Starring:
Date: March 11, 2010
Summary:
Two teenagers meet in an organic food store and chit chat about healthy food, employment opportunities, and college.
"Healthy Snacks and Undecided Futures"
Au Naturale Market
Even with eveing settling over the city many are stopping by markets and the like to get dinner and take it home to the family. Andra is in search of stuff to take back to the apartment. With list in hand she has just entered into the marker and is picking up a hand basket. Humming a faint tune to herself she seps to he side and looks over the list of items she needs to be picked.
Claire is pounding the pavement! Apparently her family is out in the open and she can be a normal person. Or at least as much as a normal person as she can be. But normal 20-year-olds do get jobs, so she's wandering around the city looking for job applications. This is not a place she sees herself working — she'd rather get a discount on cute skinny jeans or iPhones or something more interesting than granola and wheat germ, but her stomach is growling, so she stops in to the organic market.
Her nose wrinkles as she walks the aisles, looking for something to snack on that isn't totally healthy for her. Her hand settles on a bag of trail mix when she hears the humming of the other girl.
Andra wanders on down the one of the aisles, which happens to be where Claire is as well. Her gaze drifting over the list while she pauses and looks over a few items before picking up a box of some orgainc cracker looking things. She's off in her own little world it seems while she looks over the box a few moments before droppig it into the basket.
"Gimme a Ritz any day… those things look like they probably cleanse out your colon with nine times of fiber," Claire says, half to herself but audible enough for the other girl who she offers a wry smile. "You wouldn't by chance know where the closest Dunkin' Donuts is? I'm not from this neighborhood."
Andra blinks at this and peers over to the voice and offers Claire a smile. "Well actually there pretty good, there these rice crackers." Andy rather enjoys them actually. A soft ah escapes her and she blinks once more glancing one way then another while pondering. "Well.. There's a Starbucks a few blocks over I think?" She chews on her lip a moment. "I still get sorta lost around here for some reason."
"Starbucks works. Yeah, I've only been in New York a couple years. It all looks the same to me, you know? Big building after big building," Claire says, heading to the end of the aisle where a beverage refrigerator keeps various bottles cold. No soda, damn it, but there's some healthy flavored water kinds of things. Pomegranate Cherry Blueberry something or another, with purevia instead of sugar and lots of vitamins. Looks like a winner. "You shop here by choice? Or just running the family errands?" she asks the girl, appraising her and deciding she's a bit younger than herself.
Andra smiles and nods. "Ya it really doesn all look alike. When ever I wander down a street I have to pay attention to the shop numbers of I'll get lost for sure." There's a pause while she follows along picking up a few other items as she goes. "Well.. I shop here often actually. I like the food here. Its all good stuff actually."
Claire looks curiously into the basket to see what all is in there. "Man, I can't eat that healthy. I just got home from a trip and I wanted macaroni and cheese more than just about anything. You know, the home made kind with big fat noodles and lots of real cheese and potato chips crumpled on top. And chocolate milk." She pauses, realizing that sounds weird. "But not on top. Just… separate." She flashes a grin. "You live around here? Do you know anyone who's hiring?"
Andra ohs osftly and chuckles. "Well I don't just eat healthy stuff.. I get other stuff too. Just get some stuff here and all." She hums softly while peering at Claire at the talk of mac'n'cheese and chocholate milk. "That actually sounds sorta good.." A grin is offered before she nods. "Ya.. I live in an apartment not to far from here actually." She hums a moment. "Well.. I don't know I sorta don't have a normal job so to speak."
"That's okay," Claire says with a nod. "I didn't actually come in here looking for one — I was down the street at a cool little restaurant. I should have eaten there but I think it's bad form to get your dinner from the same place you got an application." She pulls a twenty out of her pocket, getting ready to pay for her snacks; out of habit her eyes flit here and there, to make sure she's not being followed or watched. Old habits die hard. "You still in high school?" she asks the girl as she heads toward the counter.
Andra nods at this, a soft chuckle escaping her. "Ya I suppose that makes sense." Not that she ever worked in a restaurant mind you. She hums softly while glancing to Claire. "Naw, not actually. I just got done taking my GED so I'm done with school for now."
"Ah, congratulations. I did something like that myself. I'm sort of in college now, but not at the moment." The petite blonde scowls a little at her own words, unhappy to have had to drop her classes again, even if she's still unsure what she's majoring in. "I'm Claire, by the way." It feels good to tell someone her real name, a stranger who she probably shouldn't trust, but the girl is younger than she is. "You?"
Andra smiles and nods. "Thanks." She tilts her head while watching Claire. "Oh your in college?.. How you liking it?" She ohs and smiles once more. "I'm Andra, nice to meet you Claire." This said with a friendly tone. An she's trust worthy really!
The regenerator makes her way to the front counter, paying for her snack and drink, then pocketing the change. She thanks the clerk politely, then glances back at Andra, not sure if the other shopper was done with her hunting and gathering. "I had to drop my classes, but it's good. I liked it. I'll try it again next semester." How many times has she said that to herself? "You going to go, or just doing the real world work force kind of thing?" she asks.
Andra ahs softly while nodding as she hears Claire. "Well.. I've thought about it. Not to sure what I'd go for and what not." She offers while putting out the few things she needed on the counter and lets the clerk ring it up. "Do you know what you plan on doing?"
"Not a freaking clue. I'm undeclared," Claire says with a laugh, half relieved she's not the only one without a plan for her life. "But they keep telling me that some class or another will inspire me. One day maybe I'll be able to stay in a class long enough for that to happen. Or so I hope." She flashes a grin, and pulls the cap off her flavored water. "It was nice meeting, you, Andra. I better get going — my mom is going to be worried about me, and I can't cheat her out of the chance to yell at me for ruining my appetite before dinner, you know?"
Andra smiles and nods while looking to Claire while tilting her head. "Well.. Good luck with that.. I mean I guess college is harder then highschool and all." She thinkgs anyway. A friendly smile is offered and she nods. "Is nice to meet you too Clarie. Hope we meet again sometime."
"Good luck with your colon crackers, Andra," Claire quips, grinning and heading out the door into the dusk. It's a quick walk to the subway, where everyone in New York seems to be headed after getting off of work. Maybe she'll join the gainfully employed soon. She takes a sip of her drink while holding onto a subway pole as her train makes its way toward her neighborhood.