[ISS] In my Room (Ash 1.3)

Rich

Ashlee,

When you get out of class, Priscilla walked with you for a moment, asking if you'd like to come over to her room to watch T-Crush. What did you tell her?

Nadja isn't around for some reason, so the room's all yours. What's your room like? What do you like most about it? What's broken here?

scott

Class couldn't end soon enough. I gather my things (just my Navi and my glasses which sometimes end up on my desk) and sit still long enough for most everyone to get to the door first. I stand when it's safe and go quietly to the hall.

I'm not feeling great about what happened, and when Priscilla unexpectedly asks me to come hand out it's really surprising. There's no way i can sit through T-Crush. Not after today.

"I... I'm not feeling too great... sorry," I make a lame excuse and hurry ahead down the hall. It's hard not to look back. I wonder why she's asking? She can't like me... there's no way two people are being this nice to me on the same day. And she used to date him right? What possible reason could we have to be friends?

I take a few deep breaths as I reach the safety of the room. Happy to find it empty, "welcome home, Ashlee!" I mock-chirp to myself in greeting.

"I'm home..." I answer as the door slides shut behind me with a click. I don't bother with the ceiling lights, they buzz and blink and annoy the hell out of me... been that way since before un-school. If we were kids of someone important like Ourania, they'd probably been fixed ages ago.

The room is decorated with Nadja's stuff. Her old posters, her clothes in unruly piles, her collection of mementos and the little fridge humming away full of her snacks I'm forbidden to touch. Our room has bunk beds, (they probably don't all) and she of course gets the top.

There's a dappled gray sheet hanging over my bunk, tucked in under the top one. Inside is my space, my only real space. And even though I'm alone I still slip into the comfortable dark. I like it in there, I like it when it's quiet... I hate it when she has company and I'm more of less stuck there. On the wall panel I've taped several colorful squares of gel-coat, translucent pieces of plastic which serve as my own kind of decoration. When I turn on the (thankfully functional) wall panel light they bathe me in color that is really kind of delightful.

My clothes are piled up at the foot of my bed and I'm happy that I'm one of the shorter girls in class. At least I can still stretch out.

She gave me a corner of the closet once, but one day my stuff was all tossed on the floor... no explanation. That didn't last long.

I lay out and flick on my colors, take a moment to adjust the hanging sheet to make sure there's no gaps, and finally... relax.

Rich

You relax for a bit, drift off into a reverie. It's nice, here, alone, nobody to taunt you, to mock you. Your own place.

Ting Ting Ting

That sound again. Not the groaning of pipes, but a sound like someone's tapping the wall. That's the second day in a row. Same time, too, right after class. Could be another kid?

What do you do?

scott

Feels like a dream at first. On my mind is what happened in class today, it keeps running through my mind... why was Priscilla asking me over? Why was Tabitha giving me a break in the hall? Does she really want to talk to me? It didn't feel like she wanted something from me... or to put me down.

That tap-tapping though... it's just enough to rouse me from my thoughts. I push aside my sheet and look around the darkened room to see where it might be.

"Hello?" I finally and tentatively ask. "If you're trying to scare me it's not working."

Someone pulling a prank?

"Nadja? Cut it out ok, I just want to be alone."

I scan the room and listen.

Rich

The room still has that ever-present hum of the ship's engines. Since the lights are off, that annoyance isn't there.

Thirty seconds later.

Ting Ting Ting

Oh hey, Ashlee, are there any digital feeds you like to keep up with on Beacon Day? Is that not a thing for you?

There's a message on your Navi from Priscilla:
Hey, hope you are feeling better. Pris

scott

The navi glares at me, I pick it up and take it with me as I slip out of my bunk and stand up in the dark. Brightly colored light streams out to pool around my legs. I think about what to say as I walk slowly over to the exposed pipes which run along one wall near the roof.

I stare up at them and listen... but after a few seconds I decide to answer:
sorry about before. not a fan
I send the message and immediately start another:
im going to watch practice
Implied invitation to join me... about the best I can do right now. I smile softly and forget that I was listening for the pipes.

"Yeah. let's go watch..." I say to myself.

Rich

You tap out the message and head for the door, excited to see something other than the weird glowing tiles of your little bed area. You head for the door, then out into the corridor, and nearly run right into your roommate.


Nadja's changed to a black dress and boots, and she saw the door open, so you don't get a chance to stop short as she pushes you back a step, "Back off, Nerd Girl. Look where you're going! Stomm!" She glares at you, then steps right up to you, "Where are you going, anyways?"

scott

She pushes me around, which sucks, but is typical. Not worth a fight, though, I just stand back to let her in as I answer, "what do you care? I'm going to the speedball court... you have a problem with that?"

Little wtf gesture and I can't help thinking how smug and self-important she looks all dressed up. I wonder who she's after... I worry about who. I'm full of frustration from earlier and can't keep my mouth shut.

I look at Nadja's face for a second and almost laugh, "did you get your head stuck in the auto-clean?" She's teased her hair out so much it looks like she's electric. Who is she trying to impress?

Heading to speedball... well, in the unlikely case that she lets it drop just like that.

Rich

She doesn't.


Your roomie grabs your arm, squeezing enough to leave little finger bruises later, "Drokk you, stick!" She pulls your arm, like she's going to drag you back into your room, "Why are you going to the speedball court? Gonna suck off Rys or something? We both know Zola hates you, and Jace, too. And Mark, he's off limits. Period. So it's Rys, right? You his little slut now?"

Are you going to let her pull you into the room?

scott

I try to twist out of her grasp and into the hall and hiss under my breath, "Rys? No way! Let go of me, drokk! That hurts!"

I try to plant a foot on the door frame, wrest myself free and bolt. It's a quick and kind of violent reaction, just trying to take her by surprise, not hurt her.

Rich

Let's see you run Away.... or try to.

scott

Running away: (+Volatile)
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 6, 2. Total: 10)
xp(2)

Rich

"Run, run away, Nerd Girl!" Nadja calls after you as you bolt, feet carrying you to the speedball court. Where you told Nadja you were going. Right? "I've got the room until curfew! Stay the drokk out, or you'll regret it!!" She yells down the corridor after you, her voice bouncing off the walls as fast as you're running.

You run right past an opening door and see Bea looking out curiously. She sees you run past and she seems startled, looks behind you to see what's up, but you're gone.

Go ahead and enter this scene if you're going to speedball practice after all.