Alone at Last... Or Not (Jared)

[Aurora Snyder]

Aurora returned to her dorm shortly after dusk. She was surprisingly tired. But that was probably to be expected after the day she had had. Her first day at the school and already she wanted to be anywhere but here. It seemed that it didn't matter where she went, there was someone there. All she wanted was to be left alone. What about that was so difficult to understand?

She sighed heavily as she entered the common area of her dorm room. Were it not for the fact that her suitcases and bags laid on her bed waiting to be unpacked, she would happily flop onto her bed and hide from the world. Her head was pounding from the overload of socialization. At least back home everyone knew better than to talk to me. It took me years to get that through their thick skulls! And from the look of it it will take even longer to train this bunch... She shook her head slightly as if to banish the thoughts. She wasn't planning to be around that long. So as it was, she wasn't up to unpacking just yet. Instead she plopped onto the sofa in the common room, leaned back and closed her eyes, taking a long deep breath to relax her and ease her aching head.

[Jared Park]

A series of grunts and groans escaped the young boy of fifteen as he made his way through the school grounds and into the dorm complexes, often thinking that his arms and legs would give up any minute because of the strain he’s putting them under. Beads of sweat formed and flowed down continuously from his forehead to the side of his face, his breath becoming hard and heavy as he slowly got through the winding halls and in front of his dorm door. He put the bags down for a bit, stretching his back backwards and tilting his head up, hoping to catch his breath. Truly, when Jared planned to go in town for a bit to replenish their already depleted pantry supply, he didn’t imagine he’d be this tired and wasted.

After his quick break, he grabbed his keys from his pocket, lifted the heavy bags and proceeded to open the door. It took him quite a while to get the right key and make the knob turn properly, causing him to grumble and curse, asking why couldn’t the school have card keys instead and mumbling on how he should’ve opened the door first before carrying the heavy bags. Assuming that no one is back in the rooms yet since he hasn’t seen Edith around (she’s usually in the room during this time, studying human anatomy), he kicked the door close, causing a rather loud thud to reverberate across the room. Only when he successfully put the bags on the countertop did he notice (and remember) his new roommate. “Oops, I’m so sorry, did I wake you up?” he said apologetically, giving her a weak smile. Remembering that he hasn’t introduced himself formally yet, he slowly walked towards the couch, straightening his shriveled shirt and wiping his sweaty hand (not exactly the best habit, but that’s Jared for you). “I’m Jared. You are?”

[Aurora Snyder]

Aurora's eyes opened and her body stiffened as she heard the loud thud of the opening door. She glared at the boy entering the room, her initial reaction to make a scathing remark. She most certainly did not appreciate having the one relaxing moment of her day interrupted. However she froze as her better sense caught up to her. It was best not to make an enemy with him if it could be avoided. They had to live together and she would see him most every day. She didn't plan to be here very long, but in the meantime the simpler she could make her life, the better.

"No problem, I wasn't asleep anyway," she assured him, her voice sounded far more friendly than she felt. She reached out to accept his handshake, her grip firm but not over-powering. She didn't want him to think her weak after all. "My name is Aurora. Nice to meet you," she said brightly, a smile touching her lips although her blue eyes remained cold. She paused for a moment, sizing him up silently. He didn't seem threatening, but in a place like this one could never be too safe. "So, how long have you been at Hammel?" she asked casually.

[Jared Park]

Aurora’s icy glare did not escape the young boy. He’s been glared at a dozen of times, usually by his brother when he’s not in his best behavior, but hers was different. It somehow chilled him to the bone. Somehow, he got an idea that what he did was an unforgivable crime and he should be punished. While he wasn’t one to judge people based on how they look and how they first ‘presented’ themselves to him, he can’t help but see his new roommate (he assumes, given that she’s in their room at this time of the day) as a real-life ice queen. He was actually expecting her to scold him for being such a nuisance or something. He bit his lip, braving himself for the worse to come.

But then she returned the gesture rather cordially. And while her handshake was a bit too firm for Jared’s tastes, at least she didn’t shout at him for being such a pest to her beauty sleep. Her tone and smile actually seemed sincere. He was actually feeling guilty for thinking about the girl so ill earlier, had he not seen her eyes. It wasn’t out of the norm really, just your typical blue shade for blondes, but something about the way she looked at him gave Jared the message that he did do something wrong. That she’s actually angry with her. That she thinks of him as a rude kid and she’s just being civil with him. Or maybe he’s just being paranoid.

“Me? I think I’ve been here for a good three months or so,” he replied, taking his hand back from the handshake, “I arrived here in August. Around a month or so before school started.” He couldn’t help but wonder about the uniqueness of her question. Usually people in Hammel start by asking the new person about what his powers are or what grade he’s in. But no, she had to ask about how long he’s been in school. Odd.

“I’m guessing you’re our new roommate? So how was the trip to Hammel? Exhausting? I know mine was,” he added, putting away his ill impressions about the girl at the back of his head and hoping he’d find more about her to completely erase such thoughts. “And would you need help in unpacking?”

[Aurora Snyder]

Aurora could see his fear and guilt and she found herself genuinely feeling bad for him. Maybe she had reacted too harshly. She had never had a problem with the way people treated her at her old school, but for some reason it bothered her to consider that people here were already coming to the same conclusion. Could it be she was going soft already? She used to take pride in the fact that people believed her heartless and frigid. What was it about this place that was changing her?

Nevertheless, her features and her gaze softened slightly. It wasn't warm, but it was no longer pure ice which made her seem at least mildly more approachable. "How did you end up here?" she asked. Only three months? Well, that was still more than her, so perhaps he could be some help. Besides, she needed to know who she was dealing with. Just because he looked like an innocent kid didn't mean he was. Here in this school, things could never be judged for surface value.

"Yeah, I just got here this morning. It's been a long day to say the least," she answered with a sigh, a hand absently raising to rub her temple. "Nah, I didn't bring much," she said, dismissing his offer, although she paused slightly. It was odd that he would offer in the first place. "Thank you," she added softly, a new sincerity in her voice. It was possible that he only wanted a chance to look through her things, but she doubted that. He didn't seem that devious. She offered him a wider smile than before to let him know she did mean it.

[Jared Park]

Jared does in fact feel guilty. He’s been thought never to judge a book by its cover and he tried so hard to live by it. And it did work. Despite him being relatively new in Hammel (compared to the other students he’s met, like Ann, who’s been in the Insitute for around four or five years already, if he remember his ‘history’ right), he’s proud that he’s made quite the number of friends already. And while most of the people he converses with are his age (which is quite normal, in my opinion), he does have a handful of upperclassmen ‘buddies’. Ann, for example, is one. His old roommates, Devin and Riley. And Lani, though technically he met him because he’s been demoted a grade or two, or in PE at least. He just hopes Aurora’s not a mind reader. Unlike her, he doesn’t see why people should be happy when people are upset with him. He can’t stand people getting angry at him. Which is why one particular animal mimic baffles him to no end.

He sat on one of the arm rests of the sofa, not really comfortable talking to someone who’s sitting while he’s standing. His head tilted slightly on her question, not really understanding what she meant. “You mean how I was confirmed as a meta?” he asked tentatively, telling himself that an obvious answer, like by an airplane and a car, while funny, isn’t really what she’s asking about, “My mom’s a geneticist. Works in Kocher actually. Sent her a sample of my blood. Poof. Dr. Campbell was on our house within a week’s time.” And boy was that week so emotional. He’s actually happy Dr. Campbell’s the one who recruited him. Aside from his trainer, he’s one of the few Institute staff Jared actually feels comfortable conversing with.

“Just this morning? Cool. How d’you like the school so far then?” My, guess he did barge in at a rather unpleasant time. And Aurora should be a bit grateful Jared isn’t a mind reader. Should he learn of Aurora’s doubts about him, specifically the one about the room-check comment, he’d be extremely upset. Not that he’d tell her about it anyway.