Re: Crowd Outskirts: Conner/Donna
Donna also wanted an excuse to go inside the manor, but there was a strange dread that filled her when she thought about it. Her mind twisted around the idea as though she had been invited before, not in a party setting, and turned the offer down for one reason or another. That was impossible. She didn't know anyone that lived there, but she somehow knew she'd be in trouble if she entered. No, not trouble, more the feeling of receiving a disappointed lecture for... something. That made absolutely no sense, though. A lot of things around here didn't seem to make sense, she supposed. Case in point? A guy like Conner even paying her any sort of attention, let alone being her date. Was this a date? Yet another thing she was absolutely confused about.
"I think there would be more tentacles if it were octopus." His arm around her waist, as brief as it was, made her breath hitch in her throat. Those doe eyes darted up to his face just as he snapped his hand away, trying to not be disappointed at the sudden lack of contact. What was wrong with her? Donna couldn't remember the last time she had wanted anyone to be so physically close. She smiled shyly downwards, blushing fiercely, and used the food as a distraction, giggling and asking questions about the food as they worked their way through the buffet.
The empty benches were a beacon, and were this a movie (or even a comic book like that weird Flash guy said) the sky would have opened up to shine a heavenly spotlight down, paired with a choir of angels with harps and trumpets to sing that bench's praises. "Yes, please," she said wholeheartedly with fervent nodding, though she didn't even start to work her way over there until he was walking, too. After all, she was pretty rubbish at maneuvering her way through a crowd.
Once they were free from the crush of people, Donna quite visibly relaxed, not realizing how tense her body had been. She flopped down onto the bench, a roll of her shoulders helping to loosen the tight muscles that clenched at her spine. Her plate rested on her lap, and with apprehension poked at the lone squid ring among the other finger foods, quite oblivious at the moment to the much more intimate setting. "I don't know if I can do it," she stated, her attention turning once more to Conner. "Split the squid with me? If it's totally gross, we have other stuff to eat to get rid of the taste."