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Post by Arden Patricks on Sept 21, 2011 5:53:12 GMT
You'd think I would eventually get used to this... not-having-friends-again thing. I certainly have had a lot of practice.
I keep looking up and to my left when I'm in Spanish class, to share something with Chance - an eye roll at 'Roberta's' poor pronunciation, or the irritating fact that I somehow can't get "Girlfriend" out of my head - and then... he isn't there. Roberta is instead, because I went and switched seats 'cause I was stupid, and now whatever I was going to say has to die in my throat and get stuck there 'til I swallow it down, and I keep feeling sicker and sadder because I guess that's what happens when you keep eating ghosts, and also I think that Roberta is starting to think I've got a crush on her.
Sighing, I reach down and pull my other notebooks out from underneath the desk, stacking them all neatly and arranging them by color, then subject, so that everybody else can file out of class before me and I can just hunch over all my books, hugging them closely while I meander down the halls all alone. Everybody else is stampeding down to lunch, and I don't really feel like fighting the crowd. Everything's tired and slow, and I know I should probably eat - that's what you keep crackers in your dorm room for. But the thought of even one more bloody cheez-it makes me grimace, and anyway my room is all the way over there, and on that other floor....
I slow as I head past the library, uncertainty building to dangerous levels now that my assumed plan has an alternative. I know that I'll regret it in the long run if I don't go and eat, but the library is right here, and I wouldn't have to go another weary step....
Well, who am I to deny myself instant gratification at the expense of later regret?
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Post by Riley Pearson on Sept 22, 2011 4:52:14 GMT
The bell rang marking the end of class and riley piled up his books and notebooks while everyone else in the room scattered to leave. For some reason when it came to packing up his things while the teacher was still speaking, he just didn't think it was very respectful. Not to say that he never did it, but he didn't usually. By the time his things were stacked up and his writing utensils were put away, there were only a couple other students lagging behind the near empty classroom.
Other than people just wanting to leave American History, another reason for the sense of urgency to leave was that next period was lunch; needless to day it was probably the most loved time of the day- besides maybe the end of it, that is.
For some reason though, Riley wasn't especially hungry- it could have been that he had actually eaten breakfast that morning- something he seldom did despite the fact that, in his opinion, breakfast foods were something that should be eaten at all times of the day; not just an alloted period between five and eleven am. So instead of heading to the cafeteria, where he was sure he was probably being expected by a few friends and Riyann, he made a stop at the library to return a book and take a look around.
The library was one of his favorite spots in the school- actually, he had a few favorite spots, but this one was the quietest which helped push it to somewhere near the most loved.
It was fairly empty when he walked inside and plopped his book into return slot- but there were still a couple people lingering around the shelves.
Two of them he only vaguely recognised, but the third he recalled to be Arden. He saw her around from time to time, but he had only actually spoke to her once or twice- only twice if you counted him asking for a pencil.
"Hey, Arden." He said over to her with a small smile after a moment of wondering if he should say hi or not. Of course, only a second after speaking the librarian, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, hushed him with an annoyed expression. Though, Riley didn't really think he had spoken overly loud. At the hush he looked over to the older woman and eventually replied with a quiet sorry before walking closer to Arden so he wouldn't be told to be quiet again- depite that the library was barely occupied.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 2, 2011 5:41:31 GMT
I head into the young adult fiction section on autopilot, but find my eyes slipping from the spines without taking in any titles. I think I'm still hungry, which is silly. Deciding not to eat ought to make you less hungry. Obviously.
Sighing, I hoist up my schoolbooks again and veer toward magazines, just so I won't look absurd coming in here and then bolting out again - not that anybody probably cares. But I've only had time to glance listlessly over the nearest - Outdoor Digest, incidentally - before I'm interrupted by the most contradictory sound in all the world. First it makes me start, then feel a rush of hope followed by disappointment, and finally a tentative... pleasedness mixed with dread.
Stupid name.
I shake my head quickly and try not to be so poetic or pathetic when I look up. "Hey... Riley." I force myself to smile but feel that it's more of a grimace, noticing only belatedly that he's already been shushed and maybe I should've whispered. Oops.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Oct 5, 2011 4:35:45 GMT
Riley smiled as he walked over to her- already managing to forget about the small brush with the librarian. Personally, he thought he was on pretty good terms with most pepole who worked in the library so it was easy to disregard it- even if the woman looked a bit annoyed with him.
He wasn't too sure what to think about her expression while saying hi to him though. For a second he thought that she was happy to see him, but a moment later it looked more like a grimace than anything. His smile probably faltered for a moment, but he put it back where it was shortly after.
"Um," He paused a moment and glanced back at the librarian who was eyeing the two of them- he didn't let himself linger on her and turned his attention back to Arden. "How have you been?" He asked with another smile, deciding this time to keep his voice a bit quieter.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 5, 2011 4:44:50 GMT
Huh. How have I been? Got an hour?
I look up guiltily before replying this time, careful to keep my voice low. "Oh, all right." I shrug nonchalantly, but can't suppress a sigh. "You?"
He isn't, I reason, a close enough acquaintance to be anything but polite with as of yet. Maybe if I someday get to know him better, I can be honest instead.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Oct 5, 2011 4:59:43 GMT
He nodded at her reply- of course, he didn't really have any reason to not believe she wasn't alright, so all he could do was take what she said at face value. "I'm alright too, I guess." He gave a slight shrug.
Riley hadn't thought this through completely- what was he supposed to say next? Other than the usual, 'hey, how are you doing?' exchange, he was unfortunately, left clueless.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 5, 2011 5:21:15 GMT
"... That's... good...." I shrug noncommittally, then give a faint cough. "Um... do you want to leave the library so we can talk proper-like, or...." I grimace inwardly. He probably has homework or something... stupid thing to ask.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Oct 5, 2011 5:38:41 GMT
"Yes," He replied, probably a second or two faster than he should have- hoping that he didn't come off too eager. He rested his hands on the strap to his shoulder bag that was draped across his chest, and smiled with a small bit of amusement and embarrassment on his own behalf. "Anywhere else you'd rather be?" He asked a moment later with a light smile towards her. "Or should we just walk?"
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 5, 2011 5:49:28 GMT
"Well, I think most of the school is probably open...." I shrug, momentarily taken aback but deciding I'm not good at reading people when I'm this self-absorbed. "Seems like almost everybody has the same lunchtime, so...." I shrug again, hugging my books closer to my chest. "Are you sure I'm not bothering you?"
God, another stupid question. He was the one who sought me out, remember?
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Post by Riley Pearson on Oct 6, 2011 1:47:07 GMT
Riley nodded and watched as Arden hugged her books a bit closer to herself. He was a little amused hearing what she asked though and shook his head with a small smile, "I said hi to you, remember?" He replied, taking a couple steps back, "Maybe we should just start walking- before the librarian kills us." He added with a slight hint of laughter in his voice.
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 6, 2011 2:13:50 GMT
"Maybe so...." I laugh nervously, stepping back out of his way and inclining my head in a 'no, you go first' sort of way. I'm too self-conscious, not to mention paranoid, to let anybody walk behind me.
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Post by Riley Pearson on Oct 6, 2011 2:52:06 GMT
( sorry, I meant that he stepped towards the door while still looking at her, so he was stepping backward. XD that might have been confusing. )
"Alright..." He said mostly to himself with amusement showing in his voice. He began to walk out of the library and once they were out turned to her again, "So how come you aren't going to lunch?", says the boy who wasn't going to lunch either...
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Post by Arden Patricks on Oct 6, 2011 2:58:04 GMT
((Ah... right. Not reading thoroughly.  )) "Oh... no reason." I shrug, watching the floor as we're walking. I find myself whispering still so I cough, clearing my throat. "Not hungry, I guess. You?" Of course as I say this I realize I'm hungrier than ever, and I can't very well contradict myself in front of him.... Ah, hell. If we do end up talking all lunchtime, I can always skip next class. |
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