Just Another Day (Meg "Oh! La La" Giry)

[Aimeric Jayden Devereux]

Aimeric was sat down in his apartment, reading a book as he took occasional sips of his coffee. It was about 11 a.m, and it was a nice day but he wasn't looking to go outside just yet. He needed to be fully aware and awake for that to happen. His cat pawed at his leg, his non-verbal way of saying he was hungry. Aimeric smiled and spoke quietly, "Sure buddy." knowing what the small feline wanted.

He cracked his back as he slowly got up, another yawn escaping him as he walked over to the kitten's stash of canned cat food in the pantry. He got some out and opened up the can, plugging his nose at the smell. He hadn't a clue how cats could eat this stuff. Aimeric kept his nose plugged until the food was in Mooshi's dish, stepping away and unplugging his nose.

He glanced out the window once more, knowing he had to get some fresh air, if even just for five minutes. He grabbed his book and whistled as he walked to the door, his whistling coming to a sudden stop as soon as the door was opened. The Selective Mute was now silent, and he certainly wasn't going to risk someone hearing him whistle. That was something he would never know how to deal with.

He opened up his book once he was off the porch, out onto the sidewalk as he kept his eyes on the book. He never really paid attention to what was ahead of him very well, but it wasn't the most crowded village so he wasn't afraid of bumping into someone. His thoughts engrossed in the book, he didn't see the young woman ahead until he bumped into her with a small gasp. He blushed and signed a quick sorry at the small chance she knew sign language before trying to get past.

[Meg "Oh! La La" Giry]

It was a nice, hot, stuffy day at the manor, and Meg Giry just had to get out of there! Her weekly excursions to the village were a highlight of her days, considering people by-and-large kept to themselves at the mansion. She hadn't seen her Christine in a long time, or any Christine for that matter, but that didn't bother her too much. She'd seen Mister Y every once in a while, and that was enough for her.

When visiting the village, Meg had taken to driving a cherry red, vintage model Volkswagen Beetle that she'd found in the garage. Oddly enough, the keys she'd found in the dashboard said her name on them! She took it as a sign that the manor was giving the car to her, and she took it gladly. She didn't know how to drive it at first, considering back home only the really rich and famous got to drive around in automobiles, but she got the hang of it soon enough. She'd customized the car and made it her own, and even got a driver's license after about a month of test driving around an abandoned lot just outside of town.

Grabbing her purse and keys, Meg dashed out to the garage in a flurry, her hair whipping across her damp forehead. The heat wasn't particularly stifling, but it was the humidity that was getting to her. Once inside the car, she cranked it and turned on the A/C, thankful it was working today (for it had been acting up lately).

Meg left the manor at a snail's pace at first, but then picked up speed as she hit the main road. She turned on the radio to her favorite station, a pop station that played hits from all the way back to the 80's. She liked that kind of music, as it reminded her of her good ol' vaudeville days on Coney. She rocked out all the way to the village, and when she got there she parked in her usual spot near the Starbucks, her first stop of the day. After her iced coffee was paid for, Meg side-stepped out of the little shop sipping said drink... and unfortunately ran directly into someone!

Equally as unfortunate, this caused her drink to fly back and pour half out onto the pavement. Meg gave a quick curse, as some of it got all over her bright red shorts, before brushing the excess off onto the concrete. She looked up to the man, who quickly averted his eyes from hers. He was young... and very very handsome, she now noticed. He didn't speak to her, just made a strange motion with his hand near his chest. Meg tilted her head and squinted her eyes. "What?" she asked, confused at first. She could tell he wanted to continue past her... Well, he was really too good-looking a catch to let go now.

Meg grabbed his arm by his sleeve, gently but firmly, turning and facing him. "Woah, woah, where do you think you're going, honey?" She leaned forward and gave a signature Meg Giry wink. "Aren't you gonna offer to pay for a new drink? You did run into me, after all. It's only gentlemanly to offer to pay for a lady's drink." Meg swished her now mostly empty coffee cup around in his face, but her expression was playful and coquettish.

[Aimeric Jayden Devereux]

Aimeric tried passing out of embarassment. He wasn't trying to be rude, but he didn't want to make a fool of himself trying to write things down. He was dabbing gently at the pages that were dampened by her drink when she tugged on his sleeve he looked back at her, clinging the book he had to his chest. He bit his lip and looked to the ground, his feet shuffling lightly. He gulped and fished around in the pockets of his khakis for something to write on, eventually finding a pen and notepad.

He wrote down quickly, 'Sorry about that', then showed her what was written before digging in his back pocket for his wallet. He didn't know very much about girls at all, so he figured just handing her a few euros would do it. He gave her ten pounds, then slowly pocketed his notepad in an unsure manner, unknowing of whether he could leave yet or not.

He almost seemed as if he was in a rush, but really he was just trying to leave quickly to save him the embarassment. He didn't want her getting held back by his slow way of communicating. That would just annoy her, or at least he thought it would. Someone like him didn't have many friends, well, he actually didn't have any besides his newly found girlfriend Meg. And well, if his kitten counted then maybe he had two friends.

Meg was the best part of his life though, he loved her to death and if he had a voice he would have let he whole world know it, the excitement had gotten to him that much. But that was the problem, he didn't have a voice. Technically he did but he couldn't use it, and he hated himself for it. He knew he would always hate himself for it, it made him an outcast his whole life and he regretted every moment of it. He wished to speak, but even if he was with Meg and just even >felt< as if someone else was around he wouldn't speak. It effected him, but he learned to accept it and live with it.

[Meg "Oh! La La" Giry]

Meg was confused at first when he began digging through his pockets, then she internally sighed. Was he really so thick as to just hand her money? She started to shake her head, rolling her eyes when he couldn't say and mouthing to the sky "why do I even bother?" before she looked down and saw him writing on a notepad. Tilting her head when he showed her what he'd written (an apology), Meg's mouth hung a little ajar with confusion, and she scratched her frizzy, humidity-beaten hair.

He did hand her money, like she'd thought he was going to (far too much for what she paid for it, for that matter), but he didn't leave. Her brows furrowed, Meg nearly tilted her head even lower, staring at him with astonished eyes.The notepad went back into his pocket... It was so strange... Was he deaf? No, she thought he heard her... Probably mute then. He just stood there, though, as if he was waiting for permission to leave.

Interesting... Meg perked up and grinned, standing straight and taking the ten pounds in both hands and popping it flat. "This is enough to buy at least two cups of coffee. So I'll make you a deal," she began, walking around behind him and sliding her arm through his before he could notice. "I'll buy you a cup of coffee with your money, to make us even, if you join me for a walk around the city! It's such a nice day out, and I'd hate for either of us to be alone!"

[Aimeric Jayden Devereux]

He rocked back and forth on his feet, his face flushing as he felt her arm slide through his. He looked over at her and figured he would need his notepad for this, so he used his free hand to grab it out with the pen. He shrugged a bit, and wrote, 'I don't know... I'm not very exciting to talk to.' He blushed and showed her what he wrote, looking down at the ground and unsure of what to do.

He didn't know if he wanted to explain him being mute either. He just figured she probably got what she meant. And he felt like he didn't have to justify himself to anyone, but if someone asked him why he wrote on the notepad he always felt as if he had to explain. So, if that's what it came to he would. It wasn't something he was proud of so he got embarrassed whenever he had to explain it.

But surely she knew. She wasn't questioning him thus far, so he wasn't too scared that she would. But, then again, he never held conversations very well, and for obvious reasons. He felt like the length of time it took him to write made people annoyed, and he didn't want to do that to her.

If it was coffee she wanted though, then he couldn't deny her after just running into her. But maybe he could get out of it with excuses. He didn't mind her though, she seemed like a decent type of gal. He just hoped she wouldn't like him too much, which of course he doubted but there was always a small chance. He did have a girlfriend after all, so he hoped she was just trying to be kind to him.