it's hard to live in the city [OPEN]

[CHARLEY HARPER]

so just lay your head down low

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Charley was going to be late for English class. It was done. She had decided that she didn't want that 'meatloaf extravaganza' or whatever the hell they were serving for lunch today and went off in search of that new Indian food truck everyone was talking about in Central Park. Of course she got lost, what else was new. Her father always asked her why she just didn't go with a friend when she went out, and Charley never had the heart to tell him she had scared the majority of Baum Academy away by this point. Charley didn't really mind this besides the getting lost part, and anyways, getting lost was starting to get kind of fun. It was like a puzzle she had to figure out. And it always made her feel accomplished when she finally found her way without having any help.

However, knowing the way back to school would have been helpful at this point. Charley had been wandering around for an hour now and still had no idea where she was. She swore she had passed that statue of Romeo and Juliet at least three times now. Whatever, screw English class. It didn't even matter if she was late anyways, they were doing a worksheet today that she was already half done with and she needed to work on debate anyways. She took one last sigh and plopped down on the nearest bench, digging through her tote bag for a book. And yes, Charley did bring her debate books everywhere. She tended to get in these types of situations often and there was no point in doing nothing when she could be working on debate!

The topic was same-sex schools vs. co-ed schools, and Baum was assigned the side of same-sex schools. She found this kind of ironic, considering their competitors were the all-girls school Grimm High. Maybe it was to have them see how great the other school was? Whatever, it didn't matter. All that mattered to Charley was winning.

So without further ado, Charley opened to page 283 (which was marked by one of the many bright purple post-it notes adorning the book) and began to read.

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tag: [/color] open!
words:[/b][/color]363
notes:[/b][/color] someone post. please.
lyrics:[/b][/color] hard to live in the city - albert hammond jr.
credit: me lolz[/size][/center]

[SUMMER SINCLAIR]

Summer still wasn’t used to her new schedule. Barrie’s schedule was similar to Baum’s, except that she only had three classes per day and that was only three days per week. She’d decided to change that for next semester as there wasn’t enough of a challenge as it were. Right about now, if she still attended Baum, Summer knew she’d be in English class learning about Crime and Punishment all over again. It reminded her that she’d have to stop and visit her previous teacher for old time’s sake. Right now, though, she would finish her jog through Central Park. Gabe’s new route was completely perfect in just about every way. She’d already run it three times, this being her fourth, and she had yet to get tired of it. Some variety was due for her next run, though, but until then, she would enjoy this.

There was a blonde not too far up ahead, sitting on a bench. She had just started to open a book. Summer could swear she sort of recognized her… but where from? She looked a little young for Barrie so it couldn’t be some new freshman friend she’d made at Orientation. Summer slowed to a walk, trying to figure it out. The last thing she wanted to appear as was dangerous, or whatever, so she casually admired the park while she tried to figure it out. (Gabe had warned her about the dangers of Central Park after their first run-in, what with her music and such. She’d never done so again after that day). Summer glanced again to the blonde and it suddenly came to her. They’d been roommates last year! Oh, what was her name? They both had been pretty busy with schoolwork so there hadn’t been much of a friendship so much as study buddies. It started with a C, she knew that much.

Summer was close enough now to the point where it was say hello, or don’t. She really didn’t want to interrupt her studying, that would be rude, but wouldn’t it be nice to stop and chat with an old friend (if they were that)? Having made her mind up, Summer slowly jogged the rest of the way to the bench. “Hi,” she started, tugging on her ponytail. “Charley, right?” Please be right. “It’s Summer. I don’t know if you remember, but we were roommates at Baum last year and I thought I would stop to say hello.” Summer gave her a kind smile, hoping this would go over well. If not, she could always just run away.

notes; :3 i hope this is alright.
words; 429

[CHARLEY HARPER]

so just lay your head down low

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Charley started reading, almost muttering the words in a whisper to herself: 'In the past five years, there has been an extraordinary surge of interest in single-sex public education. The regulations which were published on October 25 2006, which facilitate single-sex education in American public schools, have significantly stoked this interest...' Wait. Did someone just say something? Charley closed her book and looked up and the girl standing in front of her.

“Charley, right? It’s Summer. I don’t know if you remember, but we were roommates at Baum last year and I thought I would stop to say hello.”

No, I forgot about the entire year we lived together, Charley thought to herself and she had to restrain rolling her eyes. Did Summer really think she was that daft? I mean, sure, they didn't really talk that much, but they were roommates. Charley thought back to the memories of that dorm room during her freshman year at Baum, like all those times when she was studying and Summer was reading, or when she was studying and Summer was organizing, or that time when they were both studying. Huh, thinking back on it now she really didn't do much in their room besides study.

Well, at least someone who at least previously went to Baum was still talking to her. That had to mean she didn't offend absolutely everyone, right? And this was someone who lived with her, so it was especially telling! Or maybe Summer was just being polite and didn't want to seem like a bitch just running by her old roommate without saying anything. However, she did seem like a sweetheart, always smiley in a way. Maybe she did want to say hi for real? Summer was known around Baum last year as the school bookworm, so they probably had things in common that they didn't get to talk about last year because Charley was busy in debate and school and dealing with her father and…okay, maybe she was just a bit antisocial last year. But she was going to change that this year! A good lawyer has to be liked, or else no judge would rule in her favor, right?

"Summer! Of course I remember you! How have you been?" There, that sounded happy enough. She could be happy-sounding! Look at that!

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tag: [/color] open!
words:[/b][/color] 387
notes:[/b][/color] i wuv you daniiiii
lyrics:[/b][/color] hard to live in the city - albert hammond jr.
credit: me lolz[/size][/center]

[SUMMER SINCLAIR]

Summer shifted a little nervously, regretting having stopped. Summer knew how much she personally hated being interrupted during her reading so who was she to interrupt somebody else? Much less her old roommate who was basically the same with the whole reading/studying thing. Summer sat on the bench besides Charley, keeping a bit of a distance, in case the running had got to her. She normally didn’t have that problem, but… well, you never know. Charley took her time answering and so Summer glanced to the book she’d been reading. It was for debate. In fact, it was almost familiar what with all the purple sticky notes. Summer could remember how badly she’d wanted to organize them last year, even though it was pretty well arranged in the first place, but how she’d forced herself not to. She hated having her things messed with, so why would anybody else? Gabe was probably going to hate her by the end of first quarter.

Summer looked back up from the book as Charley spoke. She seemed happy enough but Summer had roomed with the girl for a year. Charley had always seemed a bit… off-standish It was a judgmental thing to think, something Summer was not, but it had been that vibe. Still, it was nice to know she was trying. Summer smiled, “I’ve been good. College is… well, it’s different.” She answered, laughing shortly. “I think you’ll like college, to be honest.” The comment probably seemed a bit random, but Summer could really see Charley thriving at Barrie, or wherever she decided to go. The girl was smart. “How have you been?” Summer wasn’t very good at small talk, much less when reuniting with an old friend (or even talking to Garrett’s-wife-but-not-really-it-was-just-his-sister during what had been the most awkward break at The Last Petal thus far). “I don’t think having a roommate will ever be the same after last year,” Summer started, attempting a compliment. “I liked the peace and quiet we had.” Oh God, was that awkward? Summer looked down to her hands, folded in her lap. This had not been a good idea.

notes; well this is delightfully awkward and rambly
words; 354

[CHARLEY HARPER]

so just lay your head down low

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"Really? Why would you think that?" Charley asked, trying to sound legitimately curious. Of course she was going to like college more than stupid Baum. For one thing, everyone there wouldn't hate her because college, especially Yale, appreciates superior intellect and honesty. She would also be allowed to study whatever she wanted and not have to deal with stupid classes like Russian, which in Charley's opinion was the biggest waste of time ever. Russia wasn't even posed to become a world superpower in the near future, or ever. Russian would have no use in her future, but yet her stupid advisor insisted she took it instead of Spanish, saying colleges would want to see more variety in her classes. And like an idiot, Charley listened to her. What a joke…just like the rest of stupid high school. She wished she could just fast forward until college and skip these retarded high school years. Nothing important happened to anybody in high school anyways. It was just stupid hormonal teenagers jumping each other in the hallways and passing notes about who's dating who in class. Charley really couldn't care less.

Realizing she had been absorbed in her thoughts and was completely ignoring Summer, she looked back up and spoke again, "Oh, I'm sorry! Got distracted. I'm doing well! The debate team just made regionals, so that's good." Charley tensed up after speaking, turning to look back down at her book. Could she ever have a pleasant conversation with someone without it being completely awkward? Everything that came out of her mouth just sounded so fake.

Summer's next line almost made her laugh out loud. Peace and quiet? That's all she had to say about their year rooming together? I mean, I guess Charley couldn't have described it any less awkwardly, they never really talked much. It was almost sad to her, in a way. They could have been friends…maybe. How could she know? Maybe Summer was a complete idiot with a brain the size of a pea. But Charley didn't know that, she never tried to get to know her. The whole 'making friends' idea confused her, she never really got the skill down as well as everyone else. They made it seem so easy…probably because they all were equally stupid. That was it, of course! Once she got to college, Charley knew she would be better. She would have friends, but do better then them in all of her classes, obviously. But they would respect her for that, and appreciate all her hard work.

Shoot, she was ignoring Summer again. Charley knew she was supposed to say something, but she didn't know exactly what. "Um, how's your…job? You worked at that flower place, right?" There! She knew something about Summer. Not that it made that question any less awkward, but whatever.

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tag: [/color] open!
words:[/b][/color] 474
notes:[/b][/color] sorry for the insane longness!
lyrics:[/b][/color] hard to live in the city - albert hammond jr.
credit: me lolz[/size][/center]