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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 7, 2012 21:29:19 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Nell wound her fingers through the strings of beads on her necklace, a new way to keep her hard preoccupied, keep them busy. She smiled pleasantly at Mr. Hart as he spoke, her lips curved into humorous commas. "I hope this job's treating you well," he said, and even if she were the type to complain, she couldn't have broken the old man's heart. "Very well," she replied pleasantly, stepping aside so a man carrying a briefcase could pass, her heels clicking against the floor. The clothes always assured her, made her feel confident, professional. The blazer, the trousers, the blouse--it was pretty standard, almost a uniform. "Good, good," he said, placing a hand at the small of her back and steering her toward an area with less traffic, down a corridor leading east. "You're done for the day, aren't you?" Nell nodded, dropping her hand from the tangle of necklaces. "I'll be staying for the orchestra performance. I invited a friend along." His drooping eyes brightened and he stopped walking, half-turned toward a door that led beneath the huge stage. "How wonderful! If it's not too much to ask, can you inform Jane to come to the pit." Her smile did not falter once. It helped that the man was so warm, bright sun on her skin in the coming winter chill. "Of course," she said, waving before turning to the back offices, stepping up the staircase and gazing outside through the huge windows. It gave the illusion that there was more space in the already huge building.
To fend off the terror, she thought of her week's schedule. School all week, volunteering for two hours before work every other day and work every day. She took care of her father almost every day, making sure he was not getting any worse seeing as he refused to go to a doctor. And to also make sure Rafael hadn't causes problems. Even the thought brought the guilt back like full-force nausea. She had a coffee date with Angela, and she made sure she could spend her free time with her friends while balancing studying and homework. Like today with Lark. Even though her head was pounding and she felt like she was dragging around led blocks with her feet, she was excited to watch the philharmonic orchestra's performance. She let the reassuring thought of the Fire girl's presence carry her to the office she dreaded. "You're needed in the pit," Nell said, peaking her head into the office and seeing Jane behind her desk, typing something on her computer, long nails tap tapping against the keyboard. The ceiling to floor windows let in the sun's light as it headed toward the west. The environment seemed sterile, like a hospital, and Nell didn't dare step any closer into what felt like the lion's den. "Thank you, Nelly," the woman said, turning her chair and stepping fluidly out of it, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. The girl froze to the ground as if expecting the attack, but Jane went on her way, leaving Nell staring into the office.
She pulled herself away, tugging at a bang before heading off to the main lobby. Jane had been rather docile after Nell turned down her...the girl didn't know what to call it. It wasn't an offer or a bribe. It was an ultimatum. I'll never be like that. Common sense and moral code vehemently objected to the idea of her working with Jane. She didn't want to be under the boot of the law again. But she also worried about her family. Jane knew exactly where to target to get her way, and Nell's throat closed up with the thought. She already had Rafael around Angela--she didn't want Jane anywhere near her family. And thinking of family, she grinned web she saw Lark in the large main lobby. People milled about, quite a few paying for the box office, others meeting with their dates. "Hola Larkita," she chirped, the click of her heels as she walked up to the girl reminding her how much she wanted to throw them through one of the huge windows. "Wow, I'm almost as tall as you," she said, arms out at her sides as she stepped on tip-toes to make herself even taller. Settling back on her heels she asked, "Have you been waiting long? I was working a little overtime." She reminded herself not to scratch the back of her head in the usual sheepish gesture, her hair pulled back into a bun held up with bobby pins.
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 10, 2012 14:14:02 GMT -5
It was one of those rare occasions where Lark wondered what was happening to her. There she stood in her bedroom, ponytail partially curled and placed over her shoulder, black collared blouse with a white camisole underneath accenting her torso, and a pair of black slacks loose but comfortable against her legs. She even managed to find a pair of high heels in her closet—probably from a few years back when her mom tried to encourage her to be more ‘girly’. They were going to pay off today, at least, and the heels were not so infinitely high that she felt unstable when walking. Lark looked at herself in the mirror and felt as though she were looking at someone completely different. I don’t mind it… She thought to herself, biting at the inside of her lip. She was tired of seeming unapproachable all of the time; perhaps it was the way she normally dressed? Or was it the way she talked? Lark rattled her brain to try and comprehend what kept people at a distance but was not sure what could be changed to fix it. Well, aside from dressing up in a nice outfit for a night with Nell. Personalities were a bit more difficult to alter and change in and out of. If it were that easy, then life would be much simpler. Lark was comfortable with who she was, but at the same time wanted to try and be more open. At least with those like Nell, and Josh, and Ashton.
Frank was away for a week, off with his buddies doing who knows what, and he left the car in his absence. He did not say she could use it, nor did he hand her the keys, but Lark was not an idiot. It was fairly easy to find the hiding place. She used the car a few times before when he was passed out in his bed. Straightening her shirt, Lark left the room and grabbed the car keys on the way out. She even had a purse strapped over her shoulder. Nell is starting to break me down… Lark thought, though there was a smile on her lips. She hopped into the car and took off towards the Orchestra Hall, which was a fairly decent drive from home. Not that she minded; the girl spent the time thinking and listening to music. She wondered about the future, what was going to happen to her for college, for a career, with friends…would anything drastic change? Outside of moving away from Frank next year, and aside from Nell and Josh tying the knot at some point, there was not much else she could foresee that was going to be anything large. I need to start working on their wedding gift. Lark planned to do something special for them, hoping that it meant as much to them as it would to her. She could use what she knew best, and make something memorable. At least, she hoped it would be memorable.
Lark pulled into the parking lot and found a place decently close to the entrance to save her the harsh walk in high heels. High or low, any heel always made the girl’s foot ache. She stepped out and locked the car for good measure (because if something happened to the car Frank would definitely figure it out) before wandering her way inside. There were quite a few people streaming in and out, most of them dressed up nicely for the occasion as well. Lark was grateful she took a little time to put on something nice so she would not feel so out of place. Since when did I care? Since this was Nell’s place of work, and Lark refused to make a bad impression with any of her co-workers or her boss. That would not do well for Nell to have her friend show up in jeans and a t-shirt. She caught sight of her friend and smiled at her. “Aloha, Nilla,” Lark greeted back, shuffling on her small high heels as people shuffled by. Even with high heels Nell was still shorter than she, and it amused the Fire girl. She chuckled. “Almost. My heels aren’t too high so you have a bit of an advantage this time.” Her eyes glinted with amusement and happiness, something she only seemed to feel around her close friends. “Oh, I actually just got here about five minutes ago. I kinda took the drive easy to enjoy a little driving alone time.” Lark smiled, unsure if Nell knew about her situation at home. Probably not, being as Lark never talked about it. “So do I need to grab a ticket? I don’t know how much they are or anything…”
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 11, 2012 18:22:37 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Nell grinned at the greeting, shrugging her shoulders a bit. The stress began to melt away. For a few hours, she could forget. Not consciously, her mind did it all by itself. Even though she was still in the place that was a cause for the strain, she could be here and enjoy it for what it was, a place for music and enjoyment, the arts. She didn't have to think about Jane or the fact that this was a job out of necessity, not want. Everything else she'd done she'd done because she wanted it--this had been taken out of both a love for music and a desperation for money. Is this what her own parents had been through? What all those people who lived in her old neighborhood experienced? They had jobs they didn't want because everyone needed to work and provide for their family. She needed to give money to her douchebag brother. Lark was here, she needed to focus on her, her face, her body, her fabulous clothes. "You look really pretty," she said in her soft voice. "Don't think I've ever seen you in heels." Or clothes like that, come to think of it. Probably because the situation had never called for it, but Nell understood that everyone had their own style. She herself would have actually liked to change out of her clothes, she'd been in them all day. Luckily she was trained with heels and could last long hours on them without a peep.
The Earth girl didn't have much of an idea of what went on with Lark. Sometimes she worried about that, all the secrecy around. Her own secrecy, because her family's mistakes never seemed to sink in with her. Everyone liked to keep to themselves, unless you were the kind of person that needed people to talk to. Nell envied those kinds of people. She wished everyone was like that, too, because then she'd know when someone was in trouble. It wasn't possible, though. Hush hush, that was how the world worked. "Driving alone time is always nice. Except when it's a long drive, and then you remember gas prices." She couldn't remember times when they were lower, considering she hadn't been in the world then. So she only took people's words that they had once been very low. Most people in New York City didn't know, because no one drove. Only if you were a taxi, and the streets were crowded with them. Nell chimed with laughter. "All taken care of. You're a VIP guest. We get box seats and everything. Like at a basketball game. Except there's no mascots." She lowered her eyes as if to mourn this fact. She looked at the watch she wore for work since she turned off her phone, and said, "Yeah, they should be starting soon. I know they were just setting up." If they wanted the manager in the pit, that meant they had been doing some last minute organization.
With stadium seating, it was like a basketball game as Nell had described. She led the way up the staircase that led toward their box seats. The entire place was huge, illuminated by sallow lights hanging from the rafters of the ceiling. "Unfortunately we can't have food," she whispered to Lark when she took a seat, hearing some of the players test the strings of their instruments. She had made sure that everyone had taken care of the sound design, that everyone was in their places. A part of the job she liked was having authority like that, of organizing things, and she held onto these things as she watched the orchestra in their black outfits plucking at strings, the percussion section banging away a bit. There was a noticeable silence as if to prepare for the upcoming performance, and Nell stopped in her small talk with Lark to respectfully listen. They started off with Hayden's Symphony No. 104 and ended with Mozart's familiar Lacrimosa. After the performance, the Earth girl stayed for a bit, wiggling her toes that she had taken out of her heels. "Food would be really awesome," she commented to Lark. It had been a night well-spent, and she watched as people filtered out of the hall. However, she wasn't fast enough in noticing a familiar person approach. "Nell, who is this lovely lady?" The voice set her on edge, and she looked to see Jane behind them in the box, smiling.
Casting a glance to Lark before saying anything, she kept her expression pleasant when she said, "Jane, this is Lark, my friend from school. Lark, this is my aunt. She's a manager of performance her. She is also a performer herself." The hair on the back of her neck lifted in protest at her complimenting the woman, describing her work, but it would have been a sin not to. She could acknowledge Jane's brilliance. Said woman held her hand out to Lark, her smile playful. "Ah, a friend of Nell's. Did you enjoy the performance?" The Earth girl was conscious of her own body language, trying not to let it give her away. Jane wasn't good with her friend. She had flat out attacked Josh (of course, after he attacked her) and tried to destroy her relationship with Ace. She was the reason a lot of the people she knew abandoned her before the trial. "Why don't I show you around, Lark? Do you have time?" Nell's eyes searched her aunt's face before looking to Lark, seeing if this was something she wanted to do. It was her choice, but Nell still didn't like the idea of Jane getting friendly with her. She almost subconsciously took a step closer to the Fire girl.
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 13, 2012 22:23:16 GMT -5
It was not often Lark was complemented by anyone. She never dressed up, never strove to impress, never made herself out to be some desirable female every guy fawned over. She liked to be simple and wear what was comfortable. Thus when she did go out of her way to look nice, even if it was just for an event, having Nell speak fondly of the way she looked was almost too hard to swallow. Lark ducked her head slightly and glanced at a few people passing by. The perfect distraction. “Thank you. I had to dig into the back of my closet to find it but…” She shrugged to try and blow it off. “I’m definitely not a heel person, but figured it would be something to wear tonight since it’s sort of a dress-up thing.” The last time she wore heels was last year during prom when she went with Jack. They were definitely higher than the ones she was wearing now, too. Surprising she did not fall flat on her face. “Ah yeah, the gas prices are a bit of a pain in the ass. But now that I’m getting a steady paycheck I’m not gonna complain too much.” The smile on her face proved how happy she was with her job and the money she was now pulling in. The hours were a bit short because of school, but that was fine. Maybe during winter break she could bust out a few solid weeks of work for more money. “Oh? Well that’s really neat! I’m excited. Though mascots would be a really nice addition.” To see an orchestra perform up close would be memorable. Lark had never really found much of an opportunity to go to these sorts of things, so she was prepared to soak it up like a sponge. She nodded to her friend and followed her inside.
“Really? Well I guess we’ll have to find a place to eat afterwards.” Lark said with a reassuring smile. Obviously she was interested in hanging out with Nell after the performance. There was no need in driving all the way out there just to watch them and leave. She sat down with Nell and watched as they set up their sections, some of them practicing and testing out their instruments before they actually slid into playing their pieces. Lark watched, entranced by their fluidity, their ability to piece every instrument together to make an awe-inspiring symphony. Once the performance was over, Lark lingered behind with Nell as people filed their way out of the room. Her hands were placed in her lap. She nodded eagerly. “Food sounds really good right about now. I could eat a horse.” Whenever she was around Nell there was an increase in her appetite, probably because she was one of the few people who enjoyed food as much as she did. From somewhere behind her, Lark heard a woman’s voice and turned to see an older woman standing there. She blinked, unsure of how to respond at first before her friend took over. She exchanged the glance with Nell before looking back up and smiling at Jane. “It’s nice to meet you,” Lark replied as sweetly as possible. She was completely unaware of how uncomfortable her friend was.
“I enjoyed it very much. I’ve never been to one before so it was a good first experience.” Receiving box seats for the orchestra was definitely a treat, and Lark could not have been happier with the view and the performance over all. Her friends were always so good to her, taking care of her even in the simplest of ways. Lark finally stood up and straightened out her slacks—a subconscious action that surprised even her—before turning to face Jane fully. She did not seem like an intimidating or rude woman, at least from the smile on her face. Lark was big on first impressions and so far she was receiving a decent vibe from Nell’s aunt. She was always on edge with people she first met, though, so kept her guard up just enough to feel safe. It was her defense mechanism. “Oh, uh, sure! I guess I have time so long as Nell is okay with it. We were going to go and grab some dinner, so I don’t want to press her time.” Lark looked to her friend for any sort of response; whether it be the ‘go ahead’ or ‘maybe later’, to which either one she was fine with accepting. She also did not want to step on Jane’s toes and sound ungrateful for the offer, either. Why was socializing so hard?
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 14, 2012 14:19:33 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Heels were a nuisance, that Nell could understand as she turned her head to watch some people go by. She didn’t really know how much the compliment affected her, since she was always spurting out things like that. As a sincere person, her approbations were completely honest. She never felt the need to lie like that. ”Just kick ‘em off when we sit down,” she said with a light laugh. That’s what she’d have liked to do a while ago, but such was not possible when working. Besides, they served a purpose for her and that was to boost her up a few inches. She didn’t like to make a habit of disposing of them. She listened in as Lark spoke of her paycheck. ”Where you working now?” Nell may have been transient in her jobs, but others may not have been like that. Money made the world go round, and she had been called to one where she could get the dough. Not out of greed, but still Nell had been having a fun time questioning her morals as of late. They were strong enough to keep her out of the mob, but how upstanding was she for what she did to her father? Her mind shouldn’t have been wandering, because she cared more about Lark than her demons. ”Wonder what they would be. Guitars and violins during intermission?” She’d been to quite a few games, always the overzealous fan painted in colors with the foam finger.
When Lark spoke of food, Nell said a silent, ”Yes!” She’d been working eight hours, she was surprised her stomach hadn’t started in on its own orchestra symphony. Even though her strength was being tested here, the Sinclair in her was honored to be a part of this, to be able to share it with Lark. By the end, her mind was once again on food thanks to the girl. Unfortunately, there was a glitch in those plans. Would Jane try anything with Nell right there? It wasn’t like she could trust the woman not to be an underhanded bitch. Even now, Nell imagined her aunt was sniffing around Lark like a bloodhound, trying to pick up on any weakness. In that moment she was proud of her friend. Lark didn’t show weakness, and hopefully it’d save her here. She watched as the girl straightened out her pants and regarded Jane politely. Nell was watching her words for her, listening for anything her aunt may be able to sink her teeth into. ”First time?” Jane asked, blue eyes wide as if not expecting it. ”Wow, I’m glad that we could be your first.” So far, so good. The Earth girl exhaled softly, not realizing that she’d been holding in a breath. "Are you from around here or are you visiting?" And Nell threw her guard back up. A personal question. Not so good.
At the mention of checking with Nell, the older woman turned expectantly. ”It won’t take long, will it?” her niece asked pleasantly, and Jane smiled, shaking her head. Dark, almost black, hair fell down her shoulders in waves. ”Of course not, Nelly.” She looked back over at Lark. ”But I would like to show Miss Lark whatever I can here.” Please don’t let there be some mafia shit going down. The thought was only half-joking. Grinning to Lark as if this was some grand thing, Nell really hoped that the girl would enjoy the behind the scenes look at the concert hall. And hopefully Jane was behaving, but after what had passed between them, Nell didn’t think so. She had a strong desire to stuff Lark up her shirt and hide her, protect her from the woman guiding them down, through the house where ushers were starting to clean up. ”They’ll be performing the Barber of Seville here next Tuesday,” Jane explained as she stepped onto the stage. Wearing all black, it was amazing how the lights accentuated her features. The woman turned to Lark, sharp features still friendly. ”Do you know opera, Miss Lark?” Nell tilted her head a bit, hairs prickling. Any question with Jane that may seem innocent could end up biting you in the ass. She could only hope that Lark would choose her words carefully. ”I’ve never been too fond, the women always end up killing themselves.”
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 14, 2012 23:50:21 GMT -5
"Working at the daycare. With the three year olds," Lark replied, lifting her chin a bit in pride. Having no previous work experience she had been concerned about being hired anywhere but they gave her a chance. So far things were working out and the money made her feel very independent. Now, the only thing that was left was to get out of Franks' house, which was still a long way away. Lark was sturdy and could push through with enough determination. At least, she hoped she could. A smile cracked on her lips at the image of watching people dressed up in violin and guitar costumes, dancing across the stage. Wow, would they actually do something like that one day? She could only wonder. "So long as they don't have a bunch of skimpy cheerleaders wandering around I think I'll be okay." Lark chuckled. She was never much of a fan of girls like that so did not mind expressing that on occasion. Lark often wondered what the attraction was to people like them. They always seemed rather shallow. Perhaps it was her bad encounters before coming to the Academy, but the cheerleaders always managed to leave a rather bitter taste in her mouth. After they discussed food it was difficult for Lark to ignore the grumbling in her stomach, but managed well enough. It was a bit of a disappointment to have Nell's aunt stop them from fixing said hunger problem. She still smiled none the less. She was a confident person so it was easy enough considering her awkwardness with people.
Jane seemed surprised; was it really that shocking? Huh. Lark nodded. "It was an honor. Beautifully played." She loved music of all kinds, so even an orchestral piece was enough to draw the girl in. Whatever it was that Nell was dealing with internally, she was completely unaware of it. Had Lark known this conversation might have gone in an entirely different direction. As in the conversation might not even happened at all. Nell's well-being would come first. "I live in Maple Hollow." Lark replied simply, keeping her posture and attitude crisp and cordial. The questions were basic and generic back and forth; Ashton was far more probing so if she could handle that then she could handle this. Though she was interested in seeing the rest of the orchestra hall, she was also quite hungry and hoped it would not take too terribly long. That, and she wanted to spend time with Nell. That was always very important to her. Lark nodded to Jane and followed her willingly, glancing down at her friend with a smile. Completely oblivious. "Oh really?" Lark replied, looking up at the stage as they stepped up onto it. It was a lot larger than she realized, and felt very small. So this is what the orchestra players see. It was really neat. She shrugged. "I know about opera but never really took much time to listen to it. I'll probably need to experience it at least once for the sake of being a musician, I suppose." She smiled and chuckled a bit at Jane's input on opera singers. Was that true? An awful way to go, really.
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 16, 2012 14:34:57 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Nell was letting her guard down a little now. Jane usually was perfectly civil, why not now? She seemed to be sincerely enjoying Lark’s company. ”Maple Hollow is a wonderful city. Though I do prefer New York. I have to drive a lot less back home.” She chuckled lightly at this, and Nell actually wore a genuine smile. Nothing up the woman’s sleeve, no rooks moving to E3. The perpetual powerplay eased. Blue eyes bright with interested, Jane stepped closer to Lark and rested a hand on her arm, not moving it as she said enthusiastically, ”Musician? How delightful! What do you paly?” Even though Nell had calmed, she still didn’t like how close Jane had gotten and so tried to divert her attention. ”Opera is definitely something you should look into, Larkita. And it’s not just a bunch of people committing suicide.” She sent a wry smile in Jane’s direction, not waiting to determine if it was the right thing to do. The woman may not have been entirely easily provoked, but Nell was a special circumstance. They were both special circumstances for each other, and that was an unfortunate thing for her. ”Yes, well, music makes the world go round. You should experience every kind at one point in your life, no.” Nell didn’t want to agree out loud, because this was the Sinclair way of thinking, and she wanted to dissociate herself from them as a whole. Including Jane.
The older woman explained how the stage lighting worked, the acoustics in the place, her gestures grand and sweeping as if she were showing off Versailles. Nell paid rapt attention until she was approached by a co-worker who informed her that Mr. Hart wanted to speak to her. ”He said that since you’re still around…” The girl shrugged and walked away. ”I’ll be right back,” Nell told her friend, and she sure as hell planned to be. She still didn’t trust her aunt around her, and didn’t want her to be with Lark along. That was only a recipe for disaster. Jane held her hands together in front of her and said, ”Just the two of us then, Miss Lark. Let’s go to the back.” She guided her down from the stage, to the back corridors. Her first stop was a door she pulled open, allowing Lark to step in first. ”Where we keep the instruments that need repair.” It was cold and dark, but the shadows of boxes loomed like monsters. Jane stayed near the door, lifting her hand to flip the switch that brought the hanging bulb to life. ”We send them out to Fleming Repair. In Vancouver. Often its violins that need restringing or new reeds.” She had kept speaking as she slipped out the door silently, letting it close behind her as she turned off the light. It locked from the outside, and if Lark tried to turn the handle, it’d be to no avail. ”Come along now,” she said, even though there was no one to speak back.
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 16, 2012 23:19:06 GMT -5
Lark was enjoying the conversation with Jane, and was oblivious to any of what Nell was feeling. She had no idea what Jane did behind the scenes, what she was capable of doing. Had that been the case, she might not have even come to the concert hall in the first place. She was wise enough to avoid confrontation like that. Unfortunately she was none the wiser. “New York sounds like a nice place, though I’ve never been,” She replied, sticking her hands into her slack pockets with a typical Lark-like flair. Dressed up or not it was difficult for her to refrain completely. Being unaccustomed to physical contact, it took the girl a moment to find an appropriate response to Jane’s hand on her arm. For the moment all she could force was a smile. “I play the guitar,” Lark said rather proudly. “Electric and acoustic. Though I’ve considered other stringed instruments too.” She had actually been considering the standing bass, the violin, and the mandolin. However that required more money, and although she had a job it would simply need to wait. Eventually she would have one of those three. It was nice to see Nell jump into the conversation with her; lacking full social skills maybe, but taking notice of her friend’s silence was easy. She spoke, but not as much as she would have anticipated. “I’ll experience it eventually.” She smiled.
As the girl observed the stage, glancing over at Jane’s grand motions every once in a while, she absorbed everything around her. The lights, the chairs, the stand where maestro stood and orchestrated the entire ordeal. It was like a field trip. Someone approached Nell and spoke to her. “Sure,” Lark said, not even feeling the least bit anxious about being left with Jane. There was no reason to feel anything but confident at this point. “Okay.” Willingly she followed the woman towards the back, still taking in her surroundings like a child. She had been in orchestra halls before, but they were not as big as this one. Most of them were mostly used for small musical pieces and plays. Jane opened the door for her to display the instruments. At first she hesitated, the darkness causing her to halt mid-step. Her fear of the dark gripped at her chest, mixed with the memory of being lured into the classroom at the Academy with Ashton. When the light flicked on, however, she dropped her shoulders slightly and entered the room to observe the violins along the wall. “There’s quite a few of them. I guess that shipping them out can get pretty expens—“ Before the sentence could even finish, the light went out and the door shut. Lark, suddenly wheeling around to try and find her bearings, ran straight for the door (which was easy considering it was right behind her). The door would not budge. The darkness was encompassing her, making it difficult to breathe. “Let me out! LET. ME. OUT!” Lark demanded, fear and fury welling up in her chest.
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 17, 2012 14:20:16 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Nell became nervous the instant she discovered she’d lost track of Jane and Lark. After leaving the man’s office, she searched for them on the stage, but they were not where she’d left them. So she began asking around to see if anyone had seen the two. ”Jane went to talk to Brian,” one of the sound assistants told her and Nell tracked the two down. She didn’t think anything of the fact that only Jane had been sighted, and Jane alone. She simply searched for them, and found the pair in one of the back offices. Without a greeting, she asked her aunt, ”Where’s Lark?” Innocently, she believed the two must have split up and Lark may have been looking for her so they could leave. Jane looked at Brian and he took it as his cue to depart their copany. When he closed the door behind him, the woman perched on the edge of the desk, hands in her lap. ”She’s around.” Nell narrowed her eyes, now getting a hint. She knew Jane’s game. ”Where?” the girl reiterated. Jane’s smile was unsettling and bright all at once. ”Well, I showed her some of the back rooms. You shouldn’t leave your friends alone, you know.” The Earth graduate stepped closer, calm and controlled. ”I swear to God, Jane, if anything’s happened to Lark the shit is gonna hit the fan. Am I clear?” She knew the power she had over her aunt, and she wanted to take advantage of it now. Her aunt only chimed in laughter. ”I count on it, Nelly.” Nell grimaced before turning on her heel to leave.
She began her search in the massive building, trying every door she found. Jane had been given away by the simple fact a lot of the doors are locked from the outside, the rooms she said she showed Lark. Open, close, open, close, it was a pattern that grew old quickly. But she wouldn’t give up, even though there was a good chance that Jane had been lying to her. And what if she did lie? What could Nell do? Knock her out. The thought was frustrated. In one storage room, she flicked on the light and let out a quick sigh. ”Oh my God, Lark,” she said, her hand over her chest. Nell’s expression was pained. ”I am so sorry for leaving you with her. I should have expected this from the puta.” Now she wished she could have warned Lark, but what would that have changed? It was Nell’s stupidity that had let this happen. She allowed herself to be fooled by Jane and this is what resulted from such a lapse in judgment. ”Are you all right? She didn’t hurt you, did she?” Nell cupped Lark’s cheeks in maternal worry, searching her eyes. There didn't seem to be any injuries, but she wouldn't put it below that woman. She'd done worse, things that Nell could only imagine if she really wanted to. She wasn’t exaggerating when she’d told Jane that the shit would hit the fan. The woman could do whatever she liked to her niece—this was unforgivable.
puta translation: bitch xD
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 17, 2012 15:05:01 GMT -5
No matter how tough you were, or how tough you acted, when faced with one of your greatest fears it was damn near impossible to stay calm and collected. Had Lark been with someone in the room, someone to hold on to, she might have been okay. However she was utterly alone and the darkness was suffocating. Her chest was still tight and held her stock still for a long moment before she tried rapping at the door as hard as she could. It was difficult to breathe or function. The only thought running through her head was am I going to be forgotten? Will I be left here? The instincts of a child reared their head and clutched at her heart. After a few more failed attempts at barraging the door with her fists, Lark backed up and stood still. There was no use in looking around or trying to open the door when it was not able to be opened from the inside. Trapped. Trapped like a fucking animal. Had she not been scared to death, her temper might have risen to the surface and created a terrifying monster of rage. After standing there for what felt like hours (the seconds passed by so slowly when gripped by fear), Lark finally slumped to the floor on her knees and started to shake. Ashton was not here now. No one was. No shoulder to lean on, no one to talk her down. Once again the terror tossed away logic; Lark had forgotten she was able to create a source of light to at least help calm her nerves partway. Even then being locked in a room alone would not change much of anything. She wondered if Nell would find her. If anyone cared to find her. These were the ramblings of one with a phobia of the dark.
Suddenly a stream of light reached her and Lark looked up to see Nell in the doorway. "Nell, thank God," The lights flicked on. Relief flooded her entire body, almost causing her to melt into the floor. With wobbling knees she stood up and tried to shake off her fears but it was not without great difficulty. The darkness was draining. "You should have--" Lark could not comprehend Nell's words. So she had known all along that Jane would try and do something like this? Why would this have been kept a secret? Inside a bubbling of anger rose up into her throat like bile; a sickening feeling because she never wished to get angry at someone like Nell. It did not seem right. However it was difficult to contain. "You knew she would t-try and pull something like this? And...and you left me alone...with her." Her nostrils flared, body still shaking from the onslaught of fear but tinged with anger. It was mostly anger at Jane, but Nell might not have known that. She was not exactly sure where to place her frustrations at this point. That ceased slightly when the Earth girl placed her hands on either side of her face and asked about her well-being. Lark swallowed a bit, now feeling guilty for even growing angry (though it was still spurting up in the depths of her gut.). "No," She replied curtly, staring down at her friend with the fear in her eyes. The light was on, but the adrenaline rush still coursed through her veins. "No she d-didn't hurt me. But she might as well have...shoving me in the d-dark..." Quickly Lark shook her head to be rid of the thoughts. Upset maybe, but she knew that without Nell she would still be stuck in the room alone without the light. She wanted to hug her friend, but for the moment she refrained. Right now her mind was in every place possible. "Th-thanks for finding me."
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 17, 2012 18:17:41 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Nell knew the guilt like an old friend with a vendetta. She'd gotten comfortable with it as of late, but she didn't think she'd ever feel it for Lark. But the way she reacted--how she deserved to react--it was a punch to her stomach without the actual physical pain. She bit her lip and looked down as she shook her head. "I didn't actually think she'd do something here with all these people. Goddamn, I never should have thought that..." She stopped, shook her head. Jane had never targeted her loved ones without reason before. Josh had interfered with her and she'd lashed out, but she had never caused any harm. Until now that she had reason to. The woman had a large pair, that was for certain. She seemed wholly unconcerned about anyone who may have seen her. Maybe it was because she knew how easily she could slip by. She had too much power by far. "I'm sorry," she said heavily. It affected her to the core when she let someone down. All her thoughts were geared toward Lark, and yet here they were. "She just got off for a rap and I thought..." Thought what? That she'd be better when it was so glaringly obvious that she was still continuing as strong as ever? And god, she was so stupid. Nell knew that she would not be bringing Lark around anymore to protect her.
Nell gained resolve with the girl's next words. Even though she was practically powerless, she wouldn't leave Lark defenseless. She couldn't. Especially when she recognized that raw, animal emotion in her eyes, her face. The dark? Apparently she had issues with it, and Nell sucked her lips in between her teeth as she dropped her hands. "I'm telling the owner about this," she said certainly. "Unfortunately, there's not much anyone can do about her." Nell stopped for a moment. "She's a...well, think of it like The Sopranos. Or Goodfellas." Lark deserved to know why she wasn't taking stronger action. "If she's...if something happens to her, she has other people that can take care of business." Implying: if Jane got locked up because Nell reported her for what she did to Lark, there would be people to 'take care of business' regarding Lark. Besides, this wasn't really an offense she could bring up, is it? Some crimes were too subtle to punish effectively. Her smile was soft. "No problem. It took a little while, but there's a lot of doors." A failure at humor, but she felt it was needed. "Let's get you out of here." Like Lark didn't enjoy darkness, Nell didn't enjoy small spaces.
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 18, 2012 21:36:10 GMT -5
Fear, anger, fear, anger. Both of them clashed at her insides, causing Lark to feel uncertain with her emotions. One minute she wanted to lash out at Nell for leaving her alone with Jane, the next guilt struck her in the heart and prevented her from speaking out. “I just don’t understand,” Lark ground her teeth together, losing the composure she once held together so well. It did not do well when she was dressed so nicely to look like your typical tomboy Fire ready to beat someone’s face in. “Why the fuck would she e-even do that? She w-was having such a normal conversation w-with us.” And that was what pissed her off the most. That Jane wound up being a fake. A liar. And Lark could not stand people like her, people that were nice to your face but stabbed you in the back. It was enraging. She tossed her hand up at Nell. “Don’t say sorry for that bitch,” The girl demanded. It was obvious she was angry. It was slowly taking precedence over the initial fear she felt at being left in a locked room in the dark. “Next time I will not let my guard down. That won’t happen again.” She partially admitted to having let herself be in a comfortable state around Jane, something she should not have done. I figured if she was Nell’s aunt… Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
“And why the hell not? To shove an innocent person into a closet is not exactly managerial conduct.” Lark’s body was still tense, unable to release its tight hold. Her temper sucked. “It would be different if I did something wrong but I was here to see a symphony.” Had this been any other establishment Jane would have been fired immediately. What Lark did not realize was how deeply rooted the woman was. How many contacts she had and how many were loyal to her. The girl quirked an eyebrow at Nell’s reference, obviously not taking the reference the way she probably should have. The Sopranos? She’d heard of it but never saw it. She blinked, trying to absorb this. Take care of business? That sounded like something she would have heard in one of those movies with the mafia leader and his strong New York-Italian accent. “Takin’ care’o business, as usual,” Sounded off in her head and instantly Lark grew concerned. “I’m not sure if I even want to know what you mean by that,” She said warily. All sorts of images and thoughts flashed through her mind, but kept them to herself. No sense in accusing someone of anything at this point. Lark nodded and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them and glancing down both ends of the hallway. “I’m not so sure I want to stick around here now. Maybe we should go and find a place to eat.” Maybe then, Nell could enlighten her on what she might have done to warrant being locked in a dark room full of violins.
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 19, 2012 12:46:53 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back The last time Nell had seen her friend’s temper was when she’d been in the medical wing after Chase and Altair beat on her. Nell picked at her finger nails as she held her hands by her sides. "Because she's..." Was there any real way to describe this? She could think of one thing for certain, but that might just make it worse. "She's a lot of things. Deceitful. Horrible. And I'm almost certain she's off her rocker." Nell didn't know much about Jane's mental state, but she knew about her family and had to wonder if the woman was all there. She seemed like it, but she seemed like a lot of things, as well. And she was officially Nell's enemy, especially now that she had made Lark a target. And speaking of guard, her own was up. Not that it was ever down, really, she couldn't say that. You shouldn't trust any of my family, Lark. Luckily, the girl didn't have to be around them. Most of them were in New York. The ones that proved to be real trouble came to Canada. And Jane...that woman had a way of luring people into false senses of security. Nell found that out for herself when she thought she could trust the woman back in New York. "You'll never have to deal with her again," she said, though she couldn't be certain. The two lived in the same city, who was to say they wouldn't cross paths again?
Lark had a good point, and Nell really wished it worked that way. That it could be so simple. Because then Lark could be safe. Nell didn't even care about the guilt she felt, because it was not about her. "She has too much power for any one woman. She can twist any situation she wants. But...I'll find a way. I can't let this go unpunished." Nell shrugged. Mr. Hart adored her aunt, like he adored Nell. She thought back to Jane's words, when she said that people easily succumb to talent. Genius meant anything could be excused. The Earth graduate saw Lark's expression, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "The mafia," Nell decided to say straight out. She didn't want to lie to Lark. Hated it. "La familia. There's a lot of people in the family." For once, it wasn't Spanish she spoke. The Italian mafia was powerful, and Jane was making it clear she could spread its influence anywhere. "Yeah, let's go," Nell said, guiding the way out, her stomach still twisted in knots. She forgot to make sure to keep her door open as she started the car, but luckily it revved right to life. "How does a diner sound? It's getting a little late..." She didn't know how many places would be open, still. All she wanted to do was eat and...no, she couldn't forget. She didn't want to forget Jane anymore, because if she did, she'd also be forgetting what she did to Lark. That couldn't happen.
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Post by LARK MARIE HARPER on May 22, 2012 10:56:36 GMT -5
Lark’s upper lip tightened up into a thin line. It was hard to register all of what happened, at least right now. One minute they were having a civil, normal conversation and the next she found herself in a dark room with no way out on her own. Had Nell not shown up there would have been no escape. Unless some random janitor or worker heard her sobs on the other side of the door. Even then, would there have been much of a chance? She was glad there was no time to find that out. The anger still coursed under her skin like a hot liquid injected into her veins; all Lark could think about was marching straight up to Jane and lighting her hair on fire. Maybe worse. “How can you work for someone like her?” Lark asked, voice firm and full of anger. Now, the protective mechanism kicked in. “She…she doesn’t do that to you does she?” If Jane was as horrid as Nell claimed her to be, what was she capable of doing to her own family? She had been an innocent bystander and was shoved into a dark room for no reason other than the fact that she was affiliated with Nell. What was she willing to do to Nell when the doors had shut and the curtain had drawn? That placed the Fire girl on edge and instantly stepped closer to her friend. “And if I do, then...I don’t even know.” What would happen if she ran into Jane again? She could not even allow herself to think that far.
Power. She tried to grasp what that actually meant but there was so much waging war inside that it was hard to think straight. Anger was so hard to cope with sometimes. It was almost blinding. The protectiveness rose up again. “If you speak out against her I’m not quite sure what she will do, then, If she is the way you say she is. Don’t say a word if you think it will put you in harms’ way.” It was not a request, nor a plea. It was more of a frustrated demand. Nell could do as she wished but Lark wanted her to understand she was concerned about her well being. If Jane ever laid a hand on her friend—she did not even want to think about it. It was making her quiver with fury at the thought. Then, a shockwave of fear instilled itself in her heart. She nearly froze. “Mafia. Jane is…she’s in…the mafia?” Although Lark’s voice was quiet—angry yes, but not stupid enough to scream it at the top of her lungs—it was obvious there was a cross of anger and fear. She had seen those old shows. She’d read about Al Capone and the havoc he wreaked in the states. There was no mistaking what the mafia was capable of. Guns, murder, stealing, manipulation, control. There was a lot of it, and enough to force Lark to swallow back the large lump in her throat. If they stepped on the wrong toes, said the wrong things, they could have any number of the family on their back. They would be in danger. She was not sure what to make of all this, her mind reeling with the news.
Without as much as a glimpse of hesitation Lark followed Nell out of the building and towards the car. Her eyes were narrowed, lips tight, heart thudding in her ears. She wanted to say something, but every time the words attempted to surface her anger choked them back. Lark refused to sound bitter and angry at Nell for anything. It was difficult. Fuck my element. Fuck it so much right now. Lark was very much aware of her temper and what it could do should she let it get out of hand. Nell upset her—she purposefully allowed a woman in the mafia to go with her alone and never mentioned a word of Jane’s capabilities before hand—but there was a legitimate reason for hiding this all away, right? There had to be. Just the same when Lark hid her home life away from just about everyone she knew (except for Josh, which was unintentional anyway). The car started and jolted the girl out of her thoughts. “A diner sounds nice, yeah,” She replied, trying to shove everything away. The fear was still there, nestled in her stomach. It was one large knot. “I could go for a really good hamburger right now, with cheese and ketchup and pickles…” Her mouth started to water at the thought. It was enough to help keep her mind away from Jane and the mafia at least. The lights to the diner were neon and bright as they approached, causing Lark to blink. Damn. At least you could not miss it from the road. “Once we’re done eating I guess I should go back and get my car,” She said, remembering she actually drove herself here. “Hopefully they won’t have done anything to it.” The first thought that crossed her mind was them placing some sort of tracking device or a timed bomb underneath the car, but did not mention the images aloud. It was just those movies messing with her head.
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on May 22, 2012 14:04:35 GMT -5
gonna teach her to sin, CAUSE I'M ALWAYS KNOWING WHERE SHE'S BEEN -LIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS and you know she's never coming back Nell scratched the back of her head. She didn't want to tread on eggshells with Lark, but she knew to be careful around anger and angry people. No matter which side she was on, she was still a Fire and she still had a temper. "A job is a job. We might not like all our co-workers, but it's an evil necessity...I s'pose." Do you wanna know the truth? I was forced into this job. It was better not saying anything, not talking. She didn't open up to anyone. That would mean acknowledging something was wrong, that she was someone to worry about. She was far too stable for that. But Lark was smart. This was her aunt and she'd already proven what a bitch she was. "She does what she likes, really. She hasn't acted out...physically against me." She picked at the paint on the wall, leaning back a bit. She could say that with honesty. Nell remembered when she'd told Josh to dispose of her phone for a second time, this time thanks to the fact Jane had gotten a hold of her number. She changed it and everything. But that was nothing. Every word Jane said to her, Nell could deal with it. She couldn't deal with this, right here. No, you can. For Lark's sake. There was an overwhelming urge to cling to Lark when she stepped closer, said she didn't know what she would do. That would mean making it bigger, making Lark fear more, right? Because then she would know that Nell is also fearful and...she couldn't think about it without fearing for Lark.
Nell took great pains not to steer her eyes away from Lark. Guilty and ashamed. And how must the girl herself be fearing, having just been locked up in a little "room". Everyone had terrible people in their life, she just wished she didn't have to provide one to Lark. "I..." she stopped. "It just feels like there should be something to stop her. But she's already gotten out of jail and after what happened to who snitched on her, pretty sure no one wants to mess in that." That already painted a pretty good picture of Jane, but her next words did a better job. She eyed Lark as the girl reacted. Took a breath, sliding a hand down her face. "Yeah, sounds...bad, doesn't it?" Maybe because it was pretty bad. She placed a hand over her stomach. "But a lot of her power is in New York. She has her fingers into all kinds of things, but...here, I don't think it's as bad." She was praying so. The woman was influential, but how influential was terrifying at times. And this was exactly how it worked, people being to afraid of her and her family that she could do as she liked without repercussions. She got out of jail, she could get out of anything. It was astounding that Nell was even revealing all this, but now that Lark had met her she might as well know. No, she deserved to know who she was dealing with. Nell had left out information before because she thought it was safe and she thought that Jane wouldn't do anything so petty. If I play her game... No, if she did, that would still mean her family would be in trouble, even more so.
Driving at least soothed her somewhat, but how could she really be soothed? What could she do for Lark that would make up for Jane? I'mma kill her. Even though it was rage, and not as powerful or consuming as Lark's, Nell could get angry. She proved it whenever she blew up at his father and his callousness, whenever she felt that burning hatred toward her brother, whenever she laid eyes on Jane and remembered that the woman is the reason she could never live a life she wanted. Still, she acted as if she was completely fine, that she was confident and that she could do something. "Stop right there. Gonna make me die of hunger before we get to the place." It would be quite the horrible thing to die from, and Nell didn't want to entertain the thought. She nodded, even though that stabbing guilt was right there. "Just to make sure, if it doesn't start up right away, run, duck, and cover." It was said as a joke, but Nell didn't want to add that she actually did that. Now Lark was going to have the paranoia too, wasn't she? Fuck it all. She pulled into the parking lot and they were seated almost immediately. Nell asked for crayons so she could color on the place mats they gave to kids, but then addressed Lark. "Is there anything I can do to make all this up to you?" She might have been able to come up with something to make it better, and she did have plans on how to do so, but she just wanted to know what Lark would need and wanted to show her just how sorry she was.
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