Tiny Heart Who: X-23 OTA What: Scoping out the downtown area of Westchester When: December 7, 2010 Where: Downtown Rating: PG-13 to be safe. Laura has a potty mouth.
It was cold out and getting dark too damn early. Fifteen after four in the afternoon and already the sky was the color of cotton candy from a setting sun. It pissed Laura off, as was evident by her expression as she looked up through the trees in the park. The wind blew strands of her long dark hair across her face. Laughter caught her ears and as she raised a delicate hand to sweep the hair from her vision, she saw three teenage boys walking up the path and in her direction. She moved away from the path, hands shoved into her pockets, and made her way to the swings.
The seat was cold against her skin as she sat, the chains icy in her hands but it was hardly a deterrent. She kicked her feet and swung forward a foot or two, then back. The boys were closer now, wrapped in scarves and heavy jackets. Even from so far away she could smell the mixture of different colognes in the wintery wind. Bags of different colors and sizes were being carried and Laura knew these were "good boys." They were probably out shopping for their mothers and their girlfriends. Good boys weren't usually much fun, and Laura wasn't really looking for any action tonight anyway.
When the boys had passed without so much as a glance in her direction, she was up again and walking back toward town. Music drifted through the air, her sensitive ears picking up the tune and recognizing it as "Silent Night." A bell was ringing somewhere as well. Probably one of those idiots looking for charitable donations from strangers. Who really gave anything but spare change to those things, anyway? No one had any real money anymore and if they did, they spent it on themselves. Expecting people to just give away their money was as fantastic as thinking a fat guy in a bright red suit would come down the chimney and give you everything you wanted for the holidays. Stupid idiots. The world was full of them.
Dark eyes scanned the shop windows and she grimaced. All the colored lights, garland, ornaments...how could people not find this garish and sense offending? Did people really enjoy this utter crap?
The coffee shop was her destination. She crossed the street and found the man with the bucket and a bell. He was afforded a passing sneer before Laura ascended the steps and walked into the warm cafe. More scents; chocolate, coffee, cream, sugar, raspberry, flour...it was one of her few pleasures in life, walking into a bakery. Somehow it was comforting even if there was no real reason why it should be. She got in line, keeping her hands in her pockets and her eyes down, waiting her turn to place her order.