Unsettled (open)

[Remy]

Remy walked on top of the roof of the Populaire with a letter in her hand. It was after the hours of midnight. Remy had been awoken by the sound of unsettled people rummaging around.

Slowly Remy walked to the edge of the rooftop and sat down Her feet were bare and a bit cool. Remy quickly opened up the letter and began reading. It was hard not to cry after reading that her parents would not be able to come and visit her. It had been longer than six months since she last say them. That time felt like forever and now she would have to wait longer. Remy's parents had been in London for so long.The letter dropped out of Remy's hand, she couldn't bare reading any longer.

Remy stopped crying soon after. Her eyes were red and it looked like she had been crying. It was typical, they always did it, they would never come and visit. A breeze passed by and the letter flew around the rooftop landing by the door.

[Thérèse Dupassé]

It was late in the night, or early in the morning depending on how you look at it, when Thérèse finished washing the ballet dormitory linens. The ballerinas would have clean sheets the next day, how nice. After hours bent over the tubs of water, scrubbing vigorously at the endless mound of sheets, her back was stiff and she was far too awake to go straight to bed.

In her short time working at the Opera House she had seen some people sneaking off to the stairs that led to the roof. She presumed it was for some time alone, something in short supply in such a crowded environment. Perhaps the fresh air would do her good. She wasn't sure if this was really allowed, but it seemed now would be as good a time to try it as any. Carefully glancing around to make sure no one saw her- No, of course not! They're all in bed!, she thought sulkily- she set off for the stairs. She climbed carefully, wincing at each creak beneath her feet.

She opened the door onto the rooftop and paused for a moment as the cool air hit her. Something fluttered under her foot and she looked down to see a letter trapped beneath her shoe. She bent down and picked it up. She almost opened the letter to read it, then remembered that perhaps its owner was stlil nearby. ...And there, Thérèse presumed, she was, as she caught a glimse of a young woman nearby.

"Um, excuse me..." Thérèse began hesitantly. "Is... Is this letter your's?"

[Remy]

Remy turned her attention awway from the city buildings to an unfamiliar voice. She tried to hid her face with the dark curls, shielding the sadness. A young woman stood looking at her holding the letter. She looked like she would be a singer with her beauty, but looks can be decieving.

Slowly, Remy stood up and walked toward her stopping half way. "Yes ma'am it... well... is." She said softly. She walked toward the girl and looked at the letter. Remy saw the writing of her father. Her hand went forward and clapsed the note. As she pulled her hand away the letter went by her side.

"Thank you...um," She paused," I am Remy, Remy Richmond." REmy didn't really like what her parents had named her, why have double R's?

[Thérèse Dupassé]

"Ma'am?" Thérèse was somewhat taken aback. "Aren't you in the corps de ballet...?" She asked, inspecting her face closer, despite Remy's attempts to shield herself. "I haven't been here very long, so I don't quite know everyone yet. But I know one thing for certain, you don't have to address me as Madame." She smiled a little, nevertheless pleased that she had addressed her so repsectfully. "My name is Thérèse Dupassé."

She paused, still curious about the contents of the letter but felt it would be too rude to ask. In the moment of silence she noticed Remy's red-rimmed eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked, glancing behind her to make sure that there were no more intruders on the scene.

[Remy]

"Yes i am in the Ballet," she said smiling. Remy wanted to know more about Thérèse Dupassé, she seemed nice so far. "Arn't you a singer or dancer?" She asked wanting to know so much. Another breeze swept by and the curls flew in the wind.

As Thérèse asked Remy the last questions of the conversation remy turned around towards the edge then half way turned to Thérèse, "Yes, yes, i'll be ok in time." Remy then turned all the way to Thérèse. Remy just couldn't stand still, she just had to move.

[Thérèse Dupassé]

"Neither. Just a maid," Thérèse answered, putting her hands forward to show Remy. They were red and raw from being soaked in the laundry water all night. "I watch the rehearsals if I get the chance... I try to clean the theater while there are rehearsals going on, but you can't always choose what needs to be done, can you?" She brushed back a stray strand of hair and shrugged slightly.

She moved a few steps closer to her, but hung back, not sure if Remy would prefer her to go or stay. "Are you sure, mademoiselle?" She asked, conscious of addressing her properly now that both of their places within the opera house were stated. "Because if there's anything I could do..."

[Remy]

"To me, you looks as if you would be a singer, for your radiance," Remy was only speaking the truth. She shook her head when she saw her hands, it looked like she had been working to hard. It was a shame what all they had to do to clean up after singers and dancers. "Please i would rather you call me Remy," Remy stated.

"No, there is nothing you can do... nothing at all." she said with a sad tone. Remy crinkled her toes.

(( sorry it's alittle short. Well, i've got ot go now so see ya later))

[Thérèse Dupassé]

"You flatter me," Thérèse said flatly. She hid her hands in the folds of her skirt. She had come to Paris to make a success of herself and now she was scrubbing laundry past midnight with nothing to show for it but ugly, raw hands. "I will call you Remy if you promise you don't mind," she said with a small smile. "I don't want to get fired for impudence."

"If you're sure..." Thérèse murmured, shooting Remy a sideways glance. She didn't want to pry, but she did want to help. "...Nothing a little Paris won't cure, I suppose. Look at all that." She swept her arm in front of them, indicating the endless rows of rooftops and streets. "It helps put things into perspective. At least, that's how I feel coming from the country."

[Remy]

Remy smiled and crossed her bare arms so they would at least stay alittle warm. She said with warmth in her voice,"No, i don't mind a friend calling me Remy." Thérèse would be the first friend she had since she got to the populaire. The redness in her eyes had disappeard and she felt no longer sad.

Remy looked across the many rooftops. Each were different, one tall on short, one brown and one white, none were the same. "If you don't mind me asking, where have you lived all your life? Did you just stay in one spot and hope for the best?" Remy wanted to know where other people had lived other than traveling around the world.

[Thérèse Dupassé]

"I grew up in Blérancourt. You've never heard of it, of course, no one has. It's tiny. Took me about 10 minutes to walk from one side of town to the other. It's in the department of Aisne... Near Soissons. I grew up there with my grandmother, but she passed away a few months ago." Thérèse looked down slightly, but other than that did not appear particularly upset. "I made arrangements for what little she had and then left for Paris a few weeks later." Her tone added an unspoken "good riddance" to the end of her monologue.

"And yourself?" She asked.

[Remy]

Remy listened with interest, but when it was her turn it wasn't so interesting. "Well, i've lived everywhere around England and a bit of Russia. My parents were never in the same place as i but they stayed together. My nanny was my gardian for many years, untill i was seventeen I left to live on my own in the town of Maenclochog, in Pembrokeshire." She stopped and smiled.

"I hardly ever saw my parents as they were always traveling with their professions." she stated.

[Thérèse Dupassé]

"Maenclochog?" Thérèse couldn't help but giggle at the strange word. "No wonder English is so difficult. What kind of ridicuolous name is Maenclochog?" In perfectly xenophobic fashion, she had little interest in England.

"Russia must have been fascinating though. What is it like? I hear it's like living in the last century." She surveyed the Parisian rooftops with approval. Even though living in the country made her feel decades out of date, at least she was better off than the Russians.

She did not pick up on any significance in the lack of Remy's parents in her life. She had never known her mother or father and had accustomed herself to the idea, not considering that perhaps Remy did not feel the same way. "That's interesting, what did your parents do?"

[Remy]

"Yea, i thought Maenclochog was weird at first but once i visited it was so nice." She said swiftly tring to get out everything. "I only stayed in Maenclochog for two years and through that time i never really uncovered the anscestory of it.

"Russia was beautiful but i wasn't there for a long period of time either. So many months weren't enough." she said.

Remy could tell she was slightly interested,"Well, my father is a playwriter and my mother is the lead singer in many opera's."

[Thérèse Dupassé]

"Oh, so this opera house must be just like home, hm?" Thérèse said lightly. "I'd never seen an opera till I came here. Once a year or so they'd put on little plays at the chateau, but such is the extent of my culture. With a background like that I'm surprised you're dancing in the ballet corps..." She blushed and said quickly, "Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's very prestigious. Who am I to say anything differently? I didn't mean it like that..."

[Remy]

"I just wanted to try something knew and once i tried it i loved it. you'd think i'd be like my mother and be a singer, i tried but did not succed." Remy ended.

((sorry no muse at the mo))