Dear Editor... {Open

[Ashley Shaw]

There was nothing like going to the library and reading a good book. A thriller, and crime, and fantasy, a sc-fi, all that mattered was that it appealed to someone, where. Oh, ad the cover wasn't aloud to be tacky either. That screamed novice like a someone screamed when they broke a leg.
Well, maybe not so much, in fact, books didn't scream at all. Why would they scream? Maybe in an alternate universe, but not here. If they did, who would go near them? They would be utterly annoying.
Even so, Ashley had decided that this would be a better place to be than his dorm, perhaps that was because it was sufficiently warmer than his dorm.
He also felt like revising. He was not to sure why, though. He had no tests coming up, and he wasn't really a book person. He guessed that it was just a part of his little force-myself-better routine.

He was already scribbling notes down onto paper, oblivious to anyone who might decide to walk in at any random moment. No, he didn't care. In fact, he might just pick up his doodle pad and just draw like crazy. Would that defeat his purpose of being here? He didn't need to be here, that was for sure, but then again, his priority was to get something of value down on paper. That could count for art... couldn't it?
Wait...
Image an A2 sized revision poster that was 3D, covered in paint and looked amazing? Ashley smiled to himself, and then just let is head hit the desk.
He was crap at anything other that manga and comics drawings. What a great talent. He wasn't going to go ahead and draw an comic on geometry or dividing fractions. That would both be ridiculous and pathetically boring. He didn't want to waste talent on something like that.
It was like going into the farming industry when you have a talent for making clothes. It was something you didn't do if you knew that the talents were there.

He wondered if anybody else had decided to come into the library, perhaps not for the same pointless reason as Ashley, but surely someone would be here for whatever reason. Taking back a book, reading, or revising for an actual test.

[Mayu Yoshiko]

Mayu loved the library. Nothing could really ever go wrong here, it was her sanctuary. Except maybe, if Ant decided to show up and be 'helpful'. Honestly it was a miracle that he was going to graduate at all. Oh wait, no it wasn't. It was only because of her that he was graduating. She actually forced him into doing homework and not just going out to bring home guys. May sighed, letting her fingers brush along the spines of various books at she strode through the library.

No actually, she wasn't here because she needed to revise. That would make her fairly stupid now wouldn't it? Not that people that needed to revise were stupid... They sort of were, to her at least. But she wasn't exactly normal in the academic aspect.. She didn't even need to study anymore, all the info she needed was in her head. May was already reading next years textbook. She snapped her hand over a book that caught her eye. "Speak" well, she's read it before but it was probably best that she reread it. Was a good book anyway.

May flipped open the pages, walking past her boyfriend with only a glance. Not registering that it was in fact her boyfriend sitting. Right. There. She flopped down on to the couch, starting to read the book before the fact finally registered in her mind that Ash was here. And seemed to be busy. Or you know, just the fact it was her BOYFRIEND. Mayu did a girly little scream and climbed over the couch arm, sneaking up behind him, before throwing her arms around his shoulders in greeting. "Hey Ashy!" No she wasn't hyper at all. "What are you doing heree?" No, not at all.

[Ashley Shaw]

Ashley was to focused on this revising for this non-existent test that he had not even seen May mossy on past him. He was to busy finishing the algebra graph section of a text book, all the while reaching down and bringing out a science book from the shelf too. Why did he need to revise science? Oh yeah. He had an actual test soon. Unfortunately it was on biology. That stuff was just awkward in every single way possible. Especially since ‘things’ between him and Ant and that fact he really didn’t want to know in detail what happened during coitus. It was the least attractive area in science and add the fact he had a girlfriend did not make the topic any easier. At that was not because he was even a tiny bit experience in that area, but the fact he was not experienced in that way at all.
So, you could tell that when May had decided to make her presence known that it had surprised him. Her arms flung around him, her voice came out of know where, and he flinched with a yell. He looked around and saw her, smiling sweetly.
Then she called him by his pet name
His heart melted.

He smiled in turn and touched her hands with his, taking a break from his revising. It was to much work now. May was that added load, but he’d dump his revising to deal with her. It was what he did.
Now, Ashley wasn’t the most cheerful kind of person, prone to being a manic depressive and having a few sleeping issues. It was a wonder how May had not noticed anything odd with him. She had never woken up when he screamed in the night or when he wandered around the house to empty his mind. Then again, May was a heavy sleeper, she was allowed to not know.

“I’m not doing anything in particular,” he said with a smirk, closing the text book. No. he wouldn’t open the science would he? Goodness knows what page it would land on. And god forbid what pages he had to look at for his test. May would not be fond of them.
“What are you doing here, darling? I didn’t think I’d see you today,” Ashley offered her a seat next to him. He’d woken earlier than her today, and he’d rushed to school because he didn’t want to be caught in the rush in the early mornings. He really should start walking to school with May and Ant. Those two could use an extra person to talk to, and May might want to see more of him, too.

[Maxwell Aquarius]

You can do this. I believe in you.

Maxwell said it over and over in his head, staring awkwardly at the couple talking together just a row away in the library. They were a good-looking pair; he with dark black hair and a look of concentration on his fair face, and she an Asian beauty who looked at him adoringly. They whispered quietly to each other in the no-talk zone, sharing the space as if it were only meant for the two of them.

He really shouldn't disturb them. That would be rude. Right? No, he really shouldn't get in the middle of that.

You really shouldn't, you really shouldn't, a voice in his head jibed. And it was right. He was using a dumb excuse to get out of talking to other people. But his New Year's resolution was to meet new people and damn it, he was going to do it.

He mentally checked himself. Hair was in place, no more guacamole on his chin (though that had been rather embarrassing in the hall with a blonde girl right after lunch)... he ran a hand through his brown locks once or twice before catching himself. This is ridiculous...

Not for the first time, he wished that his powers extended to intangibles as well. Just write the word, "Courage" on a piece of paper and it would appear before him like the Lion in Wizard of Oz. But no - all he could do was manifest stickers and dogs, and one occasion even a bowing knife... in any case, he was nervous, anxious--

But also determined. He took a few steps forward and sat beside the couple, waiting until their eyes looked up to meet his.

"Hi there. I'm Maxwell. Cool drawings. Can I take a look?"

He prayed they weren't the kind of metas that were fond of turning their noses up at him.

[Mayu Yoshiko]

((OOC: So sorry it took soooo long. <3))
May knew all about Ashley' sleeping problems, and the maniac depressive states he got into. Honestly she was a telepath so it would be wonder if she hadn't known. But Mayu was raised a good girl and she would not bring up anything unless that person wanted to talk about it. It took most of her effort at night to remain the image of peacefully sleeping as he screamed. However when he touched her hand (despite her happiness at the contact) she couldn't help but here 'that added load' run through his mind along with her name. She was saddened by the thought ASH thought she was a bother, but they'd deal with that a later date. Probably whenever he decided to actually talk to her about things.

"Ashy you should no better to lie to me... Studying for a test, are we? Want some help? I can quiz you." She smiled at him sweetly, keeping her face (and voice) as light hearted as she could. Now Mayu held no grudges against Ash for his anti-social behavior, but he was right. She would have loved to start walking with him in the mornings, Ant wasn't much company before his coffee in the morning. "Yeah well I was done with class early so they let me come here. And-"

May looked up at the entrance of the new boy, wondering mildly how he gotten so close without her knowledge. Then she remembered she was still in contact with Ash. That definitely would explain it. "Hello.. I'm Mayu." she offered him a genuine smile and motioned to the seat Ash had meant for her. Though she did scoot the smallest bit away from him to avoid any kind of contact, she was just more comfortable touching Ash. Honestly. Not like she was scared of the guy. Not at all, May had gotten over her shyness of guys. Surely. Yes boy and girls, this was a lie.

[Ashley Shaw]

Ashley smiled, shaking his head and laughing. He did need a little bit of help with the maths… he was fine with science, but his teacher would know if he hadn’t been revising, and he’d get a whack for it for sure. Either way, he wouldn’t mind being here with May, it was nice of her to offer him tuition, without any strings attached. Problem was, he wasn’t revising for an official test within the span of four weeks, so he had plenty of time to just kick dirt around. It was what he did and he didn’t mind it. He didn’t know anything else when in came to before-exam boredom. In fact, count that as any boredom.
He smiled. Of course May would get out of class early. She was an excellent student, she did well in most subjects and it was nice to see her being rewarded for such a brilliant perk.
He had an empty lesson slot, so it was easy to tell why he was here. He had nothing better to do.

He would have sat May in his lap if she hadn’t been distracted by someone else. His skin grew hot and he -for some reason- felt angry and full to the brim with pure rage. But he wouldn’t snap. Not with May here. He wouldn’t show himself down in front of her.
He looked back and saw the boy, about his age, clean-cut and very neat. Perhaps a little formal. Ashley frowned, and looked to his sketch book as the boy -Maxwell- asked for a peek.
Ashley withdrew. Most of the first half of the books were comic sketches for fun, filled with extraordinary art and an lot of humour. The back transformed into something more loveable. Personifications of him and May, mostly chibis. Hearts and hugs adorned the pages and expressed himself on the paper. A loveable softie at heart.

May moved away from him, offering Maxwell the seat in which he had offered May. Rage turned into sadness, and evolved from there. He didn’t understand what she was doing. She seemed to shuffle further away from him, like she didn’t want to be near. He looked to Max with a seemingly unreasonable glare. He jumped to conclusions, they weren’t nice ones at all. He didn’t say anything and put his doodle pad away, along with his pencils and pens and other stuff. Even the revision books went away. There was hate in him. His assumptions came with these reasons:
1) May was avoiding him
2) May offered Max her seat
3) He was better looking than he was
4) Paranoia
He believed right then and there that this was no coincidence. No matter how out of place or irrational, he believed firm and true that May and Maxwell had meant before, and it wasn’t neutral.
He believed that May was cheating on him.

[Maxwell Aquarius]

The sketchbook was hidden away. Quickly. Briefly, Maxwell could hear a once-hobbit cough out, "My precious..." but he kept that to himself. In its stead, a nervous smile twitched at his mouth, but he tried to put it away as quickly as he could.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I'm the same way about my poetry." He glanced at the seat the girl had offered him and grinned in gratitude. Sliding into it delicately, he tried not to let his shoulder bag get caught in the chair. Being thus far successful, he went so far as to hope he didn't smell (being in such close quarters with people almost made him think of body odor, whether or not there was any).

He glanced at the girl shyly - females made him get all giddy inside - and took a deep breath before introducing himself:

"I'm Maxwell. Maxwell Aquarius."

Is it appropriate to shake hands with a girl? His fingers twitched, but he instead thought better of it. Meeting people made him nervous, too, so clammy hands were a distinct probability. Instead, he turned to the guy on his opposite side.

"Your textbook--I took that class last year. If you ever need help..." He stopped the thought and began sputtering instead, "Not like I'm saying you need it!"

The blush had taken over his face like the Ottoman empire. He just couldn't do this right. He wanted to sink intot he floor - what he wouldn't give for a different meta power right now...

[Rati Sakharkar]

Although the library was usually quiet, it did not necessarily meant that the tables were vacant. A couple of heavy tomes clutched against her chest, Rati scanned for an empty spot and quickly found one. She would rather not have to sit near the happy couple. She was well aware that she was not considered a full adult yet, but there was something about teenage romances which always irk her. It seem so superficial and flighty, but peppered with all the exaggerated affection cinemagoers in her country tend to love.

When she noticed him, the scruffy looking boy distracted her from the inner rambling she engages everytime she sees a teenage couple. There was something about the way he carries itself which reminds her of both a shy cellar rat and a lonely film star from a bygone era. Not that Rati was considered furthering her appreciation for his charm, but his presence made it easier for her to settle down.

However that impression she had of the boy quickly shattered when he decided to speak with the oriental girl. There was nothing inherently wrong, but the emotions around the table were almost subdued drama. The casual friendliness of the girl, the jealousy in the boyfriend, and the shy approach of the intruder: Those were the elements of a typical trash film love triangle.

It made her ashamed of herself to realise the amount of attention she was paying. She sighed and shook her head disapprovingly, imagining for a while that she was her own mother. Her fingers began flipping pages of a book as she tried to return to her leisurely yet educational purpose.

[Maxwell Aquarius]

Ugh. This was pointless. Totally screwed it up again. He took a suddenly shuddery breath and tried to keep his heart rate down. He clutched at his bag and prepared for a clean, quick getaway. If he was good at anything, that was it. Years of practice at Hammel – well, it was why he didn’t have a lot of friends who didn’t exist between his ears. This new year’s resolution was totally worthless.

Without another word, he got up and left.

He kept his self-deprecating comments to a minimum, but it didn’t stop the voices from laughing unrelentingly. He realized as he walked away how that must have looked to the boyfriend and decided to just leave the library. There had to be other quiet places he could hide for a little bit until he felt better. He had some T.S. Elliott in his backpack. Sad as it was, the man’s hatred towards the world at large really helped him feel better. Like a patient etherized upon a table…

And with that, he practically ran himself through with the sharp end of another table, and could practically hear the gods’ maniacal giggling as he saw yet another beautiful girl sitting in a chair.