we all are stranger creatures

[demonspawn]

WHO: Ashraf Salib and Terrance Ward.
WHERE: A place of higher learning.
WHEN: Thursday, afternoon.
WHAT: A totally normal lunch with two totally normal people.
WARNINGS: These kids though.


The university was, in Terry's mind, the place where he went five days a week to do his best at pretending to be a normal human being. Which, given his heritage, was at most about half-way possible, even on a good day. He was civil, but distant with his classmates. He always went straight home after classes. There were no frat parties or study groups. Terry kept his head down, did his work, and avoided any situation that could threaten to change his status from "weird semi-emo kid that always sits in the back row" to "horrific demonic monster."

Thursday was one of his harder days, longer than most of the others. He had General Psychology and Statistics in the morning -- a thrilling combination with professors that had perfected the monotone drone -- and just enough time to grab lunch before an equally dreary English class. So noon had him shouldering his messenger bag on over to the cafeteria. It was a noisy and crowded place. Definitely not his favorite.

He tried to avoid eye contact as he moved by people, his communicator in one hand as he browsed the Network to discourage any actual, real life conversations. Terry didn't look up until he had a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water balanced carefully on a tray -- and even then, it was only because he needed a place to sit. Which was looking like it might be a struggle, because the place was completely crowded. He stood there awkwardly, eyes drifting from table to table, feeling a vague hint of high school deja vu.

Comments

[highhealplz]

It'd taken him a while to realize he was in a school, but then he'd been delighted when he'd caught on. And what a school it is! It's so large! It even rivals the libraries of Juno, and that's saying something. He invites himself to look around, wandering in and out of buildings, admiring fountains here and there, peeking sometimes into classrooms. The cafeteria in particular, he decides, is particularly great. Look at all this food, so much variety! He'd grabbed an apple just to have something to hang onto as he wanders, and eventually the look of a familiar something-or-other catches his eye. Communicator, right. That probably means imPort, doesn't it?

Feeling even more pleased for his discovery, Ashraf makes a beeline for the quiet-looking guy, and aims a bright smile at him as soon as he's near enough.

"You look kind of lost! Need a table?"

[demonspawn]

Terry is always suspicious of people who approach him with a smile -- maybe that speaks to how entirely self-depreciating his attitude is, or maybe it's more of a testament to exactly how anti-social he's actually become. It's just his luck that there isn't much by the way of a quick escape route, not with the lunch crowd and the doors too far away. Instinctively, his shoulders tense as the guy closes distance. There's a frown waiting on his mouth when he's finally spoken to.

"I'm not lost. I go here," he responds pointedly, glancing off in a way that was somewhere between uncomfortable and petulant. But he can't bring himself to lie and say that he doesn't need a table, because he does, and... Yeah. So. "Why, are you gonna magically conjure an empty table?"

Terry "First Impressions" Ward. Every time.

[highhealplz]

"Well..." Ashraf glances around, considering, then points with the apple-bearing hand toward a far corner of the cafeteria. "Actually, I was going to point out that there's a free one back there. If you're interested."

[demonspawn]

The new guy would be able to point out the only free table in the whole damn place, after Terry's been standing there awkwardly for the last five minutes trying find exactly the very same thing. Maybe he's just unlucky. (He's definitely unlucky.)

"I'd say yes, but I don't wanna encourage you," Terry responded a bit under his breath. Nevertheless, he moved in the direction of the empty table, setting his bag and his tray down before sliding into the seat nearest to the wall. It's a little belated and reluctant when he adds: "Thanks anyway."