salem Diner[/i] had a few other patrons, despite the massive cleanup going on around the block, perhaps even because of it. The duo took a seat at one of the booths and waited for a waitress.

[color=c0e03e]“What flavor are you thinking? Strawberry sounds good to me!”[/color] Fi said without even looking at a menu.

[color=008b8b]”It’s between coffee flavored or good ol’ chocolate. Breakfast dishes are my absolute favorite even if I already ate some a few hours ago~! I’m surprised I haven’t gained weight…”[/color] Eliana’s voice trailed off as she brought the menu up and eagerly looked at her options. Yum, breakfast for lunch! 

After the soup situation earlier, Ffiona wasn’t looking to push it and have the full on feast that she really wanted. Breakfast was the best meal of the day, but milkshakes were also good. Steph, the brunette waitress who was not much older than FiFi, came by and took their order. Ffiona watched like an eager, giddy child as the blenders in the barista station whipped up their delicious treats. It wasn’t long - well, for the impatient and excited ginger, it felt like [i]forever[/i] - but it wasn’t long before Steph was back with both a chocolate and a strawberry milkshake on a tray with some waters, and fresh pot of coffee in her other hand.

With the beverages served and the news that Ellie’s meal would be on the way shortly, Ffiona went in on the shake. All in, no reservations, FiFi sucked in a big mouthful through the straw -- She didn’t even have time to swallow before two urgent thoughts crashed to the forefront of her mind: [i][b]COLD![/b][/i] and [i][b]SWEET![/b][/i]  Ffiona’s face twisted into a cross between a ‘brainfreeze’ and ‘I just sucked on a lemon’ expression. Eliana was already giving her an odd look as she forced herself to swallow it down.

[color=c0e03e]“I AM loosing my mind!”[/color] she whined quietly and propped her chin up on her fists in a pout, glaring at the innocent milkshake glass. She couldn’t even enjoy her [i]favorite[/i] [i]Salem’s[/i] shake. [color=c0e03e]“This sucks.”[/color]

[color=008b8b]"Maybe your body is changing? I use to love mint chocolate chip, now I can't stand it."[/color]

[color=c0e03e]“Maybe…”[/color] Ffiona said unconvincingly. She stared at the shake glass for a few seconds longer before taking a preparatory breath. [color=c0e03e]“But there is more than just this. Like…”[/color] she began to explain it in a hushed tone, partially because she didn’t want anyone besides Eliana to think she was insane, but mostly because her own voice was too loud for her ears. 

[color=c0e03e]“I’m not wearing glasses right now, or contacts, and I can see better than I ever have - even my mom’s eyes looked like a different color, like whole new color entirely! And when mom visited earlier, I could hear her coming up the stairs of the apartment complex, and the footsteps in the hall. I even heard the key turning the lock in the door, and I knew what kind shirt she was wearing before I saw it. I thought I was having a fever dream, but the same thing happened when you showed up.”[/color] she took another steadying breath, because the rant was not yet over. 

[color=c0e03e]“The shower was too loud, my bath was too hot, the soup was too salty, this milkshake is too sweet. I’m not sick! At least, I don’t feel sick, I feel... crazy. It’s like all of my senses are on hyperdrive and I just… I can’t turn it down!”[/color] There was an edge of panic in her voice, but it never raised in volume. The redhead sunk back into the booth’s cushion defeatedly and awaited judgement. Or a diagnosis. Or both…

Eliana was no doctor. She was a guidance counselor, so whatever FiFi was experiencing was a wild phenomena to her but it was like her sickness which escalated abnormally fast and then disappeared all together. If she could recall the haze that was her past couple of days, she’d like to think her sickness gave her more opportunities to lucid dream. Ah, but this wasn’t about the oddities that have been happening within her or in Verona in general, this was about comforting Ffiona and giving her a response that didn’t discourage her in anyway. [color=008b8b]”Sounds like you’ve been having one hell of a day. Do you have any theories? There’s always the option of going to the library to see if we could find books on what you’re going through, or even finding someone at Pagan Dreams for some… mystical advice. I’m no doctor, Ffiona, but I do know seeking out information rather than jumping to conclusions, could do you good. Do I think you’re crazy? Yeah, yeah I do, but I’ve always thought you to be a little insane, so don’t you worry! I still see you as the same ol same ol.”[/color]

Ffiona chuckled lightly. Ellie had a pleasant presence and a way with words that could brighten any mood. [color=c0e03e]“Yeah, I guess you’re right there. Pagan Dreams sounds like a fun adventure.”[/color] Perhaps Ffiona would make a stop there later. Ellie was right, she shouldn’t jump to any conclusions, there was probably a rational explanation to be found at the library or doctor’s office… or the local tarot card place. You know… totally rational.[/indent]