Alexandra had no time to react as a frazzled teenage girl swung open the door, knocking her off her feet. More startled than hurt, Alexandra wasn't able to regain her bearings before the girl immediately dropped down to her level and began fussing over her.
"Oh no! Who are you? Did you wander off from check in? Are you hurt? Did you hit your head? Let me see your arms," the girl said near panic as she started inspecting Alexandra for injury.
"Alex..." Alexandra tried to speak up to answer, but the girl's frantic rambling cut her off.
Frustrated and overwhelmed by the barrage of sound and grabbing hands, Alexandra quickly found herself once again bursting into tears. Why wouldn't the girl just shut up so she could talk? Unfortunately Alexandra's reaction only further convinced the girl something needed to be done.
Briefly hurrying further into the supply room, the girl returned to stick a pacifier in Alexandra's mouth and wave a stuffed animal in her face. The pacifier worked as well as thumb sucking had earlier at halting her crying, but the stuffed animal was just annoying. Snatching it from the girl apparently didn't communicate that though.
Instead the girl seemed relieved and patted her on the head, "You like the bunny huh?"
Alexandra shook her head but the girl only laughed in response.
"Thank goodness you're okay. Now let's find where you're supposed to be."
With a surprise jolt, Alexandra found herself lifted off the ground and carried towards the front. She wanted to object but found herself suddenly dizzy looking down at the ground and had to bury her head in the girl's shoulder to make it stop.
It grew louder as the girl walked, it sounded like tbey were approaching a crowd. Moments later, Alexandra set down on the front desk next to a young man who was flipping through a notebook while an older woman holding a little boy stared in irritation.
"I'm sorry ma'am one second," he said before turning to the teenage girl, "Hailey why are you bringing kids back out?"
"I found her in the supply room, I wasn't sure if she was signed in yet or not."
"I don't know. Grandma just left for something and I'm still trying to figure out how to read her notes," he said clearly annoyed, "Do you even know her name?"
"Yeah of course I do. She said it was Alice," the girl said defensively.
Alexandra shook her head and tried to mumble opposition around the pacifier, but the...siblings?...seemed not to notice. This was spiraling out of control quickly and Alexandra wasn't sure the best way to try to get out of it. She wanted to pull the pacifier out and try to explain the bizarre series of events that broght her here, however she found herself wary by how many loud and big people were gathered near her. Sucking on the pacifier nervously, she wasn't sure she wanted to risk anyone else taking note of her, even if she wasn't sure why the idea of an adult paying attention to her seemed so daunting.