Logs:For the Hell of It

For the Hell of It
Dramatis Personae Sarah, Skye
In Absentia	2019-11-01 "You're already dressed up for it."
Location <NYC> Evolve Cafe - Lower East Side
Spacious and open, this coffeeshop has a somewhat industrial feel to it, grey resin floors below and exposed-beam ceilings that have been painted up in a dancing swirl of abstract whorls and starbursts, a riot of colour splashed against a white background. The walls alternate between brick and cheerfully lime-green painted wood that extends to the paneling beneath the brushed-steel countertops. There's an abundance of light, though rather than windows (which are scarce) it comes from plentiful hanging steel lamps. The walls here are home to artwork available for sale; though the roster of prints and paintings and drawings and photographs changes on a regular basis it has one thing in common -- all the artists displayed are mutants. The seating spaced around the room is spread out enough to keep the room from feeling cluttered. Black chairs, square black tables that mostly seat two or four though they're frequently pushed around and rearranged to make space for larger parties. In the back corner of the room is more comfortable seating, a few large black-corduroy sofas and armchairs with wide tables between them. There's a shelf of card and board games back here available for customers to sit and play. The chalkboard menus hanging behind the counter change frequently, always home to a wide variety of drinks (with an impressive roster of fair-trade coffees and teas largely featured) though their sandwiches and wraps and soups and snacks of the day change often. An often-changing variety of baked goods sit behind the display case at the counter halfway back in the room, and the opposite side of the counter holds a small selection of homemade ice creams. A pair of single-user bathrooms flanks the stairway in back of the cafe; at night, the thump of music can be heard from above, coming from the adjoining nightclub of the same name that sits up the stairs above the coffeehouse. It's reasonably busy in here today, but not to any particular extreme -- at least not yet. Spoopy decorations linger in the wake of the circus arts extravaganza last night. Skye is sitting at one of the communal tables, for once not on a computer. She looks a far cry from her usual nerd girl casual, dressed up as she is in a black-and-silver brocade cheongsam and silver Pleasers, her hair artfully arranged and her makeup dramatically smoky. Instead of her usual heavy backpack or messenger bag she only has a silver purse hanging from the back of her chair along with a black knee-length coat. The plate in front of her is empty, but steam still rises faintly from her mug, though she's ignoring it right now in favor of frowning at her phone. Sarah doesn't seem to be ready to let go of the spoopy season as well. Standing by the counter, she waits for her order with a lack of her usual energy, dressed in black jeans, purple combat boots, and a bright orange long-sleeved shirt with a picture of a unicorn face on it. Unlike most unicorns, this one has a candy corn horn with a mane of corresponding colors and also holds a jack-o-lantern full of candy in its mouth. She takes her (very large) coffee with a tired but grateful smile, turns to survey the café with eyes shadowed with dark circles. Walking over to Skye's table, Sarah takes in Skye's appearance with obvious but innocent admiration. "Hey. Do you mind if I sit?" Despite being engrossed with whoever is currently being wrong on the Internet, Skye does notice Sarah's approach, and lowers her phone as she lifts her face, smiling now. "Hey! Yeah, no, please sit. I could use the company." She waves a hand at the copious empty seats at her end of the table. "How are you doing?" "Thanks." Once Sarah takes a seat, there's a few long moments where she focuses far more on gulping down coffee than answering. She seems more alert when she comes up for air. "I'm good! Tired, but it's my fault. I had to work early today, but was here last night for the party way too late. How have you been? You look really nice." "Oh man, how was that?" Skye perks up, setting the phone down and reaching for her own mug again. "I wanted to come, but -- work." She shrugs and takes a big gulp of her beverage. "I'm doing alright, and thanks!" Looking down at her dress, she smiles kind of lopsidedly. "My date cancelled on me, so." She shrugs. "Guess I'm just looking good for the hell of it now." "It was like something out of a movie!" Sarah answers, gushing with excitement. "Or like one of those parties in Hollywood that might as well be a movie anyway. I've never seen anything so glamorous, I almost kept expecting someone to ask me to leave! Nobody did, it was just the coolest party I've been to." Some of the stars in her eyes fade, a light blush rushing into her face. "Sorry, that's probably more info than you wanted. I'm sorry about your date, too. I hope they at least had a good excuse." "Wow, that sounds amazing!" Skye says. "Hey, I was looking for whatever information I can get. I've seen a few pictures on social media, but I'll see whether any of the performers had people take video." She takes another sip of her drink and shakes her head. "Not sure what his excuse is, but it's his third strike, so..." Now she's frowning thoughtfully. "I guess we'll see." Her smile returns rapidly, though. "So, as sleep deprived as you are, do you have the weekend to recover, at least?" "Two strikes is already too many, according to my sister-in-law. I haven't dated much, so I wouldn't know." Sarah shrugs, raising a hand to wiggle it back and forth. "Tomorrow, maybe? I set up in Central Park on Sundays to draw people for extra money. It isn't exactly athletic, but it's not staying at home and relaxing either, you know?" She dives back into her coffee, taking big gulps, almost gasping for breath when she puts the much emptier cup back down. "I think you should go out somewhere and have fun without him," she says, when she can. "You're already dressed up for it." "Oh, I'm not dating him, just..." Skye waves one hand in the air vaguely. "...go on dates with him. I might actually be more forgiving of someone I was actually dating, but honestly I haven't done much of that lately, either." She shrugs, sips at her drink. "Oof, yeah, I know that millennial hustle. Work is work, it can be exhausting all kinds of ways." Her smile widens at Sarah's suggestion. "This is not my usual going-out-and-having-fun attire but," she hitches a one-shouldered shrug, "why not?" Then, perfectly innocently, she adds, "Wanna come with?" "Really?" Sarah glances down at her own outfit with surprised eyes, feeling underdressed with her lack of colors. Still, she smiles widely at Skye, pink with delight. "Sure!" It /definitely/ beats going home and trying to stay awake for the next few hours. "Where are we going?" "Yeah!" Skye's brown eyes glitter with excitement. "Trust me, I can play this outfit down when it suits me. Or we can go somewhere neither of us are dressed for. Or where no one will care." She downs what's left in her mug and rubs her hands together eagerly. "Like a museum. Let's go hit up the Guggenheim or something."