xp_logs | Goodbye Trouble. (Sarah, Amanda)

Sarah rushes out to say goodbye to Amanda before she leaves. Aw.

Any excitement Amanda might have felt at the thought of going to LA was rapidly disappearing under the feeling of abandonment. Sarah and her were friends, and that was bad enough, but she knew where Sarah went, Shinobi did too. And that just wasn't fair. She pulled a cigarette out of her packet and flicked the lighter impatiently, trying to get a flame.

Sarah rushed outside, cigarette already lit and smoking as she nearly threw the door off its hinges in her effort to get outside before Amanda left. The door closed behind her with a dull thud, and suddenly she wasn't sure what to say. Oh fuck. "Hey."

"Hey." Amanda's tone was flat. "So, when're you an' Shinobi leavin'?" She gave up on the lighter and snapped her fingers, a small flame erupting from her fingertip. Right now she couldn't give a fuck for the proper usage of magic, she needed the nicotine fix.

"Tonight. Soon as we're packed." She exhaled smoke out into the night air, but it sounded awfully close to a sigh. "I can't stay here."

"You comin' back?" Amanda swallowed any number of angry words along the lines of 'and what about me' as being too childish. "'Cause I'd hate t' lose me club buddy."

"I don't know right now. Maybe. Least not for a week. He's goin' home with me, and then he said something about Boston." She said, -this close- to pulling the girl into a hug. "I'd take you with us in a heartbeat. But I don't think Romany'd appreciate that much. I sure as fuck don't want to be on her bad side."

Amanda smiled briefly. "Yeah, she's right scary when she's pissed off. An' when she's not, come t' think of it." She took a long drag, flicked ash onto the ground below the railing she was leaning on. "I understand, you needin' t' get out. Just wish you didn't have to, is all."

Sarah nodded. "I hear you there. But it's like I told Betsy. I've threatened nearly seventeen times since I've been here to leave. Everytime they do something, it makes me question being here more and more. I needed to quit being such a pussy about it and just fucking -get out- already."

"It's that bad here?" Amanda asked quietly. "I know the rules are stupid an' all, but there's ways 'round 'em. You know that as well as I do." She refused to ask if there wasn't anything - or anyone - worth staying for, even though she wanted to badly.

"Only for me I guess." She shrugged and took another drag off of her cigarette. "I'm not like them. I don't buy into the philosophy--I'm the fucking monster in the basement. And they've felt the need to try to make me as much like all the other students as possible. I'm sick of feeling like I need to change."

"Then don't change. Fuck 'em," Amanda said, angrily. "An' fuck the rest of us for bein' stupid enough t' want t' stay."

"Nah, I sort of wish deep down that -I- was 'stupid' enough to stay. It's easier than running away. Easier to not have to explain to your friends why you feel the compulsion to leave." She put her cigarette out in the sand bucket, running a hand idly through her hair. "We're going to miss you, Trouble."

"Yeah, well, that's the sucky part of actually havin' friends, ain't it? You miss 'em when they're not around. Still, least you lasted a whole couple of weeks after I got back." Amanda was attempting for humour, but her words came out bitter instead. She glanced up at Sarah quickly, trying not to show the tears welling up. "You look after yerselves out there."

"We'll be fine. You keep every body on their toes over here. Somebody's got to, since I won't be around to do it." There was a moment's awkward pause before she finally wrapped her arms around Amanda, pulling her in close for a hug. "And I'll tell you the same thing I've told Jono. If you need anything, you know Shinobi's cell phone number.."

Resisting the urge to cling, Amanda returned the hug, squeezing her eyes tight against the tears that she'd be damned if she'd let fall. "I'll try. Got a nickname t' live up to, don't I?" she said, before loosening her hold and pushing Sarah away a little. "An' I'll call. If only t' tell you t' save me from all the cute in this place."

Sarah grinned. "If it helps, I'll have Shinobi take pictures that we can send to you. Lots of drunken skirt shots."

"Definitely. An' that reminds me, you'll have t' see me again sometime, so I can show you what Marie got me for me birthday. Your Skirt has a friend." Amanda took a shaky breath and returned the grin. "So there."

With a laugh, Sarah raised both her eyebrows in amusement. "Is that so? I'll make sure to remember that for the next time I see you. I can't miss out on the new skirt of doom."

"No club will be safe between the two of us," the witch said, her grin becoming more natural. "An' I'd better go see what's happened t' Angelo before Strange turns up. He's got a thing for punctuality." Amanda butted out her cigarette in the sand bucket, then paused before asking: "Tell Shinobi good bye for me? I... couldn't handle doin' this again."

"Yeah, I'll do that." She eyed Amanda, one hand resting idly on her hip. "You have fun in LA, okay?"

"It's a study trip, but I'll try." Amanda shrugged. "Have fun in Boston, or wherever it is you end up."

"Going home first. Spend awhile in the tunnels," she corrected. "But yeah. Have fun, and be careful, won't you?"

"Always am," said Amanda with a smile. She reached over and squeezed Sarah's shoulder briefly before turning and leaving. If she let the door close behind her a little harder than usual, well, who would blame her?