[open] A Penny for luck...or not

[PENNY WOESSNER]

Now that she was actually out here, smack dab in the middle of it all, Penny couldn’t help but think just how stupid she was. It normally wasn’t her way, thinking things through from beginning to end. Or during the middle. Or at all, really. She liked to worry after the fact, when she’d already gotten herself too many steps into something to do any more than kick up a bit of dust and get back on her way. It wasn’t as though over-thinking ever helped anything, anyway. Really, it was a pity she didn’t listen to her own advice…she gave such great bits of wisdom, after all. Oh well. There’d be time to ponder that later.
At the moment, all she could seem to think about was what a complete and utter idiot she was. Twenty degrees out, and she hadn’t even thought about brining a coat with her during this little stroll. A hat, scarf, and mittens, sure—those were necessities—but a jacket? Too much time to put on, apparently. She had things to do, places to go, people to watch, a butt to freeze. All in a day’s haphazard scramble, she supposed. They didn’t have winters like this in Oklahoma. Ice and maybe an inch of snow, but never real wind or that constant, bone-coating chill that seemed to linger in the air up here.

She couldn’t help but curse the little holes in her knit cardigan’s fabric as she drew it closer around her torso, head down so as to brace herself against the harsh winter wind. Briskly, she turned the block’s corner, well aware that it would not at all be worth the effort to turn around and walk back to the dorms. Besides, there was nothing for her there. Nothing to do, anyway. She could have called Heidi, maybe, but…well, who was to say she’d want to do anything, anyway? She was probably busy.

Penny bit her chapped (she’d forgotten lip balm as well, although that honestly wasn’t her biggest issue) bottom lip as she pushed open the coffee shop’s door, smiling a bit to herself as the little bell clanged overhead. It was a comforting sound, given the bustle and windy whistling of outside. She stomped her feet on the welcome mat a few times for good measure before continuing her way into the heart of the chain coffee shop. Decorated like a mom-and-pop though it might have been, Penny knew better. And yet, despite her love for most things unique, she couldn’t help but take a big whiff of the corporate brew and just how wonderful it was, to be able to sip the same coffee in Tulsa as New York, Germany or Spain. Mind numbing, maybe, but wonderful all the same.

Mitten-clad hand stuffed deep in her jeans pocket, Penny began to fumble about for the wad of singles she knew had to be in there somewhere. Once located and properly wrenched from their hideout, she ordered (a cinnamon spice latte) and paid, stepping aside to wait for the drink to be mixed and frothed with the whipped cream she actually just came here to enjoy.

It was a sweet, delicious thing that tasted of fall. She could feel its warmth just beginning to reach her ice-blocked toes when she turned, running herself smack into another customer’s chest.

“Ohmygod! I’m so sorry—Oh God—careful, it’s hot—here, let me get you some napkins—Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” the words came out in a panicked rush as she watched, mortified, while the contents of two cups—hers and theirs—made their way down the stranger’s shirt.

Handing them a wad of napkins, she continued with a very genuine (albeit very shaky) apology, “I didn’t even see you there…I’m so stupid, I can’t even believe it. Look, um,” she bit her lip, not even bothering to see if they were still listening as she stuffed her hand back into her pocket. Pulling out what was left of her ten singles, she held the crumpled bills and loose coins out in way of peace-making “Here. Take these. You can buy yourself a new drink…or something,” she squeezed her eyes shut in a long blink before looking back up at her unintentional victim, sure they were about to do something she very much deserved, like pour the rest of their scalding drink right over her head. Maybe the hat would soak up some of the heat.


outfit

[CADY GRANDT]

Cady loved the way the frigid air constricted her lungs, and drew her nerves stagnant and numb. It didn’t matter that she was by herself, again. She lived for solitude—it was the essential drug she lived off of. Still, her lips quivered. It was either from the cold or an inconspicuous, bitter anguish. Okay, so maybe she thought that by now, she’d find someone to connect with here. But no, they were all like the New- Yorker- stereotype entailed: elite and clannish, flocking together in hurried, wide eyed groups like a nest of well-dressed rats. Any effort she even thought of making was so obviously wasted.

Not that they didn’t make for some interesting people watching, though. There was plenty of diversity amongst the crowds, she could give them that.

Cady wasn’t sure where she was walking, she had just wanted to go on a walk. She’d often done this back home, when she was sick of human contact. The snow was crunching rhythmically under her knee high laced up boots (they weren’t exactly winter wear, but they kept her toes considerably warm), her breath was crystallizing in clouds around her head. This was familiar. Cady was in her element, strides fast paced and wide, head poised slightly upward. She would be fine. She loved being alone, loved it.

The tinkling of bells caught in her ears and her head snapped around in curiosity. Disappointed, she stared up at the all too familiar Starbuck logo; the stupid, smiling, crowned green imp. Although she was suddenly intrigued, as she had just been toying with the stereotypes of city life. A little coffee shop on the corner on a cold day? This was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. She decided hastily that she could use a good laugh. She bet herself that within two seconds of setting foot in the place, she would spot someone wearing thick-rimmed glasses and V-neck, reading a book by John Green or another author to that effect. She laughed to herself, audibly, not caring if she was heard.

While pushing open the door with a leather clad arm, she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Her hair was disheveled by the wind, not that it mattered. She couldn’t even remember if she had brushed it this morning. Her left eye had a smattering of faded black eyeliner under it—she almost looked as if she had been punched, albeit not recently. This was a good thing, she mused, because people would make up stories about her in their heads—that girl who must have been beaten by her boyfriend, that girl who must have slipped on the ice and fell, that girl who must have partied a little too hard last night. She smiled to herself once again.

The turnout of the place was substandard; it was reasonably crowded, as expected on a blustery winter’s day, but the people were considerably less…quirky than Cady had hoped. A few vaguely familiar but altogether boring faces of kids her age, several couples and kids with their parents. No one particularly interesting. Sighing, Cady surveyed the menu and grumpily ordered—a Tazo green tea. She stood pressed in a corner of the shop, growing uncomfortable by the indiscernible din of conversation around her. Eyes darting about and hands growing moist, she was relieved when the barista called out her order. She picked it up and by some means, trying to act casual—God, she was such a dolt when she got nervous in front of people-- hurriedly took a sip, scorching the tip of her tongue and the roof of her mouth in the process.

"Dammit!" Perhaps she had said this a bit too loud. Nah. No one could have heard anyways.

Pulling the sleeves of her jacket over her hands, she clutched her drink and was about to make a beeline out when—
“Ohmygod! I’m so sorry—Oh God—careful, it’s hot—here, let me get you some napkins—Oh my God, I’m so sorry!”
Great. Now her chest was scalded as well as her mouth. She just should’ve stayed outside.

“Really? You’re telling me that it’s hot?!” Her voice dry and uneven, Cady’s lips turned up to snarl at the blubbering girl in front of her.
“I didn’t even see you there…I’m so stupid, I can’t even believe it. Look, um,” Cady’s eyes widened in a sort of amusement as the girl fished and fumbled in her pocket, producing a wad of singles and some change. “Here. Take these. You can buy yourself a new drink…or something,”
Cady managed to crack a smile amongst the chaos that had just ensued. She couldn’t believe this.

“An apology is fine. But I’m not a charity case.”

Speaking loudly, Cady drew more pairs of eyes towards the two. She couldn’t help, through the burning sensation amongst her body, to revel in the stares. The victim in a situation. It was perfect. They were no doubt thinking of her as the innocent, doused, by-stander and this other girl as the klutz who had caused a perfect stranger pain.

She pushed the offering away, still visibly peeved and shocked from the impromptu bath.

“I wasn’t going to drink the rest of that anyway. Too bitter. In fact, I was just leaving.” Flicking her tousled hair over her shoulder (it really was going to turn into dreads if she didn’t brush it soon) she pulled open the door in an almost over exaggerated manner.

She wasn’t a diva, no. She was the victim here.

[PENNY WOESSNER]

Well, it could have been worse. She could have been soaked too, or this girl could have received serious third degree burns, like that one woman who’d sued McDonald’s. She could be getting yelled at.

She…was getting yelled at. Basically. Stern words were all the same, when someone was glaring and dripping in both sarcasm and coffee. Penny bit her lip, wincing slightly at the girl’s words as she sneaked a better peek at her face. Oh. Well then. Not a stranger—at least not to Penny. Working for the yearbook meant she knew a lot more faces than she did actual people, and Penny being Penny meant that more often than not, faces and actual memories tended to blend unrecognizably. Unfortunately, now was one of those times.

Cady Grandt. Junior.

But had she talked to her in class, or placed her picture on a page?

“Sorry…” she half squeaked, half mumbled, drawing the money-stuffed hand back slightly. Oh God. People were staring. Half the store was staring, actually. She hadn’t done this on purpose! Obviously. The barista was glaring, already turning around to grab a mop to soak up the chaos with; maybe, had the circumstances been slightly different, she’d have offered to stay and help clean up. Now, however, with the some twenty-odd eyes on her and the bright blush still managing to creep through her cheeks despite her tan skin, she simply wanted out.

Unfortunately, that meant following Cady, who she still wasn’t certain was a stranger.

Mumbling another apology to the staff, Penny ducked her head and speed walked after her recently-doused classmate, stopping at the garbage can to toss out the half of her exploded drink that remained. The blush was warming her up enough.

Which would be more rude: pretending she knew her, or pretending she didn’t? Which would be less embarrassing was probably the correct question. Still, she genuinely felt bad. Horrible, even. Cady couldn’t be having a particularly good day.

Singles still clutched tightly in her hand, Penny followed the girl out the door and to the right. “Cady!” she called, sincerely hoping they’d had a class together at some point. It probably wouldn’t’ be viewed as normal, knowing a random classmate’s name outside of school. Short as her stature was, Penny was forced to do an awkward sort of hop as she made her way through the sidewalk’s bustling crowd and towards the raven haired girl.

“Excuse me. Excuse me. Please, could you—” she spoke politely as she shoved her way through people of all shapes and sizes.

By the time she reached Cady’s side, she was panting slightly. Pathetic. “Look, Cady, um…I’m really sorry about your shirt. And you can take this. Really. It’s not charity,” she nodded down at her hand and back at the girl before continuing at her usual mile-a-minute pace. “Well, I mean, I guess it is. Kind of. But that’s not I meant it as. Look, could you just take it? It’d make me feel a little better about ruining your outfit…” she bit her lip, eyes somewhat pleading as they made contact with Cady’s.