^{october 1st, 2022 | the end of the beginning | mentions: @rosaline everhart}

Vera's parents had taken the liberty of ordering her something from the kids' menu while she was busy chatting with Rosaline, which was perfect. Vera was not a fussy eater, so she did not bother too much with what they got for her. A plate of pasta sat in front of the girl, which she slowly ate while still facing Rosaline and listening to her talk about everything.

Vera's eyes widened at the mention of instrument practice. She quickly finished chewing, then put her hand over her mouth to cover it as she spoke. "You play an instrument? What kind?" She asked. "Mum's got me on the piano, but dad is also making me do violin."

Vera wasn't exactly fond of playing instruments; she liked dancing more. But without the music lessons, she likely wouldn't have had the same appreciation for rhythm. If she had to pick which she would rather spend more time doing during the week, however, there was no doubt in her heart she would choose ballet in a second.

She finished another bite just as she went to answer Rosaline's next question. "Dad owns a hotel chain! It's still a bit small, so we're only here, Germany, and France for now. But he's been meeting with a lot of investors everywhere to make more in other countries."

"What does your dad do?" Vera asked in return.

Vera tried to imagine the view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. She imagined the picturesque buildings and brick roads, the green hedges with accompanying gardens. She sighed. Just thinking about it seemed like a dream.

She could imagine exactly what pose they did with the leaning tower. Standing underneath the tilt, then holding your arms up as if you were stopping it from falling to the ground. Vera giggled.

"Wow, I wanna go see them now." She pouted. "I'll ask my dad if I can go with him the next time he goes to France. Maybe we can stop by Italy, too."

Vera leaned in towards her plate, took another bite, then covered her mouth as she nodded along to Rosaline's words. "That does sound really nice," she said once she finished chewing. "I would like to see the flowers, too."

The garden was always her favourite part of the house. Just last week, Vera talked to the family gardener about the white flower bush along the fences. White hydrangeas, he had told her. They were easy to grow but hard to maintain, same for the pink, purple, and blue variations that surrounded them. Verity offered to water the flowers every day, which the gardener chuckled at and gave her a small watering can. They were the same flowers she asked the cleaners to put in the vases around the house later that week.

Vera took another bite of her pasta. She wondered what kind of flowers at Hampstead Heath. It sounded cozy.

Remembering Rosaline mention books, Vera asked, "What books do you read?"

date	place	tags	wc	speech	outfits
01/10/22	City of London	@Verity Engels	482/200	#36563c	xxx

Julian, Rosaline’s father, and Vera’s parents were still chatting, and apparently, Julian knew he better not interrupt the two girls’ conversations; he decided to order the food Rosaline liked for her. As the waiters began to serve plates, the young Everhart immediately recognized the smell of roast beef, and she stopped talking, turning around at her table to see her plate. Her stomach growled slightly at that moment. Julian had ordered a plate of duck breast for himself. He smiled at her, not rushing her to dine. Rosaline returned a smile toward him, like making a secret contact mission; they didn’t exchange any words. She loved how her father always knew what she wanted and liked. Picking up the knife and fork, she cut the roast beef into smaller pieces and took a bite. It was quite delicious; the meat was juicy and the sauce was on point. When she had her plate, she still listened to Vera carefully.

Chewing the last bite of the plate, Rosaline started to speak again, “Piano! I play the piano too. I also start playing bass and guitar. Do you like playing the violin? I’ve always wanted to do that, but my schedule is a bit tight at the moment.” Her brows knitted because there were too many things to do and so little time. She then added, “What other hobbies do you like to do?” Her eyes lit up with curiosity. She wanted to know more about Vera; they seemed to share a similar but also different background. It was interesting to get to know the girl better.

As Rosaline heard what job Vera’s father had, she got excited to imagine the life of owning a hotel chain. She asked, “So when you visit those countries, would you stay in your father’s hotels? That is so cool.” When Vera asked what Julian did, Rosaline suddenly felt quite proud; she answered with a grin, "He's a writer and English literature professor. He sometimes needs to go around the country to sign books or attend seminars.” She talked about her father as if an eight-year-old girl like her knew what a seminar was, which she had been to several times, and she never figured out why all the adults were doing reports like she did at school. Aren't they all graduating right now?

Their conversation pivoted to travel. “I’m sure you will go see those sites soon! I can’t wait to visit Italy and France again.” Then they discussed Hampstead Heath. “If you could come, that’d be great. I’ll show you my secret spot. We can enjoy beautiful sights there,” Rosaline beamed, imagining they went there together.

Vera extended the topic to reading, right up Rosaline’s alley. She answered with rather quick speed, “I’m rereading Jane Austen lately. And Dad has introduced me to some Shakespeare stories. So far, I’m really enjoying these works. How about you?”

Reducio ooc notes I'm really sorry for how long this took omg...

Reducio stats stamina: 6 | evasion: 5 | strength: 5 wisdom: 8 | arcane Power: 7 |accuracy: 4 Lovely Creature