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 Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:56 pm
There were a lot of places Hank didn't go at school, like the fields on sunny days or the rooftops. But he had places he liked to hang out too.
One of them was the gym. Specifically the workout room. Sure, at first glance he looked kind of twerpy, but having to cook in just his shorts in the kitchen made him realize he had to take care of his body. And actually, the workout room of the school's gym made a lot of sense for him to be comfortable in. It was usually kind of damp, being in the basement, and at least one of the flourescant lights was always out. It was practically the perfect breeding ground for fungi. He liked it there.
He also didn't have his license yet, so on the days Metz taught, he hung out in the workout room with his snack, put on his gym shorts, and tried the different machines. Today he was on the rowing machine, with his back to the door. He might not be as good looking as the other guys in school, but gosh dangit he wasn't going to look like a twerp next to them either.
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:32 am
Listening to the click of her own heels on the tile and only having to backtrack once after a wrong turn, Adeline stared down at the floor as she made her way down to the gym. It was obvious she wasn't going down here for herself - the way she was dressed gave it away, if not her anti-athletic figure - it was actually for her friend's sake. Sorrel had mentioned leaving her water bottle in the gym, but couldn't go and retrieve it due to the fact she was in her next class; and that's why Adeline was grudgingly doing her a favor.
After crossing through the main gym and taking note of all the places she might leave a water bottle, she found no sign of the one she was looking for. Because of such, she hurried forward impatiently and found herself heading into the workout room. Why Sorrel might've been in there was a mystery to her, but it was a possibility she would investigate. Unfortunately, through a combination of feeling silly for wandering around and pointless surprise that there was someone using the room, she started and stood dumbly in the doorway as she zeroed in on Hank. Oh, lord. He had his back turned, but she doubted she could quietly retreat at this point; she was just going to have to look like a moron. Pressing her lips together into a tight line, the purple girl stared at the boy for a long couple of moments. Weren't those colors familiar though? She didn't remember someone around this age with them though...maybe she was imagining it.
Realizing she wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to the scavenger hunt any more, she cleared her throat hastily. "Um.."
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:27 am
Hank was working hard, having just taken the rowing machine up to the next level, when he heard the click click of heels. It probably wasn't anything to worry about, just a teacher walking past or something. Then he thought he heard someone says something, and turned around.
To his horror, it was her. The Venus in Amethyst, the Lotus of the Purple Desert, the Golden Haired Medusa of His Most Cherished Dreams, the Vision in Indigo, Adeline. Who he had never said more then maybe two words to, and hadn't seen since he went through puberty on the superfast track.
She was still the loveliest thing he had ever seen.
He stumbled forward, disentangled himself from the machine, and stood up.
"Er- hi, Adeline. What brings you down here?"
Then he realized he was still shirtless, and made a desperate snatch for his t-shirt, and started the frenzied struggle to cover himself up, decently.
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:10 am
It seemed, somehow, that her presence had startled him more than the other way around. She really had no idea just to what extent that was true, but it was sort of a relief. At least she had made the mental connection as soon as the boy turned around and spoke - this was Nadia's cousin, Hank. ...A very much older version of him, but he was still kind of hard to mistake. Especially thanks to his eyes, which she had made a point of noticing the last time they met. Finding herself smiling at Hank's sudden lunge for his shirt, she raised one slender hand to block the expression apologetically; it's not like she thought it was funny, after all. She just thought it unfortunate that she had caught him off guard, and he was probably doing it for her sake. Adeline didn't feel that it was appropriate to assure him that a lack of shirt was definitely okay with her, however. Maybe she would've felt guiltier if she heard the poetry going through his mind.
"I'm sorry, I hope I didn't startle you. Uh..." She dropped her hand to her side once more, and tapped absently on the corner of her purse where she knew her cell phone was located. "I um. My friend left something in the gym, I was just looking for it. I probably shouldn't have just interrupted," there was a pause where her eyes softened in apology again, "...but I was wondering if you've noticed a water bottle sitting around anywhere? It's probably green."
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Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:04 pm
Of course she's not here to talk to you, you imbecile, she probably didn't even know you were here, Hank thought to himself, and tried to put together a coherent statement to reply.
"Oh, uh, it's ok, I was just. . . working out," he finished lamely.
"Um, I don't think I've seen a green water bottle anywhere, but if someone else found it they probably would have put it in the gym teacher's office, if they were nice, or threw it behind the bleachers, if they were being jerks. I think the gym teacher had a doctors appointment or something, though, I haven't heard him shouting in a while, so you can't check his lost and found. Um, did you look behind the bleachers?"
Hank rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at Ade and talked, and hoped he didn't sound like a doofus to her. But hey, at least he was trying to help out, right? That's what gentlemen did. They were knights in shining armor, helping beautiful women locate missing water bottles while they stood around in sweaty t-shirts . . . It was practically the stuff of legend.
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2011 8:22 pm
It was true that she hadn't known Hank was in the room when she entered, but it wasn't true that she was unhappy about that fact. She was actually kind of glad there was someone she at least recognized that could tell her where to check, instead of wandering around aimlessly and looking stupid. Hank did seem kind of flustered though - and that made her feel bad. So did hearing that he hadn't noticed any water bottles sitting around. With a sigh, she rubbed the side of her neck and averted her eyes to the side in thought as she considered the options. "Well that figures... I hadn't checked behind the bleachers, but that sounds like my next stop. It's my luck that somebody would have thrown it, anyway." She paused for a moment, then squinted her eyes ominously and glanced back. "I am an omen of bad luck, after all."
It had been a joke, so she smiled afterwards, but Adeline soon realized that it was a kind of stupid thing to say to someone she hardly knew. She countered the comment by clearing her throat and flushing indigo, quickly pointing back in the general direction of the bleachers. "I'm stupid. A-anyway, I'll let you get back to what you were doing - I'm sorry I made you stop... I should go investigate your suggestion."
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 10:56 pm
"Oh, um - I was about done my reps, anyway. I can help you look, if you want. I mean, I don't want you to mess your clothes or anything. It's pretty groady behind the bleachers."
Hank picked the towel up. "I'm all gross anyway, so I can go check for you. Um. If you don't mind."
Hank wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking, but the water bottle was the only thing he could think of as an excuse to spend more time in Adeline's company. Maybe he could just talk to her for a few more minutes, even if he had to crawl under the bleachers to do it.
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 2:35 pm
Adeline paused for a moment and blinked at the boy when he offered to go look for her, feeling her living hair shift and seem to consider it alongside her. She didn't really want to impose on him any more than she did, but he had a point....she was dressed rather nicely today. Not to mention she'd probably do something stupid if she went looking herself. One of her snakes hissed quietly next to her ear - probably in agreement with the thought. "Um...okay." She allowed finally, a tinge of guilt furrowing her delicate brow. "Well as long as you're sure. I mean I did already interrupt you, I'm the one who owes a favor right now." Nevertheless she straightened up and stepped backwards to the door, shuffling to hold it open for him while balancing precariously on her heels. She still looked kind of unsure about the whole situation - was she using him? - but you could see relief in her expression too. "Thank you though, you're way too helpful for your own good. If you hadn't been over here I probably would've left." She laughed once, shortly, then gazed over toward the bleachers. "I am not the right person to send on a scavenger hunt."
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:48 pm
"It's always easier if you're familiar with the place you're looking in," Hank said, taking a quick drink from his own water bottle and heading for the door. He was pretty sure the water bottle she was looking for would be under the bleachers, and he was ok with crawling under them for her. Besides, the gym had showers, didn't it? Not many people used them, but he could scrub off real quick and no one would be the wiser.
"It's easiest to get under the bleacher's around at the far end, where all the equipment doesn't pile up." Hank pointed, and carefully moved through the door. "Um, just wait at the end, some of the mechanisms underneath have sharp edges. I'll go look around."
He ducked his head, and headed under, worming his way through the bars and keeping his eyes out for any green.
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 6:21 pm
As much as she was happy to have the help - and Hank was probably right, he would be the best candidate to go looking for the water bottle, and he knew what he was doing - Adeline couldn't help but feel a little guilty when he mentioned the actual mechanics to looking under the bleachers. She was going to make this guy crawl under there where it was sharp and dirty to look for a piece of plastic? It kind of made her want to change her mind.
"Hank are you sure? Maybe this is....oh." She had waited too long to actually make the appeal, as he had already squeezed beneath the bars and was on his way. Oh man. Adeline briskly smoothed her dress and looked shiftily around, suddenly feeling like she was on lookout and they could get in trouble any moment. Two teenagers, jailed for bleachers search without a permit. ..Well, probably not. Nevertheless, the girl appeared rather unsure of herself as she waited at the end, peeking through to where the other had gone. "Do you see anything yet? It's okay if you don't... she can always buy another one. I don't want you getting getting hurt."
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:08 am
"I got it already," Hank had spotted the green water bottle, only slightly grimy from its adventure, and practically clean after a wipe on his tshirt, and was making his way back out of the bleachers where the maiden fair was waiting for it. He had a small cut on his hand, but nothing major.
He emerged from the crawlspace under the bleachers and handed Adeline her friend's water bottle. This was it, she'd say thank you, and then she'd leave and he might not see her again for weeks. This was the time to speak up.
"Here's the water bottle, Adeline. Um," he handed her the water bottle, and rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand. "Um, I was wondering, would you like to hang out sometime? Like a picnic. Or we could go grab some food. Or something."
Hank felt himself blushing and looked at the ground, and waited for her to reject him. "If you wanted."
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 8:38 pm
An audible sigh passed her lips when she realized that the water bottle was actually where it was supposed to be...with no elaborate quest involved to get it back. "Did you really? That's a relief." Adeline replied, the last part falling more quietly for her own benefit. She received the container from him gratefully, and was already mouthing the words 'thank you' when she realized he wasn't done speaking, and so she paused instead.
Honestly, her expression barely changed until what he said finally registered, at which point her cheeks flooded with color and it seemed as if more than a few snakes were suddenly avoiding eye contact with Hank. Adeline was suddenly grateful he looked down around the same time, because she was conscious of the fact she looked like an idiot. And she did not like to look like an idiot. So she replied as evenly as possible, given that she was taken completely off guard.
"Oh? ...That would be nice!" She began slowly, trying to smile more confidently than she felt. It's not as if anyone had ever asked something like this before. "That would be really nice - I don't get out as often as I should anyway. I'm open to any of the above." She waited another second, feeling the heat in her cheeks, and then glanced away as well. "...And, thank you."
Although she forgot to specify what for.
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 8:54 pm
"Re-really? I didn't think you'd say yes, I mean, a girl like you, hanging out with a guy like me, it isn't exactly, you know, um . . ." He was visibly shell-shocked and couldn't quite get his thoughts together.
Maybe I should just stop talking before I get myself into trouble, he thought.
But he had to follow through, now, she had practically said yes to an actual date, he had to at least know how to contact her.
"So, um, how should I get in touch with you? For, um, hanging out. Sometime. When you want to, I mean."
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:44 pm
His outburst wasn't really the reaction she was expecting, and it caused her feathered ears to twitch when she came back to attention. "Huh? What could you mean by that?" She looked taken aback, and suddenly all eyes in her hair were on Hank as well. No pressure or anything. "Isn't exactly what? I was thinking you should probably be embarrassed to hang out with me. People have a tendency to stare when they notice my hair is alive." Her words were kind of hurried, and she all but narrowly avoided adding in that most guys thought she was a freak. ...Two of them, at least. For sure. He was a normal guy, what was he doing asking out a recognized freak?
She seemed visibly more embarrassed after saying that last snippet of conversation. There was all but a leap of enthusiasm to go fishing through her purse to find her cell phone. Or a pen. Or anything to change the subject. "I think...it'd be easiest if I just gave you my number. Do you text?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:59 pm
"That's - I didn't mean - I was trying to say that, well, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I think you're way out of my league. Is what I meant. I didn't mean that you were weird, I mean, I'm the only kid without wings in a school full of angels, and my cousin has horns and my other cousin has cracks all over her skin like shattered pottery, and I mean when you say it like that, that you're hair is alive, it sounds weird, but looking at you, it's just stunning, I mean, you're skin looks like velvet and your snakes might hiss but the way they twirl around you and catch the light, it just makes you look untouchable and perfect and protected, and your eyes are like amber, except they've caught the light instead of just tree sap and you always just, you always . . . "
Hank had started this headlong rush looking at the floor but as he went on talking he raised his eyes to her face, and just said all of the words that he had been saving up since he first saw her, and since he discovered bad love poetry.
Then he realized he was saying it out loud, and he tried to bring his thoughts back together. And his eyes back on the floor.
"You just amaze me, is the point. And whoever thinks your embarrassing is probably a twerp. But, um, yes, I can text. My phone is in my gym bag though."
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