French Lessons

[Addison Sloane]

Addison smiled at Franck's view on dreams. She'd have to pen that down for a song one day. She wouldn't call her business management major a dream but it was something she could likely fall back on.

It surprised Addison to know that Franck had been in the states for six years. To live, not visit, in another country for any amount of time sounded quite scary to Addison. She'd only been to two places to settle down and that already scared her shitless despite it being in the same country. She couldn't even imagine moving to say Canada even.

"Fourteen. I was a late bloomer." In so many ways than one, she was tempted to add but that would have been so gross. She still didn't know exactly what this kid's power was. God, what if it was telepathy? That would be mortifying.

The food finally showed up and Addison nodded and thanked the waiter in fluent Mandarin. Well, it was literally the only thing in Mandarin she could actually say so she might as well be fluent in that.

Turning to Franck, she grabbed the chopsticks and grinned at him. "I really hope you're okay with Chinese because this is definitely the best."

[François Laffont]

When Franck sensed some surprised from Addison at the mention of how long he’d been here, he thought it was because she wouldn’t think it had been this long. “I know, you can still hear in my accent that I am not from here. I learned to tone it down a lot compared to what it was when I first arrived but I never fully got rid of it. I guess it’s also because I don’t really want to. People understand me anyway.” Why should he feel bad that people could tell he was not from here? He really was not. Besides, there were just so many different accents around here, even amongst the different states, that he thought there was nothing wrong in having one showing he was French. Not everyone could tell. They knew it was different, that he had to be from somewhere else but they were not always sure where exactly. It was not like Franck tried to hide it, he would say should someone ask, but he was fine with that.

“Late? I thought the average was fifteen. Maybe it’s for guys though, they always say girls mature faster. Puberty and all...” He knew that thirteen was more an age girls got their power than boys. But several things came in play, he supposed, and his power came out just at the perfect time. Maybe not for him but it sure did. He frowned some as the conversation went on. He had no idea what she’d been thinking but for a moment, she really, really didn’t like it.

He let her order but unlike her, he didn’t take the chopsticks when she returned. “I’m fine, really. Just not really good with those though,” he said, pointing at her chopsticks. Luckily, Chinese restaurants knew not everyone were good with them and would offer more conventional cutlery.

[Addison Sloane]

"I think your accent is super intriguing." She smiled before it dropped just slightly. "Just your accent. I'm not trying to flirt with you or whatever. If your accent was on anyone else, I would still find it intriguing." She babbled, feeling slightly guilty that she even had to explain herself. "I mean..." she gave a small embarrassed chuckle before looking onward. Why must she always make things uncomfortable? She didn't know why.

Talk of puberty had Addison wincing slightly. "Uh...I was considered late in my age group?" She explained. A lot of the girls were far younger when she first got to Bellefonte. Some were as young as nine.

When he mentioned he wasn't good with chopsticks, she nodded and waved him over to the cutlery station. "We had a lot of takeout when I was younger. Chinese being a main because it was the cheapest around my area." She broke the wooden chopsticks in half and started digging in. "You learn pretty quickly how to use these." She pulled out a dumpling and dropped it into her noodles before pulling it into her mouth.

"Hong Li, you genius." She said in between chews.

[François Laffont]

He laughed at what she said about his accent. “Yes, I got it. I just wanted to make it clear the first time. If it is for both of us, I don’t mind. Compliments are always welcomed, no?” He was smiling at that. A part of him was jesting of course, to make the situation less awkward, but it was true. If she needed him to tell her she was beautiful, talented, kind-hearted and overall ten levels of awesome, he could. And he would not be flirting. So long as it was clear, he had no problem with it.

He shrugged about puberty. He was not really an expert in that, especially in woman’s puberty. “I was rather young myself when I got my power. Especially for boys. Most of those I’ve talked to told me they got theirs around fifteen or sixteen. I keep thinking what happened before played in it somehow. I just wished I could tell what my mother was feeling and the next day, I could. I know, it’s not how it works but that’s still a weird coincidence, no?” He knew it had more to do with genetics. It had all to do with it apparently. But he also thought the environment mattered. Kissing that boy, the feelings it brought him, his mother freaking out... he couldn’t see it as just a coincidence. He didn’t think it was some sort of divine punishment though.

He nodded as she explained where her experience with chopsticks came from. “My mother didn’t like it too much. And we didn’t go to the restaurant often. But if we did, it was more for pizza. I’m not even sure we had a Chinese restaurant where I’m from.” Which brought another question, but he waited until she was done with the noodles in her mouth, and the praise to the establishment for how good it was, before talking. That even brought him a little smile to see her like that. “Where are you from?”

[Addison Sloane]

Addison gave Franck a thumbsup. It was easy for her to get into this state of mind of being carefree with someone who was this kind. She was still a little guarded and she still wouldn't like it if he suddenly touched her, but the upbeat side of her came through quite clearly if she surrounded herself with the right people. Present company included.

Her manifestation had been ridiculously disgusting. Anything to do with blood was disgusting but she had long since embraced it. "It's a good thing if like, your ability is more...internal because nobody really sees it you know? But if it's something like mine...I mean it would gross people out. Hell, it grossed me out." She shrugged, still not wanting to share. They were at a foos establishment. They would have time later.

"Oh," she elongated her one syllable response and nodded. "Yeah that makes sense though." She smiled before shrugging at the question. "Well, prior to coming here? I was from Georgia. But before that and really, after that even, I've been everywhere. I've only really just settled here recently." She answered with a quick smile before she continued with her food.