Three's A Crowd

Participants:

brian_icon.gif colette_icon.gif delilah_icon.gif

Scene Title Three's a Crowd
Synopsis In an effort to understand herself, Delilah searches for something at the library, and runs into two other people searching for something as well.
Date November 7, 2008

Brooklyn Public Library

The central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library was designed to resemble an open book, two wings stretching out along the bordering streets, with the main entrance located at their hinge. Inside is the heart of one of the nation's largest public library systems; the Central Library alone contains over 1.5 million books, magazines, and other materials. It also contains the Brooklyn Collection, an assortment of references and ephemera that chronicle the history of the borough, and a Multilingual Center for non-English speakers and linguistic scholars. A cafe on the first floor sells coffee and snacks, while a restaurant on the third floor (open weekdays only) sells cafeteria-style meals. Internet access is freely available throughout the building.


Before the evening rushes of students, yet after an already slow afternoon, Delilah has ound herself inside of the Brooklyn Library after a morning of work. There are mixed reasons for her being here, though the primary one is to finally, after years of putting it off, find a copy of Activating Evolution and open it up. Being a very precarious text, the Library only holds copies that are short term checkouts, and reference books only suited to be read inside of the building.

Dressed in a dark pencil skirt, blackened stockings, and a lavender patterned blouse, the young girl is tucked away in one of the first floor lounge chairs, a large and fairly plush place in the corner hear a window. She has a fair view of most of the open spaces and other sitting areas, and sits back with one leg half-tucked up under her in the chair, the other foot swaying while her knee holds up the spine of that familiar book on evolutionary theories.

There's two reasons that a person Delilah would be non-plussed to see is at the library at this hour of day though. One reason comes as she somewhat sulkingly makes her way from the front desk, lips pursed and puckered to one side, hands tucked into the front pouch of her carnation red hoodie. The dark-haired girl, the same one from Canal Street, stops in the middle of the library's foyer, looking from the floor slowly up to the ceiling, shifting her right shoulder to settle the army-green strap of her messenger bag more comfortable. With a huffed out exhalation, she begins making efforts towards the second reason she'd come to the library, not looking for her missing former-neighbor, but another missing person entirely.

It's been over a month since the last tiem Colette had come here, walking from table to table, quietly speaking to people trying to mind their own business and read, each time holding up a burned and weathered photograph, and each time coming away just a little bit more depressed. That meandering path from person to person, eventually draws closer to a collision of coincidence, for the second time in a week to cross the paths of Delilah.

"'Scuse me," At first her voice isn't even familiar, and from the side Colette doesn't even recognize Delilah as the young woman from the market, "I was wonderin' if you could take a look at this — " Her eyes drift down to the book, a familiar book, that she's reading, " — picture?" Her head tilts to one side, eyeing the girl seated in the chair, circling around to try and get a look at her from an angle less on her blind side.

Delilah is absorbed in some sort of interesting piece, because she does not seem to realize Colette is nearing up until it's really too late. The redhead turns her eyes upwards at the voice, dark lashes batting quite abruptly when that face is recognized. Both of Dee's hands pull the book to her bosom and both of her forearms drape over it defensively and in an attempt to block out what it actually is. A futile thing. What timing. What rotten timing. The freckles on Delilah's face have met a slight flushing of skin, and even her knees have drawn up a little.

Not sure what to say? An understatement. "…hullo." She replies, almost guiltily.

Her reaction is immediate, a hissing breath strained thorugh her teeth as she takes a half step back, turning to the side with one hand recoiling towards her face, a reaction that someone would have from spotting a wild dog or a snake, not a girl. Perhaps it's their mirrored reactions that stops Colette from immediately screaming for help, but the look in her eyes speaks volumes of her want to shout at the top of her lungs and run in the opposite direction. She winces, thinking back to something that makes her draw one hand up to her cheek, and then she begins to relent, perhaps a bit selfishly, from her own fear.

"W — What are you…" Mis-matched eyes divert down to the book Delilah cradles to her chest, doing little to hide the very distinct front cover. "I knew it." She hisses out those words in a hushed whisper, beginning to take an inquisitive step forward before hesitating, and backpedaling. She wrinkles her nose, looking up from the book to Delilah, "You didn't know?" Her expression begins to change, something softening, "…Did you?"

Standing in the aisles, leafing through pages then putting books back, the young man looks exhausted. Brian has been quite tired lately. He's been using his ability to his advantage as of late. That means part of him is always working. Part of him is always practicing, part of him is always studying, and part of him is.. sleeping. But being in several places at once and leading several different lives. Well.. That can take a toll on a young man. He's still learning the limits of his powers. And it seems he's driven up right to one.

Bringing out one book, a bible, and makes his way out of the aisles of books towards the two women. Colette gets a prolonged glance. Familiar.. Doesn't he know— A loud thud is made as Brian runs into a chair. He looks down at the thing in dismay for it's very existence. The unfortunate positioning of the chair causes more pain than one would think. Brian sighs at it's misfortune, and takes a step to the side to avoid such terrible detours again.

Delilah squares her jaw even before Colette starts her series of reactions, the center of her forehead creasing as she watches the other teenager. There are a few moments where the redhead almost feels like jumping to her feet and verbally defending herself, but as Colette progresses into questioning her, that particular fire does simmer down.

Dee averts her eyes for a moment, pink lips thinning on her somewhat distressed features. "No." She pauses. "I mean, I still don't, really." Outside of that racket of Canal Street, the accent in her words can be heard much more clearly. "I'unno if- this- yet." Her fingertips grind against the side of the pages at the top of the book.

The bump into a chair causes Colette to look up to the sound of the noise that the chair makes as its legs scuttle across the tile floor. When she spots a vaguely familiar face, her brow scrunches slightly, head tilting to one side with a swish of her bangs over one eye, then looks back to Delilah. "I — " She snaps her mouth shut, fingers curling around that burned piece of photo paper in her right hand, concealing it poorly behind a cage of skinny fingers. "I'm sorry for… I just, you…" Colette breathes out a sighing breath, shaking her head and taking a step back. "I — I shouldn't have bothered you, I — I'm sorry…" Rolling her shoulders forward, she stuffs her hands into the front pouch of her hoodie, starting to turn away with her lower lip caught between her teeth.

Sliding a less violent chair out, Brian takes a seat. The bible is laid open before him as he thumbs through the pages. His eyes glaze back up to Colette for a moment. Recognition flashes in the grey orbs for a moment, drunk Pro-Evolved guy's friend. A lazy smile rolls up on his lips. He can't figure what the two girls are talking about, but it certainly sounds like girl teen drama. And even though it is below him and annoying, he listens in just for shits and giggles. The young man in his extremely drowsy state isn't very descreet about his watching/listening either. The bible is going ignored as of right now.

"You bothered me cause ya wanted me to see a picture, right? It's a waste not to show me anyway." Delilah decides to pipe up before Colette really gets anywhere. "If it… was me, I'll tell ya right now that it was an accident, what happened. I'm not sure what it was. Is?" She relaxes visibly, tucking the book against her lap and keeping her posture straight enough while trying to watch Colette. "'S why I'm here, you know. I don't want to be stupid."

Making a soft sound in the back of her throat, Colette is given pause from her shying away. The girl turns back, brows furrowed together as her eyes come to settle on the partly obscured cover of Activating Evolution, then up to Delilah's eyes. For a moment, she's forzen in place, just thinking about what was said.

Then, with the hesitation put behind her, she carefully steps back over to the girl, warily. "It's um…" Taking her right hand out of her hoodie's pouch, Colette holds out what looks like half of a photograph. It's burned — badly — some of the surface is browned and bubbled, and streaks of blackness cross up one corner where flames must have licked the edges. But what is visible of the photograph depicts a brunette woman in her late twenties with this remarkably awkward expression on her face, somewhere between a smirk and a grimace. It looks like a candid shot, maybe taken at a restaurant. "Have… have you ever seen her before? Her name's Nicole, she… um," Colette's eyes flit down to the floor, then back up again. "She's been missing since the day before the bomb."

Watching quietly, Brian's face slowly succumbs to laying flat in the bible's open pages. He watches the two sleepily, though sympathy bursts up in his heart when he hears the poor girl talking about her missing sister. Sad day. Though that truly is sad, and he truly feels compassion his arms slowly climb up to the table, surrounding his head. Looks like it's nap time possibly.

There's really nothing hiding in Dee's eyes; what she says is what she means, just about every time she opens her mouth. When the picture is held out, the redhead leans slightly forward to look at the surface. She studies it for a good long moment, lips pursing in thought while Colette explains. Her gaze flickers around at their surroundings before going up to the other teenager again with an obvious sheet of sympathy. "A year ago today." That's right, isn't it? "She's unfamiliar to me, but I hope you can find someone where that isn't true…"

Tension comes over Colette as she stares down at Delilah, and as she withdraws the photograph, her eyes settle down on the picture, staring at it longingly for a moment before tucking it back into her pouch. "Is…" Her lips press together tightly, cutting off those words for a moment, "It's really that time already?" She turns her head away, arms sliding around herself as she takes a few steps away from Delilah, "I… I'd completely…" one hand moves up to cover her face, broes furrowed together.

"I, um… I — I'm sorry I bothered you." The words come a little heavier than before, spoken against the palm of her hand. The young girl looks back, managing a feigned smile to Delilah, "Um, thanks, anyway… and…" She closes her eyes, taking another step away, "I — I'm sorry about… about being so terrible back then."

His eyes jerk open. It's not his turn to sleep. It's other him's shift to sleep. Being several people at once has some odd complications. The young man's head bobs up as Colette starts to retreat. So young, so awkward. A slight smile climbs up his lips. Was he that goofy? Or would he have been that goofy were he a girl? Come to think of it, where would he be if he was a girl.. So much to think about. But he is ripped out of his thoughts as he just happens to get a glance at the title of the book Delilah was protecting so adamantly. Even though it's a terribly popular book, it produces a smirk. As Colette finishes her apology, Brian interrupts calling from his table to hers. "So what, you one of them Evolved?" He says in a slightly joking tone as he looks upon her.

"'S alright. I hope your friend is okay. And for next time-" Assuming there may be one. "-M'name is Delilah." When Brian pokes in? Delilah's face creases into immediate frowning across the short distance between them. "Mind your own business, you clot, or I'll shut yer fuckin'hooter in this book." Ouch.

"W-huh!?" Colette jerks her head around, eyes wide as she looks at Brian. She'd recognized the man from that argument with Trent back at the church, not exactly the best first impression, and it shows in her backpedaling away from where he sits. "Uh — " She glances over at Delilah's response with a stunned expression, then back to Brian, "N-No, m'not one of them." The tone comes off as a bit vitrolic, and she quickly stumbles over herself to amend the statement, "An' neither is she. We're doin' a project for school." Colette puffs her cheeks out slightly at the bald-faced lie. She glances back to Delilah, saying in a muffled tone of voice, "Colette."

Edging away from Brian, Colette smiles nervously, then looks back to Delilah before backing up into the crowd, giving herself a few moments of backpedaling before slipping away. Enough stress and awkwardness for one day.

Eyes following Colette for a moment the man almost breaks into laugh as the girl accosts him verbally. His brows perk up, this apparently is enough to drag him out of his drowsy state. "Are you hitting on me?" He says with a coy tilt of his head, peering into her true intentions. He gives a little wave to Colette though he gives a bit of a shake of his head to her, a big smile. Seems she amuses him. "You shouldn't lie!" He calls out after her, one finger coming up to the book laid out before him. He points at the open page. "You know where liars go!" Law school. A joke that makes himself crack up a little on the inside, though he has no intention with sharing it with the rest of the world.

His attention comes back to Delilah. "You sound very angry. Want a back rub?" Comes the teasing words, his smirk going up even further. He's not a mean person, but if someone does something like that.. no harm in playing with them. Right?

Delilah rises to her feet as Colette skitters off, sending Brian a somewhat disgruntled look. "I'll be hittin' on you with my fists if you're not careful." Deceptively cute, in her stockings, skirt, and pretty little blouse. Watch out for those dangerous wedges on her feet! "I don't appreciate your insinuations. I suggest you go lookin' somewhere else for a bonk. We're too smart for you here." CRACK. She holds up the textbook and SLAMS it shut in the air as she steps around the lounge chair. Practically the entire first floor looks over at Brian now. Unfortunately, most with laughs.

She only feeds the flame of enjoyment Brian receives from this. But.. people are looking and laughing. And he really isn't a mean person. So instead of continuing on he tries to suppress his own laughter and smile. "Alright, alright." Brian says to the young woman, raising his hands up as if in surrender. "I'm sorry!" He says, though he can't help but chuckle a little bit as he apologizes. He stands up as if to follow her a little bit. "Really, I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you." Maybe not the best words. "Wait, maybe I can answer some questions for you or something. I've read that shit like fifteen times." A finger points to the activating evolution book. When you are several people, you have a lot more time for reading.

Delilah squints over her shoulder at Brian when he stands. "Unless you're the guy who wrote it, I'd rather try and avoid secondary sources." It sounds like a project, really! There is nothing to come to terms with when you still have no idea if you're even afflicted. Dee has yet to hear back from those other people from that night. "I learned how to read for a reason, you see."

Walking slowly to where she slammed the book, the young man goes ot pick it up. Holding it up, he moves so the back where the picture of the author is visible and shows it to Delilah. He holds the picture next to his face and gives a big smile. "Of course I wrote it, can't you tell?" He then sets the book back down for her. His grey eyes flick back to her when she states the last bit and his brows go up in amazement. "You can read? Me too!" He says in a gleeful tone, as if it's a shock. "Wow, we have so much in common. Favorite color on three!" He doesn't really count, it's said more dryly. Though he's pulling out all the stops to try and make the girl laugh.

Delilah doesn't feel humored, she feels mocked. There's a difference. "Not in the mood for wackjobs today. Screw off." Is all that Brian gets before she pivots on her heel, grabs her coat from the lounge chair arm, and starts making her way for the door.

Narrowing his eyes, the young man frowns as the girl turns her back on him. A middle finger is granted to her back as she moves away though it disappears quickly. His eyes go around to people peering at him. He gives a little wave to the girl storming off away from him. "Love you too, honey!" He calls out before returning to his table. Hmm.. Where were we? John 4..


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November 7th: Expected Arrival
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November 7th: Killing Business
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