<div class="floatleft">(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3oo3fv7yh1r7wrq1o2_250.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Mariana<br/><strong>Place within Hierarchy:</strong>New girl/Main Engineer<br/><strong>Role:</strong>Circus Hand<br/><strong>Position:</strong>Engineer/Carpenter<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Big Tent<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>white tank top, jeans, suspenders, work boots<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Lawrence (mentions: Lexie, Chloe, clowns in general)<br/><br/>Lawrence’s ability to put Mariana at ease was amazing, at least from her perspective anyways. She smiled back at him and tried to figure out if he was flirting since her ability to detect that sort of thing was, well, broken. He offered her as much scotch as she wanted and she took some taking a sip knowing she was heading towards drunk somewhat quickly. She could hold her liquor and always kept it together but she was a bit of a lightweight, at least compared to the people in the circus. He put his cigar out and hoped it wasn’t for her but it was a relief to not have that around. She didn’t care if others smoked but it always irritated her sinuses to some extent.<br/><br/>He made a comment about her being family and every time someone mentioned it she always thought back to her father and brothers. When she first joined the circus she sent him a postcard letting him know that she had found a place where she could build and use her skills and have the protection and caring of  other people – that he didn’t have to worry about her too much anymore. When she got paid she sent him some of the money she had been given since it was far more than she really needed or wanted. He had no real way to respond to her but she knew it helped with the business and this way he could sleep better at night knowing his daughter hadn’t become a dying vagrant. Even after so many years of her being gone she knew he worried about her, her brothers did too. She had called them a few weeks before she joined the circus and now she wondered when she’d talk to them next.<br/><br/>Mariana was brought back from her nostalgic memories by Lawrence’s very hardy laugh. She chuckled at him and looked behind her to see what was funny but she must have missed it. There wasn’t anything that needed discussing and she just smiled at the thought of him “saving” her from an awkward table. She liked them but the clowns had some sort of ability to pull energy from anywhere.<br/>“Well thank you, and no you do not need to make anything up, it’s nice to be at a more… relaxed table.”<br/><br/>She chuckled after choosing her adjectives carefully. His compliment was unexpected and did cause her to blush slightly.<br/>“It is true, I am pretty great at what I do.”<br/>She blushed a bit more not usually the one to gloat or brag but either it was the alcohol or the fact that she felt comfortable with Lawrence made the words slip out.<br/><br/>“I appreciate it, I’m getting used to things here but after being on my own for quite some time it’s difficult to get used to being around so many people. Especially when everyone is quite… colorful and not even what I was used to before  I started my travels.”<br/>She adjusted herself in her seat feeling more at ease now that conversation was flowing and she didn’t have to worry about arguments or how to deal with eccentricity.<br/>“I find it much easier speaking with you, you’re helping make me feel more comfortable with it. It’s either you or the alcohol.”<br/><br/>She chuckled, taking another sip and tried to figure out if she was flirting. Was this how it worked? She was miserable and trying to hit on people at least within the last few years.<br/>“I’m going to think it’s mostly your doing.”<br/>With another smile Mariana took a longer sip from her glass and decided to just stop talking for a moment. She felt like she was babbling and her brain had stopped doing the talking and was letting emotions speak. She had no idea but knew that at the beginning of the night she decided to have a good time and it seemed to be taking a turn for the better at that point.<br/><br/>Maybe she would take Chloe’s advice and actually dance. Granted that was a long shot but the idea was there, it made her laugh slightly at the idea of her dancing in a tipsy stupor. But she just smiled at Lawrence and ate a bit more. She pushed her suspenders off her shoulders and stretched out her back a little once again and trying to fix her hair so that it looked cute but would stop falling in her face.<br/><br/>Once her hair was fixed she took a slightly more serious tone.<br/>“So um thanks again for helping me get, ya know, situated. You’re one of the few that hasn’t tried to change my look or questioned whether a girl could do this job. Thanks.”<br/>Now she was back to being awkward again. Not as much nervous this time but trying to analyze the social situation as opposed to just letting it happen. She was trying and in her mind that’s what counted.