Monday, March 12th, ~3:00pm


“No way I can afford that”, you say, “or let anyone pay that much for a shirt for my sake”, you add in direction of David.

“That’s not what this is about”, Angie tells you.
“It says 299,- here”, you insist, “American Dollars.”
“That’s only the polo.”
“Hnng-”
“Relax, this is only for teaching purposes. Do you like it? The ensemble?”
“I guess?”
“You guess or you know?” She sighs, “Okay, different approach. We split humanity in two categories, those with fashion sense, and those without. Which category do the people who made this catalog fall into?”

You close your eyes. Now she treats you like a child. It’s not like you said anything stupid, only that you don’t know. You sigh as well. The answer was obvious, but you kinda don’t like to be treated like this.

“Those with”, Cam says from the other side of Angie.

The three of you are again on the backseat of the Miller’s car, only now Angie was sitting in the middle. She had a clothing catalog on her lap, with which she seems to try and teach you stuff. But the only thing you learned so far was that Cam can answer her questions.

“Very good”, Angie nods to Cam happily. “And do you think those people with fashion sense would put together a fashionable outfit?”

Okay, at least when addressed so directly Cam still hesitates, even when the answer is an obvious yes. And she merely nods, slightly shying away from Angie.

Realizing her mistake she turns to you again. “Anyways... We already established your taste not the best.”
“When did we establish that?”
“The moment I laid eyes on you.”
“Well he looks like a douchebag!”
“Language!”
“Now we have an answer!”

Angie ignored David rebuking your use of a swearword and raises her hands in victory. She hands you the magazine. “Thumb through it until you find someone who doesn’t look like a- you know. And don’t settle on a T-shirt.”

You sigh and take the magazine, almost just idly flipping through it. “I’m not gonna buy an outfit for 500 bucks.”

“I need to know what you like, and T-shirts and hoodies is not a viable answer.”
“But I like T-shirts and hoodies!”
“It’s not fashionable!”
“Does it have to be?”
“Yes.”

You sigh again. You did agree to have her come with so she could give you advice, you never had any help with fashion stuff but you’re wondering now if it’s worth it. Looking past her to Cam she meets your eyes. She could need it. Cam could grow up to be fashionable and popular. Happy even. Even though you don’t know if one is the result of the other. Cam’s an outsider simply by her... condition of barely speaking. What’s most important is that people who could potentially bully her don’t get additional fuel.

“I value your help, Angie”, you eventually say, “but right now I don’t quite see what I’m doing.”

Angie sighs as well. “You know how they say ‘just be yourself’? Well, don’t. Nobody likes who you are.”
“You should be yourself, Chris”, David chimes in, “Angie, stop telling him this stuff.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not the industrial revolution anymore, David. We do things differently today. That stuff doesn’t fly in high school. Instead – be who you want to be. First-”, she points at the magazine, “choose who you want to be, and then fake it till you make it.”

“I still don’t want that kind of expensive gear.”
“Hnng- Fake it!” She flips through a few pages and stops on one with a- “Shirt jacket made from black jeans, underneath a casual button down shirt light color – I wouldn’t go white but a light grey or classical blue – and regular jeans.” It does look good, but the price- She interrupts your train of thought. “Yay or nay?”
You shrug and give an unconvincing “Yay.”
“Perfect!” She claps her hands together. “Then that’s the outfit we are going to fake in low brand shops.”
“Ah.” You nod. “So you meant fake it ‘till you make it’ more literally.”
“Well, yes, that too. But seriously, you should pick who you want to be... Who do you want to be in High School?”

>[write-in]

>A cute little girl

>>3648092
Someone that doesn’t stand out too much and doesn’t seem too aloof?

>>3648092
"Honestly, I want to be able to at least talk to people, I could not before, maybe get into some sort of sport but I don't know."

Nice to see you back QM, only saw this right now.

>>3648092
Thatjacked shirt jeans sounded ok, another thing we want to be there is the brother that make other kids around Cam's age not mess with her.

>>3650449
>Nice to see you back QM, only saw this right now.
good to not be dead, both figuratively and literal.
I had hit my head and was in the hospital for a moment, utterly useless for a week and a half.
Had I fallen in a slightly worse way that could have been it for me.


>>3648952
>>3650443
>>3650449
>>3650492
writing

>>3650525
Holy shit, did you fall from sone stairs or something?

>>3650526
epic battle with a bathtub
nah, I probably collapsed from the heat. Concussion, can't remember

>>3650525
>I had hit my head and was in the hospital for a moment, utterly useless for a week and a half.
Ah, the oft-spoken QM curse.

Glad Persons of Interest is back!~

Your first impulse is to say something stupid, like ‘a cute little girl’, but this was serious. But who you actually want to be is not something you have put that much thought into, at least not in a High School setting. More in the crime fighting one, but not much in that either. All your thoughts always circled around staying with Cam.

“Fly under the radar, really. I want to be able to talk to people, but not stand out... Maybe do some sports... For one I want to be able to stop other kids from bothering Cam.”

“You know she’s not going to High School, right?”, Angela comments.

“I- what? Yeah. But- I thought the school district – something – It’s a big school that has middle and high school in one?”

Angela just frowns, but you see David nod from the front of the car. “Yeah, that’d be true, but we sent Angela here to a private school. Meant to do the same for you two”, he informs you. “Smaller class sizes. Good sports program, for both of them. And Cammy’s quite intelligent, she’d be well kept in Hewlett.”

You bite your lip.
>You rather go to a big public school together. You probably don’t fit in a private school anyway.
>Change your initial plan and go to the private school. You were separated in School until now anyway.

>>3650546
>Change your initial plan and go to the private school. You were separated in School until now
Private school would be good for her future, and smaller classes may be better too, I reluctantly agree to try at least.

>>3650553
I like this. But she has to be upfront with us if anything happens at her school.

>>3650556
Agreed

>>3650546
>>Change your initial plan and go to the private school. You were separated in School until now anyway.

It had been pretty much the main reason why you chose the Millers as soon as you heard from them, but you may have been overreacting a bit too.

“If you’re worried. There are two types of private schools. One run it like a business, kinda like prisons. They need a number of occupants to get some state funding but otherwise cut costs and maximize profit from that. Hewlett Middle, and Amberstone Academy – where you’ll go, for that matter – they are more run on prestige.”

Your money sense is tingling again. This is gonna cost a shit ton, isn’t it? He’s gonna pay for it, but we don’t take hand-outs.

It would require you to actively force yourself against your programming to say no to his offer. But when he pretty much said how elite the school is, you begin to doubt how you’d fit in, which goes against your wish to not stand out.

>“I know you will want to pay for it, but I’m fine going to a public school.”
>Say nothing

>>3650609
is the new sister going to one of the two to help us blend in? I don't think I remember if she was going to school

>>3650609
>“I know you will want to pay for it, but I’m fine going to a public school.”

Why is mr Miller so set on spending money on the new foster kids of his? What kind of school did he himself attend?

>>3650623
he is loaded

>>3650617
>>3650546
>but we sent Angela here to a private school
probably should have been present tense "send"

>>3650631
we can protest a little about the cost but I'm fine going to the private school and letting Cam do it too, if she was alone in a public school I would be worried but on those fancy things they probably have specialized people that can give her some help

>>3650628
Emphasis on "new". He doesn't know us well.

>>3650642
to be fair, he'll only enroll you if you're not found guilty

>>3650644
I am just saying that it would be fair if we had earned it somehow. But alright,
protest and agree if his reasoning is good.

Lets go to the new school

alright, writing

“I don’t need that kind of-” Luxury? You don’t know. “I’m fine being just a normal kid. I don’t think I’ve, like, earned it. Why are you spending so much money on us? You barely know us.”

“Okay, that’s- There’s quite something to unpack here. But let’s boil it down to-” David focuses on the intersection for a moment before continuing. “-to just two things. First of all, as you said, you’re a kid, you’re not supposed to have earn anything, that’s what your legal guardian is for. And secondly. If there are two ways of doing things, the easy and cheap way, and the right and more costly way which will yield better results.”

You don’t exactly know how to respond to it as many things float through your head right now.

“Sure, what’s easy, hard, cheap and costly, and what’s the best result is up for debate every time, but you’re still kids. Again, as for ‘earned’. Don’t you think you have been through a lot? Earned an easy time in life for once?” He pauses shortly again, maybe for dramatic effect or something before he continues. “And other reasons are that I never had such an opportunity and I’d like to give it, or, say that it’s maybe a bribe which ought to get you to like me.”

“He’ll make you do chores”, Angela says.
“I’ll make you do chores”, he ends, “I’ll get some worth out of you. Ahaha.”
“As if chores make up for whatever amount of money a private school costs”, you say, defeated. “Fine. I’ll attend a private school too.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing”, Angela points out.
“It is, if the money can be used in – I don’t know – any better ways?”
“We’re going shopping for clothes, but we can extend it to other thing as well. What’s a good way to spend money on you, Chris?”
“Yeah, he may get my TV, but he’s not getting my 64.”

What else do you want to shop for?
>We don’t take hand-outs.
>[write-in]

>>3650853
purposely fight the "we don't take hand-outs"

Colouring pencils and a new notebook

as for us

maybe we can try to pick up a new language book?

>>3650853
>We don’t take hand-outs.

>>3650853
I can't think of anything he would want, maybe later? See if Cam wants something.

And for Angie

"I wonder where will you plug that 64 without a tv."

>>3651055
given that you know what a 64 is

>>3650884
Gotta learn some spanish or french my dudes.
Supporting.

Good to have you back QM! Glad to see I'm not the only quester on the receiving end of life rn!

>>3651077
If we don't that is a nice question to make.

So, language book and something for cam? Works for me

writing

>>3651101
>Good to have you back QM!
Yeah, thanks. I also didn't really want to return without actually being able to deal out the story again, otherwise we'd 404 with sub 100 posts again.
It's also good to be back and do what I want with my time
not that I dislike mario maker 2 and oxygen not included

There is one thing refusing a hand-out, it’s another to actively ask for something. D̴̈́̆̉̾ͦ̓͑́̕o̡ͭ͠͡n̴̿ͫ͊̓͘͟'̴ͨ͛̒ͪ͘tͯ͛ͩ͊͒̾ͧ̍ ̧ͧ͞͡b̶͊̾̇̐͛͞͝e̡͆ͬ̌͜͞g̾. That‘s a new one. Your head actually hurts on that one, and you rub your temples. “Ahhm...” You look over to Cam. “Big Crayola box, how about it?”, you say with a forced smile.

Cam’s eyes were wide and she just shakes her head ever so slightly. When Angie looks at her, her head snaps around to look out the window. That weighs on your heart even more.

You also look out the window on your side. You wouldn’t even have to pretend to find the view interesting... or odd, at least. Skyscrapers left and right – or at least buildings large enough that you can’t see their end from the inside of a car this easily.

Cam has barely ever really drawn with much color, all her labyrinths were done with pens. Maybe she really does not need it, but she could use new notebooks.

This was not a basic need that the legal guardian has to provide, but a luxury. Don’t rationalize- just ask. “N-Notebooks?”, you say and look back to Cam who does not even turn around. “We’ll need something to draw. And I’d like to have-” You take a breath. “A book to learn french.”

“Wow”, Angie laughs, “You’re completely incapable of asking for something, aren’t you?”

You’re almost trembling while fighting your mind control and she makes fun of you

>“Fuck you.”
>[write-in]

>>3651870
>"Never expected people to give me anything."

>>3651945
this

>>3651945
This is good

I remember when we actually cryed when the paramedic gave us some crackers

>>3651945
>>3652068
>>3652105
alright, writing
last for the day if I even manage to complete this one cause it's getting late here and I still should rest my brain

“Angela, we all have our shortcomings”, David tells her.

You cross your arms and look out the window. “I just never- People don’t just give away things for free. Why should I expect it? And being independent isn’t a shortcoming, is it?”

“Not being able to accept help is”, he corrects you. “Recognizing that you need help and being able to ask for it is a strength, Chris.”

“Stuff you don’t need isn’t /a need/ by definition”, you tell him, looking forward again. “I can go without french books, have done so for a long time.”

David sighs. “I took in a few kids, so I read up on these things. Let me tell you that ‘needs’ are more than just food and water to be a fulfilled person. Yes, you need what your body commands of you. Food and water, of course. But let’s not forget oxygen, and you need to sleep too. Merely to have your body satisfied. But you also need security. A place where you can breathe, drink, eat and sleep in peace. Let me be corny here and- Watch where you’re going!” He honks at another driver.

As he takes a moment to regain his footing in the conversation Angela speaks up. “I’ve heard this before. The next one is love~”. She pats her eyes at draws the word out dramatically, having her mouth quite open so you could see the movement of her tongue. Needless to say you inch away from her slightly to which she giggles. “Family and friends.”

“People who you can trust, yes.” David talks again. “We’re a social animal almost before we are an individual. But we also want to be valued within our group and be trusted by others. And the cherry on top is being allowed to be who we are. So if you need french books, you need french books, Chris.”

“And you’re malnourished”, Angie points out, “your Dad failed at the most basic level.”
“Don’t speak ill of the dead, Angie.”
“But he killed him.”
“Jesus! Angela.”

How do you react?
>[write-in]

>>3652204
I did, didn't I?

Ride in silence and think about what David said, will we ever trust anyone?

>>3652204
"No, it's okay. Trust me that wasn't the worst of his shortcomings, so it's cool Angie..."


Rest easy QM. Get your head fixed up and I'll flush this radiation outta my system. Make sure we both are good for tomorrow, yes?

>>3652245
+1

“No, it’s okay”, you say, looking down to the magazine that was still on your lap.

“It’s not – it shouldn’t be”, David says while shaking his head, “If you want to talk about it, that’s fine, but we should not be the ones to bring up the traumatic event of another so easily, Angela.”

Angie looks down too. “Yeah... sorry, Chris. Cam, too. Sorry.”

There was a short awkward silence before you try to continue the conversation. “The malnourishment-thing wasn't even really his fault. He gave me money to buy food and I put it away to buy that french book. It wasn’t the worst of his shortcomings, so it's cool Angie...”

“You had to starve yourself to buy things you like?” She’s really shocked by this. “What? And what you bought was a book? What?”
“No, I also got... some stuff. I had a diskman, and... music.”
“David, I really think we need to spoil those two a little. Jesus.”
“No, I don’t need a lot of stuff.”
“She’s right, Chris. You two deserve to have a proper childhood. Alright. That means game night tonight. Let’s have some fun. Or do you guys rather get settled first?”

>game night
>get settled

>>3654507
>Game night
Welcome back QM!

>>3654507
>>game night

>>3654507

>game night

>>3654507
Now that Cris mentioned, did we get our diskman back home? We could stop for some CDs at the mall.

You finally arrive at a large mall, taking up not one but two city blocks, being connected with two bridges going over the street at different floors.

Is this normal? This can’t be normal. Or is this just what a big city is like?

“Don’t be intimidated.” Angie boxes you in the side when you are already disoriented looking at the floor plan.

“Freshly squeezed orange juice”, David says seemingly randomly before you realize that there was a vendor just at the end of the escalators going up from the parking deck.

Hand-outs and stuff. You’re not very thirsty or anything, but you’d likely would drink it if it’s handed to you. “Uhm... yes?”

He goes to buy some and you were about to follow him when Cam tugs at your hoodie so you stay back. Angela who had followed David looks back at you but you nod her to go on, which, after frowning slightly, she does.

“What’s the matter?”, you ask Cam once they are out of hearing range, which was no far, since the mall is rather busy.

She looks around and has to collect herself before talking. “Dad... gave us what we needed.”

>“I guess that’s true...”
>“No he didn’t.”
>“But not what we wanted.”
>[write-in]

>>3654650
"He game us what he thought we needed, we certanly didn't need some things she thought were necessary."

>>3654818
>we certanly didn't need some things she thought were necessary
>she
Cam? or are you confusing your pronouns

>>3654823
Tjat is a typo, yesh.
Mean to say
Things he gave us.

>>3654818
I support.

I think she doesn't realize, or maybe normalized her situation since she doesn't have any way to compare.

>>3654818
Sure. This.

“He gave us what he thought we needed, Cam”, you tell her. “We certainly didn't need some things he thought were necessary, and we needed more than that, like... things that we really needed like the things David said.” You used the word ‘need’ too often there. “What I mean is... we are allowed to have needs of our own, alright?”

She pouts and looks down, and you feel like you’re loosing her in thought again.

“No crayola, then how about a drawing board, some rulers and compasses, hmm? Get to work on those buildings, maybe?”

You can tell that she wants to say yes, but she doesn’t dare to so. You don’t know if you should simply make the decision for her or get her to somehow get her to agree to buy it. A verbal confirmation would be nice, but you would do with a nod, but right now she’s just looking to the floor, searching around.

>Just buy them.
>Give her time to answer until you’re actually at an office supply store.
>Wait
>Say something [write-in]
>other [write-in]

Cam scenes are hard to write

>>3655101
"I hear that voice too Cam but it's our choice to make, not his"

>Give her time to answer until you’re actually at an office supply store.

Maybe when she actually see the stuff it will be easier to go against the voice.

>>3655128
This

>>3655128
Sure

>>3655128
>>3655205
>>3655249
alright, I just not gotta watch that next episode of stranger things, easy

>>3655258
This new season made me the angry, and thanks QM. This quest is more important anyway.

You sigh, you know what’s keeping her this much. “I hear that voice too, Cam”, you tell her and look over to see if Angie listens in and crouch down to Cam. “We talked about this, his mind-control. It's our choice to make, not his, okay?”

Of course she does not answer, but at least she meets your eyes. Come on, Cam, at least give me a nod or somethi-

She nods. Which makes you immediately smile.

“Alright”, you nod as well and pat her shoulder, standing up again. “Let’s get us some nice orange juice.”

She’s almost frozen in place though, only lethargically following you to the OJ stand.

Don’t take hand-outs.

“‘sup?”, Angie nods you as you are at the counter, but you ignore her.
“One for you”, the cashier says cheerfully and holds your cup in front of you.

You actually had to bring up the willpower to raise your own hand to take it. The actual physical act of taking a hand-out was revolting and lingers on you even after you have it firmly in your hand, it’s straw nowhere close to your lips, nor do you make any effort to close that distance. You have to take a breath again.

“You okay? You look pale there”, David asks you, almost startling you as if you had forgotten his existence for a second.

>“No, actually. Just overcoming years of conditioning.”
>“I’m fine.”

also:
>help Cam [write-in]

>>3655383
>>“I’m fine.”

>help Cam [write-in]
Take Cam's juice for her so she doesn't have to actually pick it up and then try to calm her down and say it's ok while handing it to her

>>3655404
Sure. This.

>>3655404
>try to calm her down
how?
humming to her worked when she had a nightmare, but...

>>3655461
Humming? In public? Are you MAD?

>>3655461
Just assure its a gift, it will be ok, and that we will do this together.

Maybe drink first to give her encouragement

>>3655467
that's the "but"
so how are you calming her?
how'd you make her accept what she thinks is a hand-out?

>>3655478
>gift
hand-out
same thing

>>3655478
this anon may be on to something

>>3655479
let's introduce to her the concept of gift, shit we never got gifts, do we know what is a gift?

"when we like someone, or we want someone to be happy we can give gifts, it's just something we give people to make them feel better, and it's not wrong to give them or to receive them"

>>3655494
yeah, I just realized we never got gifts so they are always hand-outs

>>3655479
Oh, right... imma let another anon decide this. Idk.

>>3655496
Maybe the gift could be a form of loophole.

Well we have to try something and if we see it doesn't work we change to humming, even if in public.

>>3655578
Oh, like sampling? We get to taste the drink if we pay the waitress with our opinion of the beverage?.. or is that too liberal?

>>3655494
There's a big difference, a hand-out is something given out of pity or for a reason

Gifts are given because we want to, and we want to make the other person happy, it doesn't need to have a reason besides being pleasant and nice.

>>3655584
I'm not sure I understand

Okay, it seems you have little confidence in what you're putting forth.
let me have you a single 1d10 roll low to see if you have a good idea because you were able to kinda convince yourself

I was about to send that, but >>3655604 seems better.
However, since I was already planning to put it out there, you can have the roll anyway

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>3655609

File: 1492723476799.jpg (10 KB, 388x322)

10 KB JPG

>>3655612
God I love being cursed. Haven't rolled above a 10 in a month.

>>3655612
you are a hero anon

shattering mind conditioning

>>3655612
welp, there it is

>>3655616
and a star vs reaction pic

writing

“I’m fine”, you tell him and take a slurp from your drink. It’s just a drink...

Just a drink...

You look back to Cam who wouldn’t dare to get within 10 feet of the stand and nod her to come hither.

“Not like dad never bought OJ”, you say and Cam’s gaze snaps from the cup to you with a frown. “He had provided for us now it’s the Miller’s job. David and Samantha. They’ll be just a little bit more generous than he was. Just like drinking OJ in the morning – even if it’s 4 in the afternoon.”

She nods hesitantly and approaches the vendor with caution. You do a hand gesture to David and Angie to not do anything as if to not startle Cam, something that wasn’t lost on them, but unfortunately at the vendor himself. “Don’t be shy, little girl.”

“I’m not shy”, Cam responds with a frown, catching you off guard. She snatches the cup from him and holds it to her chest, angrily glaring at the vendor the entire time.

“Ahh... Thank you”, David breaks the tension with him who just seems a little confused by the ordeal, but wasn’t bothered much.

Soon after she was almost happily drinking from her cup, having removed the lid to drink directly without using the straw. You easily had the time while riding up the escalator. When she notices you observing her she just looks at you as if to ask you what the matter was, but you just smile and shake your head. “It’s alright”, you tell her. You were just happy that she was able to take it and even talked on top of that.

You’re in a good enough mood to even press your luck further. “We also need school supplies new books and notebooks anyway. And you know what? If you want to be an architect, you’ll need a ruler and some compasses too.” Aaaand she nods. “Awesome.”

Arriving at the top the first store in view was one for clothing.

“Now let’s get you two dressed properly to even be accepted in a high class suit store”, Angie announces.
“Coming from you”, you retort.
“Yeah, I’ll also get a new outfit. You two know what outfit you have to search for”, she points at you and David, “while I kidnap Cam to the women’s section. Divide and Conquer.”

>“Absolutely not.”
>Trust Angela alone with Cam
>Trust Cam alone with Angela

heading to sleep now, see you all tomorrow

>>3655768
>Trust Angela alone with Cam
>"As long as you don't try and dress her up like you."
>"You're getting something yourself? Please tell me it isn't another jacket."

Bye QM. Stay comfy.

>>3655768

>Trust Angela alone with Cam

>>3655782
This I suppose

>>3655782
support

>>3655782
I like how we are doing our friendly banter with the new sister

>>3657643
>Calling it friendly banter and not flirting.
Ah amiga... no.

Stepsister is not for lewd! No sister is for lewd! Sister is for protecting!

>>3657974
I for one don't consider her our stepsister, nor David or his wife to be our foster parents.. So I see no evil here.

You frown slightly. “As long as you don't try and dress her up like you. And what are you getting yourself anyway? Please, tell me it isn't another jacket.”

Angie raises an eyebrow and turns to Cam, “Cammy,” She crouches down to her and offers a hand. “Come with me and I’ll show you a world of fashion whose horizon your brother may never grasp,” she pauses to think for a moment. “Will you dare to go on this journey with me?”

There was an awkward pause where Cam did absolutely nothing before she turns to you as if to ask for allowance. You nod, but also tell her, “You don’t need my allowance, Cam.”

Something’s at the tip of your tongue, but you don’t know if you should say it.
>“You can go with your new sister.”
>“You two have fun.”
>[write-in]

wait for other girls before starting to waifufag

>>3658054
>“You two have fun.”

>>3658054
>>“You two have fun.”

“You two have fun”, you tell them and see them off. Even through her behavior, you don’t think you can trust Angie with Cam.

“I have to be honest with you here a little. I think I don’t quite trust her with your sister”, David says.
“Huh?”
“It’s all okay right now, but Angela – even though she does it in jest – she has a certain... behavior I don’t think is quite healthy to rub off onto a young girl.”
“What do you mean?”, you ask, now with the feeling to run after them, but David nods you to head into the men’s section of the store.
“It’s – how do I say this? Maybe it’s just my archaic way of thinking. But she has an – what I deem to be – an too open display of sexuality, which is not healthy for her. And Cam, from what I know, has lacked a female role model for- Your father never remarried, has he? What about girlfriends?”

He quickly jumped over some topics there so you are a little caught off guard. And now that you think about it, it was a little weird. Wouldn’t someone with mind-control powers be able to have anyone?

“I never saw him with anyone. No girlfriends, but also no friends-friends. However, he often came home really late, and I don’t think it’s because he stayed at the lumber mill”, you merely answer his question, but you’re burning to know more about what he thinks about Angie and Cam’s relationship.

“That’s- okay. Not good... in general.” He pats your back. “Children learn how to interact with others by watching their parents first and foremost. And Cam, she- the quite obvious communication disorder aside, how would she know what it means to be a woman, be in a relationship for that matter.” He stops in his track. “You two you have not been- abused like that, have you?”

“Wha- No, no. He wasn’t... that kind of... scumbag.”

“Good...” He begins to walk again and repeats, “Good. That could have all kinds of effects on a young... girl.” He had paused there for a moment and quickly changes the topic. “What about you? Ever had a girlfriend? It may be kind of rude to assume you haven’t, but if you have never really experienced how a man should treat a woman...”

He begins to ramble.
>let him
>tell him you haven’t had a girlfriend.
>did he change the topic because...[write-in]

>>3658232
>>did he change the topic because...[write-in]
it happened to him?

>>3658251
>“Good. That could have all kinds of effects on a young... girl.”

that hesitation before saying girl, could he be refering about a boy

>>3658251
>>3658267
These can go hand in hand. Supporting.. At the same time he could also be talking about Angie.

>>3658289
Yeah, could be angie, but he changed subject because something like that happened...and Angie didn't want to talk about her past with us too.

so, if you actually want to ask, do you ask for both and in what order?

>>3658445
" Did something like that happened to you or...." and look at Angie's direction, no matter if he answers or no the reaction will probably give it away.

>>3658445
I think first him and the Angie

ok, but not today, I'll have to go to work tomorrow again, maybe I'll be able to write it in the train

>>3658593
Thanks for running, see ya Qm

>>3658593
Thanks for running QM!

You’re not letting him get away with changing the topic. This was something you feel like you should know. “Did something like that happen to you?”

“What?” He seems confused about your leap in logic. “No.”
“Then it’s...”, you don’t finish but you look in direction of the women’s section, trying to make out where they have disappeared off to.
“Because of her display?”, David asks, with a mix between a smile and frown. Then he sighs, “She has her circumstances, as do you, but as it was your place to tell us, so it’s her to tell you. I will not breach her trust like that.”
“So it’s-”, you almost take it as a confirmation, but he interrupts you.

“You may think me not telling you strengthens your theory, but it really does not. And it would be terribly rude to assume something like that of another and changing your behavior regarding only an assumption. Whether it is true or not.” He sighs again. “Just because there is smoke, doesn’t mean there is a particular type of fire. I can only ask you to wait until she trusts you before asking about it, okay?”

You continue to stare over in their direction but can’t make them out behind the rows of clothes. David neither confirmed nor denied Angie’s circumstances, but at least you believe him that it happened to him, even though he himself has– Hmm... this could be an opportunity to ask him about his own sexuality, but you’re not quite sure if and how you should ask about it.

>[write-in]
>just go shopping

almost copied my notes in. That almost heart attack

>>3660297
>just go shopping

Imagine making notes and not thinking up scenarios on the fly.

>>3660297
>just go shopping

>>3660297
>just go shopping


during it we can ask "why did you and your wife decide to help kids like us?"
maybe the lack of balls had something to do wth it

You know, its quite possible its neither him nor Angie actually, he took care of other kids before us so its plausible that he already has experiences with victims of child abuse.
I am curious about Angie scars but I guess we will have to get some mpre trust before she tells us.

Question to the Qm: how are we pn the scar department? All of them were healed when we awoke our powers? Or we didn't have them to begin with?

As for david, I'm betting he was a victim of something, maybe a war wound, or just good old testicular cancer.

>>3660999
>Question to the Qm: how are we pn the scar department? All of them were healed when we awoke our powers? Or we didn't have them to begin with?

those you had before you got your powers stayed

>>3661050
How bad is it? Just a couple or all over the body?

>>3661080
no, it's not that bad, Angie has had it worse

>>3661124
>tfw when she doesn't like to be called Angela because the person who beat the shit out of her used to call her that

>>3661138
>tfw the scars were all sefl inflicted and she is kind of a psycho.

>>3661138
>>3661148
roll dexterity to jump to conclusions

>>3661176
A Wild Guess appeared!

Armed with a magazine and a style you’re looking to copy it was actually really easy to find what you were looking for, and once you wore the outfit you actually did like it. You think that maybe you really should thank Angie more properly, but then you realize that you got tricked into wearing a black jacket and the thought disappears again. While it wasn’t faux leather, something still annoys you about it... At the same time you like it, but you don’t want to admit defeat.

“What’s the matter?”, David asks from behind you, making eye contact through the mirror you were standing in front of.
“Nothing.” You wouldn’t know how to tell him what’s going through your mind.
“You’re still having troubles accepting others help?”
“That- ah... actually wasn’t what I was thinking about at all.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”, he offers.
“The stupid thing I was thinking about, or the ‘accepting help’-thing?” You turn around. “Answer’s gonna be ‘either’, isn’t it.”
David gives a shrug and smile.

Again you face the mirror. “I think I’ll take it.” Before heading back into the changing booth to take it off. “Our dad conditioned us”, you say once seemingly alone. “Like... we are not supposed to take hand-outs because... if someone gives you something they ought to have some agenda. If it’s free then that’s not the product, but you are. Like a 20 buck coupon if you get a membership for a store, now ‘they’ have your data and can sell it, or something like that.”

“They?”, David asks.
“I don’t know. The government, the KGB, the jews, whatever. Or commercials. ‘Those are not good toys, they just try to manipulate you, be stronger than-” You burst out in laughter. But it was a morbid, desperate kind of laugh which doesn’t last more than one, maybe two seconds.
“Chris, are you okay?”
“Hypocrisy is funny, even way after the fact.”

You rub your temples again, still having a headache from overcoming the control earlier. You really need to watch your head. All you can assume is that it’s your power that makes you able to withstand him, but every time you use it, your head starts aching.

Whenever his controls start acting up you got to fight them, but you should be wary using them for other stuff. So far they have not been useful outside of healing Cam. They only told you stuff about the Millers and Angie that you maybe weren’t supposed to know, and now where helpless in knowing the but unable to really help.

You’re thinking in weird directions again, but you think you should hold back a little. You can’t just randomly try and tap into strangers to see if they have a brain-thingy and powers too, it’s too straining on you, or can you?

>Reserve checking people for powers only to people we’d interact with, like later in school.
>Try and look around to see if there are interesting people to check.
>Check people randomly.

>>3661293

>Reserve checking people for powers only to people we’d interact with, like later in school.

No need to go around doing it for now, maybe if we want to test some theory or another.

>>3661293
>Reserve checking people for powers only to people we’d interact with, like later in school.

>>3661293
>Reserve checking people for powers only to people we’d interact with, like later in school.

When you meet up with Cam and Angie again they were wearing the same outfit. Something like a green apron-like dress over a yellow t-shirt. It looks like it was two pieces, but was probably just one. Something an farm maid might wear in old movies but given color and a modern look.

On Cam, it looks totally adorable. And you barely ever have seen her in a dress before.

On Angie, it looks naughty. The fabric stretches over her breasts lifting up the apron part on her sides as if it were a wardrobe malfunction and there was nothing underneath.

If people wouldn't know better, it might just be a big sister wearing the same thing as her little sibling for their sake, even if it doesn't quite fit her anymore. But you know better, and she's evil.

"What are you looking at? It's not a jacket, like some hypocrite bought", she says, lifting your jacket up to either side. "You look good", she comments before, clearly intentionally, turning herself sideways to you.

But it was also Cam, wo was clearly fishing for your attention.

>"Should've put more trust in you, Angie. Cam looks really cute."
>also acknowledged what Angie is doing with her own display somehow [write-in]

>>3661637
>"Should've put more trust in you, Angie. Cam looks really cute."
>"But did you have to get the same outfit?It makes me think of a babysitter trying to appease her kid, can't think of anything aside from that."

Just say what other people with think, freign ignorance.

>>3661637
>"Should've put more trust in you, Angie. Cam looks really cute."
>"Don't tell me you're gonna wear that around? Youre too old for that, you can't wear it outside the house.

>>3661667
You're gonna make Cam think she's not cool by saying "It makes me think of a babysitter trying to appease her kid"
>>3661764
>Youre too old for that, you can't wear it outside the house.
You're gonna make Cam think she's not cool, kids wanna be adults and stuff.
>>3661637
>"Should've put more trust in you, Angie. Cam looks really cute."
>also acknowledged what Angie is doing with her own display somehow [write-in]
"Feign ignorance" as >>3661667 puts it. Tell Angie she looks nice in those colors or something.

>>3658054
>wait for other girls before starting to waifufag
> "You look good", she comments before, clearly intentionally, turning herself sideways to you.
Not waifufagging, but I think she's flirting. It would be rude not to flirt back

>>3661637

>"Should've put more trust in you, Angie. Cam looks really cute."

>>3661764
I don't know about that line dude, sounds like an old man nagging at his daughter, unless we say it in a way that its obvious its a joke.

Concentrate to not get another boner.

>>3661811
I think just a "you look nice too" is enough, she must be used to everyone flirting back so lets just conpliment like she did and leave it at that.

>>3661811
Ah, right. That makes sense.

I like how her compliment tips you off to her flirting, and not her choice of dress- nor the many comments she's made previously.

>>3661637
Switch from >>3661764 to >>3661667

>>3661832
Yeah I agree

>>3661841
>I like how her compliment tips you off to her flirting, and not her choice of dress- nor the many comments she's made previously.
I was just using it as an example of the things she's done

>>3661667
This sounds playful and not in bed taste, but we should compliment too.

I bet Cris is gonna have a hard time complimenting her, he is not used to talking to other kids, much less being flirted at, he is gonna get flustered.

She is probably having fun teasing him

>>3661637
>"Shoulda put more trust in you Angie, Cam looks really cute."

>"Aren't you a little old for those clothes though?"

You step to the side to look at Cam more closely, before saying in direction of Angie: “Should’ve trusted you more, Angie. Cam looks really cute.” The last sentence still addressed Angie, but you said it much more towards Cam.

Then you turn to Angie again. “However, did you really have to get the same outfit?”, you ask, feigning ignorance to what the outfit does to her. “Kinda makes me think of a babysitter just wanting to appease the kid. Can’t think of anything aside from that”, you say with a sense of righteous justice as you are not letting her have her win.

Angies eyes twitch and she glares at you while you speak, but once you’re done talking she changes her expression to feigned confusion and shrugs. “Yeah, that’s... what I was doing.” What? “Trying to get Cammy comfortable with my pick for her.” She kneels down to Cam and gives her a smile, “I can’t expect you to take my medicine if I’m not willing to do so as well, right?”

And now you’re the bad guy... great. But you know she’s manipulating the situation.

>Apologize and tell her she looks good too
>Apologize
>Don’t apologize
>[write-in]

I should put slice of life in the tags on notatrueending

>>3663591
>Don't apologize
>[write-in]
Say, sort of quietly. "not to say it doesn't look good though"

>>3663776
Sure. This.

>>3663776
+1

>>3663591
>Don't apologize

THIS IS WAR

>>3664649
>THIS IS WAR
but still tell her that it looks good?

>>3664662
I am of the still tell her team

>>3664662
We can admit that

BUT BEGRUDGINGLY

You shrug, “Doesn’t mean it doesn’t look good, though”, you say quietly while crossing your arms and looking away from her, the other direction that she was facing. Doesn’t mean you don’t know she has a shit eating grin on her face either.

David looks between you two gauging the tension, before coming to your aid. “Chris has a point, Angie. It’s a style you have outgrown a little, but that is not to say that both of you look quite cute, even more so when being together.”

For a moment you thought he talks about you and Angie’s pikering when he said ‘you two look cute together’, but obviously he means Cam and Angie.

David takes a look at a pocket watch and raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Golly, would you look at the time. Almost 5 pm. We have to hurry now if we want the store to even be open.”

At a quick pace you’re now going through the mall to arrive at the high class tailor at the highest part of the mall. The building was higher, of course, but the other floors were probably offices.

“This looks... uninviting”, you comment about the décor of the floor and the storefront.
“Quite intentionally so”, David nods.
“What? Why?”

“I guess that is more an answer that our Cambridge may find interesting”, he says, “You see, the usual storefront has to be designed in a way to catch the eye and try to lure in as many customers as possible. A bakery or food stall needs to have it’s windows and ventilation designed to blow out the smell and attract people that way.”

Cam listens intently, but doesn’t quite question why, only looking to you to give this verbal command. But since you’re interested too it barely matters. “So why don’t they?”

“Hmm... you’re smart kids, why would you think a store doesn’t want a customer to come in?”

You can’t come up with anything by the time you reach the store, and Cam seems to wreak her brain, but she also looks scared. Scared?

“Everything ok?”, he asks. “Would you like me to solve the riddle or just give a hint? Well, in either way... It’s not that they don’t want customers, it’s that they don’t just want anyone, but only a niche base. There are some stores that are even invite only. Such stores work on reputation, not on random people walking past.”

“I see...”, you say but your jacket was again tugged by Cam, just before you go in.

The store is about to close.

>Stay back with Cam for a minute, surely they will be lenient enough, right?
>You’re not sure if you can risk that. You can explain that to Cam quickly... But you said you’d be there for her.

>>3664869

>Stay back with Cam for a minute, surely they will be lenient enough, right?

Like we can possibly ignore a jacket tug, and when they see Cam with the same outfite Angie has they'll know we are all together.

>>3664869
>Stay back with Cam for a minute, surely they will be lenient enough, right?

>>3664869

>Stay back with Cam for a minute, surely they will be lenient enough, right?
She looks scared, we can't drag her in like that, if worse comes to worse and she refuses to enter the store we can ask Angie to keep her company while we go in with David.

>>3664869

>Stay back with Cam for a minute, surely they will be lenient enough, right?

>>3664891
>>3664896
>>3664914
>>3664985
unanimous

>>3664914
hmm... need a quick yes or no, should I write Chris being under the believe that Cam's afraid to enter the store?

>>3665044
Well, she looked scared but that may be because David asked something and she didn't know the answer so she was scared of a beating

So no, let's just ask what she wants to talk about

>>3665082
Hmm
Anon makes a good point, maybe she was not scared of going in, lets just talk with her

kk

>>3665082
expanding on your theory a bit

we just told Cam that David is going to provide for her as father did and that he will be responsible of giving her stuff
it's not a stretch to think that she assumes that David will take up all the things that father did, including the beatings. I expect to see Cam a little more afraid of David than she was since she didn't show this fear at any moment before we talked to her about that when she got OJ

Like you could possibly ignore her when she gives you the signal. You stay back and David and Angie were a few feet away before noticing you’re gone.

“What are you doing?”, Angie asks.
“Just give us a second”, you shoo her away with a hand gesture and focus on Cam. “You looked scared there earlier.”

Since Cam doesn’t bring out a word you repeat the motion to Angie to give you more space, but even David urges you to hurry, showing you the pocket watch again before putting his hand on Angie’s back to lead her away from you.

Once they are dealt with you look to Cam again. “Are you okay?”
Her mouth is a thin line and she barely even looks at you, but when she does she just shrugs.
“You don’t know?”, you voice what you understood from that. “Because you looked scared there.”

Her face is contorted into reasoning herself into something. Answering? Is it straining her that much? But she does speak up. “I’m fine”, she says and nods to the store while beginning to walk, leaving you behind.

You think she just lied to you. She has never done that before.

You gulp down hard as if to dispel the bad feeling from the situation and hurry up after her.

Did she lie because she didn’t want you to be late, or because she really doesn’t want to be open about it? Just having changed her opinion the last second.

You enter the store through it’s small door (because uninviting niche) and look around. It certainly has a high class, yet homely feel to it from the inside, but it didn’t make you feel much better.

“I’m sorry, gentleman”, comes a voice from the back, “and ladies”, he adds once he stepped around a corner to see you, “but we are already closed.”

“But it’s like 4:59, you can’t do this!”, Angie says angrily.
“You may be using a broken watch, young lady.”
“Please, we have an emergency on our hands”, David explains much more calmly. “This young man needs a suit by Thursday. I already called ahead to notify you we were coming.”
“You have not notified me that you would be coming when our shop closes, Mr. Miller. I apologize, but you should have come sooner.”
“Oh, this is bullshit!”
“I will not allow myself to be spoken to like that. For that reason alone I would have to ask you to leave now.”
“Come on!”

Of all people Angie was the one who was the most angry. You were still processing Cam pulling you away. Cam who... will... totally blame herself now. Shit. You quickly turn around and see her tears welling up before- she’s gone.

Nobody has noticed yet.

>[write-in]

>>3665286
>If she's still in the same spot, how about we sneak over and hold her hand? Else try and find her if she moved.

>>3665286
Reach out with our mind, just look for her mind thingy, try to find her and go after her

>>3665311
>>3665306
This, find her with our powers and grab her hand, maybe take her behind something and try to calm her down

She's blaming herself and thinks she will be in for trouble

gnnh, so tired.
writing

You look at the spot where she had stood and then quickly back again to see if anyone noticed. Having not heard any footsteps or seen the door open again you don’t think she actually left. So what you do is just stand yourself stealthily before her and offer your hand for her to take.

“Chris, don’t you want to get in on this? It’s your future?”, Angie asks and turns back to you.

You quickly move to block her view from- well, from nothing.

Come on, Cam, please. Don’t do this. Not on day one.

David only looks back for a moment before continuing his talk with the owner of the shop to make an exception, only taking your measurements and doesn’t notice Cam to be missing.

Angie meanwhile gestures as if asking you what was going on. She was quite confused that you wouldn’t even give her an answer.

Cam has not yet taken your hand, nor have you heard the door, but you think at least that she was still standing behind you.

Your head is not gonna thank you for it, but you feel out again and indeed, find her just behind you.

>Continue facing Angie and come up with something to tell her. [write-in] (low risk of detection by Angie, varies)
>Turn around to Cam, maybe even kneeling down to her and hug her while being invisible or something [write-in] (high risk of detection by Angie, varies)


I think that's it for the day. Maybe discuss through my night if you let Angie in on the secret. Depending on what you come up with, I can't promise to be able to finish a scene before I start work tomorrow, the update I usually do at the time in roughly 8 hours from now

>>3665410
As much as I like Angie, I don't think we should tell her yet. Maybe give it a few more days so we really know if we can trust her.

>"I mean, Angie. Look at this stuff. It doesn't feel like me, I'm thinking about it and honestly I don't think I'd want a suit- even just to look presentable."

>>3665410

>Turn around to Cam, maybe even kneeling down to her and hug her while being invisible or something [write-in] (high risk of detection by Angie, varies)

Shit, its risky but we've got to calm her down.
"Hey Cam, it's ok, it's not your fault, nobody is gonna punish us"

>>3665466
Try to cover Cam's body so it looks to Angie that we are just talking to her

>>3665410
>"If they're closed, they're closed."

>>3665610
that may not solve the issue at hand

>>3665643
It's just a quick deflection for Angie. Though I might be down for giving Cam some space and going to back up David.

>>3665410
>>"I mean, Angie. Look at this stuff. It doesn't feel like me, I'm thinking about it and honestly I don't think I'd want a suit- even just to look presentable."

>>3666066
This

Followed by>>3665466 to calm Cam up

Add that

"But thanks for sticking up for me anyway."
I think its a first time this happened too

>>3666288
I like the

"But thanks for sticking up for me anyway."

This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. You need to respond and make her go away, but you also immediately need to calm Cam and get her to at least go visible again. So what you end up doing is staring at Angie like a deer in headlights. Fuck.

“Maybe- I don’t need it”, you eventually press out, “I mean, Angie. Look at this stuff.” You gesture to some of the display suits. “This isn’t me, this doesn’t feel like me. When I’m thinking about it... I honestly don’t think I’ll want to wear a suit- even if it’s just to look presentable.”

She narrows her eyes and tilts her head, obviously not buying your story, since you don’t know if you buy it yourself, but you know you need to get out of the shop, for one thing.

“But thanks for, like, sticking up for me!"

Shit you wasted too much time. You quickly turn around and put your arms around Cam. The only sensible thing you still do was only go down as far as to press her head to your chest, so your body would still block Cam from view.

“It’s okay Cam, it’s not your fault, you hear me? Nobody’s gonna punish us.”

For a moment you thought Cam remains motionless and just lets herself be hugged like that, but she soon tries to pull away soon to have that little space in her face. To be honest, it was an awkward position.

She only wanted to have that inch of space, but one arm goes around you as well and she grips your jacket in a fist. “Let’s go”, she says and looks up to you.

You can see her again... yet only in a semi-translucent manner. She didn’t go visible, but included you in it.

You hear then David’s conversation end and him stepping back to you. “Well, at least tomorrow morni-”, he stops. “Angie, did- where are they?”

“Errrrrrr....”, Angie draws out the note before ending with: “They were just there just a second ago.”

>[write-in]

>>3667724
Shiiiit, she made us invisible too, hide behind something and tell Cam she can turn it off now, or exit the store and turn it off outside if there is nothing to hide behind

>>3667724
Take her outside, she will probably stop the disappearance
when we talk to david we just say that Cam came outside and we come to pick her

now the big question is, did angie see us disappear?

>>3667737 >>3667761
>or exit the store
>Take her outside
It's a real door that needs to be manually opened

>>3667761
>did angie see us disappear?
You didn't face her so you don't know if she was looking right at you, but that is your current believe.
As players you can neither confirm nor deny it, but as the character, yes, she knows.

As a side note: while you're invisible, you are not muted and people can still hear you.

>>3667833
ugh, does the store has windows that would make going out futile? like, could they still see us appear if we were to leave?

>>3667840
they would see a door open and close without anyone in
I thought I made that clear
but no, the design of the storefront wouldn't allow them to see outside., yet again, there are more people immediately outside than inside.

Your safest bet would be to hide behind one of the mannequins inside the store

>>3667857
yeah, I was debating if it was woth it doing anyway but the other people make me doubt that, let's hind behind something like>>3667737 said, tell her we are getting the suit tomorrow and it's fine she can stop it now

>>3667724
Things got interesting

Hide behind the manequins and try to calm her, start humming as a last resort

I feel like you missed a crucial detail

>>3667724
>“Let’s go”, she says and looks up to you.

>>3667906
Yeah, I got that, that's why I wanted to leave but then this >>366785 made me think its a terrible idea and now I'm just confused

>>3667933
I change to leaving the store (fuck the door) and finding a place to hide outside so we can appear again

>>3667724
Don't leave the store if we have to open the door, jesus people.

>Sneak further in and whisper to Cam

>"Go where?"

>>3667959
ok, I support you because I'm confused as hell

>>3667959
Sure. This.

>>3667959
Get behind some mannequins and hug her until she reappears us.

sorry, yesterday and today were stressful for me.
I don't want to say I'm overworked after not even working for a week again, but I kinda am.
I could squeeze one out today just, but I still want to rest...
but I'll have more for you guys tomorrow and on the weekend. Especially tomorrow I have a lot of good time to write.
Stay tuned

>>3670283
no worries qm, deal with your things
I like the quest a lot

>>3670283
No worries QM. Stay comfy.

>>3670283
Thanks for keeping us in the loop OP. Take all the time you need.

You try to kick your brain into a high gear but all it does is run idle at max revs.

First order of business? Has to be self preservation. Make sure Cam and you are not found out and stay safe.

You pick Cam up and move behind some mannequins, just in case the two of you pop back into existence, there can’t be any onlookers. It was bad enough that Angie saw you disappear. And while you think that she and David might be good people, if that store owner sees you – or rather, Cam – having powers it feels like it’s over.

“Cam, I go with you wherever you want, but nobody can find out we have powers”, you whisper down to her. “Just please, make us visible again. I’ll come up with something.”

“Chris?”, you can hear David ask around, trying to locate you.

The tingling sensation stops. The thing that you are pretty sure you can only feel because of your own powers. And when you look down onto your hands they were quite solid again.

Cam looks at you with demanding eyes to which you nod, but first you got to avert disaster and jump up. “Yes?”

“Oh- there you are. Everything’s okay?”, David asks.

Angie has her mouth slightly agape and looks from you back to the place where you had disappeared.

>“Cam needs to use the bathroom real quick.”
>“Cam feels sick, we need to use the bathroom.”
>“Cam left something in the boutique, we’ll fetch it real quick.”
>[write-in]

also

>Bolt immediately, or
>wait for his answer first.

>>3672234
>“Cam feels sick, we need to use the bathroom.”
>Bolt immediately.

>>3672234
:yeah, I'm ok"

>>“Cam needs to use the bathroom real quick.”
>Bolt immediately.

>>3672234

>“Cam needs to use the bathroom real quick.”

>Bolt immediately, or

Angie knows, will she follow or not?

>>3672234
>"I thought I saw a suit I liked."

>Wait for his answer

>>3672446
>>3672487
writing

“Uhm... Cam has a- bathroom emergency!”, you say after a moment of thought. “Come, Cam.”

Don’t leave time to be stopped, just advance quickly...

“Chris!”, David calls after you, but you ignore him and start to run.

You don’t want to run. While you’re not afraid to be punished by the Millers for running away for a few minutes, it still is a bad move. But you have to care for Cam. And right now she needs the space, even though you don’t know what was going on.

“Wait up”, you can hear Angie going after you, but you also ignore her, “Bathroom’s not even that way. Where are you going?”

Maybe Cam’s okay with Angie? They were alone together earlier.

You’re probably not getting anywhere fast without asking Cam to turn you invisible when turning a corner.

>just keep running, looking out for something?
>[write-in]

>>3672892
Aaah fuck bad situation

>Ask Cam to vanish us once around a corner, then make yoir way to a bathroom while asking what's up with her.

>>3672892
Oh yeah, you are right

Just calm down and go calmly to the bathroom, we are already out of there, let's stop using our powers

" Cam wanted to leave the store"

"Where do you want to go Cam?"

>>3672912
I don't think we need to keep running, Cam wanted to get away from David or the store so we don't need to keep running, let's just sit somewhere with her and ask if everythibg is alright, she knows she should not talk about her powers

>>3672940
We're being followed though? It's not like David, Angie, or even the store clerk are just standing still watching us walk away into this big store that wants to be closed.

>>3672943
>>3672892
>you can hear Angie going after you,

>>3672943
I know that, but we have to at least know why we are running, I doubt its from Angie, and she is the one coming after us, our powers are not active, let's just stop a minute and see if Cam is ok, and if she isn't we excuse ourselves from Angie and say that we need to speak with Cam and we can explain it later

>>3672946
I mean even if it's just Angie I don't think that I want to have this conversation in front of her.

>>3672943
Also, we are walking out of the store, not in.

>>3672955
We don't need to talk about anything critical, I just want to see if she is better after exiting, besides, I have a strange feeling, I would like to check the store owner or any other person inside for brain thingys, she started acting strange when we approached it, what if she can sense others like us? Because I don't know why else she would freak out, so maybe if we get too far from it we won't have the opportunity.

>>3672966
Why do you think we're walking out of the store? We ran further inside while invisible, and the people we were running from are at the entrance. Leaving would take us through them and make no sense.

Feel free to do that check on the owner but I don't share your feeling, I think Cam is just spooked by some aspect of our new life.

>>3672979
Because we are in a mall, and bathrooms usually are located outside of the stores, big bathrooms and such, I don't think we would run further inside to find one, and the reason to start running anyway was because Cam said "Let's Go" to us, indicating she wanted to leave, that's what I got from it, maybe we have two compleate different scenes in mind
For you we are running further inside and need to hide for some reason and for me we are running into a mall corridor in search of a bathroo. And I want to stop at a bench or somewhere to check if she is better


Qm, could you confirm if we are leaving the store or going further in?

>>3672998
>Qm, could you confirm if we are leaving the store or going further in?
Yes, you have left the store

>>3672998
>>3673006
Still doesn't feel organic to me but if OP says so I have no choice but to accept it. I'll back walking and talking.

>>3673023
The thing is, we were not running from david I think, we were running from the store, so we gave him an excuse, the bathroom, and walked past him outside, we didn't leave while invisible because they would see a door opening and closing with no one touching

>>3672892
Start walking but don't stop

"Sorry about that, I just didn't want to worry David, Cam was not feeling well so I took her outside to have a little chat, I'll explain to you later ok?"

Take Cam somewhere quiet

" Are you alright? What happened?"

>>3673023
You entered the store after everyone else and were therefore closest to the door, past the first mannequin. After the conflict arose, Angie and David approached the store owner more to the center of the shop while you and Cam stayed back.


current consensus between you is to slow down and let Angie catch up, explaining to her that Cam wanted to leave, while simultaneously asking Cam where and why she wanted to go too, right?

>>3673054
>current consensus between you is to slow down and let Angie catch up, explaining to her that Cam wanted to leave, while simultaneously asking Cam where and why she wanted to go too, right?

If it gets us outta this debate then I'm up for anything.

>>3673054
Ok now I understand, thought the mannequin was further in.

>>3673054
Sure

You let your steps grow slower until coming to a halt, even though Cam’s hand still tugs at yours a little, but she lets herself be stopped.

“Just getting out”, you say to Angie when she catches up.
“Not for the bathroom, I take it?”. She phrases it like a question, but it was much more of a demand.
“No...”, you admit and look to Cam who was glaring at Angie. Maybe this wasn’t the best course of action. “But I’d also like to know.”

She tugs again at your hand and away from Angie too.

“We just need some privacy”, you then add.
“Why?”
“Because.”

Angies eyes twitch and the three of you glare at each other for a little while before she says: “sssure...”, before walking backwards, not leaving her eyes of you.

She continues walking backwards while you too gain some distance away from her, but her eyes simply wouldn’t leave you again.

Very much out of hearing range you ask Cam again. “So what’s the matter?”
“Don’t know”, she says at first before vehemently shaking her head, “you said- you said if we don’t like them, we run.”

“You don’t like them”, you repeat. “What were you afraid of? David won’t hurt you.”
She’s staring off into the distance. No, she’s staring towards Angie and changes the topic. “You don’t like her.” Which came as a surprise to you.
“I don’t like her?”, you question. In actuality you feel like you got along too well.
Cam nods, “you fight”, she says, “a lot.”

Oh? Oh!

Explain how you were not ‘fighting’ with Angie.
>[write-in]

>>3673271
No no Cam, I like angie, don't need to worry about that, that was not fighting, we were just, talking the way teenagers talk, maybe when you get older you'll see, want me to bring her over to show you there's no need to worry?

We should tell Angie that our banter makes Cam nercous later.

>>3673271
>"No, no Cam. Angie and I like each other and we definitely aren't fighting, not really. You'll get it when you're older but when a teenager like another person they pretend to fight- and it's fun because they both know the other isn't serious about what they say. It's just teasing Cam, Angie and I get along very well."

And yeah, do as >>3673293 suggests and explain it to Angie.

>>3673337
You put it better than me, agreed

I feel we should try sto suppres a laugh here because this was pretty funny

>>3673390
I kek'd as well anon. This was a fun twist QM.

>>3673293
>>3673337
>>3673390
alright

>>3673271
>"That's really more of a game than fighting. It's maybe even proof we get along? If I truly don't like someone I'll let you know. I'll tell you."

“No”, you almost laugh. “nonono. That wasn’t- I like- Angie and I like each other. And what we were doing wasn’t fighting, not really. That was- Maybe you’ll get it when you’re older, but when teenagers like one another-” You make it sound like you’re a couple. “We gave each other a a hard time, but it’s more of a pretend fight. It’s fun, because we knew the other wasn’t entirely serious about what they say- It’s just teasing. Testing the others wit. Angie and I get along very well, Cam.”

Only too late do you realize she might have wanted you to support her...

“Do you not like her?”, you ask.

Cam frowns, looking down. Most likely she was trying to reevaluate Angie since her previous impression was of you not liking her.

“And I like David too for that matter, and I don’t think he would hurt us.”

Naturally, she does not respond, only looking around.

“We also said we’d give them a chance, right?” You kneel down to meet her eye level. “What scared you earlier? I- I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me, I worry about you.”

She continues to look down, but the expression on her face was now more like... shame? “Question.”

“Question? Because you didn’t know the answer?” She nods. “You were afraid he’d punish you for not-” She shakes her head before you could even finish, and it takes a while for you to think how to proceed but you simply ask: “What then?”

This time you wait until she actually answers since you had no more to go on, not really. And also because you didn’t want to overwhelm her by saying more, merely giving her time to think and formulate her response.

“I wanted to know. I was supposed to know.”
“How could you have?”
“I want to be an architect!”

You’re slightly taken aback by... what leaps in thinking she must be making. You almost laugh at how ridiculous that was. Did she really think that she had to have known? And not for David, but for herself?

“Then become one!”, you say. “You are still just a kid, we both are. You don’t have to know those things already... Cam...”

On one hand you want to be mad, but she’s really just a child. And this was just one more piece of evidence that she wasn’t raised quite right. If she ever wanted to know something she couldn’t ask your father, she can barely talk to anyone for that matter. And whenever someone asks her something, she doesn’t know that it’s okay to not know something. No, you are mad. But not at her.

“You will be an architect. No, you can be whatever you want, and you can change your mind whenever you want too. David and Samantha will make sure both of us will go to great schools, and we will learn whatever we will want to learn, ok? Nobody demands anything of us right now.”

You sigh. “But if you really not like them... we can still run away.”

Cam opens her mouth, but hesitates before speaking. “But...”. Then she looks over to Angie. “We said we’d give them a chance.”

You give her a smile. “That’s right.”

Patting her shoulder and stand up again. Only then do you notice she had taken off her sling when she changed outfits. Bad move for covering up the rate at which she had healed.

Probably Angie’s fault when picking the outfit.

>Point it out. “How’s your arm?”
>Don’t point it out. “Ready to head back?”

>>3674004
>Point it out. “How’s your arm?”

>>3674004
>Don't point it out

The Miller's don't know how bad the original injury was so it shouldn't matter too much. Better not to hassle her right now.

>>3674004

>Point it out. “How’s your arm?”

>>3674004
>Point it out. “How’s your arm?”

again, too late. I'll continue tomorrow.
see you guys then

>>3674204
Stay comfy QM.

>>3674204
Thanks for running!

>>3674004

>Point it out. “How’s your arm?”

“How’s your arm?”, you ask even though you already know it’s fine, you had tapped into her and know just how much, or rather, how little discomfort it actually gives.

“Fine”, she answers, but at least follows it up. “It shouldn’t.” Her gaze goes to you, wary of your reaction.

Again, you feel for her. “You’re not in trouble, but, you know, we shouldn’t let people find out the reason why you heal so fast.” She nods slowly so you repeat. “You’re not in trouble. But Angie is if she was the one who suggested you to take it off. After all, we must seem like we care for your health, even if its already taken care of.”

Cam nods again and looks over to Angie with a sense of indecision. Maybe you should blame Angie for it. You’ll have to talk to her anyway about your ‘fights’.

>Confront Angie about it now
>Delay it until later when Cam will not be present

>>3676248
>Delay

>>3676248

>Delay it until later when Cam will not be present

No reason to give even mlre reason to Cam think we fight.

"She's fine now, I'll explain to you later when we are alone ok?"

>>3676248

>Confront Angie about it now

But don't be agressive about it, let's just ask what happened to the sling

>>3676248
>Delay it until later when Cam will not be present.

delay it is, writing

It’s kinda too spicy of a topic to talk about in front of Cam, and you would kinda already know that Angie will give you shit about it, but you don’t yet know if you want that or not.

You nod to Cam and go back to Angie, who doesn’t waste time to close the distance as soon as she sees you moving towards her. “Seriously, what the fuck?”

“Language”, you state and shake your head in disappointment before realizing you were at it again. About to start another ‘fight’ with her. “Sorry, I- yeah, I’ll explain later.”

“Hows about you explain right now?”
“Ff-”. She makes a fist, but changes it to point at you. “I’ll hold you to that.”
You nod, “Sure. I promise.”
“You promise?”
“I promise”, you repeat.
She continues to stare at you for a second before shrugging. “Alrighty then.”

Not convinced at all she still turns around and nods you to follow her back to David, who, by now, was outside the suit store and looks around to see if he can spot you. As soon as he does, he opens his arms. “Where were you?”

>“Bathroom, like I said.”
>“Cam just needed to get out.”
>[write-in]

>>3676522

>“Cam just needed to get out

>>3676522
>“Cam just needed to get out."

>>3676522
>"Sorry, was feeling closed in. Needed to step out for a second. "

>>3676522

>“Cam just needed to get out

>>3676603
>>3676627
>>3676750
writing

“Cam just needed to get out”, you tell him truthfully.

“Are you okay, little one?”, he crouches down to Cam who takes a step back, but nods. “Well,” He stands up again, “we’re back together now.” He pats your back. “Slight miscalculation on my part, but we have a proper appointment tomorrow at 8:30 in the morning. And he said he’d still be able to finish it if we pick it up Thursday mornings, but- Well, it ain’t gonna be cheap.”

What will it take if even David says it’s expensive?

“Yeah, I think Chris here said something about the suits actually not agreeing with him”, Angie says with a smile on her face. She knows it had been just an excuse to get away, but now she’s using it against you. You should probably decide not to like her.

“Did he... name a price?”, you ask.
“Depending on what you’ll need we’re looking at about 800 dollar.”
“Eight hundred...”, you slowly repeat, trying to realize the figure. You never bought anything above 50 bucks.
“Should have thought of that before-”, Angie curs herself off.
“Angela”, David softly rebukes her.
“Yeah, yeah. I stopped myself, didn’t I?”
“Be that as it may... would you like to explore the mall a little more since we have the time?”
“Yes, drawing supplies, we still need something for Cam”, you say.

>“But not really anything else.”
>“And...” [write-in]

>randomly look around 1d100 bo3

Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>3677307
>"But not really anything else. "

That we plan for. Maybe rolls would change that.

oh, and as always, roll low
also that was the last post of the day.
(Cam scenes get annoying to make)
more tomorrow

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>3677307
>"But not really anything else. "

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>3677307
>“And...” [write-in]

A diskman and some cds

>>3677339
>>3679136
>34
writing

You head out to a school supply and book store and get a nice basis of what one would need to start drawing properly. There was purpose in the hardness of pencils and there are stencils for technical lettering in different sizes and italics too.

The book section was only filled with text books. French and Anatomy were among them, but you already have one unread book on French, so you opt for an old version of Gray’s Anatomy paperback. Before you could object David uses the same logic on you that you used on Cam, that it was for your education and to advance your career, and he buys it for you.

In the meantime Angie doesn’t leave her eyes of you and Cam while keeping her distance.

She saw. You know she saw, but she doesn’t know what she saw. All you could really do is play ignorant for now and hope she will come to assume it had been just her mind playing a trick on her. She didn’t say much until David points it out.

“You’re being uncharacteristically quiet, Angie.”
“Yes, the world sometimes behaves in uncharacteristic ways”, she answers but tries to make eye contact with you.

How will you react?
>[write-in]

"It sure does"
"Whar happened in the store must have made you angry right Angie?"
Make eye contact
Maybe she will get the hint that we can talk later but not in front of David

Repostion because I fucked up when I posted

>>3679436
" Quiet Angie is something new to me too"
try to defuse with humor, don't run from her eyes.

>>3679436
Backing
>>3679482

>>3679482
>>3679504
patting the beehive, writing

“Yeah”, you smile and meet her eyes, “a quiet Angie is something new to me too, and I’ve only known you for maybe 6 hours.”

“You don’t need to know someone for long to be surprised by them”, she retorts.

You haven’t indirectly given her confirmation to be suspicious of you, have you?

“Riiight, right”, she nods.

“I’m not completely oblivious”, David says. “Something’s going on. I give you all the freedom I can provide you with, but if issues arise between you – the three of you – I will have to step in. So would anyone like to tell me what is going on?”

Angie keeps eye contact with you. “Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know too.”

>feign ignorance
>[write-in]

>>3679770
"About earlier, you know, when we play around and try to rile up the other but its just for fun? Cam thought we were really fighting and asked me why we hated each other, that's why I had to take her with me to talk, explain that it was not serious...
Sorry about that."

>>3679770

>feign ignorance

Sorry, I'm just being weird, I'm not used to this.
Sorry to you too Angie, I didn't mean to be a pain, we just got here."

If we can get her alone just tell her we will explain it to her later.

>>3679770
>Feign ignorance

"Cam took our playful banter too seriously. My bad, I'll tone down the spice from now on. "

>>3679845
Change to support this

And I agree if we manage to get Angie alone sometime to tell her we can talk later at home, we have the Cam thing and the arm thing to talk about and maybe this way she will drop the disappearance problem until we are alone and she can ask us about it

>>3679845
>>3679903
writing

You think for a moment and nod. “Yeah no, it’s not a problem.” you sigh. “Not anymore. I talked to Cam and – well – she took our playful banter sessions a little bit too seriously, thought we were fighting for real.”

“Yes, either of you two seem to have a quite aggressive flirting style.” He then looks to Cam. “It actually means they like one another.” Then he returns to you and Angie. “Something I have not made my mind up if I approve of yet.”

“There is nothing to approve of!”, Angie almost bursts out.
“As to not confuse our dear Cambridge”, he speaks intently towards Angie, “let’s just confirm you two can get along well.”
“Seriously?”, she asks.

This is so awkward.

>You already told Cam, but you could make Angie suffer in awkwardness if you were to tell her. “I like Angie.”
>“We get along fine.”

>>3680119
>Spread your arms

>"Yeah Angie, let's hug to show Cam how well we get along."

>>3680119
"I already explained to her."

>“We get along fine.”

Let's not corner her.

>>3680119
Not in front of David, this is too awkward, and Angie immediate denial was amusing too

I told you already right Cam?
We get along fine, there's no need to worry

Wink towards Angie since we just saved her from some awkwardness

>>3680119
I like her. She seems like good people.

I got a few things to pick from here
anyone making up their mind?

>>3680418
We've all made up our minds. We just don't agree.

Cam already gets it, so I don't want to drag her into this and make her feel bad. Just say we get along. Hug or handshake or whatever he wants.

>>3680475
Yeah this. No handshake or hug because that's weird af. Just say we like her.

>>3680504
>>3680475
Works for me,
Say we get along and no handshake or hug, you can use whatever lines up there you feel more appropriate