Rock'n'Bowl - Lobby
Glass doors and windows decorated with neon decals detailing the different bowling groups that frequent Rock'n'Bowl greet you as you enter the lobby. A black runner rug runs the length of the room - the only place where outdoor footwear is allowed in the building. A long mahogany counter rests along one wall, shelf upon shelf of bowling shoes and other paraphernalia behind it. A small computerized cash register monitors the lanes, to keep track of how many games are started so that people can be charged the appropriate amount. If for some reason that fails, the clerk always has a clear view of the lanes, thanks to the open concept design of the building.
A cafe isn't too far from this, offering various food and refreshments for those that would rather observe than partake in the use of the lanes.
Though the days are getting longer, when you're in a dingy hole in the wall you tend to lose track of time. No matter how many windows the dingy hole in the wall may have. The "new-and-improved" Hope Tyler is out bowling. It started out as a work outing with a few other employees from the Pretzel Hut, but now she's here by herself, enjoying the freedom of bowling a few frames. It's gotten her out of the house, and by golly! It's going to get her out of her depression.
But the "new-and-improved" Hope Tyler forgot to take darkness into account. So she is here, she is bowling, and it's night time. Were she /anyone/ else, this would not matter. Were she /anyone/ else she would not be afraid of the dark. Even so, it's not like anyone is going to recognize her, what with her blonde hair, and her new clothes. She's Hope Tyler, 2.0! Even if she /is/ bowling with a distinctively pink bowling ball, and has pink personalized bowling shoes on her feet.
A surprise visit to her twin's apartment has led to. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. In fact, she's taken the liberty of letting herself in and still no one can be found. So a phone call or two and she eventually learns that Hope is actually out enjoying herself. This is a good thing! Not wanting to miss an opportunity to prove to her sister that she's not really gone, Faith decides that bowling isn't such a bad idea. This time she gets a ride and eventually she shows up. The Queen of Crazy is all too familiar with what time it is but does not know that Hope is clueless.
"Hey there, Alice." This is said as she slides up to her no longer identical twin. "Got time for one more game, or do you need to leave?" Leave it up to Faith to be fashionably late, as always. It's a trend.
*clatter* "<STRIKE!>*"
*Translated from spanish.
Hope naturally is not the only one about in the Bowling Alley, it seems that the unfortunatly named 'Sombrero Elitists' bowling team is also here, to practice for their big tournament coming up Thursday. They're quite festive, yet clearly american bowlers clad in ponchos and large sombrero's atop their heads, a group of seven men and two women making a lot of noise as they take their turns and. Well.. Pay no mind to Hope.
That is save for one particular person in the group whom at first was sitting there in a brown and yellow patterned poncho and the hat down low enough to cover his eyes, with a fake mustache under his nose. This would be Tripp; whom is so familiar with Hope's behavioral patterns that he pretty much predicted he would find her here tonight. He'd been sitting there like a creepy weirdo staring at her from the corner of his eye all night. But wait a moment there is another arrival, and suddenly he looks away, drawing the rim down even lower in a moment of brief panic not seeming to realize it was Faith, 'Ugh.. Come on, toughen up, Tripp. All you have to do is stand up and say 'hi' or something.. Wait did they say 'Alice'? Do I have the wrong person after all? That's impossible!' he thinks to himself. Naturally he was wondering why the girl is blonde; the change doesn't quite trick him, see. At least, he -thought- it didn't trick him.
"Alice?" Yes, that's a surprise to Hope too, despite the fact that she /does/ have blonde hair and a headband now. She looks over to the other twin, makes a face, and then nods to the lanes. "I'm paid up for another game or two. I figured I'd kill some time before the sun went down." Little does she know that the sun is /already/ down. "You'll just have to forget that some people around here really, uhh… dress up to go bowling," she says with a nod toward the poncho'd, sombreroed bunch. "It's not at all like back home, but I've not been bowling since /before/ the incident so I'm treating myself. Finding a life. Learning how to act like a kid again." Since that's what she was told she needs to do.
"Yes, Alice." A finger pokes at the headband and she actually giggles. "You know, no wonder why you didn't want to wear blue. It would really make you fit the part. I mean, I like it, I really do. It makes me want to get my hair done. You know, jealous and all that." She'd actually hug Hope at this point but she still feels that it might be too soon. It's all about being happy and upbeat, after all. "Well, I'll be sure to get you ho"
Her head shifts slowly, ever slowly, in the direction of the men in the ponchos. This is where the two years in the loony bin have done her horribly, horribly wrong. Yes, Faith is staring at them, mouth open, unable to remember what exactly she was planning on saying. Bad poncho-men! BAD!
Eventually she nods, returning to the conversation at hand. "Well, we could always go somewhere else, too. Like a batting cage, or mini golf, or many other things. We've got a week to kill before the trip." Yes, she's planning on being an annoying tag along all the while.
*clatter* "<STRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!!>" followed by a rambunctious chorus of cheers, whoops, and high-fives. Talk about team spirit right? And it's because of this that they're pretty ignorant of the blatant staring of Faith. At least that's the case at first.
Even amidst all the noise, Tripp can hear the sisters talking too easily, and his head raises in slight panic to the mention of them going elsewhere. Uh wait, don't do that! Left with no choice he stands clad in his worn out bowling shoes, takes in a loud gulp and proceeds to make his way toward the two girls- And when he recognizes Faith, he looks slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected her to show up but.. That technically makes things better, right?
Once he gets closer, he draws down the tip of his hat again, and clears his throat and faulters briefly. He.. Should probably say something cool, make a good first impression and all that, "You have an impressive arm." Wow. That was pretty terrible.
"Maybe I'll use that as a costume idea for the masquerade dance at the conference." Hope retrieves her cute, pink bowling ball, and brings it over to the lane. "I don't like baseball, and I want to get home before da—"
The voice is heard, and she turns to thank the person for the oddest compliment she's ever gotten in her life. Then all the color drains from her face, the bowling ball falls off her fingers and crashes against her toe, garnering a loud yelp. The yelp is cut off by the start of a curse, which is cut off by her teeth biting so hard onto her lower lip that they draw blood. Then the fingers come into play, crossing herself and she turns back to Faith. "Please tell me I'm imagining things in my delusional grief. I swear that poncho man looks like… but that's impossible he's /dead/. I was at the funer— please, Faith?"
Was she told about a masquerade dance? She doesn't think that she was. If she had she would have likely spent her day planning out her costume already, since she has nothing better to do. There's a high level of guilt for keeping the truth of the time from Hope, however, so she's about to tell the truth whenever that bowling ball goes crashing down.
"Jesus Christ." Yeah, she said it. Someone isn't afraid to say things like that anymore. Immediately Faith is looking over Hope to ensure that she's okay, not at all liking what is going on. "You've got to be more careful. The ball goes down the lane, not on your foot." Then she hears the rest of what is said and is at first clearly clueless. She knows who Tripp is, err, was. She knows it all too well. Still her memories are not as strong as they could be, as they should be, and they seem to be slipping away more and more as she goes. The fix wasn't set in stone, after all.
This is why she looks past Hope then steps between her and Tripp, eyes cold with sisterly rage. "Hey, pal. You got a lot of nerve to go sneaking up on women and causing them to drop bowling balls on their feet." He does look familiar, really, but this man has a mustache. Clearly he is not Tripp.
Tripp silently curses to himself, he should have been a little faster to catch the ball, but what's done is done. Instead he crouches and sweeps up the pink ball in a single wave of his hand and lets it settle in his palm.
He meets Faith eye to eye when she addresses him, he was a little surprised before by her semi-profanity, but the words after that catch him completely off guard as her replies in disbelief, "H- Hope?" …Oops! "I mean, h- hope that she'll be better, it wasn't my intention.." he replies, though his tone is kind of mumbly and concerned for Faith- Of course he heard her whisper and if it's just a similar look that's causing her pain… Well, he's finding himself starting to think that this wasn't a very good idea.
Though man, that blood looked nice.
"I just assumed that yelling like my associates wouldn't be taken well. A- Are you all right?"
Blood does not taste at all good, so when Hope realizes that her lips are bleeding she reaches for a napkin and daubs at her lip lightly. Her foot is still aching, and she'll be lucky if a toe isn't broken but she's not going to let a broken toe stop her from bowling. "I'm fine," she says quietly. "Just…" She can't talk to this man. She's literally losing her mind. There's no way, it's impossible. Giving her blonde hair a shake, she looks over at her sister. "Faith, don't be so mean." Just get your ass back here, the voice says without saying.
But, but! This is not fair! She's the cold one so it shouldn't matter if she's being mean. She looks over her shoulder at Hope and sighs. "Fine." It's said a lot softer than she likely intends but Hope is asking her. She's injured, too, so she'd rather focus on that.
Still, she turns back to Tripp and peers up at him. "Sorry," she offers before looking closer at him. It could be that she's finally seeing what Hope was seeing, finally seeing the first man to ever kiss her. Then that idea goes soaring out the window when she grins. "Nice mustache. I don't think it suits you, though."
With that said the Queen of Crazy turns back to Hope, no longer standing between her and Tripp. Her role as the protector is over. Something is nagging at her, something about him but she decides just not to say anything about it. To admit to it will prove that she really is crazy. "Do I need to take you home?"
This reaction isn't quite what Tripp had in mind at all, he had thought he'd prepared a little better than this and honestly seeing the young woman like this was really.. Quite uncomfortable. At the very least he's defended by Hope, though, which is a touch of a relief.
Wait, his mustache? He raises his hand to his mouth, "Oh this? Well.. Heh, you know, it's obligatory. I didn't think it looked so bad myself." he replies with a small smile, his heart pounding hard as if he dodged a bullet or something. "She should probably sit down for a little while first and put some ice on it," he suggests, "If anything is fractured, her standing will make it worse."
He feels kind of bad sayin that though; while it may be true as far as he knows, he's actually saying it to keep the two from leaving.
"Augh!" Hope throws her hands up. So sick of people wanting her to do what they tell her to. "I'm /fine/. FINE! Do you hear me, I'm FINE!" She's not though, she's really not. Hope takes a deep breath, and slams all of her weight down on her bowling-ball injured foot, and then takes all her willpower to not cry out. "No you do not need to take me home. You need to grab a ball, and bowl." Before the now-blonde twin winds up making any more of a scene. There's no way that can be Tripp. No way, no how. He's dead. The similar appearance is just a coincidence. Just a coincidence. Has to be. "Thank you for your concern." Not a chance. None whatsoever. Unless… but it's too early, and she watched the burial! There's no way… "Faith… what /time/ is it?"
"No way. That mustache doesn't suit you. You looked much better without it." Blink. Did she really just say that. Faith laughs nervously, afraid that the men in white coats are going to be called to get her very quickly. "Ah, sorry. I mean, you probably would look better. It's late and I'm probably way too tired to be out bowling."
Hope's explosion isn't exactly unwarranted and for once Faith is thankful for it. It takes a bit of the pressure off of her. She doesn't move to get a ball, though. Not at all. Instead she pulls her new cell phone from her pocket and flashes it at Hope. Yes, it's so she can see the time. "I wanted to tell you but you were having fun. The sun's been down for a while. That's why I thought I would take you home."
She's really looking concerned now, worried. As if the strings of her mind are starting to unravel. But it isn't him, it can't be him because last time she said he was alive she was injected with more medication. So she doesn't say anything to Hope just yet.
Tripp can't help but chuckle a little to Hope's frustrated response, and coughs lightly into his fist to cover it up. But what's he going to do with this girls bowling ball? Well, hold it for now, he supposes. "It's all righ-" he pauses once Faith addresses him again and this time he just gives her a stare. A good, long stare, as if trying to process what is going on here. Does.. She recognize him? Or perhaps she's some sort of fashion expert?
Or was it really an accident? He's not so sure it was, but he can't really say it was on purpose either. After listening to a little more of the conversation, Tripp raises an eyebrow, "Is.. It a problem that it's night out? Don't tell me you have some sort of curfew still.." he says with a smirk. The smile does vanish for a moment though, "I don't mean to overstay my welcome and make you girls uncomfortable but the truth is that I am here to deliver a message."
There are a few reasons for Hope to freak right the HELL out at this point. The first is what her sister says without meaning to. The color drains from her face once more, and she physically leans over to rest her head between her knees to keep from hyperventilating. "/No/." It's a loud whimpered word, but it's still there. She is absolutely losing her mind. The second comes when she's told the time and she just starts to feel sicker. "You should have told me," she squeaks accusingly to her twin. The now-blonde Tyler takes a few more deep breaths, and then just loses it. Oh yes, now she's crying. Full force crying. As if the last few days weren't bad enough. She's in Hell. She's died and been tossed in some bowling Hell.
A red, puffy-eyed expression is turned on the ponchoed man. "/No/. You're not real. You're not. You're dead. I saw… the throat… the burial. You don't exist. You're dead! Deaddeaddeaddead!"
"Well, since I'm being nice to you and not supposed to be, well, me, you can join us if you want. And you just seem so familiar that it might be nice, even if I'm just using you for your looks." Yes, she says it. Let the men in white coats come for her. At least in her mind she's brushed it off as someone that appears similar to the best friend she's had other than her twin. She's even playing nice and inviting him along. This begins to get weird, though, when he talks about delivering a message. "If it's from that creepy Sheriff lady I don't want to hear it. I'm done dealing with it, okay? That's his thing, not mine."
But oh, then Hope begins to lose it. Faith turns her attention to her twin, things seeming to work in slow motion now. There is a bit of relief at the fact that she's honestly not crazy, or is she? Perhaps the ability to remember what happened and picture Tripp dead is all fake, all a lie, and she was sane while locked away. "I-no. Hope, you're being silly. You told me he was gone." The unraveling of strings continue, almost to the point where she's convinced that people can hear the rope fraying and breaking. "This guy just looks like Tripp because of that Symon person. I mean, if he -was- Tripp, would he have that horrible mustache?"
Poor Hope. Tripp has to frown a little in sympathy, and it pretty much leaves him thinking that he should be on his way. But.. Him leaving would only make things more suspicious, wouldn't it? Still, she's freaking out bad and he isn't certain how to respond.
To Faith he replies, "Uh, no, it isn't from the sheriff.." It sounds like the girls have been through quite a bit while he's been away. Just how bad has it been since he's been gone, anyway? The mustache mentioned, he touches it a moment and then adds jokingly, "I could be an evil twin." … ".. Uh, that was a joke, I'm not evil. Honest.. Miss, please calm down, my buddies over there will call the police or something," he adds, waving his hands.
Around them, people are still bowling. Balls are still hurtling up the returns, pins are still being knocked down, strikes are still being made, cheers are still happening. Hope? She hears none of this. This is a nightmare, it has to be. She's pinching herself, and her continued crying draws a bit of attention from the lanes on either side of them. That is because the new-and-improved Hope Tyler is suffering a slight mental breakdown, and causing a scene.
"Nohecannotjoinus," she squeaks in one long breath. It's bad enough she just lost Bobby, but the guy she originally loved? Showing up here? Now? It's sent her mind for quite a spin. "Heisdeadoravampire." A vampire. Hope gulps in a few deep breaths, causing her to get the hiccups. "Vam," HICCUP! "Pire." She only has her small silver cross chain around her neck, and a silver belt buckle. That's not going to be enough to keep them both safe. "Dead. Buried. Throat torn out. This is possimpable." Pause. "Impossible." HICCUP!
This isn't right. This is as if the two girls have somehow changed roles and now she has to be the strong one. Faith isn't strong; she's not even mentally sound. The more that Hope breaks down, the more that Faith is on the path of doing just that. She watches what is going on closely, eyes moving between the mustache man and her twin.
"No, Hope. He said he isn't Tripp." She's putting her best foot forward, at least, and steps closer to Hope in order to comfort her. "I mean, it would be great if it was, wouldn't it? I mean, if he really was alive." Faith does not mean as a vampire. "But please calm down. You're just going to make yourself sick. And what do you think you're doing to that guy?"
'It would be great, wouldn't it?'. Of all that's said in front of the young vamp, that stands out the loudest in Tripp's mind, and he's once again brought into a moment of silence, his free hand slipped into his pocket. "It's all right, happens all the time," he replies with another attempt at light humor, but finds himself lost as to what to do. Seeing as Faith is clearly the more sane of the two at the moment (Oh the irony??) he first says, "Yeah, we should get her a glass of water or something.." nodding his head toward the concession stand, and giving Faith a look that says something along the lines of 'Can we talk for a second?'. Perhaps the right thing to do would be to let the two be, but he's determined to deliver his message.
"/LOOK AT HIM/." That is all Hope is saying on it anymore. She's back in that crazed phase, just like she was when she was off to stake her sister when she thought she was a vampire. Only, in this case it's a fit of the giggles amidst the crying as opposed to just straight losing it. "A /fucking/ vampire. Sweet /Jesus/." Then she begins to recite the Lord's Prayer under her breath. Repeatedly. Her voice becoming just a bit louder at the lines, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
It would be wonderful if all of this wasn't happening, yet there's the selfish part of her that really hopes it is Tripp. It would prove that she was right, even though she was insane, which causes a bit of a headache to think about but he's such a dear friend. "I see a poncho," Faith replies to Hope, really only half paying her attention as she stares at Tripp. "And a mustache. Vampires don't have those." Okay, so it's a lie but has to say something. "Hope, it'll be fine. You'll get some rest and realize that the only thing wrong is that your brain got hurt when the color fell out of your hair. I'll go get you some water."
Great suggestion, Tripp! Excellent suggestion, even. Though she's afraid to leave Hope alone, she does back away just to keep her eyes on the situation. The man who cannot possibly be the living being of their dead best friend is given a nod before she eventually makes her way to the concession stand to get some water. Ivan is going to kill her. Hope is going to kill her. Drama!
A long, awkward stare is given to Faith, and he has to wonder, does Hope really need a straighjacket, or has she somehow obtained abilities to see vampire blood flowing in his veins? …. Nah this isn't some television show, this is REAL LIFE! Still, the stare softens to something more apologetic, trying his best to hide his guilt.. Which honestly isn't hard considering how worried he is. But perhaps it'd be best if he started wrapping things up, and not keep Faith too long.
A nod is given to the calmer twin, and he proceeds to lead the way to the stand as a *clatter* <STRIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!> is howled. "A large cup of water, please.. No ice." he says to the man at the counter, then glances to Faith once more, ".. Listen I think I came at a bad time, so I'll keep this brief."
"I'm to give this to you. Actually I was supposed to have her give it to you but since you're already here.." he reaches into his poncho and draws out a small envelope, white in color and sealed.
"WHA- FAITH ROSE TYLER DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME ALONE!" Only, her twin is gone to the concession stand, leaving her there all by herself. And now? EVERYONE is staring at her. Hope just sort of cringes, and then starts to leave the lanes. Last two games forgotten. Let them fuss with the water, she needs to get out of here. The gasping breaths and hiccups start up again, so she's making an oddly cute squeaking noise as she walks up the stairs to retrieve her outdoor shoes. There is no way this will be fine, or that anything will be fine again. Tripp is dead. He died two years ago. She saw it happen. She stood with his parents as he was buried. She… it's all too much for her, and her sister just left her alone, and… she's in public so she can't really /scream/ but she wants to.
"Vampire… only explanation… shouldn't be out… need to get home." Only home is likely a dangerous place to be now, and the safety of the place she wants to be isn't open to her at the moment.
The loud crash for the strike actually causes her to startle somewhat. These days have not been kind to her, even if they have been better to her than Hope. In the end she's praying that she really isn't losing her mind. To lose everything now after a second chance of life is one of her greatest fears. Maybe she'll just wake up one day and realize that the last few years have all been a dream. No, that won't happen nor does she wish for it to. To have Tripp back would be wonderful, but the cost could be too great.
The envelope is taken as soon as it is offered, even if there is some hesitation to her actions. "I don't understand." Even as her sanity is double and triple guessed she remains calm, too unbalanced to actually put up a fight. "What's going on?" Strangely enough, Faith is compelled to look at him, into his eyes. Hope is smart to be reacting how she is. Hope is…
Gone. Breaking from the near spell Faith looks around for her sister, having lost her. "Oh, no. Not now. Hope?"
Hope doesn't escape Tripp's eye, but he doesn't make any effort to chase after the more frantic of the twin's either. Honestly, it is probably better that things play out the way they do, so he has a chance to slip away without having to resort to anything drastic. "I don't expect you to," he then says to Faith, and the moment she tries to start looking him in the eyes, he tilts the rim of his hat upward, and he cheats, sending a suggestions 'Read the note when you get home'. "Well, it's up to you two what will happen from this point onward. It weighs on whether you obey the letter.. or don't. Pretty simple, huh?"
"She hasn't gotten far on that foot," he then says, as she breaks away to look elsewhere. "I'll see you later."
Of course when she looks back, he's nowhere to be seen. The note, by the way, has a simple address: 'I'll be waiting at University Park, March XX at 8pm - Tripp'
Hope is definitely gone. Out the door, not even stopping to think about retrieving her cute and pretty pink bowling ball. She can come back and see if it's here in the morning. That she's left her sister with another vampire doesn't escape her though, and the minute she's out of the door she's got her new phone out and is dialing a number. "She's at the bowling alley with a…" HICCUP. "… vampire. Can't stay. Losing my mind." Then the phone is snapped shut, and the blonde Tyler twin runs right to her car, gets in and drives toward somewhere safe. A church, or the Fellowship. Anywhere that's not here and making her relive the Hell of that night or making her lose her mind.
Is it only her that can her the shattering of glass? Nothing is breaking, but something certainly is cracking. There's a feeling, a suggestion that she not open the letter until she gets home. So it is pocketed and next thing she knows the poncho man is gone. It's so weird and with nothing else left to do she takes that ordered water and guzzles it immediately.
Hope is nowhere to be found. At all. Sighing loudly, the calm Tyler begins to collect what belongings she can associate with Hope. Only once that everything is picked up does she, too, take her leave. As she does so she pulls out -her- phone and texts her twin, letting her know that she'll drop off her stuff in the morning. At least she's safe, and what a surprise she'll have when she gets home.