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Sing When You're Winning; Wallflower
Topic Started: Sep 5 2010, 02:57 PM (332 Views)
Cypher
Unregistered

August 4, 2010

(CF:Online Tutorial : How To Make New Friends)

Later that Evening

There was a reasonable crowd gathered around the small coffee shop, people lounged in oversized chairs or on self made perches. each mulling about with their lattes, espressos, or iced coffees fitting into a pictured setting of an urban hipster world that Doug Ramsey was all to familiar with. He liked places like this, heck he liked this place it was why he had chosen it. He had been one of this crowd, the Salem Center kids. It was how he had met Kitty Pryde and how his journey into the world of X-men and mutants had begun. But that was old history now, a chapter in a memoir on the past. For now Doug was living in the present, a member of two worlds but still the same Doug. Maybe he had changed dramatically since then. Maybe the changes had been slow and gradual, so much so he had never actually noticed he had become different. But in truth he didn't feel different, not entirely. A part of him, in spite of what all he had seen and been a part of or maybe because of it still felt at home here, with normal people with normal problems. Of course Doug knew normal was a relative term. One person's ordinary he realized was just someone else's Apocalypse.

"This is a really cool place. I come here a lot, well not a lot, but it's close by and easier to get into then the City. Plus they make great latte's."

He held the door for Laurie Collins as she walked in, a peek into the normal side of the slightly above normal Doug Ramsey. A few of the regulars greeted him and he said hi with laughter and handshakes. A few of the girls flirted with him but he didn't exactly notice, this was the typical Salem Center scene, and he had been well versed enough at it to overlook it. How easily the introvert in one setting became the extrovert in another. He introduced Laurie to a few of the locales, more or less casual acquaintances but all on friendly terms. What Doug didn't realize was with his smarts, blond hair and blue eyes, and sweet disposition he was actualy quite charming. At Xaviers, in the face of so much outstanding display of power and will there was no way not to feel a bit snubbed. He loved them all but at the same time he always felt acutely aware that he was a lower rung on the ladder of what was Xavier success. But here with people, who clamored to be intellectual, and lived through their computers and smiles the linguist couldn't help but shine and he didn't even know it.

As soon as he took a seat and Laurie had taken hers the waitress came over to take there orders. The girl was pretty in a plain sort of way, but she was all smiles as she greeted her favorite costumer.

"Hey Ramsey, haven't seen you in a bit."

"Oh hey Mandy. Yeah been busy ya know saving the world, jive like that." He smiled at her and rolled his eyes as if to say 'just the day to day of a super hero'

She laughed as she flipped open her pad to take their orders.

"This guy." she said looking at Laurie as if obviously Laurie would be clued in onto the cute oddness that was Doug Ramsey.

"I swear sometimes he just comes up with the wildest stories. You need to back off the comic books Doug, pretty soon your gonna wanna get a cape and call yourself Kick Ass. So I know what you want, Ramsey. The usual right?"

Doug nodded, he had ordered the same mint triple shot expresson light on the foam but heavy on the whip cream since he had came here. It had become something of a passing joke to those that worked and hung around there. The world may change but Doug Ramsey's order did not. What could he say he was comfortable in consistency.

"What about you...." She looked at Laurie and then at Doug and it was clear in a flash that Doug had forgotten to introduce his new pal to his Salem Center buddy.
"Oh yeah, Mandy this is Laurie, Laurie, Mandy. Mandy is a savant of a cappuccino machine she has it down to like an art form its a beautiful thing to behold. She works it like a maestro."

Mandy laughed and tossed her hair. he saw the compliment as nothing out of the way then his usual way, but the waitress was always flattered. Doug never knew how charming he could actually be.

"He just says that for the extra whip cream. But it's great to meet you Laurie, any friend of Dougs is a friend here. So what'll you have?"

The waitress jotted Laurie's order down and then took off to retrieve their orders. Doug relaxed a bit back in his chair as the sound of a microphone being tested broke through the the clamored voices in conversation around them. He looked at Laurie and started laughing.

"Oh your in luck, tonight's karaoke. You gotta try it out. You wont find a more receptive crowd this side of the Center though I have to warn you. My rendition of Katy Perry's 'I kissed a girl' is still considered the gold standard by which all others are judged and found lacking. So whatta you say Laurie Collins do you care to be a big star at banana joe's bar?"
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Wallflower
Unregistered

Laurie had been cooped up for far too long in Xavier's, she had dang near forgotten what the city felt like. Sure, North Salem wasn't nearly as exciting as New York, but she wasn't even sure she was ready to go back to that city yet. New York had always overwhelmed her in the first place, and now it would just remind her of that stupid day she had to find her own way back to Xavier's in the late evening. Needless to say, her memories of NYC were not fond. This, however, she could handle. As long as she wasn't left alone again she would be just fine, and she had a feeling that Doug Ramsey wasn't exactly that type of person.

Laurie smiled at Doug's chivalry as he held the door for her - something else she hadn't experiences in quite some time - and uttered words of thanks. As they entered the small cafe together, she took a few moments to drink in the environment. It was a very warm and friendly environment, people lounging around and drinking their caffeinated drinks happily, probably many of them relieved to finally get their fix of the addicting beverages. Laurie had never felt an overwhelming need to drink coffee, so she had never really developed the addiction that many people do. But was it good? Yes, and it definitely helped perk her up a bit so she was in no way opposed to enjoying one that night. Why not? You're at a coffee shop, so have a drink of some java. Live on the wild side. She followed Doug as he led her around the shop to a seat, still taking her time to soak in the atmosphere. This was a very social place, people sitting in large groups talking or yelling across the shop to someone they knew, waitresses chattering away and taking orders, silent music playing in the background. It was unusual, at least for Laurie - she hadn't exactly spent much time socializing lately, so she was just a little bit rusty.

"Yeah it's a nifty little place," agreed Laurie, pleased with the location. Regardless of the social environment that Laurie wasn't used to, it was a very calming place in general. Warm lights, happiness all around, the smell of coffee beans and pastries wafting through the air... yes, she could handle this. "This may sound ridiculously lame but I haven't been away from Xavier's for a really long time... I almost forgot how good fresh pastries smell," she admitted. "Excellent choice of hangout location, Doug."

When the waitress came over, Laurie smiled and simply watched Doug and the girl speak. She obviously had a little thing for him, which she couldn't help but find amusing - especially since it was obvious Doug had absolutely no clue. She could tell that he had been coming here for quite some time, probably long before his X-Men days. It was interesting to see him be so comfortable in this kind of setting, when earlier that day he had been so uncomfortable in his own room in the presence of one girl.

Laurie laughed along with the waitress as if to agree with her about Doug's absurd comments, and smiled inwardly at the fact that the waitress was completely clueless. Doug Ramsey really was saving the world. It's in the X-Men handbook after all. One must always save the world from certain disaster! "Yeah, he's got a pretty crazy imagination," said Laurie with a chuckle. "You should hear him go on and on about what his superhero power would be!" As if they had actually held that kind of conversation.

Laurie smiled up at the waitress as they were introduced. "Yeah, nice to meet you too," said Laurie with a nod and a grin. "I'm impressed, I could never work one of those things. I'd probably break it and explode coffee all over the place," she said with a bit of a chuckle. "Can't wait to try one of your masterpieces."

Laurie eyed the small folded pamphlet in the middle of the table, trying to come to a decision for her order. Doug may have been a local, but Laurie definitely was not. She snatched it up and scanned through all of the items, deciding which would satisfy her the most. She was a bit hungry, so she decided on something more filling. "Could I get the Chocolate Buzz Milkshake please?" she said, deciding the mixture of espresso, chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup, milk and whipped cream would be sufficiently filling for the time being. "Nowhere near as fancy as Doug's order sounded, but heck if it doesn't sound delicious."

After Melody left, Laurie leaned back and looked around some more until Doug's chuckle caught her attention. As he spoke she moved her glance over to the sound stage across from their table. Oh shit, Karaoke? She looked over at Doug as he explained his previous karaoke attempts, and smiled in an attempt to look excited. He obviously wanted to participate, which terrified Laurie. Because then he'd want her to participate. And then she would be forced on to the stage, at which point she'd probably pee her pants and be booed off the stage in embarrassment. Laurie and public speaking/singing did not go hand in hand. Especially since she was awful at the whole singing part.

"Well dang, you must be some kind of legend 'round these parts!" said Laurie, mocking awe. "Can I have your autograph, pleeease?" She wiggled a napkin in front of him like a fan girl.

No I don't wanna to be a star! "I'm gonna need a lot of espresso in me before I get up there," chuckled Laurie a bit nervously. "How about you go first there Mr. Gold Standard, so you can show me how it's done? Or are you feeling a bit too rusty?" she added a bit playfully, attempting to challenge him in order to prolong the inevitable fact that at some point that night, she would be up there singing a very bad rendition of some 90's classic.

As she listened to the mic checks buzzing through the cafe, Laurie's anxiety only grew. Soon, they would be finished the mic check and starting some speech about annual karaoke night and encouraging everyone to get up there and make fools of themselves. She fidgeted a bit nervously until Melody returned to their table with their orders.

"Melody, you're a life saver," uttered Laurie, quickly pulling the caffeine-riddled milk-shake towards her and taking a large sip. Was it obvious that she was freaking out? She had to get as much energy into her system as possible while the night was still young. She may not have a coffee addiction but tonight, she just might have to develop one.

"So Doug," said Laurie as she pushed the drink away, trying to seem calm about the whole ordeal. "You gonna stick to Katy Perry or switch it up this time?"
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