Night Mime | K-12 AU

Chapter 1 - Breaking Curfew

"A park?" Celeste questions. "You're making us break curfew, just to play on monkey bars?"

"No," Angelita says, ready to surprise them all with the actual plan. "We're going to have a picnic!"

Fleur's face suddenly looks worried. "In the dark?"

"It sounds fun." signs Crybaby.

"Thank you!" Angelita says, gesturing to Crybaby. "I knew you'd think it was a good idea."

"Well, "good ideas" aren't always worth breaking curfew, but fun ideas are." Crybaby signs. She was always one for doing things that seemed like fun, even if she could get in trouble for them.

"Okay," Angelita starts, "Since you're on board, help me set up the picnic blanket. Everyone else," She turns and makes a dramatically sad face, "Help by unpacking the food from the car." They all groan jokingly, unbuckling their seat belts, and getting outside the car to help.

Angelita and Crybaby make their way into the grass field, while the other girls start digging through the trunk of Angelita's car.

"So, Crybaby," Angelita says, unfolding the picnic blanket, "You aren't talking much tonight." Crybaby gives her a questioning look as Angelita lays the blanket in the grass, sitting down on it.

"What do you mean "tonight"?" Crybaby jokes, before taking a seat on the blanket. She continues to sign, "I have Situational Mutism, Angelita. I don't "talk" very often."

"I know. I know. You just.." she stops for a second, trying to find wording. "You've been signing less around the others and haven't spoken to me when it's just been us." She continues, "It just feels off."

"Well, tonight feels kind of off." Crybaby signs.

"What do you mean?"

"It feels like.." Crybaby starts, "Like something is going to happen. Something important. I don't know what, but it's weirding me out."

"Well, if something important does happen, it'll probably just be some cool memories with your friends." Angelita reassures her.

"Thanks," Crybaby signs, "That's probably it."

Angelita smiles, looking towards the car. "Why are they taking so long?"

"Maybe they're eating in the car?" Crybaby suggests jokingly.

"They better not be," Angelita says, standing back up. "Guys?" She yells, "I didn't set up this blanket for nothing."

"We're coming!" Magnolia yells from the car. "We'd be faster if you helped us carry the food!" She has two containers of fruit under her left arm and two containers holding cakes and cookies under her right arm.

"There's three of you!" Angelita teases, "Make it work!"

"Five people would still be nice!" Magnolia argues back.

"Crybaby and I were on blanket duty!" She laughs.

"Well, it didn't take super long to lay down a blanket." Crybaby signs. "I didn't even help with that".

"Okay, here's a million containers of fruit and cookies!" Magnolia says, tossing them onto the blanket. "You're welcome."

"Thank you, Maggie." Angelita says with a grin. "And thank you, Fleur and Celeste, for carrying food, without complaining."

"I still don't understand why we're here at night," says Fleur, "We can have a picnic whenever."

"Exactly!" Angelita cheers, "And, it just so happens that right now is "whenever"."