secretshame | | I'm always in this twilight |

[ Actually she didn't think it was that terrible of a suggestion - ice breakers were starts to coonversation, and depending on the topic it could be rather interesting ]

Then we seem to have quite a lot to talk about.

[ They'd been walking as they talked, slowly making their way up to Helen's office ]

[ she's following, looking around in awe. pretty awesome place. ]

Okay, just for the record, Stefan and Elena both would love this place. It looks nice.

Oh? [ Helen gave a smile at that - she was proud of the Sanctuary ]

Yeah. Not that I don't like it, but they'd really like it. [ beat. ] Okay, I'm lost already. I have a terrible sense of direction.

Then it's a good job that you're not alone. We're almost there. [ Which was true. Another few minutes walk saw them arrive to Helen's office ]

Definitely. I'd be wandering around in a circle otherwise.

[ but she keeps following, entering the room with a smile still firmly in place. ]

Seriously, though, are we starting with an ice breaker game or just skipping straight to 'Never Have I Ever?'

[ And this is perhaps where her age shows ]

I'm sorry?

[ There is some confusion to her voice ('some' indeed). Her college didn't include that game. When they make it to her office Helen picks one of the bottles up, unfastening the top and pouring the wine into the glasses before handing one to Jenna ]

[ jenna's eyebrows shoot upwards as she accepts the glass. ]

Oh come on, don't tell me you've never played that. [ she laughs. geeze, explaining this game is a first. ] It's better when you have a lot of people playing, but you go around in a circle. One person starts off saying something they've never done, like having sex in a car. [ showing off one of the things she HAS done. whoops. ] Everyone who HAS done it has to take a sip of their drinks. Depending on who you're playing with and how well they know your history, you might end up trashed on the floor. I usually was.

I can't say that I have.

[ Her college experience was a little... Different ]

Should I be worried?

[ Helen hopes not but as far as icebreakers go this is certainly interesting, and she's technically not saying anything ]

Depends on how TMI you feel like going. I'll probably be screwed, but that's all right. Not like I haven't talked about my life before.

I'll follow your lead then. [ Big leap of faith here. And her questions? May be less interesting ]

[ jenna is just going to park herself in a chair in that case! ]

Hmm... I guess I'll start then. Never Have I Ever graduated from grad school. I was in the middle when I got here.

The option wasn't available. [ Things were very different back then ]

Never have I ever [ Oh, she's giving this careful consideration - it isn't easy (plus she's most likely done far more) ] drank coffee.

[ And because she knows it's terrible ] I'm working on thinking of things.

True Brit, huh? [ she teases and takes a sip. ] I like tea now, but when I was in college, coffee was all I drank in the morning. Gotta wake up for class somehow!

Like I said, it's easier with a group. Never have I ever... [ she has to think hard, too. ] ...had a steady boyfriend who didn't end up being a jerk.

[ Helen gives a nod to that, an amused expression on her face ] I've never thought - nor wished - to try it.

[ And she's taking a small sip. Oh, James. (And there could have been others had she not stopped the relationships before their time) ] You know him, actually.

Oh? Do I now?

[ she is so interested. ]

James. You spoke to him a few days previous. [ And possibly before then ]

Never have I ever been married.

Really? He seems like a nice guy.

Me, either, actually. Haven't been in any relationships I'd want to end in marriage. [ well, except alaric, but that's... awkward. her face falls just a bit before she continues. ]

Never have I ever had a brother.

Exactly. [ She had drank ]

I nearly did once. [ And that's as far as she's going, her expression turning uncomfortable ]

Only child, actually.

Never have I ever [ This game was certainly challenging her ] been to Florida.

Better than any of my exes. [ point. ]

[ she notices that look and drops the subject. that's something she won't go into. she understands marriages - or almost marriages - that are hard to go into. if helen ever decides to talk about it, jenna will listen, but she won't push for the info. she's waiting for alaric. she can wait for a friend, too. ]

Spring Break in college. [ sip. ] Best party I've ever been to and that's saying a lot.

Never have I ever... been overseas. [ she'll get helen on this one :3 ]

[ And Helen's thankful for that. There is a lot about her past that she could talk about, and would do so willingly, but John? She hadn't even been able to tell Ashley ]

Dare I imagine? [ She wasn't going to try - she doubted that she'd be able to ]

I'm glad that I only need to drink once. [ Sip. Seriously, they'd need far more wine if she had to drink for every time ] I've travelled extensively.

Never have I ever [ Oh dear this was getting hard ] had a vacation for longer than a weekend.

[ It tells you something ]

No. [ smiiiiirk. ] But you can ask.

You know, I'm a little jealous. I wish I'd been more places.

[ okay eyebrows shoot up. workaholic much? ] Spring Breaks. All five of them so far. [ big sip for that. ]

Never have I ever worked for longer than a week without a break. [ jenna plays dirty okay. ]

[ Helen just shakes her head at that and takes a (slightly bigger) sip ]

Never have I ever had spring break. [ Payback, and it's her way of asking. Sort of ]

Really? [ geeze. sip! ]

It's... what it sounds like, spring break from school. And I forgot to add in high school. So... nine spring breaks so far. I didn't get my tenth because it was winter when I left home, but hey it counts. Most of them were spent in Florida partying because who wants to stay in Virginia when it's snowing and you can be in Florida with the sun and the booze?

School was a little different. [ A little being... over a century ago ]

That certainly would be enticing.

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