Xaviers!

Molly had to get off of campus. Crazy things happened there!

She walked around Maldon's downtown, aimlessly looking in some stores.

((open))

Jez stepped out of one of the quaint stores and onto the sidewalk, carrying a roll of vibrant red fabric. The store was named Just Fabrics, appropriately enough. She leaned against the exterior wall, scrolling through her phone in search of something.

"Hrm? Don't I know you from the university" Molly asked, seeing a familiar face.

Jez looked up from her phone and did a double take, tilting her head slightly. The girl did look oddly familiar.

"I suppose it depends on the school." She made a little "X" with her fingers.

"What, do we need a secret code now?"

"I've seen what British gangs are like in movies, I wasn't about to risk it."

"What, you think I was going to beat you up? Little ol' me?"

"Noooooooo. But I didn't want us to get jumped or something." Jez clarified while adjusting the roll of fabric under her arm.

"No one's going to jump us. That's something you see in the movies."

"Exactly! Just like in movies set in Britain, that's what I'm saying."

Jez shrugged. "Sorry, I guess it's kind of drilled into my head that where I'm from, everyone else will want to come after you if they find out, so you have to stay there where it's safe to be you."

"That doesn't really happen."

"Well it doesn't hurt to be prepared, just in case. Especially for us girls."

"And, to be prepared, we have to learn a secret hand-jive code?"

"Well, yeah. Like how your girls get you out of a conversation when some shady guy is talking to you at a bar."

"I've...never really had that."

"Oh, well it will happen. Especially at a bar guys know college girls go to."

"Is that why you're here? To go to a bar?"

"Naw, I'm getting stuff for Halloween. What about you?"

"I just...needed to get off of campus for a while. It's..." she floundered.

"It's been strange."

"A bit too much to take in all at once?" Jez offered a little smile. "You wanna maybe get a coffee and talk about it?"

"I mean, sure, I guess I have time to do that."

Smooth, Molly.

"Alright, cool. I think there's a place just down the street. At least I've seen a lot of people walking near it with cups in their hands." Jez started to lead the way, turning back to make sure that Molly was following her.

"My name's Jezabelle, by-the-way."

"I'm Molly. Molly McFly."

"Oh wow, I didn't know that was a real last name. I thought that was just from Back to the Future! Well it's nice to meet you Molly."

Jez tapped on her phone a few times before looking fairly satisfied.

"There's a place called the Continental Cafe that's just a three minutes walk from here. It has pretty good reviews too. Hopefully it won't be too busy."

"It's...good to meet you, too," she said, her eye twitching a little bit at the movie reference.

"I don't anything could be 'too busy' in Maldon."

Jez noticed the slight hesitation and gave Molly a sympathetic smile.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, my last name's Sherlock. So if you think you've heard some stale jokes in your lifetime, you're in good company."

"Oh, good lord. I bet you get it all the time. 'Where's your stupid hat'?"

"I know, right? Everyone thinks they're the first to say 'no shit, Sherlock' to me." Jez laughed to herself for a moment. "If I didn't already have something in mind, I'd say we should dress as our names for Halloween and then just glare at everyone all night."

The coffee shop was one of three stores operating out of an old stone-and-mortar building, occupying a corner that gave it a bit more sunlight than the jewelry store nearby, and a nice view of the church across the street. She held the door open for Molly.

"Oh, what are you going as for Halloween, then?"

"Well it depends on whether or not I get it done in time. If not I'll just dress up like some creepy little twins."

"Oh, with who?"

"Oh, just me and me." Jez was distracted by some writing on a chalkboard. "Oh, they make their own cakes here!"

"Something like that one star trek episode, then? With the face split down the middle?"

"Nah, more like the one with the Tribbles."

"...OK, I don't get it."

"Tribbles multiply, silly."

"...OH! That's your thing, then?"

Jez nodded. "Mhhm! Means I only need to make one costume too."

"That's...convenient, if confusing."

"Ah, you get used to it." Jez took a seat at one of the little corner tables with a view of the street, propping her roll of fabric up against the wall before looking over the menu.

"So what is it that you do?"