Mmm.. pizza (open)

[sashi]

Dustin had been especially hungry this late afternoon. His Uncle offered to give him a ride to get something to eat, but he decided that he'd walk instead, after all, exercise was better for him. They agreed and he was dropped him off near the gardens, walking east from there. The weather was nice and cold, as he liked it, which made the walk that much more enjoyable. He was eager to explore more of the area as well considering his Aunt and Uncle spoke highly of the territory, but so far it just seemed like an average city, with average people passing by. Although there was one thing he had hopes for, the pizza place that his Uncle had told him about.

His mouth watered as he neared the building, smelling the sweet and wonderful smells of food, imagining himself sinking his teeth into a big slice of delicious pizza. It was the first thing he was going to do. Sate his grumbling stomach and then figure out from there where he was going to unpack. Yes, he hadn't even settled yet. He carried a dark backpack, that was much heavier than it actually appeared, a large rolling suitcase trailed behind him, and a slender white box he held snugly under one of his arms. Opening the door with his free arm, he shuffled things around briefly to be able to get through, but he nearly dropped the box trying to shift his suitcase around, which made him off balance, and from then on he somehow managed to trip over it, right into a waitress that had been passing behind him.

She happened to be carrying root beer floats, one of the glasses almost dropping on his head as he collapsed into her legs head on, the glass breaking loudly onto the hard floor, spilling the chilled liquid and glass shards. The other drink jostled and spewed all over her shirt and to the floor, also upon him. Oh.. great.. Avoiding the glass, he turned over to look up at her with a concerned and very embarrassed expression, his eyes widening as he noticed her shirt drenched in root beer and foamy ice cream clumps. Suddenly he gathered himself and stood up, searching for anything to grab to help her, hastily scooping up some napkins from a booth close by. "UHH.. Here..! Take this! .. Ehh... I'm really sorry.." His surprised tone changed as his voice trailed off, feeling really bad that he had fallen into her and caused all the mess.

[Waddle]

Alexis hadn't gone home after school like she normally did. Gathering her books up, she had trekked all around town, going into the grocery store, stopping by the mall for a second, and almost everywhere else. She had gotten a couple of this and a couple of that, and plastic bags rustled as she pushed them closer together. She had been sitting at a table near the door, staring at the menu and deciding what she was going to get. She loved this place; it's pizza was the best she had ever had. Glancing down at her buys, she compulsively scooted them around with her foot, wishing that she had gone home to put them up before stopping by Uncle Sam's. With her dad so busy with his work, she had to do the shopping and all that. She was glad to, for it was fun to go around town and talk to people you knew, and she never complained. Today though, she was treating herself with some pizza for supper, and then she would take all she didn't eat back home for Dad to eat when he got home.

A sudden crashing and the shattering of glass made her look up, and she jumped nervously. Poor guy, he looked so embarrassed. She didn't recognize him. It was a bit unusual for new people to be in Noatak. Grabbing her own napkins, she headed over to the stranger and the waitress. "You alright, Sarah?" she asked the waitress. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks Lex. I'm so sorry, sir!" Sarah went back to cleaning up and Alexis handed her the napkins. A waiter ran up with a mop and a bucket. Alexis bumped into a table, and apologized quickly to its contents, and turned back. The waiter asked if she could get a couple of towels and Alexis ran to the kitchen. At least this wasn't her day to work here. She would work after school tomorrow, though. Maybe the stranger wouldn't be there to knock root beer floats everywhere. Oh, that was mean! Shut up, it was an accident.

Running back to the scene of the accident, she handed a towel to the stranger and one to Sarah, then gave the rest to the waiter who's name she had forgotten. "Hey, why don't you sit down. You've gotta lot of things there," she said to the stranger.

[sashi]

The napkins absorbed some of the root beer that had saturated his now stained white shirt, and partly his jeans. The front of him wasn't marked with much, but his back looked as though he had been riding a bike on a rainy day in the mud. He took special care to clean off the backpack and box. He wanted to help the waitress more, but it wasn't like he could just help clean off a stranger, plus she was female, that would be rather awkward. Oh here, yes.. let me help you wipe off your shirt, no that wasn't going to work very well. He knew he was attractive, but not THAT attractive. At least she didn't start to cry, Dustin felt bad enough, but that.. no.. seeing a girl cry would of been horrible, especially if he knew he was the reason for causing it, and then he would of had to do something drastic to make it up to her. Realizing the situation could of been much worse, he felt some relief.

Dustin stepped away to toss the moist bundle of napkins in the garbage, and when he turned back, he noticed another young woman helping, who obviously knew the waitress and addressed her by name. He stood still and quiet for a moment as her name rang out.. Sarah. It was his mother's name. His anxiety about the whole scene dissipated quickly from there as his mind deepened in thought, thinking of her briefly. He missed her. He nearly ignored the waitress, who had politely apologized even though it really wasn't her fault, she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. "I'm the one that fell into you, you were just doing your job. No hard feelings I hope?" He moved away from the scene as the waiter came out to clean up the remaining spill, although his attention was yet again caught by the young woman as she hurried off into the back, returning with some towels. He stood there observing, slightly confused why a customer was asked to help out, which was rather peculiar. People didn't usually just help out like that. Maybe she comes here often and knows them, Or she's just really nice..

As the girl suggested he sit down, he just felt like escaping. His first visit at the new city, and he already made a scene. Not really a great way to make a first impression, unless they found it humorous. Although if he had met someone like that, it would be hard to forget them. His stomach growled again, voicing more complaints. Sitting down suddenly became appealing as he remembered his voracious state of hunger. With a grin, he finally relaxed, soon setting his things on the floor gently, with the backpack next to him in the booth, and the box he set on top of the suitcase, which heavily leaned against the seat. His deep hazel eyes met with her own eyes, curiously studying her for a brief moment, she was pretty cute. Leaning in slightly, he extended his hand to her. "I'm Dustin.."

[Waddle]

"No, of course not," Sarah said, smiling at the stranger. "It was an accident." Quickly, she and the waiter finished picking up the broken glass and retreated back to the kitchens, to prepare the floats again and probably for Sarah to try to find a set of spare work clothes. It wouldn't do to walk around with huge root beer float stains.

Alexis smiled slightly as he looked into her light green eyes. His were so handsome, and she thought that, for a second, she was lost in a pool of caramel. Then, her gaze flicking from his eyes to his extended hand, she realized how stupid and completely sappy that thought had been. 'Lost in a pool of caramel', what kind of thought is that? She shook his hand. "Alexis," she introduced herself. She also realized that he was handsome all together. Quickly feeling a small blush creep up her cheeks, she changed the subject. "So you're new around here?" Thinking that that question alone might seem a little stalker-ish to someone not from around here, she added, "In such a small town, it's not that hard to pick out the unfamiliar faces."

[[OOC: Sorry for it being short, I have little muse and am quite busy having to help out our newest friends... ]]

[sashi]

His warm hand encased her's lightly for a brief moment, his grip gentle, but firm. He noticed how soft her skin was, or at least softer than his, and made a note of it subconsciously. "Alexis..", he voiced softly, nodding, as if repeating it back to himself so he wouldn't forget it, he hated to forget people's names. His head leaned to the side a few degrees slowly, picking up on her subtle blushing. Is.. she.. blushing? Hmm.. She seems shy.. Maybe ordering some food soon would help break the ice. I wonder what kind she likes..

His upper body shifted somewhat, turning to look to the isle, for and waiters or waitresses, although his eyes soon drifted back to hers for a duration of time, as he spoke. "It's my first day here. My Uncle says the town is nice, and that this place in particular is great. He talks up the pizza like it's some new invention. Do you like pizza?" He assumed that she did, considering she was in a pizza shop.. but who knows, maybe she just liked the root beer floats, he wasn't sure, so he figured it would be good to ask instead.

Getting a sudden chill, his leanly build arms criss-crossed, goosebumps rising on his lightly tanned skin that was exposed to the air. The thin t-shirt he wore wasn't exactly keeping his warmth in, and if anything was more of a hinderance now that it was moist along his back, slowly robbing him of his heat. With the slight discomfort realized, he was motivated to scoot closer to the isle and move the box that sat on top of the suitcase, slowly unzipping it to reach in and find something warmer, or to use as another layer.



(OOC - It's alright. I think it's cool we have new members.)

[Waddle]

Alexis looked down at the hand he held hers in. He was strong, or at least his grip seemed to be. She noted how he repeated her name, trailing off slightly. It seemed kind of awkward, especially the way an almost stranger was holding her hand, but Alexis like it. You like him! shouted a voice in the back of her head. Well, of course she did... She had problems with falling for guys who really weren't worth it. Something felt a little different with this, though... Maybe it was just the way he seemed so kind and helpful.

As her looked away, Alexis looked over her shoulder toward her things - the grocery bags and her school books. Everyone in the resturaunt would probably be able to figure out it was hers, so she took the seat across from Dustin without any more pause. "Yeah, I like pizza," she said in return. "The pizza here is legendary good. Always has been, for as long as I've been here, that is. Nice place too, just a good atmosphere..." She realized she was rambling and stopped, the blush returning. When she got nervous, she would often talk on and on about nothing at all.

Were those goosebumps on his arms? Poor guy, he was probably cold with the root beer float on his back. It made sense. She had her own jacket, but it was sitting over by the rest of her things. Well, Dustin would not have been able to fit it anyway. It was almost too small for even her now, after having had it for two years. But she liked it, so she kept it wearing it. She looked up for a waiter or waitress and didn't see any who weren't rushing busily around. One would probably be along in a second.

[[OOC - Yeah, true I tried to make this post better... I've been running low on muse for the past... two months ]]

[sashi]

Moving the clothes around in his bag, he realized that it was at the bottom, and he wasn't about to spew his things all over to get to it. He was starting to feel uncomfortable and out of place, being in new city left alone and all. Even though he was rather hungry, he felt a sudden urge to leave, wanting to go somewhere and just relax, to get his things settled and get his mind straightened out.

"Well, I should get going.. It was nice meeting you. Maybe I'll see you around sometime.." She liked pizza, it was possible they could bump into each other again, it was a small city after all. Before briefly stretching, he scooted over and stood up, moving his things around to get them organized again. Pulling the backpack over his shoulders and grabbing his suitcase, he headed out. As the door opened, a cool breeze blew in, chilling him further. He tensed, shivering briefly as he left. What a day. His first encounter with the people here didn't go so well. He didn't even stay long enough to get acquainted with anyone. He hoped the next day would be more fun.

No longer being concerned with food, he wanted to just dump his stuff off and change into something warmer. It was freezing outside! Or so it felt. He suddenly took off running, in the general direction of the housing, he wasn't about to walk along to it, and torture himself! Too bad he forgot to bring his white box with him.


(OOC: I'm going to post in the Pine Street Manors, in the Cottage Circle sub board if your character wants to follow, if she doesn't, do what you will with the box, it's up to you. haha.)

[Waddle]

Alexis stood, a surge of disappointment coursing through her. Why did he have to leave? He still looked pretty embarrassed. Maybe that was it. But no one would hold a grudge or anything against him. He was probably just flustered and out of place. She knew how it felt to be new in town. "Oh, um... Okay then, I guess I'll see you around..." She watched go out the door. She hoped she would see him again.

Walking quietly back over to the table with her things, she pulled out her chair and started to sit down. She noticed something back at the table she had just left. Standing back up, she went back over to it. It was Dustin's little white box. Picking it up, she ran to look out the window with it under her arm, but Dustin was long out of sight. Muttering under her breath, she stared helplessly for a moment. Surely she would see him again... There was no one in the streets to tell her where he had gone. She would meet up with him again and be able to return the box somehow. Sitting back down again at her table, she ordered her pizza slice, polished it off, then headed out, juggling the groceries, her schoolwork, and the box.

((I might come another night, but it's late tonight, I have no muse, and I need some sleep. Lol.))