Just like Porky Pig from the Looney Tunes, Alyssa was choking on her own throat.  What was she supposed to say?  She hadn't even expected Lauren to respond.  Well, best just to take a dive then and there.<br/>"Yes, yes, m-my name is Alyssa.  That would be great then, I'll catch you around." In a mousy mumble, the girl had given her reply, and was back to another box, fishing out a dragon figurine that had been painted in gold and red, bought in a Buddist Temple in Chinatown, New York.  As a native of that general area, she still had a bit of the accent.  It was actually "Noo Yawak".<br/>With a red tint that would put a tomato to shame, she bit her lip hard, sucking in her lip ring that sat in the middle of it, a dash of silver in the full pink around that.  Not at all unusual.  Many students had them.<br/>Was Lauren gone yet?<br/>It didn't matter.  A phone buzzed within the pile of clothes on Alyssa's bed, as the pianist fingers with an array of lavender and tangerine polished nails found the Sidekick.  Everyone had an iPhone these days.  It was "cool and sophisticated". Everytime she saw one, her eyes rolled.<br/>"Yes, hello?  Right, meet you there in five.  Yes.  Okay."<br/>Even on the phone, Alyssa had no confidence, with her small voice.  She couldn't even look at Lauren twice.