BELLE Belle felt herself deflate--as if all the air had been sucked from her. In its place--embarrassment raced through her veins. She looked down at the counter top, picking up a coaster and fiddling with it. Of course, Vi didn't blame her--Belle had come to realize she'd freaked Vitani out almost as bad as Adam had frightened her. Her heart clenched slightly at the thought. She looked back up and over at her friend, just as she spoke her next words. The blush that had spread on her cheeks doubled its intensity as she put together the meaning. "You mean--you--with people--strangers--often?" she asked incredulously, her voice dropping to a whisper. As if discussing a particularly nasty scandal.

VITANI Vi 's eyes flicked over to Belle, a smile growing on her face. She almost wanted to laugh, but figured that wouldn't go over well. Belle was shuffling through so many different emotions, and Vi picked up on every one. It was probably a lot to wrap her head around, finding out that her best friend- had Belle called her that earlier?- drank and did drugs and was, apparently, a scandal. "No," she chuckled softly, "Not, like often. But I mean... It happens. If they're hot enough, I usually go for it."

BELLE Belle couldn't exactly...fathom the casualness which Vi spoke with. She supposed she shouldn't really be that shocked. It wasn't uncommon for people to be...slightly promiscuous. Especially at their age. Sometimes Belle had to remind herself that just because she found it--odd, didn't mean it wasn't normal. She couldn't even imagine what it might be like--she glanced down to the crowd of pulsating bodies below and tried to imagine picking one out to take home with her. The wince that followed was involuntary. "Oh," she commented. "Even--after the--you know--drugs?" That just seemed unsafe to her--how did Vi know the men she was taking home wouldn't hurt her? Or steal from her? Or take advantage of her?

VITANI Vi 's eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out why Belle kept acting like this was life-threatening. Isn't this normal, she kept asking herself. Everyone does this. She followed Belle's gaze to the dancers. She was one of them, and she knew that Belle wasn't. Maybe she shouldn't be one of them. "Um, I guess I've never thought about it." She looked over at Belle, her brow still furrowed. "No one's ever asked... About any of it, really."

BELLE Belle 's eyes widened slightly in surprise at Vitani's admission. She had known that Vi considered herself a bit of a loner--even though she had had friends before. Vi had told her as much the first time they had met. Yet, now, Belle was realizing there may've been more truth to those words than Belle had originally considered. But how could that be? She had a brother! And a mother! Didn't they watch out for her? Belle looked over at her friend, studying her intently. "Well, guess it's a good thing I'm here then," she said with a small, amused twist of her lips.

VITANI Vi smiled a little. "To ask me about my sex life and drinking habits?" She voice was still light, teasing. She wasn't sure what to make of this night, and her head was starting to swim less. She still wanted to dance, still wanted to have a good night. Her finger traced the rim of the glass idly as she contemplated leaving the drink untouched. It wasn't bad, what she was doing, people did this all the time. She lifted the glass to her lips, taking another gulp and wincing. "It, uh, bites," she commented, licking the liquor from her lips. "I really am glad, ya know, that you care enough to ask." She nodded, taking another small sip.

BELLE Belle gave an undignified snort at Vi's brash words. The blush crawled back up onto her cheeks at the mention of Vi's sex life. Belle had never discussed that particular topic with anyone. The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat on the way out. Instead, she simply watched Vi take another large sip of the drink. Her stomach curling uncomfortably. What was she supposed to do if Vi got drunk? Certainly, she couldn't convince her to just go home. She had won these tickets after all...though, Belle really didn't want to stick around just for Vi to leave with one of the many viable options below them. Twisting her fingers she smiled tightly at Vi. "I do. A-and I care enough--to tell you...to ask you--if maybe you could...stop? Drinking--that is." She motioned to Vi's glass, dropping her eyes. God, she really was just out to ruin their time. This is why Belle had never tried to make friends.

VITANI Vi looked up from her drink to catch Belle's eyes. "I mean, I guess I can be done for the night if it makes you uncomfortable." She reluctantly pushed herself away from the bar, stumbling a little. It was nearly time for her to remove her shoes, which meant that it was almost time to dance. "Yeah, okay. Enough for the night," she said with a giggle. "I do want to dance though, will you dance with me?"

BELLE Belle smiled gratefully at Vitani when she relented her glass. She reached out, placing a steadying hand on her bicep--taking a step closer to make sure she didn't stumble right off the high-rise. Her question had Belle biting her lip and glancing down to the sea of bodies again. She could hardly see the floor the people were packed so close together. The thought of all those people brushing against her, touching her--she shivered and looked back over at Vi, shaking her head frantically. "I-I...no. I'll wait here." She smiled tensely.

VITANI Vi watched as Belle tensed up for what seemed like the hundredth tonight and her face fell. Not because her friend didn't want to dance, but because she was doing that thing again, where she completely ignored what Belle was comfortable with. She was selfish, really. "Oh my god, I'm sorry." She shook her head, looking down at the party. "No, look, we can just stay here. Talk, until we're ready to go."

BELLE Belle sunk against the edge of the bar in relief, letting the emotion wash over her features. She gripped Vi's bicep before dropping her hand away to twiddle her fingers together. "A-are you sure? I want you to have a good time."

VITANI Vi nodded, giggling at the way Belle had gotten herself worked up. "Tonight can make up for lost time at the carnival."

BELLE Belle blushed with guilt, looking away from Vi out across the crowd. "Okay," she said tightly, before turning to look at her friend. "I am sorry, though. 

VITANI Vi nodded, pursing her lips. "I know. And I shouldn't have gotten so angry," she continued. "The whole... ordeal, it just kind of freaked me the hell out."

BELLE Belle let out a shaky laugh and then raised an eyebrow. "Freaked you the hell out?"

VITANI Vi smiled widely, leaning over the railing to watch the people dance below. "Didn't seem too freaked out when you went on a cute date with him to the carnival," she teased, perking an eyebrow up at her friend.

BELLE Belle 's heart leapt up into her throat before dropping down into her stomach--beating furiously the whole time. "It was not a date!" she hissed. The burn of her cheeks was so hot, she could feel her eyes beginning to water.

VITANI Vi was intrigued now. "Oh, was it not? What did you do, B? The Ferris wheel? Did you eat candied apples together?" She was still only teasing, but something foul began twisting inside around in her heart.

BELLE Belle twisted her fingers together, looking down guiltily. She did not want to tell Vi what they had done more than anything...but she couldn't lie. Swallowing, she looked up at her friend wincing and looking away as she began to speak. "I--um...no. We walked--through the corn maze," she finished in a rush, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear in agitation.

VITANI Vi 's eyes widened. "You mean the haunted corn maze?" She was a little shocked. "You mean you were almost too afraid of the Tilt-O-Whirl and you went through the haunted corn maze!?" A smile played on her lips. "And without me!"

BELLE Belle 's brow furrowed in confusion at the lilted sound of Vitani's voice. She didn't dare look at her though. Her fear that she had done something unforgivable this time present in her chest like a weight. When she heard the last part, she flinched her shoulders some--trying to pass it off as a shrug. The guilt was enough to finally get her to look at Vi. She had to blink a few times to make sure the smile on her face was still there. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "You're...not...mad?" she questioned carefully.

VITANI Vi shrugged. Sure, she was mad, but what was the point in taking it out on Belle? The guy, that's who she was mad at, really. "I already told you, I'm not mad at you. If anything I'm angry at him, but that's a different story.”

BELLE Belle stared at Vi. Just...stared for a few seconds. Her eyebrows had risen in shock but they slowly lowered as she processed Vi's words. She had never fought with a friend before. She'd never really been in any situation like this before. It seemed like every time she thought it was going one way, Vi would surprise her again. She huffed a soft laugh and smiled lightly. "Okay. Not mad." She nodded her head. "Got it."

VITANI Vi nodded. "Not mad." A smirk crept back onto her lips. "Does sound like a cute date, though." She didn't make direct eye contact, just let the smirk simmer and her stomach tie up into strange knots. Even if it made her edgy for some reason, she did like poking fun at Belle.

BELLE Belle 's shoulders relaxed and she slouched against the bar, letting her side rest against Vi's amicably. As soon as the second set of words were out of her mouth though, she tensed--the heat rising to her cheeks again. "Not a date," she muttered.

VITANI Vi bumped Belle's shoulder like she had become so accustomed to doing. "Okay, B, okay. Not a date." She bit her lip for a second. Vi didn't like thinking about Belle with him, much less talking about it, but she wanted to try and act normal. "Was the maze fun at least?"

BELLE Belle perked up some then, smiling gratefully at her friend. "Despite the fact that people were acting absolutely abhorrent, as usual." She wrinkled her nose some. "But, it...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

VITANI Vi almost laughed. "Abhorrent, huh?" She perked an eyebrow at her friend. "No one's ass I need to kick, huh?" This time she did laugh. "Sorry, I said I wouldn't protect you, didn't I?"

BELLE Belle rolled her eyes, shaking her head in exasperation. She wasn't annoyed though, this time--it was a more pleasant feeling. Belle didn't feel like Vi was saying it because she couldn't take care of herself, but because she truly couldn't seem to help herself. "It's all right," she said, looking over and giving her friend a true, genuine smile. "And no," she shook her head again, laughing. "No one's," she cleared her throat, "...ass needs kicking."

VITANI Vi smiled for a second before laughing. "That's the second profane word I've heard you say tonight. I must be a bad influence."

BELLE Belle blushed but managed to recover herself enough to smirk at her friend. "Yeah--it was only after I met you I found myself waking up in a stranger's house."

VITANI Vi 's jaw dropped, feigning shock. "If your waking up in a stranger's home is the same as mine, then I think you have some things to tell me.”

BELLE Belle snorted. She was glad she wasn't drinking anything for it surely would've wound up coming out her nose, the way she was sucking in air helplessly. Though, she supposed, she had walked into that one. Still, she couldn't help the fluttering of her heart and the shaky laugh she let out before shaking her head. "No. No. Nothing at all to tell," she confirmed with finality.

VITANI Vi laughed- bellowed, almost. She couldn't possibly imagine Belle 'waking up in a stranger's home' like she did. "Okay, alright. I just needed to make sure you weren't keeping anything from me."

BELLE Belle flinched, just slightly at the volume of Vitani's laugh--but then she cracked a small smile. Which turned into a bigger smile...which turning to laughter of her own. She chuckled for a few moments. It felt good to laugh, to not feel like she needed a good reason to be laughing. She was laughing because Vi was...and because it was pretty funny--crazy--but funny. As she settled down, she looked over at Vi--letting a soft smile play on her features, her cheeks tinged pink with laughter. When she said her next words though--the smile almost slipped of Belle's face. She managed to cling to it just barely, feeling it slipping away with every moment. Her heart clenched painfully--she hated lying. She never did it. Not if she could help it. But--she had to. Not only for Adam's safety, but for Vi's...and her own. She did not want to drag Vi into any of the strangeness that had dropped itself in front of her. So, she had to lie. "Of course I'm not, Vitani."

VITANI Vi felt the mood change again- well, almost change. When she looked over to Belle, her smile wasn't as bright as it had been. Vi thought that she had probably offended her by her back-handed accusation. She nodded, her smile falling a little. "I know, B. I was joking.” 

BELLE Belle smiled. It was painful--like her muscles just couldn't hold it on her face. She wished for something to distract her, so that she could move away from the topic at hand--but her mind was blanking in her panic. But--Vi didn't know anything was amiss. It was like Belle kept forgetting that--she wasn't used to carrying secrets. Yes, there were things she didn't tell people, but mostly because they didn't ask. Now--Adam's secret haunted a corner of her mind. Usually, that particular fact didn’t bother her. But this was her friend. Her best friend. And she was having to lie. "Oh," she managed to say, laughing a little--to expel the nerves but she was sure she could play it off as her feeling embarrassed. "Of course. I'm sorry, I guess I'm still a bit--wound up by...everything that's happened." She let her smile grow and tilted her head. "You know I take everything too seriously."

VITANI Vi could spot a lie from a mile away. It was something you picked up when you learned how to be a good liar yourself. At least, it worked when you were sober. Vi's eyes didn't leave Belle, attempting to gauge her actions. But this was Belle, she had no reason to lie to Vitani. She would brush off the murky feeling she had, she decided, but she was not letting the comment slip by. "Don't say things like that about yourself." Her voice was soft, but she wove every word with meaning. "You don't take things too seriously, you're like..." She paused, looking her friend up and down. "You're like the ground. You're an anchor for people like me- little seeds!- that get carried away and try to reach the sky too quickly. You nourish them. It's just your nature, not a flaw.

BELLE Belle 's stomach twisted with every word of what Vitani was saying. She wanted to just be able to appreciate what her friend was saying about her. It was true--in a way. She supposed she always had been rather nurturing. It just never had a chance to really blossom without someone to care about. But she liked making people feel safe and loved. And if that's what she was doing for Vi, then a little lie couldn't hurt. After all, she was just lying to living up to what Vi was saying...concerning a different person. At least, for the moment, she could convince herself of that. "Thank you," Belle said sincerely, reaching over to grab Vi's hand. She gave it a squeeze. "You give me the courage to try new things...and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that."

VITANI Vi 's heart fluttered a little when she felt Belle's hand on her's. It made her insides light up, twinkling like the lights on a Christmas tree, or the flicker of a candle behind icy glass. She let her fingers melt between her friend's, and inside she knew it. This wasn't the way those other girls had felt about their best friends- no, this was the way they had explained crushes. And Vi had a crush. She definitely had a crush. Suddenly words got caught in her throat. Had she let this revelation sink in half an hour ago, she probably would have blurted it out without thinking any of this through. She couldn't tell her, not now, not after all of this. Maybe she didn't even have a crush, she thought, but the twinkling light's inside of her fought that though away. Finally she smiled. She had to keep it together, at least for right now. "I just want you to enjoy life. We...kind of make a great team."

BELLE Belle 's heart tugged as she saw Vitani's face light up. On one hand, she was glad that she had made Vi so enchantingly happy. On the other, it almost made it worse--the fact she was keeping something from her. She managed to let out a bewildered laugh at Vi's words. "Yeah, we do." It was true, Belle thought for sure that if it had been anyone else they would've been much more upset about her. And even though they were from such different worlds, and seemed so different--they clicked. Somehow, some way. She tried not to think about it, just let herself enjoy the bolstered feeling that it gave her.