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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 17, 2007 7:25:31 GMT 7
Christian could not feel the woman's eyes on him studying him, fortunately. If he had, it would have made him nervous. He never enjoyed being watched intently -- it made him fear the person was trying to get under his skin. Christian kept a tight barrier around his emotions and motives. It wasn't that they were abused or degraded; he simply preferred keeping himself locked away. Life, he figured, was easier that way.
This did not, however, mean he was unwilling to have a good time with a friendly acquaintance. Alexia had the potential to be a genuine friend if they continued along the same path they were headed down now. She was wonderfully social and Christian couldn't help but enjoy being in her company. In all honesty, he had spent a good amount of his day looking forward to their meeting tonight. The two seemed to get along well, and Christian was glad to have met her that rainy afternoon at Starbucks.
A deep laugh escaped him at her words. "Not a polka fan, hm?" he inquired, watching her with smiling eyes. "I can't blame you," he added with a small grin. It wasn't necessarily his favorite genre, either. In fact, he wasn't sure he knew anyone who particularly fancied polka. It was always an eccentric form of music, he thought. "And I agree: you do need to come here more often." Christian offered her a kind smile. Perhaps they could come together again, sometime.
He raised an eyebrow impressively at the mention of the Met. "Are you really, now? What are you doing over there?" he asked curiously, tilting his head to the side and giving her his attention. He kept one eye out for the bartender just in case he returned with their drinks, but was otherwise focused on Lexi.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 18, 2007 8:26:13 GMT 7
Lifting her brown eyes toward the ceiling, Lex shakes her head back and forth, as she makes her face longer. She had heard Christian laugh, and she was trying to be a little funny, to be able to hear that low rumble from him again. "Oh, no, not a polka fan, never have been. I just don't like the outfits, I guess." Lowering her eyes, her lips smirking into a slight grin, she notices his eyes on her, and she laughs lightly. She liked the way he was looking at her, and it was good that they could talk like this with each other. It was almost going to be a disappointment when the band started, and they would have to shout to be heard over the music.
Lexi's eyes glint with excitement, Christian wanted her to come to the club more often. She really wanted to come as much as she could, to hear the music, and to be with him. She returns his smile with a genuine one of her own, as she wonders if she should suggest that he called her the next time he came. Would that be too forward of her? Deciding she needed to say something, she nods slightly, as she agrees with him. "Well, maybe you can call me, the next time you plan to come, and I'll meet you here. It seems to be working out, so far." She didn't mean it to sound like that, or maybe she did. She continues to smile at him, trying to hide any embarrassment she might be feeling.
Lexi liked that Christian was paying attention to her, taking an interest in her work. She was trying to remember if she had mentioned it before, but she wasn't sure if she had. Sighing, with an amused smile, she nods slowly. "It's just some work-study thing I'm doing this semester. Part of the collection is on a tour across the country, and we are examining the rest of it in storage. Evaluating what needs to be cleaned, repaired, and learning about storage techniques. It's not all that exciting, I'm afraid." She is wondering what he was working on now, and her curiosity has got her to the point where she wanted to ask him. She just didn't know enough about what it took for him to do his job, it was a small mystery to her. "So, what about you? What kind of story are you working on now? Unless you can't tell me..." She bares her teeth a little in a slight grin, amusement dancing in her eyes, as she teased him a little.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 20, 2007 22:31:03 GMT 7
"Ah, so it's about the fashion," Christian said with a half-smile as he leaned back in his seat. A playful smile was on the corners of his mouth. Was he mocking her? Perhaps, but it was not in harm. Christian chuckled a little, obviously not serious in his remark and glanced over at the poster again. It was simply a design with a name and a couple of, what he assumed to be, song titles. No picture of the band. "And what are your plans if it just so happens to be polka?" His smile was barely existant, but it was still there when he turned his attention from the poster to the woman beside him.
For once, Christian actually noticed the gleam in her eyes when he spoke about the future. He wondered if she was glad - it was always something Christian couldn't wrap his mind around. It never occured to him that he might actually pass as good company. Never. Christian always just assumed he was another boring stranger, passing by and not given a second glance. He could understand why his friends spent time with him, but acquaintances he couldn't understand. He was well-aware of the fact he wasn't the best talker, but there must have been something Lexi liked about him to make her stay around.
When she spoke, Christian watched her for a split second before smiling and nodding. She didn't seem completely sure of her words, which was understandable. He wasn't sure if he understood them entirely, either. Did she like him as more than a potential friend? It was possible, but he dismissed the thought for the time being. She couldn't. He wasn't interesting enough. "Sounds good to me," he said pleasantly over the sound of the crowd letting out a small, rambunctious cheer. There was nobody on the stage, just the sound crew, but apparently the alcohol was already kicking in for the teenagers. Kids.
His attention remained entirely on her while she spoke of her work at the Met. He nodded and made small 'mhm' sounds occasionally, not interrupting but listening attentively. "I can't say I'm familiar with anything you just said." His eyes smiled along with his lips when he spoke after she was done talking. "But it doesn't sound too exciting, I do agree." He chuckled softly.
The bartender brought their drinks just as she inquired about his current project. Passing the man the charge and a generous tip, Christian sighed and lifted his eyebrows at the thought of work. "Scheduling appointments with potential clients and working out interview dates," he said with a rather smug look - it didn't quite match his personality but it definitely clicked with the dull tone. "It's pretty dull for the rest of the week, but I can bet next month will be back to hectic, interesting work. That's how summer tends to go," he said with a smile.
Her teasing did not go unwarranted. He laughed quietly in response, shaking his head and taking a sip of his drink. "No, I'm afraid I have nothing interesting to share at the moment." With a small, thoughtful frown, he added, "Although there is talk about one series I'd like to work on. An offbeat article." He smiled at her, shaking his head again in amusement. He couldn't believe he was sharing this story. "I don't know much about it, but offbeat articles are always interesting. The last one I did was about a Zamboni driver who got ticketed for driving drunk." Christian paused and raised an eyebrow at Lexi. "No joke," he said in humour before taking another drink.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 21, 2007 8:41:33 GMT 7
Smiling widely, and nodding her head emphatically, Lexi liked that Christian was able to joke about something. This was when she liked him the most, he was almost spontaneous, for Christian. "Of course it's about the fashion, what else would it be about? If they can't look good on stage, then they shouldn't play. And if it is a polka band, then I guess I'll have to learn how to dance to a polka. Unless you can show me how?" Lifting her fine brows in anticipation, she wondered if he knew anything about that style of music and dancing. Would he tell her if he did? Probably not, she guessed, he would never admit to something like that. And that was something she liked about his personality.
The look that he gave her, when she suggested that they come to the bar again, made Lexi wonder what he was thinking. This was the part she hated, trying to guess what the guy was thinking, and hoping that she didn't get it wrong. Was that a pause for not thinking of it himself? Or was he trying to find a way out? His words said otherwise, and she returning his smile, hoping he had spoken the truth. "Sounds good to me too, Christian." She then turns at the sound of the crowd, looking at the stage, and clapping her hands. It sounded like maybe the crew was making progress.
Lexi looked like she didn't believe Christian when he said he didn't understand what she was talking about, when she described her work at the museum. Shrugging her shoulders, maybe there was a way to help him understand, it was important for her. "Well, maybe you can stop by, when I'm working, and I'll show you what I do. Didn't your sister explain any of this to you, about what she does in Italy at that gallery?" She chuckled with him, as she turned to pick up her drink.
Turning back to Christian, she listen to him describe his job, and she takes a sip of her wine. As the fruity flavor dances across her tongue, she watches his facial expressions, and she wonders if he knew how cute he was when he moved his eyebrows. And he made his work sound a lot duller than her own. "So, does all of your interesting work come in the summer? Or is it just slow this time of year for you?" She smiled in return, she was interested, and she wanted to know more about his work.
And there was the laugh again, Lexi was mentally pumping her fist at the low rumble coming from him. What would she have to do to get him to do it again? Thinking about that almost made her miss his words, and his tone, he was really amused over his story. "What? All Zamboni drivers drive drunk, didn't you know that? I'm surprised that you only want to focus on the one. Unless he deserves it, of course!" Laughing at his story, and at her response, her eyes nearly shut from her expression, she was getting him to loosen up. And that made her really happy, Christian was a lot of fun to be around, when he was like this.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 25, 2007 8:32:13 GMT 7
Christian was watching her with laughing eyes until she queried him playfully about learning a polka. Then he couldn't help but laugh aloud, shaking his head with wide eyes before taking a drink of his margarita. Once his laughter was contained, he shook his head at her again. "Do I look like I would know how to polka?" Even saying it made him smile - the very thought was beyond humourous to him. The boots, big sleeves, and hat... yeah, not his style. At all.
"I think I might take you up on that," he said in response to her offer. He hadn't been to the Metropolitan in what felt like forever; it would be nice to visit again. Besides, if the friendship slowly developing between the two had any hope of growing, it would be a good option. Christian was enjoying his time in her company and wouldn't mind in the least spending time with her again.
He shook his head with a deep frown at the mention of his sister. "Grace doesn't share too much," he said. Though he adored his flambouyant and outgoing older sister, she had always been more reserved when it came to sharing her success with her family. She was thrilled to tell Christian when a rare new piece came in, but her details were left to his imagination. It was just how it has always been.
Christian shook his head a little, letting his fingers idly circle the rim of his margarita glass. "March and April, strangely enough, never bring too much to the table. All of the other months are pretty busy, especially during the summer. That's when you get all the special interest columns and get to work on the travel section." His smile increased subconsciously when he mentioned the traveling. It was a favorite pastime for the journalist. He loved visiting other cities and countries - it was a complete fascination for him. "I'd love to work on the travel division, but I don't think that will be happening this summer," he said with almost sad smile. "Perhaps next year, though."
Laughter, low but genuine, passed once more through Christian's lips before he took another drink. She was having a good time jesting him. He couldn't blame her; he was thoroughly enjoying it as well. "And how would you know Zamboni drivers drive drunk?" He paused for a moment, realizing his words came out a bit like a tongue twister, before shaking his head and smirking again. "Because if you know someone guilty of that crime," he added with a smile, "I could get them on the front page." A jest, yes, but it seemed fitting.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 26, 2007 10:38:09 GMT 7
With her eyes widening, and a slight chagrined look, Lexi believes for the briefest of moments that she has broken Christian. To hear him laugh so much, it was really, really nice, and she wanted him to keep laughing. Grinning at his question on knowing anything about polkas, she shrugs her shoulders dramatically, and rolls her eyes, going along with him. "I dunno, you might be one of those closet mad polka guys, with the costume and everything. And a huge music collection, with dance awards on the walls, and cuckoo clocks. Please tell me you don't have a cuckoo clock." She knew he probably didn't have any of that stuff in his apartment. And the thought of that made her wonder what the inside of his apartment really looked like.
Christian's response to her invitation made Lexi feel a little excited, she would really like to show him her work, since he was so obviously interested in it. As she sipped on her wine, she was a little surprised that his sister didn't talk about her work so much. Maybe he wasn't as close with his older sister as he was with his younger one. "Well, I can send you my schedule, and you can let me know when you want to come. Or you can surprise me, and call, when you have a free moment." The thought of Christian surprising her made her smile slightly, there was hope for him yet, if all the laughter was any sign.
The talk of Christian's work, how slow it was right now, and that he really liked to work in the travel part, caught Lexi's attention. She was watching how he curled his fingers around his glass, and she was getting a little distracted. But the part about traveling sounded really fun. "Oh, why not, Christian? It sounds like you enjoy that part of your work. Where have you traveled to, when working on one of the columns?" She didn't dare ask the other question in her mind, which was did he ever take anyone with him on his travels. She might not like the answer, and she might ruin his mood by asking it, so she would keep it to herself for a while.
And another laugh from him, about the Zamboni drivers, she wasn't that funny, was she? Grinning back at him, she waves a hand in the air, and says, "You never know, I mean, have you watched one drive around before? I could never figure that out, how they decide when to turn, and he could always be hiding his beer under the seat." Laughing lightly, she sips on her wine, and watches him with amusement dancing behind her eyes. She was having a lot of fun, and she was so glad that she had come to the bar to be with him.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 28, 2007 22:17:48 GMT 7
"Closet mad polka guys..." Christian repeated with arched eyebrows and an almost frightened look on his face as he nodded slowly. "I just might be," he said, offering her a smile and glance that lasted almost a hint too long. She seemed rather serious about the cuckoo clock; that humoured him, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Alexia was playful and he couldn't help but find himself drawn to her bubbly and entertaining personality. This was going to be a good night. "Everywhere," he said with a shrug and tiny smirk playing on the corners of his lips. "Two in each room, actually." Christian resisted the urge to laugh at their nonsense, just barely escaping with a small upturn of his lips.
Dark chocolate eyes watched the younger girl as she talked about her schedule. She had that same outgoing and flattering personality that Rachel had back when they were still in school. It was almost haunting how similar their sweet humour was, but then again it couldn't be entirely rare. Could it? "I'll have to give you a call," he said with warm eyes. Stopping by at random would likely end in her not being around. Calling was probably the best policy.
"It's too late to submit a request," he said with a small shrug. "I'd hoped to do a piece on the Uffizi Gallery, but I might have to delay that until next year. Assuming Grace stays in the same place, that is." It would have been nice. He could have mingled work with play and spent some quality time with the sister he rarely saw. Alas, it wasn't meant to be for this particular summer.
Her next question made him laugh a little and tilt his chin, wondering how to respond. "I've not actually done a column out of the country," he said, "but I've been sent all across New York, to Boston, and there's talk about sending me out to Chicago in June." Christian loved his home city, but the thought of visiting his parents again almost made him decline. The journalist seemed to have a love-hate relationship with them; he didn't want to use them for financial security but he was only just starting out in his career. He didn't have much choice, but that burden left him with more headaches than smiles.
He laughed quietly along with her, taking a sip of his martini in turn with her own sip of wine. "That's very true," he said in agreement, smiling at her and shaking his head with a short laugh. "I can't say I'd ever want to drive one."
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 30, 2007 3:30:23 GMT 7
Lexi was worried for a brief moment, was she going too far in teasing Christian? She had almost done it back when they were in Starbucks, but she had been able to move past it with an apology. He looked very serious, as he admitted to possibly being a polka fanatic, and then he is talking about the cuckoo clocks. This was so subtle, and so hilarious to her, she throws her head back as she lets out a burst of laughter. he could be so funny when he wanted to be, and you had to be quick, it was such a dry sense of humor. But she loved it, and her brown eyes crinkle almost shut, as she gazes back into his chocolate ones. "I am going to have to see this famous apartment of yours, just to actually count the number of cuckoo clocks that you have in it."
Sipping slowly on her wine, humor still dancing in her eyes, Lexi watches Christian watching her as she spoke about the museum. What was it about him that she was finding so attractive? His good looks, or his dark, expressive eyes, or his sense of humor that took so much coaxing to get him to show it to her? Maybe all of those reasons together, or maybe she could see some similarity between them at some level. Nodding slowly, with a warm smile, to hide the excitement she truly felt, she couldn't wait to get that call. "A call would be good, one never knows when one's schedule will change."
Lexi felt a little sorry for him, Christian sounded like he loved his sisters, even if he wasn't all that close with them at times. She felt close to her brothers, they had been merciless with their teasing of her when she was young, but they never hesitated to stand up for her when some other kid was trying to threaten her. But it was sweet enough that she felt some sympathy for him, and hoped that he would be able to get to go to Europe, and see his sister. "Awww, that's too bad, Christian. I think Italy would be a great place to visit, and being able to see your sister would be great too. She doesn't know how much longer she will be over there? Is she on a contract?"
Christian almost seemed reluctant when he mentioned his home town, and that caused Lexi to look at him with some concern. She always felt that she could go home to see her parents, and her family, it always felt so good when she went there. But some people were different, and didn't always get along with their families as well. She wanted to reach out, and touch his hand, just to make him feel a little better. But she felt like they weren't at that point in their relationship yet. "Oh, wow, I think traveling for work would be fun, as long as you weren't away from home for too long. And you will get to go to some of the music places you like, won't you, when you're back in Chicago? That will be fun for you, won't it?"
Smirking as he laughed about the Zamboni, she tilts her head to the side, lifting her fine brows, looking like she didn't believe him. "Oh, really? You don't think it would be fun just to ride around a rink, resurfacing the ice, driving in circles, and getting drunk while you did it?" Chuckling softly, sipping from her wine glass, she imagined Christian and herself riding a Zamboni together, and she thought that being anywhere with him would be fun. Especially when he was so relaxed as he was right now, this was so nice, and she was having a wonderful time with him.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 30, 2007 5:18:30 GMT 7
Christian's dark eyes watched her and the humour so clearly plastered on her face. From the look in her eyes and laughter spilling from her lips, it was safe to assume she was having a good time. Rather than debate with himself about the pleasure of his company, Christian merely accepted it with a small smile that barely showed his teeth.
Her words startled him, but the expression was hidden behind the delicate martini glass touching his peach-coloured lips. How could he respond to that? If he didn't have work the following morning, he would have invited her to come after the show and have some tea. But then again, that was inappropriate, wasn't it? Christian did not know how to answer her. "You might be surprised!" he ended up saying with a hint of enthusiasm that matched the natural sparkle she was bringing out in him.
"Grace likes to bounce around from one job to the next," he explained, wrapping and unwrapping his strong fingers around the thin martini glass on the counter. "She can't ever seem to be content in just one place. She has been in Italy for a year now and I'm pretty sure she is happy for the time being. There's just no telling when she'll pick up and move again," he said with a shrug and soft smile. Grace was so much different than her younger brother. Christian preferred security while Grace would rather jump in with both feet and pray she didn't collapse.
He nodded in agreement with her when she spoke of traveling. "I will," he said with a nod and smile. Christian was due a visit to the House of Blues; he would need to make arrangements for that if he was assigned a project back home this summer. "And I'll get stuffed to the brim with food I shouldn't eat," he added with a chuckle. What would it be like if Lexi went along with him? No, that couldn't happen. The two were forming a quick bond, but it would be rash to mention something like that so soon.
"I prefer to watch the hockey games rather than clean the ice they skate on," he said with another soft, low laugh. OOC: Haha, I cheated with my last sentence. =P Sorry that one is like, literally one sentence long.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 30, 2007 6:35:35 GMT 7
((cheater! (j/k!) it's fine, no worries!)) Watching him sip on his martini, Lexi was thinking that her comment about seeing his apartment might be a little forward. But it wasn't like she was wanting to see it tonight, was it? She hoped he wasn't offended by it, she wasn't trying to be pushy, but she could be that way sometimes. And she really wanted to make this work with him, not mess it up, like she had done in the past. His energetic reply made her feel a little bit better, but not that much. Smiling, she lifts her brows slightly, trying to match his level of enthusiasm. "Oh, I'm looking forward to it. Do they all go off at the same time? And doesn't that wake you up at night?"Sipping her wine, Lexi is able to hide her feeling sorry a little for Christian, it sounded like Grace was so different from him. Maybe that was where some of the intuition that was telling her something else was going on came from, and she didn't want to drag it out into the open. She could see him wrapping and unwrapping his fingers around the glass, and she wondered if it made him feel uncomfortable. Deciding to be supportive, she sighs, a slight, warm smile curling the edge of her lips. "Well, I hope you get a chance to see her over there, before she moves on. From what I have heard, that part of Italy is very beautiful."Laughing lightly as his reply about going to Chicago, enjoying the dry humor in the chuckle she heard from him, she couldn't imagine him stuffing himself with food. He seemed to be in really good shape, even through the layers of clothing that he was wearing. "What kind of food would that be, Christian? What kind of bad food do they have that you like, besides the hot dogs?" She remembered his comment back from their glorious day at Starbucks, and she hoped he had some other sophisticated tastes. She suddenly had a little pang, she wanted to go with him, and let him show her the sights. But it just felt a little too soon, they would have to spend some more time together. And she hoped that she didn't blow the whole thing at some point. Laughing at his remark about the Zamboni, she looks at his brown eyes with her own. Shrugging her shoulders slightly, she glances to the side, and then turns her gaze back to him. "Do you go to the hockey games, on a regular basis? Maybe we could go to one, sometime. Maybe even take one of the Zambonis for a test ride, see what it's like." That sounded like so much fun for her, it would be a good thing for them to do together. Hopefully, Christian would feel the same way too.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 30, 2007 6:58:45 GMT 7
"They're enchanted." Perhaps the martini was loosening him up as well. Or maybe it was just the pleasant company of Alexia and the sweet environment of the Wreck Room. Either way, when Christian spoke his eyes were narrowed beneath a single, raised eyebrow. "They only go off when I tell them to," he said with a sense of simple arrogance about him. It didn't last, of course. He offered her a smile, almost full on playful considering it was Christian.
Christian smiled, receiving her sympathetic smile with a matching one of his own. "That's what I've heard," he said in agreement. "It would definitely be a nice vacation spot. I can't imagine living there, though. New York has become more like home than anywhere else." Although Chicago was still his favorite city by default, Christian had grown to love the life he lived in New York City. It was fast-paced and so multi-cultural. There was something about the vibrant metropolitan atmosphere that held Christian close.
"The hot dogs probably have more calories than a slice of cheesecake," he said exuberantly, shaking his head at the very thought. "They will have food from every side of the world and you can bet almost all of it will be unhealthy. It will taste good, but it will leave it's mark," he added with a sideways smile in her direction.
Christian shook his head after sipping his martini once more. "Not on a regular basis. I think the last one I went to was about three months ago." Christian leaned back in his chair, his eyes flickering in the direction of the stage. The crowd was beginning to get wired and enthuasiastic: the band was filing out from the opposite corners of the stage. "I think that sounds wonderful!" he exclaimed with a smile over the sudden roar of the crowd. The show was finally beginning.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 30, 2007 9:30:51 GMT 7
The serious look on Christian's face, and somberness of his tone, made his reply that much funnier. The dry wit that he naturally had sounded almost sarcastic. Maybe it was the wine starting to affect her, but there was a short, loud burst of laughter from Lexi, and she tried to repeat the words he had spoken. "Enchanted... cuckoo clocks... that's so... you!" Holding her arms over her stomach, she finally catches a couple of breaths.
Wiping some tears from her eyes, careful not to smear her eyeliner, Lexi bares her white teeth in a slight grin. She felt a giggle or two trying to sneak out, and she didn't want to seem so high school-ish in front of Christian. It was important to her to appear to be a little more mature around him, she thought he appreciated more mature women. But she couldn't totally suppress her fun loving nature, that would always be there. "Yes, it would be hard to see myself living there for a long amount of time. I love being closer to home, like I am now. Don't get me wrong, I'm always curious about new things, but that would be a big step." Maybe when she graduated, she would feel a little different, but not now.
Arching her eyebrows, Lexi is even more curious about the food in Chicago. She could tell that Christian enjoyed talking about it, and now she really wanted to go there with him, to sample the food. "Cheesecake? Wow, I love cheesecake! And most food will leave a mark on you. I would try it, just to get a taste for it, and then have to go back on my soccer training diet. And probably run laps every day!" She returns his smile, truly enjoying this conversation, and liking the way that he was looking at her.
As the show sounded like it was going to start, she caught most of Christian's reply, and thinks that she needed to get some hockey tickets. Maybe someone at the museum would have some, or know of someone who did. And she could ask him to go, she enjoyed watching most sports, especially when she was at the game in the stadium. Watching the band coming onto the stage, she claps her hands, she couldn't wait for the music to start.
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