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Katie Bell ([info]bellsy) wrote in [info]strugglewithin,
@ 2008-11-28 15:46:00

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Entry tags:*complete, alicia spinnet, august 1997, katie bell

RP: All this Lost Time
Date: 28 August 1997
Characters: Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet
Location: Diagon Alley, London (Gringotts and thenceforth)
Status: Private
Summary: Katie resumes long-lost contact with a good friend.
Completion: Complete


Anxiety had two distinct definitions: distress or uneasiness caused by a fear of danger, and also an eager excitement. Katie was feeling both at the moment. She was barely 18 years old, just out of school, and living alone for the first time. She was understandably excited. But she was living alone in Diagon Alley, a staple of Britain's wizarding world, as an 18-year old girl who had previously been blindsided by an attack that left her survival a miracle. Katie was even more understandably terrified.

After her parents had finally left her to unpacking in her tiny flat the night before, Katie had collapsed in her bed, exhausted. Now, early afternoon on her first day unnervingly alone, she had to make sure her new life was all in order. She would be starting her job at Whizz-Hard the next morning, so today was all about taking care of new business. And, maybe some old business...

Which is the reason she found herself standing in front of the long counters in the Gringotts lobby. She had previously filled out paperwork to have a small sum of the money from the family vault to be transferred to one she had just opened for herself, and was now just waiting for the goblin behind the tall counter to give her the all-clear and to shoo her away in her financial bliss. Or something like that.

Then, who knew what she was going to do. Ideally, explore the Alley with her head held high. Most likely, hide in her room for the rest of the day.


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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 05:03 pm UTC (link)
Alicia was having a rough day. First there had been the floo call from her mother this morning asking her to go out with one of her friend's sons (poor thing, he was all shaken up about his work with all the changes, her mother had said in hushed tones), and then when she'd come to work, she'd faced a two hour inquiry from the goblins about her meeting with Selwyn last night, during which they'd questioned her allegiances and her intentions, and muttered behind her back in Goblin as if she couldn't understand exactly what they were saying about her.

She was dead knackered, and still she had a full case load for the afternoon. Her mind was full of lots of things when she headed through the front of Gringotts on the way to grab a sandwich for lunch before starting work again. She was about to dash out the employee entrance when she caught sight of a familiar blonde head leaving one of the Goblin's cages.

Alicia's eyes widened and she headed back towards the main floor, boot heels clacking.

"Excuse me, Miss. I think you forgot something!"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 05:13 pm UTC (link)
Finally, after a fairly long wait for the ever impatient Katie Bell, the goblin handling her paperwork and account finally returned to the counter and confirmed that everything was all nice and safe in the underground vaults. Feeling a least a little less uneasy, Katie smiled a thanks and goodbye and turned to head out of the long, marble-floored lobby.

She was halfway headed out the huge front doors when her pacing was interrupted by a voice behind her. She was in the midst of an internal battle with herself about where she would head next when she spun around immediately, reflexes and maybe instinct coming into play, and it wasn't until after she had turned completely toward the voice that she realized she had recognized it clearly.

Still, she squinted her eyes a bit toward the owner of the voice to be completely sure, but resumed her previous surprised look when she was positive.

"Well if it isn't the ubiquitous Alicia Spinnet!" she remarked almost giddily when the former was close enough to hear her clearly. Seemed like her friends would seek her out before she even got the chance to go looking for them.

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 05:26 pm UTC (link)
"Ubiquitous but sorely missed, I hope," Alicia said cheerfully, sweeping the other girl into a hug before letting her go. "How are you? Did you come to get money or harass goblins or to see yours truly?"

Katie looked much the same physically as Alicia remembered, but it had been more than a year since they'd last seen each other, and from what she understood from some of the people that had been around last year, alot had changed.

"You look good," she said, smiling. "Very good. I can't believe it's been so long."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 05:34 pm UTC (link)
"Oh, of course!" Katie grinned cheerfully as she was hugged by Alicia and then let go, before shrugging on the exhale of a melodramatic breath. "I'm doing pretty well, actually...came to make sure my vault was all set up. I actually had no idea you were working here."

The last statement was sort of sheepish, even though there was really no way that Katie would've known. They hadn't seen each other in so long, after all. In fact, she was pretty sure Alicia probably knew more about her past year than Katie knew of the other girls; it wasn't huge news in the Prophet or anything, but her parents had saved and shown her the inner-page hooha the paper had made about a student being cursed by an outside force while under the school's responsibility.

"You, too, as always," she replied, stepping back playfully to give the other girl a once-over before grinning again. "It's been too long. How have you been? Well, I hope?"

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 05:42 pm UTC (link)
"I transferred back at the start of summer," she said easily, her eyes alert though as she scanned the bank, both for her employers and also possible threats. The encounter with Selwyn yesterday had unnerved her a bit.

"I'm well enough. I've seen Ang some, and the boys, but not as much as I'd like. Everyone's been distracted with... things." She lowered her voice a bit, then took Katie's arm with her own.

"Come on, I'm about to go get lunch before they drag me back in to work again. Come with me? We can catch up. I can tell you how my Mother is trying to torture me and you can tell me how you've been."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 05:50 pm UTC (link)
Katie had known that Alicia had gotten a job as a cursebreaker, and that she had spent time in Peru; naturally she had kept contact with all of her friends during that first summer apart. Once school got hectic... Katie didn't even know what had happened to their correspondence.

Turning back toward the door with Alicia's arm in hers, she nodded simply at the other girl's confirmation. Everyone was well, then. Busy with things, but well nonetheless. More uneasiness lifted off her shoulders; she felt less out of the loop, finally.

"Oh, no, she's at it again?" Katie let out a groan through her grin as they headed out, referring to the news of Alicia's mother trying to 'torture her'. It was so natural to fall back into stride with Alicia, they had been good enough friends; it seemed so easy. "What is it this time?"

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 05:57 pm UTC (link)
There would be time enough later to tell her about George's strange injury. She also imagined Katie had been following the paper enough lately to see what was going on at the Ministry.

Chit chat about her mother would be good though while they headed somewhere a bit more private. Alicia felt she was starting to get paranoid, but she didn't like the idea of anyone overhearing her conversations. Who know what might be used against them?

Her mother though had been conversational fodder for years. While she was content to let Alicia be the tomboy and play Quidditch and be a Cursebreaker, from time to time she'd try to at least a semblance of making her daughter a proper witch.

"She's set me up with the son of one of her Garden friend's sons," Alicia said. The thought suddenly made her think of Selwyn. He wouldn't have done that, would he? It had to just be a coincidence. The thought scared her a little though, because it was possible. She tried to relax and not think about that, make a joke. "He probably is super short and wears a purple beanie."

They headed down Diagon towards a little sandwich shop that she frequented often. It was inexpensive and had decent food.

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 06:09 pm UTC (link)
Katie was actually thankful that they were having a nice, casual, catching up conversation. With everything that had been happening, with everything that had happened, and now her having to fully fend for herself... it eased her uneasiness and paranoia a bit.

And she was twice as thankful to know that she wasn't completely alone in the middle of London.

"When are mothers going to learn that setting us up isn't going to work? That we're always going to fall for the exact opposite?" Her own mother often tried to have a serious conversation about boys with her (in fact, her father did, too, before it got awkward and they just burst into laughter); she knew where Alicia was coming from. And she knew to avoid the topic at all costs.

She looked around the shop curiously before turning back to her friend. She had never really explored Diagon Alley in its entirety; previously, she had just come for school supplies. In and out. She was bound to discover places she'd never seen before.

She continued the conversation, quieter, as to not be overheard. "Other than dating qualms, though, how's things been? Catch me up."

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 06:15 pm UTC (link)
Alicia led the way to a table in a corner, then, with a look around, cast a Muffliato charm around their table, just in case. It was after one, and the place was pretty empty, but she wasn't taking any chances.

"Lots," she said softly, even with the charm. "I'm living in Diagon now. You know what's been going on in the paper. Most of our group is alright, but the twins have been really Mum on their brother Ron and his ... friends. And something happened to George. There was a fight, something. He's missing an ear. Doesn't seem too sensitive about it, but I figured you should know so it's not a shock when you see him."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 06:24 pm UTC (link)
Once Alicia was finished with her mini-monologue, Katie sat in silence for a moment, trying to register everything she had just told her. It wasn't even that it was terribly much, it was just...what?

After a second she shook her head slightly, as if to clear her thoughts, and exhaled slowly. "Whoa. You weren't lying about 'lots' happening, were you?" Katie glanced around slightly, even though she had seen Alicia do the charm, a bit unnerved by it all. She was still a bit jumpy, St. Mungo's couldn't cure that after-effect.

Another second of silence, and then, in more a statement than a question. "Everything's just gone mental around here, hasn't it?"

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 06:29 pm UTC (link)
"Afraid not. My parents wanted me to come back because they were worried about me, but now I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't have stayed in Peru." The waitress headed towards them to take their order and Alicia waved her off with a gesture to come back in a few minutes.

Her lips turned down slightly at the corners as she finally reached for a menu and slid one across to Katie as well.

"Yeah. It really has." Her eyes flickered across the crowded room. "People are disappearing. And someone came to work yesterday, asking how the Ministry could get into the funds of people who had been put in Azkaban. Muggleborns."

"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 06:40 pm UTC (link)
"I know what you mean. I'm beginning to wonder myself if it was a selfish idea to move out of my parents' house right now..." Katie's parents had absolutely no qualms with her staying with them longer, especially after the 'incident', and she knew her mother would be an absolute wreck worrying about her.

Another breath, before speaking, matter-of-factly, half trying to convince herself. "But there's no point in halting our lives because the world's gone mad."

Katie opened the menu under the pretense of looking through it, but was still too preoccupied to even think of deciphering what sort of meal she was going to buy. Suddenly, her last words seemed ridiculous. Quietly, she stated the obvious, along with something she had been holding back from her parents during the move. "Anything can happen to anyone. I don't... even know what to do with myself anymore."

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 06:44 pm UTC (link)
Alicia gave Katie a sympathetic and understanding glance. "Sometimes I know exactly what you mean," she said. "But I guess right now we hold on and hope for the best." She bit her lip, thinking about her meeting yesterday, about how scared she'd felt, about how she probably would have sold people out if it had meant saving herself or her family. That frightened her too. She wasn't going to deliberately turn anyone in, that was ridiculous, and she'd warn her friends who were Muggleborns and try to help them, but if she thought she was in danger... she didn't know what she would do.

Her lips felt dry and she wet them with a drink of the water the waitress had plopped down a few moments ago.

"We'll all stick together though," she said. "That will help, at least we won't be alone."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 06:50 pm UTC (link)
"Things always have a way of working themselves out in the end... it just... depends on how far away the 'end' is." Once again it sounded slightly like she was trying to convince herself of the truth, but at least she managed to snap herself out of the internally panicked state she had been in since she got to the restaurant.

Katie tried to concentrate on the menu in front of her once more, but finally shook her head, running a hand through her hair distractedly. "There's no way I'll have an appetite until we change the subject. Let's have a more lighthearted chat, yeah? We've been apart for so long!" She managed to get another grin out, one that was genuine if not a little worried, still, but one that would hopefully begin to steer the conversation in a different direction.

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 06:53 pm UTC (link)
Al felt a pang of remorse that she'd made Katie feel badly, it just there wasn't that much good to talk about lately it seemed.

"Hmm.." she said, trying to think. "Well, I scrapped for a danish with Adrian Pucey in a coffee shop a few weeks ago. And then I poured coffee on his shoes. How's that?"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 06:58 pm UTC (link)
That'll do, Katie thought as she let out a slight snort of laughter at Alicia's subject change. "Pucey Pucey?" Of course, there was probably no other Adrian Pucey in the UK that would cause Alicia to pour coffee on his shoes, but she still loved how... fitting his surname was.

"What did he do this time?" She asked, genuinely curious and thankful for having something else to think about, before grinning playfully and stating, teasingly, "You just have not been having good luck with dating lately, have you?"

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 07:11 pm UTC (link)
Alicia's mouth dropped open. "That was so not a date. He stole my Danish and I stole it back and then it went on to name calling and spilling and..." She flushed slightly when she realized Katie was having her on, then stuck out her tongue.

"Not nice. You and Verity need to get together on this one. She teased me no end about it too, of course she's friends with the git."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 07:18 pm UTC (link)
"It sure sounds like a date," Katie responded, laughing through the other girl's insistence that it wasn't. "A date between two playground enemies. Didn't you ever hear that you're supposed to make fun of the boy or girl you like?"

Rolling her eyes as the moment died down, Katie took a sip of her own water before raising her eyebrow playfully. "Verity. This'll be my replacement now, is it? Needed to even out the female ratio in our group again, yeah?"

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 07:41 pm UTC (link)
"Next you'll be saying he should pull my plaits and I should try to kiss him," Alicia said, wrinkling her nose.

As Katie next spoke, Alicia looked up in surprise. "No one could replace you Katie. I've known Verity since we were kids though, and she works in the shop with the boys now. Keeps them in line, which they need from time to time." She smiled. "You could try asking Fred and George that though, see what they say. She is another blonde."

She leaned her chin on her hand. "So. Speaking of you. What's going on with you? Are you working now? You're moving here?"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 07:51 pm UTC (link)
"Yes, I'm sure that's exactly why they hired her," Katie remarked dryly, smirking slightly. She still had that little tugging feeling in the back of her mind whenever someone mentioned the twins' shop, reminding her that she had never stopped in. Even when she was picking up her school supplies the summer before. She supposed she had to eventually, now.

Nodding once when Alicia changed the subject to Katie herself, lurching her out of her thoughts, she shrugged lightly before responding. "Yeah I got a job at Whizz-Hard," she began, gesturing toward the general location of the book publisher/store in the Alley. "In exchange for the tiny closet above the shop. Need somewhere to live, after all. Moved in last night, actually."

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 08:02 pm UTC (link)
That perked Alicia's attention. "Ooh, we should compare my tiny closet to your tiny closet. I have a skylight though, makes it worthwhile. It has a ladder up to the roof too."

The waitress finally came back and Alicia placed an order for a jacket potato with beans, an old standby favorite.

"It's good to be out on your own," she said. "Scary a bit, but good. I've started trying to cook... ish. You can come over and we can try and not burn down my tiny kitchen together."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 08:10 pm UTC (link)
Katie had been so caught up in the conversation that she was caught off-guard when the waitress came over, so after a few seconds of awkward stammering she finally decided on the first thing that sounded good: just a simple turkey and cheese sandwich. Good thing she wasn't that hungry.

Once the waitress disappeared with their orders, Katie turned back to her friend, smiling good-naturedly. "Yours sounds much more livable. Well. I just have a tiny window, but at least it overlooks the front of the Alley and not a brick wall."

Running her fingers through her hair again, she racked her mind for something they hadn't touched upon in their conversation, and then realized, grinning: "Ooh, how's Ang? I don't think we've chatted about her specifically in this conversation."

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 08:15 pm UTC (link)
Alicia smiled a bit at that. "Ang is Ang. I think she's doing pretty well. She's been pretty quiet lately, working hard between the Auror program and the Leaky. You should go down one night and see her when she's working, she can usually be persuaded to slip us a free drink."

She leaned back in her chair, considering her friend. "You're really okay?"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 08:23 pm UTC (link)
Katie gave off a look of mock-dispair, slumping in her seat slightly. "Even Ang has a decided career in mind? I really should decide what I want to do with my life soon, then!" Sighing slightly, she grinned again, thinking of how distinctly... Angelina it was to slip free drinks to her friends. Katie really needed to get in touch with the rest of the little clique, and soon. Just thinking of them made her feel more easy.

And then Alicia was looking at her as if her whole good-humoredness had been a facade. So she smiled genuinely. "I'm fine, Alicia. Really, I am." She looked down at the table thoughtfully for a moment, before deciding that if, by some crazy chance, her friend hadn't heard about the necklace incident, she was about to now.

"I still get a little weird sometimes when there's... I dunno, a lot of people aroumd. Or I'm somewhere I feel uncomfortable around. If that's what you're even asking about. And I still haven't been back to Hogsmeade." She grinned then, though, to lighten the mood a bit. "I reckon everything'll be fine, though, providing I stay away from cursed necklaces."

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 08:30 pm UTC (link)
Alicia nodded not wanting to press the issue. If Katie wanted to talk about it, she would.

"That's probably a good idea," she said with a half smile. "Not to mention they probably just aren't good fashion accessories in general." Her smile widened just a little and she restrained herself from giving Katie a hug, but she did reach across the table to squeeze her hand.

"I'm glad you're back," she said. "Hasn't been the same without you around. Now I know why it seemed so quiet."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 08:38 pm UTC (link)
Katie was pretty relieved that Alicia had not pressed the subject, not because she had any trouble talking about it at this point, having had a summer to 'get over it', but she wanted to keep the conversation as lighthearted as possible for now.

It definitely continued to be lighthearted as Katie responded to the other girl's final remark, and she grinned and let out another short bout of laughter. "Right. Because you lot are just so very quiet."

She continued to playfully shake her head at the thought in disbelief before sighing slightly, nodding in genuine agreement. "I'm glad I'm here, too, though. Makes things easier with you all around."

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 08:41 pm UTC (link)
Alicia nodded. "I agree. In all of this it definitely helps to have your friends."

Their food came and she dug in happily, looking up at Katie and grinning. "Alright then, friend. Help me plot ways to escape my beanie wearing date if he gets too familiar over dinner."

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 08:49 pm UTC (link)
Katie likewise began to eat as soon as the food arrived, having woke up late and without breakfast. She continued to look down at her plate as Alicia spoke, and responded teasingly without looking up. "You could always spill coffee on his shoes."

She giggled almost silently in spite of herself, imagining Alicia's face before looking up at her friend after swallowing the bite she had been chewing. "No, but really. You're asking me for dating advice? I haven't been in contact with anyone remotely close to being relationship material in months, it seems." She grinned the entire time she said it, but nonetheless, it was particularly true. Since school ended, at least.

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 08:55 pm UTC (link)
"It's just because you're pretty and blonde," Alicia said blithely. "You know, have more fun, all that. We brunettes are just sad, empty shells waiting for your crumbs of advice."

She started to laugh and was prepared to duck in case Katie threw something at her. This was good, a bit of normalcy in a crap day could be a very good thing.

"So. Months? Anyone I know then? Or just random cute blokes?"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 09:04 pm UTC (link)
After recovering from the ridiculousness of her friend's statement, Katie shook her head, grinning a bit sheepishly. It was like secondhand embarrassment, her insane lack-of-love-life, even when discussing it with a close friend. After another bite of her sandwich, she finally responded.

"No dating. Not what I meant. There just haven't been any potential boys to even pretend to flirt with since I left school. And even in my last year! It was just like, 'everyone I know has left school!', and... I don't know where I'm going with this."

And she busied herself with eating more of the sandwich, not even knowing how to continue her train of thought.

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 09:07 pm UTC (link)
Ah. Well, that would be fixed eventually. Katie was adorable, and any bloke that didn't think so was an idiot in Alicia's opinion.

"Stop to see Fred and George," Alicia said again. "I'm sure they'll always be happy to flirt with you."

She took another bite of her food and looked at her watch. Blast, she had about five minutes to finish and then she had to run.

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 09:16 pm UTC (link)
"Yeah, I bet." Katie muttered through an exhale, grinning slightly, before finishing the last bite of the fairly small sandwich she had ordered. She wiped her hands on the napkin next to her before taking another sip of the water.

"You, on the other hand, Spinnet, are going on a bonafide date tonight. Set up by dear ol' Mum or not, it at least has the potential of going somewhere besides in... circles. Or even nowhere." It seemed slightly bitter, but she continued to grin matter-of-factly through it, to keep it from seeming in any way bitter or wistful.

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[info]unspun
2008-11-28 09:21 pm UTC (link)
Alicia gave Katie a look. "Tell you what. Next time my Mum sets me up, and believe me, I'm sure there will be a next time knowing her, unless I marry this one and have his babies. I'll have you go instead of me." She smiled back at her.

"Of I'll just find you a hot bloke next time we go to the Leaky and push you at him. How could he possibly resist?" She finished her food and left her money on the table.

"I need to go, but... we'll have dinner soon? I'm just up the way, above the little antiquities shop?"

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[info]bellsy
2008-11-28 09:26 pm UTC (link)
"Sounds like a plan," Katie responded dryly, rolling her eyes before watching Alicia stand to leave. "Yeah, of course. I have to unpack still, anyway." She left the money for her food on the table as well, preparing to leave herself.

Finishing her water quickly, she teasingly called out slightly after Alicia, though she hadn't completely left yet. "Have fun on your date! I promise not to tell your boyfriend Pucey about it if I see him!"

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