A Breath of Fresh Air

[VoltTurtle]

Maddie turned when she heard Yaz stand up to leave. Yaz slung her bag over her shoulder and said that she was going to go buy a snack from the cafeteria before her next lesson. She said bye to both Maddie and Gavin before turning and leaving the library.

Well that was odd. Maybe Yaz was getting uncomfortable or something. Maddie thought. Oh dammit. She probably WAS uncomfortable. Gavin basically shut her out of the entire conversation.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket just a few moments later, she pulled it out and saw that Yaz sent her a message.

"Sorry to leave u with him, was really uncomfortable! Will make it up to you!"

Yep. She was uncomfortable.

Just as she put her phone away, Gavin piped up, saying he had a few ideas about where they could meet, such as the public libraries or their houses.

"Um, the public libraries sound like an okay place to meet."

Maddie half-heartily listened to the conversation between Sara and Alexander as she said this. Alex mentioned moving over to the table that Gavin and Maddie were sharing.

Maybe now I will actually get to talk to Alex. She thought.

[TheDollBreaker†]

"Do you perhaps want to move over to the other table? There is enough room over there and conversation is usually better with more people."

"Yes, please." Sara replied to Alex. She wasn't particularly interested in speaking with them, but at least things wouldn't be as awkward. She glanced over to the table beside them and realized both of the remaining students sitting at it had heard their conversation, and likely knew that Alex and Sara were going to be joining them. Regardless, she still felt the need to ask for permission, so Sara turned to Maddie and asked, "Do you mind if we join you two?" If she and Alex were friends, it wouldn't be rude to join them, after all.

Maddie seemed fairly harmless, resembling Sara in appearance almost. They were the same general height, at the very least. The boy sitting with her, on the other hand, was almost a foot taller than both of them, with a broad and imposing look altogether; however, from what Sara overheard from the table, he sounded like a fairly nice, if somewhat self-indulgent person. Maybe it won't be too bad to be with them for just a few minutes, she thought. If they're distracted, I might even be able to start fixing that poem...

[Firedog†]

Well alright then, Alex thought to himself. He got up from the table and began the slight move to the other table when he heard Sara ask for permission to sit at the other table. He pushed in his chair and then said, "Oh don't worry about it, they won't mind if we sit with them." Alex made his way over to the other table in a few strides, he pulled out one chair next to Maddie for Sara to sit in and then walked to the other side of the table and pulled out a chair next to the other kid before sitting down himself. It was clear Maddie was a bit uncomfortable so Alex didn't take the possible chance of the other kid saying no before moving over.

At the other table Alex spoke up right away, "So, what is going on over here? Talking about science? After school meet ups? The library?" Alex had heard small amounts of the conversation before coming over, if they decided to say anything about meeting up after school he could use the chance to invite everyone to the castle after school, he had some extra money and it was one of the rare days he had nothing after school due to canceled practice.

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

It was a partial victory, but a victory nonetheless. Gavin just barely restrained himself from letting out of a sigh of relief. He had achieved his primary objective, despite the high cost. The casualty reports will come in later, he thought wryly.

Then something rather unexpected happened. He had stopped paying attention to the conversation at the other table after Yaz got up to leave, and therefore wasn't quite prepared when Alex suddenly (from his perspective at least) pulled up a chair and sat down beside him.

For a moment, just for a moment, Gavin considered doing something stupid. Then logic and reason cut in again and he forced himself to stay calm. This was most decidedly not the time to give in to his natural impulses. A stoic does not randomly jump to emotional conclusions, he chided himself.

Gavin knew subconsciously what Alex was trying to do, could even understand it to a degree. But there was still a streak of stubborn pride in him that wanted to deny the situation even existed, that all this had been was an attempt to usurp his hold on the conversation. The paranoid impulse had lasted perhaps two seconds before Gavin violently stamped it out. His expression barely flickered.

"We were talking about science." He began as soon as he was quite sure he was back in full control. "But I've monopolized the conversation enough; I'll let you do some talking for a while."

I will make up for my mistakes, later. He thought firmly to himself.

[VoltTurtle]

Maddie listened in on what Alex and Sara were saying. Sara said yes to coming over to the table she and Gavin were at.

Good. I will be able to talk to Alex.

Sara got up and the two of them came over to the table. Sara asked if Maddie and Gavin would be okay with them sitting here, but before either of them could answer, Alex cut them off and said that they wouldn't mind him and Sara sitting down. While Maddie was going to say yes anyway, that was a bit rude. She bit her lower lip a bit and let it slide. She wasn't quite sure how Gavin felt about them sitting down with him and her, but his expression only flickered for a moment when Alex sat down next to him, so Maddie guessed he was alright. Alex then quickly asked what they were talking about and asked a few specifics like science or the library.

Gavin replied to him, saying that they were talking about science, but he monopolized the conversation and he is going to give the rest of them a chance to talk. Maddie seized this opportunity, and asked "So, Alex, anything you wanted to talk about when you came over here?"

[TheDollBreaker†]

Alex's response to Sara's question was somewhat rude, but at least the group of four was together now. While the others around her discussed things that weren't important to her, she began to pull out her notebook. Absent-minded, she tapped the tip of her pencil against the sheets in a loose rhythm, waiting for the creative flow of words to come back to her. There was no doubt enough time to get a decent start on a short story of any type, so she considered starting work on a poem. She managed to write a few starting words down before shaking her head and erasing them, repeating this process a few times. She let out a quiet sigh and put her notebook up. I'll try writing again when I'm someplace quiet, she thought, blaming her writer's block on the students around her.

Sara didn't know or care very much for science, especially the more advanced forms that were being discussed. On top of that, she didn't know anybody around her, and she wasn't currently contributing to the conversation, so Sara saw no point in staying with them. It would be rude to say nothing and simply leave, so she mumbled, "I have to get ready for one of my classes, sorry," just loud enough for the others to hear and excused herself, stepping out of the library. On the trip down the hall, she felt a bit of guilt; none of the students she sat with were bad, and Alex was probably just trying to befriend her. I'll try making it up to him later, she thought to herself.

((Sara Corlett continued in A Recursive Process))

[Firedog†]

Alex watched as Sara got up and excused herself. When Alex muttered, "Goodbye," to her a disappointed look could be seen on his face. He wanted the chance to talk to her a bit more and even moved over to the other table so that she wouldn't feel as uncomfortable. It didn't matter so much though, Alex was sure to run into her somewhere again, although he did miss the chance to invite her to The Castle. It was a bit hard Alex as he watched her walk away but he quickly tried to get his mind back on the other two people sitting at the table.

Alex listened to what both Maddie and the other person said, from that it was clear that the conversation had been handed to him. Alex took the chance to speak, "Well, I didn't really have much to say, but I have some extra money and free time after school today. Do either of you want to go to The Castle with me? I'll pay. I know this is a bit of a sudden jump from the topic of science, but it's as good a time as ever to say this."

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

Gavin observed Sara leave with a mixture of satisfaction and regret. There was a tiny, lingering part of him that was still annoyed at Alex's sudden intrusion into the conversation. Still, he admitted that it was a petty emotion to indulge, and pushed it firmly out of his mind.

He thought about saying something; it had been obvious even to him that Alex was interested in more than merely sharing a table with Sara, but that kind of thing generally wasn't tactful to bring up when you were a complete stranger to both people in question.

Then Alex dropped his bombshell. Gavin hadn't quite been sure how to react to him before, and the proposal succeeded in turning his uncertainty into a brief moment of total speechlessness.

Me, go to the Castle? But . . . it's so . . .

Undignified? Unexplosive? Unlikely to cause horrible death?

One of those, anyway.

It was quite possibly the first time Gavin had been asked this kind of thing since he became a teenager. He was not the kind of person people randomly invited to an amusement arcade, especially if he'd never met them before.

Of course, there was also the fact that Gavin didn't really go to the castle. He'd been there a few times over the years, but only to play laser tag. That had stopped when he started getting his hands on stuff that recoiled, but he would probably still be good at it.

"That's rather an interesting idea." He eventually said in a slightly contemplative tone. "Normally I'd spend the time just after school practicing shooting, and while I'm not adverse to company, I doubt that'd interest either of you. If Madeline wants to go to the Castle, though, I'd be happy to adjust my schedule."

The best thing about a Mosin-Nagant is that it does not get annoyed when you suddenly decide to spend the afternoon with another lady.

[VoltTurtle]

After a few moments of sitting at the table and fiddling with her notebook, Sara got up from the table and said that she really needed to get to one of her classes and apologized to the group before leaving. Maddie presumed that she needed someplace quiet to write, considering that she looked a bit frustrated while writing whatever she was writing in her notebook.

Maddie heard Alex mutter goodbye as Sara left and he looked rather disappointed when Sara finally left through the library's doors. After they watched her walk away Alex turned to Maddie and Gavin and asked if they would like to go to the castle with him later, his treat. Gavin looked puzzled for a moment, and then replied by saying it was an interesting idea and said that while he spent time after school practicing his shooting, he said he would adjust his schedule if Maddie was willing to go.

The castle. Hmm. She thought. Sounds like it could be fun, haven't been to the castle in ages.

"Sure! I would love to go!" She said.

It then occurred to her that the group has been in the library a while now and the bell was probably about to ring. She pulled out her phone to check the time. Just a minute or two left actually.

She put her phone away and stood up from the table. "Well, I guess I will see you guys after school at the castle. Alas it is time for me to take my leave. Bye!"

She walked away from the table and pushed the library doors open, continuing on to her next class.

((Madeline Wilcox continued in Pretend This Thread Title is a Witty Lyrical Reference))

[Firedog†]

Alex listened to the responses and was happy, Good, he thought to himself, Now I will have two people to accompany me! Alex even began anticipating what they would do, he couldn't wait to have a good social outing again, it had been a little while since he had so much practice and homework always clogging up his schedule.

Alex smiled and then noticed Maddie excuse herself from the table. Although many people had already left, this time Alex pulled back his sleeve and checked his watch. "Oh!," Alex loudly exclaimed, "It seems that it would be time for me to leave as well." Alex stood up and pushed his chair under the table before saying, "Ok, so. See ya at the Castle!"

Alex walked out of the library and into the hallways. He once again checked his watch and then set off at a brisk pace searching for his next destination.

((Alexander de Gaulle continued in Dark Tony Hawk Is Born))

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

Once again, Gavin was left as the last person at a table. He didn't mind; it gave him time to think. He still had about five minutes before he needed to be anywhere, so he sat back in his chair and let his thoughts run over the last few minutes of conversation again.

The invitation to the castle had taken him by surprise, certainly, but now he began to see the possibilities. It would be an interesting outing, if he could keep from showing off.

The bell rang just a few minutes later, jolting Gavin from his thoughts. He wasn't worried about being late; paths tended to open in the corridors when he appeared. A feeling of mild contentment and anticipation filled him as he stepped out of the library. For a change, Gavin would have company after school.

All of a sudden, that prospect seemed oddly appealing.

((Gavin Hunter - continued elsewhere))