The New Face of Zero and One

[ifnotwinter*]

Jacquard Broughten, known as Jackie to very, very few, was quietly wasting time. It was still the middle of the lunch hour, but she'd already finished her lunch and her homework. That was why she'd wandered over to the library.

She loved the library. It was one of the few places she was able to feel really peaceful in. Neat as a pin, everything carefully shelved, books about anything she'd care to read at her fingertips. Today it was a book on the history of chess, detailing how it had come to be widely recognized, famous games, and various other bits of interesting trivia.

So she'd settled herself into a chair, shoes off and placed neatly on the floor by her schoolbag, and tucked her feet up under her. After all, the bell wouldn't ring for nearly twenty minutes. She had time.

Occasionally, usually when students entered or left the library, she glanced up, but for the most part she was fully and quietly absorbed in herself.

[KataLlama*]

Jack Sanders ran into the library at full speed. Mrs. Collins looked up from her work with a stern look, and Jack slowed to merely sprinting. Discarding his bag on the floor, he rushed onto a nearby computer terminal. As the computer booted up, he began talking to himself in a low murmur. "Shit. SHIT! I totally forgot about that quiz. It was pure luck that I heard about it at lunch. What I REALLY need is some cram notes...."

With a start, Jack swiveled around in his chair, only to see that several students nearby were staring at him. "He..he....sorry," he stammered out before sheepishly returning his attention to the computer.

Great, it's just one thing after the other today!

[ifnotwinter*]

Jacquard glanced up at the sound of hasty footsteps, just in time to see Jack fling himself into a chair and begin booting up one of the student computers. At the sound of him talking to himself, she frowned, putting her book to one side and leaning forwards.

"I realize you're probably...busy, or something, but I believe the rule in the library is silence."

Or at least, if it wasn't, she wished it was.

[KataLlama*]

"I realize you're probably...busy, or something, but I believe the rule in the library is silence."

With a start, Jack turned to see Jaquard leaning towards him from her nearby seat. Great! he thought, More problems!

"Sorry, sorry" he explained, "You see, I was just....." He frantically looked for a way out and fortunately noticed the book next to her, a book on the history of chess. Bingo!

"Um..I'm sorry for that," he chuckled, "But Hey! That book, does that mean that you're a good chess player? Or are you reading that just for fun?"

[ifnotwinter*]

Oh, great. Someone social. Jacquard shifted in her chair, and folded her arms across her chest, her expression making it very clear that socialization was the last thing on her mind right now.

"I do play, and I am quite good." False modesty was something she had never understood. "Incidentally, I usually come to the library to read."

Beat.

"Silently."

Subtle hints: also something Jacquard had never been particularly good at.

[KataLlama*]

"Silently."

Great, this'll take even longer. That plan backfired. Guess there's only one thing left

Jack sighed. Completely seriously, he began, "Look, I'm sorry for disturbing you, and for interrupting, whatever you're doing. I just wanted to avoid one of those big long lectures about privacy and silence and whatnot. Now I'm giving one." With a shrug, he turned back to the computer.

"Now why don't we forget this ever happened so both of us can go back to doing our own things?"

But judging from the way she just crossed her arms, I doubt I'll be so lucky. Especially with what's going on today.

[ifnotwinter*]

"Now why don't we forget this ever happened so both of us can go back to doing our own things?"

Jacquard considered his words for a long moment, then nodded, turning to pick up her book again. "Fair enough. As long as you're quiet."

She'd never really been the type to harp on things.

[KataLlama*]

"Thank you. I just...thanks."

With a sigh and a quiet groan, Jack turned his attention back to cramming for his quiz.

Huh, when all else fails, telling the truth worked out pretty good.

[ifnotwinter*]

Jacquard was silent until the bell rang, fully ignoring the other boy. Unless something actively disturbed her quiet world, she was never outgoing, never really seeing much of a point in social interaction.

So when the bell rang she tucked her book back into her bag and slipped her shoes on, retrieving her cane from where it had been resting against the side of the chair. Pausing to toss one last irritated look at Jack Sanders, she limped quietly out of the library.

((Jacquard Broughten continued in Life is a Game))

[KataLlama*]

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as she left, and started when he realized that History was on the other side of the building.

"Aw crap!! Why today!"

((Jack continued in English, Wherefore art thou? in the Language Wing))