Half of the house has breakfast/dinner together. Nobody has the same sleeping pattern in this residence.
"You know, you could totally look cute if you just smiled or something," Tammi helpfully informs Tina.
"Gee I didn't know you were a scientist too. Or is there another reason you're putting me under a microscope?" Tina replies acidly.
"I'm just trying to be helpful-," Tammi begins to protest.
"I don't know if you think we're all here as some kind of social experiment for you, but please spare me from your whining. Thanks," Tina says flatly, avoiding eye contact. Tammi just gets on her nerves.
Tammi gapes, stutters noises of outrage, but today opts for a dramatic stomping away rather than a screaming match.
Lincoln sighs with relief, "Thanks-,"
"No need for that. I want everyone to leave me alone, that includes you. Your shirts are loud and obnoxious, looking at them gives me a headache."
Lincoln glowers at Tina, but says nothing as he washes his dishes and leaves.
"And do you have anything to say, seizure-face?"
Guy says nothing and continues to leaf through his book.
Tina moves her lips into something close to a smile, "Thank the maker."
Jinenji, on the other hand, has lots to say.
"Sure, fine, take away my humanity! Then give it back and lock me up! SEE IF I CARE!"
It shocks even Tammi into silence, seeing the normally quiet and reserved Jinenji explode this way. She wisely scurries away, leaving Jinenji with his bitter memories.
After getting properly dressed, Tammi bumps into Ti.
"Hey! I was just looking for someone to talk to to. I read a funny joke online,-"
"I'm sure it's hilarious, but I have something more important to do right now. Maybe later?" Tammi interrupts.
Ti blinks, slightly dejected. "Yeah, sure. Maybe later..."
"Oh great, Smurfette's here," Tina grumbles.
In a great display of maturity, Tina makes loud retching sounds as soon as Tammi enters the room.
"I'm sorry, it's just the clash between your hair and your outfit. You know you'd be sooo cute if you had a sense of aesthetics!" Tina laughs mockingly.
Dove clears the kitchen, not wanting to watch whatever confrontation follows.
The amount of yelling, screaming, and tension in the house drives Ti outside. She flinches as cold, wet rain drops hit her skin. She hates going outdoors with all of its unpredictable inconveniences, but there's nowhere else to go without running into someone who's angry inside.
Being in a trash can is kind of like being inside, right?
...Okay, no it's not. But it was worth a try.
Then the creepy ice cream truck arrives, ready to sit outside for hours. When Guy comes home from work, he can make out Ti sprinting for the front door.
"Why does he keep coming back!?" she shrieks, "We never buy ice cream!"
Guy shudders and runs after her. Whatever that truck is up to, it can't be any good.
Unfortunately he runs into what Ti was originally running from.
"Hi Jinenji-," Guy greets feebly.
"So you're not such a goody two shoes after all," she hisses at Jinenji, "I heard you this morning in the living room. You're not human, are you? You some kind of freak?"
Jinenji closes his eyes, willing Tammi and her words to go away.
"Hey, don't ignore me! You fucking freak," Tammi jabs him in the chest, her face hovering mere centimeters from his.
"A freak is something outside of nature, yes? Vampires are perfectly normal in our society."
"You don't look like a vampire to me," Tammi scoffs.
"And you don't look like someone who would revel in other's misery, but appearances can be misleading. So who's the freak here?"
Jinenji pushes past her and goes to his room before she can reply.
"Moonlight Falls weirdo," Tammi declares to the kitchen. When everyone mutely stares at her, she bustles out of the room.
The next morning, five of the eight tenants sleepily stroll into the kitchen.
"I'm surprised you're showing your face in here after that sick burn Jinenji gave you yesterday," Lincoln remarks dryly.
"Whatever. I decided to deal with it constructively, by writing about it."
"What, in a diary or something?" Lincoln asks.
Tammi rolls her eyes, "In a blog, duh. You think I would leave such a long period of my life undocumented? If something happens to me in here, my followers will notice," she smiles smugly.
"Ha, I bet they'd thank us if something happened to you in here," Tina scoffs.
"That was a nice save," Lincoln chuckles. Guy just smiles.
Guy is so optimistic. Some of the residents just aren't trying to get along.
ReplyDeleteAh, the stalker ice cream truck. Mind your own business, creepy self-driving truck!