Living with Determination [Brittie et al.]

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

No one in their right mind should've been up this early. Not on a school day, anyway. It was about that time where the sun was just barely making its presence known upon the horizon, warm pinks and oranges nipping at the heels of the night's deep blues. The only individuals under the age of 18 that should've been up at this hour were those with overnight shift jobs, those pulling all-nighters or waking up early to squeeze in a late assignment, or delinquents with no intention of going to school in the first place.

Lance Lane, of course, fit into none of those categories. He was up because it felt good to run in the crisp morning air, particularly now that fall was beginning to chase off the muggy humidity of summer. He had already finished his run, only completing a couple of laps to avoid working up a sweat. Now, he sat in the hallway of the Sorority Hall, eyes scrolling across his phone's calendar. It had been a while since he had a good gig, but with school back in session it was also going to be difficult to schedule them with meets and classes too.

He gave a sigh that was far from defeated, smiling as he straightened his posture, smoothed his vest, and picked at the cuffs of his sleeves. His life was a busy one, and he'd have it no other way.

He looked up at the sound of... well, sounds, having been moving about in that graveyard shift sort of silence for most of the morning. Was it almost time for students to start filing in to loiter about before classes?

Posts : 992 Join date : 2015-10-07

Last night was a mess. A small incursion in the Platinum Playhouse at night was something Brittany was seriously considering to not do. Like, never. Yet, she would return if it was something a Psyche Terrorist should do. Just...not this morning. If it weren't for the clock's alarm, she would be still carelessly lying in her bad, one arm dropped out of the bed while half of her body formed a bizarre angle under the sheets, hair going as far as to cover her face from the tender sunbeams entering through the window. Last night was a dream, and present morning was the reality knocking over the door and calling back to the responsibilities. She had to get back to her feet and head to Seven Stars Academy, didn't she?

[...]

Steps, quick soft steps of a hurried pace. Someone was running in the hallways, although the heavy burden of morning laziness and a bad sleep insisted on come again every now and then. A little agitation from being late served to bring her back to her senses. Still, this wasn't the reason why she seemed to anxious. Once she reached one of the thousand rooms, the girl opened the door and...met an empty room. Not a single soul inside. "Geez...", a tired sigh slipped out of her lips. No signs of him anywhere.

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

Footsteps, that's what the sound was. The quick patter of hurried feet blazing through the halls. Clearly whoever was running wasn't doing so with the intention of getting exercise; no one did laps through the school halls (well, except maybe him and a few of the other more dedicated track members), and the steps were far too quick to be energy-conserving. Those were panic feet.

He looked toward the sound, spotting the girl just as she flung open the door. Given her apparent disappointment afterward, he could've guessed that whatever had her in her hurry wasn't there. Smiling quietly, he stood, shouldering his duffel bag of a backpack and approaching the girl from the side. As much as he wanted to, he knew not to surprise a stranger from behind given how intimidated many tended to be by his height.

"Hey, it's a little early to worry about being late for class, isn't it?" he teased, leaning against the wall. "If you're looking for someone, I've been sitting here for a little bit now and haven't seen--or even heard--anyone come through here. It was kinda spooky, actually."

He cast a glance out of a nearby window for a moment, then shrugged.

"Sorry."

Posts : 992 Join date : 2015-10-07

Maybe amidst her distraction, Brittany hadn't looked attentively enough to notice that, yes, there was someone inside. She must be really absorbed by her own frustration to not realize the guy in the classroom. He wasn't really bland at all to just be passed by, not in a (almost) completely empty environment.

"Aw. Ah...okay...", she looked disappointed and, at the same time, still anxious for any positive answer or confirmation, even a sign would do. "Are you sure you haven't seen him? He's a medium-height boy, like, a bit taller than me, he wears glasses, bangs almost covering his vision, is always with his phone or a videogame... Like, he's nerdy. Really nerdy!" She chuckled. Yeah, the one she had been looking for was, indeed, quite a nerdy guy. But an adorable one.

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

Lance's expression slowly shifted from a friendly smile to a slight frown of empathic concern at her insistence, though he answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Mm, nope, sorry. No one's been this way as far as I know. Unless, I mean, they came through here like maybe half an hour ago when I was out at the track or getting my stuff out of the gym lockers." he explained, hefting his bag further onto his shoulder. "I could maybe help you look for him if you really need him, though...?"

He had nothing else better to do until class started, and he was pretty sure two people could cover a lot more ground than one. If anything, he was at less risk of being scolded for being late to class; he covered quite a bit of ground when he really needed to.

"I don't think I've seen you around here before, either; I'm Lance, by the way. Lance Lane, but some folks call me Crow. It's nice to meet you."

He relinquished his weight from the wall then, offering her the hand that wasn't keeping his bag stable for a shake.

Posts : 992 Join date : 2015-10-07

While the offer of assistance was very kind and endearing of him, Brittany was adamant in the idea of not bothering someone else with her own quest. Still a bit disappointed she was, but no use dwelling over it. Chances are her friend decided to stick a bit longer in bed because, well, the night had been rough on both of them. If it weren't for the loud and somewhat irritating alarm, gosh, she'd still be lying in hers!

"Aw. Ah...okay... I mean, that's nice of you and all, but like, I'll find him eventually. You'd think this guy was the type to have perfect attendance in school because he looks like a classical nerd but nooo", she laughing a bit at her own humorous banter, accepting the offer for a handshake, perhaps a bit more effusively than she should. "Oh? Lance? As in, Lancelot the knight? Rad!" His name probably had nothing to do with the old medieval tale, still it was fun to her to make an analogy. Just like Frogerio's friend, Liam, was Liam Neeson. At least Lancelot the knight was a better match than..."Crow", such a creepy choice for a nickname, isn't it? "Mine's Brit. Brittany. But you can call me Brit just like everybody does! As for the guy I'm looking for, it's no big deal. I just wanted to check on him. You know, last night was, like, rough for us...Like, really rough. He had to go home after, and I wanted to ask him if he could, you know, lend me his notes later, because I won't be able to stay for the classes. If I can't find him...bummer", she puffed her cheeks in thought seeming a bit let down for the possibility of a failure. However, it was clear she accepted the plausible possibility of not meeting with her friend at all.

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

Lance couldn't help but laugh at the girl's cheery demeanor despite her fluster, not to mention how sure she was that the kid she was looking for was so nerdy. From the way she was talking, it seemed like he'd be pretty hard to miss. Maybe if he stumbled across the guy during his day he could've pointed him her direction.

He gave a thoughtful raise of his brow at her relation of names, having never really thought of how similar his name was to the Arthurian knight. There were only a few letters difference, he supposed, but he was far from that kind of... grandeur, he supposed. He wasn't worthy.

"Heh, I don't think I was named after the knight, but if that's how you want to remember it, that's pretty cool. Actually I think I was named more after the weapon itself..."

He trailed off just in time for the girl to introduce herself, his concerned look returning when she spoke of a rough night.

"Well, Brit, what's this guy's name? If I see him around, I'll send him your direction." he offered, pausing in thought for a moment. "And uh, it's probably none of my business, but... Take care of yourself, alright? What class are you in? I could see if any of the guys on track could lend you their notes if he doesn't show up today."

Posts : 992 Join date : 2015-10-07

Her eyes widened in light of the guy's offer. It's not everyday she found someone quite nice and actually willing to assist. "Would you do that? But, really, you wouldn't have to. Like, I could totally send him a message on facebook or give him a call. It would help if I know he's actually awake. Can you imagine the shame? I mean, I don't wanna risk ruining someone's sleep with a ring! At least I wouldn't like it if it happened to me. Then again, I don't need a friend to wake me up because, duh, alarm" It was true, having anything interrupt the few hours of sleep you had due to a lousy night, being able to only fall asleep when dawn painted the sky with faint shades of pink before the sun arises, was the most impolite thing you could do. "Awww, are you worried? Oh my gosh, that's so cute!" The girl placed one hands on her chest, in awe. For someone she barely knew due to circumstances, Lance was being incredibly nice and attentive. Too bad she couldn't mention the real reason for the night's struggles. Not everyone reacts nicely to Psyche Terrorists after all, a lesson she had learned well in the last few days. "Really, I'm fine. If anything, I'm soooo sleepy, gosh, I'd give everything to return to my bed now! And to think I have to depart soon to go to work 'cause I've been a real slacker lately... But yeah, nevermind the ranting. I'm in third class and the guy's name is Frogerio. I know, it's a bit of a weird fun name, right? Just don't mention to him I said that!" With one index finger brought to her lips as a sign of complicity and silence, the girl giggled as a naughty kid.

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

Lance's troubled frown abated somewhat as Brittany explained that she seemed to have things under control. She was right; bothering someone right when they had started to doze off tended to suck for both parties. Still... had they been out all night? And they--well, she, at the very least--was going to try and go to work? That took real determination. Why couldn't he be like that?

It was her gentle tease that brought him out of his thoughts, and he gave a small, sheepish chuckle of embarrassment. He wasn't sure why she thought worrying about others was particularly cute, but the compliment felt nice.

"Well, if you think you're okay for now, I guess. Make sure you get some sleep as soon as you get back home, though. I'll keep an eye out for... Frogerio. That is kind of an interesting name."

He laughed at the oddity of it, combined with her playful hush.

"I'll keep it quiet, don't worry."

In the background, the sounds of the day were starting full swing this time, the sun finally crested over the treetops and the students finally trickling across campus from the gates and the dormitories.

Posts : 992 Join date : 2015-10-07

"Urgh, I wish. It's so risky for me to go home and take a nap or something, because I don't know if I'll wake up in this century! You know when you're so sleepy and numb that not even an alarm can bring you up? Yeah, that's, like, totally me right now!" Although not looking like it due to her natural good humor and disposition (and a little help of extensive make up, truth be told), she was begging for sleep. Likewise, her work demanded a good shape and physical disposition, therefore dedicating a reasonable time of her day for resting was even more important than for regular people...even if some of her "co-workers", so to speak, didn't quite follow the rule.

"Hey, why are YOU here this early? I at least have a plausible excuse, what's yours?" The girl grinned, remaining her playful behavior albeit tired to all hell. Was he the type to be the first to arrive in every meeting or reasonably important events? If so, not only this was actually commendable, but he would be her polar opposite. Sometimes, Brittany envied people who were so disciplined in their habits... but most of the time, she just found it amusing.

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

Lance continued to smile as Brittany talked about how tired she was. For someone who had, apparently, been out all night, she was awfully chipper. Maybe that was just how she was, perhaps with a dash of that goofiness that came with pulling an all-nighter. Or maybe the real exhaustion hadn't caught up with her yet. It was a worrying thought, but he figured it'd be a bit weird and intrusive to outwardly express that much concern when they'd only just met.

He playfully shrunk away from the girl's question, then straightened his posture and looked outside toward the track.

"Me? I like coming here earlier when the season changes to get in an early run. A lot of times I'm really busy so I don't get the time to do it." he explained, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. "I work down at Suzie Q, and then on top of that I've got track meets. I know I'm supposed to run there, but I like going at my own pace, as weird as that sounds in context."

Posts : 992 Join date : 2015-10-07

Oh, so he's a runner? Not completely unpredictable for someone who'd take time dedicating an attentive look to his lean build and physique. Brittany, however, was too oblivious to pay attention in such details, her interest in someone's appearance lied whether said target was handsome, good-looking, attractive and all kinds of synonyms... or not. However, if she were to take a guess... "Oh, that's so cool! But you know, I'd never take you for a runner guy. Maybe a basketball player or volleyball player, but not a runner!" With a giggle, she concluded her line of thought. Being amazingly tall, it made perfectly sense for her to deduce Lance was part of a sports club that demanded height as a selection criterion. Just like, yes, basketball and volleyball! On the other hand, she didn't recall ever spotting someone like Lance in the respective aforementioned teams. As a cheerleader, she would know. And speaking on the matter... "Oh my gosh, no! It's not weird at all, I totally feel you! Like, totally! I have got cheerleading meets as well, but do you know when sometimes you're just not in the mood? I mean, not that I'm in no mood for the meetings, I love them, otherwise I wouldn't have signed up for the cheerleading team in first place. It's just sometimes I like to do my own thing. The official leader also likes to be a jerk and thinks she owns the place to the point she changes the routines we're used to in short notice and then we have to, like, practice all over again and rehearse all over again. But I guess if we chose this, then we have to be up for anything, right?" Despite the rather extensive ranting, Brittany said her piece with her typical whimsical mannerisms, in a way that it'd sound more comical and amusing than something worth to be enraged at. The girl herself seemed nothing like fazed by how handling the foul temper of the team's leader could reveal too tiresome of an endeavor sometimes. Like she was too used to it to even be affected negatively by someone else's bad mood. "Anyway, yeah, I should get back on my business. The later it gets for me to leave, the later it gets for me to arrive at work and then the later it gets for me to get back home and sleep! It's all about a chain of events!" Another strike of giggling motion by her. "Don't forget to talk to Frogerio, alright? You gave me your word!"

Posts : 61 Join date : 2016-10-09

Lance chuckled as she pegged him as a basketball player. He got that a lot, given his height, but he really wasn't as much of a fan of other sports, except maybe soccer. He was only in it for the running.

"Yeah, that's what a lot of people say. Not as many suggest volleyball, though. They're both cool, I guess, but I'm mostly in it for the running."

Despite her rather long tangent about cheerleading, Lance listened attentively, and ended up giving an empathic laugh. Yeah, he understood the struggles of being at the whim of the team captain, being the one who decided who ran what meets when.

"Yeah, though I get what you mean. Although, at least it lets us do what we love."

He shrugged his bag further up onto his shoulder as she noted that she should probably leave, giving a wholehearted nod of agreement. He really was concerned about her well-being, and though a part of him was quite curious as to what could've kept her up so late, most of him was content to let her go without asking. No need to waste even more of her time.

"Alright, I'll let him know first thing. Seeya, and get some good rest!"

Posts : 5994 Join date : 2013-10-06 Age : 30

Living with Determination [Brittie et al.] 54ri9Up

Lance Lane of the Chariot and Brittany Wilson of the Sun have formed a Social Link...

» Earnest Living. (For Frog)
» The World Of Passion: Determination
» Like, Oh My God! (Brittie)
» I want it.. totally! [Brittie]
» Seeing the Sights [Brittie]