Avery tapped her foot impatiently, resting a hand on Lo's shoulder. They'd already been cleared by security to enter the Station, but their visitors had to have passes sorted out and the like, considering it was a first time visit for some of them.
"I can hardly remember having to have this done the first time," Avery said. "Seems like forever ago."
Lo nodded slightly. "I didn't realise it was this long a process everytime you come and go."
"It gets faster once you've been around more."
The two blondes waited for a few moments longer, before they were joined by the rest of their party.
"Mine...?" It was phrased more of a statement rather than a question, and Lo answered with a nod.
"We won't be bugged by parents then," LC pointed out.
"Too true," Avery replied. "Ok, this way then."
Lo and Avery had offered up for some of Lo's friends from Laguna to join them back on the Station for a few days, and they had jumped at the chance to get out of "the bubble" and experience a different type of living. So along for the ride was LC, Stephen (LC's sort of boyfriend), Patrick (Lo's crush) and Talan (who was fast on his way to becoming Avery's new boyfriend).
"How amped are you guys to be here?" Lo teased, noting the looks of amazement on their faces.
"It's bigger than I expected," Stephen replied, looking around with wide eyes. "I don't really know what I thought it would be like."
"I thought it would be more sci-fi," Patrick offered. "Like aluminium foil."
Avery laughed. "Well, we've only just upgraded to real walls. Just to impress you."
"I knew it!" Patrick grinned, slipping his arm around Lo's shoulders as they walked.
"How about we dump our stuff and explore?" Lo suggested, as they came to a stop outside Avery's room.
Avery nodded and retrieved her swipe card from her bag, then let them into her room. She pressed her hand against the metal plate to turn the lights on, then gestured slightly. "So this is it."
Talan whistled. "And you have this all to yourself? How amped are you to have no parentals?"
"It's pretty epic," Avery answered.
~*~*~*~
An hour later, after settling everyone into where they'd be sleeping, the group was heading out to the food level, in hopes of getting something to eat to beat the lunch rush.
Libby
"Say, isn't that Avie over there?" Matt asked, pointed.
Libby glanced over.
"Yeah it is," she said.
"With Lo too," Josh said. "And who are those other guys?"
"Only one way to find out," Libby said, and stood to to wave wildly in there direction. "Yo! Aves!"
Avery and Lo
"Aves, there's a group calling you," Patrick said, tapping her on the shoulder.
Avery looked up from the menu she was inspecting. "Cepegs?"
Lo shook her head. "Libby and them."
"Oh cool," Avery replied. She turned and waved at them and made a motion of 'I'll come over in 5 minutes', then returned her attention to the menu.
"Anything good?" Talan asked, coming up behind her and resting his head on her shoulder. He peered at the menu.
"I'm thinking something chickeny."
"We could split the tapas plate," Talan offered. "I love a good tapas plate."
"Who doesn't?" Lo agreed, glancing at her own menu. "I'm thinking a chicken burger. Pat?"
After they made their orders and were assured that they'd be delivered to the table, the group headed for the table next to Libby and the boys.
"Hey kids," Avery greeted, sitting down on the seat closest to the other table. "These are some of Lo's friends from Laguna."
Lo nodded and indicated to everyone as she spoke. "LC, Stephen, Talan and Patrick."
"Hey," the group chorused.
Libby
"Hi!" Libby said cheerfully. "Nice to meet you. I'm Libby, and these idiots are Matt, Josh, Trent and Dan."
"If I'm an idiot, you're a moron," Matt objected.
"Fine, you're a dork."
"If I'm a -"
"How was Laguna?" Josh asked Avery, cutting in on his friends' playful argument.
Avery and Lo
"So much fun," Avery said, relaxing as Talan slid an arm over her shoulders casually. "Beach, shopping, partying."
"It's all good," Lo chimed in, winking at the group.
"Nothing beats the good old LB," Stephen stated. "But you do need to escape the bubble once in awhile."
"To feel human," LC added.
"How was the Station?" Avery asked.
Libby
"Same old, same old," Josh said.
"Wow, you've come to the wrong place if you want to escape the bubble, isn't that right, Libby?" Matt grinned.
Libby tilted her head to the side, and a pile of bubbles started forming around Matt's person, shifting him off his own seat. Trent laughed.
"You going to be back for long?" Libby asked.
Avery and Lo
"A few days," Avery answered, before taking a sip of her diet Coke. "Then back to Laguna."
"Then Cabo!" Lo almost squealed. "I'm so amped."
"Same," LC agreed.
Talan leant back against his chair, pulling Avery against him gently.
"You staying at the Station for all of the holidays?" Avery asked.
Libby
"Yep," Libby replied.
"Trent and I are going downside for a bit," Josh said. "We're going to visit Australia. It's winter over there at the moment. That means those poor suckers have school still. Which means all the tourist traps will be school student free. Whoo hoo!"
Trent grinned.
Avery and Lo
"Sucks," Avery said, clucking her tongue sympathetically over Libby's comment. "But at least Matt's staying too, right?"
"Mmhmm," Matt replied, nodding. "And Danboy."
Lo giggled. "I think I'd go mental here. I'm so glad we're escaping for sunshine."
Libby
"Oooh!" Libby said. "That's what I was going to tell you. They made some changes since you went downside, Avie. They created this like, panoramic screen around the garden level so that it looks like sky and stuff. It's awesome."
"And it changes," Dan nodded. "They have sunrises and sunsets and stuff."
"And aparently the constallations move. but you can't tell 'cause they move so slowly," Libby giggled.
Matt rolled his eyes.
"Yes, and it's always crowed there now because everyone goes to see the show," he said.
"It'll die off when it looses the novelty," Trent commented with a grin.
Avery and Lo
"Well, that sounds sufficiently boring," Avery commented, inspecting her nails for a second. "If I want to see that stuff, I'll just go home."
"Ew, Tulsa?" Lo joked.
"I know, right, like cows," Avery replied, giggling. "So I guess if I want to see it, I'll head to Laguna."
"You should," Talan put in, before taking a bite of his food.
"You can't beat Laguna with sunsets and sunrises," LC added.
Stephen nodded his agreement. "It's going to suck when we all move out for college... granted, that's a few years down the track, but still, nothing beats home."
"I'm thinking we need to do something exciting tonight," Avery suddenly announced.
"The three d's," Talan stated.
"Three d's?" Avery asked.
"Dinner, dancing, drinking," was the chorus from the Laguna natives.
"My room, as always, party central," Avery offered. "But let's make it themed. You guys in?"
She thought she should extend the invitation to her old group of friends, it was only polite, and they were still her friends, even if they didn't quite have the same interests anymore.
Libby
Libby looked at the boys, and the boys looked at her.
"I'm in," said Josh.
"Me too," said Matt.
"I'll pass. I have karate this afternoon," Dan said.
"I've other things to do," Trent said.
"Oh yeah?" challenged Josh. "Like what?"
"Like watching paint dry."
"Where is there drying paint?"
"I'll find some. And then I'll watch it dry."
"Or you could come party."
"Or I could play computer games instead. Libby? What about you?"
Libby swallowed and looked between the two cousins, and finally at Avery. Although she still considered Avery her friend, they didn't seem to have anything in common any more.
Avery and Lo
"Weak," Stephen murmured to LC, who laughed and tried to cover by taking a sip of her water.
Avery shrugged. "It's up to you."
Lo grinned and shared a look with Patrick. "I'm up for movies, hey?"
"Yeah, movies with some choice drinks," Avery agreed. "I just brought a whole heap back from home."
Libby
"C'mon Libbers," said Matt. "It'll be fun."
"Don't call me that."
"Why not, Libbers?"
"So funny."
"I thought so."
Libby rolled her eyes.
"What movie?" she asked.
Avery and Lo
"Umm, like heaps," Avery sad, twisting her hair around her finger.
Talan grinned and rested his head against hers.
"There's like stupid comedies, good comedies, bad horror, good horror, and so on and so forth," Lo answered.
Libby
"Cool, so like, what ones did you bring?" Libby asked.
"Scary Movie, Scary Movie, Scary Movie," Matt chanted hopefully.
"Ugh, I hate those movies."
Matt giggled.
Avery and Lo
"I have all of that series," Lo said, waving her hand slightly.
"How amped are you for those?" Stephen laughed.
"So stoked," Talan agreed. "I'm voting heaps of choice junk food. Burgers, pizzas, everything."
"Yeah," Avery said, nodding her head. "I think we'll need to check out the catering service."
Libby
"I like any movie that Libbers' hates," Matt nodded. "Mostly because I get to hear her squirm."
Libby poked his tounge out at him.
"I'll set Mr Snuggles onto you," she warned him.
"Like I'm scared of your pet bird."
"Ka'millian."
"Whatever."
"So, when and where is the party, and are we bringing stuff?" asked Josh.
Lo and Avery
"We'll meet at Avery's around 5?" Lo suggested, looking to her friend for confirmation.
"Yep. Bring pillows, blankets, beanbags, whatever you can find to lounge around on," Avery said, shaking her hair out of it's pony tail. "We'll take care of food at drinks, and if you have any movies you think we could watch, bring them along."
"Epic," Talan put in, grinning. "Let's head over to the catering place and get some food."
"Alright, then meet you guys at 5?"
Libby
"Sure thing," Matt said eagerly. "All right! This is gonna rock!"
"Absolutely," Josh agreed.
"You decided whether you'll go, yet?" Trent asked Libby.
"I think I will," Libby replied.
Trent nodded slowly.
"Okay, then. Guess I'll see you guys later."
*********
At a few minutes to five, Libby, Josh and Matt arrived at Avery's place.
"This is cool, this is cool," Matt said, almost on the verge at doing a happy dance at the idea of going to a party with 'cool older peeps'.
"Just try not to embarrass us, okay Matt?" Josh said.
"Sucks to you."
"You're both morons," Libby declared.
Avery and Lo
Avery slid her hand over the metal plate to open the door. She stepped back and grinned at the new arrivals.
"Hey, we're just waiting on food, then we'll get started."
Lo was leaning against Patrick, rubbing her arm from where LC had accidentally fallen on it, when Stephen had pushed her off the lounge.
Libby
"Awesomeness," said Matt.
Libby followed the boys inside, feeling a little apprehensive.
"It's just movies and food, silly girl," she told herself. "You do this with the guys all the time. Relax, already."
Avery and Lo
"Oh man, did I tell you how I got a facial the other day?" Talan said, plopping down on a beanbag and pulling Avery on top of him.
Lo giggled. "You got a facial? Talan, why would you do that?"
LC burst out laughing. "WHAT?"
Stephen snorted. "Awesome, man. That's a classic. That is probably going to show up in the yearbook!"
Avery grinned. "Love your work, Tal-tal."
"Hey, is there a jacuzzi here?" Lo asked suddenly.
Avery nodded. "We should go tomorrow."
"Jacuuuuuzzi, jacuuuuuuzzzzzziii!" Lo sang.
"So, how long have you lived here?" LC asked Libby.
Libby
Libby chewed her bottom lip as she though about it.
"Let's see... we moved here a few months after the whole end of the world thing... that was... in August... two years ago? Yes, so I've been living here almost two years," she replied thoughtfully.
"I've been here since day one," Matt said proudly. "My Dad was one of the people on the construction crew, and we've been here ever since."
Lo and Avery
"Cool," LC said to them. "I can hardly believe that we're like... you know, two years on from the end of the world thing."
"I know, I remember like our families ditching LB to go somewhere safe together," Lo put in.
"I remember that!" Stephen laughed. "And I was heaps upset coz Dieter's family was coming here, but we weren't. I thought I might never see my best mate again."
"Awww," Avery teased. "I remember thinking it would suck if I had to live with my brothers for the rest of my life."
Talan chuckled. "Nice. Me and Jaywahl were like freaking out about it. We weren't sure if there would be any hot girls at our safe place."
"Well, LC and I were gonna be there," Lo told him, pretending to look offended.
"Man, remember when we were younger and we couldn't pay you girls to hang out with us?" Stephen asked, laughing. "Now we can't get rid of you!"
Patrick nodded. "Now they're hassling us for hang out time, and all we wanna do is surf with our mates."
"The times, they are a-changing," Stephen replied. "But yeah, I guess you girls are alright."
Matt grinned. "That's how I feel about Avery and Lib. They're alright."
"Whatever, you totally love us," Avery said, nodding. "Not that we blame you, right, Lib? We are pretty awesome."
Libby
"Absolutely," Libby agreed, grinning.
"Ego trip!" Josh declared.
Libby patted Josh on the head.
"There, there, it's okay. You'll have one some day."
Avery and Lo
A buzz at the door alerted Avery that the food had arrived.
"Ooh, foodtastic," she said, hopping up to answer the door.
Talan jumped up to help her.
"So hungryyyyy!" Lo playfully whined.
Libby
"Foodtastic?" Matt repeated.
Libby nudged Josh.
"You can just seem him filing that one away for furture reference, can't you?" she said.
Josh eyed Matt and sighed.
"Yep."
Matt grinned at them.
"Want a hand?" Libby asked Avery. "I have two... mildly strong guys who I'm sure would be happy to help."
"I think we've been volunteered," Josh said to Matt.
"I think so too."
Avery and Lo
"Nah, it's cool, I got me a Talan and a Stepheeeen," Avery sang.
Stephen mock grumbled and got up to help. "Always ready to save the day."
"Stevieeeee, that's why we invite you places!" Lo grinned.
The trio carried the food into the living room and set it all down on the coffee table.
Libby
"Food!" Matt cried, making a beeline for the munchies.
Libby and Josh looked at him, then at each other.
"Matt, what was that we were telling you before?"
"Umm..." Matt said, his face stuffed full of chips. "Use dip?"
Avery and Lo
"Ok, so movies?" LC asked, settling herself down with a slice of pizza.
Stephen balanced another box of pizza on his lap.
"What does everyone want to watch?" Avery asked, pointing at her dvd's.
"Something scary!" Lo answered, eyes twinkling as she smiled.
Libby
"Scary Movie!" Matt cried.
"Scary Movie isn't scary," Libby said. "It's disturbing."
Matt grinned.
"I like seeing your face turn green."
"Yeah? Well, I like seeing your face turn blue. From lack of air," Libby replied generating a bubble on the tip of her finger.
"Ahem," Josh coughed. "How about Alien vs Predator?"
Avery and Lo
"Ah my favourite lame movie," Avery laughed.
"I know, like what the hell, with all the reaction shots of the predator's... helmet," Stephen agreed.
"Aliens are better," Lo put in. "They like hatch in you and stuff."
"They were the evil ones though," LC pointed out. "Although, there was that stupid 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' logic, but following that, shouldn't the aliens also have been their friends?"
"Mmhmm," Talan said. "Technically yeah, they could've sided with either of them, but I think the argument was meant to be that the predators were more humanoid."
Libby
"Well, the aliens were y'know, killing them. The predators were more interested in killing the aliens at that time," Josh pointed out.
Libby reached over for some munchies.
Avery and Lo
"Still, awesomely lame," Avery put in, reaching for a slice of pizza.
"Fo' sho'," Lo giggled. "So, shall we?"
Talan nodded and put the DVD in the player while Avery got the rest of the room set up.
Libby
Libby sat down in between Matt and Josh, and the group of mixed friends spent the rest of their party watching movies, making lame jokes and stuffing themselves full of junk food.