P-A-L WHAT'S THAT SPELL?! (Astrid)

[Dylan Cross]

Dylan was riding down the streets on her ghetto bike wearing a rather odd outfit just like usual. She got the Asrtid's student dorm number... Dylan would have loved to live in these places... but even for the affordable prices for students... Dylan couldn't afford it.. so her place is beyond shitty.

She had a box strapped to the back of her bike with a few bungee cords... not exactly rolling the high life style, but she was used to it.

Dylan locked her shitty bike up 'cause she had the first one stolen already. She didn't have the money for a third bike and she really needed the transportation to school so..she invested in a lock. She unhooked the bungee cords and hugged the large box to her stomach and chest as she walked along the student dorm catwalks..finding the right room number.

She would exhale before knocking on the door.

If Astrid opened up...Dylan would hold the box up with a chirpy smile.

"Hi there!"

Would be the words coming out of her mouth.

[Astrid Sudeki]

Astrid sat there, her hand on the remote as she flipped through the 500 different channels on her television. She had not gone out today to the skate park like she normally would, nor had she gone for pizza like she did almost every day. Why? Because on her wrist were a set of bruises like finger marks, and on her face was a healthy bruise that was clearly not that old. She was soooo not gonna be seen like that.

Wearing a pair of jammie pants and a tank top she was trying to get comfy but her body was sore and she could not seem to lay down. Hair pulled back on her head, she clearly had not slept much. It had just been a rough couple days. Ever since Lucas came into the picture.

Almost whimpering at the mere thought of the guy she closed her eyes and tried to fight back the memories of their last encounter. He was pissed she would not even kiss him, said she needed to act like his girlfriend, but she was not about to give away her first real kiss to somebody like him. At least not now.

Sure she could have called Spike and told him what was happening, but she did not want to be seen as weak and unable to handle it. So, she toughed it out.

Just then a knock sounded on her door, and she instantly shrank back from it. God please dont let it be him.

Slowly she would slide off the bed and over to the door, fingers brushing over the band about her wrist as she tried to draw her Father's strength from it. Silly to some, very important to her.

Finally, with a deep breath she pulled the door open, only to see Dylan standing there.

Instantly averting her eyes, knowing that she was soooo busted....And here she thought she could hide til the marks were faded enough to cover with makeup......

"Umm...Hi. Come in..."

She was not usually so nice about letting people in, but the longer she stood there with the door open the more people could see her.

Once the other girl was inside she would shut the door and lock it once more. Safety first after all.

[Dylan Cross]

Her smile shrunk when she saw the girl.

"Umm...Hi. Come in..."

Was this why she thought they were making fun of her?? Was she a nerd and getting picked on by bullies? Though... something about the wounds on her face and wrists didn't look as if it came from a bully... She would have beaten a bit more than this....this looked like a few slaps around.

Her mother would come home with the same marks.

Dylan would walk in..her mood completely changed. Would put the box down on a table and point at it weakly. "Um.. well.. that's the costume... Uh.." how do you approach these things? "Um... sorry if this offends you... but can I ask what happened?"

There was no denying the bruises on the girl's body.

[Astrid Sudeki]

Astrid stepped further into the dorm, which was clean. Not unusual for Dylan she knew, but if Guy saw it he would know something was up. Hence why she had been avoiding him at all costs.

As the mention of the costume was brought up she would smile and nod slightly.

"Cool. Thanks."

Turning and motioning toward the couch as she bit her lower lip and moved to get a drink out of the fridge.

"Have a seat. Um....drink? I have like a million different kinds of sodas and crap."

She was big on the sugars and such, they were her lifes blood. Though as she bent down to grab her drink and whatever Dylan wanted, if anything, the other girl's question would strike a nerve with her, making her close her eyes and sigh softly.

"Umm. yeah...Heh...Silly me got into it with some kids at school. Think I would know better."

She turned around, that forced smile on her lips as she moved to take up her own seat. Setting the drink(s) down on the small end table there.

Instinctively reaching up and letting her hair down to try and hide the marks on her face at least. Her hand coming to her wrist to cover the bruise there.

"So, how are things going with the whole cheer squad?"

Yeaaaah change the topic. Best line of defense.

[Dylan Cross]

"Um...A pop is fine."

She would wait for the answer... just as expected Astrid blamed it on some other kids at school. Why didn't it settle that feeling in Dylan's stomach. Astrid would return with the beverages and Dylan would flick the tab open and would bring the can to her mouth.

"So, how are things going with the whole cheer squad?"
She would look down at the girl as her head was still tilted back taking a long swig of the pop. It was hot out..and she just rode her bike a long way here....and she couldn't afford the nice things like pop... Water hurrah!

She finished up once the pop started to burn her throat and she would set it back on the table.

"Alright... the squad is a bunch of bitches aside from Jayr." she said with a laugh. Today they hid her uniform and replaced it with a male wife beater with the words written "trailer trash" in permanent marker on the front. She couldn't imagine Astrid doing something like that so..yeah part of her wanted to befriend the girl..so she could be content with Jayr and her... but first this girl was gonna have to let her in..and maybe eventually tell her what was really up with the bruises.

"How are you and Guy doing?"

Why did this come up?

Well when she first met the girl and boy..she assumed they were going out...and well... she was gonna put the blame of domestic violence on the little nerd... she didn't think he had it in him.. but it sure looked like it now looking at Astrid.

[Astrid Sudeki]

Astrid watched for a moment as she took a very long drink, her own drink being brought to her lips as she took a sip and then set it down. Once more moving her hand in to cover her bared wrist.

Hearing about the squad she would roll her eyes and shrug. She had known most of them were, yet this girl and Jayr seemed not to be so bad. Well okay Jayr was horrible, but in a girly sorta way, not a bitchy sort of way.

"Well, they typically tend to be. Thinking they are better than everyone else."

She had money. She was not going to lie and say she did not. Her Father had left her a substantial trust fund which she got an allowance out of every month. More than enough to cover bills. The entire thing would become available whens he married. Apparently to Lucas.

Yet then the question about her and Guy came up. Huh? Was it just her or did that sound like a couple type question. Ohhhh no no no no.....

"Oh! We are not a couple! Yeah he is just my best friend...."

Now she was edgy, and she didnt know why! Gah! Turning her eyes she would sigh and simply fall silent for a moment.

" I dont know...havent talked to him in awhile."

A bit of sadness in that confession though she tried to mask it.

[Dylan Cross]

"Oh! We are not a couple! Yeah he is just my best friend...."

initiate eye brow perk.


" I dont know...havent talked to him in awhile."

Commence girly talk.

"Wow.. you were really fast on defending the two of you." she would smile..almost setting aside the bruises. "Does someone have a little crush? Does someone want to kissy kissy?"

She would reach and poke Astrid in an unbruised part of her arm a few times "Eeh? EEHHH?"

Dylan would laugh and take another sip of her pop. She did the same thing with Jayr only it was with some Donnie character.

Oh wait... they aren't going out... and they hadn't talked in a long time... these bruises are new.... k... so they aren't from Guy....

[Astrid Sudeki]

Astrid felt her cheeks go a bit warmer at those words, though she quickly shook her head.

"No!"

She bit her lip. She so did not like Guy. Right? ........ Yeah right. He was just her friend and that was it. Sure, he was amazing, and smart (even if he didnt act like it sometimes)....funny, sorta cute ( to her at least ).......BAH!! NO!

"I soooo do not want to ...kissy kissy or anything like that. Gah...No..."

Come on Astrid. Be a bit more convincing!!

Instead she just settled for going silent, coughing a bit in a forced manner and then diverting her eyes.

CHANGE TOPIC!!!!!

"S..So how do you like hanging out with Jayr? I found her a bit.......Different..."

Yeah she was smooth, but as of late she had not been herself. Her hand idly tracing over the marks on her wrist, a little sigh passing from her. She was with Lucas whether she liked it or not. The lines between duty and honor and what was just too wrong to put up with were now blurred and she was slowly losing herself to the relationship. Something she did not see yet herself, but something that was still happening.

[Dylan Cross]

Rosy cheeks?

High appraisal?

Quick to change the subject?

Time to ignore the change of subject.

"KEWWWWWWWWWWWWWT You like him." she would say matter of factly. This girl can deny all she wants, but deep down she did and Dylan knew it. Then she went back to Astrid's question. "Um.. Yeah Jayr is pretty sweet. Not what I'm used to though I'm sure I will adapt, 'cause yeah... she isn't a bitch like the other squad girls."

"'Nuff 'bout me." as if they were talking about her the whole time, "Ummm.... Why haven't you seen Guy in awhile?"

(OOC: FAIIIIIILLLLL.... s'what you get forcing me to post XD)

[Astrid Sudeki]

Astrid blushed a bit more and diverted her eyes as she bit her lower lip softly. No she did not like him......She did not think anyways.....A deep breath taken as she shook her head, about to reply when the girl went on about Jayr.

Again she listened, debating on what to think about all that. She had only met the girl once and though she knew she could be nice she was still unsure about her. She supposed it would take time.

Again she found herself about to speak, her mouth opening to do such when suddenly there was a pounding at the door. Her small form literally jumping with a start at the suddenness of the pounding.

Hesitating a moment she would slowly push up off the couch and move to the door, drawing in a shaky breath as she pulled it open.

"Why don't you answer your cell?"

A hand shooting through the door to grip her wrist and jerk her out into the hall.

Lucas was much bigger than she, and stronger as well, his glare enough to make her lower her eyes and shake her head...

"I...I didn't hear it ring...I...I must have left it on silent."

She had turned the ringer off, not wanting to talk to him. She supposed she would not be doing that again....

Trying to reach for the door to close it, to keep Dylan from hearing what was said, she tugged against his grip, only to be jerked back once more and pushed into the wall. A little yelp of pain escaping her.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"I...I was just going to shut the door."

His voice loud enough to draw a few heads out of their dorms, though as usual to this school they just shut the doors and went back to what they had been doing.

[Dylan Cross]

HA!

She didn't keep trying to deny it!

HA HA! she likes him!!

Both their attentions were then caught when there was a knock on the door. Astrid got up and would answer it as Dylan would reach for her pop once more.

Then...

She heard the violent tone in the conversation that was going on outside. She wasn't eavesdropping, but it was hard not to listen to how he was talking to her. Okay... She wanted to call the police, but she didn't at the same time... Fighting was a natural thing at this school...so it would do nothing... But this just wasn't right. Dylan would get up and leave the dorm. Right when she was in the hall she saw a large male push Astrid against the wall forcefully. Now she knew it was definitely not Guy who was making those marks on her.

Dylan would clear her throat, hopefully getting the douche's attention. Maybe he would leave her alone when there were several witnesses.

"What do you think you are doing to Astrid?" her voice was threatening indeed.

[Astrid Sudeki]

Astrid heard the sound of the other girls voice just as she was about to reply to Lucas, her eyes going up to him as she whimpered softly at the fact that he was already mad and now this......Yet instead he just grinned, not bothering to turn and look at the other girl he would grip a handful of Astrid's hair his lips brushing against her ear as he leaned in and whispered heatedly.

"I will deal with you later..."

He hissed and then jerked away, not without giving her hair a firm jerk to make his point clear. As he moved to walk away, a glare cast at the girl who had interrupted him, he would say nothing, just turn and head down the hall to the elevator where he eventually disappeared.

All the while tears had begun to fall down Astrids face as she slinked down the wall and onto the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them closely.

She was embarrassed and scared and every other emotion you could think of at this moment that was bad and uncomfortable.

Yet she could not think of anything else to say other than one simple request.

"P..Please do not tell Guy.....Or anyone...."

Another soft whimper as she sniffled and hid her face against her knees, entire form trembling and unsure of what the hell to do in this moment other than what she was doing right now.

[Dylan Cross]

Dylan gave the boy the stink eye as she watched him walk away.

"P..Please do not tell Guy.....Or anyone...." Dylan heard what the girl said, but instead lifted a finger to insinuate to hold that thought. She looked to everyone who had been peeking their heads out to watch the drama.

"There is nothing to see here! Go back to your homework or other teenager like things....like masturbating." she would yell in an annoyed tone. Then... they all listened and receded back into their rooms. She turned her attention back at the raven haired girl in front of her with a serious expression.

"Astrid... this is really serious... We should tell someone...." it would be a scary thing to have someone find out... no doubt he would treat her badly because of this situation and that made Dylan shake in her boots. "I understand if you want to keep it on the down low for a bit... but eventually you have to let someone know...and... Do you need a place to stay? I really don't think it's safe for you here... He seems like a Roid-iac."

Her apartment wasn't the nicest... it was white trash that's what it was.... it's why she, herself, looked like white trash. "I can't promise a pretty place... But it's better then getting all black and blue."