Meeting Someone New (Alyss)

[Julian Wes]

Julian was in the common room of his dorm, laid out on the couch. The day after New Years Day. It was slow goings. He’d still yet to meet his roommates. Though he did know he had them. Once, after positively knowing nobody else was in their rooms, he poked his head. Sure enough, there was stuff in two of the rooms. But he figured, he hadn’t been there that long, so for all he knew they were at home with their families. He would’ve liked to do the same. But his dad was touring again. And his mom had taken Xander and Riley back to Switzerland to visit friends. He could’ve stayed with his grandma and grandpa, but without his parents and siblings, he thought it’d be depressing. So here he was. Strumming his guitar and singing, off key too.

Like always, even on both the holidays that just passed, Julian spent as much time as possible out of his dorm. He took the opportunity to try to meet what people had stayed on campus and wondered into town to try and meet some locals. One girl he met that went here, well she was really jumpy. Kind off reminded him a squirrel. Whenever somebody would move around her, she’d freeze and watch them from the corner of her eye. Then if somebody tried to approach her, she’d skitter off. Though, when he saw her again, he’d managed get close enough behind her to catch her name written on the notebook in front of her. Angela… Something. Unfortunately, the floor squeaked then and she bolted. She’d managed to keep herself hidden since.

“Maybe it’s much too early in the game,
Ah but I thought I’d ask you just the same,
What are you doing New Years, New Years Eve?”

He knew it was late to be singing this song since New Years Eve had past, but he’d seen a youtube video of two celebrities singing it together and thought it was adorable. So he strummed the guitar slowly, mimicking how the two had sung it. He was still off key, but only a little. Most likely only those who knew much about music would notice.

“Who’s gonna be the one who holds you tight,
When it’s exactly twelve o’clock at night?
Welcoming in the New Years, New Years Eve.”

It wasn’t the end of the song, but he liked it that way better. Then he just strummed he began strumming his guitar aimlessly. Not much intending for anything, except to cure his boredom.

[Alyss Everheart]

Alyss Everhart down the hallway of the dorms, her brown leather boots with heavy straps, clinking as she took each step. Her trunk, rolling in tow behind her, a deep cherry brown leather that had obvious age and a many stickers decorating it's exterior, slid smoothly along the carpet on its two wheels as she sauntered her way past rooms. Dorm room, dorm room, dorm room. Monotonically thought Alyss as she peered at each number next to the doors on the Co-Ed Dorm hallways, trying to find hers within the mix. She had been Hammel Institute for almost six years now, and each year for a week, Alyss left to go spend Christmas and New Years day with her Granny Astrid back in Tennessee. Al was always eager to see Granny, seeing as the blonde constantly worries about whether or not the older lady get's lonely, all by herself in that house, all the way back in TN. Though, she knew Granny hated it when Alyss worried about her, so she tried her best to not to. It was hard, especially after being separated for long periods of time, but as a Meta-Human, and student at Hammel, it was a sacrifice they all had to make.


Sighing, and dropping her trunk, she finally stood outside of her dorm room. "Thank. GOD! Finally..." Alyss fished in her back pocket for her keys, taking them out and flipping to the one for the door lock. As she turned the lock, and picker her stuff back up Alyss began to hear some strange noise coming from inside the dorm room. It sounded like...music. Or, at least what music was supposed to sound like. Stepping in, trunk and backpack with her, she timidly poked her head in around the corner to the common room, finding a pre-teen boy sprawled out on her couch, playing the guitar and....I guess what you call singing. Forcing back a snicker, noting that the guitar playing was actually pretty decent, but the voice needed work, she walked fully into the apartment and towards the couch. Though, the kid seemed to be off in his own little world, too busy with some New Year's song. So, who did she want to be held by on New Year's Eve?


"Well, I'd like it if it was Gerard Butler, or maybe Brad Pitt back in his younger days." Alyss snorted, and smirked as she walked past the couch the boy was sitting on and towards her room in the adjacent hall. She quickly set the worn trunk in front of it, and laid her backpack down on top as she returned back to the common room to continue her little conversation. "But, that's not exxaaaccctly how it turned out." Offering a short giggle after her response, she held out her hand towards the black haired mystery pre-teen male. "Hey there, I'm Alyss. You must be the new roommate, huh?" she questioned happily. Al knew she was supposed to be getting a knew roommate here sometime soon, and figured it'd be a boy this time. Seeing as her other roomie, Annabelle, was also of the female kind. The guy didn't seem half bad at first glance either, a little young, but hopefully a good guy.

[Julian Wes]

When the door opened, Julian looked to the girl he’d never seen before. “Oh uh… Hi.” He chuckled, slightly embarrassed, at being caught lounging across the couch. Some might consider it rude. It was a shared area after all. There was the possibility that his roommates weren’t fond of feet on the furniture. So when his little… musical number was finished, he sat up. “You like the pretty boys huh?” Two seconds together and they were already getting to know each other.

“It’s not? Huh… I’d heard Brad Pitt was on the outs with that girl. The one with the big lips. I thought for sure you’d be next on his list.” He shrugged. “You’re probably better off. Dude kinda looks like a douche. But then again… Fight Club. So I’m torn.” Jules was getting a little chatty. Normally, when first meeting somebody he’d stay quiet, let them do the talking, maybe ask them a question or two if they slowed down.

Standing up after setting his guitar on the floor and leaning it against the side of the couch, he walked towards her, and took her hand. “Hi Alyss. I’m Julian. Or you can call me Jules. Either one is fine.” Generally people called him Julian. Jules… That was a pet name that really only his dad used. Or the occasional close family friend. But he always offered it up as a nickname to people.

Glancing into her room he saw a few pieces of luggage. “Do you have any more out in the hall or downstairs? I’d be more than happy to help you carry it in.” Always ready and willing to help somebody out, he hoped there was something he could do. Maybe even help unpack? But she probably had… Underthings in her suitcase… So he was kind of at a loss.

Or maybe… He glanced at the clock. It was nearly one p.m. Perhaps he could offer her lunch? That was a good way to make friends with people. People loved to eat after all. “Maybe… You’d like to put off unpacking? We can get some lunch and get to know each other if you’re interested? I mean, just so you know I’m not a creeper.”

[Alyss Everheart]

Alyss shrugged at the teen's comment of pretty boys as she walked past him and set down her luggage outside of the door in the hallway to the left. It looked like Annabelle wasn't back either, or at least she wasn't in the dorm room, so it was just mystery boy and her. "I'm not so sure I really want Brad Pitt anymore. Not since he started growing that...nasty hobo beard thing on his chin." Alyss responded to Julian's offer of the celebrity's relationship status, a cute compliment thrown in there too, as she walked back into the common room. Her face lit up as she said the next part, face to face with the guy now. "You've seen Fight Club?! I love that movie!! And yes, that's the Brad Pitt I'm talking about!'. A giggle erupted from her throat as she was happy to be getting off on the right foot with her new roommate.

The boy had finished playing his song the moment she walked in, which was probably for the best, and had now set down his guitar beside the couch. Standing up, her took her hand and she gripped it firmly and gave a slight shake as he told her his name. "Julian," Alyss said happily, "nice to meet you as well.' She mulled the name over in her head for a while, trying it out, but decided she was more of a nickname person anyway. "Eh, I think I like Jules better. Besides, I normally end up making nicknames for people as is."


Glancing down the hall, she looked her trunk as Julian mentioned it. "Oh no! That's it! I've been living here for a while now, so I left most my stuff when I left for break. Only needed the trunk." Backing up and walking over to the counter, she grabbed a cup from the cupboard and put it underneath the faucet in the sink. Turning it on, she filled the glass halfway while continuing the conversation. "But thanks for offering!" Spinning around to face Julian again, faucet off and glass in hand she walked back to him sipping on her water.


"I guess we could go out somewhere if you would like. There's a burger joint right outside of campus. Or we could make something..." Alyss said, trailing off as she walked quickly back to the cupboard and pantry, opening both up to look for a box of pasta she knew should be there. There was an unopened box, just as she had left it, and a can of sauce next to it. "If you want that is. We have some pasta here that I could make real quick!"

[Julian Wes]

Had he seen Fight Club? That was laughable. The fact that he’d seen it about thirty times was something he didn’t find necessary to admit. Or the fact that half the reason he’d seen it so many times was because Brad Pitt, especially in Fight Club, made him drool. “Of course I’ve seen it! It’s amazing. We’ll have to watch it sometime.” And while he loved Brad Pitt was a huge factor in him loving that movie, so was Helena Bonham Carter. She was just so… Gloriously weird! In a weird way, he kind of wished he could be here. Not that he’d ever admit it. “We’ll pop popcorn and whatnot. And invite the other mystery roommate.”

Smiling, he nodded. “Jules is definitely fine. I encourage it even.” This girl was nice. He was going to like rooming with her. There was something kind of… Different about her? He couldn’t really place it. When he met new people, he could usually immediately tell something that they needed help with. Most of the people he encountered didn’t hide their problems very well. If she had any, she hid them well. Because he didn’t know what it was yet. “It’s nice to meet you too Alyss.”

“Yeah, I noticed you’d already moved in.” And immediately he realized his blunder causing his cheeks to turn a light shade of pink. “I wasn’t snooping around your room or anything. I promise. I just… Cracked the doors open. I was curious if I was alone in the dorm.” His slight embarrassment caused his head to drop and shoulders to raise. “I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again. With her back turned as she got herself some water, he had the perfect opportunity to facepalm at himself.

Finally, following her into the kitchen, he stood where the common area changed into the kitchen. “Yeah, sure. Pasta sounds great.” He open the fridge, pulling a few things out. “I also have a few things to make spinach and some garlic bread if you’d like.” His mother, always the concerned, had sent him to Hammel with a large box of food. Only to send another in the mail filled with other treats. Julian suspected their cupboards and fridge would never look bare.

[Alyss Everheart]

"Annabelle Coronova." said Alyss as she grinned at Julain's idea of the movie night. "She's the other roommate, but like the idea!" Alyss had known Annabelle for a while now, having roomed with her for a good bit of time before they had filed for another roommate. She figured the two would accept Julian with open arms. Well, at least Alyss would. Anna could be a little different around people, and had a sort of closed off personality, though, with Alyss she was sure she could bring the girl out of her shell and to talk with Julian, get to know him a bit. At least she wouldn't hate the kid, he didn't seem annoying or an ass, so she didn't see any red flags as far as getting along with Jules.


Having established the boy's official 'name', or nickname, that Alyss would probably forever call him by until she found something else, she turned and got a glass of water for herself. Filling the glass up and chugging it down, she felt refreshed once again. Alyss had flown to her grandmother's home back in Tennessee, so she always felt a little jet lagged and tired afterwards. So, being the plant she is, water always helped her to feel better, and some sunlight outside. Though, it was a little too cold out to be standing around outside, she wasn't about to go do that anytime soon. Then, Julian started getting all flustered, cause he apparently had looked in her room while she was gone. "Oh." said Alyss, a quizzical look on her face. "Well, I mean, I don't care." she giggled and reached out the hand not holding her glass to pat Julain's shoulder twice. "I took anything actually worth something with my to my Granny's, and like you said, you were just checking to see if anyone was home, right?" Alyss asked this in a clarifying way, the last sentence having some more stricter tone to it. Almost as if she was being an older sister checking on her nosy little brother, seeing as Julain was younger.


"Pasta it is!" exclaimed Alyss, placing down the glass, grabbing the sauce and pasta, and then searching for two pots to seperately cook the sauce and pasta. "Great," she continued to say as Julian held out the spinach and garlic bread, "if you wanna put the bread in the oven and then cook that spinach or make a salad with it? Whatever works." Alyss moved over to make enough room for Julian to do as he pleased while she filled a large pot with water and set it on the stove to heat up a little before pouring in the noodles.


"But really, don't worry about the room thing." she stated as she opened the noodles and began to pour them in. Putting on a warm smile, she continued. "Also, if you have any questions about the school, feel free to ask. You're still pretty new right?" She didn't know how long Julian had actually been at Hammel. He was her new roommate, but was her new per se to the school? Al could only guess.

[Julian Wes]

The smile on Julian’s face when she liked his idea of the movie night was a big one. He felt like he was going to get along with Alyss just fine. Actually, no. Not fine. Great. They both loved Fight Club and Brad Pitt. One roommate down, one to go. And he couldn’t help but ask. “Annabelle, huh? What’s she like?” What he was really asking was whether or not she a crazy or a… Well he didn’t like calling girls bitches, but sometimes there was no other to describe somebody. Of course, when you called a guy a bitch, it meant something completely different. But he didn’t like using it to describe guys either. “Is she around a lot? Or does she spend most of her time out of the dorm?” This of course would be very important information if she wasn’t somebody who got along well with others.

“Oh no! I promise! Really, I was only looking to see. I would never take anything from you or snoop.” His voice was earnest as he tried to make her believe him. Of course, it was true. He wasn’t lying to her. But he didn’t want her to think he was some kind of… weirdo who liked to sneak into girls’ rooms for whatever reason guys did that. That would making living here really awkward. And the way she spoke to him… It kinda reminded him of how he used to talk to his little brother and sister. But they were so very much younger than him, so he made sure to use smaller words and always keep his tone nice. Upsetting small children was awful. Especially when trying to soothe them afterwards.

Bending down and opening a cupboard, he pulled out a pan for the bread. “Yeah. Uh, just so you know, the cupboards and fridge will always be filled. My mom… She’s always concerned I’m not getting enough to eat. And I’m sure she’ll be sending cookies all the time. And when she finds out you and Annabelle like something, she’ll send that all the time too.” He took a breath and chuckled. “Basically, she’s gonna force you to like her.” That’s just what his mom did. “It’s just good she lives in Virginia. Otherwise she’d want to take you shopping too.”

Yes, Julian knew his mom could be a little… Overbearing. But her intentions were in the right place. He often thought she was a bit too concerned with what people thought about her. Not that she was concerned with the families overall image as a whole. But his mom just wanted people to like her. A trait Julian was thankful wasn’t passed down onto him.

The young boy nodded. ”Yeah actually… I uh I came after everybody had already left for winter break. Mom was in Switzerland with my brother and sister, they still are actually. And my dad travels a lot. So school seemed as good a place to be.” He explained as he ripped open the french garlic bread, popping the pieces strategically on the pan. And he noticed his little stretching of the truth about his dad was getting easier to say. “What about you? How long have you been at Hammel?”

[Alyss Everheart]

"Annabelle's a character." Alyss responded, knowing full well that it was somewhat of a vague response to have given Julain. It was all she had though! Annabelle wasn't someone you could easily describe, unless you pointed the obvious with her being an aloof activist who wasn't up for much chatting unless she got used to you. Al felt like that was generalizing the girl too much, however, and knew there was a lot more to her than just that. "You'll just have to meet her honestly, but I promise, you guys will get along! Just give her some time. As for her leaving the dorm, I don't really know, I'm out most of the time myself. I know she's away right now on break, like I was." The two girls had both left Hammel over break, as to where Annabelle went, Aly didn't know, though, she knew she'd have to come back in the next few days before class started up again.


Alyss shook her head at Julian's comment and flustered expression as he tried to convince her that he really was just checking for roommates! Alyss knew he was, and could tell he was being genuine. Besides, she didn't have anything too valuable in there as is. "I know, I know." She said, chuckling and patting him on the shoulder as she pulled out the pasta box and began to work on their supper. "It's all right." She had let the water start to come to a boil before pouring the pasta on into the bowl. Grabbing her wooden spoon to stir the noodles she had now placed within the water, and Julian worked on the bread, he continued to talk about his apparently 'overly-concerned mother'. Which was apparently great news for Alyss and Annabelle as far as food went by the way it sounded. "Serious?!"


Alyss's face lit up like a freakin' christmas tree. One sure way to get on this blonde's good side was through her stomach. Literally, get her a good meal and your set man. "That is perfectly find with me, and Annabelle too, I'm sure!" Alyss commented on Julian mentioning her mother trying to force her to like her. If someone wanted to give her free stuff, especially free food that was her favorite, then she would more than happily love the person! From the way it sounded, though, Julian seemed happy to be away from his mom a bit. Maybe they butted heads on this whole 'making people like her thing' with his mother? "So, I guess you're glad she's still in Virginia and you get some time away here at Hammel?" Al offered, seeing what was the mama situation with Jules.


After a few minutes, the noodles began to soften, and Al poured the sauce into the saucepan where she turned the heat up and let it simmer while the pasta cooked the rest of the way. Hopefully, it should all be done in the next five to ten minutes. "Switzerland?" comment Alyss as she listened to Jules talk about his family being away on vacation, while he apparently came here instead over break. "So you've been here all alone these past two weeks??" the blonde exclaimed as she turned her head to look Jules. What had he done for that long of a time? Surely not many other students had stayed behind here at the school. She would have been bored to death if she had stayed at Hammel!


"I've been here since I was 12." It sounded like a young age to have come to Hammel, though, Alyss thought things couldn't have turned out better with her coming to Hammel then. The institute had really helped her out a lot, emotionally and physically with her powers by being here that long. "So, I guess that makes 5, going on 6 years." She nodded her head affirmatively at the time she's been at this lovely place and smiled over at Jules. "So, since I missed you're actual first day here. I'll just say it now. Welcome To Hammel Institute, Jules!"

[Julian Wes]

Listening carefully to Alyss describe Anna, Julian smiled. It sounded as if he was describing the girl as fun and interesting, generally a good time. And for that he was glad. Nobody aaactually wanted stick in the mud roommates, right? But he did have one curiosity… “Well that’s great! I can’t wait to meet her.” He said with a chuckle. And after a beat of silence, he asked “So uh… How old is she?” He hoped his new roommate didn’t get the wrong idea. The boy wasn’t asking out of possible romantic interest. But Alyss was older than him. And while she was probably wasn’t any older than maybe seventeen, the differences between a fourteen year old and older teenager were great.

He smiled sheepishly at the girl while she patted his shoulder, confident now that she did believe him. “I just don’t want you to think I’m some creep, sneaking into the girls’ rooms rifling through your girl things.” And he didn’t mean make-up when he said ‘girl things’ either. Having more girls for friends than boys, on occasion there’d be one that was uncomfortable with having him spend the night at their homes when he was a tad younger. In all honesty, Julian was different than most boys his age. While he found certain people attractive, Alyss being one, physically things had yet to grab his interest. So any concern anybody had about him to do with that was completely unwarranted.

Sprinkling garlic and cheese onto the bread, the young boy smiled and nodded at his roommate. “Yeah… She’s hard not to like. And if somebody were to not, she’d probably stuff them with her triple chocolate brownies until they did.” While Julian’s physique didn’t hint at it, he was rather the pig when it came to his mom’s cooking. But because he ran and played lacrosse, he was thin. Almost scrawny actually, but because he used his muscles so often, it gave him a bit of definition.

“Eh…” He said with a shrug. “I mean I miss her. A lot. And my little brother and sister. And wish I could see them. But…” With a little coy smirk on his face, he said, “What fourteen year old boy doesn’t want to be away from his mom? To be unsupervised?” Not that he would do anything too bad. Just teenager stuff. Staying up late. Sneaking into rated-r movies. Things that wouldn’t even get him trouble with the law. If that ever became an issue, you better believe his mom would uproot their entire life they’d made in Virginia and move to Pilot Ridge.

Julian had the feeling as if he was talking a lot, more than he normally did. But oddly enough, it wasn’t actually an uncomfortable feeling. Alyss was nice and he was really enjoying her company. Perhaps this was just what he needed to stop missing Dylan quite so much.

“Yeah. We lived there for a while. But I was actually born France. Though, I’m a hundred percent American. Well… As hundred percent as anybody is nowadays.” Julian explained with a large smile. While he didn’t like telling people much about his dad or what his dad did, he loved telling them of all the different places he’d been and his unique childhood. With quick nod of the head, Julian explained more, opening up some spinach and putting it in a pan, then chopping a few onions to sauté with the spinach. “Well, it wasn’t really an option to go Switzerland. Plus it would’ve sucked to see everybody, just to leave really soon afterwards. And I could’ve stayed with my grandparents. But I really wanted to explore the school while it was empty. Get a good feel for it, ya’ know?” With a shrug, he stopped. It seemed like it was a good enough reason. And an honest one… mostly. “What about you? Where’d you spend your break?” He figured she’d spent it at home with family, like most did. But he was curious as to where home was for her.

His eyes widened as he added the onions to the spinach, putting them on another burner. He was careful not to invade the girl’s personal space, extending his arm in full to push around the spinach-onion mix. “Wow… God, I can’t imagine being any one place that long.” The fact that he’d spent his childhood traveling had affected Julian greatly. When in any one place for too long, he became restless. The longest he’d lived in one place was when his family moved to Virginia. And after only being there for a few years, he came to Hammel. So the fact that he might have to be here for just as long was a tad… intimidating to him.

Chuckling, he said, “Well thanks. I’m sure I’m gonna love it. Everybody here seems so…” He tried to think of the best word. And with another chuckle, he said, “Interesting.”