#bergen_county

"Me either. Just... .right now... it hurts again."

"...I know."

Eyes downcast, and voice soft. "There are spells that would take it away. Make you forget. Forget me.. or forget the pain, and move on. ...Zane could, even. If that's what you wanted."

"He offered. No. I feel how I feel."

A small nod. "It's your choice."

Without turning back, he nods and goes to the door. "See ya around, Piper." He manages.

"I... I hope so, Adam." She says, watching him go... but, not following - not reaching after.

And he is gone.

She exhales a breath she didn't know she was holding, and wipes her face, a little shakily. Turning back into the apartment, to toss open a window and breathe fresh air.

She can hear sounds of the pool nearby... full of water and...

SPRITZ... water in her face.

The raccoon with the water gun grins

She blinks, her face already damp, but now wet again, and... sputters, astonished.

The pooka chitters and seems to dare her

"I... Rikki??" Wiping her face, and sniffling a bit. "Were you LISTENING to... to us?"

A shake of her head

but.. is that a no no or a yes no? or a ...

SQUIRT!

She looks torn for a moment - half about to burst into tears, but then the absolute ludicrousness of a raccoon on her balcony with a squirt gun sinks in, and she can't help a small laugh. "You... are the worst. Well, did you want to come in? I don't have any snacks, I'm warning you now. I don't thnk I even have any bubbly water."

She makes a twirl around motion.

Wiping her face, Piper turns to give Rikki a moment of privacy.

And gets shot in the back, but this time there's a voice "We have a pool and you're not IN it, that's like a crime in three states"

"I.... I'll come down to dangle my hooves in, if you can promise not to push me in. I have a fresh tattoo and I don't think it can get wet yet." And she turns, shielind her face, and gives Rikki an appraising look. "Did you MEAN to come interrupt a perfectly good night sniffling into my pillow? Or are you just tired of my breakup tunes?"

"Oh yeah that let's roll with that" Rikki nods, "Wait, you've got inked?" Interested

And she tries to peek

And she turns, about to show her, then pauses. "No squirting!" And shows off the tattoo. Then she digs into a pile of laundry and finds a strapless sundress that passes the 'sniff and wrinkle check' test, and quickly changes. "Okay, let's see this pool."

"Doesn't look THAT impressive through these emerald lenses" She says clearly admiring the artistry then says "Guess we'll just have to sip cold drinks by the pool.. what torture" And she leads her down

Piper takes a moment to hide the letter in the safest place she can think of, which at the moment is the empty crisper drawer in her fridge - and then follows.

And a certain satyr might even enjoy herself

Her melancholy tucked away, she even might.

(End Scene)