An Unexpected Visit (Monroe)

[Adaryn Breslin]

Surprising Monroe with her presence had been a norm for Adaryn and Monroe since she would show up to his dorm without warning. Now, however, it was a bit more complicated because of the fact that he no longer lived on Campus and was actually 20 minutes walk away. She could wait for the bus, but that would take an hour. She decided to take the trek; after all, he was worth it.

Eloise had shown her where it was before hand, and so she was able to take the sidewalks and such towards the apartment - gps helped a bit too - and by the time she reached the home, she was very much hot. Her cheeks were red, but she wasn't as sweaty as she expected to be. The shorts did a hell of a lot in keeping her relatively cool and not overheating. However, parts of her hair stuck to her face, slightly wet from sweat.

She knocked on the third story apartment door, waiting for an answer.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

Monroe was sitting in the living room in a pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt, grateful for the air conditioning that Eloise's trust fund so graciously paid for. His cell phone rested on the arm of the sofa, as he was waiting for Adaryn to text him again. Flipping through the channels served as some mild entertainment, especially since the cable package Eloise bought had a ton of channels.

When he heard a knock on the door, he thought maybe Eloise forgot her house key. After all, they didn't know too many people around here. She said she'd been going out and didn't give Monroe much more than that, but it wasn't as if he really needed details. He made his way to the door, smoothing out his hair which was still slightly damp from his shower and opened it.

"Addie," he said, slightly shocked.

[Adaryn Breslin]

She took mild enjoyment out of the fact that he seemed to be shocked to see her, rightfully so, but she was enjoying it nonetheless. Her arms rested behind her back, holding her phone inbetween her hands, looking up at the much taller boy with a slight smile.

His hair looked good. Like, really good. She had thought it looked nice in the photo, but seeing in person was no comparison. It also looked slightly damp which suggested that he had just washed it recently. "I told you i'd talk to you later, yeah? Well, it's later. Can I come in?"

The girl removed her hands from behind her back and placed the phone in her pocket, fishing out a hairband as she did so. Adaryn really didn't enjoy the sticking hair, and decided to just get it out of the way. She waited for him to say something, playing with her ponytail she did so.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

Monroe couldn't help but realize that Adaryn was looking at him. And not just looking at him, but in a certain way, like she was taking in what was new about him and she was liking it. It made him smile a bit. Things finally were starting to seem simple between the two. Like they could just be together. "I guess you're right," he told her with a shrug. "It is later. I was just expecting a text message, not a real life Addie in front of me. But this is much better." He opened the door further so that she could come in. "I warn you, this place is like...nice." He'd only been here for roughly a week or so and so he was still getting his room how he wanted it, but it was homey enough so far.

"Did you walk here?" he asked as she put up her hair, drawing his attention to her. She didn't usually wear her hair in a ponytail. That and she didn't usually wear shorts either. It occurred to Monroe that this was the first time he'd seen Addie's bare legs. While she was still wearing long sleeves, it was definitely different. "Our air conditioning is pretty nice. So I'm sure you'll cool off." He definitely could have went to pick her up, but she did surprise him and so that was nice. "You look nice. I mean, that outfit," he gestured to her petite figure.

[Adaryn Breslin]

Honestly, there was no thought to putting her hair up in front of Monroe - something she would have been so reserved with before - and so when she caught him looking, her cheeks began to burn with a blush that she could blame on the heat. "Yeah, I did." Addie chose not to say anything about her outfit since it wasn't something she wanted to bring to light. Adaryn nodded, stepping into the apartment with expectations for an elaborate scene. To say she was disappointed would be a lie.

"Eloise does know how to decorate, I can give her that." She mused, looking around the apartment with slight awe. She hadn't ever lived in a place as nice and beautifully furnished as the apartment Monroe and Eloise were living in now. She turned to him, relieved to be in the cool air conditioning of the apartment and not in the hot Vermont sun.

"How are you dealing with the change?"

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"You didn't have to, you know. I have a car. I could have came and picked you up," Monroe told her. He definitely would have offered if she'd let him know she was coming, although the point of her visit seemed to be to surprise him, which he appreciated.

"Yeah...can't say I do," he said with a shrug. The place was really nice because it was Eloise's. "You should see my room. I have my own bathroom and everything. So if you ever need somewhere to stay...if Hammel is too much for you." He realized how this could have come off and almost wanted to take it back, but continued. "If you want, I mean."

"It's alright," he agreed. "I mean, it's different, but it's nice. I have my own space and I can sort of try and sleep when Eloise isn't home." He really didn't want to get into his issues of how he'd actually been laying down when Eloise was out to try and take a nap, but his body just wouldn't let him. It seemed his insomnia was getting worse.

He briefly wondered why she didn't address his compliment, but then again, it was Adaryn.

[Adaryn Breslin]

"But the whole point was for me to surprise you," Adaryn said, knowing very well that he could have driven her. If she had a car, she would have driven herself, honestly. But she wanted it to be like it usually was; there wasn't much warning when she saw him most times, and just because he no longer lived at the Hammel dorms didn't mean she wanted to change that.

She listened to him while still exploring the main areas of the apartment, locating the couch with ease. He said he had his own bathroom, which was really convenient. At least he didn't have to share, because then it got very hectic and Eloise seemed like the kind of girl who liked French themed walls and general decorations, while Monroe like the basics. It was why she liked him so much. But Eloise's taste, while a bit over the top, was something she liked about Eloise, as well.

"It's... a nice offer," She started, not sure where to really go with that. Could she stay with Monroe? Was she allowed to stay with Monroe overnight? And if so, that would mean sharing the same bed, and she hadn't really ever done that except once, and Monroe knew how that one turned out. "But I don't think I'm allowed."

But to avoid any of the awkwardness that his offer caused, she sat on the couch and turned around, leaning over the back to look at Monroe. "So do your ears get cold?" It was a dumb question intended to make him roll his eyes and smile, something she wanted to see him do so desperately.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"I know," Monroe agreed. They'd had a habit of surprising each other lately. It was just how they did things. "And I just thought I'd offer. I know there are times when I didn't want to be at Hammel." When she brought up not knowing if it was allowed or not, he shrugged. He wasn't sure either. She probably wasn't, but then again, it's not like the dorm monitors went around every night checking if every single student was in their dorm room. As long as she wasn't roaming the halls of Hammel at midnight, she should be good. "I don't think your roommates would report you missing or anything, would they?" It wasn't as if he wanted Adaryn to stay the night. I mean, he wouldn't mind having her, but it would sound way too forward if he'd told her that he wanted her to. So he'd just leave it at a suggestion. "Just wanted to let you know that you have somewhere else to go."

When she sat down on the sofa, he followed her over. "Need a minute to just sit? I was going to show you the rest of the place." What she said next did actually make him roll his eyes. "Honestly? A little."

[Adaryn Breslin]

There were several times where she didn't want to be at Hammel; life was difficult enough for the empath, and when she was having nightmares it was the hardest things for her to deal with. There were times where she forced herself to stay in bed, but all she wanted to do was get away from the things that surrounded her - go outside and relax. But she knew she couldn't do that. "I don't think so, but if I break curfew and someone does find out, I don't want to get in trouble for it because I might not be able to leave again." Adaryn had heard about people who broke curfew, and she really wasn't going to risk it.

"Thank you, though. I really appreciate it."

Honestly, the idea of touring the apartment that Eloise had eloquently decorated was not something she was too interested in at the moment. Yes, she wanted to see the apartment, but after walking twenty minutes and being hot as could be, she wanted a moment to cool down and relax. Her bare thighs on the leather couch felt nice, but she also knew that she would probably stick slightly after she had cooled. "I just walked from Hammel, so I do need a bit of a break, Monroe." She offered a half smile there, shifting and leaning back against the backing to the couch with her eyes closed.

"I had always wondered if guys got really cold because they had practically no hair - unless they had a beard. You're not planning on growing a full out beard and mustache, either, are you?" She opened her eyes in that moment and tilted her head to look at him, gesturing to his face.

It was also something she found to be a good kind of different with him. He looked like... a man. And she still looked like a little girl. It was kind of odd.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"You're right," Monroe agreed with her, which she was, but he still would like to have her here with him once in a while. At least when she was having nightmares. He could at least dreamwalk and help her through them. That was how they met after all. He wasn't going to push her to do it though. "You're welcome." He offered her a small smile, wishing she would take up his offer. "Man, how long til you graduate again?" It was mostly a joke. He knew. Itwas a whole year away.

"Yeah, sure. That's cool," he said, crossing the living room towards the sofa where she was sitting. She did walk all the way here for him after all. "No, not at all. Just the stubble. I mean, that's enough for me. I don't think I could really pull that off." He laughed thinking about the funny image that popped into his head. "And I never knew before what it felt like to not have my ears covered by my hair, so...." he trailed off, plopping down next to her on the cool leather. The TV was still on, left on the discovery channel. He didn't even reach for the remote.

[Adaryn Breslin]

"Long enough," Adaryn groaned in reference to the graduation. It was bad enough that she was going to have to deal with 'The Talk' with Dr. Neville this year. She was an oncoming senior, so she would be forced to actually go that year - something she very much wasn't looking forward to in the future. Sex in itself was an uncomfortable topic for her. She didn't want to talk about it with anyone, let alone with her psychiatrist.

"Good, because I think you would look really weird if you sort of just transferred the hair you had on your head to hair on your face." What the hell was that? She really was tired, wasn't she? She shook her head, apologizing immediately. "Sorry, I mean.. I like how you look now."

It had been a week since she last saw him, and she missed him. It was nice seeing him in his combat boots and his simplistic clothing choices. She found herself slightly staring because she was trying to organize her thoughts, trying to figure out her opinion of this 'new' Monroe that Eloise had created. There was nothing new about his personality and who he was, but his face was a lot more noticeable now that he didn't have all the hair in it, and she found herself thinking of how she wanted to kiss him.

She immediately started blushing again, looking towards the television to try and forget what she had just thought. What is wrong with you, Addie?

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"It seems like it takes forever, doesn't it?" Monroe asked. That was definitely how it felt to him. So many sleepless nights and then suddenly he was at graduation, tiredly walking across the stage in his cap and gown and....combat boots. "Oh man, you have to go to the Talk too, don't you?" Well, that was a sufficiently awkward topic to bring up.

"No worries," he told her when she thought she was being rude. "I don't think that's a good idea either. And it won't make up for my missed hair either. I think I like how I look now too. But it makes me feel old, you know. I graduated and suddenly just...whoa. Things are so different and it's only been like a week and a half."

She got really quiet all of a sudden and was looking at him as if trying to memorize how he looked now. And then she looked away after a long moment towards the tv. "Are mating lions really that interesting?" he asked, looking back towards the television at the discovery channel.

[Adaryn Breslin]

"I won't ever be able to look at Dr. Neville the same way again after the Talk." Sure, Adaryn understood the reason why he made this talk mandatory to the oncoming seniors and optional for those who wished to come that was not; students needed to learn the basics so they didn't make a poor decision while engaging in the activity. But Addie wasn't going to be acting in any sexual manner! At least, she had never felt the desire to, at least. Sure, she had seen attractive faces, but she had never experienced anything more than thinking they were attractive.

She cracked a smile at his words, knowing just how strange the past week and a half had been. She had been more open to wearing shorts and dresses, but Eloise was still working on her desire to wear sleeves. It may have been hot, but she was not getting rid of them. "You can see your eyes better," Addie started, "And you still have enough hair that you can style; at least Eloise didn't convince you to get a buzz cut." That thought very much weirded out the brunette.

By the time she freaked out internally and started staring at the tv, Adaryn hadn't noticed there were mating lions on the television, and her cheeks immediately got hot. Without another word, she stood up. "Uh, enough of that!" She swallowed, grabbing the remote and turning the television off, "So, you wanted to show me your room?"

Anything but this embarrassment.

[Thomas "Monroe" Montgomery]

"I think a lot of people feel the same way," Monroe agreed with her. The Talk hadn't been his favorite event after all. Sure, he hadn't really gotten involved. He'd been trying not to fall asleep or end up dreamwalking in other students' dreams who were falling asleep in their chairs, uninterested in what Dr. Neville had to say. And some people were just obnoxious. "Just go and bring a sketch pad or something. Doodle," he suggested. He found that helped him stay awake and it would probably help Addie distract herself. He knew she was uncomfortable with a lot of things and everything that Dr. Neville was clearly not uncomfortable saying or displaying was a large part of that.

"Yeah, I guess I kind of hid behind my hair, but who wants to see the bags under my eyes anyway?" He shrugged. "If she made me get a buzzcut, I would be crying into the locks of my hair that I surely saved in a bag, so that will never happen." He hadn't had no hair since he was little. Really little.

"I don't think the lions have had enough," Monroe joked as she turned the television off. "Now we'll never know how it ends." She'd gotten up very abruptly from the sofa. For some reason, he couldn't stop making jokes, but Addie was obviously flustered from it. "Uh, yeah." He stood up as well and moved past her, grabbing her hand as he did and leading her down the hallway.

[Adaryn Breslin]

"I'm sure many people do the same," Except Addie probably would be the only one who was decent enough to not draw any sexual organs or inappropriate body parts on said sketchbook. In fact, she was sure she'd probably plug in headphones and pretend as though she was listening, but really wouldn't be. Or maybe she would - the girl hadn't figured it out yet.

"They aren't that bad," Addie commented before she had her miniature freak out. What made things worse is that he was making jokes about the entire thing, and it only furthered her reddening, but more so from annoyance at being teased than embarrassment at that point.

It wasn't as odd being lead in the way that she was; her hand fit perfectly in his, and she instinctively gave it a squeeze, despite her annoyance with him for the scene with the television. The Empath was coming to grips with the fact that he considered her his girlfriend, and that this was going to continue to be a normal thing. She was lead to his bedroom, her eyes being averted to focus on the decorations that Eloise had managed to set up.

"Eloise really knows what she's doing," She said, looking up at the man beside her before they entered his room.