𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 : closed for @carneliean
𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : the dancefloor
under the lights of the dancefloor, surrounded by friends and strangers, protected by the anonymity of masked faces, evelyn feels a moment of freedom. perhaps it’s the champagne, or the way that alejandra’s words are playing in her mind, but she finds her gaze wandering between the partygoers with a distinct curiosity. adrift in a sea of gowns she floats along, barely in control of her movements as the music carries her across the dancefloor. a sudden STOP. as her heel catches in the floor, launching her into an unsuspecting figure. “ oh — SORRY ! ” the words escape her lips as unbidden as what follows, “ i . . . think i just lost my shoe ? ”
STATUS: open !
LOCATION: main ballroom, near the entrance !
A STRAY DSLR CAMERA IS a rare sight to see ––––– he’s not surprised that an expensive piece of technology has been left untouched by the hoards of strathmore students who don thousand-pound dresses and custom-tailored suits ( not unlike the one he wears ––––– he won’t dismiss himself from that crowd ), and yet, it presents a potential unlike any other. hollis gestures toward the other, fingers dancing around the camera strap. “ i think this was left behind by one of the photographers. wonder why they left it –––– i think this presents a harmless opportunity to get a couple good shots of our own, no ? ” hazel eyes light up in mischief as he picks up the camera. “ don’t know if i’m brave enough to see what kind of shit they’ve captured already, though. ”
it takes her a moment to realise he was speaking to her. she had been looking, watching on as the garnet eyed the camera, but her eyes do widen in surprise when he catches her gaze. laughing in acknowledgement of his words, she nods toward the camera, “ i always wonder what they do with the photos from these events. i feel like i see photographers — or people taking photos at least — but i never see the photos anywhere. ” evelyn shuffles closer, placing her empty drink on the table where the camera had been moments before. “ i mean, i personally wouldn’t mind seeing what they captured. you can tell a lot about a person by what they choose to photograph. ” dark eyes survey him with an arched brow, “ so, what about you ? you’ve got a camera at your disposal, at a masquerade ball. what would you capture? ”
𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 . . .
𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐘𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐎 for the
strathmore annual masquerade ball
miss seto steps out in her usual colour palette this evening, with the noted addition of a tailored cream blazer donned over her white silk slip dress. many have noticed the inclusion of masculine elements to the girl’s wardrobe in the past year as she continues to establish her style. tonight’s outfit demonstrates this shift while simultaneously being a practical choice for a mid-december evening event.
“ you absolutely DON’T have to say yes . i’m not trying to be pushy . but if you WANTED to join the lgbtqia + alliance at strathmore . . you absolutely could . i happen to know the head of the club , and i think she’d adore seeing you there . “ alejandra says it , overly chatty . maybe because she’s with evelyn , who she feels infinitely comfortable around , or maybe because she’s on her 4th daiquiri for the night . the head of the club , of course , is none other than alejandra barrera - hence the cheeky smile now adorned upon her lips as she playfully nudges evelyn . “ and i’m not complaining , but we aren’t going to be staying by the bar ALL night , are we ? surely we’re both hot enough to have people wanting to ask us to dance ? or go out and dance ourselves ? “ when alejandra hits that peak amount of alcohol , she does love a good boogie , after all .
“ well maybe let her know i’m not quite ready for that big of a step yet, but i will definitely keep it in mind as an option. ” she swirls her drink with her straw, calculating her response carefully, “ it’s weird. i guess i don’t know where to go from here. it feels weird to announce it, but i’m also still anxious about doing something seemingly innocuous like joining the alliance. sometimes i think ; do i just wait until i actually have someone to bring home and have that be THE MOMENT ? ” she shrugs, it’s not exactly party talk, but that’s the trouble when so few people know a secret ; you end up taking any opportunity to talk. letting loose a laugh, she playfully returns the nudge, “ we can go dance, of COURSE ! i mean, no one’s asked, but i don’t think that should stop us. ”
𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 : open to all
𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : outside, near the golf course
there comes a point in every event where it all starts to become a bit much. surrounded by masked revelers, evelyn had begun to feel overwhelmed. the concept of a party where you hide who you are . . . it had seemed appealing until confronted with the fact that she is already hiding who she is, to so many people. a desire to get out, to be impulsive, and to find those who she can remove all masks, literal and figurative, begins to take over. evelyn wanders outside the country club, mask dangling around her neck, her eyes drift towards a bay of gold carts - an idea starting to form. it’s impulsive, and probably downright stupid. but before she can really think about it, she is climbing into the drivers seat. it’s at that moment that two things happen. first, she is hit by the embarrassing realization that her legs are just too short to reach the pedals. and second, she becomes aware that she isn’t alone in this moment.
“ i wish i had a good explanation to offer you right now but,
uh, i seem to have come up short. ”
isadora embraces the holiday seasons, the glittering decorations around the manor giving her a sense of comfort. it has her counting the days until she’s in iceland with her FAMILY, getting to celebrate christmas for the third year in a row. it makes her feel so cheery, not being able to stop her smile since she met up with evelyn. “i’ve never had to buy christmas gifts until recently,” she admits, doing her best to skate over that statement. “i’ve only bought half the gifts. the other half i’m completely lost. some people just know how to read people and i’ve never been the type. did you at least finish half your christmas list for others?”
evelyn nods in understanding ; her circlet, and the opals as well, were an eclectic group. some of them were especially hard to read. finding something beautiful and personal for everyone... was proving more difficult than expected. “ . . . not quite! maybe a little under half. i’m sure i’ll get some done soon... and i’m waiting on some things i ordered online as well. ” hearing that isadora is also behind on gifts is comforting somehow — it helps her feel like less of a failure. “ you’re going away for the holidays, right? when do you leave? i’ll have to remember to give you your gift before you go! ” she cocks her head in contemplation, “ are you staying for the masquerade ball? ”
location : the manor kitchen, night of shenanigans !
bemused smile rests on her lips where she sits atop the kitchen counter, feet swinging idly beneath her. it is a temporary position, she thinks, and still early in their arrival, a moment of group bonding before they ultimately split off in any number of directions for whatever winter evening plans their opals had in store. with soup passed around and no shortage of drinks to be found, at least it would be a relatively peaceful night. as much as it could be with their lot, at least. ❝ okay, be honest with me, ❞ josephine prompts to evelyn, brow arched expectantly, even if she knows that she’s well on the verge of devolving into a fit of laughter at the very thought. ❝ what do you think the odds are the we could get chloe to get jace a beret and we could convince him to wear the striped shirt and embrace being a mime ? ❞
taking cues from the way josie appeared comfortably at home within the manor kitchen, evelyn rests her elbows on the countertop, chin in her hands. she grins up at her friend, her question catches her off guard and draws an amused chuckle from the pearl. “ WELL, trying to convince chloe of anything can be... difficult. BUT i think that if we purchased a beret ourselves, then we could definitely orchestrate a situation where jace wore it and a striped shirt. and i, personally think it is a WONDERFUL idea! ” she gives in to the giggles, the image in her mind far too entertaining to hold them in anymore. “ the question is, do you think he would get carried away in the moment and actually do some ‘ miming ’ OR would he just stand there looking like a sad, awkward mime who doesn’t know what to do? ”
He’s still a little bleary-eyed, still too fresh from the hold of sleep, when he hears someone call out. It takes a beat to register that, yes, someone said his name and, yes, they were talking to him. After that, it takes another moment to register who it is and how he should arrange his expression. He should smile, he thinks. “It does, doesn’t it? And I think I’ve spent every Sunday melting into couch cushions.” Finally, he plasters on a smile. “I’m going to pick up some pho from Pho. Where are you headed?”
her face lights up at his response, “ you know what? it doesn’t matter, because you said pho and now that’s ALL i can think about. would it be annoying of me to tag along? ” pho sounded much better than her original idea of just getting coffee and a sandwich from the campus cafe ; the quality of which was always questionable at best. “ god, i know what you mean. i think i spend most sundays staring at the paint on the ceiling and wondering why i’m there. i never really know how to contribute ”
the first time you attend an event with so-called MIXED COMPANY, you are seventeen years old. there have, of course, been birthday parties with girls from your school, family parties and business events. but for the most part these events were not conducive to the kind of goings-on that could be considered part of the quintessential teenage experience. perhaps this is why the other girls in your cohort titter and giggle in anticipation of the upcoming combined formal, where boys from the brother school will be in attendance. like you, many of your friends have had minimal interaction with boys, and as such there is certainly an air of mystery and excitement about the possibilities this event poses. before long there are whispers in the halls and private group chats which spread the new of an AFTER PARTY, no teachers, no parents, and the lure of an unattended liquor cabinet. you exchange glances with your best friend - it is far from both of your comfort zones and yet… perhaps TOGETHER, you will be brave enough to face the potential of the event. besides, neither of you would ever let the other go alone...
the formal bears the sort of stiffness and awkwardness that you might expect based on name alone. you stand in a sea of designer dresses and tailored suits, and watch on with a confused smile as the scene before you unfolds. it is not the FAIRYTALE BALL, romantic comedy moment that many of the girls seemed to have assumed it would be. unsurprisingly, when you have been deprived of normal social interaction with boys your age, the transition to darling socialites who dazzle all onlookers with moves learned in your recent ballroom class, is not so easy. instead, you watch groups of girls awkwardly huddled like penguins. you stifle a laugh as your cohort throw furtive glances to the groups of boys who for the most part appear OBLIVIOUS to the subtext of the event and are acting, perhaps, they way they might on a rugby field rather than a black tie event.
and yet, while dancing with your friends, one points out that you appear to have captured the attention of one of the boys. you steal a glance, CHEEKS FLAMING, at the group behind you, and your eyes meet his. he is handsome - you suppose, in that kind of classic way. but there is also something awkward about him, somewhat LANKY and bumbling. you turn back to your friends, eyes wide as they tease, ‘ evelyn’s got an ADMIRER ’ they giggle, and you wonder why those words cause your chest to tighten.
arm in arm with your best friend you steel yourself as you walk into the after party. to say that the atmosphere of the room is diametrically opposed to that of the school hall is putting it mildly. gone are the restraints of formality; suit jackets removed, hemlines are shorter. away from the watchful eyes of the teaching staff, and with the kind of COURAGE or perhaps naivety that alcohol allows to the privileged progeny of london, suddenly the girls of north london collegiate and the queen elizabeth’s school boys are intertwined, talking, laughing. someone hands you a glass of something, and a long sip causes you to blanche at the taste. you see your friends, clem and rosie, waving you over to where they sit, with the boy from earlier, who is in turn surrounded by his schoolmates. another long sip and a nervous laugh with chloe and you find yourself walking forward. “ EV! this is oliver! ” comes the not so subtle introduction offered by clem. you find yourself saying that it’s lovely to meet him, asking if he is enjoying the night, sitting yourself down amongst the group. after all, wasn’t this the POINT of the evening? to meet, mingle, go a little crazy?
you find yourself watching him speak, without really taking in much that is said. a few words break through, enough for you to realise that your friends weren’t far from the mark by attempting to set this up. top grades, orchestra, tennis, and ambitions to work in finance. as your eyes glance over his features, you begin to see your future unfold before you, imagine the SMILES on your parents faces as you bring home someone so well matched.
when he asks you if you want to go outside, you think, what for ? but the looks on your friends faces are encouraging, their expressions spurring you on. you glance around for approval from chloe, but find her seat vacant ; gone to the bathroom perhaps, or getting another drink. you give him a smile, and say simply, “ okay ”, thinking that some fresh air would be nice, away from the din of the music and laughter. he leads you to a balcony, encasing your hand in a slightly clammy grip. you are looking up, exploring the stars with wonderment when you realise his hand has moved to your cheek, turning it gently to face his.
his lips are on yours before you can ask what he is doing. you find yourself, in a moment that seems to last for HOURS, realising that this was the purpose, the reason he led you away, and you wonder if you wanted this to happen, after all, you followed him, didn’t you? his lips are soft, but press a little too firmly, your noses bumping awkwardly. you realise you feel NOTHING but a sense of disappointment. is this what it was MEANT to feel like? is this how everyone else felt? this … nothingness ? accompanied by the pressure of another person against you?
by the time he pulls away, you realise that you have no idea what comes next. he utters something about how lovely you are but your brain is trying to piece together what any of this means. a hasty “ i uh - have to go to the ladies room ” is the only thing you can muster as you make your exit back to the party, heart pounding in your chest.
your first kiss doesn’t awaken anything in you, except for a strange sense of dissatisfaction, and disillusionment with notions of romance. but you tuck those thoughts away, and as your friends excitedly question you about ‘ WHAT HAPPENED ’, you find yourself hoping that someday you might kiss someone and feel MORE.
Pearls don’t lie on the seashore;
If you want one, you must dive for it.
evelyn seto ; opal prodigy
[ BRIANNE TJU, CIS FEMALE, SHE/HER ] shh ! EVELYN SETO, the ( TWENTY-ONE ) year old SECOND year PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS major from LONDON, ENGLAND, is known as a PEARL around here. SHE was invited to join because OF PRESSURES DUE TO HER FATHER’S CONNECTIONS, and now, she’s here to stay. SHE reminds me of SCULPTED BROWS OVER SMUDGED EYELINER, PLANNERS BOUGHT IN JANUARY AND ABANDONED BY JULY, and FORGOTTEN, LUKEWARM LATTES.
EVERYTHING IN EVELYN’S LIFE has always appeared to be perfect. the perfect parents, so clearly in love, raising their perfect daughter in a life of luxury and warmth. it’s almost ironic — that pearls are known for being hidden beauty, locked inside an unassuming shell. instead, it feels to her as though on the inside she is a stubborn grain of sand ; an irritation yet to be properly shaped into a thing of beauty. she feels trapped inside a perfect exterior, spending every moment ensuring that she maintains the facade, terrified that someone might notice the cracks.
HER FAMILY spent years sculpting her into their idea of perfection. endless tutors, countless languages, sports, instruments. she received every opportunity the child of nouveau riche immigrants could be expected to receive. it became evident that she had a quick wit, and was capable of reading and writing far beyond her age level ; with tutors and teachers remarking that she clearly had a bright future ahead of her.
EVELYN’S FATHER had moved to london from jakarta, indonesia long before she was born. with a strong mind for numbers, and a charisma unmatched by any man evelyn has ever met, ismaya seto dove headfirst into the world of finance and investing. his keen intuition and affable nature helped him skyrocket to an unprecedented level of wealth and success. as his status rose, he met the incomparable vivian wèi ; evelyn’s mother. a woman of chinese descent who desired to break free of her family’s expectations. she recognised that ismaya presented an opportunity to marry well but also to avoid the expectations of an ‘old money’ marriage.
STRATHMORE UNIVERSITY was not necessarily evelyn’s only choice for university ; cambridge offered the same undergraduate degree and carried similar prestige. it was a tour of the campus that solidified her decision to choose strathmore ; she fell in love with the architecture, the halls, everything about the school called out to her. when she received confirmation of her place at strathmore she was thrilled, and knew this was the start of her journey to becoming someone. someone beyond just the ‘ perfect evelyn seto ’.
RECEIVING THIS PLACE not on her own merits, but due to her connection to isadora left her once again feeling as though she was filling the role of someone she was expected to be. she wishes that her acceptance could have been different, noticed for insightful comments in a philosophy lecture ; her burgeoning socialite status ; or the ambition evident in her choice of such a demanding course ( with the economics aspect of her degree chosen only to appease her parents — she finds herself far more interested in philosophy and politics ) . instead she fears that she will never create a name for herself, never break from the cage of perfection which surrounds her, never truly learn who she actually is.
who is evelyn seto? — she’s still diving to reach that particular pearl
headcanons
evelyn’s arrival at strathmore attracted a great deal of public attention, turning her into something of a socialite. she has a large following on instagram, with her followers enjoying her unique style, her musings on politics and philosophy, and aesthetic images of her life at the university. this has somewhat added to evelyn’s anxiety about being perfect, as she has unintentionally widened her audience of people who carry expectations of her.
her aesthetic reflects her ongoing evolution out of the visage which was created for her. evelyn’s outfits and appearance are visually based in the preppy style favoured by her parents ; paired with elements of grunge, baggier fits, wearing mostly dark and neutral colours with pops of colour. there is a definite tomboy lean to her new style, with the skeleton of her feminine style visible in her hairstyles, her makeup and her love of vintage floral prints.
although she has not quite come to this realisation herself ; evelyn has a sexual and romantic preference for women. she rarely ( if ever ) experiences attraction towards men, however the conservative nature of her upbringing coupled with the unspoken expectation that she would marry well to further the family has led her to assume her own heterosexuality. It is likely that her experiences at strathmore will act as a catalyst for her coming to terms with her identity
“ oh ? ” chloe questions, more amused than anything else, “ well, if it’s no longer a suitable cover for you, then that does make sense. plus, with your father’s shares in jace’s company, i could understand how things could be a bit more sticky than initially expected. ” she’s known the setos for quite some time and knows all too well what evelyn’s father can be like. “ but if for any reason you did still require that cover, i wouldn’t take that away from you. if it makes your life easier, i mean. i wouldn’t want to throw a wrench in whatever carefully constructed machine you’ve built here. although — i hate to ask this … but, evelyn, are you sure that hiding the truth is the best option here ? what’s the worst thing that could happen if you show up to the party without anyone on your arm ? ”
“ honestly, i was starting to worry that my mum would start planning for an ENGAGEMENT. so i think the problem was that it was too suitable. ” evelyn offers her friend a smile, grateful for her offer, but with the revelation that the pair were together, she couldn't help but feel a little guilt for the whole charade. “ for the moment i’m just glad you’ve been willing to share him as a security detail. he’s been very helpful in that regard! ” as evelyn considers chloe’s question — the worst that could happen — she lets out a sigh, a tightness forming in her chest. “ i guess showing up alone in the moment isn’t the issue. i’m... just TIRED of the discussion and speculation that starts up after the fact. i know everyone is on DIFFERENT TIMELINES in life, but it gets, i don’t know, upsetting sometimes feeling like i’m somehow defective because i haven’t dated. ” it’s the kind of admission she could probably only make to chloe, the one who has been there through so many of her formative moments. that this one thing, finding someone she likes and who likes her in return — eludes her still. “ i sound tragic, i know. it just gets... extra exhausting over the holidays i suppose. ”
ALEJANDRA BEAMS EVEN BRIGHTER . a smile reserved only for evelyn , or perhaps a smile only evelyn can pull from the girl . “ you’re too good to me . and of course i don’t mind , i prefer it that way . no pesky ‘ what are you having ? should we share ? ‘ and the poor waiter hovering and waiting for us to decide . you’re a genius , miss . seto , i can’t say it enough . “ she folds up her own menu and places it in the middle , too , hardly having glanced at it . “ family AND company ? what’s that saying about not mixing business with pleasure … ? “ she pretends to hum , tapping a finger to her lips thoughtfully . “ me , you and chloe , if she’s free , blowing up a seto business function ? “ she grins , before pausing . “ or . . sloane ? have you spoken to sloane ? since …you know ? “ it may be nothing , and may be harmless ( all in good fun , drinks and the name of a game ) , but alejandra is still CURIOUS . alejandra shakes her head , “ i’ll be heading to monterrey to see mr & mrs barrera . i do miss them . i don’t know how long i’ll stay for . maybe we can see your parents , then head to monterrey together ? an almost ‘ round the world ‘ trip . “ she shrugs . “ besides , i do remember saying you’d LOVE the house , and the place . it’s so warm and sticky . you feel DELICIOUS there . “
“ oh please, you flatter me far too much! ” as the waitress from earlier carefully places down their drinks, evelyn offers her a polite smile, before facing back to alejandra, “ well, i’d hope there’d be no literal blowing up, but, i suppose you can never really know with these things. ” the mention of sloane acts almost as a trigger, bringing her back to the night of her birthday, to the kisses, to the realizations made, feelings confessed. “ i have a little! but i haven’t told her, or many others really, about what came AFTER that. it’s funny ; i feel such a weird disconnect when it comes to our circlet. half the group i would die for, they feel like an extension of my family. but i also have those i feel like i’ve never... clicked with? even though i want to, even though i feel as though we would get along. ” evelyn shrugs, shifting her somewhat pensive expression back into one of glee, “ ANYWAY, monterrey! that sounds LOVELY. it would be so good to escape the cold. ” her gaze wanders to the frosty windows of the restaurant, and an involuntary shiver goes up her spine. “ are you sure they would be happy to have me along as well? i never want to feel like i’m a burden as a guest. ”
closed starter for @isadvra
location: opals manor
a glance around at the festive decorations beginning to appear over the manor is a somewhat unwelcome reminder that the holidays were FAST approaching, whether she was ready or not. “ have you finished getting your gifts for the holidays? i still have so many to get, i don’t understand how people can just somehow know what to get everyone. ”
it wasn’t his fault ── NOT REALLY . he could hardly be blamed for almost tackling someone to the ground when the person in question was so far beneath his eyesight that he almost gave himself a neck strain to make eye contact. with that said , a large hand shot out to steady the prodigy , a small laughter at the tip of his tongue . a rushed out excuse , hiding behind poorly conveyed innocence ; basile only looked upon the girl with amusement. “ … is that so ?” carnelian hues crinkled and shone . you know ── i don’t really care whatever you want to do in the manor , as long as you stay out of my room. “
“ i can assure you that i didn’t have ANY intent to go into your room, though i do have to admit that any time someone is so obvious about their desire for privacy, it definitely sparks a little curiosity. ” she begins to move past the opal, before a thought crosses her mind, causing her to pause, “ you know, we don’t really... speak all that much, so i never got a chance to thank you for... well, your rationality ─ and the jacket also, that night of the sleep over. i’m not really sure what was going through my mind that night but i did appreciate you making sure i was alright. ” evelyn’s lips twitch into something that resembles a smile, “ it was nice to see a different side of you, of your circlet in general actually. ”
now, more than ever, there’s something comforting about reaching out to each other, spending time doing the most normal of things. and with evelyn, it was as easy as a quick call or text, an invite offered without so much as a second thought. especially now that none of them were too keen on spending time alone, these days. ❝ okay, great ! i have to make a quick stop, but i’ll start heading that way ! i’m not particular, but i’ll grab us something to enjoy. maybe thai ? or we could order pizza and breadsticks, big fan. oh ! ❞ josie pulls the phone away for a quick moment to put her on speaker, a series of soft taps on her end. ❝ there, i shared my location with you, just in case i get held up for a few minutes. it’s better to be safe than sorry, right ? ❞
it was a solemn reminder that all things weren’t exactly business as usual. “ of course, that’s a good idea. ” evelyn stares down at the little blue circle which now represented josie, and signposted her every move. she takes a moment to consider how utterly absurd it was that these kind of steps were necessary, tracking each other, worrying about some shadowy figures who might mean them harm. “ as for the food, pizza and breadsticks sound INCREDIBLE right now, a big pile of carby goodness. i THINK i might even have a pint of ice-cream squirreled away, if we’re still hungry of course. but i’ll see you soon then! ” she pauses for a minute, before issuing her parting words, “ stay safe, okay? ”
“ doesn’t she believe that you and jace are an item ? ” she asks quizzically, as if that fact is truly sinking in for the first time. she had known about their arrangement, that it was designed to keep her father off of both of their backs. but now, she can’t help but to wonder how that big white lie would affect her in the grand scheme of things. she’s somehow entangled in this slightly innocent web of deceit now too, whether she likes it or not. “ evelyn dear, i love you with all my heart and that’s why i am saying this. have you completely lost your mind ? i fear an evening with a craigslist holiday date would end with your father banishing you from his empire. surely we can come up with a better option for you if a date is a necessity. ”
evelyn’s mouth twitches, “ she did, but i’ve been slowly trying to... i guess, wean them off that idea. it was getting a little too close for comfort. ” the lie had been convenient at the start, and in many ways not even really a LIE. the pair had merely been careful to be spotted together in ways which could be interpreted as the two being a couple. from there all they had to do was wait for her parents to ask about it, and not DENY anything. but with the passing of a few months, she realised there were expectations placed on relationships past a certain point, the illusion would soon become more challenging to maintain. it was easier to just... begin planting seeds in her parents’ minds that she and jace had decided their friendship was more important to them, that they weren’t quite the right fit. “ besides, it wouldn’t be fair to you to have that particular charade continue much longer. and you’re RIGHT, of course. i’m sure there are better options... i’m just not sure whether any are good choices. ”
closed starter for @bcsile
location: the manor grounds
a furrowed brow gives way to startled eyes as a near miss collision breaks evelyn from her daydream. almost instinctually she blurts out, “ i’m not trespassing! ”, before she takes in the visage of the person she almost bowled into. she is once again taken aback by just how much taller basile is than her, a factor which adds to her anxiety in the moment. “ oh! basile! sorry, i was just... ”, trying to get into the manor to look in the library... “ visiting someone? ”
