Timeline: Current.
Eddie: Edward finished cleaning the last pint glass, drying it off and setting it down beneath the bar. He'd decided that the best thing to do would be to act as natural as possible about everything until he was convinced he wasn't being watched constantly.
Eddie: Catching a random patron holding sight on him made him feel a little nervous: ever since the conversation he and Paul had overheard with his father and Dr. Trask, he'd become increasingly more paranoid. The trick was to keep his head down. Act natural, and let everything blow up (if, indeed, it was going to) on its own.
Selena: "And this is what we call a pub," Selena told the new student, making a wide, sweeping gesture as she held open the door for her. "It's a place where people meet to be social. That, and drink alcohol."
Noriko: Noriko raised an eyebrow at Selena wondering if the girl was serious but decided to humour her as strangely today she had a bounce in her step and a a look to her face that said she'd done something sneaky. "We have Sake bars in Tokyo not pubs."
Eddie: Edward looked up, spotting the two girls - well, a distraction would be good: especially since the bar was devoid of life save for three patrons who he swore blind were following him.
Selena: Selena looked confused for a brief moment, cocking her head slightly to the side. "Well, I guess they're pretty much the same thing, no?" She grinned and performed a little bounce. "Except that you can have a lot more than just sake here. Uhm, except sake. I don't think they have that here. But there's, like, beer!"
Noriko: "I kinda figured not many places in america sell it anyway." Bouncing their way along to the bar Noriko hopped up onto a stool, no lag or struggling today, she wasn't out of breath and she could swear those guys were staring alittle to much to be polite.
Selena: "No, I don't think they do." After taking a seat on the barstool next to Noriko, she leaned against the counter and looked at the guy behind it. "Hey there! Are you working here?"
Eddie: "Pretty sure my father doesn't dislike me enough to fire me yet.", Edward remarked, approaching the girls, "Miss Gomez. I see you bought Ashida, too.", he smiled at the other girl, suddenly glancing to one side as if he recalled something important...
Eddie: 'She's a total 'fridge'. -- 'You know, like 'frigid', she's really shy.'
Eddie: Edward snapped out of it, "S-sorry. Just...remembered something. I..think. A-anyway, what are you after?"
Selena: "Oh, please call me Selana, will you? Only the dean calls me Miss Gomez. And I think I'll have a..." Selena looked thoughtful for a moment, chewing her lower lip. "Yes, one beer please." She looked at the other girl. "And what will you have?"
Noriko: "My names not Ashida....." Giving him a thoughtful and penetrating look followed by a very very lost one. "It's Noriko Ostuka, you can call me Noriko though...." Looking at him he seemed rather distracted before she looked past him to see the rows of alcohol bottles. ".... I think a-.... no something sweet tasting please anything will do."
Eddie: "Oh..." Edward nodded, he was sure her name was...well, never mind. He drew a bottle of Coors from the fridge behind him and cracked the cap off with an opener attatched to the barside. He handed the bottle to Selene and waved a finger at Noriko, "Sweet, light, and not too hard....WKD?"
Selena: "That sounds like a shopping mall," Selena commented and frowned.
Eddie: "It's British, that doesn't make it bad.", Edward sighed, "It's alcopop - nothing too hard, but still alcoholic."
Noriko: "Sounds good to me, can I have the blue one then? It's my favourite colour." Smiling at him for the rather cool looking drink choice. "So whats you name, you didn't say." And the little smug smile returned once more she couldn't help it she felt like she'd done something extremely bad and gotten away with it.
Eddie: Fetching the lady her drink and opening the bottle, he smiled; "My name's Edward, thank you for asking.", he placed the drink on the bar in front of the small girl. "This is your first, so consider it on the house. Selene, that's...two dollars."
Selena: Selena shot him a flabbergasted look. "Hey, but it's my first one, too," she protested, before adding a little quieter: "Today." Her brow furrowed. "And since when do gorgeous people have to pay for their drinks?"
Noriko: Noriko blushed alittle and gave him a very happy little smile. "Why thank you Edward, you been working here long, seems like alot of this town is very new."
Eddie: "Firstly, Selena: I'm trying to introduce our latest citizen to the town. It's a gift.", Edward smiled, "Maybe if you were nicer to me, I'd consider it?", he looked back at Noriko, "I've been working here...ahm...", he couldn't help but glance around at the three others in the bar, "...pretty much since I was old enough to. God bless my father for allowing it."
Selena: Selena looked as if he had just said something completely outlandish and nonsensical. "Edward, people like me don't have to be nice," she explained. "That's only for those who are neither pretty, nor smart."
Eddie: Edward shot her the best 'are you serious' face before looking back at Noriko, "Settling in alright?"
Noriko: "Some of us can even manage all three." She muttered rolling her eyes how on earth had she gotten herself into spending the day with the dense cheerleader. "I'm settling in fine now Edward, things are alittle weird at home but then it's kind of a big change, I don't think moms settling in though."
Eddie: "I suppose it's not easy moving from another country.", Edward commented, suddenly having a brainwave - if he pretended to be utterly convinced of the 'reality' of Circle Pines, maybe people would overlook his recent lapses in character? He noticed from the corner of his eye he was still being watched. "My parents moved to Circle Pines when I was very young from England. It was hard at first, but everyone's really nice here."
Eddie: Edward smiled at Noriko, "I'm sure you mother will feel at home if she just gives it time.", he nodded.
Selena: "You must be missing a lot of things from your home," Selena told Noriko, after taking a sip from her beer. "But America isn't all bad, either. Sure, we may not have giant robots, but at least you're save from tentacle monsters here."
Eddie: 'She's like a Hentai movie reject. B-but she's cute! I heard she was--', Edward winced a little, deciding to jump back into the conversation, "That was...so racist I think a KKK rally just started. Nice, Selena(!)", he smirked, shaking his head.
Noriko: "....... You actually think we have- yeah sure.... I'm totally safe from the crazy part of the world here." Giving Edward and slight save me look then as she couldn't actually believe someone thought tentacle monsters were real. "You know this WKD is really nice. Hopefully mom will settle in soon but she keeps getting up at odd hours."
Selena: "What do you mean - racist?" Selana sat back, looking exasperated. "You can't be racist towards monsters, because monsters aren't people, you know?" She suckled on her beer, fuming silently.
Eddie: Edward blinked: good God, she was serious, "...erm...wow.", he wanted so desperately to facepalm, "Well....isn't it discriminatory against monsters to regard them as having no humanity? What about Frankenstein's Monster? Or Dracula?", he winked at Noriko.
Noriko: "Yeah Selena, just because we have monsters over in Japan it doesn't mean they're all mean, not like Tokyo's being destroyed anymore by them if you watch the news." Grinning at Eddie for his save there. "Hey how about you get yourself a drink on me to say thank you, obviously not alcohol cause your at work like." Pushing some money across the bar for Edward.
Selena: "Hey, don't think I'm stupid," Selena remarked. "As if I didn't know Frankenstein and Dracula aren't real." Were they making fun of her? She wasn't entirely sure, but it kind of felt that way. Anyway, she didn't really like that. "Besides, I was joking. D'uh!"
Eddie: "Now, why ever would you accuse me of that?", Edward asked, sarcasm lacing his words. "I appreciate the gesture, Noriko, but please, I couldn't.", he slid the money back to her. "No charge on tap water, but thanks very much."
Noriko: "Your to sweet to make fun of Selena." Smiling alittle and taking the money back with a shrug. "Maybe a coffee then next time your off work?" Had she actually said that? She had hadn't she? She'd actually just asked a lad out for a coffee.....
Eddie: Edward felt a little blush come on: what was it with him and women right now? He squirmed a little, "Ahm...y-yeah, that er...yes. Thanks.", he smiled.
Selena: Selana looked between the two, slightly arching an eyebrow. "Wow, that was really cute," she said, giving them a smile. "And incredibly awkward. But now let's put me back to the center of attention, okay? So, I decided to be a generous host and show Noriko here around the town."
Noriko: Noriko blushed and hid behind her hair, not once ever had she had the confidence up to ever ask a lad out even for coffee, no tablets for two days and it just blurts out! "Yeah cool, and Selena's been real nice showing me round everywhere and the fun places to go." Checking her phone she sighed mom was reminding her about the stupid meds again.
Eddie: "Well, I'm glad to see that Selena's being so kind to you.", Edward said, turning to Selena. She was still the Bride of Narciccus, as far as he was concerned, but at least she was kind. To this one person. Sort of. "Awfully nice of you, Selena."
Selena: Cocking her head in a way that made her black pigtails bounce, Selena put on a sweet smile. "Don't mention it," she said. "Even though it's nice that you did. And someone has to take care of the new students, right?" Especially the ones that seemed smart enough to handle her assignments.
Eddie: Edward sighed. Boy, that didn't sound like it bore an alterior motive at all, did it(?), "Well, if you ever need anything, Noriko, you can usually find me here."
Noriko: "Well I'm going to buy Selena something to eat later to say thank you and I'd really appreciate that Eddie- Sorry Edward." Rubbing her face at the little slip and wondering why Eddie fitted him better. "Anything to get away from my mom and her nagging about the stupid medication."
Eddie: There it was - 'Eddie', she'd said. Edward reached for a napkin and a pen under the bar, "Well, here's my number in case you want to hang out.", he jotted it down, along with his name and a small circle with an 'X' in it, sliding it across to her. "You keep that secret: I don't like my number ending up in the wrong hands.", he winked at her again.
Selena: "Surely you don't mean me with that," Selena chimed in, again flashing her sweetest smile.
Noriko: Noriko smiled and took the number slipping it carefully into her purse so she wouldn't drop it. "Don't worry I'll keep it safe, and thank you it's very kind of you." Wondering slightly what the X was for in the circle frowning at it for a moment before the number got completely hidden away.
Eddie: Edward glanced over at Selena, "What, you want a date as well? I can't be that popular, surely."
Eddie: "Sorry, is 'date' too strong a word?", he looked back at Noriko, smilling awkwardly.
Selena: Selena shrugged. "Not for me, it isn't," she said, her smile turning into a smirk. "Maybe I'm just taking what you said about being nicer to heart. Ooh, we could have, like, a double date!"
Noriko: "I don't mind a date at all Edd- Edward, it's up to you, no one else hanging on to my arm." No but there should be, there should be someone on her arm she shouldn't be alone. Brow frowning again as she thought not really caring about Selena's smirk as heck the girl probably got around abit.
Eddie: "I.....er...", Edward laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head, "W-well, maybe we'll just see, huh? D-do either of you want another?", he offered, worried that his current streak with women was probably going to get him into more trouble, especially since he couldn't lie about how he felt about Clarice.
Selena: "I'd be fine with another," Selena said, doing a little bounce, then looked at the other girl. "How about you?"
Noriko: "I'm fine for another, here I'll pay for this round as you've been so nice to me and I didn't realise you were into girls Selena." This time her smirk was to try and hide the oddly confused look about why she didn't have a damn boyfriend!
Selena: "You think I'm a..." Selena blinked at Noriko, before she laughed and shook her head. "Oh no, I'm not. I mean, not like having a girlfriend." Cocking her head, she looked thoughtful for a second. "Of course, I'm pretty sure a lot of girls would find me attractive, too. I mean, who wouldn't?"
Selena: She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and shrugged. "Besides, I'm into lot of things, when the right people are involved..."
Eddie: Edward looked between the girls, hiding his blush by decending to the refridgerator and withdrawing two more bottles, opening them and placing them on the bar. "That's er...t-three dollars and ah...twenty-nine cents."
Noriko: Noriko tried not to burst out laughing then. "I bet you are." She added under her breath about to push the money across the bar and trying so very hard not to giggle before another text message off her mom about the medication. Hand going back into her purse she popped a pill carefully and hid it under the note she passed to Edward.
Noriko: And while Selena was more busy with her hair she mouthed the words *bin please* to Edward.
Eddie: Automatically, Edward slid the money into his hand, catching the pill and inconspicuously slipping it into the waste basket below the counter. He placed the money in the til, smiling at Noriko - looks like she was, to some extent, as suspicious as he was about all of this.
Selena: "Thanks," she said to Noriko as she paid for them, before turning to look at Edward. "So, when do you get off here? You totally could come along with us to get something to eat."
Eddie: "Well, my father's in the office. I haven't taken a break yet, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I took off for a little.", Edward mused. "Just let me know before you shoot and I'll ask him."
Noriko: "Sounds cool, we can all pop out for some food together then." Smiling widely at Eddie more then grateful for the fact he'd chucked her pill for her. Phone going off though she had to answer it, face falling she huffed and sounded very tiredly dramatic for a minute before the phone went down. "Damn her."
Eddie: Edward shrugged at the phone situation, "Maybe you should call her back? Get it out the way?"
Selena: "Or do it like I always do and just switch it off," Selena suggested with a grin, before starting on her second beer.
Noriko: "....... I like Selena's idea. She'll only be doing so she can nag me." Hitting the off button on her phone and smiling alittle more. "*Take your medication.* Or *why haven't you finished unpacking yet* Or *when are you going to go and blahblahblah. I love her but she nags me way to much about everything."
Eddie: "Well, I'm sure it's just because she cares.", Edward suggested with a smile. If only the world seemed that kind to him anymore. He glanced at the door to his father's office and frowned a little. What a perfect world it would be if he could just bury his head and forget the last week...
Selena: "Everyone loves my ideas," Selena said, smiling as she was quite happy with herself. "And parents always like to say they only do these things because they care, but everyone knows they only do that because they want to control us." She shrugged. "I think they do it because they're scared of us. Or jealous because we still know how to have fun. Yeah, definitely jealous."
Eddie: Edward paused on Selena's words. 'They're scared of us'. 'Thet want to control us'. She had no idea how right she might've been. "...hm. Something like that.", he muttered.
Noriko: "I don't ever remember my mom being this bad ever though I mean it could be moving stress but she seems to want to knoweverything I'm doing lately she was even giving me stink eye when I said I was going out the other day to the cafe by myself, it's like nice to scary control freak." Sniffing alittle before starting her new drink and starting to sip it happily, though she was frowning alittle again.
Selena: "Ugh, yeah, sounds almost like my mom," Selena commented. "She's been like that ever since they've caught me with that pizza bo... I mean, making a prank call to order pizza for our neighbour."
Eddie: Edward gave Selena a look he was unsure even had a description, "...wow. Spectacular. That was just....fan-freakin'-tastc.", he couldn't help but laugh.
Noriko: "All hands up for Selena on that one." Giggling into her drink then, a prank just like her pet godzilla rampaging outside.
Selena: "Why thank you," Selena said, wagging her head from side to side, a content smile plastered on her face. "I mean, what's a girl left to do when she lives in what probably won 'dullest town of the year' award three times in a row?"