Welcome to Warner's [OPEN]

Evelyn stood in an aisle staring blankly at all the candy on offer. What she needed was actual food, but all old and cranky Greg Warner had was junk. Candy, chips, soda... all the ripe ingredients for a death at 45. She frowned in distaste and glanced outside instead. It was getting late, and the snow was coming down hard. She shivered just at the sight. The convenience store was sweet respite from the cold, but she had to leave eventually. And quickly. Evelyn told herself, reluctantly grabbing at a box of pocky. I don't think Mr. Warner is enjoying my company very much.

The balding man wore a perennial scowl. He was probably in his mid-fifties, with glasses and a bushy chestnut mustache. Warner wasn't a handsome man in the slightest, and he was an irascible old man with an irascible family. Nobody liked dealing with him, or his overpriced merchandise, but Rosebury was as isolated as it got. It was either the cornershop or another store miles away. People had few options.

She sighed and ambled up to the front counter and forced a polite smile, but still made sure to avoid the man's eyes. "Uh... I'll j-just be g-getting this, p-please." Evelyn mumbled as she dropped the overpriced box in front of him. At least I won't get pudgy. she thought to herself as she looked down at the one box of candy that was supposed to last her through the weekend. I'll be lucky if I don't starve.

The girl had always been conscience about her diet, but ever since that stupid formal had been announced, she found herself being even more careful than usual. She often caught herself thinking about dresses and trying to listen in on the buzz and gossip about all the couples and who was going with who. Apparently the decorations were going to be exceptionally lavish. Everybody has somebody. Except me, I guess.

The door would be heard open, Montare walking in. He glanced at Greg Warner, being slightly surprised to not get an annoyed look back, even if he was talking with someone. Montare simply shrugged off the fact it was Evelyn, doubting trouble would be had near the old coot who ran the store. He'd probably take out a shotgun or something if something happened, but again, Montare ignored the thought. He began to walk down the aisles, looking for food for himself.

Not long after the boy, a white haired girl made her way into the store. She wanted to get a few things for the dorm, and the mini mart appeared to be a nice temporary shelter for the winter weather outside. Shielding her eyes was a pair of sunglasses, the lenses a dark black tint. The bell indicating the door opening alarmed her; she flinched, feeling like the odd person out. At a fast pace, the girl made her way to one of the farther aisles in the small store.

Colette wasn't going to the formal. She had no interest in it, and no friends to go to it with, let alone a boyfriend. Through the strong shade that the glasses displayed, he watched her hand reach towards the items lining the store's shelves, never physically grasping anything in particular. She grazed the boxes of food and ingredients with her fingers, just studying it. It was a cute hand, right? A boy wouldn't mind holding it, right?

She snatched it away rapidly, shutting her eyes. These were weird thoughts, creepy thoughts. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Only now did Colette start taking items from the shelves, dropping them in a basket she found messily discarded on an empty shelf.

Chingalingaling. Chingalingaling.

Evelyn turned at the sound of the first bell and froze and stiffened at the sight of Montare. Oh fuck. Not again. She looked impatiently at the box which Greg was sliding under the scanner. Just let me get the hell out of here. Please. Don't let him notice me. So close up, it was probably inevitable, but maybe he'd look past and her gift would do some good for once. The boy seemed to look at her, but then walked off down the aisles. She couldn't help but sigh quietly in relief.

The girl looked towards the door again, and her heart stopped. Evelyn stood there gawking with color rising to her cheeks, trying to hash together some kind of greeting against all better judgement, but then watched helplessly as the words died in her throat and Colette walked right past without a second glance. Figures. She frowned and stared down at the countertop, defeated. Again. Now the guilt was returning. Don't be a pervert... That's not right.

Montare paused to hearing the door open, but went back to looking on the shelves a moment, before grabbing a bag of chips and going over to the counter, still not caring the Evelyn stood there.

Who was even in this store?
Colette moved onto the next aisle, in a clearer few of the occupants of the store. From here, she was able to see exactly who was there. The first person she glanced at was Montare, though her gaze rushed back to the aisle. Oh no! It was that one creep who had that gossip circulate about him last year. She suspected that if she did not look at him, he could not see her, and therefore she was safe.

She didn't even notice Evelyn. Through the tinted sunglasses and Evelyn's perception effecting power, the girl was practically not there at all. Colette loaded things into the basket at a faster pace, and was done in the matter of a minute. Only when she got in line did the girl notice Evelyn. Oh, the fond memories surrounding Evelyn. This was sarcasm of course, Colette was equally as afraid of this girl as she was Montare. The way she acted on that one night still affected Colette to this day, and she refrained from encountering Evelyn since. This was a dreadful afternoon.

Surprisingly, yet another student entered the refuge from the snowy weather.

Scilene entered with a calm stride, her footsteps confident. As if she knew exactly what she wanted, and where to get it. She only gave the store a quick sweep with her gaze. Noting the faces that she recognized from before. Anyone who looked her way, she would just give them a big smile then continued on.

'I remember that they were over here...'

She looked over the snack isle, noting that the spot where her favorite snacks where, was taken by another product. It was to be expected, she hadn't been there for a year or so. The colorful assorted packaging make for a tough search.

Nope. No, not that one. It looks like it, but it isn't it.

Huffing, the girl turned on her heels and marched over to the other side of the store,  where she thought perhaps it would be. No such luck. Perhaps he got rid of it? 'Naw, couldn't be. That's my favorite...' Obviously flustered, Scilene looked closer at the stands, making sure that she didn't look over anything.

The student looked up over the shelf, and noted who all was in there store once more, before turning back to her search.

And it's still a mystery of what her favorite snack is.

"That'll be eleven dollars and three cents, miss." Greg grumbled as the register opened with a loud ching. Evelyn nodded and flipped open a plain leather wallet, anxiety fluttering in her chest as both Montare and Colette got in line behind her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to try and stay behind to talk to the girl or make a mad dash into the blizzard in an attempt to escape her. Both options sounded like certain death.

Evelyn finally fished out the cash and handed it out to the man, who impatiently ripped it from her fingers. Scrooge. she thought as he dropped her change onto the counter and made a dismissive hand motion, as if to shoo her away. The girl forced out a quiet 'thank you' through clenched teeth and quickly grabbed up her pocky. Eleven dollars was outrageous, but she had little choice. He'd probably just rip the antique rifle off the wall and hold her candy at gunpoint until someone paid the ransom.

Chingalingaling.

The girl reached out and caught the door before it closed behind Scilene and quickly slipped out the door and into the winter storm beyond. Hopefully I'll be able to find campus again. Evelyn nestled deeper into her jacket, but it did little to protect her from the icy winds that howled in her ears and ripped at her clothes. It felt strong enough to topple her over. Or just get buried in snow. Maybe they'll find me in spring, clutching a box of eleven dollar candy.

"Psst. Hey, over here."

Montare stepped up to the counter once Evelyn had walked away. He reached into his back pocket, taking out the exact amount of money needed to pay and setting it on the counter. Warner simply grumbled something inaudible response to Montare having memorized the cost from how often he makes this same purchase. Montare began walking towards the door and exited, preparing to shift to counter the cold weather.

They left.
Though she would be following them, there was a momentary relief. You could say it was a calm before the storm, pun not intended. Colette would have to walk back at least somewhat near them. Up in Alaska she had been used to the snow, the boots on her feet catering to the weather they were enduring in Beata's area. No doubt she would be able to breeze by them.
That pun was also unintended, and these thoughts brought smiles to her lips ever so slightly. They were enough to strike an odd gaze from Warner. Nevertheless, he didn't say anything, handing her her bag and no change. He had eaten into her wallet How ridiculous the prices were in this store! The weight in her pocket felt considerably less heavy as she thanked the man and headed out, seeing a man calling towards who seemed to be Evelyn. At first Colette thought it was directed at her, and she looked up, rather surprised. A blast of cold found the chink in her armor, or coat, however. She re-shielded it with her chin, immediately uncaring of what the man was saying.

Seeing the others start to leave, and not wanting to be around the store manager, Scilene quickly snatched a few items, then doing the math as she walked over to the register. The student placed the two water bottles, sunflower seeds (rosted) and a bag of Goldfish onto the counter, then whipped out the money in hopes of not bothering Warner. As soon as she paid, Scilene hurried after the others, following Colette out of the warm store and into the blistering cold.

Evelyn blinked and cautiously turned to the source of the voice, freezing at the sight of a man silhouetted in front of the small alley beside the old cornershop. Her heart immediately began to race. Oh god, who was this? Instinctively the girl took a few steps back. Everything about this seemed dangerous. What do you want? she wanted to ask, but she choked on the words and prepared to turn and run, when...

The door of the convenience store came open and the other students filed out. It was only when Evelyn sighed in relief that she realized that she had been holding her breath. Feeling a little braver now and her confidence bolstered by the presence of the others, she straightened up and did her best to stare at him straight on, ready to bolt if he tried anything. "W-w-why?" she finally forced out. Talking was even harder in the icy cold. That's all you can do? "W... what do you w-want?"

"I won't bite." the man said, sounding almost offended by Evelyn's reluctance. "I'm Greg's son. John. John Warner." He stepped out into the dim blue light of the sign with a lazy and swaggering step, revealing a young and grizzled face. His facial hair straddled the line of stubble and beard and his hair was a messy black mop. It didn't exactly resonate "trustworthy", but for some reason she felt a little bit more at ease. John leaned against the wall and smiled. "I'm selling, if any of you are interested. It'd be a waste of a trip if you came all the way out here in this weather just for some candy and chips."

Montare had stopped walking, taking notice of Evelyn and who she was talking to. Paying attention to them talking, he spiked after his interest was further sparked by what John said. "Selling? Selling what?" he asked, already thinking of what he was probably selling. Probably drugs or beer, given the look of him.. he started to think, before looking to see what other students had come back out into the cold.

Colette didn't stop at the mention of this guy selling things. She didn't care. He most likely had nothing of value to her. The girl was focusing on getting home, to her dorm, and being a hermit for the rest of the night. It sounded swell, and a shady merchant wouldn't delay it. Besides, he seemed a bit...rapey. Colette wasn't one to use such a vocabulary, and even raised a hand towards her mouth at the horrible thought; her possibly cute hand, one that was becoming weathered from the winter frost. She withdrew it back into her coat pocket, sighing. This exhale was enough to create a cloud of misty smoke, escaping from the warm recesses of her mouth to be engulfed by the chilled air.

Scilene noticed Evelyn and Montare talking with a creepy looking guy. Her blue eyes narrowed as she took a few steps toward them. She was somewhat on edge like the others. The student didn't participate in the conversation, she stood there, in case something came up. Scilene could be a good distraction if worst came to worst. At least, she liked to think that. Who knew? What did this guy want again? She wasn't there to hear the last part. Perhaps she'll understand as they spoke.

Scilene shoved the grocery bag to her elbow, then shoved her hands into her pant pockets in a vain attempt to keep them warm. 'Man, I wish they'd hurry up. I'd rather not walk in the snow alone.' She suddenly remembered that there was another student in the store with them. Where did she go? The long haired girl spun to see Colette trudge away. Narrowing her eyes even more to keep the falling snowflakes out of her eyes, she thought with confusion. 'Surely she isn't going to talk alone...With her pale colored hair, it's likely that she'll get lost in a snow drift. People sure are stupid.' Scilene was about to call out to the white haired girl, when she remembered. 'I don't even know her name.'