PROM: all the spinning and moving

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe stared breathlessly at all the spinning and moving people. She'd pulled away from Alice for a moment, her girlfriend needing to use the restroom (and Zoe thought she saw one of Alice's friends heading that way but she couldn't be sure). That left Zoe alone, which generally didn't work out great for her. Right now, however, she was still feeling elated.

The elation started with the hair: Zoe's had grown out slightly, enough that she had to pull it up and off her neck into something of a weave. A few curls kept falling down, but Zoe had tried to spin them so they looked more like purposeful additions than a lack of understanding of how updo hairstyles worked. Light makeup made her brown eyes pop (courtesy of Zoe's friends), and her coloring looked nice. Most people would be surprised to actually see Zoe's pale shoulders bared: so much skin available for paralyzing others. But the dress had been sleeveless, and instead of gloves, Zoe wore a corsage of soft yellow flowers. The dress itself had been designed to fit Zoe's slim form well: soft lace with teal and black lines, all of which ended in a slight flare that left a portion of Zoe's legs free.

The elation continued with being here with someone she genuinely cared about. Alice had actually asked her, and been quite sweet about it. Zoe had actually spent some time brushing up on her dancing in between, wanting to be as impressive as possible.

She even swayed a bit now, enjoying herself, letting her feet move slightly to the music. It was as she did that she noticed someone else who seemed to be, at least for the moment, dancing alone. Though Zoe didn't have nearly that much rhythm, or those curves, or the daring to wear a dress like that. Still, Zoe definitely recognized the dancer: Vera M. Solway.

"Vera!" Zoe called, hurrying over as best she could in her slight heels. "It's so good to see you here!" she said, meaning it. Zoe was for once flushed in a way that had nothing to do with embarrassment. She looked over the other girl, eyes widening a bit. "you look very... wow," oh, there was the embarrassed flush. Wouldn't be right without it.

[Vera M. Solway]

For someone who claimed that she was only attending prom for the additional security, Vera was surely not following through with anything of the sort. Who said a college student couldn't enjoy prom? The DJ was surely rocking the music with the latest and with Devyn possibly chatting with other people or getting drinks (she wasn't too sure which), Vera was just going to do her own thing and enjoy a peaceful night while it lasted.

'Cause who knew how long that was to last.

"Vera!" She could hear a voice call out but wasn't really sure if it was to her exactly, well, until she saw Zoe nearing. Her eyelids widened as she smiled, "Zoe!" She shrugged with a slight chuckle, "Thanks, but I really have nothing on you. Like, have you seen you? You look amazing, girl. A total knock out." To think she'd see Zoe baring as much as she was, it was... hot. She looked great. She even wondered if Devyn had the chance to check her out, Vera was sure she'd be surprised.

Vera's look on the other hand was safe but also daring. A white dress with cut-outs down her sides, she had shadow eyes but her lips were dressed in a iced pink-ish color. Even though her and Devyn chose ice, Vera didn't want to tone it down too much. Sure, she was no longer a high schooler but that didn't mean she couldn't make a few heads do a double take.

Glancing around the place, she wondered. "Where's your girlfriend? I mean, you two are here together, right?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

vera did look amazing. Zoe actually found herself staring a little at the dress and at the woman wearing it. "What? Me, no, I'm not," she insisted, flushing, even though she knew that she did look quite pretty tonight. Alice had of course mentioned it and a few people did look her way. Though now she was running her hands along her bared arms, again feeling that creeping sensation that she should cover herself.

"Oh, Alice is here!" Zoe said, brightening considerably. "She actually asked me to prom," and she couldn't help but sound thrilled at that. "I actually wandered away from her, well, she used the restroom and it still feels a bit weird to follow your girlfriend in," Zoe's hand again rubbed, and she was tempted to start playing with her curls.

"Did you come with someone?" Zoe asked, looking around to see if anyone was hovering nearby that she'd missed. "I can't imagine that you couldn't get a date, especially if I'm here," from some people, that would seem like a slight or a sly insult. Zoe meant every word of it though, and she practically beamed as she looked at her quasi-friend as she spoke.

[Vera M. Solway]

Truth be told, Vera was still somewhat surprised that she was able to get away with her dress. Not that anyone would really object to it, or hasn't as of yet. Zoe on the other hand, the girl seemed to grow bigger balls each time they saw each other and Vera loved it. "You are, seriously and don't let anyone tell you different." She chuckled, only noticing how the girl may have looked uncomfortable showing as much as she did. Either way, it was a good look and was sure everyone would notice, if they hadn't by now.

"Oh good! I'm glad, you two are really cute together." She couldn't help but to smile at Zoe. The girl just seemed so happy whenever Alice was mentioned. Laughing, Vera shook her head. "There's nothing weird about following your girlfriend to the bathroom. Girl's constantly follow guys into the men's bathroom and most of them aren't even dating, if you know what I mean." Seriously, since the start of prom Vera had peeped a couple or two trying to "sneak" their way into the bathroom stalls. Like it wasn't the most cliched place to fuck during prom. Seriously.

Vera chuckled, not finding it as an insult at all. "No, no. I didn't come alone. I'm only really here because of my internship but I asked Devyn to prom." She gave a nod, not really thinking about how it may have looked to Zoe. "So I'm here with her but I think she umm.." Vera glanced around the room, trying to remember where the drinks were even located. "I'm pretty sure she went to go grab drinks." Which she was going to need if she planned on getting through this night.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The repeated compliment had Zoe flushing, flushing, but smiling. It always felt good when someone insisted that you were pretty, even moreso when said person happened to be as good looking as Vera was. The girl seemed to be genuinely pleased to see Zoe, and Zoe did admit that she was somewhat pleased to see Vera. Sure, they dormed together, but that was somewhat different.

The compliments continued, and Zoe's flushed darkened slightly further. What had started as a flush turned into a full fledged blush at Vera's comment. "I don't think I could--I mean, I don't think we'd be all that comfortable with---" Zoe fumbled, looking down. She certainly hoped that Vera found some way to change the conversation very soon, because just thinking of actually discussing her non sex life... well, it hadn't gone well the last time Zoe had broached the topic, and she definitely didn't want to revisit it now.

Oh right, the interning: Zoe should have remembered. She tried to regain some composure by nodding and saying "Right, I remember you're interning---" only to pause. She was... with Devyn? "Oh, so you two came as friends?" Zoe asked, purposefully keeping her tone light. Because the last thing she needed was to freak out around Vera over Devyn. Again.

Or should Zoe just be happy that they were... together? That Devyn had finally moved on...?

[Vera M. Solway]

Sometimes Vera found it difficult and almost nearly impossible to find time to socialize with anyone or just relax and enjoy a moment. Even as roommates, she kind of wished her and Zoe had more time to just hang or chill but clearly schedules weren't too fond of that. Sometimes she wondered how being a normal college student focused on school work alone felt.

It was probably best that the subject at hand did change. Not that she wanted it to necessarily be about her and Devyn going to prom together but for the sake of Zoe's face not turning completely red...

Vera nodded her head at the again mention of her internship. "Yeah, we're uh, here just as friends." Pressing her lips together as she nodded. For some reason Vera felt as if a lie just escaped her mouth, which she wasn't too sure why. Her and Devyn weren't a couple, they weren't together. When she asked Devyn to prom, it was a gesture of friendship but she still had very deep feelings for the girl. So maybe that was why she felt like she was lying to Zoe? Because at the end of the day, she really wanted to be with Devyn...

As more than friends.

"I hope it's not a problem..." She really did hope so. From what she saw and heard was that Zoe was pretty into that girlfriend of hers. There was no knowing of what her and Devyn discussed or felt, and while she respected it, she figured that Zoe was finally done with Devyn; relationship wise. Unless she was the type to totally go back to that even with being in a relationship but Zoe didn't seem like that type of girl. So Vera didn't want to wrap her mind around the idea too much.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Just as friends.

Zoe studied Vera as she said it. It was sort of what Zoe wanted to hear, right? She shouldn't be jealous of Devyn at all. Again: she should be wanting Devyn to move on. Vera made sense too. Why not move on with the girl she'd cheated on Zoe with? Though some part of Zoe did want to be spiteful for it, there was clearly some chemistry there. And, well, she thought that Devyn deserved to be happy, and that Vera probably did too. They'd both been through so much...

and Zoe was there with a girl who loved her, who'd said she'd loved her, who loved her enough to take her to prom and dress pretty even though it very much wasn't her thing.

Gah, Zoe had been so selfish.

"Why would it be a problem?" Zoe asked, putting a bit too much question into it. "You two would make a great couple," she shifted, taking a breath. "I mean, you two would look splendid together and I know that you care about each other very much," gah, this sounded fake even to Zoe, but she knew she had to do it. She wanted them to be happy, and she really wanted to just be over this, and for them to all be friends again. Or friends for the first time, in Vera's case. "You two have so much in common, with," the sex, "liking the security stuff and," the sex, "being physical," that was sort of like sex, "and music and all."

And smile.

[Vera M. Solway]

"I dont know, I just uh. You know-" Then when Zoe mentioned them making a great couple and looking good together, Vera couldn't help but to put a smile on. The difference with a smile naturally appearing and her putting on one was that she still felt a bit uneasy about the subject. And only uneasy because she was talking about it with Zoe of all people. Had this been Devyn or anyone else, she wouldn't have felt this way.

Chuckling, she nodded. She wasn't really sure how to take the "being physical" part but she assumed Zoe didn't mean anything by it. Then again, she was standing in front of the girl that was dating Devyn when Vera felt the need to have sex with... her. "Thanks, but I don't know if it'll get that far," Only if Devyn finally agreed to dating but she wasn't sure when that would be. Nor did anyone know that Vera had asked the girl not too long ago. So it may not even be something that might make it to existance.

God, why did Vera allow herself to feel so awkward right about now? Where the hell was Devyn when she needed her to actually inturrupt. To think that she would need back up, or that anyone could make her feel as awkward. Vera didn't really "do awkward" but The only person who managed to make Vera feel like that so far was Zoe. "So are you two like - planning on going out after prom or?"

Total subject changer. 

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe smiled, finding it easier the more she continued. She really should feel happy for them. They had each other, and she had Alice (for now, poor thing didn't know what lay in the near future, what they'd find when they headed back to Alice's, waiting on the table, ignored by Alice until just the right time). Zoe simply smiled and nodded again, knowing that she wanted to move past this, to be friends somehow despite everything that was happening.

"Oh, I think we'll head back to her house," Zoe said, smiling. "She was talking about making some desserts for us to eat and, um, maybe I'll--we'll see how it goes," She flushed that, before nodding. She was an adult, she should be able to talk about sex, even if she hadn't quite had it yet. Again: timing sucked.

"What about you and Devyn?" she asked, flinging the topic right back onto Vera. "I know that the two of you have quite a few friends. You're even close to the Bellefontes, right?"

[Vera M. Solway]

She raised a brow, almost attempted to tease the heck out of Zoe but maybe it was best if she didn't go too far. "Is that what she calls it? Nice..." No but seriously, heading back to anyone's house after prom and claiming to making desserts only meant one thing to Vera. Okay, so she was a bit more perverted than the usual female but come on; There had to be way more going on than just "making some desserts" and she was pretty sure there would be a lot more eating as well.

The telekinetic cleared her throat as she chuckled. Was it weird that she was now imagining what would really go down after prom between Zoe and Alice? "Oh," Right. Mind needed to be back on track. "Actually, I don't really know what we're doing. I think Dev mentioned wanting to chill back at her dorm afterwards." She nodded, "I'm pretty close to the twins," And then some. "But I don't know what it is about this prom, I kind of just wanna spend it alone. You know?" With Devyn, but just alone with her.

After everything that went down this year, Vera just found herself less likely to just go all out and partying it up with everyone all the time. While she felt like she lost two people because unfortunate mishaps with that one Director, she also gained something special with Devyn and that was pretty much the only thing that kept her from wanting to shut everyone else out.

"Hey, maybe the four of us should go out sometime. Just to like, I don't know... do something. Like shop or go out to eat or something." Vera chuckled, "I don't know, it sounded like a good idea in my head." Sure, it sounded like some kind of double date but Vera just wanted everyone to be cool. You know? Since they were all growing adults and what not.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe simply nodded along with Vera's comments regarding desserts, not seeing the inneundo at all. She was tempted to elaborate further, mention how she was supposed to be eating more now: doctor's orders and all that. It just didn't really strike Zoe as "prom talk" though, so she kept it to herself.

Plus, Vera was already talking about her own post-prom plans. Zoe felt another slight pang at the mention of Devyn, of spending time with her after prom, but it didn't quite bite as hard. the smile wasn't nearly as difficult to put up, and the nod came almost naturally. "That's always quite nice," she said, finding hereslf meaning it.

The mention of a double-date had Zoe opening her eyes for a moment, turning to look away, as if expecting Alice to show just from mentioning it. "I wouldn't mind," she admitted, again finding herself slightly surprised at the truth in those words, "but I'm not sure Alice would be up for it?" she smiled a little unsteadily. "I'm not entirely positive that putting Devyn and Alice in proximity would... work, but we could possibly try?"

Zoe did want to be friends with Devyn, with Vera too, if they could somehow manage it. It just seemed so difficult, with the specter of the past hovering around them. Zoe had become something of an expert in confronting ghosts lately though: it was starting to seem less and less scary the more she did it. Just one more thing to shove into her past and move on from.

[Vera M. Solway]

She kept most of the joke to herself. Wanting to go on further but figured maybe it wasn't the best of times to mention stuff like that, and especially not to Zoe. It was prom, and she didn't need the girl blushing as red as most of the fire decor at the event.

"Uh - yeah, yeah. I guess it is." Really, all she wanted for prom was to be with Devyn. While chatting it up with her roommate was cool, once they went back to their dates, Vera knew she'd go back to despising being here. She wouldn't tell Zoe that, of course. Vera was still getting used to being all open about the time that her and Devyn were currently spending. Even though it seemed as if Zoe had moved on and was quite happy and unbothered by it.

The telekinetic slightly tapped at her head, remembering the whole Dirty Laundry post and the arguing that had went down between Cade, Tim, Jack, Devyn, and Alice. "Right, right. Totally forgot. I wouldn't want to stir up any more drama but yeah, maybe one day." Yeah, right. What was she thinking?

"Either way, I do hope you enjoy prom while it last. I'm not sure how or when but it's been getting a little old for me." She nodded while glancing around, rolling her eyes at the sight of someone trying to sneak spike the punch for what; The eighth time this night? "Getting real old."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The joke came and went, Zoe not picking up on it or even really suspecting that there was anything to pick up on. The girl kept smiling, feeling her spirit growing lighter with each passing second of the conversation. Something just kept rolling off Zoe, and she could feel more of a warmth toward Vera, though she'd be daft to not admit that it was at least in part due to the fact that the other girl was quite striking.

And apparently Vera realized the same difficulties as Zoe, if a little more belatedly. Zoe's smile took on a more embarrassed shade, knowing as she did that she was the reason there was something resembling friction there. She nodded again, trying to move it along.

"I do!" Zoe said, smiling and looking around. "I can definitely see why it wouldn't appeal to everyone but, well," Zoe flushed and then gestured. "there's just... everyone's dressed up and spinning and moving around the room. It's almost as if we've stepped into a painting or--" Zoe paused as she saw the same person Vera did. It made her giggle. "So perhaps not quite that good of a painting, and I should probably avoid the punch."

Because Zoe was most definitely a lightweight, and she had a tendency to get... giggly if she had more than a few.