Forums » General Roleplay » A List of Things-To-Do [1x1]

Allie took out her notebook, flipped to a list of things-to-do and happily crossed off 'grocery shopping' from the bottom of the list. Next up, 'Go home and cook dinner'. Easy enough, she thought as she closed the notebook and put both it and the pen back into her star-shaped messager bag.

She had finished her tasks for the day and in her arm was a grocery tote full of bright produce and snacks. She was hellbent on having something that is the semblance of dinner with her boss tonight. Though Allie had the suspicion that Intan...didn't have to eat and was just humoring her on previous meals, she found the daily task comforting. Something resembling the normalcy of her past life.

Allie walked down the Los Angeles sidewalk. A golden orange light blanketed the city, its palm trees, its buildings, its citizens. It was the end of the day, almost sundown though that didn't keep people off the streets. Closed bars and clubs lit up, opening their doors to a different kind of people, the kind who prefer the dark, the promises of the night, the heady aroma of alcohol and cigarette smoke.

The girl wrapped her blazer closer to her. Allie wasn't that kind of person. In her past life, she would already be home doing homework or watching a tv show with her sister. In her past life, she had a feeling people would gawk at her, like the obvious abnormality she was in the city's nightlife with her clean white office blouse and her school girl navy skirt.

But now, she was borderline invisible. Not one person had spared a glance at her today, even as she brushed pass and squeaked 'excuse me' to a small crowd that was lining up to get to a bar. She was getting used to it.

Allie stopped at an intersection crossing corner, pressed the pedestrian button and waited for the lights to turn.

Petronella-Celeste smoothed a couple stray curls away from her face with her palm, stepping forth half a step to catch the attention of another passer-by. She was quite ready to head home soon.

"Would you like to help protect the vulnerable animals of our oceans?" The person slowed down slightly, so Petronella-Celeste kept going. "There's more information and how to help on our website", she offered a small card with the address, "but I have these informative leaflets if you'd prefer." The passer-by took the offered card and continued on their way.

PeeCee picked her next victim. "May I take a moment of your time for the animals of our oceans? We have information and guides on our..."

A voice in the street caught Allie's attention while she was waiting for the light and she glanced over at its direction. There a girl around her age was passing out leaflets. She listened in, not being able to help herself. She had been in the girl's position once before so she couldn't help but to feel a bit of kinship towards her.

Allie had volunteered for an animal shelter freshman year in high school. Though her family wouldn't allow her to adopt a dog of her own, she thought she can then at least help the poor pets find homes, live vicariously through their new owners or at least squeeze a few donation dollars out of passersby. She remembered spending a few days in the summer pointing out people on the street and yelling 'You! Don't you care about cute puppies and kitties?" Yes, it was emotionally manipulative but it had all been done for the sake of saving puppies!

Unconsciously, Allie took a few steps towards PeeCee. "Animals of our oceans?" She repeated what the girl just said with genuine concern in her voice. A small voice in the back of her head reminded Allie that the girl might just ignore her, as always, but it never hurts to try.

The next passer-by shook their head and walked on, so Petronella-Celeste went to find her next target.

She turned to find a neatly dressed girl in front of her and, not having heard her before, blinked in surprise before going ahead and repeating her spiel, since she certainly seemed to have the girl's attention.

PeeCee offered the girl a card and a leaflet, which detailed such lovely things as shark fin soup and the damage done by Jaws, then added: "Sweet outfit." It did quite stand out.

Being of a completely average level of noticeableness and forgettableness notwithstanding, PeeCee herself perhaps blended in a bit better. Her arms were bared by her short-sleeved muted rose turtleneck, and a letterman jacket was tied around her waist over a skirt and capri leggings. The day turning to night and cooling the air wasn't yet bothering her.

Allie gave PeeCee an awkward smile when she recognized the familiar look of surprise in the other's face. She lapped up what the girl said though: animals, ocean, fishes- all things that Allie sympathized with. She took the card and leaflet eagerly and skimmed through it. Never did liked Jaws much anyway and shark fin soup sounds disgusting.

Lost in the words of the leaflet, she almost missed PeeCee's compliment. She looked at the other, confused before- "Oh!" Allie straightened up upon processing the girl's words. "Umm.. Thank you! It's nothing special. It's my...uniform I guess! I wear it every day!" She said, her voice pitched one octave higher than normal.

Allie felt oddly giddy and nervous for a reason she didn't quite understand until it hit her. This was the first chance in a long while that she was able to make small talk to someone her own age, the first time anyone has given her a compliment in months. Most people forget her the moment Allie stopped talking and besides a simple exchange of money when she was buying food, it was hard for Allie to maintain any semblance of a conversation given her affliction. And her boss, Intan, was not much of a conversationalist to say the least.

Desperate to maintain this forward momentum, Allie pressed on.
"I love that turtleneck, the color really suits you." she squeaked with complete sincerity. "Have you been out here passing flyers all day? Are you volunteering for a non-profit or are you in like...a marine biology club at school? What school do you go to? Are you tired? You must be tired." Allie knew she was talking too much but she was so excited she couldn't stop herself.

Petronella-Celeste had the weirdest feeling while trying to engage with this girl, like her eyes just wanted to slide past her after a couple seconds. It was awfully strange and kind of frustrating, and PeeCee found herself staring at the leaflet she'd given Allie with an expression of befuddled consternation whenever the girl wasn't speaking, and even Allie's response to her compliment seemed to quickly fade behind a layer of brain fog. PeeCee's eyebrows drew together as she tried to mentally wave it away, but that meant she forgot to ask the girl something about the outfit.

"Oh, thanks!" She responded to the return compliment, laughing a little. "It's one of my favorite colors." She ended up opening and closing her mouth like a fish on dry land as a stream of words poured out of the other girl's mouth. "Huh, uh, a little? I've been here some three or four hours now... And, uh, I'm in the animal rights club at King/Drew... Could you pace yourself a little?" She rubbed her temple. "Brain fog, you know? Having trouble keeping up", she said, flashing an apologetic smile.

"Oh sorry! I'm just excited! I don't get a lot of chances to...talk, you know?" Allie said with a small laugh, knowing that her situation is not exactly something that the other will 'know'. There were no rules that prevented her from talking to anyone though she had remembered her boss calling it a 'fruitless task'. She had always liked small, humanizing conversations like these, in her past life. She took a few breaths to bring her mind back to walking speed. Sometimes, people retained more of her than others. She must have stumbled upon one of those people and at the very least, she wanted to get to know her.

"I'm Allie by the way!" She said, chancing it as she stuck out her hand. "Wow, I heard of King/Drew. Don't you have to be really smart to get in?" She looked around a bit at the fading crowd on the street corner. "...You staying long?" She added. It's not that this was a particularly dangerous neighborhood but Allie had always been one of those friends who wanted others to text them when they got home just to make sure they were ok.

Petronella-Celeste laughed in return, nodding, assuming that the girl simply didn't have many that many friends. PeeCee herself usually left others to do most of the work when it came to friendships, but she had a few friends.

"Petronella-Celeste, but you can call me PeeCee, I know it's a bit of a mouthful", PeeCee replied, shaking the offered hand. "Nice to meet you, Allie."

PeeCee had been the only nickname Petronella-Celeste had accepted as a kid. Petra? Hmm... Nah. Nelly? I am not a pony! Celia? Bluh. Lissie? Cute, but no. Cece? That's too cute.

At the question about her school, PeeCee shrugged. "I guess. I like to think I'm just determined", she said with a flash of a grin.

PeeCee took Allie's example and glanced around, absent-mindedly thinking that she should head home after giving out a couple more fliers. When she looked back, there was a girl about her age standing in front of her at chatting distance. PeeCee stared at her blankly for a moment. The girl stood out in her smart clothes... Déjà vu. No, she really had thought that already, she was sure. In fact, she felt like she was supposed to respond to something. "What? Oh! Uh, yeah, I was just thinking of heading home after giving out a couple more fliers." She felt a bit like smacking herself on the head in frustration. Pay attention, you lump!

(May I join?)

"PeeCee! That's so cute!" Allie said then immediately added "I mean in a good way! There are some people that take 'cute' as an insult but I meant it as a compliment." She laughed a bit nervously, hoping that she didn't sound stupid.
She was feeling self-aware now that she knew the other girl went to prodigious school but the feeling was almost welcoming. She remembered feeling this way many times in high school. It was so....normal, wasn't it?

"I'm from Arcadia, so I go to Arcadia High. I mean I use to go to." She said as she watched the other girl's expressions. It seemed like the 'spell' was in full effect but she admired the girl's pure willpower. She almost wanted to tell PeeCee 'no need to try so hard, I'm not important' but what stopped her was purely a selfish wish.

"If we are going the same way, mind if I walked with you?" She asked gently with a small tilt of her head. "I have....snacks! If you want!" She raised the grocery bag hanging off her arm. She had cookies, chips, pretzels, all mixed in with ingredients for dinner. Allie wasn't expecting the other girl to say yes, after all, don't take food from strangers and all of that, but she thought it couldn't hurt to offer.

(Okie dokie, thanks!)

I walked around a little lost, looking at my phone as I try to find where I'm supposed to go. The internet sucks. I can't even find the location. It's either dumb or I'm THAT dumb. My long brown buttoned jacket flew in the wind as I accidentally ran into a few people, quickly apologizing. I ask a few people if they know where Arcadia High is since I'm supposed to be there for a tour in about an hour.

I was wearing my jacket, a black turtleneck, grey leggings, and brown boots. I tie my hair up in a small messy bun with a frustrated look. I see two girls and walk up to them, "Um, Hi, do you know where Arcadia High is by chance?" I ask a little nervously.

PeeCee waved it off. "Don't worry, no offense taken. 'Cute' is much less rude than 'personal computer'!" She said with a grin. She may or may not have headbutted someone who called her that as a kid.

"Oh, sure! I'm fairly sure I'm done here, anyway." She shook her head at the offered snacks. She wanted to tease the girl about trying to bribe her, but decided it would sound either overly familiar or flirty.
"No thank you, I wouldn't want to intrude", she said instead, untying her red-and-black letterman from her waist and maneuvering it on with the foiers and cards in her hands, careful to keep her eyes fast on Allie. The stacks of fliers and cards she put into her little backpack, which conveniently has been present the whole time, unmentioned.
"Where are you heading? I hope we aren't heading in completely different directions, that would be awkward."

"Oh I was thinking PeeCee sounds like a candy...I can see it now, PeeCee Chocolates, in a hard candy shell. Maybe they can all be the same pink as your turtleneck, that color is so in! You can put it in a clear bag, tie a ribbon on it-" Allie chirped happily but stopped herself when she heard her own voice and cringed internally. Come on Allie, do you think about nothing but snacks?

"I'm heading...that way." She motioned her head across the street, to the intersection she was about to cross before she got distracted by animal welfare. "I live above the shop I work at...what about you? Live near here?" She felt herself stalling as she searched the other girl's face, not wanting to part ways so soon in case they were not heading the same way.

PeeCee cocked an eyebrow. "Really now? Well... I do like hard candies." That was a bit awkward, though.

PeeCee nodded at Allie. "I'm going in... That direction", she said, waving her hand a bit ways to the left from where Allie had motioned. "Shouldn't be too much of a detour for me to walk with you." She was still careful to not let Allie slip out of her line of sight, because it seemed to keep the worse brain fog at bay. Certainly not an effect PeeCee had ever experienced before.

"OH THAT'S GOOD!" Allie said a bit too excited and then laughed and repeated what she said in a quieter voice.
Even with Allie's sudden outburst, no one in the fading crowd spared them a glance. Before she would have looked around, embarrassed, and apologize to the passerbys but now, since she was so used to the crowd's behavior, Allie lost that degree of self-consciousness. She looked at PeeCee with sparkling eyes and caught PeeCee focused stare back at her. Immediately, she knew what the girl was trying to do and felt a damper in her excitement.

"Hopefully it's not...too far of a detour." She added.

It felt as if she was using the other girl for this selfish exercise. No she was definitely using PeeCee. She should come clean about a small part of who she was, after all, the PeeCee did agree to walk with her, a literal nobody.
"Um, I know this is strange, but I have this....thing? This thing that makes people forget about me. Usually much faster than normal. You're probably feeling it right now. It's weird right?" She gave a humorless laugh and looked away to the fading daylight of the Los Angeles skies that peeked through in-between the tall buildings. Her voice was a bit quieter now, as if she was confessing a secret to PeeCee or perhaps, more like a child forced to take back a lie.

"Just wanted to tell you cause well...you are one of the few who didn't immediately forget about me so...I thought you should at least know." She looked back at PeeCee, rolling her feet on her heels nervously, wondering if her words would even take or if the girl still wanted to walk with her after knowing.

PeeCee's eyes widened a little at Allie's outburst, and she bit her cheek to hold back a smile. Strange that none of the passers-by seemed to react, though.

When Allie worried aloud about the detout, PeeCee shook her head, the couple curls loose from her messy bun flying with the movement. She was going to reassure Allie, but then the girl claimed there was something about her that made people forget her and PeeCee ended up staring at Allie for a long moment, expression quite unreadable. She wanted to just laugh it off as a jokr, but seriously, no normal brain fog was like this. And anyway, sometimes it felt more like something slippery and oily, or a skipping CD, than fog. She had realised it was localised to Allie, anyway.

"Well, that explains", she said at length. "It's okay, though, I like a challenge." She flashed a smile, grabbing the straps of her backpack, quite shrugging the revelation off. "Should we head off? I really don't mind the detour", she said, nodding across the intersection. She wanted to ask about the 'thing', but felt like it would be quite rude to do so right away.

Allie had stood stiff as scanned PeeCee's face and waited for her reaction. When the other girl flashed her a smile, she let go of the breath she was holding in the form of a sigh of relief. To be honest, she didn't think PeeCee would so easily shrug off what Allie just said but she was glad she did.

"It'll be...quite a challenge!" Allie said back with a laugh, returning to her normal cheery self. Allie didn't feel like PeeCee can win this but there was a small hope that maybe there is some sort of loophole. Not that she could be too happy or sad about it either way; Allie chose this path out of her own volition after all. Complaining about it would mean regretting it, and she didn't regret it.

"Yeah, let's go!" Allie replied, bracing her bags and practically frolicking over to the intersection.
"So PeeCee, tell me about yourself! Family? Friends? Interests? Was it hard to get into King/Drew? What are you studying?"

PeeCee strode after Allie, quite preferring that the other girl lead the way, the situation being what it was. This way she could keep Allie in her sights easier.

"Wow, what's this, an interrogation?" she teased, but obliged. "Umm, I live with my dad, and I have one sibling. I'm the younger one." She scratched her cheek in thought. "I'd say it's harder studying at King/Drew than it was getting in. They have high expectations. I don't really have a ton of time to hang out with friends..." She watched Allie as she spoke, noting the stars hanging on the girl's ponytail holders. "Hey, Ellie, are you interested in astronomy or do you just happen to like stars?"

"Wait, you're the younger sister? No way, you have this....older sister feel to you. That mature, 'I know what I'm doing' feeling." Allie said as she turned back to study PeeCee in a new light. She recognized the irony in her statement; Allie was an 'older sister' and never knew what she was doing, not really, but she felt like she had an idea of what an older sister should be.

"OH, I love astronomy! I mean I like stars too...aesthetically." Allie shook her head with a smile to make the dangling stars on her hair band shake. She had turned and started to walk backwards in order to face PeeCee and talk to her at the same time. "But my dad's a guide at the Griffith Observatory and he said my first word was 'telescope'. The second word, 'gamma-ray'. I spent every other summer day up in the Observatory. And I-"

Allie wanted to go on and tell PeeCee that her father use to replace all the lyrics of bedtime lullabies with astronomy terms or that she and her sister sacrificed two years of birthday presents in order to afford a telescope for their room or that her favorite thing about the stars is that the whole world is ever-changing but if you look at the sky in the same place, at the same time, the same stars will be there, year after year.
Allie didn't want to lose PeeCee in her talk though, not when the other was trying so hard to keep up. She turned back around to walk normally.

"And I--I don't really have a lot of time to hang with friends either. But...that's ok." She finished and then quickly added, "And it's Allie! It's short for Alouette." Allie realized that PeeCee got her name wrong the moment she said it but she didn't have enough conviction to correct her till now. In a normal situation, she would have let that minor error slide but she had long past any sense of normal.