Sabrina
I think about what Luna has asked me. ”Oh I don’t really know anymore. Ever since the virus all my interests seems so useless and nonsensical”
I think for another moment ”I used to like doing nail polish art before the virus, a bit of dance and before that I did gymnastics for years. Other than that I love most animals. Except spiders. They terrify me. What about you?”
Luna
“Nail polish art might not exactly be useless and nonsensical now, Sabrina. Some of us might actually like that. I know I would and probably so would the small child I heard is here. Lily might like that too.”
She tells me her other interests. Many similar to mine. The she asks about mine.
“I love singing and dancing. I still do them even after the virus. I also like tinkering with trinkets. Pratt taught me how to tinker with gears and small things. I like building useful items and sewing. When someone is interested, I like to rough house and play sports. I was on the girls Rugby team. I also REALLY loves animals. I must agree, spiders are terrifying. Yech,” I say and grimace. Then hope I didn’t wake up the baby in my arms.
“Other than your basic domestic animals, I love horses so much. Cows are alright too but I prefer horses.”
I watch Sabrina as she listens to me. She seems genuinely interested.
“Your sister is such a great baby. The calmest I’ve seen. It is quite the age gap between you and her. She must have been quite the surprise,” I say with a chuckle. “Do you want help with the dishes when you’re ready to do them or do you want me to keep her while you do that?”
@Eagle
Devon
I walk back into the house, my eyes on the list. I enter the house and the kitchen and look arround. " Everyone ready? There are some more things to do."
Eve
Devon walks in, right in time. " Yeah, what you you want me to do?"
"Devon
I look at Eve thankfully, that she makes the start. " Please grab the basket and the bucket with the corn and feed the chickens and check for some eggs. I guess we can use them for something delicous for today evening. Bring them here and then check on the beans. I guess two or three baskets should be enough for now."
Eve
I nod at Devon and grab one of the basket in the corner. I leave the house and walk towards the barn to get the bucket with the corn.
@everyone in the kitchen
Luna
After Devin sends Eve on her task, I make the “Ssshhhhh,” noise to him and quietly say, “Keep it down. Fenella is asleep.” I continue to gently rock the sleeping child in my arms.
@Eagle @Catha
Sabrina
I listen as Luna tells me more about herself. I’m really starting to like her company.
She starts talking about Fenella and I smile ”I am so lucky to have such a well behaved little sister”
We continue talking for a while. ”No it’s okay I’ll be fine with the dishes”
I watch as Devon makes his way to the kitchen and starts entailing about more things that need to be done around the house. Suddenly Luna chirps in about Fenella sleeping and I chuckle. ”Aww you’re so sweet!”
I turn back to Devon. ” I can start off by cleaning these plates and dishes if you like” I indicate to my plate as I have finished my meal.
@Catha
Devon
Luna shows me to be quiet and i give her a little annoyed look. I understand that Fenella need her sleep, but this her is also important and i wasn’t like i did scream right now.
Sabrina offers to clean up and i nod. " Ok, you clean the kitchen and can you please check on all the empty marmelade glasses cellar and clean them to? So we can start with preserve anytime."
**Sabrina **
“Yes of course I can do that.” I smile at Devon.
I timidly turn to Luna ”I’m sorry to ask but would it be okay if you held Fenella for a little longer then. If not that’s okay we can put her down somewhere. I can just ask Devon ”
Devon looks at me annoyed and I stick my tongue out at him.
Sabrina asks me if I mind holding Fenella a little longer or put her down somewhere. I raise my eyebrows as a way of asking, ‘Really?’
I snort and giggle. “I don’t mind at all, Sabrina. I promise I’m fine. Please just tell me where her bottle is in case she wakes up.”
CORIN: (Written by @Ash)
—the conversation happening outside Devons house—
I spend a solid Ten minutes chatting with Genesis about the various bits of gossip around town.
One boy says he saw some kids lingering outside his house in the night, he wanted to find a new house to live in…I had suggested he speak with anyone friendly at this evenings dinner and try to find kids he got along with who had a spare room.
Gigi seemed to like the suggestion and I talked on about how I thought we needed to have a talk with the various kids who had stepped up into leadership Roles in our new community…a serious talk about surviving the next few months if we were so spread out.
I told Genesis I was thinking we all might want to move into the school. Just for the winter, of course, and have all our meals communally in the cafeteria until the winter ended so we could properly ration. I figured there was enough time before the snows to move some furniture into the school to make the classrooms into living quarters”.
…
GENSIS: (Written by @Patch)
I opened my mouth to speak then shut it, mulling over the idea. I’d always opposed him when it came to big ideas as these, that’s how I got myself into this involuntary position of leadership. I don’t know why I always felt like I have to argue with Corin, it just comes naturally, and as a loner I was against the idea of commune living, but it’s not about just me so I put myself aside and thought of the town as a whole. “That’s not a bad idea,” I answered him, finally.
“Some people might not like it, they’ve formed their own tribes, but there’s safety in numbers and it gives the chance for you to workout this rationing business.” The rationing was something to be done individually in the tribes, but altogether at least people could learn how and why rationing was important.
The conversation was what I expected, I’m like his personal advisor or something since I stood up to oppose him at that blasted meeting. “Okay, good talk,” I dismiss once my opinion is shared.
…
CORIN;
Once Genesis turned to head back inside the house, I realized it was now or never. Reaching out, I gently caught her hand in mine, stopping her from leaving.
“Wait, I have to ask you now, or I probably never will. Will you have dinner with me?”
I let the question hang in the air between us, but I don’t drop her hand as she turns her body back to face me fully. She doesn’t pull her hand away, but looks down at where our fingers are touching before answering
…
GENESIS:
As I turn to leave I’m halted by his hand in mine. This isn’t the first time we’ve crossed this boundary, but somehow it’s different this time. There’s a flurry of fluttering in the pit of my stomach, an excitement of betrayal to how I want to feel. Denial. I’m in denial.
He asks me to have dinner with him before I can even react. I look down at our hands, connected, and back up at him as my brain processes what’s going on. “We are having dinner together, tonight, remember? You, me, everyone…” I blurt out, not daring to look into those orbs of blue that always paralyzed me.
He’s told me as such before that he cares about me, that was no secret to me and I couldn’t fathom how, we never interacted before the virus, but he was honest. Me on the other hand, I was still trying to figure out how I truly felt about him. Was I just lonely because Sterling had broken my heart and Corin with his perfect teeth and floppy hair were something to look at, or was it more? With how nervous I was in this moment, my heart beat heard rushing blood through my ears, you’d think I had a straightforward answer for myself, but I just didn’t.
“So yeah, we’re having dinner. Together.” I repeat, stupidly, still standing there holding his hand
…
CORIN:
I smile at the way Genesis responds, used to her dodging me by now.
“No, not like tonight’s dinner…more like, a date.”
Her hand is still in mine, which I take as a positive sign, so I go ahead and finally put it into the right words…
“Genesis, would you like to go on a date with me?”
I smile, feeling the red in my cheeks bloom. I realize I’m holding my breath…
GENESIS
Heat churns, my temperature rising; the pores of my pits are prickling with beads of sweat. It’s causing an itch that grows from there to my neck and cheeks and scalp. And I can’t scratch because I’m still holding Corin’s hand, standing there like an oaf. And yet he doesn’t care, in fact I swear his smile just grew two sizes. He explains himself clearly and it’s too late to let go and avoid the question that follows: Genesis, would you like to go on a date with me?
“A date?” I repeat stupidly. “I—”
Damn the virus, I needed my mum. She would’ve prepared me for these things. I mean sure I’ve dated, but with Sterling it was different, we’d practically grown up at the hip. There was no awkwardness, but with Corin it was like, I couldn’t think straight ever, unless it was to duck and dodge him because…
Because, I couldn’t dislike him. As hard as I tried to still be that girl who hated him and all his popular cronies, I couldn’t hate him now that I was forced to know him outside of coursework. Luna could see it in two seconds and she hasn’t seen me for a long time.
“Yes,” I find myself saying, “I mean what could it hurt?” I babble on, “I mean, wait that sounds rude. I just mean, yes.” I clamp my mouth shut then, before I could make myself sound even more stupid.
Sabrina
I start clearing the plates. I rinse them and fill up the sink with soapy water. I wonder how much longer we are going to be able to do this . Just use water like this. I finish washing the dishes listening to conversations from the table. I turn around and smile at Luna.
Luna
I sit holding Fenella while she still sleeps. Her favorite pastime I’m starting to guess. There’s conversation but I ignore it. I see Sabrina turn and smile… At me?
My heart begins to race. I smile back and look down to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks
@Eagle
Pratt
Liam went quiet while we finished working on the fence. He must be planning stuff. Meanwhile I keep thinking about Eve. I don’t even know her but she intrigued me. Once the fence is done, I clap Liam’s shoulder.
“Thanks for the help. Let’s go wash up.”
@Zandra
CORIN:
I smile at Genesis, grinning like an idiot but I can’t help it. she said yes!! I think ecstatically.
“Ok, great! Is tomorrow night ok? My place?”
I had thought about it and there wasn’t exactly some fancy restaurant I could take her too anymore.
My Mother’s formal dining room was the fanciest place I could think of that still exists, and I think she might hate my attempt at romance anyway…so a dinner in front of my kitchen hearth fire sounds romantic and laid back enough to keep things relaxed between us.
I still haven’t dropped her hand from mine, enjoying the fact that she’s letting me touch her for as long as the moment lasts.
I can feel my cheeks blushed red and my butterfly guts fluttering fast enough to knock the wind out of me…it’s only now that I really start breathing normally again…now that she’s agreed to at least one date with me
Don’t screw this up! my psyche yells on the inside…but outside I’m doing my best to be charming
GENESIS
Oh my God, I can’t breathe. Tomorrow, he asks? I don’t know what I was expecting of Corin’s date inquiry, but tomorrow. So soon?Okay, wow. I focus my breathing, it’s not like I’m doing much of anything else tomorrow night, except his place is a bit far and a little out of my comfort zone.
“Make it an afternoon lunch and you’ve got yourself a date, mister.” I answer. Oh. God. That was so, ick! Who am I right now? I laugh then because what else can I do but laugh at humiliating myself.
I can’t tell how I feel right now beyond anxious and hot. I’m so very hot despite the temperature dropping outside as the sun drifts behind a cloud, but it feels nice to feel something beyond anger and grief for once. “Now, if that’s everything do you think I can have my hand back?” I smile at him, looking down at our conjoined hands. It’s not like I had attempted to let go, but I’d come back down to reality now. “There’s still work to be done for this evening,” I explain.
CORIN:
Genesis agrees to Lunch, and I feel a slight pang of disappointment that it’s not dinner…I had some grand idea of romance in my head, complete with ambient candlelight…but that’s not happening, not yet anyway.
“I’ll take what I can get” I say out loud, suddenly wishing I had said something cooler…
We’re both doing great. I nearly laugh. She Just awkwardly called me mister like some old western movie…and I sound like a desperate fool, which I am…
I reluctantly give her back her hand, lingering just a moment longer. My heart sinks a little as the contact is broken. The sun goes behind a cloud.
how appropriate I muse…
“Right, the harvest dinner. Speaking of which, can you make my excuses to the others? I need to be getting home. Wendy is gonna kill me for being gone so long already. I’ll see you tonight then.*
Taking the hugest risk ever, I lean forward and quickly kiss Genesis on the cheek. I pull away and give her a meaningful look and a smile before turning and walking away so quickly I’m almost jogging…
My face is hot and I don’t look back to see how she reacted.
After I put the tools and the wheelbarrow away, I head back towards the house. Perhaps now Gigi and Corin are done talking or making out or whatever it is. As much as it pains me, I need to talk to him about housing arrangements for me and Luna. I look down and look a snake that I almost stepped on. It’s just a Green Tree Snake. Completely harmless. I look up and suddenly get more than I bargained for when I get crashed into by a guy with dirty blond hair. I sit up and realize who it is.
“Watch where you’re going, Pretty Boy!” I shout and stand up. “what was that about?”
@Ash
GENESIS
Corin agrees to lunch tomorrow, giving me some sort of relief that the pressures of dinner are off the table. He sounds just as corny as I did when answering him and I can’t help but to laugh at how awkward this all is. He relinquishes my hand when I ask though and makes his excuses to leave.
“Of course,” I agree , although I know everyone wants to talk to him they’d get their chance tonight, I suppose. While I contemplate this thought, swift and light as a feather his lips brush against my cheek and then he bails, leaving me there speechless and holding the spot on my cheek now scorched with excitement.
I work to close my jaw, a stupid smile on my face, as I lower my hand from my cheek, reaching for the handle leading back indoors. I hope everyone is too busy to notice me because I’m sure I’m lit up with red brighter than the northern star. Damn you Corin and your stupidly gorgeous, blue eyes and good head of hair, flopping about here and there! I think trying to neutralize my smile. Damn, you!
Luna
I see Gigi walk back in finally and I smile. I continue to rock Fenella and I can’t help myself.
“Looks like that went better than planned? Eh, Gigi?”
I raise my eyebrows and give her my old, “I told you so,” look that she hated back in school.
@Patch
Devon
The girls starts working and i made note on my list. " I am upstairs" i tell them before i grab my Tools and ahead upstars to the guestroom. One foot of the bed was broken and it needed to be fixed.
Eve
I leave the barn and walk towards the like area with the chickens. I throw some hands full of corn on the ground, watching them running towards me and starts to peck. I look at them for a moment before i check on the nests… 8-9-10, not bad, i smile as i grab the eggs.