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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 24, 2009 23:00:21 GMT -5
 And, as if by magic, Leaf had gotten home to her apartment, only to find out that it had been trashed - yet again. For some reason she had no idea how it had happened, but she had ideas as to whom, though she wasn't one to pin the blame on anyone in particular. Leaf just had strong feelings that it had been who she thought it was. And they were going to pay. Not with their lives, they were just going to pay in general. Well that, and she needed to get out of her apartment for a few hours... possibly a few days, just until she was sure that everything could go back to normal.
She also needed time to herself to heal her self-inflicted wounds - nightmares. Always nightmares.
After picking her way through a sea of whateverness, Leaf found a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt, she grabbed some more clean clothes, gathered what money she could find - or was left from the petty raid and slammed the door to her apartment angrily. Getting out of there would be good for her, even if it was only for a few days. Anything was fine by her.
Rather than taking her car, Leaf walked the distanced to the motel, once there she paid for a room on the highest floor and trudged all the way up the stairs. Slamming the key into the lock as though it had done something to her, then accidentally leaving the door open and sinking to the middle of the floor - pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them.
She didn't mean for them to come - but the tears just flew down her cheeks.
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 24, 2009 23:55:57 GMT -5
 I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE[/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] He may have been a genius, even though most people would never know, but even Pete Valenkov was capable of making stupid, simple mistakes. Like the one he'd made a day earlier, while making himself dinner. The twenty year-old knew how to cook, since he used to help his mother all the time when he was little, but he'd made the mistake of leaving the pizza in the oven while he answered the phone. He didn't plan for the conversation to drag on and for him to step out onto the balcony to chat, but it had happened, and in that time, his entire apartment became engulfed in flames.
He felt so embarassed. The golden boy, nearly burning his apartment down. He hadn't told his parents, because they'd scold him then make him move back in, and the damage wasn't too severe, but there was so much smoke that the fireman at the scene recommended that he get a hotel room for a few days, so he did.
Pete had arrived at the Super 8 Motel the night before, checking in for three nights. He was gone in the morning to chill with his friends. He arrived back at the hotel after a long day, making his way to his room, when something strange caught his attention.
He walked passed an open door. Not too strange, only when his eyes drifted inside, he noticed a girl sitting in the middle of the floor, and she appeared to be crying. Now that was definitely strange. Being the nice guy that he was, his mood immediately went from laid back to concerned, and he cautiously approached the door. Maybe he should leave her alone? He couldn't help it. He had to see if there was anything he could do.
"Uh... excuse me?" he asked, lightly knocking on the door to get her attention. "A-Are you alright? I know it's not my business, but..."
He really didn't know what else to say. He was always better at listening, anyway.
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 0:10:52 GMT -5
There were definitely pros and cons to being alone in a motel - the cons that kept creeping up to the back of mind was the part where she could get raped. But at the moment she wasn't trying to think of the cons, just the pros. Like... being away from everyone and everything for a moment. Then again, that could also come under the cons as well, since she liked being alone but also didn't like being alone at the same time. A bit of company would be nice, however she'd chickened out of calling one of her friends up to come stay with her at the motel for a bit.
Though she didn't count on the tears - it was pretty pathetic, in her mind - that she should be crying so. Leaf knew that tears were never going to solve anything, but they could possibly help her feel much better. Once she's had a good cry that is. They distracted her so much from everything that she didn't even notice the male walking along the hall.
Well, she hadn't noticed him at all until he stopped dead in his tracks and turned himself to face her doorway. Leaf jumped about a mile when she heard the guy's voice.
Uh... excuse me? Then he knocked lightly on her door and she looked up, hair in her eyes and her vision now blurry from the eyeliner and mascara that chose to run from her salty tears.
A-Are you alright? I know it's not my business, but...
What could she say? There was no point in lying and saying that she was fine when she obviously wasn't and it was so plain for him to see. But could she really tell a stranger what was going on, if only to feel slightly more better than she was already? Leaf deliberated in her head.
After a few seconds and a mini-mini arguement with herself, in her head, Leaf pushed her hair out of her face and wiped her tears away with the side of her hand. "I'm sorry," she started, her voice a strained whisper as the tears continued to run down her cheeks. "I should have closed the door." This time she mumbled and dropped her hands to her lap in defeat with the tears.
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 25, 2009 0:21:00 GMT -5
I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE [/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] She hesitated to respond, but Pete patiently waited for an answer. He wasn't going to just leave while this girl was clearly upset. He was taught to always help women when they were in trouble, but even if he wasn't, he'd have helped anyway.
"I'm sorry," she replied, wiping some of her tears away. They continued falling, anyhow. "I should have closed the door."
She probably should have if, but he wasn't going to say that. "No, no, no, it's okay! I'm mean... you don't look okay, but I'm okay with finding you not okay and..."
Again, for someone as smart as the guitarist, he could sure be lousy with words sometimes. He didn't really know what to say, because he didn't want to risk making things worse.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I shouldn't have barged in on you."
Technically, he didn't barge in on her, but he somehow felt like he was invading her privacy. "I'm Pete. Well, Ilya, really, but people call me Pete."
It was common courtesy to give your name when meeting someone knew, but Pete was hoping that maybe she'd trust him more and let him help, if he could.
"Is... is there anything I can do?"
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 0:36:38 GMT -5
No, no, no, it's okay! I'm mean... you don't look okay, but I'm okay with finding you not okay and...
Leaf looked up at him incredulously, slightly confused at what he was trying to say and trying to fathom out what he meant. Her mind was too packed with everything else, she couldn't handle it and so just dropped what he was saying and looked back down at the floor.
I-I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I shouldn't have barged in on you.
She chewed on the inside of her lip and looked back up at him slowly - he wasn't being rude, at least not as far as she could tell - confusing, slightly, yes, but not rude. And he had, by no means, not barged in on her; it had been her fault for leaving the door open, plus he was still outside.
"Don't..." Leaf searched for the word as she tried to stop the tears from coming. "apologise, please." she mumbled, finally. "You didn't barge in." was added.
I'm Pete. Well, Ilya, really, but people call me Pete.
At least he had a name and the decency to tell her whom he was. Normally she didn't like talking to people she'd only just met, but since he'd introduced himself as 'Pete' and he hadn't made any sudden movements to show her that was a pedophile or worse, Leaf found it safe to assume that he was also safe, but proceeded with a tad bit of caution.
"Harlequin."
Is... is there anything I can do?
The brunette shrugged slightly and sucked in a breath before pulling her knees tighter to her chest and placing her forehead on top of her knees. It was times like these where she really needed the company and no-one was around.
"Stay?" It was a big question to ask of Pete since she hardly knew him at all, but she needed someone, anyone. "Please." she added in a small voice.
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 25, 2009 0:55:39 GMT -5
I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE [/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] She looked at him like craziness was just leaking from his mouth, which wasn't too far from the truth. He was sure he'd confused her while trying to make sense of things.
"Don't... apologise, please."
Well, at least he was making progress. She was talking to him now, which was better than crying. Pete didn't like it when girls cried, it always made him nervous; he was never quite sure what he was supposed to say or do.
"You didn't barge in."
Yeah, she was right. He was still standing in the doorway, having never actually entered the room. He didn't even know the girl and he didn't want to give her the wrong impression.
"Harlequin."
"Harlequin, huh? That's a strange name. Well, I don't mean you're weird or anything like that, I just mean you don't hear that name all the time," he explained, the words flooding out of his mouth much too fast, hoping not to offend her.
Pete waited for her to answer his question. Harlequin pulled her knees closer to her chest, resting her forehead atop them. "Stay?"
That... wasn't the answer he'd expected. He thought she'd for sure ask to be alone, or maybe ask him to run and get something. It was a strange request, but he sort of understood not wanting to be alone. It could get, well, lonely.
"Please."
Well, he couldn't say no now. So, he finally entered the room slowly, closing the door behind him, since he was quite sure she didn't want anyone else barging in on her or spying on her.
"You don't have to tell me what's wrong... but I might be able to help. I'm told I'm good at that. Helping people, that is."
Everybody always told him that. He never really thought of himself as a helper or anything like that, but if everybody said it, then it had to be true, right? He just didn't like to see anybody upset, that's all; if he could, he'd help someone in a heartbeat and he couldn't say no to Harlequin. She just looked so... defeated, and beat down.
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 1:11:00 GMT -5
She could have given him her nickname - the one the girls used for her, rather than her actual name, but it probably would have seemed slightly stranger than simply; 'Harlequin'.
Harlequin, huh? That's a strange name. Well, I don't mean you're weird or anything like that, I just mean you don't hear that name all the time.
Despite her current situation and the state that she was in, Leaf found that the corners of her mouth had twitched up into a very faint smile. There was something in hilarity about this male, maybe it was the way he approached thing... with the way he stumbled over his words and said too much, confused people and/or both. Nevertheless, she had still smiled, a welcome change. "Makes me sound like a hooker. You could just call me Leaf, Harley or Ace?"
Leaf didn't know what had made her ask him to stay, she just needed company and maybe a stranger's company was what she needed in order to feel better? It was a long shot, but hey, Pete had already made her smile.
He entered the room at a slow pace and had enough common sense to shut the door behind the two of them. She didn't particularly want any surprise visits from people. Least of any of those pedophilic old men.
You don't have to tell me what's wrong... but I might be able to help. I'm told I'm good at that. Helping people, that is.
Nodding, Leaf realised that there was an air of calm around him, she didn't know what it was exactly, but she felt that having him in her room was a good thing. Mainly because he said that he was good at helping people, as he said, and she did need some kind of help, but was unsure on what kind. She nodded slowly and drew her knees away from her chest.
"Sorry... if you need to be, uhh, elsewhere, uhh, you don't have to stay..." Now, she wasn't trying to get rid of him, she just realised that maybe he had to be somewhere, instead of here. Somewhere more important and she didn't want to steal him away from it. "I just... sorry."
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 25, 2009 1:29:16 GMT -5
I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE [/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] It was faint, but the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile at his foolish attempt to spare her feelings. Maybe it wasn't the best way to get a girl to smile, but he'd take it. It was better than a frown, and certainly better than tears.
"Makes me sound like a hooker. You could just call me Leaf, Harley or Ace?"
Light laughter abruptly escaped from his mouth. "Nah, you don't sound like a hooker at all. Your name isn't Candi with an 'I' and you're not named after a car."
She provided him with a few alternatives, all nicknames which seemed strange to him. They were probably an inside joke with some of her friends or whatnot. His own nickname, Pete, had come from his nickname, Pytor. Growing up, he wasn't too fond of sporting a Russian name, so he used Pete instead.
"Sorry... if you need to be, uhh, elsewhere, uhh, you don't have to stay..."
He shook his head. "Not at all. I'm sort of a notorious loser, so I've got nowhere else to be, and this certainly beats watching reruns on Lifetime alone in my room," he said with a smile, trying to ease some tension.
"I just... sorry."
Again, he shook his head. "Don't be sorry. What's there to be sorry about? Crying? Everybody cries, there's nothing wrong with it."
He sat down on the ground across from her, crossing his legs. She didn't seem as upset as when he found her, so he must have been doing something right.
"Besides, like I said. I want to help."
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 1:47:42 GMT -5
Nah, you don't sound like a hooker at all. Your name isn't Candi with an 'I' and you're not named after a car.
He had a fair couple of points there, but she had a point of her own to make about her comment of being made to sound like a hooker from her name. "Eh, you have points there, but it's still a disease." That much she knew from the internet. "And also part of a Panic At The Disco song." Okay, she just had to add that part.
Asking him if there was elsewhere he needed to be, well, in a sense. He didn't need to stay, but she felt that he was more than welcome to if he so wished.
Not at all. I'm sort of a notorious loser, so I've got nowhere else to be, and this certainly beats watching reruns on Lifetime alone in my room.
He smiled and the corners of her mouth twitched up slightly more. "Ah, but that's debateable, depending on which reruns you decide to watch on Lifetime." Leaf shook some of her hair out of her eyes and looked up at him as he moved to take a seat across from her.
Don't be sorry. What's there to be sorry about? Crying? Everybody cries, there's nothing wrong with it. That was a very fair point.
Besides, like I said. I want to help.
Leaf smiled, it wasn't very big, it wasn't very small, but it was genuine.
"That's a very nice personality trait you have there, Pete - being helpful and willing to listen to people. I like listening, but sometimes I end up saying the wrong thing." This wasn't the first time she'd admitted this to anyone.
"But really, I was just crying over something incredibly stup--" Her eyes had wondered to the clock on the wall and she realised that she had almost missed taking the painkillers the doctor had prescribed for her after she had fallen from the fire escape. "Désolé, une minute, s'il vous plaît." and she got up, moving to her bag and pulling out her prescribed painkillers.
Leaf quickly got herself a glass of water and took them, then looked down at Pete and tilted her head to one side slightly. "Would you like a drink?"
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 25, 2009 2:09:11 GMT -5
I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE [/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] "Eh, you have points there, but it's still a disease. And also part of a Panic At The Disco song."
Another chuckled escaped his throat. "Yeah, I guess that's true."
Things were definitely lightening up now and he felt a whole lot better. She also seemed to be smiling more, regardless of how faint the smiles were.
"Ah, but that's debateable, depending on which reruns you decide to watch on Lifetime."
"Well, repeats of the Nanny and Will and Grace aren't exactly my cup of tea. Now, Laverne and Shirley? Maybe."
To be honest, he didn't really watch any of the shows. But his mother did. Growing up with only one TV, he'd seen may episodes of shows most guys would call "Chick TV."
There she was, smiling again. "That's a very nice personality trait you have there, Pete - being helpful and willing to listen to people. I like listening, but sometimes I end up saying the wrong thing."
"Who do you think you're talking to? I'm the master of putting my foot in my mouth. Well, jamming it, really... if you haven't already noticed."
He was sure she had, which would explain her smiles. Yes, he could make a real fool out of himself sometimes, but he didn't mind, as long as it made others feel better.
"But really, I was just crying over something incredibly stup--" she paused, and Pete cocked his head slightly, waiting for her to finish. "Désolé, une minute, s'il vous plaît."
"Okay...?"
Harlequin had slipped into French, it seemed. He began to wonder where she was from after hearing it. France? Canada? There were even countries if Africa that spoke French. As he contemplated this, he watched he take something and it looked like a pill.
"Would you like a drink?"
"Oh," he said, snapping back to reality. "Umm... sure. Why not?"
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 16:42:50 GMT -5
Well, repeats of the Nanny and Will and Grace aren't exactly my cup of tea. Now, Laverne and Shirley? Maybe.
Leaf couldn't help herself, she giggled very quietly and then shook her hair out of her face. "I'm not too sure what the Nanny and Laverne and Shirley are about, but I have seen Will and Grace - it's kind of funny, but not as good as other shows." Like Pete, she too didn't watch a lot of TV.
Who do you think you're talking to? I'm the master of putting my foot in my mouth. Well, jamming it, really... if you haven't already noticed.
Ah, so he was kind of like herself in his own little way, he had confused her slightly at the beginning of their rather strange meeting, but now she had almost gotten used to his wording being so erratic. "I do believe that I am talking to Pete, and at the moment he doesn't seem to be jamming his foot anywhere, though admittedly I did get confused moments earlier, but it's all good now."
Accidentally slipping into her French tongue was something of a usual occurence to the brunette; she mostly did it when she was in a forgetful state of mind - hence the painkillers. She took two of them and placed the prescribed bottle on the counter, the glass a few moments after; offering Pete a drink.
Oh, Leaf nodded slightly as she looked over at him. Umm... sure. Why not? Smiling faintly, the guitarist turned her back on him for a moment to see what there was to drink in the room. She hoped to God that there was no alcohol and that there was some juice.
"Err, there's water," she pulled open the refrigerator, "water, or water." Well now, that was a good choice and there had been some alcohol, but she wouldn't touch it. "Aren't we spoilt for choices?" She laughed slightly then bit her tongue as she grabbed a glass and filled it with water, bringing it over to Pete and holding it out to his seated form as she stood.
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 25, 2009 17:47:13 GMT -5
I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE [/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] Harlequin giggled and shook some hair out of her face. "I'm not too sure what the Nanny and Laverne and Shirley are about, but I have seen Will and Grace - it's kind of funny, but not as good as other shows."
"I'm not that big on TV, anyway," Pete replied.
He'd much rather play his guitar or hang out with his friends that watch television mindlessly all day. He was a sucker for movies, though. Pete loved old movies, or murder mysteries. They were always so much better than the crap that most people his age watched today.
"I do believe that I am talking to Pete, and at the moment he doesn't seem to be jamming his foot anywhere, though admittedly I did get confused moments earlier, but it's all good now."
Pete smiled, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
It was probably because he was more comfortable around her now. It usually didn't take him too long to get used to people and he seemed to have warmed up to Harlequin quicker than usual, considering the circumstances under which they meant.
"Err, there's water... water, or water. Aren't we spoilt for choices?"
He laughed. "Water's fine."
It was a little late for him to be drinking anyway, and if she had taken a pill earlier, then alcohol wouldn't be the best thing to chase it with. They'd have a whole other problem on their hands.
Pete accepted the glass, taking a sip of water. "So, are you visiting? He asked. Most people who stayed in hotels were usually tourists, but then he couldn't image why anyone would come to Fairview to visit, other then to see family. "Or did something happen to your place?"
Maybe she'd nearly burned it down, like him. He was curious to hear her story.
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 18:05:50 GMT -5
Leaf felt safe and comfortable around Pete; she knew that he wouldn't do anything to her and she wouldn't do anything to him. They were both comfortable with being in each other's company and being civil to each other. She couldn't remember the last time she'd almost instantly clicked with on the first meeting, it was kind of strange, but she enjoyed it. It was a welcome change.
Water's fine. Pete laughed, Leaf smiled and she brought the glass of water over to him, instead of him getting up to get it. And he was right, water was fine. Alcohol was disgusting stuff; she wouldn't dare touch it, not after what had happened in her past.
Once he took the glass from her hands, Leaf settled herself back down on the floor in front of him and crossed her legs. One hand came up to play with her hair, whilst the other stayed in her lap, her fingers moving across her jeans as though she were playing the piano - a quirk of hers.
So, are you visiting? It was a simple question, she shook her head. Or did something happen to your place? Leaf nodded.
"It was... trashed," she started, absentmindedly still doing the piano thing with her fingers. "while I was out. I don't know who did it, well, I think I might know who did it, but I can't be too sure." Now it was her turn to babble on a bit. She was probably confusing him now, but hey, an eye for an eye - or something like that. Right?
"How about you, sunshine?"
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Post by Pete Valenkov on Aug 25, 2009 19:58:26 GMT -5
I'M COMING OUT OF MY CAGE [/font] and I've been doing just fine[/font] GOTTA, GOTTA BE DOWNbecause I want it all[/font] ------------------------------[/center] She nodded when he asked her if something had happened to her place. So, she was in the same boat as him. Although he doubted that she did something as stupid as him, nearly lighting his house on fire.
"It was... trashed, while I was out. I don't know who did it, well, I think I might know who did it, but I can't be too sure."
He nodded in understanding. Jeeze, who does stuff like that?
Who just trashed someone else's home? He never understood it. Some people could be so rude. Harlequin didn't say that she was robbed, so he assumed that it must been a simple, stupid act by a bunch of dumb kids.
"How about you, sunshine?
"Me? O-Oh...
Even though he felt embarrassed about admitting it, he decided to tell her about his... dilemma. "Well, at least you didn't light your apartment on fire. There was so much smoke, I had to move out."
Now that he was telling the story, he started laughing. Maybe it was kind of funny. Yeah, it was. He was laughing at his own stupidity. That didn't happen very often, but it felt kind of good. It was nice, to be able to laugh at himself and he felt like he hadn't laughed like this in a long time.
"You know, I have a genius IQ and yet I nearly burned my apartment down," he added, still laughing.
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Post by Harlequin Powers on Aug 25, 2009 20:32:09 GMT -5
Jeeze, who does stuff like that.
Leaf shrugged, she had a pretty good idea who would do stuff like that but she wouldn't say who, because knowing her luck, Pete could be good friends with the guys and she would end up getting a lot more stick than was entirely necessary from them. "People with too much free time on their hands?" she offered, playing it safe as she removed her hand from her hair.
Me? O-Oh.. She waited patiently for his answer, her fingers still tapping against her knee in the piano fashion. Almost as though she were itching to play, but there was no piano or keyboard around here to play on.
Well, at least you didn't light your apartment on fire. There was so much smoke, I had to move out.
Pete laughed and Leaf joined in with a small, quiet giggle fit. It sounded kind of funny, yet at the same time it sounded serious too, but the main thing was that he found the funny side of it.
You know, I have a genius IQ and yet I nearly burned my apartment down. He was still laughing at the remainder of his story, as was Leaf.
"Everyone is allowed mistakes, no-one's going to judge you for being clumsy every now and again." She told him sincerely. "It's part of life, part of who we are as humans. What would you be if you weren't clumsy on occasions, eh?"
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