Sapphy & Stagey

[Stagey]

This only made her flop back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling defeatedly. "It should be that easy," she allowed, "but ever since all of this... happened, all I can do is over-think everything that I am."

Besides, she knew that "being yourself" was a load of blarney. "What does he really want? What do you see the other girls do?"

[Sapphy]

"I see them be themselves," Sapphy said, giving Stagey a stern look. "How have you always acted around Jack?"

[Stagey]

"Nervous," she admitted. "Mostly painfully shy to the point of being mute." She propped herself on one elbow, frowning somewhat. "But he's special. I want him to have a special girl."

[Sapphy]

"Jack Kelly isn't one to kiss a girl without them being special to him. Or have friends who aren't special to him. I think you've always been, Stage."

[Stagey]

"He wants to take me on a date," she told her, smiling. "It's silly, but I've never had one before. A date, I mean." Sapphy was so pretty and spirited that she must have had a thousand dates; this giddiness from Stagey must be a foreign concept to her.

[Sapphy]

"Oh! That's great Stagey!" Sapphy positively beamed, taking her friend's hands with excitement. "Where is he taking you?"

[Stagey]

"He said I could pick the place," she said, calming a little. "I don't know where to go. You know I never stray beyond, well..." She gestured to the walls surrounding the girls in the tiny room.

[Sapphy]

"Don'tcha have anything you're just dying to do?? Other than Jack, I mean," she teased.

[Stagey]

Sapphy's remark brought a crimson Catholic blush to Stagey's cheeks. "What-- I'd never..." And of course, that opened up a whole new set of dilemmas she was battling in her head.

"I don't know," she finally replied to change the subject from battling her own desires about Jack. "It would be nice to feel... doted on, I suppose. That can be done anywhere."

[Sapphy]

Sapphy lowered her chin into her hands, deep in thought, trying to help Stagey think of something...

"Doting. Doting. What if you say you want him to surprise you? That way he has to makes plans and stuff."

[Stagey]

"That's brilliant," she breathed, grasping Sapphy's arm with a grin. "And it's really all I'd want - to be special to him, just for a little while."

The thought calmed her down somewhat, enough to remember why Sapphy arrived in the first place. "Is there another game tonight?" Seemed like there was one every day these days.

[Sapphy]

"Yes. I wanted to see if you wanted to come down with me," she said, taking Stagey's other arm with her hand.

[Stagey]

"I've never really gone," she admitted, her face falling a little. "Well, I've passed through the room to say hello, but I don't even know the first thing about poker. Were you coming to play?"

[Sapphy]

"Of course not," Sapphy laughed. "You don't have to know poker to come -- mostly drink and socialize."

[Stagey]

((Oh good heavens, we need to get Stagey drunk. That would be hilarious.)) "I suppose I could," she allowed, shifting a little. "As long as I wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb." She hated being speculated about when she was making rare social appearances.