Catching Up (Anjali)

[Avery Fields]

Usually it took awhile for a new year to really feel new but oddly enough, to Avery, that wasn't the case with 2015. 

Of course, that might have something to do with how she rung in the new year. That had definitely been a new experience. She still blushed a bit when she thought about it. Half out of embarrassment and half because it made her feel all tingly. Heaven knew it had been forever since she had felt that way before. 

School wasn't quite back in session yet, though that didn't mean that Avery was any less busy. She was hoping to score a broadcasting internship, but in order to do so, she needed to find a new job that would be a bit more flexible with her hours. That was something that was proving quite difficult actually. 

But today was something much more pleasant. She was meeting a friend for lunch. Anjali was a year younger, but the two had met at Hammel when they were young and remained good friends ever since. Of course, now that they both had jobs and college to manage, they didn't get to see each other as often as they liked. Freshman and sophomore years had been easier, but the last two years of school were much harder which meant more work and less free time. 

Naturally, that only meant the time they did get to spend together was all the more exciting. 

Avery had arrived at the restaurant first. She had waited for about ten minutes, but when Anjali hadn't arrived and the restaurant started to fill up from the lunch crowd, she had decided to go ahead and get them a table. Anjali was often late, so it could be awhile. She wasn't really the sort to get upset about those sort of things though, and she didn't mind waiting. Still, it would be awful if they couldn't get a table then.

So she had been seated at a small booth in a back corner of the restaurant and ordered herself a coffee, glancing over the menu and trying to decide what she wanted to order while she patiently waited for her friend. 

[Anjali Kedar]

"Come on, come oonnnn..."  The light turned green and Anjali moved, trying to get as close as she could without being obnoxious, to the car in front of her as if that would somehow get her to the restaurant faster.  Yoga had run a little late today.  she wasn't paying attention to the clock and she ended up rushing to her car.  She also needed to stop at the bank to deposit a check and of course there was a line at the drive thru, but the bank was between the gym and the restaurant and she wouldn't be coming this way for another two days and she really needed the money in her account to pay her cell phone bill.  When she pulled out her phone to text Avery that she'd be late, the battery was dead.  Had she charged it last night? Maybe not..  "Oh for the love of everything stupid and holy." She grumbled, reaching for her car charger and plugging it in.  The battery was toast though, and even with the juice running to it, the damn thing wouldn't turn on.  She'd have to let it charge in the car while she ate.

She was nearly fifteen minutes late when she pulled up into the parking lot, and it took another couple minutes to get up and out and into the building.  She was still in her yoga pants, stinking of sandalwood essential oil with her turquoise North Face hoody hugging her and windblown black hair going everywhere.  She was what many would refer to as a "hot mess", but that was part of her charm.  She couldn't keep it together, but she was alright with that.  And fortunately for her, so was Avery.  

"I'm sorry! I'm here!"  She slid into the booth next to Avery and gave her a surprise hug, probably spreading some of her oil scent onto the other woman before pulling away and plopping down on the bench opposite the blonde.  "I had a new student today and she was just taking her sweet time with the relaxation portion.  You know, cause I'm always like, take your time, don't rush, but she seriously took that to heart and I have to lock the room up when I'm finished so I had to wait for her to get her gear together and.. yeah, but anyway, that's my story."  She took a deep breath and flashed a wide smile, reaching up and combing her hair with her fingers.  "How're you doing?!" She asked a little breathlessly.  

[Avery Fields]

Avery was trying to make up her mind what she wanted to order. In this case, it was a matter of having too many options. All the food here was good which made making a choice all the more difficult. So it was that when her friend finally arrive, she wasn't even entirely aware of how late she was.

She turned, setting the menu aside as she heard Anjali coming, called out apologies. She started to wave a hand to dismiss her worries only to be cut off with a hug. "Hey there!" she said in reply, returning the embrace. The oil scent of her friend was familiar, and sort of comforting even.

The younger girl pulled away then, switching to the opposite side of the booth and giving her explanation. "Oh wow," Avery said in sympathy. "You really are incredibly patient, I don't know how you do it." She shook her head slightly. Really, Anjali's dedication to her yoga classes was impressive as far as the blonde was concerned. "Was it a good class otherwise at least?"

Avery laughed slightly. "Me? I've been alright. Pretty low key really. I went to a New Year's party that turned out to be rather interesting. Other than that I've just been hunting down an internship for next semester and a job that will accommodate that. Turns out that's a pretty tall order," she said with another half-hearted laugh.

[Anjali Kedar]

Anjali didn't think she was all that patient. No more patient than anyone else, anyway! At least that's what she thought. Besides, it was a passion and it was easy to be patient when teaching others your passion. She would never try and rush someone! Even if they were taking freaking forever. "It was a good class!" She insisted with a wide grin, nodding as if to emphasize that point.

Avery glossed over the New Years party and Anji waved her hand as if to stop her. "Hold it, rewind a second." She laughed, "What happened at.." The waitress came over and asked Anjali if she wanted a drink and the girl nodded before ordering a water and hot tea. As soon as they were alone again her eyes narrowed at her friend across from her. "What sort of interesting things happened at the party!" She asked, liking the gossip. She herself had stayed home with her family like a loser, but that was neither here nor there. The food was awesome and she had so many cousins her age it almost felt like a party anyway. Still, it wasn't like a party party and was likely far more uneventful than anything Avery could have cooked up. "details, lady."

[Avery Fields]

Avery laughed softly at her friend's insistence that it had been a good class. "Yeah, but don't you say that after every class?" she pointed out. It was one of Anji's more endearing qualities really, but that didn't mean that Avery could poke a little fun.

Of course, she should have known that Anjali would never let her get away with glossing over the details of the party. Not that she was going to object to that line of questioning at all. Naturally, the waitress arrived then to take the new arrival's drink order, but the interruption hadn't swayed Anji's focus in the least. As soon as the waitress was gone, her demand for details resumed.

She giggled at her friends insistence, but truthfully just thinking about that night made her a little giddy. "Alright, alright, I'll spill! Well, of course, you know the whole midnight good luck kiss tradition, yes?" she started, knowing that would surely catch Anji's attention. After that, she rewound a bit though. "Well, I'd gone to a party with some friends, but they decided to stop at a different party first just to say hi. Anyway, so apparently that party was being held in the apartment of none other than my old high school crush." She grinned as she spoke, rather enjoying getting to share this with someone.

"Now, in high school, he was a few years older, totally out of my league, never would have even looked twice at me. But there he was, in the same room! So I had a couple drinks to work up the nerve to talk to him. He was hiding in the corner being all antisocial. Apparently he left his party attitude back in high school. Anyway so I start talking to him and then we went out on the balcony and talked a little more and we ended up kissing. There were fireworks. Literal fireworks. Over the lake. But, metaphorical fireworks too." She found herself giggling a little more at the memory.

"Anyway, then afterwards he drove me home because the guys I'd gone with left without me. I dunno if it really means anything, but it was at least one hell of a nice way to ring in the new year, you know?" God, she sounded like such a school girl right then. Crushes didn't die it seemed.

"So what did you do?" she asked. It was only a moment's pause before she guessed at the answer. "You stayed home didn't you?" Anji really was such a homebody - too much of one for her own good sometimes. "I really need to take you out with me sometime."

[Anjali Kedar]

"I do, but only because every class is a good class." She pointed out, grinning at the girl across from her.  Just because she had to stay late from time to time or deal with obnoxious people didn't take away from the class! 

Avery conceded without fuss and Anjali Folded her hands between her legs, hunching forward slightly as she listened.  "Mhmm.." She hummed with a nod, knowing the tradition in which Avery was referring to.  The story was getting juicy already and it hadn't even started.  Partying with a high school crush? Yes!  The more Avery talked, the bigger Anjali felt her smile growing.  How exciting! She didn't even have a high school crush.  Not really.. There were some people she liked, but no one that made her go completely gaga.  "Shut. UP! That's so awesome!" She did her pouty those-puppies-playing-are-so-freaking-cute look, her shoulders shrugging nearly to her ears.  "And adorable!"  Avery finished her story and Anjali nodded.  "I think that's probably the best way to ring in the new year." She agreed with a little laugh.  Avery had a way better New years than she did.

"It's not like I wanted to!" She defended as the waitress brought her beverages.  She smiled and offered a word of thank you before continuing.  "I'm home for, what, three, four months out of the year? My family never sees me so when I'm home, I'm theirs.  And besides I have lots of cousins to hang out with! And mom made samosas.."  She didn't expect Avery to understand that last part since homemade samosas were one of her favorites.  "But if you really wanted to take me out sometime, I wouldn't object.  I like going out." She insisted with a sweet grin.