A Knight without Shining Armor (Google+Velvet Stars)

[Velvet Stars]

The weather was perfect, ideal for an early summer day. Beside an outdoor table at a cafe, two girls sat, their coppery red hair catching the sunlight. There was an expectant aura about one of them as she glanced from left to right, clearly searching for something. It could be almost anything, or nearly anyone; even in the early afternoon, the charming little cafe was surrounded by foot traffic. It was certainly a public place, one where a great number of people could see and be seen. That, beyond all other reasons, was why it had been chosen for this particular meeting. With so many people about, no one with sense would try any funny business...or at least that was the plan.

"This is still a horrible idea." The words left the second girl's mouth before she could hold them back. Across the table, there was the sound of a disappointed sigh; then, with a hint of a whine, "Lani..." Before her sister did more than utter her nickname, Melanie knew what was going to be said. Even so, she remained silent, letting the same old conversation start again. "I thought you said this was okay. Besides, we can't back out now, it'd be...well, really rude!" Even behind lightly tinted glasses, the teen could see the glance directed her way. Wide blue eyes wavered, pleading silently, yet with a stubborn determination that only she could see. Finally, she relented. "I'm not saying that we should leave. I just don't think this is a good idea."

'This' was what the sisters were doing now - waiting at a cafe for a guy they had never met. Oh, they had spoken with him a number of times, Marisa most of all. The male in question was...not quite her boyfriend, though if he were anything like he sounded online, she would happily date him. Charming and thoughtful, with a wondrous sense of humor and a kind nature. Despite the miles between them, he had truly stolen her heart. Yet she wanted to make a good impression, and that was why she fidgeted so. What would she say to him? Would he like her outfit?

In her worry about that, she carefully smoothed the white blouse she wore. The material clung to her just enough to reveal a perky and full chest without actually revealing it, while her sky blue skirt stopped well before the knee and exposed toned legs. Its shade was a near match for her eyes - and her sister's as well. Being twins, they also shared the same curvy figures and lightly tanned skin. However, Melanie sported a swept-up ponytail that brushed the back of her shoulders, in contrast to her sister's longer hair. Wearing a short denim skirt, a misty grey tank top, and those tinted glasses, she was clearly less dressed up than her sibling.

Marisa didn't bother hiding how excited she was about this day. She had gone on and on for weeks about the romantic date she and her 'boyfriend' would have. In her mind, the day would have to be perfect; after all, she and he were so compatible! She never would have imagined going on a date with a boy she met on the internet, but she simply couldn't resist this opportunity. Certainly, once they met, her sister would stop being so...overprotective, and let them spend some time together. How else would their romance begin to bloom? Yet, even as she thought this, Marisa wished her sister had tried to look a bit prettier, rather than dressing down. Then her date could introduce her sister to some of his equally nice friends, and maybe her twin would realize how silly all her worrying had been.

The two of them were in the middle of a conversation about clothing options and hair accessories when the figure neared their table, unnoticed. "You could at least let me curl your hair. It's so cute that way!" Marisa continued as she reached across the table. Her sister wrinkled her nose, but let the other girl fix her hair for the third time. "No, thank you. I'm not the one on a date here, remember?" A cheery giggle sounded as the girl settled back in her seat. "No, but what if you were to have..." She might have gone on, but something caught her eye that made her gasp in sudden surprise, gaze fixed on something behind her sister's head. "That...that pin! Is it really...?" She stared openly at the man and the pin in question, expression full of disbelief.

 

[DomG]

Dominic Kale had been talking to Marisa for several months now, having stumbled across her on a social networking site quite literally by accident and the moment he saw her he knew that he had to have her to himself. The pictures of her on the page, the things she said... all of it spoke of an innocence that he didn't think still existed in young women her age, at least not those who were as beautiful as she was. A fake profile had been made, instead of twenty seven year old Dominic Kale she was soon speaking with eighteen Jason Postell, a freshman at the nearby university who happened to stumble across her page because he had been up far to late at night jumping from page to page and had felt an instant draw to her the moment he had seen her.

All of this had been toward the point of drawing her in so that he could have her all to himself, a false name given so it wouldn't be tracked back to him. She would be his and she would live to serve his every need, she just didn't know it yet. The more Dominic talked to her the more perfect he was convinced that she was, truly innocent, even on webcam if he let the discussion tread anywhere near something adult she would normally just blush and give a shy smile, the sort that so many tried to fake but was obviously real when it came from her.

It had taken time, drawing her in until he was practically certain that she had fallen for him and only then did he suggest a face to face meeting, asking her to keep it quiet because well... she was technically underage and it could cause some trouble for him, she had of course promised to keep it to herself and at his suggestion they had set a date at a coffee shop not far from the apartment where he lived, a penthouse purchased with only the smallest amount of money that his parents had left him when they died, leaving Dominic quite wealthy.

When the day came he had been quite excited, taking quite a decent amount of time to pick out what he was going to wear and eventually deciding on designer jeans and a retro sort of t-shirt, something to make him look younger then he was even though he already got carded when he went to a bar. Unfortunatly he was so busy making sure that what he was wearing highlighted just how much work he put into keeping his body toned that he had almost made himself late and quickly he had dashed from his apartment to the coffee shop, catching site of Marisa sitting outside with... her sister.

This was an unexpected thing, he was sure that she was going to come alone and yet... but Dominic was hardly one to be put off from his plans he would just need to adapt quite a bit. With a confident smile on his face he strolled over to the table, nodding to Melanie who he was able to pick out because of the effort her sister had put into her own appearance before sitting down next to Marisa, leaning over to brush his lips over her cheek as he did, playing it bold for the opening.

“Sorry to have kept two such lovely ladies waiting but I got caught up typing a paper and I lost track of time, I do hope you both will forgive me.”

 

[Velvet Stars]

Marisa's initial surprise at seeing the person she had waited for quickly turned to delight at his greeting. "Oh, please don't worry about it!" She practically beamed at him, her cheeks flushed a flattering pink in the wake of the short contact between them. "It hasn't been long, and I wouldn't want to get in the way of your work," she went on. "I...I'm just glad that we could finally meet."

Even if she had been the type to try and hide her emotions - and Marisa's behavior made it clear that she was not - a genuine joy sparkled from her eyes. If she had been glad to talk to him simply over webcam, meeting face-to-face was the start of a dream come true. Her smile lit her features in a way that just improved her natural traits...which made its sudden falter more noticeable. "Jason, I hope you don't mind that I brought Melanie with me...I meant to tell you sooner, but I must have let it slip my mind." The expression she turned to him was apologetic and embarrassed all at once, as if she were worried that he would call off the whole thing due to her mistake.

On the opposite side of the table from them, Melanie held her silence, all while mentally sizing up the person in front of her. In spite of her continued skepticism, she was a bit impressed at how well he had taken the surprise. She had intentionally waited until the last minute to tell Marisa that she was coming along - no ifs, ands, or buts about it. That way, he wouldn't be able to practice his response. If he was hiding something, he hid it well. When he nodded at her, she nodded politely in return...not for his benefit, but because it would be easier to get an idea of who he really was if she was at least civil. Still, when it seemed that no one was looking in her direction, she lightly rubbed at her right cheek.

Marisa, on the other hand, had lightly touched her own right cheek for a second. Hands back in her lap once more, she continued to watch Jason's face hopefully. Or perhaps she was just admiring how handsome her date was in person. It seemed that all eyes were on him, in fact; behind the temporary shield of her glasses, Melanie was watching him as well, for completely different reasons. While Marisa's body language was open, almost welcoming, there were distinct hints of caution and restraint in the other girl's. There was no overt hostility, but she was clearly playing the part of chaperon to this little engagement.

"Oh!" Marisa straightened in a burst of memory. "I almost forgot to thank you for giving me such clear directions. You were right; the buses run in just the right places so we could walk here. It was no problem!" Melanie's lips twitched into a near smile when she heard that, but she didn't put words to whatever she was thinking. Marisa didn't notice the look, and continued speaking. "It's too bad that the ride is so long...we might have been able to meet sooner, then." Since she was in school most of the year, meetings between them would have to take place only on weekends. Summer was the only time where they could talk in person during the week...a soft sigh escaped her at that thought.

 

[DomG]

Dominic smiled a little bit at the sight of the blush that spread across the face of Marisa, wondering where else that blush had spread to and soon enough he would learn. Already though his mind was racing about how best do deal with the fact that her sister had come along with her for the date. He had so many wonderful ideas about what could be done with two of them instead of the one, the idea of having the two of them working in tandem to satisfy him, competing to see which one he would favor more. Oh yes this might not be what he had expected but truly this could work out in a wonderful way. It might even make it easier to get them alone because they would feel safer with two of them there rather then just Marisa alone.

Her comment about how she didn't mind him being late made him chuckle a little bit. “Oh don't worry at all, really I don't mind that your sister came along.” He assured her, a little bit of mischief sparkling in his eyes as he thought over his next move. “I mean she clearly cares very much about you and didn't feel safe having you meet a practical stranger all by yourself, there are all sorts of creeps around the world and she really wouldn't want to let you be in some kind of danger.” It wasn't hard for him to read the body language of Melanie, to see that she was a little bit more guarded though not quite openly hostile, as if she was trying to get a read on the situation. As he spoke he gave Melanie his most charming smile, something he was quite good at doing in an attempt to put her at ease, this was practically the same look that he used to give girls when he would ask them out the first time, the one that said he could be trusted despite the fact that he seemed to be up to a little bit of something.

At the comment about the directions he looked back over to Marisa, shrugging a little bit. “Don't give me all the credit, Googlemaps took care of the hard part and honestly whats a few months waiting to meet someone so amazing.” Laying it on a little bit thick but he had used similar lines when talking to her online and she had always seemed quite receptive to them in the past.

HE coughed then, as though clearing his throat and preparing to say something slightly awkward. “I am actually glad that Melanie came along because well my plans have sort of hit a small snag.” Honest, though what the snag was something he was going to lie about. “You see I was thinking we could see a movie and grab some Chinese food but there is really nothing decent in theaters right now, especially not for a first date... so I thought that all of us could head back to my place and watch a movie, order some take out... I got the Princess Bride on Bluray and really would be more comfortable if your sister came along to act as a chaperone.” Getting them both alone might prove easier then just getting Marisa to his place, she might have been hesitant but by inviting both it could give the illusion of safety.

 

[Velvet Stars]

The moment that she was certain of Jason's good mood, Marisa's cheerful smile returned in force. Her expression gave away the relief she felt over his calm acceptance of the unexpected change of plans. For a second, her glance flicked across the table to her sister, as if to say See? I told you he was a gentleman! Yet the implied compliment towards her twin's watchfulness surprised her. She had expected a little annoyance, at the least, but he seemed glad that they were both there. In fact, his comment reminded her of what Melanie kept saying her before they left home...but, if he could agree with that, certainly he couldn't be offended by the other girl's suspicion. Privately, Marisa wondered if she had almost been too trusting of her online friend...

Then she dismissed the idea. After all, if he were some kind of creep, he would disagree with her sister trying to watch over her, not go along with it. No, this was just additional proof of how nice he was! A hint of a blush touched her face again upon being called 'amazing', even as she glanced down a bit. "O-oh, I'm not that special..." Marisa giggled softly, a hand raised to hide her smile. Such pleased yet bashful responses had always been her reaction to being complimented so. She couldn't quite hide how much she liked the attention, but was a little too humble to openly bask in it.

Of course, Melanie was watching both of them as they spoke. She managed to hide most of her surprise at his acceptance of her presence, though one eyebrow did peek over the top edge of her glasses at the praise directed her way. Then she caught that smile, and her expression turned a bit thoughtful. This guy obviously knew why she was there, even without either of them spelling it out; of course he would want to avoid alienating her. He wasn't an idiot, so he would try to be on his best behavior while she was around. She was caught between a hint of exasperation on having her intentions figured out so quickly, and satisfaction at the knowledge that the important part of her plan was working. Even if she couldn't prove to Marisa that there was something odd about all this, what mattered was keeping both of them out of trouble.

With that in mind, what he said next raised a red flag in her mind. To her credit, Marisa looked a bit apprehensive as well. Alone? In a strange man's apartment? Even she had heard terrible stories of girls disappearing during private meetings with strangers. She knew better than to allow something like that to happen to her. If she had been unaccompanied, she would have come up with a polite excuse, or a suggestion of some other activity. Instead, she glanced over to her sister. What followed was the kind of wordless conversation most people normally saw between old married couples - a discussion carried out via expressions and motions alone.

After several moments of exchanged glances, half-gestures, and a final nod from Melanie, Marisa responded for both of them. "Well...I guess we can talk there for a little while. Maybe we can go for a walk after we eat?" The suggestion was a bit of an afterthought, yet both girls seemed to be less on edge once she voiced it. Neither of them were completely comfortable with the idea of being alone in the apartment with him, which spoke well of their common sense. Though not as well as it might have if they had refused altogether. "But," Marisa added, "I'd like to watch that movie later. I can't believe you remembered about the Princess Bride!" Her smile was just a little playful, hinting at some small detail she wasn't mentioning.

Melanie's small frown made it clear that she was bothered by something in the statement, but what might have been surprising. They actually both liked that movie...but Melanie didn't go around telling people that it was a childhood favorite of hers, and now wasn't the best time to almost reveal that. Hoping that Jason would assume that Marisa was talking only about herself, she quietly cleared her throat. "If we have enough time...we still have to catch the bus back home." She put a slight emphasis on that 'if', making it clear that they might not stay long enough to watch the film at all.

"I know..." Marisa sighed, not really wanting the reminder, but accepting it all the same. Then another thought crossed her mind, and she smiled again. "Jason, didn't you tell me once that there's a really great Chinese restaurant around here? Is that where we're going?" She didn't say it, but she was glad that he recalled the small details, like the fact that the twins had gone out for Chinese with friends last month. Learning all the little things about her...wasn't that a sign that he was interested in her for who she was? She could only hope that Melanie would be convinced of that too, before the end of the day.

 

[DomG]

“Oh you are quite special, I don't He knew that he had them as he watched there little silent exchanced between the twins. He had known a few twins when he was younger and he knew that they were often so in tune with each other that they didn't even need to speak to communicate. It seemed that with just some hand gestures and facial expressions they were able to have a rather complex conversation. He couldn't understand the details of it but the broad strokes seemed simple enough to him, Marisa was nervous but trusted him while Melanie was opposed to the idea of them going back the apartment, though clearly not strongly enough to convince her sister not to go along.

Truly Melanie was the smarter of the pair, or at least the least naive. A pity she didn't trust those instincts enough to just grab her sisters wrist and drag her away from the dangerous man who intended to enslave the both of them, to wrap collars around their necks and show them the beauty of subservience.

HE remembered The Princess Bride very well though, remembered that she had mentioned how much she enjoyed that movie. It was more then just his own excellent memory that allowed him to recall that, Dominic had been taking notes on his conversations with her for some time now so that when the time came it would be even easier for him to draw her in. He remembered the movies that she enjoyed, tv shows she watched, books that she enjoyed reading, food that she liked... and now that the time had come he felt that he had put together the perfect plan to bring her in to him... her sister was a little bit of a snag but she wasn't just going to leave Marisa alone with him.

The Chinese food place in particular was something that he had been quite happy to find, it wasn't part of a large nation wide chain but instead it was a smaller local place, off the beaten track and run by migrants who were likely to keep their mouths shut about anything that they might see rather then draw to much attention to themselves. Ideally they would have just gone with him back to the apartment so that he would be able to order the food in rather then spend more time in public where someone might recognize him, but Dominic was nothing if not adaptable.

“Well I was suggesting ordering the food so we wouldn't have to worry as much about the time with the buses but if you would rather eat out then I am happy to oblige, you wish is my command.” He stood and gave a little bit of a bow to the two young ladies, offering them both a hand up from the table. “And worse case scenario, should things happen to run a little bit late I would be more then happy to hire the both of you a cab so that you can get back home without missing curfew.” He had always used his false status as a student as an excuse why he didn't have a car, he lived a block away from the campus so why did he need to drive? "Some dinner, a movie and maybe a few moments in the garden on the top of my apartment building... this could be a rather lovely first date."

 

[Velvet Stars]

On realizing that Jason seemed to be in no rush to get her - or to be more accurate, the two of them - in some isolated and private location, Marisa relaxed a bit. For a moment there, she had been a little worried, but now she was certain that everything was fine. In fact, his comment about the lack of decent movies in the theaters was similar to something a friend of hers had complained about the previous weekend. They had planned to go out, but couldn't find anything that interested them; the same thing must have happened this weekend, and she was glad that her date had come up with a backup plan. Besides, they couldn't talk together during some noisy movie in a darkened room. This was more...personal, she decided with a smile.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful." Charmed by the gallant gesture, she almost wanted to curtsy in return as she reached out to take his hand. "I remember, there's a flower garden on the top of your apartment, isn't there? It must be in full bloom at this time of year." Vaguely, she recalled that it wasn't just for flowers; had he mentioned other things being grown there as well? Marisa wasn't quite sure, and made a mental note to ask about it later. Her fingers curled trustingly around his palm as she stood, the breeze ruffling the lightweight fabrics of her outfit around her. "After hearing so much about where you live, I'd really like to see as much as I can while I'm here. Especially since the weather's so nice today." She took a peek up at the sky, noting that there were a few more clouds than there had been earlier, but still no sign of rain or storms.

"Thank you for offering to call a cab, but won't that be awfully expensive? I really wouldn't want you to have to pay for that, too. We'll just have to cut things short if it gets late, I guess..." There was a hint of a sigh near the end of that statement. Clearly, she was just starting to enjoy herself and didn't like the thought of leaving so soon. But why would she? So far, this day was going even better than expected. She brightened at another thought. "And anything we don't get to visit today, we can always save for another date, can't we?"

Despite the clear skies, an almost visible shadow seemed to flicker across Melanie's face on hearing her sister's cheerful comment. Regardless to how sure the other girl sounded about it, the more watchful twin hadn't decided that there would be a second date yet. If anything strange happened, she would put her foot down and keep these two from meeting again. Seeing the happy look, the excited sparkle in those innocent blue eyes, she sighed inwardly. She'd make the call if she had to...but she still hated to see her sister disappointed. On the other hand, it was her sibling's unrealistic expectations for boys that tended to leave her disappointed in the first place. Marisa had always wanted a fairy tale romance, for a Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet. It seemed like this guy might pull it off, too. Melanie found the whole idea to be rather unsettling. She reminded herself that anyone willing to do all of this, with no question of payment from them, probably wanted something out of it that didn't involve legal currency. If only she could get Marisa to seriously consider such things!

She pushed that long-standing frustration to the side, though, and started to push back her chair to stand up. A second later, she paused, visibly surprised to see Jason's other hand extended to her. Was he doing so to try and impress Marisa, she wondered, or to make her feel included? Glad that she had decided to wear her sunglasses today, she eyed the offered hand, contemplating her next move. In the end, she decided that having Marisa complain the entire way home about 'not giving people chances' was more of a headache than she wanted to deal with. It wasn't like she had to hold his hand - which, as she noticed, Marisa seemed quite happy doing.

When she took it, her grip on his hand was much lighter, a bit of her reservations and hesitance showing in the short amount of time that they were in contact. As soon as she was on her feet, she let go...supposedly to check the table and make sure they weren't leaving anything behind. As she did so, she quickly scanned the area, making certain that the amount of people walking around hadn't changed much. With any luck, this Chinese place would have plenty of other diners in it, and they were likely to walk there, so it would be a while yet before they were truly alone with Jason. "By the way," she spoke up at last. "Is this restaurant far from here? I don't remember seeing any Chinese places on the way." Then she smirked, just a little. "I'm just wondering, since someone didn't wear walking shoes."

Both twins looked towards the ground, where Marisa's feet were covered by a pair of white sandals. The thin straps and stylish design made it clear that they were more focused on looks than arch support. They were quite cute, though, and showed off the pale pink polish on each toe, matching the girl's nails to a T. Melanie held back a snicker at the look Marisa shot in her direction. "Oh, don't worry about me," Marisa replied airily. "I'll be fine, and I'd really like the fresh air. It's too nice of a day not to go for a bit of a walk." Her cheer didn't fade, but she looked like she would have stuck her tongue out at her twin if Jason hadn't been watching. From how relaxed her pose was, the two of them often teased each other like this, and there was no anger between them. In truth, Melanie was just poking fun at her; she had tried to convince Marisa to wear more practical shoes in case they had to walk a long distance, but fashion sense had won out in the end.

 

[DomG]

The garden that Dominic had mentioned was predominantly flowers but there were also some very nice trees up there and a few shrubs which provided him with quite a bit of shade on days that he felt like sitting outside on the rood, taking advantage of the shadows and the quiet when he wanted a bit of time to read. Though his personal money meant that he would never had to seek higher education in order to live a very comfortable life he still worked to further himself through private study when he hadn't been drawing Marisa in towards him. Of course that study time would be a little bit short in the near future but that hardly mattered, to have reached a goal so long sought after was something he was greatly looking forward to.

“Please allow me to worry about my personal finances.” He lightly teased Marisa as he let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side while continuing to lightly hold the hand of her sister. True Marisa had been his goal from the start but now that his eyes were set on both of them to leave one feeling neglected would really set things back a great deal, no he would have to be creative in how he divided time between them. “I managed to get that scholarship that I wanted so my money won't be as tight... and I don't care what it costs as long as it gives us a little more time together.” He had told Marisa that his parents had been willing to get him the apartment so he could study in privacy and they were paying half his tuition but the other half had been up to him to get... and from what he had told her that extra money had been made through supplementing his income by tutoring and occasionally writing papers for money.

With a smile and another quick brush of his lips over Marisa's cheek he began to lead the girls down the street toward the restaurant that he had been speaking of, it wasn't all that far away, between the coffee shop they had met at and his apartment, but not near where the bus had dropped them off. “I am not surprised that you didn't see it, Golden Dragon Szechuan Palace is good distance away from the bus stop the two of you got off at... but it isn't too far and if Marisa needs a little bit of help making it there I would be more then happy to help her out by carrying her.” He offered, still playing the gentleman but winking at Melanie to let her in on the joke that she might think he was making. He was trying to match both twins he could, playing the perfect young man to Marisa while at the same time trying to subtly let Melanie know that he wasn't above a little bit of teasing, but not so much as to be outright insulting to her sister.

The Golden Dragon had been first on his mind for a few reasons, location and the fact that it didn't really pick up until much later at night, having become a spot for hipster college students who wanted a meal after partying... they hadn't even opened until about two hours earlier and it was long before any rush that they might see. Wanting to make sure that Marisa hadn't seen anything suspicious Dominic hadn't even bothered to bring his full wallet, only a money clip with some cash in it, nothing that would allow his real name to be revealed, even his apartment had been 'sanitized' before leaving so as not to give him away.

The pace he set as they walked was casual, taking care not to walk to fast let Marisa hurt her feet on the way there, smiling and observing the twins along the way while enjoying envious looks from strangers who had no idea what he soon intended to have these two beautiful nymphs doing for him. As they reached the restaurant, a very subdued frontal facade with only a simple blue sign over head advertising the name in English and Mandarin Chinese gave any hint to what it was, the windows darkly tinted. “I don't know if you two enjoy green tea, I really am not a fan but I have been told that the tea here is excellent.” He explained as the young Asian man acting as host took three menus and led them towards a table. “But it doesn't really matter what you order, enjoy yourselves and get whatever you like, personally I enjoy the Lo Mein but I have heard that the shrimp with lobster sauce is more then delicious."

 

[Velvet Stars]

"Well...okay, if it's no trouble for you." Marisa's words were more than a little hesitant, her expression turning worried for a moment. His next comment quickly raised her spirits, however. "R-really?" The blush that slowly stained her cheeks had to compete with the sparkle in her eyes, even as they peeked up beneath shyly downcast lashes. "I'm glad you feel that way...thanks." Marisa could clearly feel the touch and weight of his arm about her waist, a sensation both strange and surprisingly pleasant. It felt...right, almost as if they had settled into such an arrangement naturally. Her happiness was reflected in how she looked up at him, even as his lips touched her cheek again, and she couldn't quite stop a girlish giggle this time around. "Congratulations on the scholarship," she added with a smile. "I've heard a little from friends about how tricky winning them is. Was there a lot of competition?"

Though her attention was mostly on him as they walked, Melanie alternated between keeping an eye on the pair and taking note of her surroundings. This, however, would have been something that none of their friends would find odd. Despite their similarities, Melanie had always been the better navigator. It was something that the more perky sister had mentioned in conversation with Jason before - usually after getting lost going somewhere on her own. On the other hand, as Marisa would cheerfully note afterwards, she was better with seeing and remembering details about people. So it was only natural that the two had fallen into their usual habits: Marisa focusing on individuals around them, Melanie building a mental map of streets and landmarks.

Even as she noticed these things, she found herself distracted, ever so slightly, by his hand on hers. The contact was making her wonder if accepting the help up from her seat had been a miscalculation. She did so out of politeness at the time, but that meant she couldn't jerk away now without it drawing more attention to herself. And that meant getting chiding looks from her sister for the rest of the afternoon, and possibly putting Marisa in one of her stubborn moods...no, that wouldn't help anything. The last thing she needed was for her twin to decide they were staying, no matter what, if it turned out that they really had to leave in a hurry. She sighed inwardly, knowing she would have to put up with someone she didn't fully trust holding her hand for now.

In fact, she was still attempting to find a way out of it when Jason winked at her. For a second, she was startled; she wasn't so sure she wanted him carrying her sister around. Before she could say a word, however, a gasp came from his other side. "W-what?! Don't do that! It'd be so embarrassing!" Marisa squeaked out. She was so flustered at the idea that her face was actually tinted red, one hand pressed against her cheek as if that would stop her blush from spreading. It was hard to tell whether she was surprised at the idea, worried that it would happen, or glad that he would go out of his way to help her. In a rush, she stammered, "I-I mean, it's not that I'd mind, b-but..."

The sound of a half-muffled snicker was almost lost entirely in Marisa's startled responses. Almost, but not quite. A split second later, the girl had peeked around Jason to look at her sister knowingly. "It's not funny, Lani!" Melanie simply blinked back at her as if she had said something strange. "What? I didn't say anything." How she managed it while still walking was something to be questioned, but the little stomp of one sandal-covered foot was audible as Marisa pointed at her twin. "I heard you, you were laughing!" The sunglasses perched on her nose hid the amused spark in Melanie's eyes, though not the twitch of her lips that hinted at a repressed smile. "No clue what you're talking about, sis." Marisa pouted for a second, only to turn a pleading look towards her date. "Please don't let her encourage you! Lani's always teasing me like that."

Perhaps Melanie would have responded with a retort of her own, but by that point, they had arrived. It wasn't all that strange to see a restaurant with tinted windows; it gave privacy to the diners within while still allowing some natural light for those at window seats, so neither seemed perturbed at that detail. The simple exterior matched what the two of them knew of small local businesses, as well. "It didn't take that long to get here," Marisa said with a smile. "I knew it would be okay." Considering her response to the idea of being carried around in front of random passersby, the almost smug note in her voice was understandable. She let herself be guided inside, blinking slightly at the difference in lighting. Despite the hour, the inside of the restaurant was much darker in comparison to the bright sunny day outside. Once her eyes adjusted, she could tell that it was lit well enough for easy reading and viewing of someone seated across a small table, but not glaringly illuminated. In that lighting, she could also see how empty the place was. Once they were seated, she pointed this out. "Hmm...I guess we're the only ones eating lunch at this hour. Then again, the Chinese place at home is busier during the dinner rush, too."

After several seconds of being inside the building, Melanie slipped off her glasses. She had just settled them on the top of her head, letting them stay close at hand, when Marisa made that comment. A small wrinkle between her brows signaled that she noticed it as well, but was less neutral about that fact than her twin. Outside of themselves, it didn't look like there were any other visitors. There had been the young man that seated him, but he was clearly a part of the staff, and the other people she spotted were dressed similarly. They probably worked at the Golden Dragon as well. Still, this was a public place...someone would see or hear if anything out of the ordinary happened, and it wasn't as if they could get locked in. She could snatch Marisa's hand and head for the exit if the situation called for it. That idea was the only reason why she - reluctantly - sat across from her sister rather than next to her. Hopefully her position would let her see if anything suspicious took place on the other side of the table.

"Shrimp with lobster sauce? That sounds good..." Even as she responded, Marisa's focus was on the menu. "Oh, but this one sound good too! And so does that one..." She frowned thoughtfully at the variety of options. "I wonder how the sesame chicken here is?" Her gaze turned towards Jason, about to ask if he knew, when a comment from across the table interrupted her. "You could get that, and then I can get the shrimp. Since you're going to try some of what I get anyway." Melanie spoke up while splitting her attention between reading and watching them; lunchtime or not, she was taking her task as chaperon seriously. "Of course! We always share." Marisa blinked over at her, the look on her face making it clear that she found it stranger that they wouldn't have a little of each other's food. Apparently some things never changed, even if she was on a date. "Hey, did you see this beef dish halfway down? Maybe we should try that one."

It didn't take long for the two to get engrossed in their discussion, one occasionally turning her menu towards her twin and pointing at interesting items. A certain ease and casual air developed as they talked among themselves. They were obviously comfortable together, and Marisa's good mood seemed to draw a bit of animation and energy out of her more reserved counterpart. Neither one of them forgot that they weren't alone at the table, but such an ordinary interaction displayed how they were likely to act when they weren't trying to impress or being on guard. There was definitely a bond between them, one of best friends as well as siblings, and the sense that they got along well more often than not. "Okay," Melanie said after a short while. "You're definitely getting that one? Sure about that?" Marisa nodded with enough force to make her hair bounce slightly. "I'm sure! I just changed my mind that one time..." Then she caught sight of her twin's raised eyebrow and giggled. "Maybe more than once. But really, I'm going for the shrimp with lobster sauce, I won't switch around again. So you're getting that house special, right? The sizzling chicken?" Marisa lowered her menu and looked across the table.

"Yup. I'm surprised you want to try that one, though..." Melanie glanced over the edge of the menu at her, having already put hers down. "This isn't going to end up like the time we went to that Thai place, is it Mari...?" In the wary yet gently teasing way she said those words, there was a story behind that statement. "No! I learned my lesson!" From the look on Marisa's face, the lesson hadn't been an enjoyable experience, and her words only backed it up. "I'm never going to make that mistake again..." she uttered, pressing a palm against her stomach at the memory. Then, all of a sudden, her face flushed in embarrassment. "Umm...sorry, I think I got a little carried away..." Marisa looked toward Jason as she spoke, it only now having dawned on her that the girls were chatting with little attention turned his way.

 

[DomG]

Dominic watched with a great deal of amusement as the girls went back and forth about what it was that they wanted to order to eat for this late lunch. Sitting next to Marisa he had a wonderful look at what was going on between the two of them as he tried to decode the seemingly private code the two of them shared. Knowing how to understand what passed between the girls later on would be an invaluable talent because if they were able to communicate without him understanding what was going on then they might be able to plot against him while he was left unable to do anything at all to anticipate what they might be up to... and if all it took was some simple looks and gestures between them then he wouldn't be able to do all that much to keep them from plotting against him.

He wanted to have the sisters working together to serve him but perhaps if he turned them against each other and had them compete rather then work together to please him until they were broken and happy to work with him.

When they finally seemed to figure out what it was that they wanted to eat Dominic turned to the waiter who had joined them half way through the discussion and been subtly warned by Dominic to wait a moment while the two ladies figured it out. “Alright then, it seems that my two lovely companions have figured out what it is that they would like to eat.” He said with a small smile, carefully laying a hand on Marisa's knee underneath the table. “I will take the beef lo mein, my date would like the shrimp with lobster sauce and her sister will take the sizzling chicken house special... and how about three diet Pepsis to drink.” He had caught the comment about the Thai food and it wasn't hard to figure out what might have happened, really something he could have lived without Melanie ever mentioning infront of him but he didn't let it show on his face.

“Don't worry about that sort of thing Marisa.” He assured her with a gently squeeze of the hand that was resting on her knee. “I have been here a few times with plenty of people in the past and not seen a single person suffer any negative effects from eating here... well except for that one time but that was probably the excessive amount of beer that Mark got his hands on with that fake id of his.” A anecdote that he had completely made up but he was trying to make it look like he was opening up in front of Melanie, he wanted to make sure that she would trust him and not try to convince her sister to leave early... that sort of thing could throw all of his plans out the fucking window right away.

The food didn't take to long to arrive though, with in minutes of the order being placed the waiter returned, carrying the three plats full of steaming food and the three glasses of diet soda. Removing his hand from his dates thigh, having slowly slipped it up as they waited and talked he broke open his chop sticks. “Please ladies dig in, if any of you would like to try some of mine you are more then welcome too do so.”

 

[Velvet Stars]

It was clear on Marisa's face that the little story about the food came as a relief to her, even if it was a small one. "So, it's not too spicy? Oh, good...I really can't handle spicy stuff. It doesn't make me sick or anything like that." She wrinkled her nose a little at the idea of someone getting sick from beer. She had never witnessed it herself, but enough rumors and stories had been spread that she didn't think she wanted to know what it was like. "But if I have too much spice, I get these horrible stomach aches. It was so bad once that I..." Unexpectedly, the statement was completed by both girls in unison. "...burst into tears in front of everyone."

Though this must have been an incident they both knew of well, Marisa's face was still tinged slightly pink, and her tone was sheepish. She continued speaking alone, "R-right. It's why I only try the things my sister eats, now, instead of trying to finish them all by myself." In truth, the slight flush on her face was not just from embarrassment. She had noticed the moment he placed a hand on her knee, but she didn't pull away, only tensing initially from the unexpected touch. As Jason's hand crept upward, her leg trembled almost imperceptibly.

Across the table, Melanie shifted in place as if she had tried to shake off a fly walking on her skin. There was no sign of any bugs about, however, and she only did so once. For a long second, her gaze lingered on her sister; then she glanced over at Jason. "Your friend had a fake ID, and decided to go out in public to drink too much? Not to be rude or anything, but...that sounds pretty dumb. Don't most people that are underage use those to get into places, or to buy beer they can take home?" Most of what she knew was from rumors as well, but sometimes even those were enough when combined with a little common sense. "Doing something like that in public just makes it easier to get caught. He'd be pretty lucky not to get arrested, or something just as serious." It was only as she stopped speaking that she realized something. For that short period, she had been part of the conversation. Surprising, especially to her - but then, she knew that Marisa wasn't interested in things like college parties or drinking. Neither was she, really, but that was more due to her age, not a dislike of the subject.

With no clue that Jason's story hadn't been the truth, the two of them started talking about other harmless mishaps they recalled, leading to stories of the trouble their own friends had gotten into. "And then," Marisa finished, "he slid over the rail, down the bottom five steps, and skidded across the sidewalk! Josh would have made it, too, if he hadn't run into the lamp post at the end. Luckily he only had to go to the hospital for stitches, because the trick was really good before that." Melanie spoke up then, adding a bit more information. "He's actually working on becoming a pro skater, or at least he was before we moved." Marisa giggled then, a small but playful smile lighting her features. "Oh, right...didn't Josh like you, Lani?" A look that was a blend of displeased and startled flashed across Melanie's face. "Not this again! He and I were just friends! He wasn't even my type..." The look on Marisa's face hinted at more teasing to come, but whatever she would have said was stalled by the arrival of the food. Though her twin hid the expression fairly well, Melanie seemed to be the relieved one this time. Though she had no intent of admitting this to either of the two at the table, she didn't like the idea of talking about her own love life - or lack of one - while in the middle of her sister's date.

The plates set on the table were steaming hot, and filled the air with delicious aromas. "Ooh, this looks really good!" Marisa smiled, only for it to turn into a look of concentration as she carefully snapped her chopsticks apart. Melanie had a bit of an easier time with it, though the way they both treated the utensils showed that they had some experience - just no expertise in their use. That didn't stop Marisa from gathering up and taking a bite of food, which led to yet another change in expression. "Mmmm!" She appeared very much like a happy cat for a moment as she chewed, then swallowed. "You were right again," she said to Jason cheerfully. "This is delicious! Do either of you want to try some? It's great." She managed to smile and eat at the same time, other little noises of surprise slipping free when she discovered a new detail of flavor or texture that was offered on the plate. "With something like this, I guess it's good that I'm drinking diet soda." She giggled, a few strands of hair sweeping across her cheek as she lowered her head to take a sip of the drink. "How are you liking yours?" The question seemed to be directed to both her date and her sister, but the latter had just taken a bite of her own.

Unable to answer, Melanie just nodded. For her twin, this was answer enough; Marisa's chopsticks flicked across the table to snatch a piece of chicken, only for it to nearly fall before finishing the trip to her own plate. "Oops...that was a close one." Just when it looked like the other girl was about to return the favor, a musical tone sounded very close by. Both sisters reacted immediately, looking for the source. Marisa started to open her purse, murmuring, "I thought I turned it on silent...?" Before she finished, Melanie gave a slight shake of her head and reached into her pocket. "No, it's mine." Her eyes dropped to the lit screen of the phone in her palm, "...and it's Tanya, so I'd better take this. I'll be back in a second." With that, she pushed back her chair and stood, already placing the phone to her ear as she walked away. "Hello? Yeah, it's me. What's going on?" Melanie was still visible from the table when she stopped, but what she said became more difficult to make out at the distance she chose.

Without being asked to explain, Marisa offered details unknowingly. "I hope everything's okay..." she said quietly, speaking more to herself than her date. "Things have been so rough for them lately, too." For a moment, she peered at her sister, trying to guess what was being said through body language alone. Even when it was her twin, though, it was difficult for her to see anything when Melanie's back was half-facing her. "Oh well, I'll ask her about it later." Bringing a small smile back to her face, she turned towards Jason. "This really has been an odd day, hasn't it? But I'm glad I'm getting to spend time with you after so long."

Under the table, her hand drifted slowly over to his, lightly touching it, only to nearly dart away a second later. Then a more genuine smile touched her features, and she carefully wrapped her fingers around his hand again. "I...I really like being with you like this. I wish we could do it more often, but I know you have work to do, and I have school, so..." Her voice was quiet, and her free hand drew tiny patterns at the edge of her plate with her chopsticks. For all the shyness, there was no question that she meant what she said. Looking a little nervous, but not at all uneasy, she scooted a tiny bit closer to her date. If their time together had to be short, she planned to enjoy it anyway.

 

[DomG]

Dominic was quite relived to find out that it was just stomach pain caused by spicy food and not some sort of intense digestive distress. He greatly enjoyed spicy food and if it caused her a bit of pain then that truly wouldn't interfere with his meals like some more intense digestive problems might, strong enough problems of that nature would interrupt his pleasures more then just a little bit because it was hard to enjoy the pleasures that a slave being violently ill could offer you... what little pleasures there were to be had in that sort of situation.

“Well actually we had gone to a party that night, I had been dragged along to make sure everyone would make it home because they knew I didn't really feel like drinking that night.” Or if you were to believe what he told Marisa he didn't enjoy drinking very much at all, only having the occasional beer at the rare parties that he did attend and at many of them not drinking at all, when in truth he often enjoyed a glass of wine at night with a meal or just on its own to help him relax. With a smile as they spoke of what had happened to a friend of theirs during a skateboard accident and how that young man had been someone that Melanie had been romantically interested in, could it be that the more skeptical sister was more experienced romantically then the innocent Marisa. He knew Marisa was a virgin but it was possible that Melanie wasn't... either way he would still enjoy himself with both of their bodies, turning them into obedient slaves who would not only pour his wine for him but if he so required bend over to give him a place to set the glass or rest his feet on as he enjoyed the drink.

Even with those thoughts running through his mind though he managed to keep an interested look on his face, making sure that neither of the sisters would realize just how boring he found their mindless drivel on people they knew and was grateful for the foods arrival, not only because he was quite hungry but because it had changed the topic from teenage stupidity. He carefully ate his food, using his chopsticks to carefully lift noodles, beef, and slices of celery to his mouth and eating. “Actually no but thank you for the offer.” He declined her offer of food towards him. “I am sure that it is amazing but I have been craving this lo mien all day long and any bite of something else is a little less room that I will have for this.” He smirked a little bit with that comment to let her know that he was kidding. “Would you like to try some of mine, really I have never had any better.”

As Melanie stood up Dominic was able to pick up on the general tone of what was happening, something was out of the ordinary for the girls and he worked to put a concerned look on his face before he felt Marisa take his hand. Slowly he squeezed her hand back. “Don't worry, I am sure that we will find more time together very sooner.” He said, knowing she had no way of understanding what was coming that would keep them together. “Lets not waste our scant moment of privacy with talking of what might be, instead we should focus on the present.” Setting his chopsticks aside he reached his now free hand up and cupped Marisa's cheek, holding her in place gently before he leaned in to brush his lips over hers in a very chaste kiss, full of innocence with the slightest hint of a promise for more to come later on.

 

[Velvet Stars]

The look on Marisa's face was noticeably hopeful, and that impression grew as he spoke. Although she had no way of knowing when or how they might be able to spend more time together, simply knowing that he wanted to do so brightened her day. She continued clasping his hand with her free one, her smile sweet yet decidedly affectionate. It was the same sort of expression she had worn when she first heard the idea of meeting and going on a date: a mix of interest and anticipation that spoke volumes. As much as she wanted to think about the future - preferably a future where the two of them would see their relationship grow into the kind of romance she had always wanted - she gave a small nod of understanding. At least she thought she understood, anyway.

That was proven wrong a moment later when his hand touched her cheek. What was he trying to do? For several seconds, she had no idea; then one came to mind and her eyes widened slightly. The thought was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one, and she tried to still the sudden fluttering in her stomach that such an idea created. She could feel the warmth of her blush radiate against his palm, but she didn't resist the gentle pressure that turned her head towards his. The closer Jason's face came to hers, the more her eyes started to close, revealing a willingness that she wouldn't have been able to voice. The thought that she hoped he was trying to kiss her, that she wanted him to try such a thing in the first place, never crossed her mind. It all happened naturally in her focus on the moment.

As a result, it took a few beats after the kiss had ended for the event to sink in. Although she didn't say anything right away, Marisa's face seemed to glow all on its own, and her hand squeezed his as she giggled softly. "Umm...that was..." She spoke nearly in a whisper, only to pause, searching for words. "It was really nice." The instant she finished speaking, she realized how silly that sounded. Trying to clarify, she put down her chopsticks and gestured with her free hand. "Um, I mean, it wasn't just nice, not that it was bad, I liked it a lot and...err..." The laugh that followed was definitely more of the embarrassed type. "I guess I really don't know what people say at times like this..." She fidgeted, her demeanor having shifted from sweet and shy to innocently awkward in record time. It was quite possible that she had ruined the moment, and the very idea of it was mortifying.

Yet even as she searched and failed to find the perfect response to the first kiss of their relationship, her fingers remained intertwined with his. Underneath the urge to find something to say - knowing that the chance at the ideal romantic reaction was gone already - she was content to stay at his side. Their shoulders would have touched if her height was closer to Jason's, and without intending to, she leaned against him just a little. Only the slight gap between their seats kept it from being 'cuddling', if one could call it that.

For a second, she glanced in the direction her twin had gone, a look of surprise crossing her face when the spot was empty. When she checked further away from their table, she spotted Melanie standing near to the door, phone still pressed to one ear. Her head was tilted to one side, and her free hand was resting over the opposite ear, two fingers hidden in a loose bit of hair in front. The position wouldn't have meant much to random onlookers, but Marisa knew her well enough to draw several conclusions from what she saw. More than likely, their cell phones worked in this building, but a low signal made it difficult to hear clearly. The phone probably dropped the call at some important point, which prompted the move to a different spot. And knowing her twin, she was also trying to balance their promise to support their friend with a desire to keep an eye on her. Being across the room was a reluctant compromise.

At the same time, Marisa had to admit that she had been worried when she didn't see Melanie around. Having her sister come along hadn't been part of her plan, but her presence was reassuring all the same. It made it easy for her to return her attention to Jason without any concern for herself. "Can I try some of those noodles? If you say they're good, it must be true." He obviously had good taste in food; her dish was the one he suggested at first, and she had enjoyed that a great deal. Not as much as the interruption from her meal, of course...but that was completely different, she told herself.

 

[DomG]

As she fumbled for the proper words to react to the kiss Dominic only smiled patiently at her. He wasn't sure if it was the very first kiss that she had ever gotten from another young man but it was definitely something he suspected after that reaction of hers. That innocence of hers would be a great deal of fun to exploit and corrupt, if her reaction to her first kiss was this open and honest and truly fumbled then what would it be like when he first brought her to orgasm with his fingers or tongue. How would she react the first time he got her sister to eat her out while he sat back and watched with a smile on his lips.

“Trust me Marisa, I enjoyed it as well.” He assured her with a smile as she moved closer to him. In response to that Dominic slipped an arm over her shoulder, keeping her tight against him, growing bolder with each and every moment that he spent with her. Should Melanie return now she would no doubt be a little bit put off by how close he had gotten to her sister so quickly. His finger tips were even lightly brushing over the tops of her breasts, not appearing to be intentional at all but he was enjoying the sensation of this moment of intimacy for the very first time. “True this hadn't been the most conventional of first dates, I hardly expected you to have your sister in tow but I am enjoying myself a great deal... and the night is hardly over.” The first date really wouldn't end at all from where he stood, from this point on she would belong to him even if she was against the idea, at least at first because before very long she would happily be working to please him, a broken and obedient little slut.

“Help yourself to my noodles if you like.” He offered as he worked to get even closer, now their chairs side by side so that they sat hip to hip. If not for the fact that it would be practically seen as lewd to do in public he would have likely had her on his lap by this point. “And while I hate to rush you or your sister in the meal we really haven't got a whole lot of time, that is if we want to enjoy the movie and have a little bit of time on the roof to ourselves before you two will need to get going.” Not that he was really worried about their curfew but it was starting to draw in on a point when the restaurant might become busy, other patrons had started to trickle in, thus far only two other tables were occupied but Dominic didn't want to let the place get too full. “I am starting to fill up as it is and a college student can never say no to left overs after a particularly hard test.”

 

[Velvet Stars]

Although Marisa could feel a blush creep up on her once more as he pulled her close, there was also a little shiver that she couldn't ignore. It flickered across her for a moment in a blend of contentment and...something else that she didn't have a name for. But it felt good sitting so near to Jason, so she decided it was nothing to worry about. Even the noticeable weight of his arm and the slight pressure against her side where they touched made her feel warm and fuzzy. Or at least it was what she imagined that oft-talked about sensation must be like. There was something else too...a light brush, faint enough to almost be ticklish, below her shoulders. She nearly pointed it out to him but hesitated at the last second. Jason was a gentleman, of that she was sure, and that meant that he couldn't possibly have placed his fingers so near to her breasts on purpose. Besides, if she were to blurt it out, he might move away, and Marisa wasn't so sure that she wanted that just yet. Maybe soon, but it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the moment a little longer.

"Oh, thanks! I'll only have a little; I don't want to take all your leftovers." She said this with a smile while picking up her chopsticks, letting go of his hand as she did so. To her surprise, she let go only reluctantly, and wasn't sure why she thought of it that way. Maybe it was because of how comfortable and natural the action had seemed. That made sense; it wasn't uncommon for her to hold hands with friends or even with her sister sometimes, so of course it would be natural to hold hands with someone she liked, too. So natural that she had nearly forgotten about that smaller contact in the wake of everything else that had happened. But having already stumbled over how to respond to the kiss, she didn't try to put words to her thoughts. "Do you want to keep ours, too?" she asked instead. "I don't think anything with seafood would stay fresh during the bus ride home..." Marisa paused, her lowered brows and sudden silence hinting at the difficulty of getting noodles to wrap around her chopsticks long enough to eat some. After a moment, she finally managed to raise the bundle to her mouth without it falling halfway through the trip.

In her focus on the plate, she didn't notice that Melanie had lowered the phone and was on her way back to their table. If she had, she might have also spotted the slight break in the girl's stride as she came back into a clear line of sight. From that spot, she easily spotted the dramatic change in their positions. She blinked once, surprised initially; then she frowned. There was no telling when and how the two of them had gotten so close, but it was obvious to her that Marisa either didn't know or didn't want to say anything about the subtle move Jason was making towards her chest. Subtle to Marisa, that is. Melanie noticed it almost instantly, another moment worth a mental red flag.

During the pause before she resumed walking towards them, several thoughts flashed through her mind, each echoed faintly in how she looked at the pair. First was the urge to glare at Jason until he backed off. A close second was the realization that it would be more effective to get her twin to move instead. It took a heartbeat more for her to realize that Marisa didn't look upset or uneasy, which she would have if she was an unwilling target of groping. That turned her frown more thoughtful. She didn't like it...but she was here to make sure Marisa wasn't taken advantage of, not to stop her from enjoying her date. A spark of suspicion flared in her thoughts; then she sighed inwardly and finished crossing the room. If her sister looked unsettled for even a second, she would step in. Until then, she would hold her tongue - no matter how much it bothered her right now. Though she made a mental note to point this out to Marisa later, when they could talk in private.

"Before you ask," she directed towards her sister when she arrived, "everything's okay. Not worse than last week, not better than last month." She shrugged a shoulder and reclaimed her chair, noting with a bit of disappointment that her food cooled off some while she was gone. "Long story short," she said toward Jason, "a friend of ours is a drama magnet. It's not totally her fault; some of it's bad luck." She shook her head a bit at that, though it seemed as much exasperated as it was sympathetic. Marisa's own head rose, a few trailing ends of noodles peeking between her lips before she sucked them in. Even with her mouth full, the questioning expression she sent at her twin was enough to replace what she planned to say. "You don't have to say it; 'not worse' isn't the same as better, I know. But it's still better than nothing." Her twin's brows furrowed in concern, but she nodded slowly, then swallowed and spoke. "Did you tell her I was sorry?"

Melanie actually looked confused for a split second; then she snickered quietly. "I told Tanya where we were, and she told me to tell you this: 'Mari, don't you dare call me on your date, or I'll do that the next time I see you!' So I don't think you have anything to be sorry for." Marisa's face went from apologetic to flustered in the blink of an eye. "Wha--she did not! She promised she wouldn't do that again!" Again, there was that twitching of Melanie's mouth that hinted at a near-smile. "Actually, she told me I should help, but--" Whatever she was going to say got cut off as Marisa leaned forward, hands frantically gesturing in the air between them. "No way, that's not fair!" Instead of replying, Melanie took a bite of her own food and chewed, while her twin pouted at her. "Okay, okay..." the protesting girl relented. "I'll wait until we get home to find out what she called about." Then, so quiet that even Melanie barely heard it, came a small mutter. "Geez, I thought she got rid of that feather..." Taking a drink of semi-watered down soda was the only thing that kept the returning twin from laughing out loud.

Eventually, Marisa settled back into her chair and brought up the growing lack of time, prompting them both to get their food boxed up to take along with them. Then the topic shifted to the cause of the time limit itself. "Lani, what time are our tickets for again? I'll set the alarm on my phone too." As she spoke, Marisa pulled the gadget out of her purse and navigated to the tool in question. "We're going back on the 8:45. From how long it took to walk there, if we're back at the cafe by...8:30, there'll be enough time to get to the station and board."

She nodded, putting the numbers in, then put the phone back and closed the purse. "Okay, I got it." Then the longer-haired twin looked thoughtful. "We won't even be back until...after 11, huh? It's a good thing Amy doesn't have to work tomorrow; I'll have to get her something to say thanks for picking us up so late at night." The look on Melanie's face was amused. "Nah, I don't think she'll expect a gift from you. If this place were any closer, I think she would've tried to drive you here just to hear the gossip before anyone else." Both of them continued to chat, plates pushed back from their seats, while they waited for the check and carryout boxes to arrive. Yet Melanie occasionally eyed Jason, taking note of any hands that wandered across his date's figure. Marisa had settled back into the same place she had been before her sister returned, so such wandering would have been easy if no one had been watching.