Alone again, sleeping, again

[Nadia Donovan]

Well Nadia was kind of still the newby at Orchid. Still being alone didn't really bother her. She wandered around the village and came into the shop with the rain. It was her kind of shop. Books and ... well coffee wasn't her cup of tea but she would settle for a milkshake any day. After ordering she didn't really know where to sit. She could sit with the various people at the different tables but ... she still didn't really know any of them. She decided it would be much safer for her to find a book and find a table in a corner somewhere. She was soon immersed in her book, the drink long finished. After a while the sounds of other people chatting with their friends died into the background. There were a few other people in the shop sitting solitary like her but she was completely happy with her own company. After a while she fell asleep. She still wasn't sleeping well at night, still getting used to the new environment.
When Nadia woke up, she was surprised to see it was dark outside. She'd came in mid-morning and it had to be around ten or eleven now. The people in the cafe had changed and she recognized some of the faces but no names sprung to mind. She ended up getting another drink (hot chocolate) and getting back into her book.

[Jude Dorrian]

"Hey, cowboy. What'll it be?"
If Jude was anyone else, by now, he'd be sick of hearing that joke.
"Just a black coffee to go, please," he smiled back.
The girl nodded, her strawberry curls bobbing with her head. "Yep- yep- sugar?" she glanced to the side at the girl working at the till. "Hey, Rach, look- our Sleeping Beauty's woke up!"
'Rach' looked up. "Oh? So she has!"
Jude raised an eyebrow. "Sleeping Beauty?"
"Oh," the girl picked up a small spoon, starting to swirl his black coffee for him. "Over there. One of you Orchid kids, I think... she dozed right off a while ago!"
Jude followed her directive nod. The girl she was indicating was- like many of the other students- tucked into a book, probably unaware that she'd drifted off at all.
"Didn't you wake her up?"
"Oh," she giggled, "but she looked so sweet, didn't she, Rach?"
"Mmhmm."
"How much?"
"Oh." She pushed the steaming cup towards him. "You wanted sugar, right?"
No... "It's fine," Jude's features relaxed into a smile, and she beamed back.
"See ya later, cowboy!"
Making his way back across the cafe, coffee in hand, Jude took a good look around him. He was rarely in here- his need for rootbeer being greater than his need for coffee- and he wasn't sure if he liked it much now that he was. The place was sort of stuffy- too... British? And he liked the people in the Knight Pub- he liked Sonya, and Ivan, and Rick.
He'd probably be back there tomorrow.
Jude looked over at the 'Sleeping Beauty', frowning slightly. What was she reading? He could swear he recognised that book-
"Oh, Christ!"
Jude had never considered himself much of a clutz- but when he tripped, dropping his coffee and spilling it all over a complete stranger and their book, it was hard to find a better excuse for it than a natural talent for falling.

[Nadia Donovan]

Well Nadia was immersed in her book, but the boiling hot liquid, now all over her, got her attention. She didn’t notice the pain much; she was just sad that the book had got ruined. She did want to see what happened to Tom Robinson. Maybe the school library?
People talking brought her back to the coffee shop… and oh yeah, she noticed the pain. The waitress person was fussing all over her, nattering at her, but she didn’t take it in. She reached for the tissues and started mopping it up. The pain wasn’t that bad… she’d had worse. She tried her best to salvage the book but it was useless. It was starting to fall apart and was completely sodden. Nadia sighed. She didn’t cry over spilt milk, but a spoilt book was another thing. It was only after this bitter realization that she noticed this guy standing in front of her, holding an empty coffee cup. Ugh… coffee. She hated it. Well maybe not that far but the smell was not at all to her liking. She wrinkled her nose in distaste... Oh yeah, the guy. She took another look at him, trying not to appear rude, but he was just staring at her, or maybe he was staring at the coffee cup. She was trying (unsuccessfully) not to laugh, he had this expression on his face; as if he really could not believe that his coffee was all over Nadia. She presumed he was also an Orchid student. He looked about her age anyway, dark hair and a little stubble… it suited him. He was tall from her position on the chair but she guessed that if she stood she would be taller… her height was a pain sometimes… She had drifted off but then she looked at him again and started laughing again. He seemed to be in shock….

[Jude Dorrian]

The girl's laughter snapped Jude to his senses.
"Cowboy's a bit of a clutz, huh?" The waitress was tossing paper towels at the girl; carelessly calling back to 'Rach', who still stood grimly at the counter, watching the little cafe before her with a stony face.
Jude cleared his throat, and set down his coffee cup, a little of his embarrassment shrinking in light of the girl's laughter. Thank Christ for that. He hadn't expected to go into shock like that. He kept looking uneasily at her skin, worried burns were about to come out in an angry network of red and painful blotches.
"Hey, eh..."
"Tyra."
"Tyra," Jude repeated blankly, looking at the waitress girl. "I- you're not helping. Go find a Carer from Orchid, or someone else with medical knowledge. She might be burned."
"Oh, aye, yeah, my brother's into First Aid," Tyra replied, "wants to be a doctor. He's the brains of the family."
"No kidding!"
"You'd be surprised!" she chuckled, turning on her heel, "think he's in the kitchens... gimme a sec..."
The second she was out of earshot, Jude turned to the poor, soaking girl, and her poor, sodden book.
"I am so, so sorry."

[Nadia Donovan]

Nadia's laughing simmered down when the coffee really started to burn... She winced and was glad to hear the guy send the ever-so-annoyingly-chatty-waitress to get medical help. She would need it.
When the girl left, the guy said to her "I am so, so sorry." It nearly made her laugh again but she restrained herself in the hope that he wouldn't think she was completely crazy. Instead she half-smiled.
"It doesn't matter... I'll live." Nadia glanced at her no-longer-a-book which prompted her to ask, "Do you know where I could get a copy of this?... It's just that I really want to find out what happened?... It's called 'To Kill A Mockingbird'"
The burns were really starting to hurt now. She winced again.

[Jude Dorrian]

Yep. There they were, appearing one after the other. There was a whole army of angry red marks glaring back at him accusingly.
"It doesn't matter... I'll live."
Jude winced with her on that one. This wasn't making him feel any better.
"Do you know where I could get a copy of this?... It's just that I really want to find out what happened?... It's called 'To Kill A Mockingbird'."
Aah. Great.
If his English teacher knew the nature of the novel he had just destroyed, she would've swooped down on him with an army of flying rip-off monkeys from hell and lynched him alive.
"Yeah," Jude nodded, "yeah it's in the school library- er, that is, if y'all go to Orchid?"
He assumed she did, anyway. Certainly, Tyra and Rach seemed to think so, and they were both Cardsdale locals. With Cardsdale being such a small place, all the villagers had a nasty habit of knowing everyone who lived there, including half the population of the school over-looking it.
But new people turned up all the time. She could be new- he assumed she was, because she'd been sitting alone- but then again, some people, like Kira, sought solitude for their own sanity's sake.
"Actually," he said, suddenly sparked by an idea, "I've got it. I can lend it to you... if that's easier."
... why hadn't he gone to get her some cold water, yet?!

[Nadia Donovan]

"yeah it's in the school library- er, that is, if y'all go to Orchid?"
Interesting accent... America? Nadia wasn't too good at placing accents.
"Actually," he said, "I've got it. I can lend it to you... if that's easier." Well yeah it would be... Nadia wasn't exactly sre where the library was...
Nadia was really very much in pain now. The waitress hadn't come back. She didn't really trust her voice and when she answered it gave way a bit. "Yeah that would be good. I'm Nadia."
Where was the waitress. She felt like she was going to pass out from the pain... She had underestimated it at first, but she didn't want to appear weak to someone she didn't know. Nadia proceeded to patially black out, but she caught hold of herself. She hadn't moved from when the coffee was spilt and she gave up on the book. Her vision went funny again and she blacked out properly this time.

[Jude Dorrian]

Fortunately, the shock had worn off Jude by this stage enough to leap into action.
"Hey, hey-hey-hey-hey-hey- !" he cried, catching hold of her and shaking her slightly. "Hey-" Goddammit. He didn't know her name. "Hey, er, girl, stay with me a sec- are there any Carers in here?!"
The whole café- which had already been kinda half-watching them when Jude had tripped and fallen- erupted.
About five Carers ran forth at once, one Spy, and one guy who seemed to be the brother Tyra had promised him. Before Jude could say anything more about it, the girl had been lifted out of his hands, placed in the recovery position, and a golden glow encased her body as the Carers' healing hands began to work.
"Hey, cowboy."
Go away, Tyra.
"Hey- how d'you manage to do that to her? Aw! Look at the size of that burn-"
The café swarmed around them, and Jude ducked out of Tyra's way and into the bustling crowd. The girl was already completely unmarked, but she still hadn't regained consciousness-
What he didn't understand was why the burns hadn't effected her instantly. He'd never seen that- most people screamed in pain and started shouting for water- why she hadn't shown any signs of it...
But if the pain had caused her to faint, it must be hell.

[Nadia Donovan]

Stupid pride. Nadia knew that she had blacked out, she was dimly conscious but she felt unable to respond.
She heard the guy...she'd really have to get his name... shouting at her or something...
Then she felt people pulling at her... maybe the guy too. The pain began to ease but she still hurt all over. Maybe there had been something in the coffee... Nadia was really lethargic... completely drained... and she was so self-concious...
She was being poked and prodded (well not really but she knew that people were there, staring at her...) and it didn't help that she was sweating... a lot. And as she knew that Nadia sweated all the more. Still not feeling the best... she was beginning to get a splitting headache.
Maybe I am crazy she thought. All the laughing earlier... and how come she didn't notice the pain earlier. And then when she did notice it her stupid pride got in the way and she didn't let on how much pain she was in.
Typical, she always had to make things worse for herself. Then the headache got really bad. Nadia groaned but wasn't sure if she was groaning aloud (how embarrassing if she did) or into herself... She was not feeling good.

[Jude Dorrian]

"Is she a student?"
Finally, Jude made it past to the center of the circle where the five Carers were talking in a low, half-excited undertone to the trainee doctor dish-washer. Their response was scattered- obviously, no-one knew a thing about her.
"Yeah," Jude ducked in, and parked himself between two of the Carers, who gawped at him. "She's from Orchid."
"You... know her?"
"Yeah," Jude waved a careless hand, "me and Bex go way back. She better now?"
"She's healed-"
"- needs further attention-"
"- not exactly sure what-"
"- is she waking up?"
"Fresh air!" Jude clapped his hands together, and helped a slowly recovering 'Bex' to her feet. "Help me, guys?"
Together, the Carers, the doctor and Jude hoisted her through the now dispersing crowds, and out into the cool air of the afternoon.

[Nadia Donovan]

"Is she a student?" What were they talking about... oh wait... nobody knows me thought Nadia. It seemed they were all talking about her but as far as she could tell the possibly American guy wasn't one of them. Maybe he'd just ran off after she was being looked after. She was feeling a lot better now. Headache was gone but she was still feeling a bit woozy.
"Yeah," Nadia recognized the American guy and was kind of glad that he was still there. "She's from Orchid." Did I tell him that?
"You... know her?" Someone else was talking now.
"Yeah, me and Bex go way back. She better now?" What was he talking about? Bex? It took a moment before Nadia realized he was lying... that was kind of weird. The fainting obviously made her ability a bit off.
"She's healed-" Well that's a relief!
"- needs further attention-" Isn't this embarrassing enough?
"- not exactly sure what-" So they're not professionals... great...
"- is she waking up?" Oh, so I am!
"Fresh air!" Sounds like something from heaven... it is sooo hot in here..."Help me, guys?" Opening her eyes, Nadia saw loads of people around her... claustrophobia (not that she'd ever suffered from it before) set in. But it was only mild...
Some of the guys lifted her up (she was pleased to see the American included, after all, he was the closest he had come to making a friend) and carried her out to the blissfully sweet, cool air...
Heaven.
"Thanks..." Nadia managed to croak out. The heat and the fainting and all had dried her throat up a little bit. "Could someone maybe get me some water please?"
She looked about a bit and then her eyes came to rest on the American. "What's your name again?"

[Jude Dorrian]

Her request for water was carried out sluggishly and reluctantly. None of the five Carers looked very ready to leave their patient. The doctor dishwasher clung particularly possessively to her arm. Eventually, the random Spy- Garrett, was it?- disappeared and reappeared in a flash, slopping an over-flowing glass of water everywhere.
"What's your name again?"
She was looking at him now, and Jude was relieved. She could string sentences together, again. Always a good sign.
"I didn't say," Jude chuckled. "It's Jude."
"Thought you knew each other?" one of the Carers eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Jude smiled back, but did not reply.
"I'm Aaron," the doctor offered to her, "what's your name?"

[Nadia Donovan]

It took a while for the water to be brought to Nadia. Her throat was dry but she was feeling a lot better. All the guys were still standing around her. Only the American had any right to still be there... and one of the Carers she supposed. After all, it was the American's duty to make sure she was OK, but none of the five Carers looked very ready to leave her. The guy whom she supposed was the waitress' brother was clinging particularly possessively to her arm.
Eventually, one of the guys returned with water, and in doing so managed to spill it all over her... She turned her attention to the American.
"I didn't say," The American chuckled. "It's Jude." Jude... that's a really nice name... I wonder if he really is American...
"Thought you knew each other?" one of the Carers eyes narrowed suspiciously. He sounds so jealous lol.
Jude smiled back, but did not reply.
"I'm Aaron," the doctor offered to her, "what's your name?" Yeah like I care!
"Nadia," Nadia answered, then smiling, she continued, "but my friends know me as... uh... Bex... I must have suffered short-term memory loss." She wondered if he would buy it. Probably not. She didn't much like being lied to and that made her not be a very good liar.
"Yeah, thanks for healing me and all but could you all maybe give me some space, and uh... maybe let go of me. I can stand up by myself you know..." They all let go of Nadia, if rather reluctantly. Still they were hovering.
"I think I'm going to go back up to Orchid now, I need the peace and quiet... Oh Jude, would you come with me? I want to get that book from you...?" Nadia hoped he would... he was the closest she'd come to making a friend at Orchid. Still... she didn't really know him... maybe they should talk a while first?

[Jude Dorrian]

Jude had to work rather harder than usual to stop himself from laughing.
"Yeah, sure thing, Bex," he grinned apologetically at the others. "Bex is... er... from Rebecca. It's her middle name."
"Bex?"
"Yeah, Bex," Jude jerked his head back. "Er... shall we get going, then?"
The Spy was already beginning to slope away, muttering something to one of the Carers, but the others still remained. They kept throwing Jude dirty looks. Maybe it was because he just... er... 'couldn't be trusted'. After all, he had been the one to spill the coffee all over her.
Ah. There was that guilt again.
"C'mon, then," he said cheerfully to her, stepping beyond the boundaries of the little circle of guys. "See the rest of y'all around- Aaron," he gave the disgruntled Carer a nod, "others," he tipped his hat to them.

[Nadia Donovan]

Nadia could easily see that Jude was having a hard time not laughing. She felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Yeah, sure thing, Bex," Jude grinned apologetically at the others. "Bex is... er... from Rebecca. It's her middle name." 'Bex' was now openly smiling... Not so good to get people to believe you.
"Bex?" The others were clearly not sure about it... Nadia's fault!
"Yeah, Bex," Jude jerked his head back. "Er... shall we get going, then?" Oh crap! Well he seems nice enough... it probably wouldn't do any harm.
One guy was already beginning to slope away, muttering something to one of the others, but they still remained. They kept throwing Jude dirty looks. Nadia found it hilarious. Maybe it was because he had been the one to spill the coffee all over her. Nadia decided that she had to find out exactly how that happened...
"C'mon, then," Jude said cheerfully, stepping beyond the boundaries of the little circle of guys. "See the rest of y'all around- Aaron," he gave the guy a nod, "others," he tipped his hat to them. Really finding it hard not to laugh, Nadia joined Jude outside the circle that was staring after her. 'Aaron' looked oh so pleased to see her go... he was throwing murderous glares at Jude.
As soon as they were far enough away not to be heard, Nadia turned to Jude,
"'Bex'? I suppose it is a common name... but 'Bex'? Seriously? Oh well... hopefully the name will put them off..." Nadia groaned. Ugh... it wasn't that the name wasn't nice... ok, she hated it but it definitely did not suit her. The guys though... they had been looking at her like... like she was something to eat... and they had been pleased enough to hold her... yuck.
" My car is parked somewhere around here... around that corner I think... it'll be quicker than walking...?"