Order up! (open)

[Phoenix Rivers]

It wouldn't be too long before Phoenix had made her way to Merlotte's. Apparently everyone ate there almost all the time when they were too lazy to cook and while Phoenix didn't mind cooking, she was actually pretty bad at it.
So before she decided to visit her younger brother after his day of school ended, Phoenix made her way to Merlotte's for a pop and a burger with what little money she got off Allan a few nights back. She really needed to move out on that man, but there weren't tons of room mate options out there. And who knew what kind of freaks were out in the world now days anyways?

After she parked the Geo Metro, she pulled at her green colored top to pull it down and then made her way towards the bar. It was the middle of the day and it seemed relatively empty, which was a bummer.
Phoenix saw the pool table and then the bar itself where she went to plant her behind on a stool and smiled at the person behind the counter. Her eyes moved from the worker to the booze it had to offer over to the small fridge where she noticed Tru Blood sitting inside the thing. A big smile pulled on her face, it was always exciting to see an establishment that accepted vampires, so already Merlotte's seemed to rate pretty high in her mind.

"Can I get a menu and whatever white pop you all got in this place?" Phoenix pulled her red hair off her shoulders as it seemed to stick due to the warm Louisiana temperature. The waitress nodded and went about placing the drink order for Phoenix after she slipped the menu in front of her. With the few people in the place maybe one of them would have a suggestion of what to order in the place and what was known as the best food in Merlotte's.....

[Brandy Berry]

It was Monday, the day after a very nice long day with Sam. She had already been to work, a short day, and was content on spending all day at that bar. Could you imagine if she was actually a drinker? That would be awkward.

Brandy walked through the doors, a bounce in her steps as she pulled down her black skirt and adjusted her pink frilly top. High heels were a pain though, so as she found a free seat she pulled them off and slipped them underneath her seat.

A voice had caught her ears, asking about a menu. Curiously, she turned to look at the source. Oh, wait a minute - this was someone she hadn't seen before. A pretty girl, who was looking at the menu with a confused expression. Brandy decided to interrupt the girl's thoughts.

"You should go for the burger Lafayette, its the tastiest piece of meat you will ever have in your mouth"

[Phoenix Rivers]

Phoenix was about to close the menu and just ask the waitress her suggestion when a voice, female spoke up and offered their opinion. Phoenix's brown orbs went to the menu to see what the burger was when she heard the rest of the sentence the girl spoke. Phoenix couldn't help but smirk at the double meaning behind the words (or maybe that was just how her train of thought went) and then nodded her head and closed the menu.

"Well, I could never pass up a claim so rare in life." Phoenix ordered the burger with a smile and turned her full attention to the dark haired girl. She was attractive, her skin hue not as pale as Phoenix's which actually complimented her dark hair and eyes.

"My name is Phoenix and thank you. I think I would have left my meal choice to the mercy of the waitress if you hadn't come around." Phoenix picked up the glass of white pop and took a sip of it from the straw.

"So vampires must come in here a lot, hey?" Phoenix nudged her head over to the small refrigerator that contained tru blood behind the bar. Clearly the girl was out in the day time so she wasn't a vampire, but that was alright with her. She needed to meet more people in the town anyways since she moved back here. Anything to get out of Allan's apartment as much as possible.

[Brandy Berry]

"Well, I could never pass up a claim so rare in life."

Brandy had to think about that one for a moment. Oh. $hit. Well, it was who Brandy was - usually she would just ramble on without thinking. And, to add to that, she usually always said what was on her mind. In fact, people who knew her quickly became used to it.

But boy, what a thing to say for a first impression!

"Oh, I'm sorry - I usually end up saying things without even thinking. But really, I promise you will enjoy it. Lafayette is.. well, he is just full of awesome!"


"My name is Phoenix and thank you. I think I would have left my meal choice to the mercy of the waitress if you hadn't come around."

Brandy had glanced toward the waitress, who probably would of suggested the burger anyway - it was the most popular item on the menu after all. As Phoenix spoke, Brandy had grabbed her shoes - deciding it was probably better to join her.

"You don't mind do you? It makes more sense than rambling over a booth. My name is Brandy, but everyone around here calls me BB"

"So vampires must come in here a lot, hey?"

Oh right. The trublood in the fridge. Brandy nodded as she looked toward her.

"Yeah I guess. Even vampires are regular's here. Most of them are friendly, some aren't.. but they don't last long here if they aren't friendly."

[Phoenix Rivers]

Phoenix listened as the girl back peddled on her statement and she gave her a casual shrug of the shoulders. It didn't bother her or come across as crude, just funny as hell.
Phoenix watched as the girl stood up and made her way over to her and then spoke some more.

"No! Not at all! I mean it's better than sitting here and staring at the wall." Phoenix gave the girl a small smile as she noted the shoes she carried around with her. Her suspicious confirmed about the patronage only made Phoenix smile that much more and she looked back at the trublood in the fridge again.

"Well, I don't think I've met a vampire that wasn't friendly. When I was in Arizona I met this real nice one named Stephen and he had a real nice place set up. Til he went and moved on to another city." Phoenix took another sip of her pop before she set it down with a quick motion to her mouth.

"Are you thirsty?" Phoenix suddenly remembered her manners and sat up taller in her stool. "It sure is sticky today, you should drink something or you might pass out." Phoenix nodded her head, pulling her red hair off her shoulders again and this time putting it up in a nice updo fastened by a clip.
"One time when I was in Arizona and it got to be around 111 and I passed out myself. Now I make sure to drink lots of fluids." Phoenix explained more of her life to the girl and by the bounce in her tone it seemed as if she enjoyed talking about herself.

[Brandy Berry]

"Well, I don't think I've met a vampire that wasn't friendly. When I was in Arizona I met this real nice one named Stephen and he had a real nice place set up. Til he went and moved on to another city."

Oh, wow. By Phoenix's statements Brandy assumed that the girl was really fond of vampires. A fang banger perhaps? Though, there was something about that name that threw Brandy off. She didn't really like to use it - even in her thoughts.

"I'm sorry to hear that. "

Though, she had to admit, if for some reason Sam decided he needed to run to Arizona.. she would follow him.

"Are you thirsty?"

Brandy nodded, but she could grab something when the waitress came back.

"One time when I was in Arizona and it got to be around 111 and I passed out myself. Now I make sure to drink lots of fluids.

"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that.. must of been pretty scary. I will keep in mind to drink a lot if I ever find my way to Arizona."

She smiled warmly, looking toward the door and wondering if any of the old 'crew' would be showing up soon. It would be nice for them to meet the newest face in town.

[Phoenix Rivers]

The girl was nice which was very appreciative to meet someone that listened to Phoenix chatter on about herself. Phoenix smiled when the girl took her words of advice and she looked around the bar that seemed like a ghost town.
She said sorry a lot, which made Phoenix wonder if she was really sorry or if she felt like it was the right thing to say to her life story. Her life wasn't something to be particularly sorry about, just a few bumps in the road that would eventually work its way out.
Hopefully.

"Is it always this quiet around here? How long have you been living here?" Phoenix took another sip of her pop as she looked the girl over again.

"I'm new to town and well if you have any knowledge of anything that has been going on in the last couple of years or even months I would much appreciate listening to it. Especially if you know where a girl with just a high school diploma can get a job at." Phoenix set her glass down just as the waitress and the burger made its way out to her.

[Brandy Berry]

"Is it always this quiet around here? How long have you been living here?"

How long has she been living here? Well.. even that was a bit embarrassing. It was one of those 'actually been this long, but feels like <this> long kinda answers.

"A couple weeks"

Couple weeks that felt like a couple years. In a good way.


"I'm new to town and well if you have any knowledge of anything that has been going on in the last couple of years or even months I would much appreciate listening to it. Especially if you know where a girl with just a high school diploma can get a job at."

Oh wow. This woman was loaded with questions that Brandy couldn't really answer. She knew Sam was up to his ears in waitresses, but there was probably somewhere she could get a job downtown. Jason or Sookie were probably the ones to ask, but Brandy decided to give it her best shot.

"Uh.. I'm gonna say Bon Temp's town center will have something. This place picks up at night. Honestly. And there is a vampire bar in the next town over, if your into that"

[Phoenix Rivers]

Phoenix nodded her head and frowned lightly at the girls response of a couple of weeks. She doubted she would be much help, but then again who really knew?
Again another nod from Phoenix as she mentioned the town center and when Brandy mentioned the vampire bar in the next town she smiled.

"I look that obvious, hey?" Phoenix shrugged her shoulders and looked the girl over.
"I mean they were once people too ya know. Sure they have fangs and drink blood, but if you think about it humans are much the same. We pick on smaller pray and eat on it, though we actually kill ours to eat. Most vampires don't kill anymore, so in a way I guess that makes them more refined then us, hey?" Phoenix laughed lightly as she took a bite out of the burger and inhaled deeply.

"Wow, this is amazing-probably the best meat ever as you said before." Phoenix let out a small laugh at the thought of the girl's statement.
"So just a few weeks, really? Well you seem to be doing something right for yourself." Phoenix took a swallow of her white pop and looked at some male police officer that made his way into the bar.

"So whats the skinny on Bon Temps? Did I miss anything good in the last couple of years?"Phoenix took another bite of the burger and then set it down to give her full attention to the girl.

[Brandy Berry]

"I look that obvious, hey?"

"Obvious? Oh, well.. no. I just kinda always mention that bar. I went there once, met a marvelous woman named Pam. She really takes command of a room."

She hated to think of anyone making an bad impression on Pam.. if that ever happened, heaven help them!

"I mean they were once people too ya know. Sure they have fangs and drink blood, but if you think about it humans are much the same. We pick on smaller pray and eat on it, though we actually kill ours to eat. Most vampires don't kill anymore, so in a way I guess that makes them more refined then us, hey?"

Now, grant it, Brandy was all about being respectful of her other supes' - she was no biggot. But she also knew that like people, there were the good... and the very very bad. Phoenix was talking like she wanted Brandy's opinion. Brandy tilted her head slightly, she was a witch - this much was true, but she was also human.

"Once human, yes. But not all drink true blood and sleep with humans. Some really are, just like humans - cold, ruthless animals. You really have to be careful and not just run in blindly. Not everyone respects the line."

Brandy couldn't help but to laugh as Phoenix seemed to .. appreciate the burger as much as she did. It was the next question from her that kind of threw her -

"So just a few weeks, really? Well you seem to be doing something right for yourself."

"I would say it's mostly love."

Oh. Well, to late. She already said it.

"So whats the skinny on Bon Temps? Did I miss anything good in the last couple of years?"

Brandy could only laugh slightly, nodding toward the waitress to bring her a drink. Brandy seemed to always have a pina colada, so that was what she was brought.

"I really wish I could help you with that one, but really.. I'm the wrong person to ask. You want the scoop on the town.. you would really have to talk to Sam Merlotte"

[Phoenix Rivers]

Phoenix smiled and nodded her head at the mention of a lady named Pam who seemed to captivate a lot of people apparently. At least that is what Phoenix had taken it as when she mentioned how she took command of a room.

Phoenix arched a brown when Brandy gave her opinion about vampires and she nodded her head. She knew how she felt about vampires and appreciated the girl just giving her opinion. She hadn't met anyone other than Alan and she was getting plain bored of him.

Phoenix stopped chewing when Brandy mentioned being in love. She never had that, even if she put on the act of loving Alan, she didn't. How could someone love someone so suffocating and stifling? And bossy too now that she thought about it.

As she stopped chewing her burger, Phoenix listened to the girl and the name she mentioned. She had no idea who Sam Merlotte was, but obviously he owned the place, since this was called Merlotte's.

"So what is he like? Is he a vampire?" Phoenix looked around as if she expected to see this Sam Merlotte any time walking through the door, though it would contradict him being an actual vampire then.

"So what do you do? You a student or you work here?" Phoenix returned her gaze to the dark haired girl with a smile on her face. Everyone had a history and a story, she wondered what her's was.

[Brandy Berry]

"So what is he like? Is he a vampire?"

Brandy couldn't help but to laugh. Sam, a vampire? Far from it, and come to think of it - she didn't know how Sam felt about vampires. She got the feeling he probably wasn't keen on them, being a shifter and all. The supe world in general seemed to not like vampires, maybe it was because they came 'out' into the open?

"No.. Sam isn't a vampire. Just a regular old human like you and me"

Brandy hated to lie, about anything - it always left a sour taste in her mouth. But it was important that she kept Sam's secret, and that meant having to lie.

"But, as a man - he is the nicest and sweetest guy you will ever meet. As a boyfriend, well.. (she smirked) that would be telling"

As a boyfriend.. heh, she could of yammered on all night.


"So what do you do? You a student or you work here?"

"Me? A student? Oh no, I work at a small store in Pecanland Mall part time. I am just here because I like the uh.. scenery."

She was talking about Sam, of course.

[Phoenix Rivers]

Phoenix smiled and laughed at herself as Brandy did. It seemed like a silly question, but he wasn't here right now so how was she to know?
Phoenix's eyes popped open wider as Brandy mentioned something about them being an item and now her eyes went all around the bar. She wanted to know about this man of mystery because the girl was smiling like she was in love.
When she talked about the reasons of being here, Phoenix let out a stiffed laugh and nodded her head.

"Well, I might have to come out here at night time and try to get a better look at the scenery then." Phoenix laughed loudly as she put another piece of the burger in her mouth. Phoenix thought about heading off to the mall herself, perhaps tonight or tomorrow when Alan was at work. He wasn't much help either when she asked about Bon Temps, like most things in their relationship. He was such a drag.

"So then, what kinda fun stuff is there to do around this place? Other than shopping in the mall of course." Brandy took another swig of her white pop and stared at the girl intently.

[Brandy Berry]

"Well, I might have to come out here at night time and try to get a better look at the scenery then."

Brandy went white as a sheet, it sounded like Phoenix was talking about the 'scenery' Sam had brought to the table. Was she? No.. there was no way, Brandy was being silly! She felt she had to speak up anyway..

"You realize by scenery.. I mean Sam right? I mean, if you want to check him out that is fine with me.. I mean, I have no control over it.. but he is kinda mine you know..and I would hate to have to, well you know.. scratch your eyes out or something"

Brandy was rambling. She knew this. Her cheeks were flushed and she was rambling like a motherf*cker. Heaven forbid some girl actually dropped in and decided they wanted Sam.

She was so flustered she didn't even hear Phoenix's question about what else was to do. She was too worried she would have to sharpen' the claws - - so to speak.

[Phoenix Rivers]

Something Phoenix had said or done made the girl go white. Then the girl went on a territorial rant and Phoenix just smiled.

"Dear girl, there are more men and women in Bon Temps then just Sam, you and me I'd assume." Phoenix took another sip of pop and shook her head.
"I may be a many of things, but I am not a home wrecker. I heard that you two were close the first time...." Phoenix didn't know how the girl took the comment about the scenery or her now that Phoenix thought about it. Did she scream Wh*re or something? Maybe her cheap skirt and tank top shirt made her seem like she was into just about anything that walked, but if he wasn't vampire she lost interest in him the second Brandy informed her.

"Besides, I like my men and women to be a little more into the night scene anyways."[/b] Phoenix looked down at her plate with a frown and sighed. She had just pissed off someone that she was trying to befriend; da*n her and her chatty motor mouth.

"I'm sorry for distressing you." Phoenix stood up and set a very wrinkled ten on the counter top and polished off the rest of the white pop.
"I can go. Enjoy your drink; it looks good. Maybe I will see you around some time?" Phoenix looked at Brandy with a hopeful face.