Brotherly... Sisterly Love (Jeff)

[Jeff McIntosh]

"Yeah, sure. But let's get your stuff to your room, first." 

Honestly, Jeff did not want to be carrying around a purple bag all evening, even if it was obviously for the benefit of someone else. That part was obvious...he hoped. He would have to seriously rethink his life if anyone actually thought he would have a purple laptop bag. 

The dorms were in their own little building, which meant marching out into the cold November air. He shivered as he flung open the door, wind whipping dark hair into an untidy crow's nest.

"This way," He pointed down a path half-covered in snow.  

[Joelle McIntosh]

"Okay!" Joelle trotted after him like a little duck, eager to see where she would be staying for the next while.

For Jeff's information, it was a very pretty bag, and Joelle liked it very much. From the color to the little glitter flower in the lower corner, it was perfect. And if he dropped it, she was going to be upset.

Going back outside didn't please her, but she followed her brother like a good girl and bit her lip at the cool air. Why did Vermont have to be so cold? Couldn't the school be in like... Florida? Somewhere tropical and warm.

"Why are the dorms outsiiiiide?" She didn't really expect an answer, she just wanted to voice the fact that this wasn't fun. She hadn't expected it to be so cool, and as such she really hadn't dressed all that great for it. Maybe she'd have to find the mall and look for a warmer coat. Actually, scratch the maybe. She'd absolutely have to. "... How much snow do we get here? More than home?" Please say no, please say no, pleeeaaaase say no.

[Jeff McIntosh]

"They aren't outside. They're in another building," Jeff corrected, stomping his way down the sidewalk, leaving heavy footprints behind him. "It's not that far."

He rolled his eyes at her complaints. Was this whining a recent thing, or had he just not noticed because he hadn't lived at home for so long? He was pretty sure he didn't remember this much whining when he had last been home for break, but that had admittedly been a year ago. Maybe he just didn't remember.

"'Course it gets more snow than home, it's way farther North."

Back home, any snow at all was considered exciting and unexpected. The merest threat of snow meant everyone jamming themselves into the grocery store to stock up on essentials. In Vermont, however, snow was simply part and parcel of living.

Fortunately for her, they arrived at the dorm building quickly enough. He shook snow off his shoes before opening the door, and once again holding it open for her.

"Second floor's co-ed."

[Joelle McIntosh]

"But we still hafta go outside to get to them," Jo pointed out. Honestly she hadn't thought they stayed in tents or anything. Still, she scuttled after him to keep up, minding out for any ice on the path.

More snow? Colour her unimpressed. Snow at home meant snow days and no school. Snow here was probably totally normal. And cold. ".... How much more is more?" This was important to know.

At least it was a quick trip. Lugging her case, she quickly crossed the threshold and set her case down, shaking her cold hand out. "So where's your dorm? Way up top or down here?" She needed to know, just in case she needed him for something. Or just to bug him. That too.

[Jeff McIntosh]

"Up top. Don't try and come up there, you'll get detention if anyone catches you."

Way back when Jeff had first come to Hammel he had received a copy of the dorm handbook, and he assumed that Jo had as well. She obviously hadn't had time to read it yet, but he couldn't blame her for that. Handbooks weren't very interesting, and if it hadn't been for one of the dorm monitors sitting down with him and going over it he might not have bothered looking at it at all.

But he wasn't in any danger of letting girls into his dorm, or of sneaking into the girl's floor. Jo, however, seemed like she might actually try it.

He stomped over to the elevator, pressing the up button before looking over at her. It was really weird thinking of Jo as a sister now. What were you supposed to do with sisters, anyway?

"Still okay with the suitcase?"

He couldn't believe she hadn't asked him to carry it for her yet.

[Joelle McIntosh]

”Seriously?” Detention for that? Well, maybe for the girls sneaking around to do things with the boys. But what if she just wanted to hang out with her brother before bed, like they used to? “What if it was an emergency? Still detention?” Pestering Jeff with questions was one thing she’d always been good at. Even when she was little she’d been curious about everything. That was one thing that hadn’t ever changed.

She followed him to the elevator and set the case down again to rub her cold hand as they waited. The question prompted a small frown and an emphatic nod. “Yes, Jeff.” Now it was just a point of pride. She could carry her own case just fine, thank you very much. He could keep the pretty purple bag.

[Jeff McIntosh]

Jeff continued to look skeptical. "You sure?" 

She might just be saying that she was fine when in reality she needed help. That was something girls did, according to the culture at large. She probably just needed him to ask enough times before she relented. 

A slight ding! alerted the two of them that an elevator was available only seconds before the door slid open. A handful of other students tumbled out, not really paying attention to their waiting peers. Jeff cautiously peered around the edge of the elevator after they had left, then scrambled inside when it seemed that nobody was left inside. 

"Come on," He beckoned his sister in after him. 

[Joelle McIntosh]

"Oh my God Jeff yes I'm sure!" That was it. She was carrying the case the rest of the way even if it killed her.

If he asked again, she was starting to consider dropping the thing on his foot, if he wanted it so badly. Maybe he just didn't want to carry her laptop anymore and wanted to trade, but that was too bad.

The ding made her look up, and she watched students flow out. So these would be her classmates...

She was so lost watching them that Jeff's call made her jump. "Sorry!" Picking up the case again, she scurried inside and poked the 2 button to prove she'd been listening. See? She could be good.

[Jeff McIntosh]

Jeff narrowed his eyes at Jo's insistence. She was going to get tired of carrying it before they got to the room, he was sure of it. But for the moment he would let that go.

He leaned back against the elevator wall and waited until it stopped, doors opening onto the co-ed hallway. He stomped out, trailing snow dust behind him. It took a moment for him to decide which direction to head in, but then he headed off, mumbling room numbers under his breath until they reached 210.

"Here we are," He announced, stopping in front of the door.

[Joelle McIntosh]

Jo knew that look. She may not have seen it for a few years, but she knew it. She just held her ground and narrowed her eyes right back at him.

Once they were on the right floor, she trailed after him, still lugging her case just to prove a point. As soon as she saw the number, she lit up. See? She'd made it all the way to the dorm with the case. Take that, Jefferson.

She'd been given a key, but that meant setting her case down for a moment. Frowning, she put it on the floor, pointedly behind her, and therefore out of Jeff's reach. Now she had a hand free, she set about looking for it in her pockets. Finally, she found the small set of keys - one for the main door to the dorms, and one to her own room. Holding them up in triumph, she used the labeled keys to unlock it. Before going in, though, she hesitated. She'd been so excited, but now nerves were taking over. What if her roommates were mean?

[Jeff McIntosh]

Jeff stared at Jo's back as she hesitated.

"Well?" He prompted when she failed to enter the dorms. "Are we gonna just stand here?"

[Joelle McIntosh]

Jeff's prompt brought Jo back to reality. Squaring her shoulders, she stuck her tongue out at him before actually twisting the knob and stepping inside cautiously, forgetting her case in the hall in favor of peeking at her new surroundings.

The dorms were cute! And much less intimidating now she was actually inside. It seemed like it was quiet - maybe everyone was having dinner already? Curious, she peeked back at Jeff. "Does that paper thingy say which room it is?" Oh! Wait, she had keys. That was real smart. "Wait, nevermind!" Looking at the smaller key, she matched it up with the right door and opened up what was now her room. "Oh, wow!" After spending so much time with her siblings growing up, having her own space was going to be amazing.

[Jeff McIntosh]

Jeff trudged into the common area, looking until he found a room with Jo's name on it. Wow, they actually put Joelle! How come the school knew about this before he did?

"C'mon, let's park your stuff and go. You said you were hungry, right?"

[Joelle McIntosh]

Joelle was still looking around in excitement. No brothers to stroll in and borrow her games without asking! Just roommates that may or may not be nice but she'd take what she could get. This was going to be fun!

Right. Stuff. Jo used her key to open up the room and unceremoniously dumped her backpack on the neat loft bed. How cool was that?! But where was her... "Oh!"

She bolted by Jeff and back into the hall, grabbing the case before he could think about it and lugged it into her new room. "Stuff's parked!" Much like an overexcited puppy, she bounded back to him and bounced on her heels. "Dinner now?"

[Jeff McIntosh]

Jeff nodded. "Cafeteria. It's for every meal, so you better learn how to get there."

On the way there he stopped by the dorm offices, to introduce her to the dorm monitors, and then they made their way back outside, into the snow, and onward to the cafeteria.

Jeff hoped nobody he recognized would be there.

He didn't know how he would introduce her to his friends, since he had told everyone that he only had brothers.

He had been wrong. He had a sister.

And he had to feed her.

[fin]