Sorry it's taken so long. But at least I updated within a few months. Haha. School ends on Wednesday. So then I'll be able to write a bit more.
Disclaimer (since I forgot the last time): Don't own it. Already said that. I wish some network would own it though. That graveling in my basement however is a whole different story.
R, E, & R. (Read, Enjoy & Review!)
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They sat out and watched the stars for a bit longer until Mason noticed Scarlet's eyes droop every so often. The two had been out on the rickety porch for the span of one primetime family sitcom, the laugh track floating out of the window created a link to the people inside. This had been one of the longest periods of time that Scarlet had spent with someone from her grew group all at once. She wasn't getting buddy-buddy with Mason, and Mason definitely wasn't a bonding-time kind of guy, but it was nice to just sit in the quiet echo of a hectic day.
Scarlet's eyes drooped once again, her body starting to feel the effects of the excitement of the past few days. She hadn't slept very well, if at all, the night before after running out of George's house. Scarlet had gone to the only place she was entirely familiar with so far, Der Waffle Haus. She sat in the booth that had been staked out by Reapers years before she ever arrived. Eventually she got sick of the suspicious looks being shot at her by fellow patrons, because of it being a late hour on a school night, and left. She had spent the rest of the night wandering most of the city that was walking distance, in hope to get so familiar with the new city that she could go on Reaps by herself. Anger and mostly fear had driven her back to the waffle house, however, once the sun's rays just started to stretch above the horizon once again. The only customers in the diner were two nighthawks at the counter, silently sipping their coffee and ignoring each other and everyone else except the waitress who refilled their mugs. Scarlet had sat in the same booth she had vacated only a few hours earlier. Immersing herself in the lives of the fictional characters of her book passed the wee hours of the morning until George had come stomping into the restaurant.
"No wonder I'm so tired." Scarlet mumbled to herself quietly.
"Hmm?" Mason cast a questioning glance at the teenager sitting beside him.
"Nothing." She replied, not making eye contact. She had only been in this damn city for a few days, and had already spilled her guts about one secret. George had almost found out another. She barely knew half of her fellow Reapers and there was no reason to get entirely close, she figured. They would come to their senses soon. She didn't need to make friends just to lose them when she went back home. A long, deep sigh from Mason snapped her back into the present.
"So tired so soon my British friend?" She slyly asked.
"Actually, it seems that you're the one getting tired, love. I think I'm going to split. We've all had a busy day today."
"Especially you and George."
"Not a word to Daisy or Rube about that." Mason smiled at her as he rose and she returned the smirk.
"Good night, Mason."
"Cheers." And with a impish wink he sauntered down the walk and down the street, hands in his pockets, whistling the entire way.
Scarlet stood and stared at the man walking home. Maybe staying away from everyone was a bad choice. She turned and entered the house, the TV left on to welcome her back.
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The morning light shone through the front windows, waking Scarlet. Actually it wasn't the sun that had woken her. It had been Daisy and George bickering about who needed the bathroom first. From what Scarlet could hear, Daisy was winning on account of locking herself in the bathroom.
"Daisy! I have work today. You know that place I go to so I can make money, so I can eat!" George kicked the door a final time and growled low in her throat. "You have nothing to do today except your reap! Open the fucking door!"
A slightly muffled, but otherwise clear southern voice came from behind the door. "Georgia, why don't you go make yourself some coffee? Or better yet some herbal tea. It'll calm your frazzled nerves." The door rattled as it received another frustrated kick.
"You're going to put a hole in that thing, you know." Scarlet, seeing no future in sleep that morning, gathered clothes from her duffle bag and walked over to the fuming George.
"I'm gonna put a hole in something pretty fucking soon if she doesn't come out in five seconds!" The statement was shot at the closed door. All Scarlet could hear in retort was the clacking of make-up cases. The teenager shook her head at the two bickering women. They were adults for god's sake.
"You guys don't have two bathrooms with a house this size?"
"No. And you would have thought Mason would have mentioned this to us when we moved in, the fucker."
"No wonder you protested me rooming with you guys." George rested her forehead against the door and sighed in agreement.
"Fuck it, Daisy. You win." The blonde stalked off to the kitchen to make whatever coffee was left in the cabinets. Just as soon as she left the hallway, the door opened to reveal the southern starlet with a grin splashed across her entire face. Scarlet replied with a raised eyebrow.
"I love messing with her. The girl needs to learn how to lighten up. She'll give herself wrinkles." Scarlet laughed in response and entered the bathroom to change.
All three of the housemates piled into George's car to head off to the diner after George was finally let into the bathroom. They took the same route that George had only a few days before, looking for Scarlet. Each girl was lost in her own thoughts. George was concentrating on driving as well as what she had to do at work that day. Daisy was focused on what she was going to do to take time up in the day between reaps and meals. She wasn't the only one thinking about reaps, though. Scarlet sat in the backseat, anxiously waiting to get to the waffle house, so she could get her first assignment in the new town. She was sick of tagging along with other people and wanted to be out on her own. She new the city pretty well and couldn't get that lost.
The Mustang pulled into the always familiar parking lot and the girls got out. The two eldest women taking the conventional way of opening the door and sliding out. Scarlet, however, jumped over the side of the car and landed on her feet on the black pavement. She received a smile from Daisy and a glare from George. No big surprise to her, though. The three walked into the diner, to be greeted by the rest of their group at their regular table. Rube glanced up from his ledger as George and Daisy sat on the opposite side of the table, squashing Mason into the side of the booth. Scarlet grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and sat at the end, giving the other's a small wave of hello. Roxy nodded in greeting while Mason smiled. The new arrivals opened menus, as the three others had already ordered. Casey rushed by, holding a "wait one minute" finger up at the latest arrivals. No one said much as the waitress came back and took orders. Rube scribbled the last few post-its and closed his ledger, putting his attention on the left-over fruit in his bowl. Casey returned with food for each of the girls. Once she had left and Scarlet, Daisy and George had a decent share of breakfast, Rube opened the ledger once again and handed out assignments. This was the moment Scarlet had been waiting for, to see if Rube thought she was fine going out on her own.
"One for you." That one went to Roxy, who left after receiving it and George took her place in the seat next to Rube. "Two for you. Don't give me that look." Mason scoffed at the post-its stuck to his section of the table. "One for you." Daisy's assignment. "One for you." George's post-it. "And finally one for Scarlet." Scarlet smiled and looked down at her assignment.
A. Elliot
ETD: 12:31 P.M.
365 River Road Building A
She peered over at George's post-it as George looked at hers.
J. Elliot
ETD: 12:32 P.M.
365 River Road Building A
"Rube!" They yelled in unison. Rube gently closed his ledger and raised his eyes to the two teenagers. They looked so similar when they agreed on the same things.
"They aren't the same assignments. They just happen to be at the same location. And since you both just happen to be going to the same place, and since no one else can give Scarlet a ride, she'll be going with you, Peanut, to work today." Both girl's jaws dropped to the floor at the same exact time.
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TBC.
R & R
-Forever-
Pendragon4+