Time Warp: Wide Awake At 4am Without A Friend In Sight

[Deleted]

Summer 2012

Brooke stared up blankly at a ceiling that was just as blank. The only thing that wasn't blank was her mind, racing around in circles at Gs that would make NASCAR envious. It was the middle of summer, so it was nice and warm outside. A little cool on the wetter nights, but tonight, well earlier tonight, was quite nice. Clear skies. Hot sun. Birds fluttering about.

This was the kind of night that the just turned 16-year-old would have gone out on an expedition in the town, just looking for someone, something, somewhere to take her mind off of her mind. But according to the grapevine, there was nothing going on tonight. And she'd gotten caught big time last time she'd gone out past curfew. Brooke had to be good for at least a little while before she let herself have a glorious night out again.

The daytime was easy to figure out. Libraries were open during the day. And she'd been having a super interest in the history of field medicine for some reason. And from there, the great plagues of the world. And from there...well, Brooke hadn't gotten that far yet. Something would probably come up. If all else failed, then she'd just do a sporking of Twilight or Eragon and post it on 4-chan or something.

In the meantime, Brooke was left alone with her own thoughts for the duration of the night, a whole 4 or 5 hours passing by of her simply tossing and turning and staring off into space. Brooke breathed loudly and slipped from her bed and walked to the window. A few seconds later, Brooke was climbing up the side of the building to the roof of the dorms, something that she'd done often enough that she could probably do it in her sleep. When she reached the top, Brooke crawled along the rough surface to the peak of the pitch.

She spread out her arms and looked out into the night, her long, reddish hair billowing in the swelling breeze. "I'm the king of the world!!" she shouted, not caring if her voice disturbed anyone.

[Alexandra Patterson]

It was just one of those nights were Alex demons insisted on keeping the poor girl up when for once when all she wanted to do was turn in early. Her thoughts and dreams had other plans because even when she was able to close her eyes memories she wanted to burn with fire kept surfacing in her dreams. Why her mind wanted to keep torturing her she had no clue. Maybe it was because in a few weeks her mom wanted to take her on a trip with one of her boyfriend and eight out of ten times showed that wasn't going to end well for her. 

Giving up on the idea of sleep Alex decide maybe a little fresh air would do her good. So she got out of her bed and slipped on a pair of shorts and sneakers and walked over to her chest where she kept her secret stash. She stuffed a half empty bottle of liquor, some candy, and a few cigarettes and in a nearby draw-string bag and made her way to the door that led up to the roof. She had lifted a few keys that kept this door and couple other locked most of the time off a janitor a few months back. Only recently she discovered that one of them went to the roof. Between having the key and liquor she was risking getting in so much trouble but she wasn't in a caring mood.

After shutting and locking the door behind her she just sat down on the roof. Munching on a candy bar, her hair blowing in the wind she was finally starting to feel a little better. Not by much but it was a start for sure.

Alex blinked shocked when she saw the girl crawl up on the roof. Did she really just crawl on the roof like she was crawling on a jungle gym or something. She wasn't going to say anything in till she heard her quote titanic. "King of the world huh? I didn't know I was in the presence of royalty" she joked with a smirk. 

[Deleted]

Brooke hadn’t noticed that anyone else was on the roof with her. She flipped her head around to see a pretty girl sitting and enjoying a candy-bar. A girl with hair that was even redder than Brooke’s was. Brooke hadn’t seen her before. But then, Brooke also didn’t pay attention to who her peers were. She was often just off doing her own thing, floating about like a leaf on the wind~!

Brooke twirled on her toes and scampered across the top pitch of the roof until she reached the opposite edge, where she hopped off, down onto the flat part where the other girl was sitting. “Hiya!” she greeted with a wave. Brooke spread her arms into a deep, graceful bow. “And yes indeed, you are in the presence of Mistress Rune Venus, Princess and first heir of the blessed fantastical Kingdom of El Hazard.” Sounds legit, right? No she did not get it from an anime.

[Alexandra Patterson]

Alex couldn't help but checkout the girl as she came closer to her. She was really attractive to her and so she couldn't help but to stare. Not in a creepy way more in a flirty way. She didn't think she had seen her around before otherwise she would have approached her by now. "Well it's an honor to meet you mistress Rune Venus princess and heir of El Hazard" she said playing along. "I'm Alexandra Patterson the future queen of hollywood but you can just call me Alex". Which Alex thought to be true. In about five years she was planning on taking over both the acting scene like her mother and the music scene. In her mind hollywood was just like a kingdoom waiting to be taken over by her. "I have to say I have never heard of El Hazard but if the girls are as pretty as you I think I need to visit sometime. So what brings your highness to this rooftop tonight"?

[Deleted]

The 16-year-old circled up a shoulder in a casual flirtatious way. It wasn’t particularly because the girl was somewhat of a bombshell(at least to Brooke), but just because the red-headed shifter was like that with everyone she met. She beamed a smile as the girl played along with her little LARP.

“Future queen of the land of Hollywood you say? I fear I must be in the same stance as thee, for I’ve not heard of such a land. However, my country is far and foreign, so there are many lands I have yet to hear of.” This was fun. She wondered how much longer she could keep it up. And how much longer the other cutie would play along.

“Thank you very much for your flattery. I can tell you hail from a fine household yourself, Miss Alex Patterson.” She took herself a seat next to Alex. “Oh, hither and thither, I’m just letting my head run about with it’s incessant musings.” That is, her head wouldn’t let her sleep. “And you, my royal sister of hollywood?”

[Alexandra Patterson]

"Oh Hollywood is a grand land" she said making her voice sound more proper. "You must visit one day to my kingdom. I could show you around to my favorite spots. When you are the daughter of queen you get special treatment to but I'm sure you know about that".

"The same goes for me. It seems like incessant muse always want to show up at the worst times but I learn they are ways to silence it. One way is to get some fresh air, number two is to eat tons of sugar, and well here number three and four...". She opened her bag and laid out in front of her the cigarettes and the liquor bottle. "See anything you want including me have at it".

[Deleted]

Oh this was fun! Brooke liked this girl. And it certainly helped that she was a cutie too. Alex looked like she belonged in Hollywood. Or at least Cali.

“Of course of course! It sometimes becomes a bore, having so much privilege thrown upon you wherever you go, however. Like, I only need one free meal, not ten at once.” Brooke tried to make her voice sound even more snooty, like she was inherently bored with the world just for it being the world and not the universe.

At least it seemed like this girl could relate to the problems that Brooke frequently had in the dead of the night. Another reason to like her. Brooke leaned in to the girl’s bag. “Ohhh, spicy!” she said in awe. Brooke didn’t smoke herself, but the liquor had it’s uses. Brooke looked up to the girl with a mighty grin. “All at once? My my dearie, you have quite the appetite. I think I’ll have to take them one at a time, unfortunately.” She reached into the bag and pulled out the bottle. How lucky that it was still full! Brooke snapped open the cap and took in the pleasant smell of the liqueur before taking a sip. “How’d you manage this?” she asked, dropping the princess act. She handed it back to Alex in case she wanted some as well.

[Alexandra Patterson]

"Exactly" Alex agreed. "I tell you it is so hard being royalty".

"After awhile I realise only one thing wasn't working for me " she said with a nonchalant shrug. "Drink as much as you want" she said with a small smile. Alex grabbed the bottle and took a few sips herself. "Period or in Hammel? I have some older friends which come in handy I'm telling you. Oh and the school doesn't really check you all the time so it easy. I just pass sercurity like I have nothing and then their no question asked".

[Deleted]

It was true, though. Sometimes just the one thing wasn’t enough to chase away the demons in her head. “In Hammel,” Brooke clarified. Brooke knew it was easy enough to get past certain obstacles out there in the real world, but the security at the school wasn’t exactly light. Not with meta-humans on staff. Brooke was young. And she was scared of taking risks that could get her in too much trouble. That’s why she restricted most of her drinking and raving to events off-campus.

Brooke waved her hand back for the bottle. It was late, it’d been a good six hours since she last ate anything. The alcohol would hit her system pretty quick. But even so…it never seemed to act fast enough. “Do ya only do this on campus, all by yer lonesome on the roof?” she asked, putting the bottle back to her lips. Maybe Brooke just scored a new play partner?