[Scene] Alita and Pearl in "Heel, toe... Heel, toe"
Pearl: *It's late in the afternoon on a weekday, and Pearl is standing outside a store with a glass window that shows a display full of shoes of different shapes and sizes. She is sucking on the tip of her thumb and just looking*
Alita: *Alita is inside the store, looking at the different selections of shoes they have displayed. The coming spring weather means that the more colorful selection of shoes have arrived. She hums to herself as she picks up a small green high-heel shoe, glancing at it from all angles*
Pearl: *after a few moment's deliberation, she pushes the door into the store and walks in, looking around curiously at the overwhelming displays of shoes*
Alita: *She puts down the shoe, deciding the color is too bland for the upcoming season. Instead her eyes catch a pair of purple stiletto heels and a smooth smiles curves to her lips. She walks over to the pair, her own heels clacking with a small echo on the floor, and gently picks up one of the shoes*
Alita: *she then hears a bell chime, signaling a customer entering. She hears the noise but is too enthralled with the shoes to even give a passing glance to the door to see who it is*
Pearl: *Pearl rounds one of the colorful displays, looking with especial interest at the heeled shoes. She sees someone in the middle of the store and assumes it's a saleswoman* Pardon me, ma'am?
Alita: *She continues to move the large purple shoe around in the palm of her hands - being too large to fit into just one. The shoe is purple, but the color of the giant heel is slightly darker. She feels like buying them, yet at a glance of the price tag at the bottom of the shoe she realizes she couldn't afford it without two monthly pay checks*
Alita: *Her ears catch a voice, one that sounds like a young girl, and her instinct is to ignore it. There is no way the voice could be calling to her - she certainly isn't a ma'am and she certainly doesn't work at this place. Even though she wished she did*
Pearl: *is disappointed that the woman didn't react, and resolves that she was just a bit too quiet. She walks up to Alita and taps her on the shoulder* Excuse me?
Alita: *Suddenly her nerves prick at her senses and without thinking, an embarrassingly surprised gasp is shot from her throat. She quickly recovers, being use to unwelcomed surprises, and turns around to the tapper, replying without much thought* Please do not touch me! *She doesn't even realize it's the teenage girl that gave her a lecture on family values*
Pearl: *Pearl, on the other hand, is absolutely mortified to be greeted by the face of the woman who she chastised for no real reason and she pulls her hand back in horror and tenses all over her body* I- I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to... *she puts her hand over her mouth and turns away, nearly runs out of the store* I thought- I'm sorry!
Alita: *Alita shuts her eyes and slowly breathes in and then breathes out. The feeling of pricks on her oh so sensitive skin is now gone. She opens them again, hearing the girl apologizing* What are you apologizing for? You did just catch me on surprise, is all. *She still hasn't realized who it is, still recovering from the aftermath of the shock*
Pearl: *stays turned around* Oh well, I just... Um. *turns back* I didn't realize you weren't someone who worked here, so...
Alita: *She sighs, putting down the shoe back in it's display, not caring for the messy presentation it has now.* It's fine. I come here so often, most people have mistaken me for a clerk. So don't fret too much *She looks to the side. In reality she's quite irritated. It happens too often and she does get sick of it after a while*
Pearl: Well... I didn't mean to disturb you again. I'm sure you have shopping to do... *bows slightly* Sorry to have bothered you.
Alita: As I said don't fret too much *she looked back the girl and felt a familiarity coming through. Did she know this...odd looking girl? She was positive they met before - maybe that's why the girl might have been so flustered.* Hmm...have we met? *she decided to ask, deciding there wasn't a reason not to. If this girl could think she's a clerk then she was allowed to think they met, right?*
Pearl: O-oh... Not in person. *she pauses, awkwardly* But on the internet.
Alita: The internet? *she starts to ponder. On the internet. Well she knows a lot of people on the internet but...*
Alita: *..and then it suddenly clicks. She DID meet this girl before*..Ah I see...thank you for the treats, by the way.
Pearl: *flushes* Oh, you're welcome. I was hoping you'd enjoy them. *looks down*
Alita: They were tasty. Good for a snack outside of lunch. *She looks back at the purple shoes, gazing at them boredly* So what are you doing in this shoe store? This place sells mostly heels you know *although she does remember the 'lecture' she chooses to ignore the part of her head that wants to lash out at the girl*
Pearl: Well, I'm going to a dance so I thought I might want to get some new shoes to go with my dress. And my father's busy at school, and no practice today... So I thought I'd look around a little bit.
Alita: A dance, hmm? Like a spring prom or something? *Alita can hardly remember her high school years at this point, and even then she went to a school far away from the city. Yet she remembered the various proms that the school hosted in her four year tenure...and the multitude of boys that took her out*
Pearl: It's a valentine's dance. A couple friends of mine and I are going. I've never been to one, and dressing up sounds fun...
Alita: Ah I see. So it is like a prom. Well do you know how to wear heels? Buying them is easy enough. *she pauses, tapping her fingers on her cheeks* Then again you're pretty tall for your age. Then it again, it could be that I'm just short.
Pearl: I don't know... I've never tried before. I was probably going to just get flat shoes, but maybe I should try heels. *she looks over at a pair of six-inch stilettos* Small ones...?
Alita: Well, it's always good to try new things. Heels can be a pain, but once you get use to them it's all better. *Her eyes glance back to the heels, as Pearl turns her eyes to them* Not those though. Those heels are only for really short girls, like me
Pearl: They seem pretty scary. *turns to look at a more manageable pair* Maybe these would be better.
Alita: Well stilettos are quite the challenge. *Alita glances at the same one Pearl did* Hmm...perhaps. Pumps are one of the more popular shoe types
Pearl: *she browses a bit before finding a pair of pale pink pumps and lifting them off the shelf* I like these. Do I just try them on right in the middle of the store?
Alita: You can go to the sitting area and try them on there *Alita points to the carpeted circle area in the middle of the store, a long mirror adjacent from it and two leather sofas*
Alita: *She then takes the finger back to her cheek and sighs* No wonder people think I work here...
Pearl: Okay! *trots off to the circle and slips off her sandals, sliding her feet into the shoes. She makes a contemplative face and then stands up, taking a few halting steps forward, looking uncomfortable*
Alita: *Alita watched Pearl try on the shoes, noticing her stumbling movements. She resisted a quiet giggle and the glided over to the fumbling girl* Maybe a smaller heel is required? Can't have you tripping after all
Pearl: I-I guess. *tries not to fall over* Maybe I'm just not cut out for heels...
Alita: It's like riding a bicycle, I suppose. It's a difficult thing at first, but you need to get used to it. Maybe a smaller, more flatter heel would suit you though? Unless you don't have time to practice heels
Pearl: Well... I'm just a little worried. *looks up at Alita as she sits down and takes off the shoes* I'm on the track team and if I hurt my legs, it's a big deal.
Alita: Track team, hmm? Well heels are like house pets. They treat you well if you treat them well to. That is learning to walk in them. *she moves herself to the couch opposite of Pearl and sits* Still if you're worried about it then flatter heels would be better. Maybe block heels?
Pearl: What kind is that? *tilts her head, listening intently*
Alita: Well the heel is a bit smaller and a lot wider. It makes it easier to manage than most heels. *she gets up, walking past Pearl on the couch* I think I saw a pair of them over here
Alita: *Not a minute sooner and Alita returns, carrying a blue box in her hands. Without a word she sits it on the carpet and opens the box. Inside is a black pair of heels, the heel smaller and more chunky compared to the pink pump*
Alita: I think they have different colors for them, but this is a good example of one.
Pearl: Oh, thank you! *takes the box and looks over the shoes* My sandals have heels kind of like this. Not quite so tall. *she sets the shoe on the ground and then slips her foot into it, and does the same with the other. She stands and seems much more sturdy on her feet in these shoes. She walks away and back without stumbling*
Alita: *Alita smiles, noticing the smoother movements of the girl* Looks like you can move in these ones just fine. I'm sure they have different colors if you want something brighter for your dance.
Pearl: Yes, I think they might work out. Thank you for your help! I'll have to come back later with my father... *she seats herself and switches back into her sandals, looking down* I'm glad you accepted my apology for my rudeness earlier. It was very kind of you to help me. *looks up and gives a warm smile*
Alita: It's no bother. Everyone has their opinions, after all *she makes a smile, but it appears more bitter than it should be. In an ideal situation she would brush off the entire thing, but she has a habit of holding grudges. Especially when this girl defended her careless mother.*
Alita: *Alita turns her eyes to the clock and frowns. It's already getting late* I should go now. I need to get to the store before it closes to pick up my dinner.
Pearl: Oh, right! I'm sure my father's wondering where I am. *she doesn't seem to be concerned by Alita's bitter smile, though she takes note of it* Have a good evening! *she stands and waves as she heads for the door*
Alita: Goodbye, miss. *she doesn't wave back and watches the girl vanish through the door and waver through the windows. Alita stands from her spot on the couch and sighs.* About time she left. *Her eyes looked back to the pumps the girl left behind on the ground and shakes her head* A clumsy duckling can never become a swan.