heartfeltsanity (heartfeltsanity) wrote in the_dome, @ 2013-10-01 00:34:00 |
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Entry tags: | 04-11-2017, audrey, audrey and noah, noah |
passions
Who: Noah and Audrey
Where: around town
When: early evening
Noah was behind in looking for Sylvia. He’d spent some time at the school and then talking to Avery and now it was getting later in the day. He didn’t care though. He was going to go out looking for her anyway. Starting with her house first and then working his way northward this time. He just needed a few supplies and he’d just finished gathering them in town. So what if the full moon was tonight? He was way north of the encampment and he could handle himself, he was sure.
He was just passing in front of the salon, cutting through on his way past the hospital toward the end of Sage road. Lost in thought and plan, he wasn’t focused enough on what he was doing. The door to the shop opened and he collided with the person exiting. His hands shot out immediately to save them both from falling which meant he ended up holding both her arms above the elbow for a moment before he let got, backed off, and said, “I am so sorry. Mind was somewhere else. Are you okay?”
Audrey squeaked slightly, though laughed when she was steadied. "God, I need to watch where I'm going!" she said, smiling at the guy. Who was familiar. "Hey! I know you from school, right?" she asked. "...Noah?" she suggested, thinking that was right. If not she was going to be hugely embarrassed. But he stood out, with those eyes and that hair, so yeah. She'd noted down his name at some point.
"Oh and I'm fine." she said, belatedly actually answering his question.
Noah did almost a double-take. He'd been ready to simply walk on, soldier by, but Audrey seemed to recognize him and do a bit of the self-deprecating thing. She'd obviously not been at fault, he had. "Yes, right. I am Noah. You're," and he paused, trying to remember her name though her face immediately came to mind from class. She was one of the people he'd observed and memorized random details from. Like Darcy's freckles. "You're Aubrey? You have the patience of a saint in class."
He nodded, a bit relieved. "I don't usually storm through town. But when I do, I apparently knock into classmates."
She smiled. "Audrey." she said. "But close!" she added. "And thanks. It's...something I'm kinda known for." she said with a shrug. At the last bit she laughed. "At least it's...I wanna say fun, but that could be the wrong word. Entertaining? Social? Something." she shrugged. "So, storming through town...that sorta sounds ominous."
Noah looked at her from a different angle for the first time. He took the correction and made sure he was precise on her name in the future. He almost smiled, his eyes going a bit more bright at her search for the right word. He wasn't sure she'd understood his meaning but that she had that kind of range of understanding was kind of cool. "Audrey, sorry," he said and then smiled a bit. "I'm looking for a friend who went walking," he replied. "Not very ominous but I guess I got focused. You sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I mean, I know I might look like glass, but I'm not." she said with a light smirk. She put the bag she was carrying over her shoulder better. "Were you supposed to go walking with them?" she asked, not quite sure what was up. "I don't know if I've seen people. Or, correction, I have, but I probably won't actually remember them, I've been in my own world."
Noah openly appraised her, a half smile curling his lips up to one side. "No, definitely not glass. Can't see through you at all." He felt a sense of urgency, wanting to get moving again to look for Sylvia, but he also refused to be rude. Not to mention, any interaction with girls his age was a learning process for him. Something that he valued because he hadn't benefited from much in the past. "No, I wasn't supposed to go with her but I think she's likely to get lost," he said, his half truth sliding out fairly easily. "She's been gone a long time so I decided to go looking for her. Thankfully Delphi is only so big, right?" He attempted a light laugh and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Your own world? Sounds like where I was."
She laughed at the appraisal. She almost said could you tell the guys that? but didn't. They were protective, she knew, but she wouldn't actually change that, she didn't think. "How long is long?" she asked, concerned. She watched him talk, seeming like he was trying not to be fidgety or the like. "I could spare a little time to help, just so long as I can get back to people before dark," she suggested, not minding. "And we could share a world for a little while while we look."
"I'm not entirely sure," he said though that was mostly a lie too. He knew Sylvia had been gone for almost 2 days but he literally did not know when she'd left. "But like you said it's going to be dark and with the strange things that have been happening around here, I kind of want to know she's okay. She's probably just holed up in the library or something." He shrugged. Wait, why was she offering to help him look? Could he tell her no thanks without raising more questions? He supposed he didn't have to answer but that would be rude and he was doing plenty enough lying already. Maybe looking for Sylvia would have to wait a little bit. He'd let Audrey help until dark and then he'd go into the forest. "If you want to come with me while I check, I'd be more than happy to share a world for a bit. So long as I'm not keeping you from where you were headed to next."
Well the werewolves are mostly locked up, I think! Audrey thought but didn't share. But she did nod. "Let's see if we can find her then." she said. "The library it is." She put the strap of the bag she was carrying more firmly on her shoulder, then turned to head in that direction. "Is this that girl...I'm sorry I don't think I actually know her name," she said, tone apologetic. "Blonde?" Super weird?
Noah had prepared an answer to the question she didn't ask. Which was, "What weird things?" And he had been ready to talk about the weird wolf attacks and didn't she remember the ghosts? But she didn't ask and he was fine with not having to lie to her again. He quirked a bit of a smile at her but it faded slightly when she mentioned Sylvia. He wondered what her thoughts were on his friend. "Sylvia. Yeah, we've been good friends since before the dome. She saved my life. I figure I owe it to her to make sure she's safe. Which I'm sure she is." He added the last bit because he wanted to reassure himself.
Audrey knew a self comforting statement when she heard it. After all, she made a career of it herself. She was constantly saying things hoping if she said it hard enough if would be true. She didn't call him on it, though, never wanting to take something away that she knew she needed so bad. "I know how that is. I actually still live with the friends I made out there. We sort of just...didn't so much like the idea of living apart, even if we could. I'm pretty sure all three of them have saved my life at some point." She gave a saddish smile. "Some things you carry with you forever, y'know?" Like, regardless of how difficult Finn could be sometimes, she’d never ditch him. Ever.
Noah nodded, harder than he normally would because he felt a little convicted by her statement. That she had quickly, precisely cut to the bone of the matter. He needed to find Sylvia because she'd be something he carried forever. Not a weight, not a burden, but she'd always be part of him. He wished he could somehow tell Sylvia that in a way she'd believe. His thoughts turned from that to how perceptive Audrey was. "Has anyone ever told you that you might make an excellent therapist?" he asked. Maybe the question was inane but he was sort of admiring her mind right then.
She smiled at that. "No," she said. "But I've thought about it. My first love is music, though. And...I think I just got good at that kind of stuff because of my circumstances. When everything started, it was just me and Eli. We grew up next door to one another. School was in session when things really hit hard, and we holed up at the school for a long time. But eventually supplies ran out and zombies got in, and I'm sure you know how that would have gone. But Eli, he carries a lot of anger with him. So, while it makes him an awesome zombie killer, he sometimes needed to be talked down when all that was done. Then we met up with Finn and Liam, and Liam...he sort of doesn't talk much at all. Quiet, in his shell type thing. And Finn...he's in his own world too," she explained. "Someone had to keep it together. That was me."
He listened to her story, his mind turning a bit on his own things until she mentioned Finn. His thoughts shot to Avery. He hoped he hadn't advised her badly about that guy. If he was in his own world, she needed to find a way to enter it not demand from it. "Sounds like you've been through a lot." Which was another inane statement. Who hadn't been through alot in Delphi? But he wasn't sure what to say to be encouraging. Maybe he should've said nothing. "I still say you'd make a good therapist. You're very insightful about people. Perceptive of their thoughts. But you said music. Do you sing? Play an instrument?"
Audrey smiled and laughed a little. "Everyone has," she said, unwittingly echoing his thoughts. "And sure I have. But that doesn't mean I look at it from a down point of view. I was just explaining how I got how I am, that's all. I'm really happy I was able to be there for everyone. And okay, sometimes it means that I tend to shove down any encroaching panic I might have going on, but as long as everyone's okay..." she trailed off. Mostly because he asked about music, and she lit up like a christmas tree. "I do!" she said. "I sing, I dance, I teach music and dance at the elementary school, actually," she said with a big proud smile. "I really love singing, though. I like helping to keep music alive."
Noah nodded. "That's good. Nobody needs a down point of view these days." Too many people had them and felt it was necessary to share them with others. It was so much more refreshing to find people who wanted to uplift. And just like that he'd managed to hit an "on" button or something. He watched as she went from the girl he'd knocked into then transformed into someone lit from the inside and excited about something. Passionate, maybe? He couldn't help but grin though he almost never did that. "What sort of dance and music do you teach?" he asked, genuinely curious and imagining tiny little ballerinas watching Audrey pirouette and awkwardly but adorably trying to imitate.
"Oh god, all kinds!" she said. "I don't want to pigeonhole, y'know?" she said, tone still excited. "There's so much out there, and so much of it is awesome. I was always really all over the place, musically. So, everything from Heather Nova to Elton John to Macklemore and Tool, and..." she laughed. "Everything. I like everything and I like exposing the kids to everything too, because everyone likes different things," she explained. "Lately I've been obsessing about one song though, it's been running through my head on a loop."
Noah could feel her energy and it was sort of revitalizing him after his late night and somewhat long day of wandering around. Not to mention fighting with teachers about his truancy for a little while trying to collect homework earlier. Her energy was kind of relieving and he felt his shoulders relax even though she seemed intense. He knew intense. He liked intense. “All good, though I don’t think I ever heard Heather Nova. Is it one of her songs on a loop in your world?” he asked, still a trace of a smile on his lips. And just as he had marveled at never having spoken with Darcy before he’d begun that first conversation, he wondered how he could possibly have not begun one with Audrey before now either.
"Her stuff is really beautiful? Soft," she laughed. "Chick music." she admitted with a smile. "But no, that was a few weeks ago. What's looping these days is 'Summertime Sadness'. Which I know is technically a song about sadness, but that's not what I take away from it." Audrey glanced ahead to see how far they were from the library, and saw it was a ways up the street yet.
Noah made a face that said "chick music" probably explained why he hadn't heard of her. Not that he'd ever really been into music much. Whatever was playing in the background at the club or the party when he was doing E or K or whatever else he could get his hands on had been good enough for his purposes. But Audrey seemed on fire about music so he asked, "What do you take away from a sad song besides sadness?"
Audrey had to laugh at the face he made. "Yeah, exactly." she said. "As for what else you can take out of a sad song...depends, doesn't it? In this one, it's got some lyrics that resonate with me. Like..." she paused, cleared her throat, then sang a little for him. As she did, she twirled on the sidewalk, putting passion into the words, and it didn't sound sad whatsoever.
"I'm feelin e-lec-tric tonight, crusin down the coast goin 'bout ninety-nine. Got my bad baby by my heavenly side, I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight!" she sang, swaying a little with her walk as well. "Oh, my god, I feel it in the air tel-e-phone wires above, are sizzling like a snare, honey I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere nothing scares me anymore..."
Noah watched her go. His eyes followed her movements and he was just about captivated by her performance. Her voice was lovely and he could have listened a long time more but when she stopped he clapped quietly in appreciation. "Okay, I see what's positive about that song and that you can really interpret it - which is amazing, by the way - but that doesn't sound like a sad song," he challenged. Because it didn't . It sounded like a song of contentment and maybe seduction too. He wasn't sure. But he was most certainly curious.
"The sad part is that it's a song that's talking about a pair parting ways. The first part goes like this," she said. "Kiss me hard before you go, summertime sadness...I just wanted you to know, that baby you're the best..." she sang. "Later it also mentions missing them forever, et cet era. But I hear it and just think about having that amount of passion for someone, and feeling alive, with no fear, feeling an electric hum through your body...So, it depends what you're listening for."
At this point, as far as Noah was concerned, Audrey was pure, intense energy. He was almost feeding off her like an intensity vampire. Something that gave him pause. Blood-seeking vampires existed. Did emotional vampires exist? No, he was just suffering from some kind of attention deficit, or real love of something or someone, he decided as he watched her perform. "Oh, I see, parting is such sweet sorrow," he said, nodding his affirmation. "They're good lyrics. I can see why they'd loop. Do you have a recording?"
"Exactly. But yeah, I can’t ignore the charged, alive thing in the rest of the song. And I do! Want to hear?" she asked, digging her ipod and earbuds out of her back pocket, and she held the buds in his direction. "I have two versions, though I like the original best. Someone remixed it and made it faster? But yeah, it kind of loses something for me like that."
Noah could imagine the song thanks to her live renditions, but if someone had made it faster, that sounded fun too. He'd have gladly listened to both tracks. He took the earbud but asked, "Faster or slower, does it change the lyrics or the meaning of the song?" He was genuinely curious. He knew absolutely nothing about music.
"How a song is presented changes the feel," she explained. "If you take the vocal track of something but set it to a totally different musical piece, it very much changes everything," she added, smiling. "But, I'll play the faster one for you either way, since you seem like a guy who'd like something a little harder." Skimming through her songs, she found it and hit play for him.
Noah stiffened when she said he looked like a guy who'd like something harder. A memory flooded back to his mind. The first time he'd done coke. He'd been tripping over his own feet, brushing up against people because the E made that type of contact feel so good. He was rambling in the ear of a friend who was wandering around with him but not exactly listening. A beautiful girl pulled him aside and said he looked like he would have liked something harder. Noah shuddered at the memory and played it off by pulling the edges of his jacket together. "I uh think we're almost to the library. Hold that thought - er track?" he said and pulled the earbud from his ear.
Audrey blinked a little at that. "I...sure," she said. "You okay?" she had to ask, because that was an abrupt shift, there. One second everything had seemed pretty great, and then...something. What, she couldn't tell.
Noah glanced at her, feeling immediately frustrated for bringing attention to his problem and apologetic for such a fast transition on her when she had no idea she'd triggered an unhappy memory. He gave her a ghost of a smile. "Sorry. I get a little one-track-minded at times. I'll be able to focus more if we check inside for Sylvia before I listen to the next song."
"You don't have to be sorry," Audrey said first. "I just wondered if you were alright, that's all." She looked toward the building they were coming up on. "Let's see if she's inside." she said with a nod. He wanted to get that going and sometimes she knew a slight distraction could set someone back on track. Or, a little veer off into his main purpose could get him on track, whichever.
Noah gave her a bit more of a smile, appreciating her characteristic patience. "Thank you. I'm good," he replied and began to lead the way into the building but he spoke as he went. "I really liked the first one, by the way. It sort of made me want to dance. Not exactly manly, I know." He had wanted to dance but that sort of felt wrong, just like thinking about drinking or doing drugs ever again was so very wrong. He'd been so damned distracted by his party lifestyle that he'd lost his family and nearly himself before he was completely out of it. He'd never go back.
"Dancing is manly." Audrey said. "'Manly' is telling anyone who wants to make anyone else feel bad about doing something they like to eff off." she told him with a smile. "Also dancing is pretty hot." she added. As they got inside, she looked around, trying to spot a blonde head. “What kind of books does she like?”
Noah's glance went back to her rather quickly and he gave her a complete smile. "'Eff off,' huh? That's manly?" he asked, his shoulders moving slightly with silent laughter even as his eyes scanned the stacks. "I'm not sure if anyone could call my brand of random octopus-like movements hot." He tried to wrack his brain for something specific Sylvia would have read. Probably something medical-related. "Books on medicine," he said with a light in his eye. He knew this was a wasted effort. He'd checked here before and this was where Darcy and Sylvia had fought. It wasn't likely she'd be here so he was going to make this quick. He moved ahead quickly and then called back to Audrey. "Not here." He ignored the dark stares from those he'd disrupted.
Audrey laughed. "I mainly only swear when I'm singing and it's in the song, or when I really, really mean it," she told him. She paused when he was back that quick. "Okay," she said. "Should we take a quick look through the whole thing, though? I could check the ladies room."
Noah continued to smile as she laughed. She was so endearing that he felt terrible for giving her this run around just to keep Sylvia's secret. "I see. That's probably a good thing. Then people know you're serious," he said, his tone clearly not making fun of her. He gave her a look that read relief as she offered to check the ladies room. "Would you? I'll do a lap and check out the quiet rooms too."
"Sure, be right back." she said, heading in that direction, and she looked around still as she walked there. She ducked into the room and checked all the stalls, though no one was in the bathroom at all. Sighing, she checked her reflection, and repinned her hair up, then headed back out to see if Noah had had any luck. When she saw him, however, she noted a lack of the other girl. "No go, huh?"
Noah did his lap as he said he would. It wouldn't hurt. And there was the one-trillionth of a chance that Sylvia might be somewhere in here. But when he came back to where he'd started he'd seen no one even resembling his friend. When Audrey came out of the ladies room he shook his head. "No, she's not here. The only other place I would think she might be is the hospital since she works there sometimes." And he’d checked there too already but Audrey was good company and he couldn’t see how to back out of her help just yet. “Want to walk me there too and maybe share more music?”
"Sure," she said with a smile, heading for the door. She got out, and started in the hospital's direction. "I realize we've talked about my passion, but what about yours?" she asked, putting together a little playlist for him. "What makes you get all electrified and animated?"
Noah held the door for her and then followed alongside her as they headed toward the hospital. This sort of sucked because he was having an authentic friendship-starting moment possibly and it was based on a lie. Still, he answered her after a moment of thought. "I guess you'd say I'm passionate about politics. I want to be mayor of the dome one day. But if you'd asked me that before all of this, I probably would have told you video games," he replied with a light laugh. He knew that sounded lame. "I was going to go to college to get a degree and become a video game tester or designer or something." Well, at least until he got into the party scene that had been true.
"Before all this we were all into video games," Audrey told him, smiling in his direction. "Politics though, that's fascinating. And really awesome," she told him. "Someone has to be in charge. Someone has to make sure things get done, go smoothly, and someone of course has to make hard decisions. That's really ambitious. I really hope you get somewhere with it." she told him. "So, say you get handed the keys to the city tomorrow. What would you do?"
Someone did have to be in charge. But someone who is a liar and willing to give the run around to the average person? Yeah, he was definitely there. He glanced sideways at her and knew it was a shame he'd taken her up on her offer to help. He should've postponed until another time when he wasn't preoccupied but he had to work with what he'd give himself. "I guess we all were video game heads. But I do want to make a difference here. I want to be sure that people are all taken care of." He did want that but her next question gave him pause. "If I had the keys tomorrow? I'd find a way for everyone to survive on equal footing. I know we came in with it, but with the doors shut, not everyone can make the same living they used to. I'd find a way to make the system continue to work -- even if it's a closed system."
"So, more like communism?" she asked. Though her understanding of communism was pretty rudimentary. Her tone didn't suggest she thought it was a bad idea, however. She was just curious, and more than happy to listen.
"Well not with the negative connotations and not permanent," he said. Because he wasn't exactly on board for share and share alike but he wanted to be sure that people in Delphi who had gotten cut off from trading had a way to make up the income they'd had previously. "I just don't want people who weren't here to begin with to be punished for not being able to participate in our system because they've run out of ways to trade or whatever. I haven't seen the government yet take on the way those who've been trapped here affect our system. Not to my satisfaction at least."
Nodding as she listened, she smiled, just watching his expression as well as she could as they walked. "That's definitely your passion." she told him. Just from his tone and gait, the way his expression set, it all screamed 'This is what means a lot to me!'. "What are people doing now? I guess I thought they would get jobs, but I don't know enough about the system, I guess. Where are they living? Can they get homes?"
That was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to make sure that this place took care of the people inside it. He wanted to be the one designing new programs for improving government function and morale and how people were treated. He had a lot of plans in his head about those things and he was steadily building on them the more he listened in or was asked to take notes on meetings in the town hall. "Oh yeah, I mean, they can get homes and definitely jobs but there are some of them who were traders purely because that's all they're suited to doing. Disability or mental instability, etc. Not a lot of them but some. We have to take care of them too." His voice slowed slightly toward the end as he realized he'd just unloaded quite a speech at her. "Sorry. I'm a politics nerd," he said a bit sheepishly.
"Social services." Audrey supplied. "That's what you're looking for. Proper social services." She smiled. "I like that. And hey. Don't ever apologize for being a nerd of any description! It's awesome. And it's you, and no one should ever have to apologize for being themselves." she said firmly.
He almost came clean with her then. Almost told her that he was running her around town when he knew full well that Sylvia wasn't here. But he couldn't bring himself to spoil the moment, which felt really nice considering she'd sort of got him pegged in a way no one else had managed or bothered. She sliced right through to the marrow and got the core. He gave her an uncommonly toothy smile. "You're a rare one, Audrey. Anyone ever tell you that?"
She hadn't expected that, and beamed at him for it. "I'm hoping 'rare' means something positive." she told him, smiling. "So, thanks?" she suggested. "Though I don't know if anyone's ever quite said that. What brought it on?" she asked curiously.
Noah looked a little sheepish and stopped walking. "Yeah rare is a good thing. You're maybe the first to really peg what I like and actually listen. It's kind of refreshing." Which was something he'd heard people say but he wasn't sure what it meant until he'd seen the look on her face as he'd waxed passionate. "Thank you."
Audrey stopped when he did, eyes on him. She smiled when he explained. "Well, you're welcome! Feel free to hit me up any time so we can share passions. Honestly it's kind of nice to talk to someone who's got one like that, too. It seems like it's been a while since I've heard that same note in someone's voice, y'know?" she admitted. "So yeah, I'm all yours, if you want to toss ideas back and forth, I can be a great sounding board."
He could've hugged her. She was brilliant and knew exactly the right thing to say. And he felt guilty. They would've just passed each other by if he hadn't lied. She would happily be on her way to whatever she'd been doing but now she was sharing his appreciation. He hated this feeling and he had to end it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone as if to quickly check the time but he let his eyebrows raise. "My phone's on silent I guess. My friend just texted to say she's okay and she's home safe and sound." He hoped he passed for normal as he said this. He didn't want to end his time with Audrey but he needed her to not be stuck on an impossible quest thanks to him. She deserved better.
"Oh! Well that's awesome!" she said, smiling. "I'm glad she's home safe, then!" she added. "Are you taking off to go see her? Or...?" she asked. She'd be disappointed if they were done for the day here, even if she didn't say it. She didn't want to guilt him into sticking around, especially if he wanted to go check on his friend. But still.
Noah was torn. He wanted to be sure Sylvia knew he'd done his damnedest to find her this time but he took one look at Audrey's face and knew, in spite of his deceptions thus far, he couldn't just abruptly leave her after she'd helped him so selflessly. "Well, now that I know she's fine, I have a few to hang out. As long as I'm not keeping you after dark." He'd walk her home and everything now if she wanted. There was sort of a relief creeping across his chest too as he made the decision to stick there with her for a few minutes more.
"Good," she said with a genuine smile, and the note in her voice was firm. "C'mon." she said, changing their direction slightly. "So, you want to put in play proper social services..." she prompted, happy to continue that line of thought. Especially if he didn't get to talk about it much.
He tried not to think about the fact he'd pulled her along on a wild goose chase. Her smile was sweet and he liked that she wanted to listen to him. Though he would've been happy to listen to her too. He music suggestions had been killer. "Proper social services. Yes," he affirmed, wondering where she was taking them now she'd changed course. "I know a lot of those who got stuck when the dome's doors shut have done okay for themselves but I think there should be a program in place. We should always be prepared for something like this to happen and be able to act upon it immediately. You know?"
"I do. I totally get what you're saying," she agreed. "We should also have a...well. A better adoption program, or foster families, or something. I know a lot of kids at the school are orphans. And I know people have to kind of work out how to live their lives again, but I'd like to see less kids bunking at the orphanage. They deserve families."
Noah's brows raised as he took in her suggestion. Her idea astounding him for its selflessness and for the fact he hadn't even begun to think in that realm. He appraised her quietly with respect. "You sure you don't want to run for office one day? I think you have the chops. Some of that really needs attention paid to it." But he wondered what her motivation was. Had she been part of the system and somehow found a way out?
She laughed at that. "I'm sure!" she said. "I just know there's lots of kids in my classes at the elementary school who go home to the orphanage, and they're awesome kids. They just don't have any family left. I kinda think maybe people aren't all that aware of it, though? Like I am cuz I work with the kids, but I don't even know how adoption works here, or anything," she admitted.
Noah looked soberly at her, a new passion forming in his heart. "There needs to be better social services for those kids. Someone should literally have their hand and eye on them. I can't imagine this place is without a heart. There must be people who'd adopt. I just have to find them and make sure they get connected with a kid who needs them. You're brilliant." He was going to champion the family-less kids. He was one of them. Old enough to be on his own and not stuck in the orphanage but maybe that made it worse. Those kids though… the deserved love. He was really grateful to Audrey for bringing that to his attention.
Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she had to grin. "Go for it! Anything I can do to help, let me know! Maybe we could even start with fliers? Post them up around town, or go talk to city council and ask how people even go about adoptions?" she suggested, all for it. And if she could help him with a new cause, especially one close to her heart, oh she was all about it.
Flame sufficiently lit and fueled by her own energy, which seemed tantamount to cheerleading at this point, Noah felt as though he'd just had a good night's sleep and a cup of coffee. It seemed like this should be easily done, especially with her exuberance and help. "I have contacts in the city council. I can start there and see if I can't figure out why there isn't a program in place yet." What if they'd tried it and no one had wanted to participate? That would really suck to find out. "I think fliers could help too but I'm crap at that sort of thing. Are you any good?"
Audrey laughed. "Oh, I have a mean skill set with a copier!" she teased. "So, yeah, I can work on that," she promised. "I'll get something written up, then bring it to you at school, or later, or something. Whichever works!" This could be very exciting! And if even one kid got adopted? She'd be ecstatic.
"Perfect," Noah said through a bit of a laugh. This was not only important work but it was fun. Good, clean fun. Maybe not something he should've been having while Sylvia was out there, scared and hiding, but he couldn't help it. "I - " Well how did he explain that he might not be at school without explaining that it would be because he was pretty sure it was going to take him a while to find Sylvia. When he'd just told her Sylvia was home safe and sound. Ugh lying was never good and now he'd have to do it again. "I have to be out of school tomorrow for work. They're not supposed to pull me out but they do it anyway." He rolled his eyes. "Meet you somewhere later on?"
"Sure!" she said. She paused, then got her phone out. "Here, why don't we exchange numbers, you can text me when you've got time?" she suggested. "I don't have that much going on, so I should have time whenever." Mostly she just needed to deal with werewolf things, but beyond that, her life was kinda dull. She was personally looking forward to having something to do. She'd been feeling like her life was devoid of much, so...this could be really, really nice. She was looking forward to it. Spending time with Noah in general would be fun.
Noah pulled out his phone again and programmed her number in, giving her his in the process. "That should do it," he said as he hit save and slid his phone back into his pocket. "I'll try to contact you earlier rather than later," he said, trying to be mindful that she probably didn't want to meet him after dark. He'd have to come back into town early. Well, he'd just have to find Sylvia tonight, wouldn't he? He wasn't hopeful about that though. "It was great meeting you, Audrey. Especially considering what's come of it!" He would have hugged her based on the excitement alone but girls were funny things. Who knew if she'd take kindly to that so he held out his hand to shake with her.
Audrey smiled and shook his hand. "I look forward to it." she told him. "I'll talk to you soon!" she said, waving then she headed off, feeling productive. And like she had a new friend now, which was nicely exciting.
Noah liked that she didn't have a limp fish shake. "Soon!" he promised and turned to go his own way, smiling a bit. This was going to be a good thing, partnering with Audrey to do something worthwhile. He felt hopeful.