xxxxxFor once in her life, the strawberry teen was oddly astute (though still not as much as she could be) as she glanced at Oliver. His behavior was... odd, to say the least. He seemed a little distracted, but that wasn't all. Maybe nervous? No, that wasn't it exactly... She bit down on her lower lip and looked off to the side. Not like it really mattered or anything; she just wasn't sure how to respond to him when he was acting like that. They had never had even a pleasant greeting, so this sort of semi-amiable conversation was throwing her entirely. She hadn't been aware that they could go this long without a slight argument. It was very puzzling. Granted, they were trying, so that probably had a lot to do with it.
xxxxxThe cool temperature of the shop was a bit much, considering it wasn't too hot outside, but Libbey smiled and nodded at the shopkeeper, pushing her sunglasses up to the top of her head before she folded her arms over each other and looked at Oliver to see him staring at all the sunglasses. She didn't even attempt to stifle her giggles. "What sort of sunglasses do you typically wear?" she queried, walking around him before gesturing to one side of the shop. "This wall and the cases on this side are for guys. I don't know how much you're looking to spend, but if you want a somewhat cheap pair since you have some sunglasses at home, obviously you want to look at the wall. They're separated by style, so just look for what you like. Or tell me or the guy behind the counter and we'll help you find what you want. I honestly don't know the difference between the sunglasses on the wall and the ones in the cases, besides the fact that the ones in the cases are designer brands -- but that doesn't mean anything to me."
xxxxxLibbey was trying so hard not to be too amused by it all, but she really couldn't help it. Oliver Marsh had been somewhat stunned by a shop that sold sunglasses. It was kind of c-- 'No!' she cut her own thought off from where it was headed, and she felt her shoulders stiffen slightly as she glanced off to the side. There were many things Oliver Marsh was, but that was not one of them.
|| ooc: Hm, maybe. It'll have to be when Libbs thinks she can get away with it, though; she's not likely to answer the phone with him standing right there. So if we can set that up, I'll work it out... Perhaps when he's playing the piano? She'd probably think him too preoccupied to even notice she was gone, so she could go outside and talk to the girl, and then they end up on the phone longer than expected? Idk. For some reason, I think the girl should be checking to see -- like she heard about Oliver leaving England spontaneously, and she's just kind of giving Libbey a "friendly heads-up" or something? Btw, thisoocisgettinglong my roomie and I found something in Libbey's character that neither of us were expecting but should have been obvious. A good portion of the reason Libbs keeps refusing Oliver is because she honestly doesn't think he can really like her. Not because he's good at acting, but because she's insanely insecure when it comes to guys, so she doesn't think that someone who can choose from so many girls would actually choose her. We thought Oliver would possibly notice that before Libbey notices it herself, but yeah. She's kind of lying to herself for the reason she keeps rejecting him. 8D ||
io3121
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:45 pm
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
Oliver swallowed his astonishment and began to browse. Cost really wasn't an issue for him, but he was trying to not come off as a pompous rich boy, so should he go for cheap or would that be too obvious. He glanced over the selection and was not impressed. Never in his life had it been so complicated to pick out a pair of sunglasses. Never in his life had he the need to walk on eggshells around a woman to get her to warm up to him. Why was he doing this? Why was she so important to him? How had she managed to crawl so deep under his skin and manage to burrow her way into his heart? How?! And still it seemed futile. Lori had it set in stone that he would never change.
With a sigh, he looked back up at the wall, having dropped his gaze to his black low tops during his moment of frustration. A though occurred to him , and hopefully, it would ease the tension between him and Lori, "I don't have the slightest clue what I'm looking for. What do you think would look good on me?" He asked her, glancing over his shoulder at her.
((Yeah I can see that. He'll get the stress out then be like "Lori? Where did you go?" and find her and then the friend will be like, "Dat Ollie Marsh???" Dun dun dun! Your roomie sounds like my best friend's mom. She listens to all of our roleplays and helps us develop out characters better with insight just like that. I wanna play the scene where he addresses that. ALSO! While doing dishes today at work I had a daydream of a cute scene. It goes like this: Lori is exhausted after something or other, but home is a long way away, so they stop for a break and she falls asleep. Oliver goes to wake her, then stops when he sees how sweet and peaceful she looks an decides instead to carry her the rest of the way home. (Unless she'd wake up and then this would b a useless daydream... Unless...) Anyway. Assuming she doesn't wake up, he gets her home, carries her upstairs and tucks her into bed without her waking up. As a finishing touch, he kisses her forehead and goes to bed in his room.))
xxxxxLibbey didn't understand why it was so hard to pick out a pair of sunglasses; it would be much easier if he would just find a style he knew he liked and pick from that. He obviously wasn't finding what he wanted on the wall, or he'd have picked something up. She opened her mouth to tell him to just look in the cases when he spoke, glancing at her over his shoulder as he asked her a question. What kind of a question was that? She didn't know what looked good on others; she could barely find clothes for herself that her mother approved of! Releasing a slight sigh, she bit down on her lower lip in thought, her eyes roving over the different styles of sunglasses. This was a little more than impossible. Shifting her gaze to the side, she tried to think back to the last time she'd actually seen him wear sunglasses, to bring up the memory of what they looked like. She probably couldn't find the exact ones, but she might be able to find something similar.
xxxxxThinking she had at least a semi-decent idea of what he typically wore in mind, she turned around and started looking at the display cases. She finally found a pair that looked somewhat close to his and motioned for the man behind the counter to come over to them, asking, "Could you get a pair of sunglasses out for me?"
xxxxxThe guy seemed slightly surprised but came over to where she was standing anyway, murmuring, "I can't let you just try them on. You have to be serious about buying them."
xxxxxLibbey barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "If he wants them, he can afford them. Please open the case," she retorted before glancing at Oliver. The man seemed a little hesitant but did as she asked, passing the sunglasses into her hands carefully. She looked them over before turning and holding them out to Oliver. "I know they're probably not what you typically wear, but they look close. That's all I'm really used to seeing you wear." She didn't add that she thought he looked good in them because she refused to let herself think such a thing, let alone admit it aloud, but if he was looking for it, the implication was there.
|| ooc: LOL. That is the most informal you've ever spoken to me. It was great. Everyone needs people like that; it's so helpful. c: Like, you don't always notice your own character's issues. I'm glad you're willing to play that scene, haha. So, my friend who is reading this has decreed that it has to happen. And I can't deny her anything, so we'll make it work. Plus, I wanna see this idea happen, tbh. It's absolutely adorable~ xD I'm thinking that she might kind of stir but not really wake up, so she's kind of partially awake for it all but is still asleep, and it ends up making her think it's a dream? And then cue the extremely awkward moments the next day. 'Cause flustered Libbey is way too much fun~ I have no clue what he'd wear; I found some Oakleys I thought looked fitting since that's the only designer brand I see a guy friend of mine wear. xD||
io3121
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 12:52 am
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
Oliver turned the rest of his body around so that he was no longer looking over his shoulder and watched Lori as she contemplated what would look good on him. At least, that was what he thought she was doing. He waited patiently, silently, trying to follow her eyes to see what pair she was contemplating until she came to look down into a display case. She pointed out a pair and he came to look at them, nodding in agreement. They were an attractive pair of sunglasses.
The shop keeper spoke and Oliver snapped his head up, ready to come at the man with a wit filled remark, but Lori took care of it. Oliver was not sure how he should feel about her remark, however true it was. Did she say this simply out of knowledge of his being wealthy, or did she say it with slight spite. It certainly did not sound spiteful, which was surprising in itself. And wait, was she defending him? It was hard, but he managed to contain the smirk that tugged at his lips. He did not want to come off as pompous to either of them. The fact that she was standing up for him, even if that was not what she ha intended, felt like a step in his direction, making him want to smile. The fact that what she had said about him being able to afford it was true was a stab at the shop keeper's assumption that they did not know the value of the glasses.
The sales associate having taken the glasses out, handing them to Lori, then Lori handing them to Oliver, Oliver tried them on, placing them gently on his nose and settling them securely around the tops of his ears, pushing his somewhat long black hair behind them. He turned to look at himself in one of the multiple mirrors and smiled, his white teeth flashing handsomely. The only problem he had with glassed was that they tended to draw people's attention to his nose and cheeks, his eyes being covered and therefore not the object of interest. Upon closer inspection, one would notice a light sprinkling of freckles. It was the one flaw on his skin, and he hated it. Who had black hair and freckles? It did not go together, in his opinion, and he had begged his father to allow him to get laser skin correction. The answer was obvious. He liked the glasses though. "I'll take them." He said, turning to the man and pulling out his wallet.
"Err... Sure thing. I'll ring you up." Oliver followed him to the register and pulled out a shiny silver card that just screamed RICH!
The transaction complete, Oliver pocketed his wallet once more and smiled at Lori, "Alright, to the bookstore or music store next?" He asked, his mood lightened now that he had bought something. It wasn't that he liked to spend money, he liked being reminded that he had money to spend, and it boosted his spirits some.
(( ~Ha the most informal? Really? Maybe it's because I'm tired. I seriously had to rewrite "Because" about four times till I got it right, cuz you know, what the heck is spell check? ~I dunno how to feel about our background fangirl, but I guess I couldn't say know considering my best friend wants to read it too, but she's really busy and still has the link sitting in her message box. ~Both scenes are now canon. It has been decided.))
xxxxxLibbey's teeth made a semi-audible clacking noise as she quickly snapped her mouth shut in order to keep from commenting on the way Oliver was observing himself in the mirror. It was a pair of sunglasses. It wasn't worth that much deliberation. Figuring she needed to look at something else to keep herself from either making a face at him or making a remark behind his back, the strawberry blonde glanced off to the side, looking at the rather odd designs in one of the cases. She just didn't get it, honestly; why would people pay more for some of these "designer brand" sunglasses? They looked much worse than half the sunglasses on the walls. It was just such an impractical item to spend so much money on. Then again, to people like Oliver, it was probably relative so even the designer sunglasses seemed cheap in comparison to how much they could spend.
xxxxxOliver shifting signaled that said male had stopped looking at himself in the mirror, and so Libbey figured it was safe to pay attention again. She raised a brow at the man as he seemed to hesitate, but he quickly capitulated and walked over to the register with Oliver trailing behind him. Not wanting to be in the growing-ever-colder store any longer than she had to, she quickly made her way to the exit, standing just inside the door. When Oliver was finished, she pushed open the door, welcoming the warmth that enveloped her. A slight shiver shook her frame as the heat worked on warming up her skin while the cool air of the shop filtered out slightly against her back. She held the door open out of habit, only letting it go when she knew it wouldn't hit Oliver. "The bookstore, I suppose," she answered his earlier question, a little absently.
xxxxxThough that had been her intended stop, their next stop actually ended up being the music store. The bookstore had been closed, which wasn't too big of a surprise to the green- and silver-eyed girl. It was family-run, and it wasn't uncommon for them to take a vacation around this time during the summer. So though it was a little depressing, it wasn't really a huge loss. She probably didn't need to go in there anyway; she'd probably find a few books and hide away in her corner between two bookshelves like she usually did. She didn't imagine Oliver being very happy about that. The thought made her lips twitch. And thus, the next door the couple ventured to enter was that of the music store. The atmosphere in there was a little better than at the sunglasses store; there were quite a few people milling around and there was soft music playing from the speakers in the ceiling. There were multitudes of violins and guitars displayed on the walls, and a few pianos were scattered a little further in the back. There were some more instruments displayed in a case near the register, and a multitude of instrument repair and cleaning kits were stacked rather neatly on shelves behind the register. There were plenty of shelves that housed sheet music, and down the aisle to their right was the staircase that led upstairs to the CD and record area of the store.
xxxxxLibbey actually knew a couple of the workers behind the counter, and she smiled and waved at them as they called out their "hello"s and welcomed her and Oliver to the store. She took note of their questioning gazes as their eyes lingered on Oliver before shifting back to her, and she lifted her shoulder in a slight shrug before ignoring them as they started talking quietly to each other. Great; everyone in town was going to know about Oliver before Friday. She was most certainly not looking forward to that. Deciding it wouldn't make her feel any better to dwell on that, she turned her attention to a violin somewhat nearby. She'd always wanted to take either violin or piano lessons when she was younger, and still felt the urge to try and convince her parents into allowing her. She knew a few songs on the piano, though they were short and repetitive, and still required her to fiddle around with the keys to find the correct notes again. Okay, so maybe she didn't really know a few songs, but at least she could figure out how to play them.
|| ooc: I think so, yes. But I could be wrong. And jeez; don't force yourself to answer if you're tired. e-e LOL. Well, she apparently likes their pairing. And she helps, so I don't think it's a bad thing. Haha! So we both have a friend desiring to read this. Ohwow; "canon." That's an entertaining way to phrase it. And I know it was supposed to be the bookstore but I didn't wanna... ||
io3121
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 11:53 am
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
Oliver took one last glance at himself in a mirror, then followed Lori outside, not giving the perplexed shop keep another thought or glance. There were more people out on the town now, not many, but more, and it made the little shopping district look more lively. Oliver smiled, finding a joy in this small fact that he had scarcely felt before. It was not very often he was able to stop and observe normal people doing normal things. It was quite enlightening.
Now with his eyes protected from the harsh rays of the sun, the two made their way to the bookshop, only to find it closed. The owners were on vacation. Oliver felt slightly disappointed, but got over it quickly when he spotted their next destination. The music shop! It was small, but very nicely kept. When they entered, Oliver gave no notice to the interested glances pointed at him. His eyes were reveling the instruments before him. He looked towards the back and his eyes locked onto a gorgeous ebony semi grand piano sitting, nicely dusted, in the back of the shop. He made his way to it, everything else lost to him. He came up upon the piano, smaller than the ballroom grand in his father's study, and ran his slender fingers on the casing over the keys. Gently, he lifted the cover and revealed the ivory beneath. He sat, the stool provided covered with a fine red velvet cushion, and let his fingers hover over the keys until two tunes popped into his head. He picked one and started to play it. Rhapsody in Blue, By Gershwin, but partway through the first line, the other song, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, leaked in. Giving in, he decided to play both.
His fingers flurried over the keys as he lost himself in the music. He visibly relaxed from tension he had not noticed build up. The stress of the uncertainty his current situation was filled with was being vented in the form of an odd, but still pleasing mix of two styles of music being blended together on this piano. The world was lost to him now.
xxxxxLibbey hadn't even noticed Oliver's departure, not that she really cared, of course. He was a grown-up, so he was free to go wherever he liked. Granted, that meant that her friends behind the counter could actually come out to bother her -- or, at least one of them could. The strawberry-blonde released a sigh as the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl came up next to her. "Hey, Kaylee," she greeted, finally averting her gaze from the violin.
xxxxx"Who's the cutie?" the blonde wasted no time in asking, grinning when Libbey shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Did you finally give in and get a boyfriend while you were away?"
xxxxxThe strawberry blonde shrugged, answering, "I guess you could say that. His name's Oliver Marsh. He surprised me by showing up here yesterday evening." The blonde turned around to look in Oliver's direction, which prompted Libbey to actually look -- just in time to hear the distinct sound of chords being struck on a piano. She blinked, somewhat taken aback, because he was good at it. Hell, he looked at home, seated before one of the pianos in the back, his eyes closed and his posture more relaxed than she'd ever seen it. And then she noticed that just about everyone in the store had stopped what they were doing, their interests piqued, and several people were even walking over to be able to listen better. Well, this was just fantastic. Of course Oliver bloody Marsh knew how to play piano well; he did just about everything really well. It was kind of irritating, actually.
xxxxxHaving decided to pointedly ignore his playing, Libbey was slightly surprised to feel her phone vibrating in her pocket. With a frown she fished it out, her expression transforming into a smile when she saw the name. Since no one was paying attention to her, she left Kaylee standing there and made her way out the door before answering the call. "Hello?"
xxxxx"Elissabeth Kendal Cox, why have I not heard from you in weeks?" the voice on the other end of the line chastised, though it was full of amusement so the words weren't anywhere near as biting as they could be.
xxxxxThe strawberry-blonde stifled a laugh before responding in kind, "It's a two-way street, Melinda Tamsin Walker. I haven't heard from you, either, and I know you are far busier than I am." There was answering laughter on the other end, and Libbey found a bench nearby to sit down on. It was a pleasant day, not too hot, and Oliver was currently preoccupied with his piano-playing, so why shouldn't she wait outside? She hadn't heard from Mel -- or any of the girls she'd spent time with in England -- in a while. "So what have you been up to?"
|| ooc: Figured that was a good place to stop since I don't want to write out their entire conversation, and I have her where she needs to be. o; She'll probably bring up Oliver right before he comes out. If he happens to need someone to tell him where she is, I'm sure one of the guys behind the counter probably saw her look at her phone and walk out. ||
io3121
Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 12:46 pm
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
While Oliver continued to lose himself in the lull of the piano, he was oblivious to the conversation that was taking place just outside the shop. "Oh, I finally figured out which college, out of the many that are begging for me to attend, I want to go to. Between that and visiting my family all over this bloody country, I've hardly had the chance to call anyone. SO, naturally, the moment I get a moment to breathe, I decide to call you!" Melinda huffed slightly, to add emphasis on the fact that she had been busy. "So, Mon Ami," She began, her french accent nearly flawless, "What have you been up to the past few weeks. Are you going to come back to England? Please say you will. I don't think I could bare it without you!"
Oliver ended his song, breathing out the last of the tension on the final note, opening his eyes and looking up to see the other patrons watching him. A few of them clapped and he smiled, nodding his head in the form of a bow. "Thank you." He said and stood, graceful as ever. Looking around the room, he raised an eyebrow, not seeing Lori. Had his inability to refrain from playing the piano annoyed her? Why did she leave? And where did she go? He excused himself and went to the door, spying her on a near by bench. He could not tell what she was doing, and he feared that she was angry with him. He left the shop and made his way to the bench she sat at.
"There you are. I look up from the piano and you're gone..." He spotted the cellphone she held up to her ear, "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were on the phone." He promptly shut up, but it was too late.
"So I told him to- wait, Lor? Was that... Was that Oliver Marsh I just heard in the background there?" Suspisions were confirming. Melinda had heard Oliver had taken a trip, by himslef, to the States, the only reason she could see him doing that was because everyone at school knew he was trying to get Lori to date him. Would he really go so far? And for her?
xxxxxLibbey smiled to herself as Melinda spoke, and she twirled a strand of hair around her index finger, needing something to do with her hands while she listened to the other girl. She laughed softly as Melinda spoke dramatically about her returning to England. "I have definitely not been as busy as you, Mel. I have merely been relaxing at home, sleeping in late, and reading. We went on our family vacation a few weeks ago, so I have nothing else to do, aside from lounge around. As for England, I'm still not sure about colleges. I suppose it depends on which colleges are willing to pay my way so I can afford the plane ticket," she answered truthfully. It was a conversation she'd had so often with her friends, except for the ones who'd roomed with her. They seemed to forget that most people couldn't afford to pay for things they could afford -- and plane tickets were definitely out of the question unless it was a necessity. If she knew she could do it, she'd have gotten a part time job over the summers to help her parents pay for the tickets, but back then she'd been swamped with schoolwork over the summer, trying to keep up with honor classes and AP classes. Not really wanting to discuss that, she brought up a subject sure to get Melinda going for a while, "So how many hearts have you already broken this summer?" If any of her friends were considered absolutely gorgeous, it was Melinda.
xxxxxThe distraction worked, and a few minutes later Melinda was still talking, the strawberry blonde laughing along at the more important parts. She jumped slightly when she heard a masculine voice speaking, and she looked over at Oliver, a hand moving to rest over her heart. She frowned slightly before making a cutting motion with her hand, but it was too late; Melinda stopped mid-sentence, and Libbey resisted the urge to groan aloud. Instead, she made herself laugh. "Oh, don't be ridiculous, Mel; as if I would actually spend time with Oliver. If he would even come to the States," she retorted with a scoff. "I'm actually out with a few friends, though, and we're about to go get something to eat. I'll talk to you later, okay? Call me when you're free again. Maybe we can plan something with the other girls, and I'll keep you up to date on my 'Can I go back to England anytime?' status. It's been fantastic talking to you again! I've missed you and love you! Bye!"
xxxxxGiving the other girl a few seconds to respond, so it wasn't even more suspicious than it already was, Libbey pulled the phone away from her ear and hung up, releasing a sigh as she looked up at Oliver. "I sincerely hope she believed me, or the entirety of England is going to hear about this," she told him with a slight smile, partially joking but also being quite serious. There was never any telling with Melinda; she loved the girl, but it was rare for her to hear about something and not share it with someone else. Typically, that someone else was Libbey since she could actually keep her mouth shut, but this was definitely going to be considered gossip-worthy news. "Well, what's done is done for now," she muttered, pushing a hand through her hair as she stood. "I assume you enjoyed the music shop. I wasn't aware you played piano." She wasn't exactly irritated with him for showing off, but she wasn't happy about it, either. But talking to Melinda had put her in a slightly better mood, so she could attempt to be civil. "Did you see anything on the way here that you wanted to look at, or are you ready to eat or something?"
io3121
Posted: Fri May 09, 2014 12:39 am
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
"Uh, wha- Lori wait..." Melinda tried, wanting to listen harder to hear the voice again. She was almost certain she had hear Oliver. She would know his sensual, soft, and deep voice anywhere, even over the phone. But Lori was denying it. "Oh... Well, alright. I'll call you later then. You better answer! Or I will hunt you down Missy! Love you too. Toodles." The beep sounded, telling her that the call had indeed ended. She sat there, in the back seat of her car and tapped the top of her phone to her chin. Thinking. She needed to be sure. Leaning forward, she spoke into her driver's ear, "The Marsh residence please. I want to check on a friend." the driver nodded and started the car. Melinda flipped down her sunglasses and sat back, crossing her legs as the car rolled on.
Oliver remained silent as Lori finished her call, hiding the smirk he got from startling her by adjusting his glasses. He heard his name and his eyebrows shot up. Who was that on the phone then? Someone who knew him? One of her friends from high school then. Which one? Eleanor? Or his ex, Melinda? Those were her two closest friends, or at least he imagined it so, considering they were always together at school. Once Lori had hung up, Oliver rocked back onto his heels, hands clasped behind his back. "Embarrassed to caught with your nemesis? " He asked mischievously, a grin to match. "Well, all of England can think what they will. You're safe here in America. That is unless you intend on returning to England for college. And I've always been able to play the piano. I learned when I was five. My mother loved the piano, and so I wanted to learn it for her..." He spoke softly then, remembering the fond memories he kept of his mother.
He looked up the street, trying to recall if there were any other places he wanted to check out when she asked about it. He spotted an ice cream parlor a ways up from them, but thought it better to eat real food before sweets. "I could go for some lunch. What do you suggest? You pick, I'll pay. Sound good?"
((I'm going to give him another fear. Nosophobia, fear of illness. He keeps it under control for the most part, but the longer he is around the sick, or if the person(s) are very ill and contagious, He will lose it. There is a reason.))
xxxxxLibbey scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest at Oliver's teasing. "I'm not embarrassed, but the last person I want to find out about this is your ex. Melinda's not exactly in your fan club," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Oh, if only she knew how wrong she was. She frowned slightly as she listened to him speak, her brows furrowing. He had yet to speak of either of his parents, but the way he spoke of his mother made her think it could possibly be a touchy subject. So she opted to not ask more about the piano. "As for college, I am still waiting on a few responses from financial aid departments, so I have yet to decide. It's getting rather close to enrollment for some of them, though, so I'm hoping I hear back sometime soon." She ran her hand through her hair again, a nervous habit she had problems breaking. She was actually worried about her options because she'd prefer to continue her schooling in England, if possible. Given that she had yet to hear back from someone, however, it didn't seem very likely, and she honestly wasn't sure what that would mean for her at the colleges she'd been accepted to in the States.
xxxxxShaking her head so she didn't dwell on the thought, the strawberry blonde glanced up at Oliver before biting down on her lower lip and looking back up the street. There were plenty of places to eat, but most of them were chain restaurants you could find just about anywhere, and that would defeat the purpose. There was one place she hadn't had in a while, though, and she highly doubted Oliver had eaten anything like it before. "There is Grandma's House," she finally answered. "It's a couple blocks away. It's a... Southern-style restaurant. I'm not entirely sure if you've ever eaten at one, or how you will react to it. I like it, but..." She trailed off, fidgeting with the end of her tank top. "We'll just... we can go look at a menu, and if you don't like it, we'll find something else. Is that all right with you?"
|| ooc: So, this is an actual restaurant in Brunson, SC, but I am incapable of finding a menu for it. I kind of assume it'd be like most other Southern/country foods, so we could go off a Cracker Barrel menu or something, lol? We can skip over them eating, unless you had any plans for it, but I do think that Oliver would be put off by "biscuits and gravy" since they are definitely not the same in England as they are in the States. But that was the only thing I could think of, so truly, it's up to you if we skip ahead. c: And sorry about the short post. ||
io3121
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 12:29 am
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
Oliver pulled his lips to one side of his face, thinking about college himself. He had been avoiding the thought of college. He was hoping to find out what college Lori was going to and attend the same, but he had talked himself out of that before the flight. He knew that would be going too far. Going all the way to America was already too far, but if he finally got her to believe he had changed for her, it was worth it.
When she looked up and down the street, he followed her gaze, wondering what she was considering. When she spoke, he was confused at first, wondering if she was suggesting they go to her grandmother's house for lunch, but when she continued speaking, he realized that was the name of the restaurant. "If that's where you want to go, I could try it. I'm not as picky as you seem to think I am." He extended his hand to her, offering to help her off the bench, though he knew she could get up fine. It was a bench. Still, he was sincerely trying to be a gentleman, and not just for public appearances. He did not expect her to take it, but the invitation was there, as it had been last time. "A few blocks away you say? Well, if there are any shops along the way that catch my eye, I say we stop at them. after all, there is no rush, and I'd hate to go through all of our plans today and head home early to just sit in awkwardness the rest of the night." He rambled, speaking his thoughts as they came to him.
((I love Cracker Barrels! We don't really have any here in SoCal, but when I went to visit my relatives in Texas, we are there quite often. I love their biscuits and gravy. Oh! And their fried chicken. Mmmmmmhhh!! OH! And their shepherds pie! (Not because of sheep.)
And don't worry about post size with me. Compared to mine, you have nothing to worry about.))
xxxxxLibbey quirked a brow at Oliver, unable to stop herself from retorting, "Oliver, you have a preference for water. I believe I have just cause to believe you could be picky about a southern restaurant. Ever heard of biscuits and gravy?" Her eyes glinted with slight mischief as her own mind supplied an image of what the pair would look like in England -- in American terms, cookies and brown gravy instead of a doughy bread with white gravy. She was somewhat surprised when he held his hand out to assist her, and after a short deliberation, she figured she could attempt to be civil when out in public like this. Which was why, with somewhat great reluctance, the strawberry blonde slipped her hand into his and pulled herself up. Then, with a slight frown directed at their hands, she huffed a quiet sigh and shifted her grip on his hand, entwining their fingers together.
xxxxxForcing herself to ignore the odd feel of his hand against hers, she started walking back the way they came. "Well, unless there were stores along this street that we passed that you wanted to look into, then I don't think there are any. We're kind of backtracking. It's near where we first started, but it's the next street over," she explained, easily weaving her way through the crowds on the street. "But feel free to point out any shops that happen to catch your eye. I wouldn't mind going home and reading, but I know my mother wouldn't allow me to do that," she muttered. "We do have a dog park we can go to after we're done in town." After a pause and reflection upon the way he'd reacted to her cat, she added, "If you like dogs, that is."
|| ooc: Haha; they are everywhere in Georgia, and I love them, too. The biscuits and gravy are phenomenal. I also really enjoy their chicken 'n dumplings~ LOL. That reaction to CB was fantastic. I'm glad you like CB, though. I was wondering if you'd had one before, what with living in Cali. xD Ugh; okie. ._. Just feel weird, I guess. And I'm falling asleep on my keyboard, so this is the best it's gonna get tonight. And -- don't feel pressured to answer this weekend, if you're tired before/after work. d: ||
io3121
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 10:25 pm
Oliver Copperfield Marsh
Oliver shook his head with a smile, his dark hair catching the sun and reflecting it quite brightly,] "Yes, I do have preferences, but preferring something over another thing is not being picky. If what I prefer isn't there, I'll choose the next best thing. Refusing to consume anything but my preference would be picky." He explained as she took his hand. Then, to his delighted amazement, she adjusted her hand so that her fingers fit in between his. His smile morphed from that of smart a**, to that of sheer and plain happiness. She really was giving it a shot! He did not want to ruin it by seeming too happy about it. He feared she would take it wrong and release his hand, so he contained himself. ]"And yes I have heard of biscuits and gravy, even though I still picture tea cookies first thing when I hear that word. It's a weird image." He admitted.
He loved the feeling of her soft hand in his, and he never wanted to forget that feeling. He walked along beside her as she led them back down the street they had come from. As they retraced their steps, he took more note of his surroundings. Summer in Georgia was rather nice. A bit warmer than back home, but unbearably so.
Her comment about going home and reading caused him to look at her, his smile faltering, but hanging in there. He nibbled the inside of his cheek, wondering what he could do to make this outing a bit more fun, but he hadn't the slightest at the moment. Lori mentioned the dog park, and he perked up a bit. ]"I do like dogs." He chimed. That's right! Lori's mother mentioned there was a park in town that Lori liked to go to. Perhaps he could get her to take them there also.
A sign came into view,] "Grandma's House... It's a big house." He observed, looking at the restaurant. It looked like an old, Southern style farm house, aged to look... well, aged. The big, wrap around porch was filled with rocking chairs and checker boards, many of them taken by patrons waiting to be seated and served.] "This... Is actually quite nice! I've not been to one of these before. Is that checkers?" He was growing a bit excited. The new experience in front of him enticing. ]"Wanna play? I haven't played checkers since I was a young boy. All anyone ever wants to play these days is chess."
((Now, I'm not sure if all cracker barrels are like this, but I took so liberties and basically recalled the Cb I was taken to. I was told that they were all like that (At least in Texas) so I hope it's accurate, or if it's not, you don't mind.))
xxxxxThe strawberry blonde barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Oliver's explanation of the difference between "preferring" and "being picky." She knew they didn't mean the same thing, but oftentimes the two went hand-in-hand--or at least they always had in her experience. She decided it would be best not to argue with him about it, however, and as such rolled her lips in between her teeth until the urge to start such an argument passed. She was marginally surprised when the raven-haired boy admitted to knowing American biscuits and gravy but picturing the English ones instead. Her lips twitched against a smile, and she shook her head in a gesture of slight amusement. Momentarily, she debated on how long she could get away with not engaging Oliver in conversation; would he get irritated, or would he simply take it as it came? Hm, maybe that was an idea for later, if she found herself getting bored and looking to experiment with it.
xxxxxLibbey's brows lifted in shock when Oliver stated that he did like dogs, and then her brows furrowed when she queried, "Then what's your issue with Mische?" She hadn't forgotten his response to her cat, and she was still a little miffed about it, as well as confused since he seemed to be so accepting of dogs. It didn't seem like a facade, given the way he'd so quickly perked up, but it was also oddly contradictory. She didn't know many people that liked one animal but not the other, no matter that most cats and dogs were totally different in personality.
xxxxxWhatever she had planned on mentioning next was halted by their arrival at the restaurant. Libbey stifled a snicker behind her hand at Oliver's initial observation, and she found herself quite pleased that he actually liked it, though she would deny such a thing to him if he asked. A slight chuckle escaped her lips as she explained, "Of course you've never been to one of these. It's not a chain, though I suppose it's a bit like a Cracker Barrel. I'm guessing you've never been to one of those before, either, though." She was startled by how excited he was about the checker boards set up out front, and her mouth opened and closed twice as she sought for the words that were currently eluding her. She felt heat color her cheeks for reasons she didn't quite understand, and she hoped they were already pink enough from the warm day outside. "I'm not--uh, yeah, sure. We can... um, we can play a game," she managed to stammer, nodding slightly. She really would have preferred to eat first, but given how busy the place looked, they'd probably have time to play a quick game before, if they put their name down. "But first, let's go inside and put down a name, okay? They're only going to get busier, and it'll probably be about twenty minutes before we get called to be seated."
|| ooc: Ah, finally, she answers! Many, many apologies for the delay. Please don't hate me. I hope Libbey's still in character. ||
