Logs:Back to School & Jet Lagged

Back to School & Jet Lagged
Dramatis Personae Cassy, Astrid
In Absentia	2021-01-05 'It's not Thursday already is it..?'
Location <XAV> Girls' Hall - Xs Second Floor
The girl's dormitory is more densely lined with doors than the main thoroughfare, nearly all of which sport some kind of bulletin or dry-erase board, or some manner of poster. This hallway is slightly neater than its counterpart across the way, the door-hangings packed full of scribbled notes and responses, a slew of conversations traversing both sides of the corridor. The first day back at school has officially ended and for some, it is the beginning of many days ahead to try to already forget. At Least that is the case for Astrid and why shouldn’t she assume this could be a near universal feeling amongst the student body? The halls to the dorms are surprisingly on the quiet side as many of the kids are catching up from break anywhere that is not the dormitories. Standing before the door to Cassy and Samara’s room, Astrid holds up a balled fist, readying herself for a quick knock. She thinks twice on the action and returns her hand to an open state at her side. Leaning closer toward the door, she asks in her usual low monotone as if the door was wide open, “Hey Cassy, you in there?” From inside the room there's a low mumbled noise. The sound of a limb flailing and something thudding into the floor. "Bwah?" Cassy finally responds. "It's not Thursday already is it..?" A few more things get knocked over. Astrid? Uhm.. It's open." The door is indeed unlocked. The door is carefully opened in an attempt to avoid slamming into any lingering bodies as just Astrid’s head appears, floating between the door edge and frame. “Thursday?” She asks, brows furrowed together. “Still jet lagged?” The long waves to her dirty blond hair are obscuring everything beyond the hinges of her frames. Several seconds pass before she fully steps into the room. She’s already dressed for comfort with heather grey joggers and a mismatched black hoodie. Her usual old and worn out vans have been replaced with a pair of bright white tipped navy Chuck Taylor All Stars. Cassy is quite the mess right now. Having just about managed to change into an oversized T-shirt and sleeping shorts and hauled herself into bed only to tangle herself up in the bed sheets. Seemingly midway through unpacking her things. Her side of the room is decorated with an eclectic mix of posters from magic shows, stacks old look steam trunks and travellers chests filled with bits of costume and magic tricks. From the look of it she's barely touched her school books over the vacation. Except to knock them, and her alarm clock, off the side. Presumably the result of all that clattering a few moments ago. "Uh... Heya," she mumbles. "I was going to stop by and see you but.." A yawn. "I look all bleh and I might have lost my shoe somewhere in the mess..." Astrid does a quick once over of the messy side of the room before cracking a toothy smile. She fails to stop herself from laughing as her gaze settles back on to Cassy. “Wait, is this the first time I am more put together than you?” She teases, carefully stepping further into the room. “Probably the only time, but a win is a win, right?” Her left hand quickly disappears into her hoodie pocket only to return with a still plastic wrapped deck of cards. “Got’cha something.” She says before lightly tossing them up in a high arc in an attempt to make them easy to catch. “They’re cheesy, and you probably have more cards than you can disappear, but I figured you could use another set after I blew up one of your decks along with your coat.” The package shows the deck is full of black and white hand drawn pictures of Portland landmarks. "So mean," Cassy says with a mock pout. "I can't help being all muddled after flying back in time." Another yawn. "My folks really overreacted to the whole... you know what... with the whole surprise skiing trip to Europe." Of which Astrid has probably received at least a few pictures already. Mostly selfies with different reindeer and a mix of early morning/late evening landscape shots from up various snowy mountains. She doesn't seem to quite have her hand eye coordination down either. Not so much catching the cards as knocking them with her hand so they land close enough to grab. "I didn't get you a new coat to replace the one I ruined but.. I did get you something too." She leans off the edge of her bed and digs around in the suitcase. Throwing handfuls of laundry in a haphazard fashion. Finally finding what she's after. A little gift wrapped box with a snow globe from Lapland inside. She holds it out rather than try throw it. "Come sit, make yourself comfortable." She rubs her eyes and looks at her half of the room. Very little of which is okay to sit on. "I guess I'll.. uh... scoot back to make some room." Astrid gladly takes the wrapped gift, waiting to open it until she’s plopped down on some space in the bed that was recently cleared off. “Well… I owe you a coat too, so I think they cancel each other out, right?” Legs are crossed as the snow globe is freed from the box. “Oh cool. Thanks!” She’s quick to flip the object upside down, holding it for a couple seconds before turning it back upright. “There is something so relaxing to these.” Her eyes remain fixed on the falling “snow,” only to move back to the other teen once done. “So your trip was good?” She asks, lips parted into a grin. “Looked pretty awesome from the pics you sent. I mean, it’s no Mt. Hood, but I’m sure skiing in Europe ain’t half bad.” There’s a pause as she bites down into her bottom lip followed by a mock look of disgust. “Wait, do you ski or snowboard? I mean, I guess it would still be cool, but much better if you were over there snowboarding.” "Mostly I drank hot cocoa and stayed warm indoors," Cassy says solemnly and with no hint of shame. "And I went sledding a few times. That's more my speed than skiing. " Her scooting back is accompanied with some surreptitious attempts to untangle her hair. Or at least ruffle it in a more flattering way. "It was exhausting. I spent most of my time trying to talk my parents out of sending me to a different boarding school." She leans just far enough to put the playing cards down where her alarm clock previously lived. "So how was home?" She wonders. "And... I was going to say I hope you didn't miss me too much. Buuuut I'm terrible and really I hope you missed me at least as much as I missed you." “They are that mad at you?” Astrid asks, scooting closer to the other teen, her lips curling down into a frown that doesn’t last long. “But you are here, so that is good, right?” The gift is placed back in its box and carefully set down before she leans over and like a parent would to a child, ruffles Cassy’s hair with her hand. She pulls back, giving her handy work a quick inspection before proclaiming, “There. That looks better.” She barely holds a straight face. “Home was… well, hectic.” She leans forward, resting her elbows into both knees. “I can’t believe both of my parents ended up back and their parents.” There’s a pause as she shifts around, back straightening slightly. “At least we only had to shuffle between two places instead of four?” There’s a hint in her voice things weren’t as bad as she’s making them out to be. “Oh! Did I mention my lil’ sister thinks she’s an only child now?” The last question is returned with several quick nods. “With all the text I was sending so you even have to ask?” She’s back to grinning. “Hopefully my it’s raining again picture of the day didn’t get too old.” "Not so much mad at me as... they aren't entirely convinced Xavier's is very safe anymore," Cassy explains, letting Astrid muss up her hair, then blowing her fringe so it stops blocking her eyes. "I don't know if they quite understand what happened. But I talked them out of it.. for now at least." She shifts onto her side. "That sounds fun. More of a family feel yah know? Ski lodges and hotels aren't really very... homely?" She giggles. "Has she been borrowing all your things while you've been gone?" "I like hearing you say it is all," she points out. Reaching her arm out tentatively as if to give notice that a slightly awkward hug might be incoming. "And rain was a nice change to snow. Kinda reminded me of New York actually." That statement strikes a chord with Astrid as she has been thinking about what happened to them last break a ton. “I mean, in some ways I can get their point, but I’m glad you’ve convinced them otherwise.” She reaches to push her glasses up, straightening them out a little. “Hope they don’t reconsider.” “Yeah, I am making it sound much worse than it was. It was nice to see everyone. I mean, I feel I am losing much of what we had in common, but in the end they are my family.” She absentmindedly runs a hand through her own hair. Within seconds it bounces back to exactly where it originally was. “Oh man, I think she has laid claim to everything I use to own. Seriously. The boxes all my crap was in are pretty much empty. “That was the idea. Reminding you of New York would make you think of here and then me. My master plan was a success.” She moves forward, awkwardly to embrace the incoming hug. "Isn't that just part of growing up in a boarding school?" Cassy muses. "We're a long way away learning different things from different people. Of course we'd grow apart from people back home a bit. Doesn't mean we love them any less." Her head tilts to one side. "Did she always get your hand-me-downs when you were back home anyway? I think I'd hate that if I had an older sister," she wonders. "And hey think of it as an excuse to get new stuff! If you like we can go shopping for make-up, clothes and well.. anything you need really. Anytime you want." When it becomes clear Astrid is okay with the hug Cassy scoots in a little closer to make the angle less awkward. She sticks her tongue out. "Make me think of here huh?" Post hug she seems intent on being a little clingy. "Teasing aside I did find myself thinking how much better all those afternoons in front of a warm fire would've been with you there." “You are right… guess everything seemed to happen so fast before I ended up here that I didn’t really give it much thought until I was back home.” Astrid nervously chews on her bottom lip. “Makes me feel a little like an ass to be honest.” She tilts her head down, briefly avoiding eye contact as she also feels a little embarrassed. The subject change helps end any further awkward feelings. “At first she did, but my grandparents were cool to realize she should get her own stuff once she hit about middle school. Was nice they pitched in like that.” She shrugs, “Yeah, I probably wouldn’t like that either. Guess I should maybe feel a little bad for her?” Her question is broken up with laughter. “I probably should get some new clothes, but I’ll admit I’m a little terrified to go with you, unless of course you know of an incredible flannel and hoodie store?” After the hug, Astrid briefly removes her glasses, using the bottom of her hoodie in a failed attempt to clean the lenses. “Aw, you’re gonna make me blush.” She teases as the frames are put back into place. “But that would have been nice. Leave the country, spend more time with you.” "I can't really say what it's like having a sibling," Cassy admits. "And this is my first and so far only boarding school. I'm just... going with my gut and saying it with confidence." "I have never owned anything that's flannel. A hoodie though. I did think might be nice to sleep in. Oversized one I can snuggle up in. Oh! That reminds me." She wiggles a bit and leans over the edge of the bed. "I'd got you something for Thanksgiving and then... Anyway uhm. It's just a box of sequins but I don't remember where I hid them." "But back to shopping I promise I won't go overboard. Even if I do think you could rock something a little more daring. I... don't want you to ever feel like you have to change your style for me." “Really? I would have guessed you were an old hat at this whole boarding school thing.” Astrid teases, tongue briefly protruding out. “Seems like your gut might be onto something.” She looks shocked, almost horrified at the revealing of Cassy never owning a flannel shirt. “I think we need to remedy that stat. And here I was thinking I needed to go shopping for new clothes.” Her eyes widen at the mention of another gift, which once reveals causes a quick spout of laughter. “Alright. I think we have a deal then. I’ll get you a spiffy flannel and you will… well, I guess we’ll just find out.” Cassy shakes her head and laughs. "Nooooo just the kinda private school where your classmates have personal drivers!" Which probably isn't a joke. Nor as far from a Boarding school as Cassy might be assuming. "I am thinking," she starts giving Astrid a wink followed by a dramatic pause. "All that skateboarding must mean you have great legs and the world should know it." She blinks a few times. "I don't even know if you own a single skirt." Astrid shakes her head in surprise over the personal driver comment. She doesn’t expect those types of things to surprise her, but they still do. “Does the bus driver count as a personal driver? We had the same one every day?” “A skirt? Naw, definitely didn’t bring any with me here. Might have had one back at my moms old place, but it’s probably my sisters now.” Her faze falls to her knees as she ponders the comment. “If you count bruised and boney as great legs then… maybe?” "Depends," Cassy ponders with mock seriousness. "If they take detours on the way home so you can get ice-cream then yes. I guess my old school was pretty weird compared to what most people think of as school. The food was actually pretty nice too. If you can believe it." An exaggerated sigh. "Oh all right I guess we're in the savage winter of New York so you'll need some leggings too. That way the bruises won't matter." A hrm. "Unless you're just mentioning them so I'll fuss over you?" She shrugs then adds "But... I promise I'll only pick something daring if you tell me that's what you're after. If you want everyday casual things then I'll do my best." Although given some of the items hanging out of her closet her idea of everyday casual probably is quite far from Astrids... Astrid tilts her head back, right hand going to her chin in a thinking pose. “Naw, definitely never responded too well when we’d ask for him to pull over and get us some ice cream.” Her lips are held apart briefly as she pauses. “Come to think of it. I doubt a personal driver would yell at the passengers too.” Arms are quickly crossed as Astrid’s features twist to mock concern. “Wait… Eyes light up as if a light bulb just turned on above her head. The mock look turns into real concern. “Does this mean I’m going to have to start shaving?” "Not normally, but it's kinda just about the relationship between the driver and the family really. It's not like any of my friends were paying the bills!" Cassy looks up at Astrid blankly for a moment. "Start shaving..?" She blinks a few times. "I want you to do whatever you want? Like if you don't want to then no but if you do then yes?" She stifles another yawn. "Sorry I'm getting a bit muddled. I almost said I'd help but that'd be... weird... Even for me.." Astrid merely laughs, body heaving up and down with each gasp for air. Her lips are contorted into a wide smirk as it takes many seconds for her laughter to slow down. “I wish you would have said you’d help because that would have been the funniest thing ever.” Her laughter starts back up, but ends much sooner this time. “Well, I can let you get some sleep. Don’t need you volunteering to shave people now do we?” She jumps up from the bed, and bends down to grab her gift. She hovers just before the bed for a second before dipping down for a quick kiss. It’s awkward, especially as she quickly turns towards the door. Again she pauses halfway out of the room and not even looking back says in half whisper before disappearing, “I just haven’t shaved my legs since winter started.”