who would have ever thought that she would be going on a date of all things? certainly not her. callie does her best not to be giddy at the prospect — she tries at least not to seem excited, when she texts of the recent developments to Soleil Frye . she's easygoing, chill, cool as a cucumber.

[break][break] the fact that she's going on a date, with an older guy? yeah. definitely not something she cares about.

[break][break] it's callie's idea — since they've been spending so much time together anyways, but she hardly expects him to take her up on the offer. even less that she expects him to pull up at her house of all things.

[break][break] perhaps NIKO MANNER is more of a gentleman than she thought.

[break][break] she creeps towards the door. her gaze is quick to slide towards her mother's sleeping form - passed out from the day's events, passed out with multiple beer bottles around her. astra is asleep, soundly as ever.

[break][break] there's a knock - and then a ring. shit. her mother's stupid doorbell chime rings. loudly.

[break][break] callie rips the door open.

[break][break] "let's go!" she says, her voice a bit of a high-pitched squeak, and she shuts the door behind her and grabs niko's hand. dragging him away — somewhere, anywhere, before her mom wakes up.

[attr="class","ooc"] NIKO MANNER [break]



[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-lycanroc"]

the door flies open.[break][break]

"huh?"[break][break]

not given much time to react, niko's tugged by his hand back towards the driveway where his motorbike awaits. it's coated black with visible scratches on the body; perhaps from an accident?[break][break]

he tosses her a helmet before hopping on. with the keys already in the ignition, the engine purrs to life, disturbing the peaceful neighborhood callie lives in.[break][break]

"LET'S GO!"[break][break]

and off they go to the arcade.

[attr="class","ooc"]CALLISTA MOON[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

she's in a rush, so she doesn't immediately notice but when they're standing in front of their motorcycle, it's enough for the 17-year old to blush when she realizes they're holding hands.

[break][break] it's for this reason, she's glad for the distraction when he tosses her the helmet. the brush of cool metal against her fingers is just enough to calm her. even though she fumbles a bit when handling it.

[break][break] a motorcycle. cool. she tries her best not to be too impressed. the slight flush is hidden when she places the helmet carefully onto her head and settles into the seat behind him, arms going around to wrap around her waist.

[break][break] the rumble of the engine makes her heart lurch as they set off onto the pavement.

[break][break] "where are we going?" she asks, raising her voice so she can be heard over the rush of wind.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] NIKO MANNER [break]



[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-lycanroc"]

her voice calls over the rush of wind. his head tilts back briefly to answer:[break][break]

"somewhere fun! you're gonna love it!"[break][break]

and after a good ten minutes, they arrive at their destination: the only arcade in verdanturf which explains why it might be quite crowded. it's not peak hour but there's still a decent amount of people, judging by the vehicles parked outside.[break][break]

the bike rolls to a stop before he pulls his helmet off.[break][break]

"how was the ride?"

[attr="class","ooc"]CALLISTA MOON[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

somewhere fun.

[break][break] normally, callie doesn't love surprises. especially with people she doesn't all that well. but there is something to be said for relinquishing control —

[break][break] it feels good.

[break][break] her arms wrap tighter around niko's, leaning into his back and dropping her chin in the crux of his shoulder. she laughs. "if you say so!"

[break][break] her heart is still in her lungs when they roll to a stop in front of a building on the other side of town. an arcade, huh?

[break][break] callie hops off, pulling off the helmet and handing it over to NIKO MANNER . "amazing. i loved it," she says, then flashes a grin. "i didn't know you rode a bike."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] NIKO MANNER [break]



[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-lycanroc"]

there are quite a number of things callie doesn't know about him. the bike is likely just the tip of the iceberg. but he flashes a similar grin as he stows away the helmets.[break][break]

"oh, yeah. it's a real chick magnet."[break][break]

after a playful nudge on her shoulder, he gestures over to the entrance.[break][break]

"come on. i'll go get us a buncha coins for the evening."

[attr="class","ooc"]CALLISTA MOON[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

she laughs.

[break][break] "oh yeah? you take a lot of girls here, you chick magnet?"

[break][break] callie smirks, eyes twinkling like starshine. the kind of innocent expression of a young callista, before she's been burned by all the terrors that war has to offer.

[break][break] rare.

[break][break] she smiles at him. "lead the way, good sir."

[break][break] as much as she tries to hide it, it's hard to hide the excitement in her gaze as they walk over to the arcade. since moving to verdenturf, there was little else to do except be cooped up in that house with mother, and avoid her. sure, there was school, and studying, and all sorts of boring things, but there were few things that could distract her from the loneliness of missing her best friends.

[break][break] this arcade, on the other hand, was something else entirely.

[attr="class","ooc"] NIKO MANNER [break]



[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-lycanroc"]

"only the ones i like."[break][break]

inside, the sounds of the many arcade machines all come to life, mingling in an odd cacophony of different soundtracks and sound effects.[break][break]

"so!"[break][break]

he looks around them.[break][break]

"where to first?"

[attr="class","ooc"]CALLISTA MOON[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]