Sam can't dance (never tried).

So she watches.

She's bundled in red sweater and shades and black hair in a loose tail - hiding her ears. Jeans, too.

So much jealousy, so much envy, so much admiration.

Sigh.

Jetta is also watching.

This is because she can't dance eight months pregnant. She hasn't tried, because she doesn't want to make a fool of herself.

Instead, she is sitting serenely on a stool and smiling winsomely at the boys. They can't help but notice her, because since her condition renders dressing seductively impossible, she's dressed to be gorgeous.

Which she is.

I'm not sure why she's in the warehouse. Perhaps it's for the age group; boys are easier to ensnare than men.

It's the singularity of Jetta that catches Sam's eye.

Gorgeous, as stated. Stunning.

Sam is staring. Sam doesn't realize this.

Jetta does. And she directs a special, friendly, 'hello there' smile Sam's way.

It isn't just boys she manipulates, you know.

Half of her female 'friends' stick around because they're afraid of what she'll say behind their back if they leave her. The other half are in awe of her.

Sam flushes, because yeah, she just realized she was staring.

"I- god, sorry."

Sam is looking away. Sam is so self-concious.

She just wants to melt into the floor. How could she be so stupid all the time?

Ngh.

Jetta grins.

"Honey, I'm used to it."

She waves Sam over.

"You drink, kiddo?"

"I. No?"

Is that the wrong answer?

Argh. Trying not to sound pathetic, girl.

Softly, "Not really."

No reason not to, just.

She gets kinda wild when she's tipsy, kinda... out there. She doesn't like it, finds it embarrassing.

Jetta smiles.

"Me either." Glance downward.

"Well, not lately. The father'd kill me if I did anything to hurt the baby."

Great. Jetta just turned little Laelia into a tool for manipulation.

It will be a good thing when the child is born and Teague has custody.

"Oh." Ever so softly.

"Is it - is he-" Argh.

Tongue tied.

"How long?" Before the baby is born, that is.

Sounded stupid. So stupid. And Sam isn't stupid, and she does know how to carry on a conversation.

Jetta's just intimidating.

"About a month. I can't wait; it's like walking around with a watermelon on my stomach."

Dramatic sigh.

"It'll be forever before I've got my tone back."

You know, being pregnant has actually softened the too-perfect sharpness of her face.

She doesn't like the effect.

Self-concious glance down at herself.

Sam is naturally willowy - lithe, actually. Species thing.

It helps that she diets obsessively and is just a tad anorexic about it. Body image? What body image?

Half-concious sigh. Still ugly.

Anyway.

"Is the father...?" Decent? Around? Not a murderer? Not that she thinks Jetta would sleep with someone like that, but....

All guys are like that. Jerks, the lot.

Not that she can blame them. She is ugly, after all.

Jetta shrugs.

"He's okay, I guess."

Actually, she despises him.

Although it's nice to have a slave.

"By the way, honey, I'm Jetta."

"Sam." Argh, boy's name. "Samatha, I mean."

Depending on which you'd rather me be.

Sam....

Can't really make excuses for her, I'm afraid. She just wants to make a good impression. That's all.

I'm afraid that's impossible. If Sam were gorgeous and confident, Jetta would be jealous. Since Sam is shy and self-conscious (although quite pretty), Jetta is superior and manipulative.

It's impossible to win, and therefore, one must take no notice of her.

"Pretty name."

She tilts her head.

"I don't think black's a good hair color for you, though."

Sam smiles tentatively, and then looks away - not wilting, she isn't that spineless. Just uncomfortable.

"I - yeah. I don't know, I just can't find a color that fits."

And she hates her natural hair color.

Shrug.

"Come shopping with me sometime, and we'll see what we can do, huh?"

By shopping, she means going to a salon and picking out a color and all that sort of fun thing.

Jetta's treat, of course.

The first time.

Blink behind her shades. "That sounds... that sounds nice."

Smile? Maybe?

"Thought it would."

She looks over Sam's outfit.

"We'll do something about your wardrobe, too."

Unsaid is 'I hope that isn't what you call nice.'

Sam flushes, which isn't a good expression for her. You need to be cool and smooth to pull off shades - she isn't.

She's just, well, weird. She's learned to (almost) accept this.

"...yeah."

Wardrobe bad. Check. She knows this.

A few times, she's been tempted to just stop caring, but... she looks wrong. She isn't going to let that little tidbit out.

Better to look weird than look... deformed.

Jetta smiles.

"Don't worry, pet. I'll make you a dream come true."

And make Sam depend on Jetta for that status. Oh yes.

Power in one area is given up for power in another.

Nasty girl, Jetta.