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[x-polarisstar.livejournal.com]

Sunday afternoon, Lorna and Ali discuss the weather, fashion and travel. Then they come up with a Cunning Plan and are off and running.



The sandwiches and juice cartons had disappeared in short order, Miles cheerily singing a thank you at her as he vanished out the doorway with the loot firmly in hand, running off to share it with Artie outside. Alison leaned back on the counter, contemplating the remains of the food she'd prepared quickly - frankly feeling hungry herself at this point.

Lorna dodged out of the way as Miles and Artie barreled past, giving them a wave in response to Miles' chirped 'hello!'. The rapidly vanishing cookies in the boy's hands gave Lorna all the information she needed about where they'd been. A little bit of deductive reasoning led her to wander toward the kitchen in search of her roomie. Pausing in the doorway, she glanced in and grinned when her theory was confirmed. "Hiya, brat queen."

Pausing while reaching for a new slice of bread, Alison stuck her tongue out at Lorna. "Hiya, green monster!" She waved a knife in the general direction of the stools lined up near the counter, grinning. "Want a sandwich? Plain and simple but mmm-mmm good!" And snickered at her own silliness while debating on PB&J or PB&Bananas.

Lorna glanced at her watch then shook her head, "Nah, thanks. You go right ahead though. I'll just watch and criticize your technique." Lorna remained leaning against the doorjam, arms crossed loosely, with the air of someone convinced they're about to witness a tragedy.

"Sure, you do that," Alison grinned, a gleam in her eyes. The two slices of bread were set down on the board and she reached for the jar of (nutty) peanut butter with a hungry look in her eyes. And then paused. "This ok?" Meaning the food in general and her being clearly out to stuff her face, while Lorna watched.

"Chunky peanut butter ruins the bread," Lorna replied mildly, "but carry on." She waved her hand as though granting an imperial favor. She didn't mind watching Alison eat and she didn't have to think about eating herself for another few hours.

That set aside, Alison set to preparing her sandwich, whistling cheerfully to herself the entire time. She stirred the peanut butter carefully in the jar, softening it up before actually spreading it on the bread, pausing only to stick her tongue out at Lorna. The bananas were another story entirely, Alison gleefully using lasers to peel the thing and then cut paper thin slices of banana to layer carefully in the sandwich, several times over.

Lorna couldn't help wincing at the lasers, imagining their effect on the delicate fruit. It wasn't that she didn't trust Alison's control, just reflex really. Chef Marcel would have had a fit. Then again, Chef Marcel probably would have had a fit over Lorna allowing a rank amateur prepare food in her presence. The fussy Frenchman enjoyed causing scenes.

That done Alison spread a thing layer of peanut butter on the upper slice of bread, before depositing it neatly on top of her creation and pressing down lightly. "There." Two quick slices and the sandwich was quartered perfectly, Alison staring down in satisfaction. "And now... growmmf!" she grinned around a large bite of sandwich, far too cheerfully.

Lorna snickered, "Very delicate." She glanced out the window at the heavy clouds that threatened rain. "It was in the 80's today in California, you know. We could have been at the beach today."

"Like you need a beach with me around," Alison snorted, rolling her eyes. "Just ask Frank." And she grinned impishly before she set to demolishing another quarter of sandwich, though a contemplative light entered her eyes as she chewed pensively.

"You allow surfing, sandcastles and people watching along the pier?" Lorna gave Alison a critical glance, "Where do you keep it all?"

"Nuh huh! That'd be telling!" Alison nodded wisely, leaning on the counter to give Lorna a considering look. "How about we fly down next weekend?"

A slow smile spread across Lorna's face, her eyes widening slightly as she considered it. "Seems a bit frivolous, doesn't it?" she asked, offering token resistance.

"Damn right it is," Alison grinned, and oh after seeing that look on Lorna's face nothing in the world could stop her from booking those tickets. "We leave Friday night, come back for last Sunday? Just us girls or we bring the boys along?"

"Do I dare go to a beach without taking my surfer boy? He'd never speak to me again!" Lorna would sooner leave behind her left arm. "We should take Jane and Bobby too. Take her bikini shopping this week and make him fall over." She grinned impishly.

"Then I bring along my best man," Alison hummed cheerfully, before letting the smile turn wicked. "I claim all innocence for that one, and more than urge you along in that most evil endeavor to cause Bobby to drool and walk into things," she nodded wisely, tapping Lorna's shoulder once as though in silent benediction.

"Course you have to! Miles must see Venice." Lorna mocked frowned at Alison, "You can't claim innocence. No one would believe it."

"Hey, I can try! Sides, when I claim innocence, it's usually true. Just that no one realizes I always owe up to being naughty usually." Alison grinned cheerfully at that, knowing only too well how it went.

Lorna rolled her eyes, "Right. You done with your sandwich?"

"No!" More pouncing and devouring of the hapless sandwich followed, complete with theatrical "Arhs!" and "Oh no help!" re-enactments.

Lorna giggled helplessly as Alison played with her food. When the last bit of the sandwich was demolished, she pushed off from the doorframe and beckoned Alison over to her. "If you're through torturing your meal?" her grin promised a plan.

Yep, hours of practice making Miles alternately fall of his chair giggling or wave a finger at her admonishingly were finally paying off. Food comedy was in. "Mebbe," she grinned impishly, considering the remains of the poor banana, trying to hide in a corner. "Watcha got in mind?"

"It's 45 degrees here. It's 85 degrees there. And all we've got is east coast fashion." Lorna waited for Alison to come to the correct solution.

"Shopping," Alison purred, rubbing her hands together with a smile of pure bliss. "And not only that... skimpy clothes shopping!"

"Tis the season. We have last year's summer wardrobes and only one week to fix it," she replied brightly, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. Lorna glanced at her watch again. "Let's hit the mall. You can buy me dinner after we're done."

"Deal!" and oh there wasn't going to be any arguing with that! "Wanna try and nab Jane on the way over? I'll get the car!"

"You do that, I'll hunt down our temp roomie." Lorna clapped her hands like a little girl, "Yay, shopping! How I have missed thee!"


Poor Jane. Caught by her temp roomies, she's taken shopping and manuevered into doing what they think is best for her. As a consequence, Bobby should expect an invitation sometime soon.



Lorna darted up the stairs, hoping Jane would be in the suite. A shopping trip and a Cunning Plan (tm) were enough to get her spirits up and put color into her cheeks. "Jane, you here?" she called as she ran into the common room.

Jane had been doodling idly in her notebook, avoiding doing her homework. She enjoyed her classes, but right now she just wasn't in the mood. When Lorna burst through the door, she looked up from where she was sprawled on the floor and grinned. Lorna and Alison were both fun and she was ever so greatful that they had let her stay with them. "Yup! What's up?"

Lorna looked over Jane's plain, grudgingly worn garb and shook her head, that just had to be remedied. "Up, up! We're taking a trip for supplies!" She danced forward and extended her hands to the blonde girl, ready to pull her to her feet.
"Supplies?" Jane stood up. Lorna was acting very bouncy and excited. Jane couldn't help but grin at her antics. "What kind of supplies?"

"Absolute essentials for the coming season," Lorna responded as she dashed into her room to grab her purse and a jacket. "Summer is approaching and we need clothing that is both comfortable and stylish. It's practically the duty of every red-blooded woman in America."

Jane chuckled. "Okay. I have been reading my book about clothes and I guess that I need some that... how did the author put it? ...make a statement." Jane fished around in her book bag and produced a plastic baggie in which she kept the allowance Professor Xavier gave her. She stuffed it into a pocket. "Comfortable and stylish sounds good."

"I like the way the author thinks." Lorna watched Jane shove her money in a pocket and shook her head again. "We need to get you a purse or at least a wallet. Loose money is just asking to be taken." She ran back to her room and retrieved a small purse on a long strap which she tossed to Jane. "Use that for now." Without waiting, she motioned for Jane to follow her and ran back out to meet Alison in the garage.

Jane followed Lorna, fiddling with the unfamiliar purse all the way down to the garage.

"What took you so long!?" was the cheerful heckling that greeted them both, Alison revving the engine of the car with a gleam in her eyes. "We've got shoppping to do, get in here already!"

"Yes, your majesty!" Lorna chirped, already hopping into the backseat, allowing Jane to sit up front. It also gave her room to stretch out so it was an entirely altruistic gesture.

Alison was just as bouncy as Lorna. As Jane climbed into the front passenger seat, she had a fleeting thought that she should possibly be afraid, very afraid, to go shopping with these two, but it was just too interesting and they were fun. She had a feeling that this would be fun, too. "Where are we going?"

"Mecca!" Lorna shrieked, laughing.

"We, m'darlin', are going shopping! To the land of the shoppers!" Alison revved the engine one last time before driving out of the lane, waiting until they hit the road past the gates to allow herself some fancy in her driving.

Jane laughed. "Well, I'm sure you two are card carrying citizens of that land, but what about me? Will I be allowed to enter Mecca?"

"Everyone may enter," Lorna assured her, "We welcome new devotees to the land of the materialistic."

Ooookay." Jane clutched a bit at the sides of the car. She'd only been in a car before with Doc Samson, and Alison's driving was, well, different than his.

Assured but definetely lively, Alison laughing cheerfully and winking at a passerby as she passed him, neatly sliding into place in the traffic. Her appearance was changed, a short curvy brunette today thanks to the image enhancer, and she radiated good cheer as she pointed ahead. "Onwards we go!"

Lorna noted Alison's appearance absently so as to keep track of her later. "Which mecca are we headed to, driver?" she asked, leaning forward between the seats.

"Salem Center!" is the firm reply, Alison shifting gears, weaving in and out of traffic expertly. "Bestest one in decent driving range!"

"Do they have a coffee cafe? When I went to the bookshop with Angie, there was a coffee cafe and I tried a frappuccino, but there were lots of other things to try. Oh, and do they have an ice cream shop there? I like ice cream. A lot." Jane hoped that she did. There were still so many different kinds she hadn't tried yet!

Lorna bit back a comment involving ice cream, Bobby and the potential mixing thereof. "Coffee is easily gotten, there's a great place in the food court.. And Ali's buying dinner."

"That I am!" Alison agreed cheerfully, laughing as someone shook their first at the small sports car. "Ice cream is indeed of the goodness," she added innocently enough, looking in the rear view mirror to wink at Lorna.

Confident of her roommate's evil mind, Lorna grinned back and muffled a giggle. It took her a moment to wrangle her voice into a calm tone, "Everyone loves ice cream," she agreed.

"Yay! And thank you for buying dinner and driving and taking me with you, both of you." Jane beamed at her companions. "And of course everyone loves ice cream. I mean, who wouldn't? It's good!"

"Damn right it is! Best is home made though. Ever had any?" Alison grinned cheerfully at Jane, although the bulk of her attention was onthe road.

"Um, not yet. But Bobby said that he would make some and that I could have some. I can't wait!" Jane bounced a bit in her seat. Bobby was so sweet, and he liked ice cream as much as she did. "Have you?"

Lorna was collapsed in the backseat by this point, laughing so hard she was gasping for air and making small hand motions that were probably best left uninterpreted.

"Yes! Ask him for the coffee ice cream! Heck, we'll pick up grounds if you like coffee. That way you'll be set for an afternoon of ice cream making, how's that?" And keeping Jane's attention off Lorna was important just now, yes.

“Coffee ice cream, huh? Sounds neat. We can pick some up at this mecca we're going to? That sounds good. And clothes. I should have clothes that make a statement according to my book. What sort of statement should I be making?"

Lorna's hand gesture, meant only for Alison's eyes, had a world of suggestion in it about the statement Jane should make but all she said was "You should express yourself. Dress the way that makes you feel good." After a moment, she added, "And listen to Ali and I."

"Always," was the solemn pronouncement from the driver. "And besides, we're taking you to the beach next week. Did Lorna tell you that? So you need a 'kini."

"No! The beach! Cool!" Jane bounced even more in her seat, excited. "That's great! Thank you!"

"The weather is great where I come from so Ali and I thought a trip would be fun." Lorna was slowly overcoming her giggle fit and leaned forward again. "Thus this shopping trip for proper Cali wear.

"We're going to the beach... in California?" That was a bit of a shock. Not an unwelcome shock, but still. "Is that, um, okay? I mean, we can do that? How?"

"We take a plane, hon. I take care of the details, and we just head on over and have fun." Alison grinned, humming to herself now and then as the two talked on.

Okay. I hope nothing bad happens, though. Amanda and Angelo went to California and then came back hurt."

Lorna sighed. "That won't happen to us. Alison and I are both better trained than Amanda and Angelo and that is if something happens. Which it won't. California is quite safe," she assured Jane.

"And we've both been to Cali before with nothing bad happening to us, hon," Alison adds, then continues, innocently. "But if it'd make you feel better, you can invite a friend?" And hopes hopes hopes Jane thinks of Bobby first.

"Well, you are both my friends and you have both been there before, so I think that I'm safe with you, yes?" Jane glanced over at Alison and then back at Lorna. "Who else is coming?" she asked.

Lorna bit her lips to keep from laughing, "I'm bringing Alex along. He's loves to surf." She affected a concerned look, "I hope he doesn't mind being alone with three girls. Do you think we should ask another guy too?" She gave her two roomies a wide-eyed look of pure innocence.

A studied look of curiosity crossed Alison's face. "Gee, I can only think of bringing Miles. He's my main man and all!" She grinned, cheerfully. "What about you, Jane?"

"Um." Well, several faces lept to mind, but one stood out above all the rest. Would Bobby like California? "Well, Amanda and Angelo probably don't want to go back and Paige is still away. Um, maybe Bobby? Do you think?" Jane looked nervously at her companions. Would it be okay with them if she invited Bobby along?

Lorna offered her hand to Alison for a covert high five and managed to reply in a reasonably casual tone, "I think Bobby could use a vacation. Though I still owe him for that trick he pulled. Whatdya think, Ali?

"Mmm. I'm sure he'd be happy if you invited him, hon," she nodded at Jane, flashing her a quick grin. Yes, neatly done, all things told.

Jane had this really odd feeling that she had missed something in their conversation somewhere, but she couldn't pin it down. "Okay then, I will invite him if that's okay with you two!" She craned her neck around to look at Lorna. "What was the trick he pulled that you owe him for?"

"He froze my shower water." Lorna's tone managed to be amused and unforgiving at the same time. "He was aiming for Ali."

A low growl is heard from the vicinity of the driver's seat, but that's the only comment from Alison, who is smiling brightly when Jane looks her way.

Jane felt her eyes go wide at that. "Oh dear." Alison's smile didn't exactly reassure Jane that Bobby would be safe from them. "Um, are you sure about having him come along then?" she asked uncertainly.

"We're good. If you want to bring him, go ahead." Lorna shrugged, "I like him well enough. It's more that one good prank deserves another."

A cheerful laugh from Alison hopefully sets Jane's mind at ease. "It'll be fun. And sunny Cali! I have brilliant ideas, sometimes."

"Yes, California sounds wonderful!" Jane sat thinking for a bit. "How much is a plane ride? I don't have very much. Maybe I should only get a few things at the mecca to save money?" (done)

"You have brilliant ideas?" Lorna protested, grasping the topic change, "Excuse me? I think I was the one who pointed out the superior weather conditions back home."

"I thought of flying to Cali," was the serene reply, Alison keeping full dibs on that notion. "Mine, mine and mine!"

"You mean I skillfully manoeuvered you into suggesting Cali," Lorna corrected, "By extolling its great virtues."

Jane giggled at their antics and sat back to watch them banter.