City Livin'

[complex_ity_]

"No," Alanta repeated stubbornly.

Piria looked resignedly at the parfaits again, then glanced down at the rest of the table. "Come on, guys. If we each have one...we can throw a party in the washroom later, to purge ourselves."  

[kanangirl123]

Julie smiled at Piria's good humour. "Alright everyone! Grab a spoon!" She said, taking one herself.  

[complex_ity_]

Piria did as she was told. She alternated between every bite with a grimace - the food really did taste disgusting to her vampiric taste - but she also tried to make Alanta laugh, or provoke some sort of healthy reaction.

Alanta was aware the mood of the day had been lost, but she couldn't bring herself to restore the happiness to everyone - why should they be happy when she could not? She kept her hands to herself, and didn't talk much as all the vampires and Julie ate.  

[kanangirl123]

Aaron, being the most observant of the two, watched Atlanta with a suspicious eye. He had stopped eating, his tolerance for human foods was very low. When he caught her eye, he raised an eyebrow, as if questioning her. Julie ate on unawares, laughing with the rest of them.  

[complex_ity_]

"What?" Alanta thought only to Aaron, a little defensively.  

[kanangirl123]

"Oh, nothing." Said Aaron, waving his hand nonchalantly, trying to provoke Atlanta into thinking something that would explain her actions.

Julie planted a kiss on Aaron's cheek while he spoke, speaking with Piria and Christian and Belle.  

[complex_ity_]

Alanta rolled her eyes at Aaron's unsatisfactory response. When she looked again, Julie was pecking Aaron on the cheek. "They look so happy. A picture perfect image of the picture perfect couple..." Alanta couldn't help it, vitriol began to seep into her thoughts. Her mood was falling, and fast.

Piria pushed another glass cup away. "I can't take it anymore! Please tell me that was the last!" She threw an arm dramatically over her brow, and made a face worthy of Juliet - at the moment she stabbed herself with Romeo's dagger.  

[kanangirl123]

Julie laughed at Piria, having missed her antics for the few hours she was gone. "I dunno. Its like they just keep coming!" She laughed, waving her arms. Aaron frowned slightly; Atlanta gave nothing away.  

[complex_ity_]

"Let's leave," Piria begged. "I'll just-" she grabbed all the food from the table, and with vampiric speed, rushed them to the kitchen. She reappeared, triumphant. Suddenly she noticed her friend's mood. "Alanta, are you okay?"

Alanta smiled sadly. She couldn't bring herself to take Piria's outstretched hand.  

[kanangirl123]

Aaron and Julie stood up together, noticing Piria and Atlanta staring at each other curiously. Julie never really one for being subtle, finally picked up on what everyone else had realized ages ago. "Hey! Whats up with you?" She asked loudly.  

[complex_ity_]

"Nothing. I'm simply not - happy either." Alanta said through clenched teeth.

Realizing that she still held her hand out - and Alanta might not want to take it, because of the benefits she passed on through such contact - Piria hurriedly withdrew the offending appendage, and even backed up physically to give her friend some more room. She couldn't, however, wipe off the look of concern from her face.  

[kanangirl123]

Julie shrugged it off lightly and beckoned towards the door. "Well, we should probably go...you're still coming right?" She asked Atlanta.  

[complex_ity_]

"Coming where?" Alanta tried to sound interested.

"Coming where?" Piria shot an alarmed glance at the sky outside, which was rapidly becoming dark in colour.  

[kanangirl123]

"I dunno. I was just thinking anywhere other than here..." Said Julie distractedly, following Piria's gaze out the window. "Oh, um," she stammered. "Why don't we just get out of here, than we can decide."  

[complex_ity_]

"Fast, fast - we need to get there fast. I don't want to get lost in the city, just when I've found some new friends," Piria thought distractedly. "Why can't the sun stay out longer during the day? Why do I have to dissappear!"