Finally (Open)

[Annabelle Coronova]

After searching far and wide, while making her best attempt to get settled into school what with signing up for classes, clubs, and making her way around the school, she had finally found time to seek out a resting place, a quiet place where she could just release. And here it was, the pond. It wasn't like the forest by a long shot, but it was a beautiful and tranquil spot of resting, where she could pull out her latest book from her bag, snuggle up on a snow-covered bench, and read as long as she could manage without losing feeling in all of her appendages.

This time round she had shuffled out here in her tall knee-length leather boots with buckles, sporting a grey peacoat and matching gloves, and violet scarf. Bells was used to the colder weather, especially in the winter times. It was a lot like Maine, Vermont was. They were, after all, right next to each other, geographically speaking, so the difference in the climate was little to none at all. Bells had brought along her brown leather shoulder bag, but it was mainly empty, save for a few essentials and this book that her best friend from back home had sent to her.

It was so relieving to see that her friends, or at least a good few of them, stuck around. Sure, once it was released that she was a 'meta-human' (she had no fear of mentioning it to people, since it so directly applied to the way she would now be treating them), a few of her less-intimate friends had shied away, afraid of the unknown, or at least that's what Bells assumed, since they never really said why. Of course, she could touch their hand or face and see back to the moment when she told them, and what they were thinking. There was the one use for her abilities. But with that power, came quite a few downfalls (thank goodness for gloves). But were people that did care, and they showed no difference in behavior or character whatsoever after the fact that she mentioned she had 'manifested', as people called it. They were as new to it as she was, and they knew that the last thing she needed was for her friends to leave her and abandon her in this entirely confusing and new life.

Her best girl friend from back home had a hard time parting with her, but promised to write to and back while Anna was at Hammel, like pen pals. Before Anna left, her friend handed her a book to read on her way over and for the first week or so of school before she sent it back with a letter. Honestly, Anna felt pretty bad because she'd yet to start the book, what with all of these other issues on her mind. But there was finally some free time in her schedule, free time to finally read this book. She took it out of her bag, and analyzed the cover. It looked pretty artistic, where a girl's face was covering the entire front cover, and overlaid on top was a twig with few branches, with even fewer leaves on them. The book was called, Speak by the acclaimed 1999 National Book Award Finalist Laurie Halse Anderson. She's seen this book before, but thought she might have outgrown it. Anna had heard that it was for younger teens, and an easy. She was sixteen already, and preferred the classics and books that made her think, but she couldn't not read this one. She had made a promise, and she would start upon it now.

Who knows, maybe there would be some underlying message in the book that her friend was trying to relay to her? Maybe it would help her get on better, and know that her friend was caring about her even with the hundreds of miles of difference, she was still there, thinking about Bells.

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[Mayu Yoshiko]

Mayu was her usual, all quiet self that day. Nothing out of the ordinary for sure unless you count her brothers freak out. She walked alone along the pond's shores, glad for her mind to be empty of others thoughts for the first time that day. As a breeze caused the cold girl to shiver even more violently then before, she spared a glance at herself in the pond's glassy reflection. A tiny little Asian girl stared back at her, hair stuffed underneath a black knit beanie. There was nothing remarkable in the least about the girl, she resembled a child playing dress-up. Her tan flat-footed boots did little for the cold, yet went fairly well with the jeans and zombie hand t-shirt. Mayu pulled her black jacket tighter before continuing the walk, her mind wandering.

She remembered her first day at this school, feeling lost and alone; completely dependent on her brother to show her the ropes. Everything seemed so much bigger and scarier back then, a whole new world just thrust at a little girl. But that was years ago, and now Mayu was much older and stronger. Though at times it still felt like she was that little girl inside.

Mayu didn't notice until it too late to stop herself, she quite literally tripped over a student sitting on the ground. Unceremoniously she fell to the ground, narrowly missing the young girl she would have fell on otherwise. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you." she pulled away her arm with a sad smile as a word drifted to her. Why... Mayu didn't pause to question what the girl could be thinking about, it was all the same from the newer students. She was new of course, any face Mayu had yet to see was new. "Why hello there, your a new student? I don't recognize you so you must be, I am Mayu. Student of 3 years. Your name would be...?" Before the last word had even left her mouth Mayu was already searching through her pockets to locate the ever present notebook and pen. Pulling it out with an ecstatic smile she hurried to write down her latest discovery, before it left her mind like last time.

[Ashley Shaw]

((OOC: Mind if I join ^^))

It had warmed up, he was sure of it. He didn’t shiver when he went outside, and he didn’t need his long grey scarf anymore, but he refused to take it off. The day had started badly, and hopefully it was going to get better. He wished and prayed for something good to happen. Anything at all, and preferably not heavy snow, it would make it impossible to get to his dorm if it did.
He hadn’t seen any students around today so far, and was hoping it wasn’t an inset day or anything like that. If it was, he was screwed. And probably looked like a jerk to go along with that.
He ran his hand through his hair, one arm across his jacket to hold it firm against him, wandering toward the pond for no good reason he could come up with. He guessed he was just strolling around to pass the time, like usual. He could pretend he had a free lesson, and had decided to wander around outside. That was probably a bad lie, but as long as he was not caught, then he was alright.
He turned a corner and saw the last thing he was expecting; a girl literally tripping over another student who was sat on the floor. Ashley looked around, looking if there was anyone else about. It looked like it was just him. He heaved a sigh, before running over to the two, eventually realising that the girl who had tripped had begun to introduce herself. That was fast, she had just recovered from a fall and she was giving minor details away? Ashley would have still been saying sorry. He just never liked to cause anyone harm.

“Oh, your both alright? Geez that’s a relief,” Ashley sighed, slouching as he exhaled a deep breath. He corrected his stance and looked at both of them. One was brunette, with a violet scarf and a small stature, the other was not Western; she looked Japanese, with dark brown hair with a similar stature to the other girl. They both looked similar; brown hair, brown eyes and a small size. Ashley made them look tiny, and suddenly wished he didn’t. It never seemed to come across well, being substantially taller than other people.

“I think I might join in,” Ashley stated with a smile, “I’m Ashley Shaw. Seventeen years old and been here for four years.”
He nodded as he finished, damn he hoped he hadn’t interrupted them, it would be embarrassing if he had, and he disliked being embarrassed. He had a small enough ego as it was, and it didn’t need to be any smaller that it was.