768/The Worst Best Friend

The Worst Best Friend
Date of Scene:	26 March 2020
Location:	Rec Room
Synopsis:	Hellions playing pool. Jenny is the Britta of this group.
Cast of Characters:	Jennifer Stavros, Marie-Ange Colbert

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Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Wednesday evenings are obnoxious on many levels. It is halfway through the week, so the energy resulting from a weekend off has passed, but it's not yet time to party like a rockstar (though kicking a little ass remains on the table.

Jennifer has homework. This is the worst. Thing. Ever. But that doesn't matter because she is not, in fact, doing it. She is at the pool table, bent over in her t-shirt and black yoga pants, contemplating a shot. "Six in the corner pocket," she announces to nobody but herself. She bats at the cue ball with her cue in a way that suggests she knows virtually nothing about the game of pool.

The six clicks into the corner pocket she indicated. She nods to herself. Good.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
To Marie, Wednesday evenings by themselves were no greater or lesser than any other evening. Her opinion of the day depended on what the cards told her it would be, and today in particular? The Wheel of Fortune came up. It meant that any plans she had today would likely be scattered to the winds in favor of another's, and as such? She was wandering the school in order to find just who's plans she was to be a part of.

Because. Homework would have been /her/ plan. There's still time for it another day, however. Walking into the rec room, green eyes light up as Jenny's spotted. "Mademoiselle Jennifer!" comes the accented voice which can be picked out of a crowd. Jenny's probably the one girl who Marie's most comfortable around in the school -- she very clearly realizes that Marie's /there,/ and the girl in the yellow shirt and long black skirt is surely pleased by this fact.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
It has not failed Jenny's notice that Marie has a habit of letting her cards dictate her life. She could have stayed in her room and done homework. Jenny MIGHT have come looking for her, if she'd gotten bored. But since she's testing her ability to influence something as simple as a pool table, that might not have happened at all.

But Jenny grins when she hears the redhead's voice, turning her attention back to her friend. Because Marie is her friend, even if Jenny is not the best of friends to have. "Madame Rouge," she replies cheerfully. "I'd have thought you'd be cramming for the history test. Comment ca va?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Clearly, fate came to the rescue of a poor girl who might have otherwise had a very dull evening ahead of her! Stepping closer to the table, she glances over the setup before smiling over to her friend. Everything in moderation, it's more of a demure thing than anything too emotive, but it's there. "The cards suggest that it is not necessary tonight." she replies -- if they did, she would have run into someone /studying,/ first!

As for the other part of the greeting? She brightens up a bit more. "Tres bien! Your French is coming along wonderfully." A brief pause, and an inquisitive look follows. "...what of yourself? How does this evening find you?" ...she didn't really /need/ the cards, or to ask, to know that Jenny was likely in pursuit of some sort of fun. Or at least what the blonde considered to be fun!

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny doesn't have the heart to tell Marie-Ange that she only knows 'comment ca va' because her mom had this album that she listened to constantly by a Dutch boy band called The Shorts. Possibly their only hit was a song called 'Comment Ca Va' about a boy who meets a French girl and doesn't understand her. And that song appears in Jenny's head whenever she talks to Marie.

"Oh, you know, practicing some pool," she says mildly. "It's so very exciting. I missed awesome cupcakes last night, which is disappointing."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"Ah, oui, billiards. I know the game, but the rules..." she waves a hand slightly, indicating uncertainty. It's a popular enough activity in France, apparantly!

"Oh!" Marie suddenly exclaims, holding up one finger. "Un instant, c'est vous plait." ...and just like that the slender redhead is gone, zipping out of the room like a woman possessed... mainly because she was. The reason why becomes obvious shortly enough, as she returns with one of the very same cupcakes perched atop a napkin, held in both cards.

"After the others had left the kitchen, I made my way there. The cards had instructed me to take two, but I was not certain why... until now." With another smile, both hands extend towards Jennifer to offer her the treat.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny looks bemused for a moment. If she'd found the cupcakes, she'd have hoarded them for herself, most likely. She doesn't deserve Marie, really, and she knows it. Luckily for her, she's quite okay with that. Marie is too nice, and Jenny is a mean girl who can get away with it.

In the time that Marie was gone, Jenny took the opportunity to sink three more balls, leaving only the two, seven and eight remaining for her to win the game with nobody playing the other side. On the bright side she also didn't miss a shot, despite her poor form. "That's too nice of you, Marie." A pause. "Mair-see," she attempts. Her pronunciation is very 'American trying too hard to pronounce French correctly', but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie, also, is quite content with this arrangement. It might have well been a lucky day when the redhead met the blonde, because the cards judged the fortune-dealer in a positive light. A single draw of the tarot was more than enough to define that the pair should be friends, and Marie was very pleased by this.

Frankly, it had been a couple years since she'd had a friend of any sort, 'good' or otherwise.

"Fortune favors you as always, non?" she asks -- it's a question that can go both ways, the foresight the redhead had in hanging on to the cupcake, or the notable fact that there are less balls on the table than there were before. Maybe, indeed, both. The attempt at proper French makes her smile a little wider... she notices these things, and clearly appreciates even the slightest efforts. "If you would like, I could join you for the next game?" she offers; putting decisions into the hands of another is very typical of her, so it shouldn't be any surprise to Jenny. The poor thing is no fan of making decisions on her own.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"I am the luckiest girl in the world," Jenny says, looking slightly smug, and then her face darkens. "Except maybe that bitch, Domino." Her eyes go to her cupcake, and she peels away the wrapper and bites into it almost viciously. The annoyance melts away as the sugary frosting hits her tongue. "Good cupcake," she says a moment later, voice muffled by cake. She nods all the same, and then starts to retrieve the balls she's already sunk into the pockets, puts them into the rack. Swallowing, she notes, "I'm not very good unless I use my luck."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
The language barrier was an interesting one to break past -- Jenny (and others, possibly!) probably had to explain what all sorts of curse words meant to Marie. It's still a type of language she's not used to, so there is a slight flush to her cheeks as the 'b' word is dropped... but it doesn't make her retreat. The cards had spoken, and that was that. "See? It was clearly destined for you." she replies, seeming pretty delighted by the fact that her friend's enjoying the treat. As far as her own talent? There's a soft giggle. "I have never played, but I have seen which way to hold the... stick?" Cue, is the word she's looking for. "From watching others. If it would ease your mind, I could tell you the result before we begin...?" A slender hand is already reaching for a pocket sewn into the skirt where the deck is kept; it's her first instinct, always.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"If we know what's happening ahead of time," Jenny says with a raised brow, "what's the point in playing?" In a way their powers are similar -- Jenny pushes probability toward specific outcomes, while Marie determines the outcomes ahead of time. In another, Jenny's powers might be able to counter Marie's, and vice versa. "Don't tell me," she says as she pushes a cue toward Marie. "You want the break?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"Life is not about the destination, it is the journey we can hope to enjoy." Marie responds -- moving to take the pool cue offered by Jenny, and lifting it into her hands. She may not have played before, but she's watched a time or two from a comfortable corner of the room, and she tends to pay attention to these things in order to try and fit in a bit more. So she holds the stick in a fashion that, if it weren't Marie, might imply that Jenny was about to be hustled. It might also reduce the surprise when the redhead looks to her friend with sligtly bewildered eyes, and shakes her head.

"Non, merci. I woke up from un petit nap an hour ago, I am well rested." ...the word 'break', afterall, has multiple meanings and she's still learning. She means well, though!

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny closes her eyes for a second. She tries SO hard not to make fun of Marie TOO much. She likes Marie, and it's nice to have somebody who likes her. And as much as she prides herself on being a mean girl and DOES tease Marie an awful lot... she tries hard not to make it cruel teasing. Things like Marie's flawed comprehension of a second language. Those are kind of off limits.

"In pool," she explains, opening her eyes once more, "'the break' is what we call taking shooting the cue ball at the other balls for the first time."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"Oh!" comes Marie's response, another shade of red coming up to her cheeks as she realizes her mistake. For what it's worth, the careful balance that Jenny's settled on as far as what to tease Marie about and what not to seems to work out just fine for her, as well. She's by no means a difficult target, and she's more than accustomed to far crueler from those previously in her life.

"Oui, then. Merci beaucoup!" is replied, the French girl moving to take a position behind the cue ball. Mimicking what she's seen done before -- which means a mixture of 'proper' and sloppier play. She draws the stick back and launches it forward at the ball, striking it too low and sending it momentarily airborne. The white ball lands on /top/ of the triangle of colors, causing them to scatter apart... just not by much. No balls are sunk, but Marie looks pretty proud of herself for the moment.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"De nada," Jenny replies. She knows far more Spanish than French. There were a lot more Spanish-speakers in New Jersey than French speakers. She watches the ball lift off the felt and smack down on top of the rest of the balls, notes that it puts a good few balls into decent positions for her to take her own shot, and then moves up beside Marie and wraps an arm around the other girl's waist, hugging her sideways.

"Marie, you know I'm a horrible person," she notes. "But just in case I ever push too hard? Just know I kinda love you. Like, best friends, sort of." And then she claims the cue and lines up a shot. She's aiming at the 5, but winds up sinking the 13 instead. Good enough. "I'm stripes, then."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Touch-based affection was another thing that would take Marie some getting used to. When she's hugged, she immediately tenses a little but relaxes after a moment, using both arms to return the gesture, and even making a contented little sound as she does. "That means the world to me, Jennifer." she replies earnestly, allowing the stick to be taken and taking a step back from the table to watch and learn. She'll be quiet when it's time to actually take the shot, but before and after?

"I know that you... joke, often, but that you do not mean ill by it." At least, that's what Marie's view of Jenny is -- the redhead believes the blonde to legitimately /be/ a good person. "But I will keep this in mind." ...and then after the shot? A little grin. "Stripes indeed, but a horrible person? Non."

Of course, the bar is set pretty high for Marie's definition of 'horrible', too.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny's lips purse for a moment as she considers Marie's words. "I don't mean ill by it when it's directed at you, anyway," she says. "Last week I ran into this girl I knew back when I was a kid, and when she decided to push me, I told her -exactly- what I thought of her." Her nose wrinkles. She doesn't feel guilty about that, but might feel a bit like she should. She lines up another shot, and the ten falls into a pocket. She pauses a moment, staring at the table with some consternation. "Okay, I promise, I have not hexed the table." Pause. "Or the cue. Or myself. Or you."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie listens to the story that Jennifer tells, hands folded thoughtfully behind her back. When she responds? It's, probably as expected, in the most positive way possible. "Oh, I do admire your ability to... what is the expression?" A moment to think about it. "'Stand up for yourself'. Perhaps I can learn this as well, in time, by watching you." ...but probably not. Marie's just too genuinely passive about things to put her foot down most times.

As another striped ball meets the pocket, she claps her hands. "Tres bien, Jennifer!" ...and then at the disclaimer? A little grin. "Then perhaps you are improving, oui?" Though frankly, it wouldn't have bothered Marie if the game /had/ been hexed. In her head, either way the result was predetermined, so if Jenny had been cheating? It was because she was destined to.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny is well aware of Marie's passivity. It may be one of the reasons she takes it easy on the girl. Getting a rise out of Marie, goading her to anger, is nearly impossible. "We'll get you sticking up for yourself eventually, red," she says. "And if you don't, I will." Because Marie is -hers-, and anybody who goes after the French girl is going to get a New Jersey butt-kicking.

"Maybe," Jenny says, "or I could just be lucky tonight without my powers." Luck and destiny are often opposing ways of saying the same thing, in Jenny's opinion. She dislikes the idea of predestination. That she can't control her own life is a scary concept. She lines up yet another shot. This time she, yet again, manages to sink a ball. Unfortunately, it's the eight. "Ah, damn," she says with a sigh. "You win."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
For certain, anger from Marie would be a 'mark it on the calendar' kind of event. The way she was raised more or less forced it out of her. That said, the assertation that Jenny will stick up for Marie brings a bright smile to her face. "Merci, Jennifer. You are a good -- a best friend." she tells the Jersey native, definitely pleased by this.

"Perhaps!" she agrees, "The Wheel of Fortune can mean many things, perhaps it was you that I drew it for, tonight." ...and if that's the case, the result of that eight ball going into the pocket before its time would certainly be an indication of fortune's fickle nature. However, the announcement of her victory causes little more than confusion for Marie. "I... do?" she asks, blinking. "I thought... that putting the eight ball in a hole was the key to victory?" ...and then it strikes her. "Oh! It is because it is a solid ball, oui?"

...if she had gotten another turn with the cue, she was going to go /right after/ the eight.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"The worst best friend," Jenny says, smirking. "But I do my best for you." She drops onto the nearest couch and nods. "It's the way you win," she agrees, "but not before you sink the rest of your balls. If the eight goes in the hole before your balls are off the table, you lose."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Beam. Winning -- despite doing little herself, is a nice boost for Marie. It's not something she's used to, but it is something she likes. "Aha! I see. I... will remember that for next time!"

...though it's also fair to suggest that playing a game with Jenny, regardless of the outcome, is what brought her the most enjoyment. Moving now to put things back into place -- remaining balls into pockets, cue onto rack, she looks over towards the girl on the couch. "Would you like anything to drink before I join you?" Afterall, the redhead is still standing, and it wouldn't be a bother at all to make her way to the bar to collect a beverage or two before she, too, takes a seat.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"I'm good," Jenny says, sinking back into the cushions comfortably. "Make yourself comfortable, Marie. It's a good night to goof off." For Jenny, to be fair, most nights are good nights to goof off, but she knows that there are people at the school who take a dim view of this. It's a good thing for her that she doesn't much care what THEY think.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
There's a few moments of indecisiveness as she looks towards the bar herself, and a quick peek at her cards to decide /what/ to have, before she steps over to first collect a bottle of water, and then move to join Jenny on the couch. "If you say it, surely it is so." Marie agrees -- very much content to follow the blonde's lead in goofing off. There was plenty of time to study. Besides! The test could be on information she already /knows./ The cards had to have a reason for putting her night in Jennifer's hands, and the redhead was going to do her best to enjoy it without giving thought to what could've been.