23 Sphinx, Turesday Morning
Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 06:16 pmVacations at Lake Miniwappo and the occasional well-chaperoned slumber party aside, Beth Dennis was not accustomed to waking up in a bed that wasn't hers. Especially a bed draped in red satin and discarded lingerie (at least a cup size too large and ten shades too black to be hers, oh thank God, and thank God for the jeans and the blue flannel shirt she was wearing, as well) instead of flower-sprigged cotton sheets and a granny-square afghan. Especially a bed she couldn't remember getting into the night before.
In fact, nothing was very clear about the night before. Had she sneaked out to a party with Kyle, and not asked for water instead when somebody passed her a red Solo cup? It wouldn't be the first time, not that she'd ever admit that to her parents who were going to KILL HER, but she'd never drunk enough not-water to forget where she was -- and if her not-allowed-to-have-a-boyfriend had been with her last night, he sure as heck wasn't now.
There was nobody here but Beth, in this... it wasn't even a house. Just a giant room partitioned off by shelves and screens, with huge glass windows and a counter at one end. Was that a cash register on it? Beyond the industrial-style window blinds, the street was narrow, cobblestoned, and completely unfamiliar. Where was she?
Don't panic. You know what to do if you ever get into a bad situation. They might kill you later, but they'll always come pick you up first. They promised.
There was a phone on that counter, and given the circumstances, Beth wasn't about to feel guilty for the long-distance charge.
"Mom?"
"We're sorry. The number you have dialed is not in service. Please try again, or dial the area code plus 411 for..."
Stupid fingers. See what freaking out gets you? Long-distance wrong numbers. Beth punched the buttons again, slowly and carefully.
"We're sorry. The number you have dialed..."
Maybe now would be a good time to freak out after all.
__
Le Followup:
Max's party
Derek's...appropriated hotel room
[Establishy because fleeeeeing!]
In fact, nothing was very clear about the night before. Had she sneaked out to a party with Kyle, and not asked for water instead when somebody passed her a red Solo cup? It wouldn't be the first time, not that she'd ever admit that to her parents who were going to KILL HER, but she'd never drunk enough not-water to forget where she was -- and if her not-allowed-to-have-a-boyfriend had been with her last night, he sure as heck wasn't now.
There was nobody here but Beth, in this... it wasn't even a house. Just a giant room partitioned off by shelves and screens, with huge glass windows and a counter at one end. Was that a cash register on it? Beyond the industrial-style window blinds, the street was narrow, cobblestoned, and completely unfamiliar. Where was she?
Don't panic. You know what to do if you ever get into a bad situation. They might kill you later, but they'll always come pick you up first. They promised.
There was a phone on that counter, and given the circumstances, Beth wasn't about to feel guilty for the long-distance charge.
"Mom?"
"We're sorry. The number you have dialed is not in service. Please try again, or dial the area code plus 411 for..."
Stupid fingers. See what freaking out gets you? Long-distance wrong numbers. Beth punched the buttons again, slowly and carefully.
"We're sorry. The number you have dialed..."
Maybe now would be a good time to freak out after all.
__
Le Followup:
Max's party
Derek's...appropriated hotel room
[Establishy because fleeeeeing!]