Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old Time is still a-flying...
- To The Virgins, to Make Much of time by Robert Herrick
Tabitha stood at the edge of the rooftop looking down at the street beneath The Eye. "I wish we had a place like this at our house." She grinned letting a flower petal flutter down from the side into the busy comings and goings of the street.
Spreading out the blanket on the patch of grass, Lirssa arranged the tray of treats Fio had prepared and then pulled out the tablet. Tabby had come over to study with her in geometry, though they did not share the same class. While they had started indoors, the outside called to them, particularly Tabby. Lirssa noticed Tabby was fond of being outside, much like Lirssa was, and so a suggested trip to the rooftop had been enthusiastically accepted.
It did not matter the mugginess of the day. On the rooftop they were away from the heat of the streets and a gentle breeze could make its way across rooftops instead of trapped down byways. "What is your house like?" Lirssa asked, taking off her shoes and letting her toes wiggle in the grass. She never took that feeling for granted anymore.
Tabby turned around and walked to a flop on the grass next to Lirssa, drawing off her shoes as well. "All cold and metal. Dad hangs up lots of fabric to soften it, but it is still all hard and angular. We have a hydroponics room in our house, but nothing like this. I have to go to the park for this, and there is always some Puffer about going a little titchy in the head."
There was a longing in Tabby's tone that Lirssa knew. The longing for what you don't have. Lirssa was not going to complain, still, she had to admit the idea of a room on a space station was enough to fire her imagination. "I'd like to see it someday. I've never been to one before."
Tabby looked excited about the idea, her smile so wide and lit the blue eyes into a shimmer. "Well, next time, we'll meet there. We can go back and forth. Oh, we should get ready for the dance at my house. It is closer, and you won't worry about having to mess your dress."
With a cringe, Lirssa picked up her tablet and started to study.
"Uh-oh," Tabby giggled. "You actually picked up your geometry homework without me coaxing you? Something is very wrong. Aren't you excited by the dance?"
"I don't know. It's just a dance. I've been to others." Others where there were adults who had gotten past the social stigmas and cliques and sneering — for the most part. Half of them acted crazier than she did, so she never felt really out of place. Well, until they went really adult with their dances and their conversations.
Grabbing at Lirssa's hand, Tabby pouted, her little upturned nose sprinkled with freckles crinkled. "But you have to go. I told P'orth that you were going so she would go. You can't not go."
"Ugh," Lirssa's head dropped to her folded legs. "I don't know all the different dances."
Lirssa's hand was released and she felt a patting on her back. "It's okay. We don't have to dance. I don't know them all either. Please...please, you have to say you will."
With a sigh, Lirssa sat back up and eyed Tabby. "Will your dad let you wear makeup" I can bring some and we'll just make it really light."
The answer was a Tabby flying at Lirssa to give her a squishing hug, laughing in delight. "You'll have fun, I promise."
Lirssa did not doubt that. She liked parties well enough, but the whole night she was going to be worried about P'orth. It was enough to drive her back to studying geometry.
"Oh, I need to start heading home. I want to walk it. I love walking in town. There is so much to see every time!" Tabby got her shoes back on as did Lirssa to walk her back down the many steps of the building. A chime to the door of the shop, and Lirssa waved her friend farewell until next time.
Tabitha stood at the edge of the rooftop looking down at the street beneath The Eye. "I wish we had a place like this at our house." She grinned letting a flower petal flutter down from the side into the busy comings and goings of the street.
Spreading out the blanket on the patch of grass, Lirssa arranged the tray of treats Fio had prepared and then pulled out the tablet. Tabby had come over to study with her in geometry, though they did not share the same class. While they had started indoors, the outside called to them, particularly Tabby. Lirssa noticed Tabby was fond of being outside, much like Lirssa was, and so a suggested trip to the rooftop had been enthusiastically accepted.
It did not matter the mugginess of the day. On the rooftop they were away from the heat of the streets and a gentle breeze could make its way across rooftops instead of trapped down byways. "What is your house like?" Lirssa asked, taking off her shoes and letting her toes wiggle in the grass. She never took that feeling for granted anymore.
Tabby turned around and walked to a flop on the grass next to Lirssa, drawing off her shoes as well. "All cold and metal. Dad hangs up lots of fabric to soften it, but it is still all hard and angular. We have a hydroponics room in our house, but nothing like this. I have to go to the park for this, and there is always some Puffer about going a little titchy in the head."
There was a longing in Tabby's tone that Lirssa knew. The longing for what you don't have. Lirssa was not going to complain, still, she had to admit the idea of a room on a space station was enough to fire her imagination. "I'd like to see it someday. I've never been to one before."
Tabby looked excited about the idea, her smile so wide and lit the blue eyes into a shimmer. "Well, next time, we'll meet there. We can go back and forth. Oh, we should get ready for the dance at my house. It is closer, and you won't worry about having to mess your dress."
With a cringe, Lirssa picked up her tablet and started to study.
"Uh-oh," Tabby giggled. "You actually picked up your geometry homework without me coaxing you? Something is very wrong. Aren't you excited by the dance?"
"I don't know. It's just a dance. I've been to others." Others where there were adults who had gotten past the social stigmas and cliques and sneering — for the most part. Half of them acted crazier than she did, so she never felt really out of place. Well, until they went really adult with their dances and their conversations.
Grabbing at Lirssa's hand, Tabby pouted, her little upturned nose sprinkled with freckles crinkled. "But you have to go. I told P'orth that you were going so she would go. You can't not go."
"Ugh," Lirssa's head dropped to her folded legs. "I don't know all the different dances."
Lirssa's hand was released and she felt a patting on her back. "It's okay. We don't have to dance. I don't know them all either. Please...please, you have to say you will."
With a sigh, Lirssa sat back up and eyed Tabby. "Will your dad let you wear makeup" I can bring some and we'll just make it really light."
The answer was a Tabby flying at Lirssa to give her a squishing hug, laughing in delight. "You'll have fun, I promise."
Lirssa did not doubt that. She liked parties well enough, but the whole night she was going to be worried about P'orth. It was enough to drive her back to studying geometry.
"Oh, I need to start heading home. I want to walk it. I love walking in town. There is so much to see every time!" Tabby got her shoes back on as did Lirssa to walk her back down the many steps of the building. A chime to the door of the shop, and Lirssa waved her friend farewell until next time.