[color=B0C4DE][b]MACKENZIE LI[/b][/color] - Li Residence Monday, 9 September 2029 - Before School [hider=Solo] Coming soon. [/hider] [hr] [color=B0C4DE][b]MACKENZIE[/b][/color] and [color=c8a2c8][b]SAVANNAH[/b][/color] - Lakewood High Monday, 9 September 2029 - After School Collab with [@Bubsy 2] [hider=I Sorry] There were students still roaming around outside. First day of school meant after-school club activities were basically non-existent for now, and that the halls were empty. What a relief. Mackenzie was departing a talk in the faculty room. It wasn’t as menacing as anything her heartrate had forecasted, just the ‘your parents made sure we’re aware of your condition’ and ‘we have counselors available’ stuff she’d told herself to expect. With that, and an additional feed-scrolling session in the bathroom, Mackenzie’s first day was complete! It had been… manageable. She’d taken the first step and that was something to proud of, wasn’t it? [color=B0C4DE]‘No,’[/color] the mean – [i]rational[/i] – voice in her head chided. Everyone else had done the same thing. The bare minimum was nothing to be celebrated. And really, the fact that she briefly considered it as such totally cancelled out the non-achievement she just made. Mackenzie’s shoulders slumped. At least she’d be home soon. The sound of a second pair of footsteps began accompanying hers. She didn’t pay it any mind. They sounded close and were probably taking the same way out as her. The sophomore went through the door and held it open, only to look up and realize there was still at least a three second walk between her and the older girl behind. Oh. Oh no… Savannah blinked. She stopped. Why did she stop? Now, it felt that by her estimation this was a [i]situation[/i]. Because she had stopped and was now staring at the other, and she could give no name to the feeling that made her stop walking, it was just a reflex. It was like she just couldn't commit herself to walk quicker, and she couldn't commit herself to make the girl in front of her wait by walking slowly, so her brain just said 'stop'. But now there was much more waiting happening. It was very foolish, because now she felt it would be much more awkward to walk through the doors. She glared. [color=c8a2c8]"Thanks,"[/color] she still wasn't going through the door. Her voice sounded mean and sarcastic, but she wasn't, that was just the way she talked. What was she doing? [color=B0C4DE]"I can--"[/color] Close the door for you? What? No. [color=B0C4DE]"Do--"[/color] You want to go through? Probably--no, [i]obviously[/i] not. Oh god, look at her face. Why was she so mad? Why were neither of them moving?! [color=B0C4DE]"I'm sorry,"[/color] Mackenzie blurted, sheer reflex frantically filling the silence for her. Oh no. Oh no, this was horrible. Savannah's face morphed into some kind of horrible mean grimace, and she thought she might have been trying to smile but her face was not following orders. She took two quick breaths but tried to stop herself before anything more happened. Her face was burning, she realized, she was red. Her legs could not commit to movement. She stood. [color=B0C4DE]"I didn't mean it."[/color] Okay, Mackenzie didn't even know what she was talking about now. The other, much prettier girl looked really upset. Nononono. [color=B0C4DE]"You--I thought you were closer."[/color] She could feel tears prickling upwards. Savannah opened her mouth. What should she say? What could she say? This poor girl suddenly looked so sad because of Savannah's own transgression, because of her own awkwardness. Five more breaths, sharp and fast, and she thought [i]Please not here, not at school,[/i] and her eyes were watering, she was going to cry if this didn't let up. Please don't. The words came dumbly, [color=c8a2c8]"You didn't mean it..."[/color] it was less a statement and more a pleading whisper to the air, grasping for something. Ah, she was taunting her. Mackenzie nodded mutely and turned away in hopes her impending tears would go unseen. Oh no. Oh no, the other girl was crying now, wasn't she? And there was a tear going down Savannah's face. Inhale, five seconds, exhale. Keep it in check. Don't hyperventilate. God, if she passed out at school then her parents would have to find out. Just count the seconds. After Savannah steadied herself, she stepped forward. Once, and twice, and then several times more until she was just right in front of Mackenzie. In her head she thought she would... she pictured herself giving the girl a [i]hug[/i], because that seemed like the right way to express that this has all been a great misunderstanding, but now that she was in the moment right in front of her she remembered that she didn't like touching people. She couldn't make herself touch the girl. Wouldn't it be weird anyways? It would only make things worse. So she was now right next to Mackenzie, and she was doing absolutely nothing. [color=c8a2c8]"Um."[/color] What was she [i]doing?[/i] Approaching to mock her better? Hit her? Did she actually want to go through now? The proximity made Mackenzie take a swift step back. Preserving her personal bubble? No, it was just to wrench the door back as far as it would go. [color=c8a2c8]"I... sorry."[/color] What did she just say? It sounded, for just a moment, like she said the words 'I sorry'. But that was not how the English language worked, and 'I sorry' was something that a caveman would say. But no, that was exactly what she said. There was a breakdown between the start of one sentence and the end of another, and only a fragment of what was trying to say was able to fire in the synapses which made her mouth move and vocalize. All she was able to say was 'I sorry'. Oh. [color=B0C4DE]"Me... too?"[/color] [color=c8a2c8]"Okay."[/color] She could really think of nothing else to say. She stepped through the door, outside now. [color=B0C4DE]"Okay."[/color] Nodding fast, wiping her nose with her sleeve, Mackenzie released the door. This was over, this was [i]done[/i]. She walked away, brisker than any pace she'd taken in the last six months. Later, she'd berate herself for not giving a proper apology. For not checking more thoroughly if the girl was upset, or mad, or disappointed. For being so freaking awkward and useless as usual. Later, it would keep her awake. But for now, she was just happy to be gone. [/hider] [hr] [color=B0C4DE][b]MACKENZIE[/b][/color] and [b]SANDY[/b] - Lakewood High Tuesday, 10 September 2029 - Lunchtime Collab with [@ERode] [hider=It's Rice] Second day and the cafeteria was already forbidden territory. There were too many people, the convenience of the place made it all too likely she'd run into that girl she upset the other day. Mackenzie had avoided eye contact for most of the encounter but from what she remembered, the stranger was older and extremely pretty. Nice clothes and striking makeup. Someone who looked like that was bound to have a bunch of senior friends ready to gossip and pounce on offenders like Mackenzie. It was best to stay out of their way. Besides, cafeteria food could never compare to her mom's cooking. Mackenzie wandered the school with her high-grade thermos. There was a nice shady spot around the back of campus that very few people knew about. The perfect place to cross her legs and eat, surrounded by quiet. She rounded the corner eagerly, only to find a girl she recognized already in her spot. [color=B0C4DE]"Ah."[/color] No, she didn't want this. The girl glared up at her. She sat with her legs spread apart upon a gradual slope, and cradled in her hands was the most adorable lunchbox, replete with vegetables cut up in cute shapes and ketchup rice molded in the shape of a bear. For a moment, they remained there in silence, a silence broken only by the careful chewing of octopus wiener. [b]"Ah?"[/b] was what the lunch-eater finally said, a menacing growl rumbling through her throat. About as menacing as a kitten's purr, really. [color=B0C4DE]"Well..."[/color] She probably wasn't Chinese, now that Mackenzie had a close look. [color=B0C4DE]"Sorry, this, um."[/color] Didn't seem like a good idea. Her eyes strayed anywhere that wasn't the unfriendly girl's face, settling on, [color=B0C4DE]"Bears, huh?"[/color] [b]"Huh? Gotta problem with that?"[/b] [color=B0C4DE]"N-no!"[/color] Even the slightest sign of confrontation was enough to set her off. [color=B0C4DE]"No, it's... it's rice. I like rice... too...?"[/color] The girl screwed up her face, though whether she was smiling or grimacing was hard to tell with the mask over her mouth. [b]"You can't have any,"[/b] was what finally came out. But her features relaxed slightly, at least. [color=B0C4DE]"Oh. Y-yeah, that's okay. I have my own food."[/color] Mackenzie lifted her thermos for her to see. [color=B0C4DE]"So... you're gonna eat?"[/color] It was hard to tell with that mask on. She gave Mackenzie another [i]look[/i]. [b]"Are you?"[/b] [color=B0C4DE]"I can... I can eat somewhere else if-if you don't want me here."[/color] Her grasp on the thermos tightened. [b]"I don't care."[/b] She twirled her chopsticks between her fingers, then sectioned off another portion of rice. [b]"Just don't bring [i]friends[/i]."[/b] Easy. Mackenzie simply nodded, settled down a few feet from the girl, and began to eat her noodles. Another twitch of the masked girl's eye. She tipped the lower portion of her mask outwards, sneaking in a bundle of rice. Chewed it properly, as always, then swallowed. [b]"You said you liked rice."[/b] W-what? Was it because... [color=B0C4DE]"I... do?"[/color] She wanted it to be an affirmation but it didn't sound convincing in the slightest. [color=B0C4DE]"But, uh, Mom made noodles last night."[/color] [b]"Hmph."[/b] And with that, the girl went back to eating. Mackenzie, too nervous to question it further, did the same. [/hider] [hr] [color=B0C4DE][b]MACKENZIE[/b][/color] and [color=c4df9b][b]LEAH[/b][/color] - The Foxhole Thursday, 12 September 2029 - After School Collab with [@Lasrever] [hider=Loaded] [i]""[/i] [color=B0C4DE][i]" Maybe a milkshake, I guess."[/i][/color] That took place twenty two minutes ago, moments before Mackenzie's mother ran into Mrs Tao by the counter. The hapless daughter watched the dam break, potential hours of gossip and family catch-up springing between the women. They saw each other at the market just three days ago, how many times could this possibly happen?! Mackenzie herself was seated at a table, waiting. Enduring. She tugged absently at her highlights, being sure to keep her head down as to obscure her anguish. This cafe was a hot place to hang out after-school if all the familiar faces here were something to go by. How typical that she'd learn that by coming here with her mom and not like, actually being invited by someone. Her frown deepened as the thoughts snowballed. She just wanted to leave, go away to somewhere she'd be less seen. The milkshake could wait another day. [color=c4df9b]"Old people, am I right?"[/color] A voice interrupted the girl's thoughts, as Leah glanced over at her sympathetically, mid-cleaning. [color=c4df9b]"I swear every second one that comes in here'll talk for a whole year if you let them. Which we do."[/color] Mackenzie blinked at the stranger. She looked her age but she was already working. Damn, another person who knew what they were doing with themselves. [color=B0C4DE]"Um, yeah,"[/color] was all she offered back. [color=c4df9b]"So, what's your name? I'm Leah. Also, why're you guys in here?"[/color] She paused, looking a little flustered. [color=c4df9b]"I-I don't mean that it's bad you're here, just... y'know."[/color] Leah frowned for a second, looking wistful; even jealous. [color=c4df9b]"Your mom looks like she's loaded, I guess."[/color] [color=B0C4DE]"Mackenzie."[/color] The question and justification struck her a little uncomfortably, though she couldn't put her finger on why. [color=B0C4DE]"Uh, she said this place was... good?"[/color] [color=c4df9b]"I guess that's fair enough. Just..."[/color] Leah shook her head, [color=c4df9b]"man, I'm sorry, don't want to make you feel weird, it's just different worlds, y'know?"[/color] [color=B0C4DE]"It's..."[/color] It was fine, right? She hadn't meant anything... it wasn't anything bad. [color=B0C4DE]"Um, it's okay. I... kinda get it?"[/color] Ah. Discomfort. Sure. [color=c4df9b]"Sorry, I'm new and everything. I, um, don't really know what I'm doing yet."[/color] The subtext of that being a not-so-subtle 'please don't complain about me'. [color=c4df9b]"So don't worry about it, y'know. If it's better me just like, not talking then that's cool too; or like, if you wanna talk?"[/color] A sigh. [color=c4df9b]"Sorry, I'm rambling. I'm just bored with cleaning stuff and you seem cool?"[/color] Mackenzie blinked, her hair-tugging momentarily paused. [color=B0C4DE]"M-Me?"[/color] Oh no. She hadn't made it weird, right? Not that it mattered; it'd be weirder to act like she was speaking to someone else at this point. [color=c4df9b]"Well... yeah? I'm like, starved for conversation. Most people ignore me or whatever, so. Cool."[/color] [color=B0C4DE]"I... won't ignore you."[/color] The resoluteness of that statement made her avert her gaze to the table. [color=B0C4DE]"Um. People don't really come to me for conversation. So."[/color] [color=c4df9b]"Well, that just means this is like practice or whatever, y'know?"[/color] Leah grinned. [color=c4df9b]"Leah, conversation trainer."[/color] Mackenzie couldn't say why she smiled back at that but she did. [color=B0C4DE]"You have... a lot of jobs."[/color] [color=c4df9b]"Well, y'know, we've all got our trials. They don't take the job thing as an excuse to skip phys ed though. Which is a shame,"[/color] she laughed a little, [color=c4df9b]"because I suck at soccer."[/color] [color=B0C4DE]"Because of the kicking or the... running?"[/color] [color=c4df9b]"The kicking, mostly. I'm pretty fit for the rest, luckily."[/color] Leah glanced back at the counter. [color=c4df9b]"I should probably get back to working properly, though. Nice meeting you..."[/color] name. Yeah, she'd forgotten to ask for that one. [color=B0C4DE]"M-Mackenzie,"[/color] she repeated. Yeah, she was a pretty forgettable person... [color=c4df9b]"Oh, man, sorry. I'm so bad at names, y'know, and my brain's always fried by the afternoon."[/color] But hey, Mackenzie (or at least her mom) seemed like she had cash to spare, so Leah smiled cheerfully, [color=c4df9b]"guess this means you'll just have to stop by more often. That way I'll definitely remember it, right?"[/color] Um. [color=B0C4DE]"Yeah. I... guess it does."[/color] [color=c4df9b]"Well, up to you. Either way, I'll see you around."[/color] Mackenzie didn't know why that didn't sound as enticing as it should have been. [color=B0C4DE]"Yeah."[/color] [/hider]