It's Traditional To Nap In Gazebos

[ViolentMedic]

Well... Michelle was better at handling awkward flirting than Joe would be in her metaphorical shoes. Granted, most people probably would be. A bit of 'um' followed by a modest comment is a lot smoother than the 'run like the wind' approach that Joe would have taken, not that he'd ever been in that sort of situation.

Maybe the awkwardness was just in his head. Wouldn't be the first time.

Michelle offered to do flashcards with him later, and then Gavin asked if there was anything he could do to help them. That could work. Joe might even be able to get a few non-mumbly words out if it was in the context of studying. He usually knew what he was talking about when it came to schoolwork, he could talk when rattling off answers because he generally knew what the right answer was. Not like with regular conversation. There was no textbook for the art of social situations.

Admittedly, he was still nervous around both of them and Gavin in particular was creeping him out a little. But he'd figure out a way to deal with it.

Joe fiddled around with the gogurt tube for a moment. He still hadn't eaten any of it, he'd just been turning it over in his hands over and over. He nodded at the ground.

"Th... thadbegood," he said quietly.

He finally opened the gogurt tube. He kind of wished he had some food to share, but he'd left his lunch at home by accident that day. Stupid sleep deprivation.

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

Well, I had to break the language barrier sometime or other.

Gavin eased himself closer to Joe. Given a choice, he would probably have walked away from the boy, for he seemed as tightly strung as a length of piano wire.

But Gavin had offered his help, and he wasn't somebody who went back on his offers. Besides, there seemed nothing else to occupy his time. Now all he needed to do was make sure he didn't make Joe completely snap.

"Why don't you let me have a look at what you're studying," He began in a sympathetic tone "then maybe we can work through the questions together."

As he talked, Gavin let himself fall into the mindset of a man well used to handling fiddly and potentially dangerous objects. Privately he reflected that there seemed to be a lot of professional overlap between the art of handling guns and the art of handling highly-strung teenagers.

Mind you, even in those terms this guy would still be something I probably wouldn't touch unless I was using tongs and wearing a full suit of Type-IV body armor.

[Ruggahissy]

((Hey Ravenstar. If you're going to break the posting order it's considered polite to let the other people in the thread know and it's usually only done if there's a specific reason to do so in the thread. If you are leaving a thread you can post at any time in the posting order.))

Michelle looked over at the boys with uncertainty. It was nice that Gavin seemed willing to help with the chemistry. Maybe he was in a different chemistry class? There were a few classes of it so it was possible.

She felt a little bad for having intruded on Joe since it seemed he wasn't the best with people but now it looked like he was adjusting better. Michelle didn't recall him talking to others in class much.

She was fairly curious as to what it was Gavin was doing exactly with the chemistry work. It wasn't one of her better classes and one where she usually pulled Bs. Not B+s but just flat old B.

Michelle scooted closer to Joe and craned her neck a bit trying to see what was happening.

[ViolentMedic]

Wait, are we starting a group study session right now? But I need to prepare flashcards and remember what I'm studying, because that nap has just... blown it all away. Er, chemistry... something about... crap.

Gavin was asking to have a look at what he was studying. That might have been fine by itself, but he was also moving closer. Presumably so he could look at the homework, but still... way too close. Making him uncomfortable, despite his voice sounding vaguely reminiscent of someone trying to talk to a spooked horse.

Maybe Joe could have handled it. He had started to hold his homework out so that Gavin would be able to see it, but then Michelle had scooted closer in order to have a look as well. It was the breaking point. Joe could probably handle Michelle shuffling that close. He might be able to handle Gavin doing the same thing. But both at once was just too much.

Whatever nerves that had stopped him from running away until that point broke and Joe shuffled back rather abruptly and climbed to his feet. His eyes quickly darted from Michelle to Gavin before he shut them, trying to block them out enough so that he could speak.

"Uhm. Uhmm... I... I... Ihavetogodosomething," Joe blurted out. With that eloquency, he turned around and fled the gazebo. He would spend the rest of the day feeling guilty for wrecking the study session, leaving Michelle alone with Gavin and fleeing without saying thank you again for the gogurt.

((Joe Carrasco continued at St. Edwards Bake Sale.))

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

It had all been going so well. Gavin had actually had Joe ready to hand over his homework. Then Michelle had scooted closer, and Joe had snapped like a twig. He didn't try to stop the boy from bolting, it probably wouldn't have done any good.

Damn, I thought he was just starting to relax. Or at least adapt just a little.

Gavin looked up at Michelle and gave a slight shrug. He guessed that her proximity, added to his own, had caused Joe to run. Although it was slightly annoying, he didn't blame her for accidentally being the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Well, that's a shame. Do you think you'll give him some help later? Somehow I feel he won't react too well to my presence again."

He hoped Michelle wouldn't be in much of a hurry to leave. Without Joe here, Gavin was already starting to feel less awkward again. It would be nice to actually be able to talk to somebody for a change, though he didn't feel like forcing the issue if she wanted to leave.

[Ruggahissy]

Suddenly Joe jumped up and bolted away like she was made of poison.

"Hey-" she called out. But it was too late. Joe was long gone and she was left alone with Gavin.

"-wait," she finished softly. She closed her mouth and pulled her hand back in which had been outstretched as if trying to get a hold of Joe. Michelle frowned and looked down.

Michelle felt bad; had it been her fault that he got scared? Maybe she was crowding him too much or maybe it was wrong of her to butt into his business.

"I was only trying to help," she said, crestfallen. "I guess I'll find out what's wrong later. We have class so he can't run from me there," she said with a bit more resolve.

She seemed suddenly aware again that there was the other boy still remaining and turned quickly to face him.

"Um, he's sort of a nervous guy from what I've seen so don't take it personal. Though uh, I don't really know if you already knew that since I don't really know him THAT well so I don't know who his friends are so if you are one of his friends um...I.....wouldn't know it," she finished, feeling sort of lame. The amount of time she spent talking in circles or just making herself sound bad in the conversation she'd had with this person thus far was pretty significant. He probably thought she was some sort of idiot who was so dumb she just forgot to wear pants or something.

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

Gavin stood up from his seat and took a pace towards Michelle. It was only then that he realised just how tiny she was compared to him. He towered over her by a foot or more. He also knew just how intimidating he could be, whether intentionally or inadvertently. To that end he relaxed his muscles and loosened the ramrod-straight military posture that would've made any parade-ground sergeant proud. It felt unusual, and his heart beat a little faster at the sudden risks he was taking.

"Hey, look, don't beat yourself up," he began gently. "It's obvious he was jumpy, especially with me. There's no need to blame yourself for something you couldn't foresee or control."

He was surprised that there had been no internal remarks yet. Apparently even his subconscious was holding it's breath to see what would happen next. He waited a moment for Michelle to absorb his words, then ploughed on in the same amiable, respectful tone of voice.

"I should apologise to you as well, I didn't mean for my remarks earlier to startle you the way they did. Sometimes my tongue runs away with me, especially when I meet people as nice as you are."

And sometimes you sound like a Victorian gentlemen who stumbled into a temporal wormhole.

Gavin ignored the voice, despite secretly agreeing with it. For all the effort and sincerity he put into his words, it was often too much for somebody his own age to process. You'd almost think most teenagers couldn't handle the idea of somebody trying to be genuinely nice to them. He thought ruefully. He was careful not to show the internal dialog on his face, keeping his expression relaxed and companionable as he waited to see if his words calm Michelle down or not.

[Ruggahissy]

"I mean, I know I can't control it, but that doesn't stop me from feeling bad. People don't always feel guilty for reasons that make sense," she responded. Suddenly she was making eye contact with somewhere around the middle of Gavin's shins. He stood up and was looking down on her.

She looked around again and took that as her cue that they were standing up now. Michelle got to her feet and stretched down her bright red t-shirt as she did so. The slight dampness of her suit had left a few lines of darker red on the shirt from having gotten it wet. She wiggled her toes in her flip flops, pushing her feet back into them when they'd come lose after sitting down.

His appearance wasn't the friendliest for certain and Michelle wasn't the best with intimidating individuals. She slung her back pack onto one shoulder and gripped the edge of the gazebo with one hand.

She looked away shyly when he apologized. After a moment it seemed she was able to look back up at him.

"It's okay. I'm sort of a goof and I'm over sensitive sometimes. I was a little uncomfortable but I appreciate you saying that. You seem like a....well....a nice person too it's just that I was a little weird about it because I have a, um, a girlfriend," she said, looking down and twiddling her thumbs.

"You know, like, a girlfriend?" she said, pushing her index fingers together.

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

While Michelle spoke, Gavin took a pace or so backwards, giving the much smaller girl a bit of extra space. He was glad she seemed to be opening up a little to him. It wasn't often he got to hold an actual conversation with somebody his own age, he had been afraid of pushing her further away by his attempt.

Then Michelle's final words gave him a bit of a pause. It wasn't what he'd expected from her. As was so often the case, he found himself wondering if the news should've hit him harder or differently then it did. As it was, all he felt was a tiny sting of disappointment that he quickly processed, analyzed, and discarded as beneath him.

"It's alright, I won't hold it against you" he said lightly. Gavin smiled as he spoke, an honest smile on a face that rarely showed such emotion. The jest had been spontaneous and playful, for now he was realising that Michelle having a girlfriend could work out quite pleasantly for him.

"I'm glad you felt you could tell me, I know I can be a little intimidating at times."

Gavin considered stopping there, but then a nagging impulse pushed him to continue. He doubted they'd be spending much more time in the Gazebo, so it was best to ask now.

"I have to admit, I haven't gone out of my way to meet many people outside my classes here. Would you mind if I kept an eye out for you in future?"

[Ruggahissy]

"Hu?"

He seemed alright with the information she'd just given him. What a relief! She took a deep breath and let it out.

"No, not at all! ......er...okay, well, maybe a little bit intimidating," she said bashfully.


She hefted up her bag and slung it over, adjusting to the new weight. She walked carefully past Gavin, but faced him, walking backwards as she was leaving.

"Sure. Any time. Eight times out of ten if it's not school time then I'm at the pool so if you need me, you know where to find me."

Michelle gave a big wave and called out "Bye Gavin!" and turned to scurry off to class.


((Michelle Wexler continued in C is for Cookie ))

[Ghost Of Ravenstar†]

Gavin waved Michelle goodbye as she left. All in all, it had been rather a pleasant meeting. The irritating little voice in his head had even been somewhat constructive for a change.

Alone again, Gavin slowly subsided back onto one of the benches. He realised suddenly that he still had the packet of pringles Michelle had so politely given him. As he ate his way through the rest of them, he reflected that perhaps these last few months of school might not be so torturous after all.

Good to see you've shaken off that ennui at last.

With you around, how could I ever stay depressed?

It was a rare moment of shared humour between Gavin and his overly-talkative subconscious. He was indeed feeling more proactive after the brief encounter, something he didn't plan to waste.

His food at last finished, Gavin pushed the empty packet into one of his many pockets and stood up. He stretched once, and then finally strode off towards the school.

((Gavin Hunter, Continued in Sleepwalker))