The Better to See You With (My Dear)

If We Decided to Look Deeper

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Reddrick Treasures & Antiques admittedly wasn't Tori's first choice when picking out stores to visit with Jade. She would have rather preferred a location like, say, the pottery shop she spotted a few blocks ago, or maybe that perfumery across the street.

(She figured she could learn about the kinds of fragrances Jade likes. Well, other than the obvious scent of death and decay, if that debacle with Mona Patterson taught her anything. Did she enjoy subtle flavors like lavender or something stronger like vanilla or jasmine? She knows for sure that coffee is a safe bet...)

(Right, back on topic.)

Of course, Tori shut down those ideas before she'd even suggested them due to how un-Jade-like they sounded. She could visualize just how strange she looked, the way she'd open her mouth and let out a small, strangled noise before clamping it down suddenly. It happened more frequently than it probably should have. And each time, she expected the goth to chime in with some witty remark that just...never came.

Jade was unusually quiet. Sure, there were moments where she'd purposely sit in silence, transfixed on some activity like tearing through a garbage bin with her scissors or writing her latest screenplay or trimming her own hair, but this kind of quiet felt wrong. She wasn't brooding or relishing in her frenemy's suffering. No, this quiet was much more contemplative and profound. It was almost as if Jade were locked in an armed conflict with herself, and the silence stalemated whatever battle was happening internally.

She didn't want to jump to conclusions, yet her thoughts trailed to the argument (?) between Beck and Jade that morning. Presumably, they'd resolved any issues they had, but... well, Jade hadn't yelled at the actor like that since the week before their breakup back in August. It made her wonder what problems they were sorting through, given those fleeting glances and meaningful exchanges. Were they planning on getting back...?

Tori's heart winced at the thought. She needed to change the topic. She needed at least a vague sense of normalcy right now.

The brunette stopped moving, and Lance and Ankimo immediately took the opportunity to sniff the cracks in the sidewalk. After a few moments, she heard Jade's combat boots scutter to a stop as well. She spun around in annoyance, then gritted out a curt "What?"

"Okay, we've been walking around for a solid ten minutes and nothing's caught our eye," Tori stated.

"And what am I supposed to do about it?" Jade rebuked with a shrug. "You're the Oregon expert, not me. Surely there are a few places you'd want to revisit."

The singer pouted. "I'm not really that familiar with the area. Most of my time was spent at Aunt Sonya's or in the woods by the cabin. I've only been to a couple of stores, and I doubt they'll interest you all that much."

"Oh yeah? Try me." the raven-head declared, brow arched defiantly.

...So, they found themselves at the antique souvenir shop, a location nestled snugly between a hardware store and a sports gear outlet on the outskirts of Halrock Quarry's Main Street. At first glance, the exterior was pretty unassuming. The dark green trimming around the windows and doors helped to distinguish it from the other retailers, who'd preferred a more contemporary color scheme. Its brick walls were also left unpainted, revealing the gradual damage it had sustained. In fact, neither Tori nor Jade would be surprised if the store had remained unaltered over the past few decades, save for some touch-ups on the paint.

The bells on the doorknob let out a pitiful jingle as Jade initially struggled against the weight of the heavy door. It closed behind the teens with a resounding thud and caused them to flinch. The lights flickered on automatically, yet it did little to brighten up the room against all of the dark furnishings and wallpaper.