Welcome to The Club: An Unexpected Reopening

[Ryan5011]

Alex didn't have to look around because the girl, now with arms full of clothes, was standing right in front of her the moment she opened the door.

"Oh GOSH! I knew it! It looks perfect on you!" The girl snuggled herself against Alex for the briefest of moments before zipping into the room herself. "You wait right here while I get these on! I swear you're gonna love them~!"

The sounds of undressing could be heard on the other side of the door, and Alex was left by herself.

... But there was a boy just a little older than her standing outside the dressing rooms too. He was tall, fairly handsome, and loaded with bags of clothes. Apparently he was helping someone with their shopping.

The boy didn't say anything; he simply stared at Alex with his big brown eyes as though he were lost in a trance.

Alex smiled, she didn't know why though. Maybe it was the girl's happiness spreading to her? "She seems eager. I was hoping to leave though." she whispered to herself after the girl had already entered a room. Alex soon however, felt like she was being watched! This was normal for her of course. As far as her memory goes, she hasn't actually been to a clothing store meant for girls. Instinctively, Alex looked around, and to her surprise, a guy was staring at her.

Alex immediately got nervous. "C-Can you please not stare? It's weird." Alex asked as her face got a bit red.

[Mystic Mina]

The boy jerked his gaze away, mumbling an apology and something about nice shorts. He stood there for an awkward minute, trying his best to keep his eyes off Alex and spare himself even more embarrassment, before timidly speaking up.

"So, uh... Do you shop here a lot?" He asked lamely while still staring away at other spaces. "I-If you don't mind me asking, that is... um..."

[Ookalf]

"How could I? How could I say I wasn't ready to be with another..." Joyce couldn't say more, and she buried her face in Jamie's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Jamie. Could you... Could you forgive me?"

She simply stayed like that for a while. The blares of car horns and cafe music crept in through the windows, but not a sound came from her.

*Jamie spends that time considering what to say. If all this is true, then it would change everything...* ...I won't lie. What you said hurt me. A lot. But... You don't sound like you're lying. And despite it all, I just... can't bear seeing you like this. *Jamie smiles.* I forgive you. Just... don't do something like that again.

[Mystic Mina]

"Thank you, Jamie... I..."

Joyce pulled herself away, allowing Jamie to see her eyes. She could see relief in them... And something else. Love.

[Ryan5011]

"N-Not too often, or at least I don't think I do. Why's it your business anyways?" Alex replies, trying to stay as calm as possible. First he got dragged to a door after somehow turning into a girl, and now he was talking to a complete stranger who was only a couple years older. She decided she had to get out of here now, and headed back to the changing rooms to switch back into her old clothes, because heading home and getting some sleep sounded pretty nice right now, even though the mystery girl from before hasn't come back out yet, or Alex didn't notice her come out if she did.

[Mystic Mina]

Alex was already next to the changing rooms, so she didn't really need to walk anywhere. The problem was that her old clothes were still in the room with the girl. Alex would have to wait for her to finish dressing up.

"I'm sorry, I was just... I was just trying..." The boy let out an exasperated breath and muttered, "My older sister forced me to come here and carry all this stuff for her. She said it'd be a good for me to talk to other girls my age... but it's just making me look stupid..."

[Ookalf]

"Thank you, Jamie... I..."

Joyce pulled herself away, allowing Jamie to see her eyes. She could see relief in them... And something else. Love.

*Jamie looks into Joyce's eyes and can't help but think that this is going a lot better than she'd expected...* Yes, Joyce?

[Ryan5011]

Alex was already next to the changing rooms, so she didn't really need to walk anywhere. The problem was that her old clothes were still in the room with the girl. Alex would have to wait for her to finish dressing up.

"I'm sorry, I was just... I was just trying..." The boy let out an exasperated breath and muttered, "My older sister forced me to come here and carry all this stuff for her. She said it'd be a good for me to talk to other girls my age... but it's just making me look stupid..."

"Dang it...Why'd she have to pick the same room..." Alex mumbled to herself just before the boy gave out his brief story. Whether it was true or not, Alex played along. "Well...A clothing store is a bit extreme....especially when it's just talking to girls."

[Harri-chan]

Elliot blushed as Meryl leaned down, and her gentle finger tickled against his nose. He broke into a bright smile, and a giggle came rising up from his throat. That happy expression was left there as she straightened up again as she straightened up and headed for the kitchen. He seemed quite used to the dress, or at least showed no signs of feeing uncomfortable in it, as it continued to swish and quietly rustle with all his movements.

His blue eyes seemed to take in everything as they entered the kitchen. Having his gaze no longer immediately drawn to the chest or thighs of the nearest female meant he was able to pay far more attention to what was actually around him. He watched her work for a little while, before she'd feel a gentle tug at the back of her short dress.

"Can I help... ?".

[Mystic Mina]

Joyce didn't say a word. She just crept up to Jamie, pressed her chest tightly against her newly regained lover's, and closed her eyes. It was up to Jamie whether or not to make the move.

---

The boy gained a little more confidence when he heard Alex talk back to him, so he continued.

"I think it was just an excuse my sister made up so I'd be her gopher." He shrugged, causing the bags in his arms to rustle lightly. "But I couldn't say no to her. I'm- I'm not really that strong-willed, and... I don't have many friends either, so..."

---

"Hmm. Well..."

Meryl looked down at what she was making. She couldn't have Elliot play with boiling water or hot pans, of course, but...

"Ah! Here's something you can help with." She took a whisk, along with bowl of egg yolks and ricotta cheese, and handed them to Elliot, making sure none of the mixture spilled on the little lad's frilly blue dress. "Just stir that really fast and give me the bowl when you're done, ok? We're going to use that for our pasta!"

[Ryan5011]

The boy gained a little more confidence when he heard Alex talk back to him, so he continued.

"I think it was just an excuse my sister made up so I'd be her gopher." He shrugged, causing the bags in his arms to rustle lightly. "But I couldn't say no to her. I'm- I'm not really that strong-willed, and... I don't have many friends either, so..."

Alex wanted to tell the boy that she could relate, but she didn't, primarily because she doesn't know exactly how much of her life has changed ever since leaving the bar. If she tried to, and then the girl from before came out and said Alex was lying to the boy, she doesn't know what she'd say.

"So, your just going to let your sister boss you around? That's just not right." Alex replied with a frown

[Mystic Mina]

"W-Well, if she saw me making friends or something, she'd probably start leaving me alone, but-"

Suddenly, a girl burst out from one of the dressing rooms, but she wasn't Alex's girl. This one was a bit older and blonder.

"What do you think of this one, little brother? Does it look good on me?" She motioned down to her clothes: A low-cut, shoulderless white sweater and tight denim jeans. "I'm not sure if I should get this or that other dress, but... Oh, who's this? Did you make a girlfriend already?"

[Ookalf]

Joyce didn't say a word. She just crept up to Jamie, pressed her chest tightly against her newly regained lover's, and closed her eyes. It was up to Jamie whether or not to make the move.

*Go for it, Jamie does. With only the slightest hesitation, she leans in and kisses Joyce.*

[Ryan5011]

Alex immediately covered most of her face with one hand, as if to say Are you serious? but it was also to hide the fact she was more than likely blushing. "W-What? I don't even know his name. I'm just waiting for a friend to get back out here. He just began talking to me not even two minutes ago."

[Harri-chan]

Elliot could sense she was speaking to him like a child, but the tiny amount of embarrassment was easily outweighed by the comforting tone of her voice. Carefully holding the bowl in one arm, he gripped the whisk in his free hand and began to stir, gently at first, gradually getting faster.

"I helped out in a bakery once", he murmured, not taking his eyes off the egg and cheese mixture.

"But... I kept getting distracted around the girl that owned it, and I'd always mess things up. That kind of thing always happens", he said, blushing, but he seemed to be doing an okay job of concentrating now, even being careful not to splash anything onto his dress. Once the mixture looked as if it had been whisked up enough, he lifted his head and held the bowl up to Meryl.

"I hope I didn't spoil your night. I bet you usually do all kinds of cool stuff like go to parties... ".