Carlotta Brown

"I promise not to cause any trouble, Carlotta. We're here to support you."

Demeter has even dressed in clothes of the era though deceptively simple with her hair lightly pulled back.

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ostro_goth

Teja, looking tame with short hair and in 1940s clothes, nods meekly. "I will not slay any on the way," he promises.

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Charlie's looking around and attempting not to be too amused. You can guess how well that's going. "Been here a whole two minutes and already we're being given contingency plans. I like it."

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"It works for me." He dressed in the appropriate clothes, but he somehow manages to wear them like he's an American and out of a 50s crime film.

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fiery_ring

"Good! Stay out of trouble!"

Carlotta nips back through the gate and runs up to the school. She isn't spotted until she's inside, when she's grabbed off to have her hair done by Victoria (amidst exclamations of 'You can't go looking like that').

Her form gather their hats and coats, and start to head down the lane. There is a recognisable schism forming between the girls; some of them chattering excitedly with Carlotta about the prospect of them winning, the rest putting on a bored look as though the whole afternoon will be a waste of time.

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Demeter hides a smile as she watches them and moves to follow the group, giving a nod to all the girls.

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ostro_goth

Teja follows. "It will be good to walk," he says. "And it is not winter, here!"

He has had enough of cold and wet and snow and mud.

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"No, it's very nicely warm." Charlie is wearing appropriate clothes--much as he's not terribly fond of the clothes. He also doesn't have noticeable injury, until you get very close.

"I hope she does well."

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Charlie walks behind the others. He can tell that Teja and the other Charlie are engrossed in conversation, and he doesn't want to crowd the woman he hasn't met yet just because they are in the same group.

So he takes in the spring air, and wonders if how he's seeing or smelling things is different because he is (appearances notwithstanding) dead.

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fiery_ring

At the back of the group of girls, the beautiful blonde girl is sulky and unusually quiet. It isn't so much that she has to go and cheer on her nemesis; nobody can force her to cheer, and it carries the advantage of missing afternoon lessons. More, it's about a letter she carries in her pocket from her father.

As far as Angela is concerned, she has no need to show up Carlotta or bully her; the girl does plenty of her own accord to cause shock and gossip. But the fact that her father has suddenly got into his head that she ought to move to a different school after talking for ages with the exchange girl has her very suspicious.

Carlotta is oblivious of any sly looks thrown in her direction, mostly because she keeps getting told to walk in a more ladylike manner, and scolded by the teacher for being the only one to manage to get mud on the hem of her school dress.

As they get close to the village, some of the girls notice that the party are heading in the same direction, but pay little attention. After all, it's the only road to the village, and plenty of people are out walking that day.

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Demeter moves to talk to Charlie though she tries to keep an eye on the girls,

"I'm Demeter, I don't think we were ever introduced."

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ostro_goth

Teja walks ahead, talking quietly to 'his' Charlie. "I like this land," he says. "And the village -- it looks timeless and lovely."

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Charlie smiles at that and nods politely. No one would think of them as talking about anything incredibly--aa Carlotta would put it--panyish, with the space between them.

"Maybe we should come back here some time. It would be nice, to be alone here, or nearer the sea." He watches the girls idly, and smiles quietly at them, noting Carlotta's hair in the middle.

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"Charlie. Nice to meet you." He offers his hand as they walk. "Where and when are you from?"

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fiery_ring

The school group go into the village hall; most of the class sit down on benches whilst Carlotta goes to get changed.

There are many rows of chairs for other audience members, and in the middle an arrangement of beams and mats. There are a couple of other school parties in the hall already.

After a few minutes, Angela gets up and goes to sit next to a plain girl with a discontented face from a different school.

"Prudence, long time no see."

"Hallo Angela. Been dragged along to this as well?"

They make small talk for a few minutes, then Angela says.

"You used to go to St Clare's, didn't you? There's this awful common girl staying with my class at the moment, Carlotta Brown."

Prudence raises an eyebrow.

"Ringmere lets in circus girls? Their standards have slipped."

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Since there are some free chairs about halfway back, that's where Demeter heads as she speaks more to Charlie,

"At the moment Southern France in you could say the near present of most who come through Milliways."

Demeter hears Angela and one of the flowers in the bouquet she's holding suddenly grows an inch.

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ostro_goth

Teja follows her gaze, and looks at the girls. Awfully pretty, Carlotta had said.

Ahh, so that was Carlotta's current arch-nemesis.

"Let us sit," he suggests to the others. There is no point in arguing with schoolgirls, is there? They are here to cheer Carlotta, after all.

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Charlie looks over at Teja surreptitiously, wondering who he's trying to look at.

"That blond girl you've been watching for the past four minutes looks to be completely oblivious. She'll grow up to be very attractive to someone."

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He listens in on the things the girls say about Carlotta as he sits, and wonders about that flower. Very odd indeed.

"I never got to that neck of the woods. This is about as close as I come."

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fiery_ring

Prudence smiles with pleasure, filling Angela in on Carlotta's background. Angela looks disgusted.

"Are you going to burst her bubble?" Prudence asks, suddenly feeling the afternoon may be more entertaining after all.

Angela smiles back.

"Not now. But thank you."

Prudence looks taken aback.

"Surely this is the perfect time!"

"You said the St Clare's girls turned on you when you told her secret." Angela says. "Ringmere could go either way, and I have no wish to end up as you did, no offense intended. I'm sure there will be a better opportunity to use such information."

Satisfied, the two girls share pleased grins, and Angela gets up to go back to her own school. She is sidetracked by the head of her form, who takes her to one side.

"I know that look Angela Favorleigh. If you're thinking of spoiling this afternoon then you jolly well better not. It's been simply ages since Ringmere won a decent sports trophy."

Angela assures Victoria in a smooth and prettily worded manner that she won't spoil the event, then the girls sit down.

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"Perhaps I can show you it at some point and I'm glad that girls are still good about gossip."

Then she turns to watch the event.

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ostro_goth

Teja sits beside her, ready to cheer for Carlotta at the proper time.

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Charlie joins the row, watching lazily for Carlotta to appear. He's never been the gymnastics type, really, but watching someone else--who is much better--do it should be interesting.

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