axilyae
Really Experienced
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2012
- Posts
- 200
If Alice had to describe herself? Hard-working, dedicated, outgoing. A dancer in the rain type, a strong-willed modern warrior with bells on her toes. The world was a canvas, and she took the part of the loyal artist.
If others were to describe the young college student, perhaps the words petty, self-absorbed, and confident would come into the mix. Alice was twenty years old, a successful student so far, but still finding herself within the confusing bubble of parties, social meets and studying. Who at this age knew who they were? It wasn't something she had thought of much before, but college had thrown her into the faces of a variety of people. Despite keeping close to her tight-knit group of friends and keeping a brave face...Alice had never felt so uncertain in her life. It was exciting. Even after eighteen months of being enrolled, she was still not entirely used to the transfer from the immaturity of high school jabs to the much more adult interactions that college required. Luckily, Alice had learnt from the mistakes of others. Calm eyes surveyed stammering latecomers be caught and sent out, biting words from lecturers saved for those trying to sneak away from deadlines. That will not be me, she had said to herself. So far, her words had proven right. Alice was a good student. Dressed demurely during lecture hours, she earned good marks and never had a reason to be picked out of the crowd unless she was volunteering an answer.
Fiery red hair announced her arrival into a room even before the delicate tones of her voice did; eyes that glowed a soft amber brown complimented her palette, usually crinkling in one of her usual bright smiles, or perhaps a laugh she would hide behind a pale and slender hand. Alice enjoyed playing a room in the best way a socially-active young adult could; compared to most of her associates, it perhaps would be accurate to say she did remarkably well. It was still more of a stumble than a run, but it was progress for the naïve red-headed woman. A giggle punctuating the right parts in a conversation and a subtle compliment (or two) had earned her an evening job at one of the busy restaurants in the city centre - a nice uniform, good tips, a reason to keep herself looking smart from dawn to dusk. Alice had a lazy streak that was a struggle to fight unless she gave herself a reason, and her job gave her a reason to keep her applying that fresh coat of wet, red lipstick and beam smiles until her muscles were sore and aching.
Right now, Alice was sat across from someone she considered a close friend. Iris was meek, white-blonde hair wisping around her pale face; large-blue eyes becoming dramatic, dark blotches in comparison to the smooth contours of her skin. A pinched, pink mouth pouted now as she sipped at the dark coffee Alice had bought her, eyebrows skewed in her usual quizzical expression that she wore so often, she seemed permanently confused.
"So, are you? Or aren't you?"
"Do you have to label everything, Iris?" Alice sighed, rolling her eyes whilst donating a pitiful smile. "We're just having fun. It's not a big deal."
"But it is!" Iris insisted, her almost invisible eyebrows knitting together in a flash of irritation. "You know, this is the worst time to pick up a guy. Six months until exams, four months until overall coursework deadlines, not to mention work inbetween. And you have a job, Ali. You have to set boundaries, rul-"
Alice suddenly laughs, the sound of it cutting into Iris' words and slowly drifting them aside to quiet.
"It's fine, really. It's just casual. I'm not even sure if I like him..look, anyway. Let's talk about something else.."
"Fine. But first, I need to see a picture of this guy. I've not even met him yet."
Rolling her eyes despite herself, Alice reaches for the thin smartphone sitting in her jeans pocket, wiggling slightly in her seat to dislodge it from the tight material. Sliding the lock on the touchscreen, she deftly flicks through the phone's photo album, chewing on her lip as she finally picks a photo to show Iris, handing the phone over with a sly smile.
"Oh!...oh, he's not bad. Tall?" Iris inquired, tilting the phone left and right as she examines.
"Uhh..I don't know. I haven't asked, or measured." Alice shrugged. "Taller than me. So above 5'6? Maybe about 6'1. Sort of towering..."
The woman makes little humming noises of approval, finally nodding. "He's okay. I didn't expect you to go for such a stereotypical..muscle man though."
"As I said, I'm not so sure, alright?" Alice pretended to protest, although she was still more amused at Iris' indignation than anything else. "I've not had a serious relationship before, let me play."
The girls continued to giggle for a while longer, ordering another coffee whilst catching-up. Inbetween Alice's new evening job and a few deadlines in the last two weeks, they had hardly seen each other. The next month or so looked like they'd both have more flexible schedules and both made plans to meet in the next few days to make a good start on making the most of it before things tightened once more.
"It was good to catch up." Alice said an hour later, draining the last of her black coffee and leaning back. "This little café is really nice. I've never been here before..."
"It's only across the road from your restaurant, and you've never been here?" Iris exclaimed, flapping a hand at Alice as if to say now you're just being stupid. "Anyway, I have to run. Have you got work tonight?"
"Six until ten, so a short shift.."
"Alright. Well, you'll have to come out with us Friday night, okay? Just two days away. Chin up Ali. Don't over-work yourself!"
After settling the final bill, the two made a fuss about gathering coats and handbags from their seating area as they extended their goodbye as long as it could be. A perfume-soaked hug finally separated the two, Iris giving a final girlish wave before disappearing out of the café doors. Smiling hesitantly at the nearby waiter, Alice finally escaped after her into the chill of the outside. Back home then. Home was her parent's house, Alice choosing to stay there and commute rather than have a place of her own - although she commonly stayed at friend's places at the weekend for some space. Three siblings - two sisters and a brother - and over-bearing parents led to her keeping a lock on her door and investing in headphones rather than speakers. Checking her watch, Alice counted four hours until her shift - enough time to get home, freshen up, and perhaps an hour of mindlessly watching trash TV before making her way back into the city bustle. Exhaling harshly, Alice looked around before briskly ducking her way into the street crowds to make her way to the bus station.
If others were to describe the young college student, perhaps the words petty, self-absorbed, and confident would come into the mix. Alice was twenty years old, a successful student so far, but still finding herself within the confusing bubble of parties, social meets and studying. Who at this age knew who they were? It wasn't something she had thought of much before, but college had thrown her into the faces of a variety of people. Despite keeping close to her tight-knit group of friends and keeping a brave face...Alice had never felt so uncertain in her life. It was exciting. Even after eighteen months of being enrolled, she was still not entirely used to the transfer from the immaturity of high school jabs to the much more adult interactions that college required. Luckily, Alice had learnt from the mistakes of others. Calm eyes surveyed stammering latecomers be caught and sent out, biting words from lecturers saved for those trying to sneak away from deadlines. That will not be me, she had said to herself. So far, her words had proven right. Alice was a good student. Dressed demurely during lecture hours, she earned good marks and never had a reason to be picked out of the crowd unless she was volunteering an answer.
Fiery red hair announced her arrival into a room even before the delicate tones of her voice did; eyes that glowed a soft amber brown complimented her palette, usually crinkling in one of her usual bright smiles, or perhaps a laugh she would hide behind a pale and slender hand. Alice enjoyed playing a room in the best way a socially-active young adult could; compared to most of her associates, it perhaps would be accurate to say she did remarkably well. It was still more of a stumble than a run, but it was progress for the naïve red-headed woman. A giggle punctuating the right parts in a conversation and a subtle compliment (or two) had earned her an evening job at one of the busy restaurants in the city centre - a nice uniform, good tips, a reason to keep herself looking smart from dawn to dusk. Alice had a lazy streak that was a struggle to fight unless she gave herself a reason, and her job gave her a reason to keep her applying that fresh coat of wet, red lipstick and beam smiles until her muscles were sore and aching.
Right now, Alice was sat across from someone she considered a close friend. Iris was meek, white-blonde hair wisping around her pale face; large-blue eyes becoming dramatic, dark blotches in comparison to the smooth contours of her skin. A pinched, pink mouth pouted now as she sipped at the dark coffee Alice had bought her, eyebrows skewed in her usual quizzical expression that she wore so often, she seemed permanently confused.
"So, are you? Or aren't you?"
"Do you have to label everything, Iris?" Alice sighed, rolling her eyes whilst donating a pitiful smile. "We're just having fun. It's not a big deal."
"But it is!" Iris insisted, her almost invisible eyebrows knitting together in a flash of irritation. "You know, this is the worst time to pick up a guy. Six months until exams, four months until overall coursework deadlines, not to mention work inbetween. And you have a job, Ali. You have to set boundaries, rul-"
Alice suddenly laughs, the sound of it cutting into Iris' words and slowly drifting them aside to quiet.
"It's fine, really. It's just casual. I'm not even sure if I like him..look, anyway. Let's talk about something else.."
"Fine. But first, I need to see a picture of this guy. I've not even met him yet."
Rolling her eyes despite herself, Alice reaches for the thin smartphone sitting in her jeans pocket, wiggling slightly in her seat to dislodge it from the tight material. Sliding the lock on the touchscreen, she deftly flicks through the phone's photo album, chewing on her lip as she finally picks a photo to show Iris, handing the phone over with a sly smile.
"Oh!...oh, he's not bad. Tall?" Iris inquired, tilting the phone left and right as she examines.
"Uhh..I don't know. I haven't asked, or measured." Alice shrugged. "Taller than me. So above 5'6? Maybe about 6'1. Sort of towering..."
The woman makes little humming noises of approval, finally nodding. "He's okay. I didn't expect you to go for such a stereotypical..muscle man though."
"As I said, I'm not so sure, alright?" Alice pretended to protest, although she was still more amused at Iris' indignation than anything else. "I've not had a serious relationship before, let me play."
The girls continued to giggle for a while longer, ordering another coffee whilst catching-up. Inbetween Alice's new evening job and a few deadlines in the last two weeks, they had hardly seen each other. The next month or so looked like they'd both have more flexible schedules and both made plans to meet in the next few days to make a good start on making the most of it before things tightened once more.
"It was good to catch up." Alice said an hour later, draining the last of her black coffee and leaning back. "This little café is really nice. I've never been here before..."
"It's only across the road from your restaurant, and you've never been here?" Iris exclaimed, flapping a hand at Alice as if to say now you're just being stupid. "Anyway, I have to run. Have you got work tonight?"
"Six until ten, so a short shift.."
"Alright. Well, you'll have to come out with us Friday night, okay? Just two days away. Chin up Ali. Don't over-work yourself!"
After settling the final bill, the two made a fuss about gathering coats and handbags from their seating area as they extended their goodbye as long as it could be. A perfume-soaked hug finally separated the two, Iris giving a final girlish wave before disappearing out of the café doors. Smiling hesitantly at the nearby waiter, Alice finally escaped after her into the chill of the outside. Back home then. Home was her parent's house, Alice choosing to stay there and commute rather than have a place of her own - although she commonly stayed at friend's places at the weekend for some space. Three siblings - two sisters and a brother - and over-bearing parents led to her keeping a lock on her door and investing in headphones rather than speakers. Checking her watch, Alice counted four hours until her shift - enough time to get home, freshen up, and perhaps an hour of mindlessly watching trash TV before making her way back into the city bustle. Exhaling harshly, Alice looked around before briskly ducking her way into the street crowds to make her way to the bus station.