[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] No one really noticed her greeting. Was I really that quiet? Oops. Aileen pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the group. She made sure that there was an empty seat for Brian to sit down. The discussion began with a simple question, one that was supposed to start a productive discussion. But as it continued, Aileen found it becoming more and more disorganized. People were speaking one right after another, sometimes even on top of each other, and she could not find a place to slip in a word, let alone an entire sentence. She sighed. She looked around the table. Madeline was not saying much and looked quite bothered by the whole situation. She had organized the whole event. Maybe she didn't expect so many people to show up? Maybe she's not a people person? Some of these people are sort of out there...Life is a game? Those thoughts aside, Aileen turned around to order a chocolate milkshake from the waiter behind her.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] The two best friends walked towards the restaurant. Through the large windows, Aileen could see several familiar faces of students from her school. Brian held the door open for her to walk in. She politely said, "Thank you," as she walked through it. She and Brian then walked towards the group of students. Stopping in front of them, Aileen had expected to greet them, as he normally seemed to do. But he didn't. Oh, I guess he's trying to get me to do it... Aileen was not necessarily a bad communicator, but she wasn't the best either, especially when there were many people around- Brian knew that. But things were going to have to change eventually. She opened her mouth to speak, "Hello, everyone."
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] "Hey there, Aileen. How was ballet?" Aileen looked over at Brian as he drove and smiled, "It was great, and it kept me distracted from...things." She let out an awkward laugh. It did keep her mind occupied for a couple of hours. When they reached Lacey's, Aileen unfastened her seatbelt and picked up her bag. As she was doing so, Brian quickly got out of the car and walked to the passenger side to open her door. He offered her, his hand and seeing his generous offer Aileen giggled and played along. She put her hand in his, and as she stepped out of the vehicle, she tried to thank him in the most refined, lady-like voice she could. She giggled again. "With that aside, shall we go?"
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] As Aileen thanked her instructor for letting her use an empty practice room, she heard honking from outside of the studio. It was probably Brian. She waved goodbye and walked out the studio door. Taking a few steps outside, she turned her head to look for her best friend's car. Spotting it, Aileen walked towards and waved hello. She stepped onto the paved parking and in front of the passenger door. She used her left hand to grab hold of the handle, and pulled towards herself to open. Aileen tried her best not to hit her head on the car roof, while getting into the car. Once seated, she dropped her bag on the floor by her feet and fastened her seat belt. "Hey Brian," she said with a small smile.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] Tuesday mornings meant early mornings at the dance studio. Aileen's alarm clock had gone off at 5:30, which gave her enough time to get ready. The first thing she grabbed was her phone, to check if there was anything knew on tumblr. After yesterday's feat, someone was bound to post something. She used her finger to scroll down until she saw one. Madeline had suggested they all meet up- Aileen could not agree more. This would have to wait until after ballet though. She got ready, dressed and headed downstairs. Her parents had not woken up yet, and to that, she was glad. She couldn't take another lecture from them. She popped a piece of toast in the kitchen and wrote a note to her mother. Off to Ballet. No school today. Aileen began to write. She tapped the end of the pen on her lip while trying to think of an appropriate excuse. PD Day. Cell phone will be on all day if you need me. Have a good day at work. Her toast popped up, and with the memo done, Aileen grabbed her breakfast and headed out the door. She ended up getting to the studio at 7:30. Her instructor was walking around and making sure everything was ready for the daily classes. As Aileen walked past her, she bowed her head politely and proceeded to the dressing room. She took off her heavy coat and bag, switching them in her locker with the dance bag. She changed, put on her pointe shoes and entered a practice room that no one was using. She spent an hour stretching, another hour doing compulsory skills in isolation and another hour on her solo. When she felt like she was done for the day, she looked at the clock above door. 10:43. I guess I could get ready to leave now... She headed back into the change room and packed her bag. After locking her dance bag in her locker, she still had time, so she helped her instructor clean up some of the practice rooms and organize paper work. Around 11:30, she received at text from Brian. It seemed that Brian was going to the meet up as well. He offered her a ride. Aileen texted him back. [see text here]
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ Lunch ❀ OOC: none] When Brian hugged her, Aileen could feel herself calming down a bit. He offered her a ride home and she accepted it. She could not bear being at school any longer. Seeing the faces of the other thirteen recipients throughout the day would only cause her more unnecessary stress. They got to her house, Aileen stepped out of his car and thanked him with a small smil. "Stay safe okay...? We'll text all day in case... something happens..." Aileen nodded and waved goodbye. She grabbed her house keys from her bag as she walked on her driveway and to the front door. After turning the key in the lock, she turned the doorknob and looked back at Brian once again. She smiled and walked into her house. She sat down on the cushioned chair by the door to take off her boots and placed her bag on the floor by the chair. While unzipping the side zipper on her right boot, her mother walked towards her. "Aileen, what are you doing home so early?" she inquired. "Oh mother, you're home. I'm not feeling too well, so I'm just going to go to my room..." Aileen replied truthfully. She took off her other boot grabbed her bag and started walking towards the stairs. She could hear her mother sigh behind her. "You aren't even going to ask about how the trip was? Or how your sister is doing?" her mother eventually asked. I would...if I was feeling well. Aileen stopped walking and turned to face her mother. "You know, when we got to the University, the first thing Alice asked was how YOU were doing." Here we go again... Aileen braced herself for the next line- the line she hated the most. "Why can't you be more like your sister?" Aileen bit her lower lip as her mother continued, "She cares so much about our family. She asks about you all the time. Stop acting so spoiled and ask about others for once!" In the end, her mother's simple question turned into a lecture and then into a scolding. It was nothing new, so one would think that she would get used to it, but she couldn't. Every time she heard the stupid lecture she felt like running away from home- but what good would any of that do? She took a deep breath in, "I'm sorry. I was being selfish." Aileen tried to apologize as sincerely as possible and paused for a moment. "But is it alright, now, if I go up and rest? I really am not feeling well at the moment." Her mother did not seem satisfied, but let her continue to her room. Aileen changed into her pajamas and slipped into her bed. Before taking a nap, she texted Brian about the lecture she had just received. She didn't particularly want a reply- she just needed someone to tell.
[OOC: none] The others were all fighting diligently, and Elise knew that her turn would be next. If she could get close enough to the centaur, then she could possibly end the battle without using her skill. It was an energy draining skill that she was always hesitant to use. If used at the wrong time, she could become susceptible to the enemy's every attack. Elise pulled out her cutlass from its sheath and bent her knees in readiness, waiting for Kaito's signal. She observed and analyzed his movement patterns in her head. "If he's going to continue the way he is, he'll step out that way...so if I just move over a bit..." She side-stepped to her left to get to a position where she could easily run in and get close to the monster. "Switch!" Kaito yelled. Hearing her signal, Elise rushed in. He had moved in the direction she had wanted him to move in, and for that she was relieved, but now wasn't the time for celebrations. Elise slashed it as quickly and as many times as she could before become fatigued. Without even looking at the health bar, she could tell that it was not enough to kill it. They would need the power of at least one more person to destroy the monster. She jumped backwards to try to regain her breath and yelled, "S-Switch!"
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ Lunch ❀ OOC: none] Throughout the "intermission", Aileen could not bring herself to speak up. She witnessed a student's eyes and body go lifeless and eventually become a host to the person behind the email. By this time, Thomas' parents had disintegrated, and the whole student body had been frozen in time with the exception of 13 others. The possessed boy's voice boomed through the entire auditorium as the witch introduced herself- Crestatia. She gave the students time to ask questions. A million thoughts and questions raced through Aileen's head, but she was too scared to speak out. Other students were not, however, and asked a few questions which were answered but did not satisfy Crestatia. Before leaving the boy's body, she stated that two people would die on the fifth day- which was tomorrow. After vanishing, the boy's body collapsed on the stage. His sister and another student ran up to the stage to help him. Everything was gradually being restored to its original state, but Aileen could not get over her shock. She heard her best friend sigh and proceed to ask her, "A-are you... okay, Aileen?" Aileen turned to face Brian, but she could feel herself trembling. She opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out; fear had caused her mouth to go dry. She closed it and tried again. Aileen even made her best effort to smile and with that awkward, fear-filled smile Aileen attempted to reassure her friend, "I-I-I'm...alright...It's a-all just s-so...unexpected, you know?"
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ Lunch ❀ OOC: none] Before a proper conversation could start between Cherno, Brian and Aileen, the bell rung and the auditorium lights dimmed. Aileen moved her bag from the seat onto her lap and sat back on her chair. She faced forward, curious to why everyone had to gather in the auditorium on a regular day. She watched as Principal Havens walked up to the podium. From what she could see, the principal was not happy, nor mad. There was something melancholic about his expression that made Aileen anxious. She bit her bottom lip. "Good morning, Bellhurst. Some of you may already be aware of why we're here today, but...First, I would like to apologize for the suddenness of this assembly...I...We...." Principal Havens paused and took off his glasses. He then continued to mention that the school had lost one of its "bells". Someone died? The principal then called up the parents to speak. Mr and Mrs Adams. It was hard to narrow down the number of students to one. Their school was not in any way small and there were a couple of students with that last name. It was not until Mrs. Adams spoke that Aileen knew who the deceased was. "My Thomas...My Thomas was a good boy," she began shakily. As she continued, her voice begin to drift away, she broke into tears. Thomas Adams? Hearing that name struck a chord in her heart, and she did not know why. A slideshow began playing with pictures that Thomas had taken. She never had any memorable conversations with the boy. Maybe a hello here and there but that was it. There was also that rumor circulating last week about him asking Madeline out on a date, but Aileen did not pay too much attention to that. Suddenly, Aileen's eyes widened in fear. That email that she had received on Friday...she remembered seeing Thomas' name on the list of other people it was sent to. At that moment, Aileen turned and looked at Brian to see if he had connected the dots. It seemed that he did, and faster than she did- tears were already flowing down his cheeks. The email said that we would die in 100 days...right? But Thomas...he... Aileen then remembered about the list of rules that were included in the email. She tried to recall some of them. Do not tell anyone about me...Do not try to take your life...Do not make a deal with anyone else...There was one more that Aileen was missing. She put her hands on her head and tried her best to remember it. The last rule was one written in red. Red...red...love..romance...No...Romance...He asked Madeline out...Aileen felt sick to her stomach. She was terrified and she could feel her hands shaking. If that's really what happens...I'm going to die soon?!....no.....no....no...She covered her face with her palms. Aileen made an effort to calm herself down, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't. Her hands continued to shake as she thought about everything she would lose if she died in ninety seven days.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ Lunch ❀ OOC: none] Once comfortably seated, Brian gave Aileen a hug. Perhaps it had been the way the seats were arranged, but it ended up being, what she thought was, an awkward one. She wasn't complaining though, she didn't mind the hug at all. Aileen smiled. "Hi Brian!" "Aileen, this is Cherno. Cherno, Aileen." Aileen did a small polite bow towards Cherno after Brian introduced them. "It's very nice to meet you," she began, "I believe we had a short conversation on tumblr before."
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ Lunch ❀ OOC: none] Aileen woke up to the sound of her alarm- which happened to be her phone. It was more convenient than buying an alarm clock, and this way she could set it to her favourite song, whatever it happened to be at the time. She had to wake up at 6 am in order to get to school on time. By public transit, it took approximately twenty-five minutes to get to school by bus earliest. She hated being late; it meant being stared at by everyone as she walked into her classroom. She went through her daily morning routine, got changed and went downstairs to make her breakfast and lunch. Her parents were supposed to return today, though they did not specify the time. The house was not much different without them, just a bit quieter, but not by much. It did feel a bit weird not having them compare her to her amazing sisters, though. From what Aileen could see, her parents thought of her two sisters as perfect role models that she had to live up to- and she hated it. Once she got to the kitchen she carefully made her lunch to replicate one she had seen on tumblr the other day. When finished, it looked delicious and she was tempted to eat it then and there. She ultimately decided to put it away in her lunch bag and proceed to make breakfast. She made french toast topped with strawberries, but instead of putting it on a plate to eat at home, Aileen placed it into a container and decided to eat on the bus. She had made a sudden decision to catch the earlier bus to school. On the way out the door, she grabbed her brown messenger bag, which was prepacked and ready to go, and put on her black flats. The bus stop wasn't too far and was sure she would make it on time. ❀ When she made it to school she still had some time left. She slowly and calmly walked to her locker and put her stuff away. She left the books needed for her first two periods in her bag and carried it around. Aileen then proceeded to walk to her first period class, but then remembered that everyone had to report to the auditorium. She turned around and walked the other way. Aileen arrived at the auditorium. There weren't very many people who had arrived, but that was probably because there was still some time left before school officially started. There was also a strong, flowery aroma drifting around in the air. It got stronger as she walked down. While walking down the stairs, she spotted Brian and another boy, who turned out to be Cherno. They were already having a conversation, so Aileen just smiled, waved and sat down on the other side of Brian. She placed her bag behind her on the auditorium seat.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] Aileen frowned as Brian remain silent. Perhaps he was thinking about something? Aileen decided just to take a seat. While waiting for the concert to begin, someone walking by nudged her shoulder. Aileen looked around to see who it was- it was Yuna. Yuna greeted both she and Brian, and Aileen smiled. "Hello, I'm well. Why don't you take a seat. The concert is about to begin." She used her hand to gesture towards an empty seat by her. Just as she did so, a lady walked out on the stage and introduced Quin and the piece she would play- Violin Sonata no.1 in G-minor. Aileen knew this piece well. She had danced to an excerpt from it in one of her very first ballet competitions. She had also won first place with that solo. The lady walked off the stage as everyone clapped for Quin. She walked out wearing a gorgeous dress and a bow in her hair. As she began to play, Aileen smiled and closed her eyes to focus on the music. Each note from Quin's violin came out beautifully and gave her the urge to get up and dance. Aileen continued to listen through the changes in pace. She opened her eyes and applauded when Quin finished playing. The applause was loud. She was glad that everyone enjoyed the piece as much as she did. When Quin stepped offstage, Aileen decided to congratulate her. She told Brian and Yuna where she was going. "I'm just going to go over to Quin," she said. Aileen stood up and looked around. Quin had walked over to a girl from school, the same one who had bumped into Brian on Friday. Aileen walked over and greeted them both. She faced the other girl first and with a smile, greeted her, "Hello." She also did a small polite bow by dipping her head forward a bit. She proceed to compliment Quin. "That was beautiful, Quin! I would love to come to your next concert!"
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD ❀ OOC: none] The bus ride was awkward. It wasn't until she stepped foot into the bus that Aileen realized that she was attracting a large amount of attention. Oh no...no....Thanks, mother. Thanks, father. Just...thanks. Aileen frowned and moved her way to the back of the bus. She looked down at her feet as she walked to the empty seat. When she sat down, she pulled out her phone from her black leather clutch, plugged in her headphones and listened to music. It was going to be a long bus ride. There was a bus stop right in front of Sealand Park, which Aileen found extremely convenient. She had never been to this park before, so she made sure to scan her surroundings. The scenery was beautiful; the fall colours were gorgeous. Though it was December, the weather was not extremely gruesome. There was a warm feeling in the air. After a bit of walking, Aileen saw rows of chairs lined up. She walked along the aisle to look for a seat. There were a couple of familiar faces already sitting. She looked around and spotted her best friend Brian. She was surprised because she didn't know that he was attending. Aileen walked towards Brian, smiled and waved. "Hey! I didn't know you were coming!"
Happy Birthday, Midnight ! I hope you have an awesome, fun-filled day c: !!
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀Only Snack ;-; ❀ OOC: none] It was a Sunday, meaning that Aileen didn't have ballet. Still, she woke up 6 am. She was just too accustomed to getting up early in the morning. She had a load of fun yesterday. It was funny, though. She could not remember clearly what had happened at that sushi bar. She got to know some knew people, and eat delicious food. Perhaps she had too much fun? She knew one thing for certain, however, and that was the fact that she did not drink. Ballerinas and alcohol just don't mix. She sat up and stretched her arms and neck. She then proceeded to brush her teeth and wash her face. Afterwards, Aileen sat in front of her computer and logged into Tumblr. She reblogged and liked a couple of pictures, while also looking for dresses for Quin's concert tonight. Her goal today was to find a dress to wear to that concert. Aileen stood up then walked down to her family's kitchen. As she walked down the stairs and the hallway to the kitchen, she noticed that the house seemed extremely empty. On the kitchen table there was a note folded up, and slid under the centerpiece, along with two fifty dollar bills. Aileen sighed as she carefully lifted the centerpiece, unfolded the note and read it. It was her mother's handwriting. "Aileen, your father and I are heading off to visit Alice at her university. We will be back by tomorrow morning. We left you money to buy whatever you said you needed.Love, your mother xoxo" Aileen was frustrated. She ripped up the note and threw it into the garbage. Great. Now I have to bus to the mall. And after she said that she would go dress shopping with me too. She didn't even remember what I wanted to buy. Just...whatever. She made herself french toast and ate alone. After breakfast, she got changed, pulled her hair into a high, side ponytail and left to walk to the bus. ❀ It took her three hours to find the dress she wanted, and the sales person was not very helpful. "If it's not on the rack, then we don't have it," she said. Yeah right. She had eaten lunch at the food court and had also browsed through some of the makeup stores. She spent a total of 6 hours at the mall, which was more than enough. She got on the bus home. Once she got home she took a shower and got ready for Quin's concert. Before putting on makeup, her dress and doing her hair, however, she decided to have snack before doing so. She went downstairs, found some crackers in the cupboard and cheese in her fridge, and ended up eating some of those. After her snack, she went back to preparing. When it was about time to leave for the bus. Aileen checked in the mirror to make sure she looked alright before heading out the door. I'm already taking a bus in a dress, might as well look good doing it... She fixed a stray hair and headed out the door. [Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀ OOC: none]
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀Lunch ??❀ OOC: none] Following Yuna's response, Aileen got into her acquaintance's car. She closed the passenger door and watched as Yuna began to drive. She proceeded to introduce herself. "You're... Aileen, right?" Aileen put on a friendly smile and replied, "Yes." Soon after, she heard a ping coming from her phone. It was a text from Brian. He was worried. To reassure him, Aileen decided to text him back. She looked up from her phone to see where they were exactly. She spotted the meeting place and as they got closer, Brian and another boy. Probably the same one he mentioned in his text. Aileen quickly texted him back. [see text here] "Oh, Yuna, I see the daycare and Brian!"
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀Lunch ??❀ OOC: none] Aileen was getting hungrier thinking about the different types of sushi she could have. She began walking faster. Not too long after, a car pulled up beside her. As a female walking alone, she did what most would do naturally and took a step back. When she glanced into the window, she noticed that it was a girl from school-Yuna. Aileen recognized her as a girl from one of classes, but just couldn't remember which. After all, they hadn't had any important interactions recently. From the car, Yuna asked if Aileen wanted a ride. The sooner we get there, the sooner we could eat. Getting a ride would definitely be a lot easier than just walking. "Sure, I'm headed to the daycare two blocks down to meet up with Brian for lunch. You could join us if you wanted to. We were planning on going to a sushi bar," she replied with a smile. Brian wouldn't mind if she did, right? "Uhh...hold on for a sec..." She pulled out her phone to text Brian again. [see text here] "Alright, may I step in?" Aileen asked with a smile.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀Lunch ??❀ OOC: none] Waiting for the bus, Aileen got incredibly bored. Why wasn't it coming? Why weren't any vehicles passing by, actually? Soon after this thought, she heard police and ambulance sirens, and even witnessed the vehicles rush by. Something must have happened... She decided to go on tumblr and write up a post. A few minutes later, she checked back. A boy named Cherno had reblogged and added to the post. When she clicked to view what the reply said, the first thing she noticed was his photo. That's the boy who bumped into me yesterday... She then read what he added. Apparently the buses were delayed all around town. She sighed and replied to his post. Afterwards, she began to walk towards the sushi bar. While walking, she had got a text from Brian. He offered to meet halfway. I guess we could...sort of...Where exactly could they meet...Aileen thought of the daycare somewhat near the restaurant and texted him back. [see text here] Aileen continued to walk with her phone in her hand. The sooner they met up, the sooner they could eat.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀Lunch ??❀ OOC: none] About a minute after she had texted Brian, Aileen heard a ping and felt a vibration from her bag. She smiled as she placed her snack on the bench and pulled out her phone. She quickly typed in the passcode and looked at the text. Aha, he's free! Now let's see...what am I craving today...? She thought for a moment. She did not feel particularly picky about what food she ate today. Burgers? Soup? No....I'm feeling...sushi! Yes. Her phone's screen went into energy saving mode, so she clicked the home button. Aileen thought of all the potential Japanese restaurants, but settled on the Sushi Bar by Brian's house. It serves good food, and it's near his house so he won't have to travel far... She texted Brian back. [see text here] Rather than putting her phone back in her bag, she held it in her hand to wait for his reply. Instead she put her snack away and waited for the bus, which was scheduled to come at half past.
[Tumblr ❀ OOTD❀ Snack❀ OOC: none] Aileen took the bobby pins and elastic out of her hair, and used her fingers to comb through it. The bun she had tied caused her hair to become a bit wavy, but she did not mind it too much. Her morning practice time had finished. Aileen looked at the clock hanging high on the dressing room wall. It was roughly 10 am. She got to the studio at 6. 4 hours of good practice time...she smiled and thought to herself. Ballet was what she loved. Ballet...and food. She was hungry. As she carefully packed her dance attire into her sports bag, she also pulled out a small bag of yogurt covered blueberries from her brown leather bag. She placed her sports bag into her assigned locker and locked it up. Aileen then threw on her blue knit sweater and leather bag. While walking out of the studio, she checked her outfit and hair in one of the floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Satisfied, she walked out. She ate her snack on the way to the bus stop and realized that she had no other plans for the day. She didn't have much homework so she had planned to leave it until tomorrow. I wonder if Brian, has any plans... Aileen bit on her snack bag to hold it as she used both hands to open and pull her phone out of her bag. She continued to hold it in her mouth as she texted her best friend. [see text here] She dropped her phone back into her bag and continued to eat her blueberries. At the bus stop, she sat on the bench and waited to see if Brian would text her back before the bus arrived.
