Chloe Batts

"Of course I do." She said, flipping her hair with a cheeky grin. She wasn't that conceited, but it was nice to be given a compliment. "I was serious, I'm a nerd. I love studying and I don't mind helping you at all. I like learning about all kinds of things. You're my friend and I want to support you." Chloe was someone she cared about, helping her with her future career was not only a nice thing to do, but it was also just a chance to hang out with the other woman more. Ellie knew she needed to keep busy, and be with people. Otherwise her depression would come back, and probably worse. For her daughter's sake, and her own, Ellie needed to be a good friend. Every day she spent talking to someone else instead of hiding inside her own little shell, was helping her move on from David's death. "That doesn't make me uncomfortable, I know what he looks like. But if you're serious, I can talk you up. He's been single for far too long and he's a sweetheart, I promise! He'd let you boss him around a little if that's your thing."

Chloe grinned at Eleanor's theatrics, knowing she wasn't truly that full of herself. Chuckling, she rolled her eyes dramatically in response. "Okay, I take it back. Kidding!" She clarified. Truthfully, one of the reasons Chloe enjoyed her time with Eleanor so much was the fact that the other wasn't completely conceited, like so many other females their age she'd had the misfortune of running into. Self-love was one thing, but being full of yourself was another entirely. "I'll say it again- you're just the best. And, a double threat! Brains and beauty. Now that's a combo most would kill for!" Brightening, she took in a breath. "Hey, here's a thought! That could be a great program to run at the library- little classes on how to study, take notes, make flashcards, stuff like that. I'm sure the students around here would appreciate the help, and there's no one better to run it!" She added, arching an eyebrow as she gazed across the table. At Eleanor's commentary regarding her brother, Chloe couldn't help but let out a snort. "Girl please!" She said with a shake of her head. "I mean, don't get me wrong, he certainly is a beautiful man but..." Shrugging, she glanced down at the table between them. "I mean, I'm not...I mean I wouldn't say no but..." Taking in a breath, she decided to level with the other before she could stop herself. "I guess I'm still...My confidence isn't what it was. Before." Memories began to flash within her mind, most notably the memory of finding her ex-fiance in her bed with another woman. "I'm just...I feel like damaged goods. Like how could anyone else ever be interested in me?"

Main Street Records wasn't a business Chloe frequented, admittedly. In fact, in the 8 months she'd been in Riverport she hadn't actually stepped foot inside. Still, her brother's birthday was fast approaching and if one gift option were to be a safe bet, vinyl records would be it. Stepping into the shop she took a deep breath, glancing around as she took in the setup, music thrumming in her ears. Stepping towards one of the nearby displays she began thumbing through the options, realizing she actually wasn't totally sure what her brother's collection currently looked like.

Ellie beamed at Chloe, so proud of her for taking the next step. It could be so daunting, going back to school, and she admired the other woman for doing it. She grabbed a roll from the bread basket, spreading the provided butter on it carefully. The bread was warm enough to melt the butter and it was delicious. "Oh that's great. it means you can really focus on what you want instead of the annoying gen eds. Well if you ever need a study partner, I volunteer. I know nothing about animal sciences but I make amazing flash cards." Ellie said with a laugh, taking a sip of her wine. Then she racked her brain for a moment. A man behind the desk? "Well we hired a few interns, maybe it was one of them? Because we haven't really hired any new peo- oh do you mean my brother? Tall, cute nose, covered in flour? Yeah, that was probably my brother you saw. He was picking up some books he'd ordered."

Ultimately, the move to Riverport had been a hard one for Chloe, though the fact was something she rarely showed and had certainly never discussed openly with anyone. For what had been practically her entire life, she'd made a point to keep the majority of her feelings bottled up nicely within herself, unwilling to make a spectacle of her life, or to undermine what someone else might be going through. It was the first time she'd been on her own, without at least one member of her family nearby. While part of her yearned for the familiarity, the normalcy, of her old life, the bigger part of her was well aware it wasn't something she could ever go back to- that much she'd made sure of. That in itself was something that made her even more grateful to have such a good friend in Eleanor- someone to support her, to encourage her, in the same ways she knew her family would have. "Thank you El. I mean that, truly. You're amazing and I hope you know that. And, I hope you're serious because I will definitely be taking you up on that offer." As Eleanor thought back Chloe took the last bite of her bread, followed by a sip of her own wine. "That was your brother?" She asked, blushing as heat crept up her neck. "In that case, I'm glad I didn't decide to lament about how hot he was." She added with a chuckle and a wink. "Kidding, kidding. Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Fancy indeed. I know here is the last place people might expect to find me but I love a good book and I need to get my collection going." Mason looked over at Chloe and grinned as he took the book from her. "Thanks! Not looking for anything in particular, just looking to see what is out there. I don't have much at home." He shrugged his shoulders as he looked over towards her. "I just need books on the shelves and I like a little of everything. Plus, I have August who also needs a ton of new books. I saved more of his stuff though."

Nodding, Chloe's smile widened. "Hey, nothing wrong with that! We all have our hobbies...Or vices, depending on how you look at it." Shrugging, she continued. "I mean, I call it a hobby but...The people who see my 'collection' as you call it seem to disagree." Chuckling, she watched as Mason placed the book in his basket, nodding her understanding as he continued. "I hear that. I swear, part of this 'hobby' for nearly everyone is the aesthetics. I love a good looking library personally- home library or otherwise. I've been slowly trying to re-organize my own. I keep fluctuating between color coding and keeping things separated by genre. I suppose I could do both, but..." Her voice trailed as she shook her head, coming back to the conversation at hand. "My apologies for the rambling. But, I see what you're saying for sure. I'm happy to help either way. I have just as many cherished children's books memories as I have otherwise."

seeing her smile wider was helping calm his nerves a bit, the smile on his own face relaxing just a tad more in response before he's lightly scrunching up his nose at her next words, tilting his head to the side and mirroring her, shaking his head bashfully. "ah, please...you're my friend, ya know? no need to thank me...for the record though, I totally got the memo on chocolate, so...ya know, glad we agree." hearing about the fox has him lighting up more, beyond grateful that everything seemed to be going smoothly. "for the record I feel like you'd be a great mom! i-i mean, for a fur baby!...the silver fox i'd say would probably be the best bet if you ever actually wanted to look into it, they're so far the most tame but um, I could probably go all day if I don't stop myself." he laughs sheepishly. "....maybe I can stop by soon to go see 'im? unless that would be too distracting? I don't wanna be in the you, know? but um, yeah! yeah, all things considered, I definitely can't complain, either!" he hovers a bit as he glances over at the barista waiting for an order, silently ready to cover if chloe gets anything in the end, asking silently with a tilt of his head.

Talking with Sage was easy, given his personality. While Chloe recognized the anxiety within him, she also didn't hold it against him, especially considering it was something she herself had struggled with in the past; even still on occasion. "Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that! I mean, it would've been a little embarrassing, being the only one who considered us to be friends." Scrunching her own nose a bit she nodded as they both agreed on a love for chocolate. As Sage began to stumble over his words, she gave a chuckle and a shake of her head. "Please, I knew what you meant. I appreciate that, too. I like to think I'm pretty good with babies....At least, of the four-legged variety." Shrugging, she glanced towards the baristas once more before returning to the conversation. "And please, ramble away. This is your wheelhouse. I'm just here to learn!" She added, raising her hands, palms facing the other. "Of course!" Chloe beamed at the mention of Sage stopping in to visit their furry patient. "I think it would be great! Just let me know when you want to stop by, I'll make sure we have him ready for you." Finally, a barista turned and locked eyes with Chloe, finished drink in hand. Smiling, Chloe accepted the drink with a 'thanks' before turning back to Sage. "So, any big plans for the rest of the day?"

Ellie's eyebrows raised in trepidation, but Chloe never finished the story. Probably for the best. Now that she was a mom, hearing about dangerous accidents or injuries always made her worry. Nothing that bad had ever happened to her kid, but even so. The waiter came up and set down a bread basket before taking their orders. They probably would need to order more drinks before the night was through, but Ellie could pace herself. She would pace herself. "Oh my god Chloe, that's so exciting! I think you'd be a great Vet and I have complete faith in you. Going back to school can be scary, but you're doing it! If you ever need help studying, you know you can count on me. I am a librarian, I know how to research." She laughed, grabbing a garlic knot from the bread bowl. She loved this place, this old institution of her hometown. It was always so warm and cozy and full of life. "Do you have to take Gen Eds or is this more of a specific focused program? You'll have to forgive me, I know nothing about practical degrees. I mean, I graduated in books. I got my Master's in books."

Eleanor's reassurance did for Chloe's confidence precisely what she'd hoped it would. Having grown up in the clinic her father owned, she had plenty of confidence in her ability to do the job itself. However, the schooling itself was the problem. The time commitment, the exams, and not to mention the amount of by-the-book information she'd have to learn rather than going with some of the improvisational techniques she'd picked up over the years. Still, Eleanor's confidence in her couldn't help but to bleed over. "Thank you so much, El. I really needed to hear that." When the bread basket was placed before her, Chloe immediately reached for a stick, suddenly feeling every bit of her hunger. "Well, luckily I took all the pre-reqs to get my Bachelor's so it should just be the focused classes. Thankfully." She added with a sigh of relief and an eye roll. "But, enough about me. What about you? How goes work? Am I crazy, or did I see a new guy behind the desk the other day?"

Where: Next Chapter Status: open tag: @riverportstarters

Since childhood reading had been one of Chloe's favorite pastimes. While other children seemed to abhor even the concept, she had always found herself drawn to escaping into fantasy lands, meeting new friends via her favorite characters, and exploring new ideas and concepts she might not have gotten to otherwise. That said, it was no secret that the library she'd created in her spare bedroom was her pride and joy, and one she was constantly expanding on despite the limited amount of room the space provided.

the relief off of him once she accepts is immediate, his shoulders quickly relaxing into place as a smile curves his lips at her reaction. sage shoves his hands into his pockets, stepping aside as people maneuver around them, nodding towards those who make their way past in acknowledgement before turning back to her. "noted. i'll keep that in mind for...birthdays or...just because...it's good to see you, though...how have you been? oh! how was the little fox we brought in over the weekend? recovering ok?...don't tell the others but he was my favorite..."

The smile forming on Sage's face only served to widen the one already pasted on hers, though Chloe couldn't help but to clock the others' seemingly increasing anxiety as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Softening her voice, she cocked her head a bit before responding. "You're sweet, thanks for that. Yes, chocolate is the solver of all in my opinion- I only wish the rest of the world would catch on." Laughing, her face brightened even more at the mention of the fox Sage had helped to rescue. "He's great! Getting his personality back little by little. He's so funny, but very cuddly especially for one that wasn't domesticated. I keep trying to remind myself that he doesn't need me as a mother but...At the very least, he's made me consider looking into getting a domesticated one." Chuckling, she glanced once more at the baristas moving rapidly behind the counter, still awaiting her drink order. "I've been okay though, more good than bad so I can't complain. What about you Sage? Are you doing okay?"

"Oh my gosh, you poor thing! I hope it doesn't scar or anything. I know you have to be really careful with cat bites if they break the skin." She replied, eyeing the bandage. he'd gotten scratched by Zoot once or twice when he got into a weird territorial mood with an outdoor cat and that had hurt like a bitch. She couldn't imagine having to go to the hospital. She took a sip of her wine and glanced at the menu. She usually tended to get the same thing every time she was here; cacio e pepe. "Wait, really? Chloe that's so exciting! Are you going to get more training and go from being a vet tech to a regular vet? Or are you thinking of something totally different? Tell me everything!"

Chuckling Chloe gave a last look at the bandage on her hand before giving a shake of her head. "Oh yeah, I've seen cat bites get nasty for sure. Once, we thought one of my co-workers was going to have to..." Raising her eyebrows, she coughed slightly before dismissing the remainder of her thought. "Well, let's just say....It wasn't pretty." She gave another glance at the menu, despite having already decided what she'd be ordering- chicken parmesean, the most basic of basic. It was funny, really, the fact that in general Chloe wasn't someone known for routines, or sticking to plans. In fact, the reality was that at times she could be downright unpredictable and spontaneous. Even so, those traits most assuredly did not translate into her eating habits, which she preferred to keep consistent and as simple as possible. Eleanor's excitement at her confession brought the most genuine of smiles to Chloe's face, and she felt herself relax a bit at the prospect of finally sharing her thoughts with someone. "Well....Honestly, that's what I'm considering. I could go back and just get a Bachelor's in Veterinary Nursing, but...Then I thought, why would I go all the way back to school for something that really won't advance me as much as I'd like. So....I've been really considering going to be a full-blown Vet?" The statement came out as more of a question than she'd intended, but first and foremost she wanted to ensure her friend wouldn't think her completely insane for considering it.

Ellie hadn't been to a restaurant without her daughter for at least a year. She wasn't mad about it, losing David meant she was the primary parent, so wherever she went, her daughter did too. So when Chloe invited her for a nice adult dinner at the Italian place in town, she had her mom come over to babysit and put on a nice dress. She smiled when she saw her friend, the hug warm and comforting. Whatever perfume Chloe was wearing was great. "You too! I definitely needed this. I love Eowyn but I miss having some time with just adults. It was easier with David, because he could watch her so I could have a Girl's Night, or vice versa. So I really appreciate you inviting me." It was getting easier, day by day, to talk about him. The pain still quietly lingered, but she didn't feel like crying at the drop of a hat. "How are you?" She asked, looking at the wine list and ordering a nice Riesling.

"I can't even imagine," Chloe replied, shooting her friend a sympathetic look. Things for Eleanor hadn't been easy, and that was putting things mildly. Still, Chloe was grateful for the woman's friendship and that she'd been a part of her life, even for the short while she had been. As the waiter approached with their drink orders, Chloe smiled, thanking him before glancing back at the menu. "Oh, you know...I've been. Things at the clinic have been wild, and that's putting it mildly." Rolling her eyes, Chloe glanced down at the bandage on her right hand. "Got bit by a cat, had to go to the ER, it was a whole thing." She said with a laugh. "And..." Pausing, she leaned in just a bit, allowing things to build up for dramatic effect. "I've been wanting to talk to you anyway because I'm...Well, I've been thinking about trying to go back to school." The confession wasn't one she'd made to anyone else, as she was unsure herself. However, Chloe was confident if anyone would have positive, encouraging words it would be Eleanor.

open starter: @riverportstarters location: main street coffee

Shuffling to her left, Chloe crossed her arms over her chest, doing her best to make herself as physically small as possible to accommodate the crowd forming inside the coffeehouse. The Morning Rush, she thought to herself, glancing around at the commotion happening around her. A quick look at her watch told her she'd been awaiting her drink for 5 minutes, something she noted but wasn't really bothered by- after all, she was running early. The approaching figure pulled her from her thoughts, and she offered a small smile as the other began speaking, nodding as she allowed them to finish. "Listen, you had me at chocolate, the croissant is just an added bonus." Laughing, Chloe extended a hand to accept the pastry, nodding her thanks before taking a bite. "Mmmmm..." She groaned, eyes floating closed for a split second before opening again. "You know, there are some people who act ashamed of their chocolate addictions. Not me. I'm loud and proud, baby!" Taking another bite, she shifted the croissant to her left hand, extending her right to the other. "Thanks so much, this really made my morning!"

OPEN STARTER: @riverportstarters

farmers market // open @riverportstarters

Breathing deeply, Chloe took in the medley of fall scents swirling in the air around her. Aside from the colors and flavors that came hand-in-hand with the arrival of the season, the scents had long been one of her favorite parts of fall. Head on a swivel, she made her way through the Farmer's Market, shifting and flowing with the direction of the others moving around her. Her eyes bounced first right, then left, then back again as she attempted to take in as many of the goods and products as possible.