Let Her Hair Down

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

{this thread is technically set for next weekend, give or take a few days. Not now though}

It had been so long since Zoe had let her hair down that she was fairly certain that she was overthinking something here. She'd managed to get a section of the student lounge free, which wasn't that hard considering that a few students did head home for summer,and she'd managed to procure a copy of Frozen, which Olivia Chance would know by now was going to be what Zoe watched regardless of protest. Olivia was supposed to be bringing a movie of her own too, though Zoe had a suspicion that they'd end up talking about her trip and everything else. They'd exchanged emails, sure, but that wasn't the same as actually talking.

Plus, Zoe wanted to know what was going on with her friend, and there were things here that she needed and wanted to talk about. she took a deep breath, reaching up to brush back her hair, wondering if she should have pulled it back into a ponytail or something. "Maybe I should ask Olivia to braid it?" Zoe wondered aloud, pulling the hair to look at the shoulder length bit of light brown. Her eyes flicked between the picture of Elsa and Anna (the characters from the Disney movie, not the ones on this site), and back to it.

A ding made her jump though. "The popcorn!" she nearly shouted before heading over to the microwave, nearly tripping as she hurried to double-check and hope that it hadn't gotten burnt. Olivia would be here any minute, and Zoe wanted this to go right...

[Olivia Chance]

Zoe had surprised her, wanting to watch movies after the trip. But regardless of the surprise she felt, she was still going to see her friend. And she'd brought a movie too. Ella Enchanted. It was one of her favourites. It had a sassy heroine, Anne Hathaway, a prince, and someone who overcame all odds to do what she wanted instead of what everyone else wanted. She loved the reimagining of Cinderella. She always had. This was all very new to her. She still wasn't used to hanging out with friends. She was hoping she didn't screw things up too badly.  She walked towards the student lounge and peeked around the corner.

"Zoe?"  Then she walked tentatively into the room fully.  Her friend did look different.  Olivia smiled.

"How was your trip?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The voice drew Zoe away from the popcorn. "Olivia!" she said, popping up on her toes and waving for a moment before hurrying over to her friend. The thin, freckled arms wound around Olivia for a quick hug before Zoe pulled away. The hair had slid back into her face with the motion, seeming to cast a few more shadows along the freckles. "It's so good to see you again! Emails just aren't enough!" Zoe gave her friend another squeeze before stepping back. A hand went up to play with that loose hair while Zoe studied her friend.

"Something seems different..." Zoe said, chewing her cheek slightly. was she projecting? It felt like something was different with Olivia though: Zoe could feel that in her gut. she studied and saw the film. "Oh, I remember that one!" she said, pointing. "It's quite good," though not Frozen good in Zoe's mind.

wait, was there a question? Zoe seemed to remember a question, but she'd forgotten all about it in her excitement at seeing her friend. She stared at Olivia now, chewing at her cheek, trying to think of how to ask. "Um, did you--" trip, it had to involve the trip. Go with that: "The trip was quite lovely: I've ever so many pictures!" Zoe nearly clapped her hands at that, glad to let her excitement out slightly, as it always did whenever photography came up.

[Olivia Chance]

"Something about ME seems different? I've been in the same place all this time. You're the one who's come back with hair that's grown and freckles." She smirked.

"But maybe it's because I'm finally kind of...honest to goodness happy. My life has changed for the better. I finally kind of got counseling for the screwed up past I have." She rubbed the back of her neck.

"So you went all Japanese shutterbug?" She was teasing of course. She couldn't help it. She then remembered something else that had happened to her.

"I'm not single anymore either."  She grinned.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"It's in the way you're holding yourself," Zoe said. "I suppose i might be projecting..." Zoe had to flush at that, the color seeming to fill in the bits between freckles. Yes, she'd come back looking physically different: her long hair returned to her, well, at least at shoulder length. The freckles she couldn't really help either. At least they would go in time.

It was wonderful to hear that Olivia was happy. that had Zoe smiling and nodding. "It is quite nice to go through that. I'm glad the school provides it," because naturally Olivia would know about Zoe's own therapy sessions. Someone who went through as much trial and tribulation as Zoe had would be nearly a regular at the counselor's office, after all.

The last had Zoe letting out a gasp, thoughts of therapy flying out of her brain. "You--you did?" Zoe managed. She shook her head. "I don't mean to sound surprised: it's just... I didn't know there was even anyone you fancied!" At least, not anyone Olivia had mentioned, right? There had been something about a stolen first kiss that Zoe could recall...

[Olivia Chance]

"Well you look more confident or something too. Can't quite my finger on it, but yeah. But no you're not projecting. Not completely in any case." And Zoe was commenting on the therapy. Yeah it was nice.

"Plus it can be super casual if that's what makes you comfortable. I like that. I would never have gone to the office." Zoe was quite obviously surprised at Olivia. She couldn't help but blush.

"There...wasn't. Even if I did, I figured nobody should have to deal with my issues. But...a guy asked me to prom. He was a friend before. Now I don't really know. I kissed him and he seemed happy, so I don't know...I don't think we're just friends anymore. Plus...well...he made me...he repeated..." She reddened even more and ducked her head with a smile.

"He made sure I acknowledged I was great. That might not seem that big a deal or whatever but...I dunno." She rubbed the back of her neck uncertainly. Olivia was not used to girl talk. At all.

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

More confident? Zoe had to smile at that, smile and lower her gaze. She liked to think she did, that she was different now, though at the same time, she couldn't quite say as much. Thankfully the conversation moved onto their insecurities, which did seem to be fairly safe ground for them.

"The office isn't bad," Zoe replied softly, all too glad that they'd moved onto Olivia's love life within just those few words. Zoe listened, almost rapt, as Olivia explained. A friend had asked her to prom, a male friend apparently. Kissing went on. And he'd insisted that Olivia state that she was great.

"Good," Zoe said definitively, nodding, "because you most definitely are quite great. But I'm glad to hear that you've got someone! It's quite wonderful, isn't it?" Zoe forced a smile there, trying not to think of her string of failed relationships, and especially the latest, with Alice...

[Olivia Chance]

Zoe was right. The office probably wasn't bad. But going in there felt like admitting there was something wrong with her. She didn't see anything wrong with other people doing that, but herself? She would feel too on edge. She heard her friend's words on her love life and she grinned.

"He's a good guy. A couple years younger than me, but he's fun to be around. And he can be grown-up when he tries. Maybe you've met him...Martin Grey?" She saw that forced smile.

"Another reason why I'm doing well is I finally discovered something I'm good at. I joined the swim team. I figured with water powers it was kind of inevitable." But that forced smile...

"What's wrong Zoe? Spill. You can't fool me."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

A good guy, a younger guy. that latter threw Zoe off ever so slightly, not enough for her to actually say or do anything about it, but it sounded a bit odd. the name didn't sound familiar either.

"I don't think I've met him," Zoe admitted. She could still hear the bit about what was wrong but was, in true Zoe fashion, determined to push past it. Apparently some things hadn't completely changed. "Oh, and did you say something about swim team? That must be quite impressive, and it certainly makes sense with your power,' Zoe nodded. "I'll have to attend a meet and take some pictures sometime."

She was tempted, and definitely ready, to start asking questions about the boyfriend as well (or quasi-boyfriend, or whatever. She'd definitely have to try and meet him [which would definitely be interesting, to say the least]).

[Olivia Chance]

She chuckled.

"Probably not. If you'd met him, you'd remember. He probably would've made some kind of comment about beautiful women. There's been more than once we've chuckled over him staring at the tennis club or the yoga girls." And yet, she didn't even care if he stared at them. It wasn't a matter of feeling jealous. She knew they were hot. She valued his honesty around her actually. Besides, he genuinely cared about her and wasn't just ogling her.

"Um...I haven't really been in a meet yet. I barely got shown around. Had a quick conversation with Alice." She chuckled.

"And damn if I do mean quick. But then again, I was mostly wanting to swim so I didn't really care if she was a little frosty with me." Those wings though...she also noticed that Zoe had avoided her question.

"You don't get to dodge that easily by the way. You know everything ugly about me, from my anger issues to my past with my brother. And yet you're not telling me something. I won't push any further than this, but...if something's wrong I'd like to at least have the chance to help."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Would've remembered, well, that... made sense. Less sense was hearing that Olivia had fallen for someone who would make comments like that. Then again, she did need someone who supported her, and it wasn't as if Zoe could really judge. She'd fallen for Devyn Solway after all, who was in many ways a female version of that. Well, perhaps not quite that extreme, not any more, though Zoe could've sworn she started like that.

But yes, swimming. No meets, a conversation. "Right, she mentioned that!" the lie came easy, anything to keep the conversation moving. "I'm sure you'll be quite brilliant about it, even if you don't use your power. I wouldn't worry about the brevity of the meeting either," Zoe waved a hand absently. that did sound just like Alice. She'd even been like that with Zoe, and they'd been in love with one another.

Everything ugly: "You know everything ugly about me too,' Zoe pointed out. At least, she was fairly certain. Really it came down the the Lesbian Pikachu business and what happened with her sister... well, and being shot at. Can't forget that. Zoe certainly couldn't. "I--" she opened her mouth, then closed it, chewing her cheek. Might as well: "Alice and I... broke up," she offered, looking toward the screen. "she got a scholarship to a culinary institute and I told her to go..." Zoe shrugged, feeling some water welling in her eyes. What else was there to say on it, really? She was over it. Obviously the tears were just from staring at a blank television.

[Olivia Chance]

When Olivia called her on her hiding something, Zoe looked like she was tempted to lie. Olivia could understand that. And she saw the mouth open and then close. And then she dropped the bombshell and Olivia sighed. She was sad for Zoe, but she was happy her friend had told her. Olivia didn't know quite what to do so she settled for moving a little closer to her friend. She squeezed her shoulder. The brief touch made her feel like she had pins and needles, but she didn't care. She just wished she couldn't do more.

"I'm sorry." Then she realized.

"Crap I'm an insensitive bitch. I was talking about Alice, and about me being in a new relationship and...crapcrapcrap." She hated it when she was unintentionally insensitive. She knew she couldn't have known, but it still bothered her. Zoe was basically the best friend she had, and not noticing this sooner made her feel kind of like a crappy friend. Like she needed to step it up a bit. She saw the tears and saw a possible opportunity. She looked at them and focused hard, bringing her hand up slightly. And the tears left their place on her friend's cheek.

"I've been practicing. Another hydrokinetic gave me tips. I wish there was more I could do to help. I...short of not letting you watch any Nicholas Sparks movies, I have no idea what to do."

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe heard the sigh, felt the hand touching her. The contact made her yelp slightly, jumping. She had a feeling like her power would be leaving those fingers all tingly soon enough, but she figured that Olivia would know enough to pull away in time. If not, well, the hand would probably just fall off Zoe's shoulder before any real damage could be done.

"It's alright," Zoe insisted, sliding the words in just before Olivia's realization. That came and Zoe almost felt like crying again. She shook her head. "You didn't know!" she insisted, turning to face Olivia. "I'm fine, really. I'm just... not with someone right now," she shrugged as though they were discussing something that hadn't involved one of the few other people that Zoe had been deeply, romantically involved with. Zoe could feel the tears building again, and just as quickly felt them sliding up.

The surprise made Zoe draw a hand up to the eye. Olivia quickly explained: her power. "That's quite impressive," Zoe admitted, her shock replacing her sadness for those few moments. She looked down at her fingers while Olivia continued, ending up shaking her head. She eventually looked at Olivia, a much truer smile on her face now. "You're already helping, honest. Plus," she gestured at the movies, "we have movies to watch! That's actually one of my favorites," she pointed at Frozen, flushing as she did so. It just felt so... so very little girl of her. Well, she was just barely an adult, right? She was allowed a few little girl moments.

[Olivia Chance]

She'd taken her hand off Zoe's shoulder, but she was so very tempted to put it back when her friend looked down. Olivia didn't feel like she was helping, but she supposed she wouldn't know how that would feel, seeing as she hadn't really had a friend before. Zoe mentioned the movie and Olivia looked at the movie and then back at her friend with one arched eyebrow.

"Did you purposely pick the movie about the ice manipulator to watch with the hydrokinetic? Thinking I might be able to get power tips from Elsa, are we?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

"What?" Zoe asked, looking back at the movie, wondering. The repetition of the name like that felt odd, especially given that there was an Elsa wandering around the school that even Zoe knew about. The photographer was quick in shaking her head. "No, no, that' definitely not," she flushed, lowering her head again. "It's, um, I just really like it?"

Because it was about someone who had to wear gloves all the time and eventually learned to let go of all her worries and cares through a rather rousing musical number. Plus there happened to be an utterly adorable snowman that wanted to melt for the people he cared about, which struck Zoe as being precisely what she would be and do were she an animated character. She wanted to be Elsa; she felt like Olaf.

"I see you brought a princess movie too," she pointed out, leaning forward and looking at the film selected. "I think I know that one? It came out when I was a little girl..." and she'd probably still been in England then, if memory served.