| It's lunchtime and still school holidays, which is fine with Amelia as today is her birthday. However, what is less than fine is having to sit through a tea bonding experience with her stepfather." She sits at a table, across from him, a small oriental teacup in hand as he talks on about family togetherness. Her gaze drifts around the tearoom looking for something or someone to save or distract her.
That something might be Saya - a girl Amelia would know, at least by sight, from school. She comes into the room wearing a yukata and an enigmatic smile, graceful and trying her best to be charming. Seems like she's working here, today. She's carrying a small tray with an earthenware tea pot and two matching cups, and all the accouterments for making tea at the table. She sets it down next to the young couple sitting catty-corner to Amelia and her step-father, bows, and says in a perfectly American accent. "Enjoy your tea. If you need anything, please let me know."
Amelia doesn't really /know/ Saya but at lest she knows of her. "Excuse me," she says to her step-dad and then follows Saya back out of the way, but not so far as the kitchen. "It's Saya, is it not?" When she speaks her accent is clear, crisp, English and posh. She sounds like one of those boarding school kids; because she used to be one.
Saya pauses and turns to Amelia, her smile fixed in place. "Yes," she says politely. "I'm sorry... I don't think I... wait. Is it Amy?" She's sort of just guessing at this point, but at least she's trying. "Can I help you with something?" she asks pleasantly.
"Close enough. Amelia." She glances back over her shoulder at the handsome man who is her stepfather then back at Saya, "Is there something we can put in his tea to make him shut up? Or maybe have to wee a lot? Anything. I'll pay like trebble the going rate."
Saya gapes at Amelia for a second, and then closes her mouth, her lips pressed firmly together. "We don't poison our customers," she replies icily, her voice quiet. She, too, glances at the man and then back at Amelia. "Is that your dad?" she asks, utterly mystified by this point, and still somewhat affronted.
"No, that is my stepdad," says Amelia. "My dad is in the city working." She shoves her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "He's alright and all, but I was supposed to be able to spend a day on my own today because we did the big family thing on Sunday. Only he woke me up this morning with breakfast - which he never does - and said we had to spend at least half of the day together. It's ruining my plans. I was supposed to be meeting my boyfriend."
Saya takes a long breath, studying the girl a bit. "What classes are you taking?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper. "And... what time were you supposed to meet your boyfriend?"
Amelia blinks at the question. "Classes?" It takes her a moment. "Calculus, astronomy, literature, physics, biology, geography and PE. Why?" It seems such an odd question. "Uhm...well I was supposed to be meeting Noah in about," out comes her phone so she can check the time, "twenty minutes."
Saya turns away for just a second to put her tray on the counter. "Because if you're having trouble with Literature, Biology, or Geography, I can tutor you," she says brightly. "As it happens, I have an opening, uh, in about ten minutes. We can study at my place." She raises her eyebrows. Hint, hint.
Her eyes widen as she realizes the lifeline Saya is offering her. "Yes, literature. I am doing ghastly because I refuse those awful American spellings. I am certain my stepfather would understand." Amelia looks like she could hug Saya, but she doesn't because she's English and that would be wrong. What she does do is rush over to her table again to try and explain things.
Saya giggles quietly and then goes behind the counter, disappearing into the back for a minute or two. She comes back again dressed in regular clothes, her hair in a ponytail, a small denim purse slung over her shoulder. Then she stands there, waiting for Amelia to finish up with her step father.
It requires her to drink all of her tea but then Amelia is able to go and meet with Saya and follow her to wherever it is they need to go to make it look like she is planning to study rather than skip off and meet with Noah.
"Quickest way is through the back," Saya says brightly. She waves cheerfully at Amelia's step father and then leads the way through the establishment. Once she's sure they're out of the man's hearing she says, "I can't believe that worked!" She's grinning a bit, feeling a bit mischievious for having come up with this little farce. "Where are you meeting him? What's his name?"
Amelia is amused by Saya's reaction. "Of course it worked. Parents prefer to think the best of their kids, provided they're good most of the time." She pulls her wallet out of her back and gives the girl a twenty. "I was going to go pick him up in my car, but since I can't get to it without raising suspicion I guess I'll just have to take the bus." Her eyes light up as she answers the second question, "His name is Noah Goodman. You might not know him. He's a year below us."
"Hm," Saya says, looking just a little troubled, now. But she shakes it off. And then there's money. "Uh... no, thanks," she says, holding her hand up and shaking her head. She points down the street. "That's the closest bus stop," she tells the girl. "Wait... Noah? I just met a guy named Noah at the comic shop, yesterday," she says. "Brown hair, rides a skateboard. I was trying to find a present for my brother's birthday, and Noah just told me to get a gift card. Is that your Noah?"
When her offer of money is turned down Amelia puts it away again. "Could be. He loves comics, it's one of the things we have in common." She looks down the street towards the indicated bus stop. "And Noah struggles with gift ideas. He's pretty much a gift card kinda guy." Her mouth lifts into an easy smile, "It's sorta what I'm expecting him to give me today."
"Oh, is it your anniversary?" Saya asks curiously, a grin curling up the corners of her mouth. She'll walk Amelia as far as the bus stop, at least. "Or your birthday?" She shakes her head. "You could ask for something, you know. My mother always says, 'Saya, Ryuu, what do you want for your birthday, this year?' Then she gives us a budget, and then we get what we ask for. Except that one time Ryuu wanted a ball python."
"It's my birthday. I'm seventeen today." Amelia slips her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she walks with Saya towards the bus stop. "A ball python? That sounds a bit mental. Your parents said no, right?" She looks at the girl beside her.
"Oh! Happy birthday, then!" Saya says, grinning at Amelia. She laughs and nods her head. "They totally said no. Emphatically!" She giggles. "Ryuu was so disappointed - but those things eat rats! Like, LIVE rats!" She shudders, looking disgusted. "Can you imagine? Ew!"
She grins. "Thanks." Amelia's nose wrinkles at the idea of watching a snake eat something living. "Sounds beastly." In an effort to keep the conversation going she asks, "So what did you end up getting your mum then? It was your mum, right?"
"Um... you mean my brother?" Saya asks, eyes wide. "I got him a gift card," she says. "Because, like, I didn't know what else he'd like, and Noah was all, 'Get him a gift card,' and then you were like, 'Noah's a gift-card kind of guy,' and then you go, 'He'll probably get me a gift card,' and I went, 'Is it your anniversary or your birthday?' and you were like, 'It's my birthday, I'm seventeen.'" She finishes recapping the conversation with a laugh.
Amelia stops walking and just looks at Saya as she completely rehashes the last several minutes of their conversation. "Ah, yeah...so gift cards are nice." She starts to walk again, nearly at the bus stop now. "I'm sure your brother will like it."
"Sure," Saya agrees. Once they're at the bus stop, she pauses a moment. "Well, it was fun to help you out. Hope you don't get in trouble," she says. "If you do... we totally studied for half an hour at my house before you split, okay? That way I don't get in trouble, too." She glances down the road. "My house is that way. See you!"
"Thanks again," says Amelia. And because she realizes Saya has done her a big favor and she was a bit awkward with her she adds, "I appreciate this. Anytime you want to sneak out, tweet me or Facebook or something."
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