A Christmas To Remember
Chapter 3: Get To Know One Another
Tailor sat at the top of April's apartment, looking out at the city. Since April had a busy timetable, Tailor had the whole day to herself. She took another bite out of her microwave pizza and smiled. She stared down at the sun, which was slowing beginning to set. All day she had had her breakfast, read, ate her lunch, read, and now she sat on the roof, eating some more.
Tailor smiled. It was quite warm, even though it was winter. The sun had come out all day and there was a slight breeze, but still, it wasn't that cold.
Today she wore a plain yellow, baggy, jumper that had 'Tailor' written on it in fancy writing and black jeans. Her long hair matched her jumper colour and shone brightly in the sunlight, mostly because she wore it down.
//
Raphael stood behind Tailor, his trench coat wrapped tightly around him and his hat on his head. He could see her eating some pizza and he could just tell she was smiling. He didn't even know her that well, but he had a nagging feeling he should trust her, just like they all did with April.
He walked over to her and tapped her on her shoulder, or hair, since it flowed right over her shoulders and down her back.
//
Tailor quickly spun around. Before she had a chance to scream Raph put a hand over her mouth and shook his head. She nodded and he removed it.
"What are you doing here? You could have been seen".
Raph smiled slightly. "I've been a ninja for 15 years, I think I know how to keep myself hidden".
"Aren't we trying to be impressive? Wanna sit down?" She patted the single, block wall that was near the edge of the roof and that she was sitting on.
Raph shrugged and sat down next to her. He looked ahead at the sun, but quickly turned his head when it started to hurt his eyes. "How can you stare at this for even 5 minutes?" He turned to her.
Tailor swallowed a chunk of pizza and smiled. "I've lived in India for 15 years, it's red hot, the suns shinning nearly everyday, wouldn't YOU get used to that?"
Raph gave her a shrug. "I guess so".
Tailor smiled and lifted up her pizza. "Wanna bite?"
Raph shook his head. "No thanks".
Tailor popped the last piece of pizza in her mouth. "So", she said when she had swallowed it, "what are you doing here?"
"Well, April called and told me to bring you a message that she was going to be late in from work this afternoon".
Tailor frowned and looked down at the streets. Loads of people were just finishing their Christmas shopping. "Why didn't she ring me?"
"Small problem, lines are dead, didn't you know?"
Tailor shook her head. "No, been reading all day"
"Oh, well now there's your answer".
Tailor nodded, but kept her gaze on the streets. "Why didn't any of your brothers come?"
Raph followed her gaze and noticed she was looking at an old man in a shop window. "Leo's meditating, so is Splinter, Donnie's busy with his Christmas sleigh thingy, and Mikey's still putting decorations in my room, and since April came down to us, she asked me to come here and tell you".
"If she came down to you, why didn't she just come up here?"
"Because our place is closer, all she has to do is lift a manhole near her office, so she thought it would be easier asking us".
Tailor nodded again. "Kay".
Raph frowned and followed her gaze again. She had titled her head and was now looking at a mum giving her young daughter a sweet. "What are you looking at?" Of course he already knew the answer, he just wanted to know why.
"That woman and kid"
"Why?" Might as well pop the question, he thought.
"Just makes you think, don't it? Mother and Child, makes you wanna be apart of it".
Raph shrugged. "Suppose so".
Tailor sighed. "Too bad for some people"
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, just, let's say my mum's not always there".
"Where is she then?"
"Dead".
Her answer came so quick that Raph didn't have time to wonder what the answer was going to be. He could have kicked himself for asking. He was going to say something comforting but the only thing that came out was; "How?"
Tailor kept her gaze on the Mum and Daughter and clenched her fist. Why couldn't she have that? "Cancer".
"Bet it was hard", Raph had finally got his full voice back.
"It was, but, no point blubbering over it", Tailor watched the Mother and Daughter disappear in a shop and relaxed a little, glad the picture was gone.
"You didn't even cry?"
Tailor looked at him. Raph noticed that her blue eyes weren't as bright as when he first met her, he also noticed she was twisting her hair, why did she do that? He had a feeling he knew but couldn't put his finger on it.
"No point, people get over things", She turned her gaze back to the setting sun. Now the sky was turning a darkish blue. "Hey, it's getting chilly out here, want to go inside and watch a movie?"
Raph shrugged. Why did she just drop the subject like that? It reminded him of himself, never revealing her emotions. "Sure".
//
Back inside the apartment was warm. Raph took off his trench coat and hat and hung it up. He sat down on the sofa. After 20 minutes of picking films they had both decided on 'Men In Black', action, and, it wasn't emotional.
Tailor came back and handed him a cup of tea. She rolled her jumper sleeves up and sat down next to him, her own cup of tea steaming on the coffee table in front of them.
Tailor hit the 'play' button. She flicked her long, blonde hair behind her shoulders and smiled when the movie started.
Raph frowned. He was listening to the movie but he kept his gaze on Tailor. One thing was bugging him; it wasn't even a thing to be exact. It was a question. He put his cup of tea down on the table. "Hey, this is going to sound weird, but how come your hair is so long?"
Tailor laughed. She turned to him and smiled. "Don't worry, everyone asks me that, well when I was younger I always wanted long hair, very long hair as you can tell, so 10 years later here I am, hair nearly reaching my knees".
Raph smiled. "How many shampoo bottles do you go through?"
"Hmm, let's see, I'd say quite a few", she let out a giggle. "Loads, to be exact, took me ages to get my hair this soft, I'm weird, huh?"
Raph shook his head. "No", he regretted it and turned away blushing a bit.
Tailor smiled. "You'd be surprised how many people think I am, and it isn't just because of my hair".
"What is it because of?" Raph turned back to her. It was weird; he was talking to a girl! And not any girl, April's niece, could this get any weirder?
"Just, my family", Tailor looked at him. It was amazing that she hardly knew him yet and she had already told him things she wouldn't tell anyone, not even April. She searched his face. His eyes didn't show any emotion but she had this feeling there was kindness hidden behind them, she totally ignored the movie, trying to figure out if there was something else to him, something hidden under his red bandanna, that hardly ever showed.
"You think you could stare any longer?"
Tailor shook her head and smiled, she could feel her cheeks burning as she tried not to blush. "Sorry, just thinking".
"About how freak-looking I am?" His voice had risen a little but he kept calm, why did people stare at them like that? They were just the same . . . on the inside.
Tailor's smile went into a frown. She still kept her gaze on him. "I don't think your freak looking".
Raph folded his arms. "You're the first".
"People just don't know you Raph".
"And you do?"
Tailor shook her head, letting a piece of hair flow in front of her face. "No, but I would like to, and your brothers".
Raph unfolded his arms and looked at her. He watched her tuck her hair behind her ear. Her eyes were back to the normal blue he had first seen her with, and now that he could see her properly, in normal daylight, her faint, brown tanned skin. "Not much to know".
She smiled at him, and he noticed how her dimples showed. He also noticed that her face looked sweet when she smiled. He quickly shook his head, man; did he always have to notice the tiniest details?
"I doubt that", she said after a minute's silence. "I bet there's more to you then you let on". She smiled at him again and turned her head back to the movie, where Will Smith had just said; "N.Y.P.A.D; means I will ''Nock. Your. Punk. Ass. Down!" Tailor let out a laugh.
Raph smiled a little. Maybe there was more to her than she let on. Not just them. He turned his gaze to the movie. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.
//
"Where have you been?" Mikey folded his arms when Raph came into the living room.
"Out".
Mikey watched his brother hung up his coat and then sit down next to him. He turned his gaze to where his brother was. "Out where? How long does it take to give a message?"
Raph growled at his brother and his brother immediately backed off. "I watched a movie, happy now?"
"A movie with who?"
"Santa Claus", Raph gazed at his brother. "Tailor, who else was there?"
"Ah, ha! You have a crush on her!"
Raph felt his face go red with anger and a little embarrassment. "I do not!"
Mikey smiled and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry bro, I went through that phase, you'll get over it, although . . ." Mikey scratched his head, and smiled brightly. " . . . She is kind of cute isn't she?"
Raph frowned. "How am I supposed to know Mikey? I don't drool over her like you do"; he smiled a little at his brother.
"Drool? I don't drool bro, I just judge", Mikey smiled and leaned back on the sofa.
Raph smiled and shook his head. "You sure do Mikey".
//
"My son, where have you been?"
Raph sighed. He now regretted walking in the kitchen. Leo had asked him that question an hour ago, and so did Donnie and now Splinter.
Raph gave a small bow and sat down at the kitchen table, opposite his Master. "I was out giving the message, Splinter".
Splinter smiled. "Took you two hours, my son?"
Raph smiled and shook his head. "No Splinter, I watched a movie with Tailor, she seemed kind of lonely being on her own".
"How did you figure that out, Raphael?"
"She got a little quiet at the topic of family, then she suggested watching a move, so I said 'yes', do you mind?"
Splinter shook his head. "Not at all my son, Tailor seems like a nice girl, I bet she enjoyed your company".
Raph shrugged. "I guess so, she said there was more to us all than we let on, do you think that's true? Master?"
Splinter smiled and patted his son's hand. "Maybe Raphael . . . just maybe . . . she was linking that statement to one person".
//
(Ok, this is shorter than the others, but I hope you enjoy, just wanted this chapter to relate to Tailor, so you get what kind of person she's like, hope you enjoy).
Chapter 3: Get To Know One Another
Tailor sat at the top of April's apartment, looking out at the city. Since April had a busy timetable, Tailor had the whole day to herself. She took another bite out of her microwave pizza and smiled. She stared down at the sun, which was slowing beginning to set. All day she had had her breakfast, read, ate her lunch, read, and now she sat on the roof, eating some more.
Tailor smiled. It was quite warm, even though it was winter. The sun had come out all day and there was a slight breeze, but still, it wasn't that cold.
Today she wore a plain yellow, baggy, jumper that had 'Tailor' written on it in fancy writing and black jeans. Her long hair matched her jumper colour and shone brightly in the sunlight, mostly because she wore it down.
//
Raphael stood behind Tailor, his trench coat wrapped tightly around him and his hat on his head. He could see her eating some pizza and he could just tell she was smiling. He didn't even know her that well, but he had a nagging feeling he should trust her, just like they all did with April.
He walked over to her and tapped her on her shoulder, or hair, since it flowed right over her shoulders and down her back.
//
Tailor quickly spun around. Before she had a chance to scream Raph put a hand over her mouth and shook his head. She nodded and he removed it.
"What are you doing here? You could have been seen".
Raph smiled slightly. "I've been a ninja for 15 years, I think I know how to keep myself hidden".
"Aren't we trying to be impressive? Wanna sit down?" She patted the single, block wall that was near the edge of the roof and that she was sitting on.
Raph shrugged and sat down next to her. He looked ahead at the sun, but quickly turned his head when it started to hurt his eyes. "How can you stare at this for even 5 minutes?" He turned to her.
Tailor swallowed a chunk of pizza and smiled. "I've lived in India for 15 years, it's red hot, the suns shinning nearly everyday, wouldn't YOU get used to that?"
Raph gave her a shrug. "I guess so".
Tailor smiled and lifted up her pizza. "Wanna bite?"
Raph shook his head. "No thanks".
Tailor popped the last piece of pizza in her mouth. "So", she said when she had swallowed it, "what are you doing here?"
"Well, April called and told me to bring you a message that she was going to be late in from work this afternoon".
Tailor frowned and looked down at the streets. Loads of people were just finishing their Christmas shopping. "Why didn't she ring me?"
"Small problem, lines are dead, didn't you know?"
Tailor shook her head. "No, been reading all day"
"Oh, well now there's your answer".
Tailor nodded, but kept her gaze on the streets. "Why didn't any of your brothers come?"
Raph followed her gaze and noticed she was looking at an old man in a shop window. "Leo's meditating, so is Splinter, Donnie's busy with his Christmas sleigh thingy, and Mikey's still putting decorations in my room, and since April came down to us, she asked me to come here and tell you".
"If she came down to you, why didn't she just come up here?"
"Because our place is closer, all she has to do is lift a manhole near her office, so she thought it would be easier asking us".
Tailor nodded again. "Kay".
Raph frowned and followed her gaze again. She had titled her head and was now looking at a mum giving her young daughter a sweet. "What are you looking at?" Of course he already knew the answer, he just wanted to know why.
"That woman and kid"
"Why?" Might as well pop the question, he thought.
"Just makes you think, don't it? Mother and Child, makes you wanna be apart of it".
Raph shrugged. "Suppose so".
Tailor sighed. "Too bad for some people"
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing, just, let's say my mum's not always there".
"Where is she then?"
"Dead".
Her answer came so quick that Raph didn't have time to wonder what the answer was going to be. He could have kicked himself for asking. He was going to say something comforting but the only thing that came out was; "How?"
Tailor kept her gaze on the Mum and Daughter and clenched her fist. Why couldn't she have that? "Cancer".
"Bet it was hard", Raph had finally got his full voice back.
"It was, but, no point blubbering over it", Tailor watched the Mother and Daughter disappear in a shop and relaxed a little, glad the picture was gone.
"You didn't even cry?"
Tailor looked at him. Raph noticed that her blue eyes weren't as bright as when he first met her, he also noticed she was twisting her hair, why did she do that? He had a feeling he knew but couldn't put his finger on it.
"No point, people get over things", She turned her gaze back to the setting sun. Now the sky was turning a darkish blue. "Hey, it's getting chilly out here, want to go inside and watch a movie?"
Raph shrugged. Why did she just drop the subject like that? It reminded him of himself, never revealing her emotions. "Sure".
//
Back inside the apartment was warm. Raph took off his trench coat and hat and hung it up. He sat down on the sofa. After 20 minutes of picking films they had both decided on 'Men In Black', action, and, it wasn't emotional.
Tailor came back and handed him a cup of tea. She rolled her jumper sleeves up and sat down next to him, her own cup of tea steaming on the coffee table in front of them.
Tailor hit the 'play' button. She flicked her long, blonde hair behind her shoulders and smiled when the movie started.
Raph frowned. He was listening to the movie but he kept his gaze on Tailor. One thing was bugging him; it wasn't even a thing to be exact. It was a question. He put his cup of tea down on the table. "Hey, this is going to sound weird, but how come your hair is so long?"
Tailor laughed. She turned to him and smiled. "Don't worry, everyone asks me that, well when I was younger I always wanted long hair, very long hair as you can tell, so 10 years later here I am, hair nearly reaching my knees".
Raph smiled. "How many shampoo bottles do you go through?"
"Hmm, let's see, I'd say quite a few", she let out a giggle. "Loads, to be exact, took me ages to get my hair this soft, I'm weird, huh?"
Raph shook his head. "No", he regretted it and turned away blushing a bit.
Tailor smiled. "You'd be surprised how many people think I am, and it isn't just because of my hair".
"What is it because of?" Raph turned back to her. It was weird; he was talking to a girl! And not any girl, April's niece, could this get any weirder?
"Just, my family", Tailor looked at him. It was amazing that she hardly knew him yet and she had already told him things she wouldn't tell anyone, not even April. She searched his face. His eyes didn't show any emotion but she had this feeling there was kindness hidden behind them, she totally ignored the movie, trying to figure out if there was something else to him, something hidden under his red bandanna, that hardly ever showed.
"You think you could stare any longer?"
Tailor shook her head and smiled, she could feel her cheeks burning as she tried not to blush. "Sorry, just thinking".
"About how freak-looking I am?" His voice had risen a little but he kept calm, why did people stare at them like that? They were just the same . . . on the inside.
Tailor's smile went into a frown. She still kept her gaze on him. "I don't think your freak looking".
Raph folded his arms. "You're the first".
"People just don't know you Raph".
"And you do?"
Tailor shook her head, letting a piece of hair flow in front of her face. "No, but I would like to, and your brothers".
Raph unfolded his arms and looked at her. He watched her tuck her hair behind her ear. Her eyes were back to the normal blue he had first seen her with, and now that he could see her properly, in normal daylight, her faint, brown tanned skin. "Not much to know".
She smiled at him, and he noticed how her dimples showed. He also noticed that her face looked sweet when she smiled. He quickly shook his head, man; did he always have to notice the tiniest details?
"I doubt that", she said after a minute's silence. "I bet there's more to you then you let on". She smiled at him again and turned her head back to the movie, where Will Smith had just said; "N.Y.P.A.D; means I will ''Nock. Your. Punk. Ass. Down!" Tailor let out a laugh.
Raph smiled a little. Maybe there was more to her than she let on. Not just them. He turned his gaze to the movie. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.
//
"Where have you been?" Mikey folded his arms when Raph came into the living room.
"Out".
Mikey watched his brother hung up his coat and then sit down next to him. He turned his gaze to where his brother was. "Out where? How long does it take to give a message?"
Raph growled at his brother and his brother immediately backed off. "I watched a movie, happy now?"
"A movie with who?"
"Santa Claus", Raph gazed at his brother. "Tailor, who else was there?"
"Ah, ha! You have a crush on her!"
Raph felt his face go red with anger and a little embarrassment. "I do not!"
Mikey smiled and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry bro, I went through that phase, you'll get over it, although . . ." Mikey scratched his head, and smiled brightly. " . . . She is kind of cute isn't she?"
Raph frowned. "How am I supposed to know Mikey? I don't drool over her like you do"; he smiled a little at his brother.
"Drool? I don't drool bro, I just judge", Mikey smiled and leaned back on the sofa.
Raph smiled and shook his head. "You sure do Mikey".
//
"My son, where have you been?"
Raph sighed. He now regretted walking in the kitchen. Leo had asked him that question an hour ago, and so did Donnie and now Splinter.
Raph gave a small bow and sat down at the kitchen table, opposite his Master. "I was out giving the message, Splinter".
Splinter smiled. "Took you two hours, my son?"
Raph smiled and shook his head. "No Splinter, I watched a movie with Tailor, she seemed kind of lonely being on her own".
"How did you figure that out, Raphael?"
"She got a little quiet at the topic of family, then she suggested watching a move, so I said 'yes', do you mind?"
Splinter shook his head. "Not at all my son, Tailor seems like a nice girl, I bet she enjoyed your company".
Raph shrugged. "I guess so, she said there was more to us all than we let on, do you think that's true? Master?"
Splinter smiled and patted his son's hand. "Maybe Raphael . . . just maybe . . . she was linking that statement to one person".
//
(Ok, this is shorter than the others, but I hope you enjoy, just wanted this chapter to relate to Tailor, so you get what kind of person she's like, hope you enjoy).