After Sara gave Sean an explanation on panda's territoriality, he just grunted and mentioned that they were pure evil. She wasn't quite sure if he was joking about pandas being evil, but he seemed too serious, especially considering Sean's personality, to be joking. Nina then answered Sara's question, saying that she just sat at the table on a whim. She heard Sean mumble something as he stuffed his face when Sara noticed Matt Voortigan parking himself at the far end of the table.
She knew Matt, or at least, she knew who he was and what his name was. She wasn't too familiar with his personality, though, and from the fact that he was sitting away from them and had his headphones in, it didn't look like she was going to find out anymore anytime soon. She turned away from Matt, and after taking a few sips of her water, Sara started to stare up towards the ceiling and began to think about what she could write in her journal later today. She unconsciously started to take a few bites of her sandwich as she got lost in her thoughts.
Not So Quiet Time in the Lunch Room
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Nina looked around. Everyone seemed to be quietly eating. Which was, you know, totally fine; not everyone liked conversations and whatnot. Still, it seemed remarkably boring, considering everyone else was eating in a big group of fun times and conversation and whatnot.
Nina felt sort of awkward, honestly; was she the only extrovert at the table? Matt Vartoogian had come over and sat with them, but appeared to be actively avoiding talking, being shut off with headphones. Sara and Sean were eating sort of apathetically, and Nina doubted either was enjoying the food. She felt weird, sitting here with nobody talking.
Nina wasn't big on awkward silences. She wanted things to happen, and to make the most of a brief respite in the daily grind of school. An uncomfortable silence punctuated by chewing sounds did not sound like a good time to her.
Nina stood, offering the farewell, "Well, see you guys later. Have a good day." The girl left the table, hoping to hang out with her friends elsewhere. Maybe lunchtime with some more extroverted people would be a little less quiet.
[[Nina Clarke's story continues elsewhere]]
Nina felt sort of awkward, honestly; was she the only extrovert at the table? Matt Vartoogian had come over and sat with them, but appeared to be actively avoiding talking, being shut off with headphones. Sara and Sean were eating sort of apathetically, and Nina doubted either was enjoying the food. She felt weird, sitting here with nobody talking.
Nina wasn't big on awkward silences. She wanted things to happen, and to make the most of a brief respite in the daily grind of school. An uncomfortable silence punctuated by chewing sounds did not sound like a good time to her.
Nina stood, offering the farewell, "Well, see you guys later. Have a good day." The girl left the table, hoping to hang out with her friends elsewhere. Maybe lunchtime with some more extroverted people would be a little less quiet.
[[Nina Clarke's story continues elsewhere]]
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BROseidon*
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:08 pm
DOUBLE KILL!
It was a good game. Matt was watching Saintvicious's stream, as he always did whenever it was on. Saint was playing Maokai, and had just gotten his team mate a double kill.
Matt sat there, continuing to watch the game while everyone else had transitioned into eating their food quietly. Matt liked tacos. Growing up in San Francisco had resulted in Matt eating tons of Mexican food growing up. It was comfort food. Spicy and savory and sweet and delicious.
"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!"
And also messy. Some of the beef from Matt's taco had fallen out and landed on his shirt, leaving a round, brown stain on his light blue shirt. He still had half the day to go, too...
It was a good game. Matt was watching Saintvicious's stream, as he always did whenever it was on. Saint was playing Maokai, and had just gotten his team mate a double kill.
Matt sat there, continuing to watch the game while everyone else had transitioned into eating their food quietly. Matt liked tacos. Growing up in San Francisco had resulted in Matt eating tons of Mexican food growing up. It was comfort food. Spicy and savory and sweet and delicious.
"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!"
And also messy. Some of the beef from Matt's taco had fallen out and landed on his shirt, leaving a round, brown stain on his light blue shirt. He still had half the day to go, too...
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Yeeeeesh. Some people sure were noisy.
Sean giggled as soon as he realized the clear hypocrisy in that thought, but there was nothing to prevent mere thinking. Giggling in itself was hardly conducive to swallowing food, but he was pretty much down to the last scraps anyway. Nina had gone... somewhere, after not talking a whole lot. Sean hoped he hadn't scared her away by being too noisy or something.
That still left Sara, Matt, and himself. Huh... all their names had four letters in them. Neat. Well, okay, if you fully spell out Matt's, it'd probably be 'Matthew' and that broke the four letter convention, but it was a nice and tangential thought while it lasted. In any case, Matt was watching something on his laptop before his concentration was broken by a malevolent taco trying to stain his shirt. Sean knew the feeling, honestly; taco stains could be a downright terror to deal with, and he was probably better at doing laundry than either of his fathers.
To be honest, Sean was curious about what was being watched on that laptop, but it'd be terribly rude if he just jaunted on over and peeked at the screen over Matt's shoulder. Rudeness and personal bubbles weren't usually big inhibitors on Sean's actions, but possibly getting taco smeared all over his face or shirt out of irritation were, so he decided to go for the more straightforward route.
"Hey! Matt! Whatcha watching over there?"
Sean giggled as soon as he realized the clear hypocrisy in that thought, but there was nothing to prevent mere thinking. Giggling in itself was hardly conducive to swallowing food, but he was pretty much down to the last scraps anyway. Nina had gone... somewhere, after not talking a whole lot. Sean hoped he hadn't scared her away by being too noisy or something.
That still left Sara, Matt, and himself. Huh... all their names had four letters in them. Neat. Well, okay, if you fully spell out Matt's, it'd probably be 'Matthew' and that broke the four letter convention, but it was a nice and tangential thought while it lasted. In any case, Matt was watching something on his laptop before his concentration was broken by a malevolent taco trying to stain his shirt. Sean knew the feeling, honestly; taco stains could be a downright terror to deal with, and he was probably better at doing laundry than either of his fathers.
To be honest, Sean was curious about what was being watched on that laptop, but it'd be terribly rude if he just jaunted on over and peeked at the screen over Matt's shoulder. Rudeness and personal bubbles weren't usually big inhibitors on Sean's actions, but possibly getting taco smeared all over his face or shirt out of irritation were, so he decided to go for the more straightforward route.
"Hey! Matt! Whatcha watching over there?"
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
MIRABELLA STRONG: START
Oh dear.
Mirabella's Science tutorial had been cancelled for this lunchtime, but the delay was long enough for her to miss out on prime seating opportunities in the school cafeteria.
Her mother had recently become obsessed with a set of Tupperware containers she had acquired through a friend, and insisted on showing them off at every opportune moment. Thus, instead of taco day (which she was looking forward to immensely) she had been left with a container of Greek yoghurt, a bundle of carrot sticks, and half an avocado. How that actually constituted a legitimate meal rather than a light snack, she didn't know.
Entering the lunch room, Mirabella paused, surveying the other students there. Her eyes fell on a somewhat subdued table, seating only three other students, one girl, two boys. There was...Sara Corlett, that quiet girl she knew was also a writer. The boys, however, were less known to her. One was immersed in something he was doing on his laptop, the other speaking in some piratesque accent. Oh, of course she knew him. Well, it wasn't every school that had a wannabe-pirate such as Sean Mulcahy. At least, that's what she thought was his game. She couldn't be sure, and didn't want to pry, lest it offend him or something. The boy with the laptop...she was sure she could find a way of getting someone to say his name.
"Hey! Matt! Whatcha watching over there?"
Okay, so it was Matt.
Still no bells ringing.
However, they all seemed like nice folk, so she smiled, as she always did, and strode over towards them.
"Hello! Matt, Sara, Sean. Do you mind if I sit with you?"
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Sara was jolted out of her thoughts by Matt loudly swearing. She turned in his direction and saw the taco stain on his shirt, so she figured out pretty quickly why he had swore. In an attempt at a polite gesture, she pulled a napkin out of her lunchbox and placed it near Matt, hoping it would be of moderate help. Sean started to inquire into what Matt was doing, and while she was curious herself, she started to get lost in her thoughts again.
However, she did not have enough time to get too lost in her thoughts before someone else showed up at the table. Hearing a voice, she looked up to see Mirabella Strong standing next to the table, asking if she could have a seat. "Uh, sure, I don't think anyone here minds. Go ahead, take a seat." She herself didn't care, she doubted Matt would get out of whatever he was doing long enough to care, and she figured Sean would probably be happy to have someone else to talk to.
However, she did not have enough time to get too lost in her thoughts before someone else showed up at the table. Hearing a voice, she looked up to see Mirabella Strong standing next to the table, asking if she could have a seat. "Uh, sure, I don't think anyone here minds. Go ahead, take a seat." She herself didn't care, she doubted Matt would get out of whatever he was doing long enough to care, and she figured Sean would probably be happy to have someone else to talk to.
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BROseidon*
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:08 pm
Matt paused a second. He had been loud. Not so loud as to cause a disruption throughout the busy lunchroom, but loud enough to grab Sean's attention. Sean was a bit of a gamer himself, so it wasn't like starting a conversation with Sean would be taking someone up from nothing. Nonetheless, Matt had been hoping to watch some high-level play, even if it didn't actually improve him much at this point.
"I'm watching a League of Legends stream." Matt figured it'd be awkward to just respond to the question, although this realization came only after a second of pausing. "Um, how's your taco?"
Matt vaguely recognized the girl who came over. Whatever, she could sit down if she wanted. It wasn't like he was going to be rude to her, not unless she turned out to be a bitch. She probably wasn't; Matt didn't recognize her as one. Still, you never know with some people.
Actually, sometimes you do know. A bitch wouldn't have asked for permission.
"I'm watching a League of Legends stream." Matt figured it'd be awkward to just respond to the question, although this realization came only after a second of pausing. "Um, how's your taco?"
Matt vaguely recognized the girl who came over. Whatever, she could sit down if she wanted. It wasn't like he was going to be rude to her, not unless she turned out to be a bitch. She probably wasn't; Matt didn't recognize her as one. Still, you never know with some people.
Actually, sometimes you do know. A bitch wouldn't have asked for permission.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"I already finished it, you crazy, crazy man!" Sean laughed. "Soooooooooo you mind if I check out this league o' legends thing? I'd say I never heard of it, but everybody won't shut up about it so really it's more like I've never seen it." Sean was already in the process of getting up and scooting around the table.
"Heeeeeeey Mirabella," Sean said off-handedly. Unfortunately, she was one of those cases where he could only remember the first name, but mostly due to how much it seemed like it'd belong to a bar wench or something.
This was something he would probably keep secret from the girl herself. He was sure she would NOT appreciate that.
"Heeeeeeey Mirabella," Sean said off-handedly. Unfortunately, she was one of those cases where he could only remember the first name, but mostly due to how much it seemed like it'd belong to a bar wench or something.
This was something he would probably keep secret from the girl herself. He was sure she would NOT appreciate that.
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Mirabella smiled as she took a seat near Sara, appreciating the grant of permission she'd just received. As she pulled her lunchbox from her satchel, groaning inwardly at the sparse nature of the contents, a greeting came from Sean as he began to move over to...whatever it was Matt was watching.
"Good afternoon Sean. You're well, I hope?"
Hmm. That was an odd thing to do, given that he was in the process of a conversation with someone else. But...she couldn't backtrack on it, so she paused and removed the contents of her satchel as she awaited a reply. Sean was...perky. She figured he had ADHD or something. Probably best not to ask.
As she began to dip a precisely-cut carrot stick into the small container of sour yoghurt, she noticed the two remaining Fluoxetine pills bundled up in a strip of clingfilm tucked away in the corner of her lunchbox. One was for this afternoon...but the other...
Oh dear.
She was supposed to take it right before her tutorial, but the cancellation had caused her medication to slip her mind. She needed to take it now. She couldn't just...she couldn't...
"Uh...do any of you have any water with you? I kinda...I need a mouthful."
"Good afternoon Sean. You're well, I hope?"
Hmm. That was an odd thing to do, given that he was in the process of a conversation with someone else. But...she couldn't backtrack on it, so she paused and removed the contents of her satchel as she awaited a reply. Sean was...perky. She figured he had ADHD or something. Probably best not to ask.
As she began to dip a precisely-cut carrot stick into the small container of sour yoghurt, she noticed the two remaining Fluoxetine pills bundled up in a strip of clingfilm tucked away in the corner of her lunchbox. One was for this afternoon...but the other...
Oh dear.
She was supposed to take it right before her tutorial, but the cancellation had caused her medication to slip her mind. She needed to take it now. She couldn't just...she couldn't...
"Uh...do any of you have any water with you? I kinda...I need a mouthful."
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Sara stared absentmindedly off into space, listening to Sean interrogate Matt the same way he interrogated her. She heard Mirabella sit down nearby her, and she heard Mirabella say something to Sean, but she began to tune everything out and started to think again about what specifically she could write about later today.
She thought of her book, Cinder. Perhaps a poem about the horrors of disease? She was unsure of that idea when she Mirabella brought her back to reality by addressing her. She turned to Mirabella. "Water?" She looked at her water bottle. It was nearly empty, but it should be good for a mouthful. "Sure, go ahead and take the rest." She handed the water bottle to Mirabella. "Just make sure to give it back." And with that, she turned back to her lunch.
She looked at her sandwich. The sandwich she had was almost completely gone, only a bite or two left. She stuck the remaining portion in her mouth and went back to thinking about what to write as she chewed.
She thought of her book, Cinder. Perhaps a poem about the horrors of disease? She was unsure of that idea when she Mirabella brought her back to reality by addressing her. She turned to Mirabella. "Water?" She looked at her water bottle. It was nearly empty, but it should be good for a mouthful. "Sure, go ahead and take the rest." She handed the water bottle to Mirabella. "Just make sure to give it back." And with that, she turned back to her lunch.
She looked at her sandwich. The sandwich she had was almost completely gone, only a bite or two left. She stuck the remaining portion in her mouth and went back to thinking about what to write as she chewed.
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BROseidon*
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:08 pm
"Yeah, League is definitely worth checking out. It's a super fun game. Sort of like DotA, if you ever played that."
So the girl's name was Mirabella. Matt looked up and glanced quickly at her, in order to solidify his ability to recognize her. Not that it really mattered, he'd be out of here soon enough and there weren't too many people from Aurora that he planned on seeing again on a regular basis.
Matt didn't really know how to continue the conversation. Should he let Sean continue, or should he ask some small-talk type question where the answer was meaningless? The guy seemed a lot more extroverted than him, so Matt figured he'd just let Sean carry the conversation.
Taking a bite of his taco, Matt looked back at the stream. Saint was about to initiate a team fight on Maokai. Matt didn't want to miss this.
So the girl's name was Mirabella. Matt looked up and glanced quickly at her, in order to solidify his ability to recognize her. Not that it really mattered, he'd be out of here soon enough and there weren't too many people from Aurora that he planned on seeing again on a regular basis.
Matt didn't really know how to continue the conversation. Should he let Sean continue, or should he ask some small-talk type question where the answer was meaningless? The guy seemed a lot more extroverted than him, so Matt figured he'd just let Sean carry the conversation.
Taking a bite of his taco, Matt looked back at the stream. Saint was about to initiate a team fight on Maokai. Matt didn't want to miss this.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"Nope, never played DotA. Heard about it once or twice but I never really- ... is that a tree?" Sean got rather close to the screen and squinted. The characters were really hard to see in this game, something that was threatening to put him off of it forever. Still... that looked to be a giant, walking tree. Maybe this game had some promise?
Hadn't somebody else asked him something? He was so sure... oh, right!
"Huh? Oh!" Sean was courteous enough to make eye contact with Mirabella, even if it meant looking away from the tree for a moment. It was kind of turning into an absolute mess of explosion-y type stuff, anyway. "Doing well! Classes are classes, lunch is lunch, Matt is showing me something really neat on his laptop."
Sean turned back to it.
"There any pirates in this game?"
Hadn't somebody else asked him something? He was so sure... oh, right!
"Huh? Oh!" Sean was courteous enough to make eye contact with Mirabella, even if it meant looking away from the tree for a moment. It was kind of turning into an absolute mess of explosion-y type stuff, anyway. "Doing well! Classes are classes, lunch is lunch, Matt is showing me something really neat on his laptop."
Sean turned back to it.
"There any pirates in this game?"
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
"Oh, thank you so much, Sara!" Mirabella beamed as she poured the remaining dregs into her mouth and slipped the pill in as conspicuously as she could. Swallowing, she choked slightly and broke into a small fit of coughing which she attempted to cover up with the collar of her sweater.
"I...thank you, Sara." She gently placed the now-empty bottle beside the other girl, and glanced at the book beside her. "Hey, that's Cinder, right? Do you like it?"
And then Sean responded to her query in his typically ebullient and perky manner. He didn't leave any clear opening for her to respond, but she felt like she had to, for some reason. "Mmm. That's good, Sean. What is it exactly? You two seem somewhat engrossed in it."
She took another bite of her carrot stick.
"I...thank you, Sara." She gently placed the now-empty bottle beside the other girl, and glanced at the book beside her. "Hey, that's Cinder, right? Do you like it?"
And then Sean responded to her query in his typically ebullient and perky manner. He didn't leave any clear opening for her to respond, but she felt like she had to, for some reason. "Mmm. That's good, Sean. What is it exactly? You two seem somewhat engrossed in it."
She took another bite of her carrot stick.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1537
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Sara was still quite out of it as the table around her kept active.
Some illness strikes soon
Quick and deadly like a hawk
Ending someone's life
While others strike
Sluggish and sad like a snail
In execution
She didn't even notice Mirabella put her water bottle back in front of her as she though of that dual haiku.
She slowly snapped out of it after a moment and she then finally realized that she had finished her lunch. She packed her things up and stood. "Well, after I finish my lunch I normally head to the library." She waved to the people at the table. "It was very nice talking to all of you." She pushed her chair in. "Perhaps we can do this again in the future." With that last statement she strolled out of the cafeteria and started heading to the library.
((Sara Corlett continued elsewhere...))
Some illness strikes soon
Quick and deadly like a hawk
Ending someone's life
While others strike
Sluggish and sad like a snail
In execution
She didn't even notice Mirabella put her water bottle back in front of her as she though of that dual haiku.
She slowly snapped out of it after a moment and she then finally realized that she had finished her lunch. She packed her things up and stood. "Well, after I finish my lunch I normally head to the library." She waved to the people at the table. "It was very nice talking to all of you." She pushed her chair in. "Perhaps we can do this again in the future." With that last statement she strolled out of the cafeteria and started heading to the library.
((Sara Corlett continued elsewhere...))
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BROseidon*
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:08 pm
"Uh, yeah, that's Maokai. He's a treant."
With that, Sean turned off to address Mirabella. He had started a conversation with her; Matt had just ignored her first question because he knew someone else would answer and that meant someone else would have to maintain conversation with her. Matt was fine not being that person.
Pirates seemed to be an oddly specific thing to ask about. Granted, given that he was talking to someone who seemed a little strange, that he would ask something like that didn't really come as a surprise to Matt.
"Yeah, there are pirates. Two of them, Miss Fortune and Gangplank. There are all kinds of characters in LoL."
Then Mirabella just had to ask what they were watching. Joy, another person he had to talk to. Talking meant not watching, and Matt wanted just to watch. Sure, he could have gone outside, but the wifi was weaker there and would cause the stream to lag. He could have found an empty classroom, but that would have been far and Matt was lazy. Oh well, the price of laziness was dealing with people.
"We are watching a League of Legends stream." Matt responded. He could make basic conversation, but he didn't have to be bubbly.
With that, Sean turned off to address Mirabella. He had started a conversation with her; Matt had just ignored her first question because he knew someone else would answer and that meant someone else would have to maintain conversation with her. Matt was fine not being that person.
Pirates seemed to be an oddly specific thing to ask about. Granted, given that he was talking to someone who seemed a little strange, that he would ask something like that didn't really come as a surprise to Matt.
"Yeah, there are pirates. Two of them, Miss Fortune and Gangplank. There are all kinds of characters in LoL."
Then Mirabella just had to ask what they were watching. Joy, another person he had to talk to. Talking meant not watching, and Matt wanted just to watch. Sure, he could have gone outside, but the wifi was weaker there and would cause the stream to lag. He could have found an empty classroom, but that would have been far and Matt was lazy. Oh well, the price of laziness was dealing with people.
"We are watching a League of Legends stream." Matt responded. He could make basic conversation, but he didn't have to be bubbly.