Tea with a new friend

[Josette Bradamante]

The walk had been short and we had chatted pleasantly the whole way. I found myself liking Noemi more with each minute I knew her. We arrived at Cachette and went inside.

“Where do you prefer to sit?” I asked, looking around.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"I should probably say a dark and mysterious corner since it's generally a more interesting answer but I like windows," I replied with a grin. "As long as I'm not having to look straight into the sun. How about over there?" I gestured to a table near the back, just to the corner of a window where we could watch the City if we wanted. I was having a lot of fun with Josette and I was glad that she was the first female friend I'd managed to make. "Maybe we can make some people wonder about the two pretty girls sitting in the cafe and make some boys fall in love with us or something," I teased.

[Josette Bradamante]

“I knew I liked you and the way you think,” I said with a grin. Hooking my arm through hers, I wound a way through the tables to the one she had chosen. “This is perfect!” I told her as I released her arm.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"I'm glad you agree," I said with a grin and a laugh as we walked over to the the table, then sat down on one side. "And you liking being around me is probably a good thing considering we're eating and shopping and you're stuck with me through it." Josette was really a lot of fun and I was glad she and I were shaping up to be such good friends. With a faint, jesting tug on her arm I gestured to the other chair. "Sit down, it's hard to have boys ogling over us when they can't even get a full picture."

[Josette Bradamante]

“Good point,” I said with a laugh as I took my seat. I grinned at Noemi, then not-so-subtly tugged at my bodice so that my breasts were more prominently featured. “Better?”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

I could only laugh light-heartedly as Josette adjusted herself to show her assets and shake my head good-naturedly. "Better for you probably, though I'm sure I know where all of the eyes will be going now," I replied jokingly, then running my fingers back through my hair. "Now I'll have to try and impress them with my smile alone or something. We'll see which particular attribute wins out!"

[Josette Bradamante]

“You have a dazzling smile,” I told her, still grinning. “I feel it’s a rather fair fight now.”

A waiter came over; his eyes moving back and forth from one of us to the other so quickly I was certain he’d end up pulling a muscle. He handed us menus and retreated, though not far.

“Told you,” I said, winking at Noemi.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

With a natural smile I took the menu and watched the waiter being confused and dazzled between us, hiding a good bit of my amusement until he was far enough away that I wouldn't offend him. Just because he was confused was no reason to take advantage of his appreciation. "Well, it's good to know that a smile still gets me somewhere here," I teased with a light laugh as I looked over my menu. "Though I still think I'd get further if I showed off some of my other assets at the same time. Maybe when I'm shopping today I should look for something along those lines."

[Josette Bradamante]

“Oh, dress shopping, one of my favorites!” I said happily. “I know of a couple wonderful shops, we can start there if you’d like.”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"That sounds fantastic," I agreed eagerly, looking over the menu to see what they offered. The teas were as astounding as she'd said and it took me a moment of looking to even narrow down the list of options. "What do you think is the best thing here? I'm trying to make up my mind," I said with a light laugh.

[Josette Bradamante]

“I was going to have the fish salad with crackers and a cup of strawberry tea,” I told her. “The chicken is quite good as well. All the teas I’ve had are wonderful, so it just sort of depends on what you think will go best with what you are eating.”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"Maybe I'll have the chicken with a chai tea, or the peppermint," I said cheerfully as I kept looking at the menu, hoping something in particular would jump out at me as the absolutely perfect thing to have on a morning like this. "What dress shops do you like around here?"

[Josette Bradamante]

“Bella Boutique or Sujet a la mode if you are interested in something more… eye-catching,” I replied with a grin.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"That sounds like the best places then- I only hope I know what I can get away with," I said with a cheerful smile. "I'm a little more used to Serenissiman fashion in some ways but my sister loves to design clothes so she gets me involved at times too. I'll have to tell her about what I find."

[Josette Bradamante]

“I promise to give you honest opinions of anything you ask me about,” I said, smiling.

The waiter came over and I gave him my order, then he looked at Noemi.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

Giving the waiter another smile I made my own order, settling on the chicken salad and the chai tea, then watched him walk away with a bit of a wider smile. He really was handsome, just like almost everyone else here, but I looked back at my friend a moment later. "I'd appreciate the help, really," I told Josette sincerely. "And if you need any opinions I'll be glad to offer mine as well."

[Josette Bradamante]

“I’m certain I’ll be asking your opinions on everything I try on,” I said, grinning. “You’ll likely get sick of it.”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"I don't get sick of things like that- I'm really rather used to it," I admitted cheerfully. "If it's not my sister and I out shopping or she's making something and wants me to look it over. It'll be nice to shop with someone new really, so I can see some things that are a bit different."

[Josette Bradamante]

“Sounds like we were destined to go shopping today,” I said with a laugh. The waiter returned with our tea. He was very methodical as he set everything up, his eyes never stopping as they moved from one of us to the other.

Once he left, I smiled at Noemi. “He really is handsome, no?”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

I thanked the waiter with a smile as he set the cups down and made sure everything was just so, then glanced at Josette once he started walking away with a smile. "But of course he is- is that why you picked this place?" I asked teasingly as I stirred my tea slowly to let it cool a little before I tried it.

[Josette Bradamante]

“It wasn’t in fact, but he might be the reason I return,” I replied, grinning and wiggling my eyebrows.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"Well, be sure to come and remind me from time to time so I can come with you," I told her with a laugh, then took a sip of my tea. "Unless I'd be interfering, then at least tell me how it went. "

[Josette Bradamante]

“Oh, you wouldn’t be interfering, I don’t mind sharing,” I said, smiling at her. “Stories or experiences.” I chuckled and then took a sip of my tea.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

Her words made made me smile and laugh a bit, completely at ease with my new friend. "Then we should both definitely come back here more often and see who has the better luck," I teased lightly, pushing some hair behind my ear.

[Josette Bradamante]

“That sounds like fun,” I agreed with a chuckle. I glanced out the window and watched the people for a moment. “Of course, there are plenty of places we could go to compete over attractive men, the City s rife with them.” My attention returned to the waiter. “Is he your type or do you prefer other things in a man?”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"I've tended to notice that about this place too," I replied, still grinning and watching her for a moment before I glanced out the window as well. "And I don't know that I have too much of a type so much as just being a little dazed by all of the handsome men around here. In Serenissima I heard it 'everyone in Terre d'Ange is beautiful', but I didn't realize how different it would be."

[Josette Bradamante]

“What are the men like in La Serenissima?” I asked, leaning a little closer in interest.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

Her obvious curiosity made me smile a bit wider for it, then I took another sip of my tea as I gathered my ideas together. "A lot of them are handsome in a dark way, exotic and charming, but they're not beautiful in the same way as the men here. I didn't realize it would be such a change but now I can definitely see the difference." Cocking my head slightly I set down my cup, then rested my chin in my hands. "What kind of men do you prefer?"

[Josette Bradamante]

“I am rather indiscriminate, to be truthful,” I said, chuckling a little. “I like most men, but I am drawn to those who smile the most, have a free spirit, and are willing to do anything I am. It’s more an internal thing than how they look. Same with women.”

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"That's a reasoning that I can understand," I told her in complete sincerity. "Though in Serenissima you kind of have to be a little more careful who you give attention to because girls are supposed to be more discreet. A handsome face is what will get my attention, but it takes something more than that to keep it, and something like a friendship to get further than a kiss." That may have seemed terribly reserved here, I wasn't sure, but I also wasn't going to change that part of my nature either. Her statement about women didn't bother me at all though- everyone had their own tastes and if I met the right girl perhaps I might even try it myself. I wasn't so rigid in my ideals that I could say for certain. "And the free spirit and smile is definitely a big thing for me as well."