.

[Gorath_00]

Devin smiled and waved at James cheerfully. "What's up, James? You alright?"

"Oh, I am just fine, right now.. I got katsup on my hoodie and I think my nose could be broken, but otherwise, fine."

"We're both lucky a girl as lovely as girl has decided to talk with us, eh?"

"Yeah, sure are. I was just mentioning how beautiful she was. She is, isnt she?"

Uhh, Miss Chantelle," he said, stumbling into new territory. "Y-You were saying you wanted to work together on acting? I was wondering if, since we have a half-hour or so, m-maybe you wanted to go up to the theater and try an improv together?"

Gives him an "eat shit and die, cock blocker" look, but keeps his mouth shut, deciding revenge would be soon at hand... did I just say that? Whats wrong with me!

looks over at Chantelle, and smiles "Afterwards, you think you and I could go get some Thai? Theres a great place out on Brook Boulevard. Best stuff in town."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"I took French 1 about six years ago, actually. So please forgive my choppy sentences and mispronounced syllables."

Chantelle listens with rapt attention as this American explains about his knowledge of French. She listens to him eagerly agreeing with her that Eric should in fact declare himself and blushes at his outrageous compliment.

”Tu rigoles, mais tu es trop gentil!”

She giggles and moves on to talk about her hometown.
Then leaning forward her eyes never leave James’ as he tells her about his hometown.

"I am from the Southern US. Georgia, just west of the capital, Atlanta.
Little place, not even a speck on the map.
I have never been able to sing much, although I play a guitar, if that counts, which it doesn’t.”

Chantelle joins his laughter.

”But.. this is wonderful, j’adore le guitare… you play for me soon yes?
… making the music…I like very much… tu m’accompangeras peut-etre…?”

She sits back slightly as she asks about his classes. Fleetingly she wonders what she has that afternoon, but decides that someone will find her if she is late or lost or… delayed…

"I think we have the same Physics class.. did we discuss Beta and Alpha decay in radioactive isotopes today? “

Chantelle looks at him, genuinely lost for once.

”Comment…? … what is this… you have the physical education!
I have not yet played, but perhaps I try it… ?”

He continues to clarify and Chantelle finally understands.

”Umm Mr. Cunningham the professor?
And I study Engineering, and Asian History. “

What a combination, but at least he plays the guitar.
She had attended the physics class today.
That was too much like hard work!
There was no way she could understand what was going on.
The language was too specialised. It was one of the areas that were genuinely out of her depth.

”The physics… I find.. too difficile.. I do not understand.. the words.. the… j’en ai assez deja!”

She pouts prettily showing her frustration at the subject.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

"Hey, James, I got something to tell you," murmurs Devin, and he leans forward.

Uh oh.

"Be nice," he whispers. "I was here first, remember?"

Oh, hey, that wasn't bad.

Devin leaned back into his seat. "Can you believe the new teacher did THAT? But don't tell anybody," he said smoothly.

He chuckled and turned to Chantelle. "Sorry, we're just old friends. So, how about it? You, ah, said you wanted to... play? I think this is as good a time as any..."

 

[Gorath_00]

”But.. this is wonderful, j’adore le guitare… you play for me soon yes?
… making the music…I like very much… tu m’accompangeras peut-etre…?”

Blinks, not understanding half of that sentance, but plays it off "I would be more then happy to play for you... just ask, I'll lug my acoustic in here and play for all of you"

”The physics… I find.. too difficile.. I do not understand.. the words.. the… j’en ai assez deja!”

"Well, if you need help studying, I would be happy to help."
looks over at his friend "dont you take physics, too? I think if we both worked on her, we could make her an expert!"

After he whispers to him, he nods "yeah, I cant believe that, either. What nerve! He just went up and stole that necklace right off of that girl's desk! But those two guys helped her get it back. Nice of them."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

Chantelle sits back and glances at the clock.
She watches the two guys chatting and realises that they are good friends already!

Turning to Devin she smiles as he flatters her:

"We're both lucky a girl as lovely as girl has decided to talk with us, eh?"

Giving each an assessing look, Chantelle purrs.

”But I adore the American boys, they are … how do you say, charmants, “

"Uhh, Miss Chantelle. Y-You were saying you wanted to work together on acting? I was wondering if, since we have a half-hour or so, m-maybe you wanted to go up to the theater and try an improv together?"

Chantelle beams.

”An.. improv.. ahh.. improvisation… !”

She states using the French intonation.

”Mais, oui… it will be good for me… good for my anglais, n’est-ce pas?”

Gathering her tray together, Chantelle turns to James, as he speaks quickly.

"Afterwards, you think you and I could go get some Thai?
Theres a great place out on Brook Boulevard. Best stuff in town."

She looks at him quizzically.

”Thai? What is this.. Thai.. it is food no? I hope it is more good than this!
La nourriture Americain, je ne l’aime pas… you say it is good…?
Perhaps I must try this…”

Taking the opportunity to look across the room to try to catch Elis’ attention, Chantelle smiles and waves that she is about to leave…
She turns to her companions, pleased to see that they are in conversation.

”Eh bien, je m’en vais.. merci.. tous les deux… “

”So, how about it? You, ah, said you wanted to... play?
I think this is as good a time as any..."

Chantelle hesitated and looked at the clock.

”It is a good time? I … I forget my hours… I do not know… which classes I have…I am free now?“

 

[Gorath_00]

”But I adore the American boys, they are … how do you say, charmants

Chuckles, wondering if he should let her know that 99% of american boys just want to get into a girls pants, and make themselves men, but they act like boys till they are fourty years old and have five kids..


”Thai? What is this.. Thai.. it is food no? I hope it is more good than this!
La nourriture Americain, je ne l’aime pas… you say it is good…?
Perhaps I must try this…”

Oh, it is very good! It is asian food, some of it is spicy, but it is good.

”It is a good time? I … I forget my hours… I do not know… which classes I have…I am free now?“

"Physics doesnt start until five.. so from what I know you are free for several hours... so are we.."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

Chantelle responded, smiling at James.

"If it is very good, the of course I must try.
I do not know... spicy...? ... but.. you will show.. yes...?"

She smiled at the guys who had made her lunch time so pleasant, so interesting...

"But... I do not know what I am doing here ... it is... confusing... I run around... do not know where I must be... many hours.. many classes... "

"Physics doesnt start until five.. so from what I know you are free for several hours... so are we.."

Chantelle screwed her nose up prettily and shuddered.

"I am not liking the physique... I do not wish to learn it... what for do I want to know this... when I want to be actress, singer... c'est inutile!"

Turning her most radiant smile upon James, she gushes;

"Mais.. toi... you must be very intelligent ... you are so good at it.. no?... you must be on top I think... "

She frowns trying to remember....

"Comment on dit... ah.. oui.. they say you are.. "A grade..." student... no..?"

 

[Gorath_00]

"But... I do not know what I am doing here ... it is... confusing... I run around... do not know where I must be... many hours.. many classes... "

"Im lost to, I just act like I know exactly what I am doing. Everyone here does."

"I am not liking the physique... I do not wish to learn it... what for do I want to know this... when I want to be actress, singer... c'est inutile!"

"Lets see... you are taking it so you can pass, and become that actress or singer, or both, that you want to be."

"Mais.. toi... you must be very intelligent ... you are so good at it.. no?... you must be on top I think... "

Shrugs, usually trying to keep that opinion from rising.. oh well.. now she's going to think youre 'smart' and a 'genous' and a nerd... mentally sighs.. "Well, I do what I have to do.. my parents will revoke all the money for college if I dont have a high score on everything.. makes me crazy somtimes. You seem like an intellegent person, just need to be refined, is all. You have intellegent eyes, they shine brilliantly.

"Comment on dit... ah.. oui.. they say you are.. "A grade..." student... no..?"

"More or less.. they pin me with "nerd" one more time and I am going to give someone a piece of my mind! Sorry , I seemed to have been ranting.."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"Lets see... you are taking it so you can pass, and become that actress or singer, or both, that you want to be."

Chantelle pouted petulantly.

”I will take and I will pass what I choose.
Je peux changer, moi! J’ai de la choix, quand meme!”

Chantelle was determined to have a good time and had not cared one bit for the boring lesson.
The lecturer had been less than impressed by her!
That too had piqued her somewhat!

"Well, I do what I have to do.. my parents will revoke all the money for college if I dont have a high score on everything.. makes me crazy sometimes. “

Chantelle, rolled her eyes…

”Ohh.. les parents… oui… “

She sympathised.

”You seem like an intellegent person, just need to be refined, is all.
You have intellegent eyes, they shine brilliantly. “

Chantelle looked curiously at James…

What did he mean, she wasn't refined?

”Les yeux intelligents?”

Mon dieu she thought.
The last thing she wanted was a boy staring into her eyes and saying, “.. my but you are intelligent Chantelle… “
There were other qualities, messages that she would much rather communicate with her eyes!
Besides, actresses and singers did not need intelligent eyes!

”… one more time and I am going to give someone a piece of my mind!
Sorry , I seemed to have been ranting.."

Chantelle did not understand “ranting”, but she knew that she had followed only some of what James had said.
And certainly had not agreed with much of it!

She did not intend to study that hard.
Not on the subjects she had no interest in!

”Eh.. bien moi… I wish to see much things, enjoy… je veux m’amuser…
To be en Amerique.. it is an adventure, no…?”

She wondered if he were to be a spectator, or if he had a sense of adventure hidden deeper within him, if only he dared to recognise it.

 

[Gorath_00]

Well, some americans are more adventerous then most, and others are far more shy. When I said refined, I ment your knowledge in physics.. but physics doesnt really matter.. it is a boring class anyway!

Realises he has bored her.. or upset her.. it is now a time for action!

"Chantelle, I like you. A lot. Would you be interested in grabbing a cup of coffee with me? soon, perhaps?"

grabs a torn piece of paper and jots down his number for her, and hands it to her.. he looks at her, in a way he has never looked on a woman, with desire and a fire, a lust in his eyes unsatable.. he slowly smiles, as he realises he would do anything for this woman..

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"Chantelle, I like you. A lot. Would you be interested in grabbing a cup of coffee with me? soon, perhaps?"

Chantelle watches as he tears a piece of paper and writes a number.

As he holds it out she reaches to take it.
The look he gives her does not communicate that she is intelligent and needs refining, but she drags her eyes away.

Secretly pleased that he is not as unimpressed as she assumed, Chantelle casually pockets the number..

"Le cafe.. oui.. si tu veux... soon.. perhaps... "

She echoes his words, wondering fleetingly if this is as well as or instead of Thai... peu importe, she decides.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Devin smiles, watching the conversation, deciding that he shouldn't get in James' way -- and secretly VERY thankful that he had only given Chantelle his number.

"Awesome, James," says Devin. "Maybe we can have a group of friends of our own, now," he adds, gesturing vaguely to everyone around them. It was an old joke with them -- they were both out of the standard groups, though for very different reasons; James because of his awkwardness, and Devin because of his odd thought patterns. "Maybe in a while we can even all hang out together."

Bad boy.

"J-Just a thought," he added, suddenly realizing how that could be interpreted.

"Yeah, we do have a little while before lunch ends. Chantelle? Would you like to go do some improv practice? Or did you have some plans, James?"

That's it. James is my friend. I'm not going to fight it out.

Good for you.

So Devin cast a bit of an imploring look at James.

"You guys could spend lunch together tomorrow..."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"Awesome, James.
Maybe we can have a group of friends of our own, now,"

Laughter is exchanged, but Chantelle does not quite get what is funny.

"Maybe in a while we can even all hang out together."

Awesome? Hang out? She couldn’t be bothered to ask.

"Yeah, we do have a little while before lunch ends. Chantelle?
Would you like to go do some improv practice?
Or did you have some plans, James?"

Chantelle watches the two guys talking about her.
Deciding about what she should do.

"You guys could spend lunch together tomorrow..."

Again they seem to be negotiating the deal.
She frowns slightly.

”Non, je m’en vais… I would like to do the.. improv.. with you, mais I must to the librarie first… “

Much as she liked Devin and wanted to pair up with him in drama, she was not going to be handed out between friends.

”Salut… “

She stood up and arranged her tray.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

"Ahh..." Devin flushed. "Alright, have fun..."

Ohhh! I'm such a bastard!

I'm telling you, you're too crude. And she's not stupid.

But if she's got to pick one of us...

...then she might pick neither.

Right!

The sudden urge to smack James across the face bubbled up, but horrified, Devin pushed it down. Instead, he waved goodbye to Chantelle, smiling, trying to be graceful about it and hoping that Chantelle would forgive him. As she began to walk away, he leaned in.

"Dammit, James. I was here first! You ruined it for me." He sighed. "Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way either, but still..." Devin shook his head. "Now neither of us will get her."

The handsome young savant scratched the back of his head. "Oh, well. I guess I blew it again," he thought aloud. "There are too many guys in this school, and too many of them are more desirable than us."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

Chantelle glanced back through the doorway to see Devin exchanging ... words ... with James.

She grinned.
That would serve them right.
She wasn't going to be traded about like so much baggage.
If a guy wanted to be with her, he was damn well going to have to work for it...

She giggled... not work, maybe, but... at least show a clear interest.
She sauntered down the corridor and sighed.

Shame really. Devin sure was cute... she'd have liked to get into a scene with him, but still... there was always class.
No chance of anything extra-curricular...

"Merde... "

She kicked the locker as she passed.

"Miss Dubois!"

Mon dieu!
Chantelle looked up to find Mr Cunningham walking towards her.
This is all she needed!
He had already decided just what he thought of her.
She schooled her expression to one of polite enquiry.

"Oui... Monsieur...?"

She tried not to respond as he corrected her.

"The response is... yes... and as you well know my name is Mr Cunningham."

Chantelle sighed and responded with the worst possible english accent she could muster...

"Yiiis.. meeesterrrr Cunn-ingg-am...?"

Her smile was either sweet or insolent.
The teacher took it for the latter...

Chantelle stood sulkily as he recited the speech about care of school property and how she was a guest and how.....

Chantelle had switched off...

"Salaud"

The word went round and round in her head, but she did not voice it.
Knowing her luck, the "salaud" would know that word too!

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Devin walked away in a daze. James seemed... more intense. He really seemed to care about that girl a lot. Of course, Devin had been obsessed with his first crush, but this couldn't be... surely James had once had a crush before. So then what was it about this girl that got to James?

Maybe he deserves her more than me...

Don't think about it like that, Devin.

Yeah. I need to be confident.

...no, you need to stop treating her like meat and like a human. What's wrong with you today? You weren't being your normal polite self. Go hold a door open for her or something.

Well, I did call her Miss, but... it's true. James came over, and I was protective and panicked, and hopefully she'll forgive me.

Go apologize.

"Eh!?" Devin said aloud, fortunately not attracting too much attention in the noisy room. The thought struck him as quite intimidating and perhaps a silly idea...

...but worth the humiliation all the same.

"I'm pumped," murmured Devin, as he walked into the hallway, and saw Chantelle up against the lockers, while Mr Cunningham lectured her.

"Hey! Mister Cunningham!" cried Devin, trotting over. Devin was a favorite of Mr Cunningham's, because he was a junior and still in a high-level physics class, but Devin knew that Mr Cunningham was suspicious of Chantelle.

Mr Cunningham isn't dumb. You know as well as he Chantelle is a lot smarter than she pretends to be.

That's why I find her so alluring, thought Devin.

Other than her chest?

"Ah, Mr Cunningham," Devin continued smoothly, avoiding a blush this time, "Is there a problem?"

"Devin," said Mr Cunningham. "I think we all need to be frank. You know as well as I do that--"

"Mister Cunningham," said Devin, waving his hands in a gesture of deferential apology. "I believe Chantelle was just going to the library to study her English."

"N-No, that's not it," said Mr Cunningham, though he was obviously a little embarassed.

So he had thought of it.

"She kicked a locker. It's not your problem, Devin. Unless you would talk to her about it?" The teacher cast a meaningful glance at Chantelle. "I trust you, Devin."

Ouch. That was cold. Stupid bastard.

"Of course, Mister Cunningham. See you in class." Devin sighed as the teacher walked away. "...you spiteful old goat."

He turned to Chantelle and blushed. "Ehh, I'm sorry. Look, I just wanted to... wanted to say that..." His mouth twitched and he stopped. His heart was like ice. He... couldn't breathe, almost. He was so afraid...

Even his encouraging side had frozen. He just stood and stared for a second or so... but it seemed like an hour to him...

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

Chantelle tried to hold on to her temper whilst Mr Cunningham, taking advantage of the captive audience, held forth on any number of subjects.

“Xenophobic tosser,” Chantelle thought in "grade A "idiomatic English.

"Hey! Mister Cunningham!"

Chantelle looked over at the strangely familiar voice and saw Devin coming towards them.

"Ah, Mr Cunningham, is there a problem?"

Chantelle looked desperately over at Devin.
Please God let him distract this "self important…".
Chantelle mentally went over all the suitable English terms for the … individual ... before her.

"Devin, I think we all need to be frank. You know as well as I do that--"

Chantelle glared at the pompous teacher before her.
How dared he..!?!?

"Mister Cunningham,"

Devin seemed to be playing peacemaker.
His actions and words destined not only at calming the teacher but also at giving Chantelle time to reign in her Gallic temper.
She looked like she would soon be provoked into treating her teacher to the same treatment she had just accorded to the locker!

"I believe Chantelle was just going to the library to study her English."

Was she hell!

"N-No, that's not it. She kicked a locker.
It's not your problem, Devin.
Unless you would talk to her about it?"

Chantelle glared with open hostility at the look that was cast in her direction.
How dare he tell another student what she had done!
How dare he tell Devin to talk to her about it!

"I trust you, Devin."

Chantelle could not believe that the teacher was actually going to walk away now.

"Of course, Mister Cunningham. See you in class."

She looked at Devin, wondering if he was now going to attempt to lecture her. She was ready for him.
If he tried to say anything then…

"...you spiteful old goat."

She heard the words clearly.
Sure now that her was on her side, that his playing up to the teacher had been for her benefit, she smiled as he turned round looking painfully embarrassed by the whole episode.

"Ehh, I'm sorry. Look, I just wanted to... wanted to say that..."

He stood silently before her.

Chantelle glared after the retreating teacher.

”Miserable fucker!”

She uttered in perfect English and caught Devin’s eye.

”Ok… Foookurrrr.. miserable if you prefer…. “

She amended putting on the fake French accent and smiling disarmingly as she let him see just how good her English really was.

Laughing she reached forward and kissed him on the cheek.
Her voice when she spoke was totally devoid of her French accent.

”So… do you want to do that improv. then?
After all… I’m going to need a good talking to… about lockers..
and.. my duties as a responsible student… “

She dimpled in laughter knowing she had taken him totally by surprise by taking him into her confidence.

”Are you… interested… or not…?”

She challenged him, eyeing him meaningfully...

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

"Miserable fucker..."

Devin stared, eyes wide. There was a pause.

And he grinned. "I knew it!" The grin turned to a smile. "You're a lot more skilled than you let on. But I'm sure you have your reasons." He sighed. "Sorry I had to suck up to him. I..."

He let her talk, and then blushed as she kissed him on the cheek. After hearing her coy speech, he could only stammer. "Ah, i-interested? I would always be interested in spending time with you, Miss Chantelle... the theater should be empty... s-should we practice in there?"

You know, I don't think she's talking about acting.

Of course she isn't! I mean, well, I guess she has to be. She wouldn't be... I mean... no way. Not her. But that look...

If she wants you too, go for it.

He grinned again. "Yeah. Sure, I'll give you a talking to about the rules."

Good luck...

I'll need it, he thought, trying to force his shyness inside.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"I knew it! You're a lot more skilled than you let on.
But I'm sure you have your reasons."

Chantelle nodded knowing that he would keep her secret.
She listened to his apology and watched as finally she issued her invitation, her challenge.

"Ah, i-interested?
I would always be interested in spending time with you, Miss Chantelle... the theater should be empty... s-should we practice in there?"

”Yes… let’s go.. practice… perhaps we can think up an improv ready for next class…. ?”

She fell into step beside him, her good humour more than restored.

"Yeah. Sure, I'll give you a talking to about the rules."

She looked at him with mock seriousness.

”Devin … I think you should know that I’m a girl who never follows the rules… “

She purred and raised her eyebrows suggestively…

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Devin blushed deeply as they approached the theater. "I-Is that so? Well, I suppose you don't..."

Think of something witty!

"H-Here we are," he said, as they entered the doors.

Oooh, witty.

Don't try too hard, Devin. Just be yourself.

That's a great thing to say to a guy who constantly carries on a conversation with two different parts of himself, he thought bitterly.

They wandered past the seats and to the large wooden stage. The place was deserted, and there was still a large couch on the stage from the last class, as well as a coffee table.

They paused by the couch, and surveyed the room. "Improv..." he said, looking at the floor. Your speciality, Devin. His eyes lit up in a fire of passion. Here it was -- his greatest power, his enthusiasm. It was coming out, and he would use it to his advantage... and he finally knew how.

"Let's do an improv about a boy who has insulted a girl he likes, accidentally, and he feels sorry." He knew that she knew what he was talking about, but he just kept talking, the passion in his heart crushing the self-imposed laws of his self-doubt. "She wants to forgive him, but she knows she has to make a show of it to force him to care -- but he doesn't know that, and is afraid she's serious. He apologizes to her, and they make up."

He turns to her, and he smiles firmly, the glint in his eyes making him seem slightly taller. Maybe he hunches a little, normally? Or has he really grown? "What do you think, Miss Chantelle?"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"H-Here we are,"

Chantelle smiled in gentle amusement and walked through the doors into the darkened theatre.
As they put on the stage light, she looked to see the couch and coffee table set up. Otherwise the stage, like the seats were empty.

"Let's do an improv about a boy who has insulted a girl he likes, accidentally, and he feels sorry."

Chantelle turned at looked her eyes to Devin and smiled softly.

"She wants to forgive him, but she knows she has to make a show of it to force him to care -- but he doesn't know that, and is afraid she's serious. He apologizes to her, and they make up."

Chantelle's mind was already working out the scene.

"What do you think, Miss Chantelle?"

Chantelle nodded and smiled mischievously.

"And they are... how you say... lovers no?"

She laughed, knowing that he would see she was teasing him be adopting the French accent...

"It sounds good, Devin, mais... you must stop calling me Miss... n'est ce pas?"

She swept past him and onto the stage.
Pacing round, she began to play the scenario through her head, building in the background.
Finally she sat on the sofa, adopting an angry posture, awaiting Devin's ... entrance...

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

"To make it easy, we'll simply use our real names." He cleared his throat, and cleared his mind, and... he was there.

Devin thought he was probably crazy. His mind was always cleft in two -- his virtuous, confident side, that when it manifested, proved him to be a compassionate, valorous, driven individual -- and his craven, self-absorbed, critical, spiteful, and most of all, self-doubtful side. Of course, most everyone had multiple sides to their personalities; but unlike them, Devin's mind was the battleground of his personalities.

But that great ravine that is his mind... see that cleft? Go inside it. Within that cleft, where no personality exists, it is wonderfully peaceful. Open the door when you please, to let something in, and when you want it to go, it will leave immediately. This is Devin's special place, the place he goes when he engages in introspection, as he does all too often. This is where he is able to become unbiased and empathetic.

This is what makes him an actor.

Devin opened the door.

And then, his face almost magically changing from blank to contrite, he mimicked opening a door.

"C-Chantelle," he said quietly, moving in and closing the door behind him, his eyes glancing back, and then darting forward, too nervous to reach the girl's own eyes. He coughed uncomfortably and looked up, his brow tightly knit. "Look, I know... you're probably... irritated. I guess I embarassed you, didn't I?"

He cleared his throat, flinching under the unyielding stare of Chantelle's persona. "Y-Yes, I did. I know I did. I was a fool, and I was crude, and I didn't let you defend yourself or choose for yourself, but I tried to make a decision for you." Pride rising up to color his cheeks, the boy managed to look Chantelle in the eyes. "I could say I only meant to help you. I could say it was only out of love for you. But I'd be lying, because if it had been out of love for you, it wouldn't have been such a dumb thing to do."

Devin bowed his head, stepped forward, and knelt down on one knee, grasping Chantelle's hand tightly while she looked on coolly. "I was a fool. Please... please forgive me. Give me a chance to act not out of crude desire and protectiveness, protectiveness of a woman I do not deserve, but out of love. I beg you, Chantelle." He bowed his head, and kissed her hand, his soft lips pressing against her far softer skin. Deep inside him, in his real personality, he felt his heart flutter.

Splendid performance! If only you were actually ACTING.

Shut up.

Eyes on her hand, buddy. You're not out of the fire yet.

Shut up!

 

[Ecclesiastic Jack]

((Hmm, seems I should do myself a favor and be around more than once a day for a thread this active... :smirk:...))

When most people mention the word white, particularly in relation to a person, they tend to mean something closer to a peaches and cream pallor. Warm, lively, sun-kissed, and most assuredly not the color of a tom-cat's stomach. However, in reference to Isaac, the term fit in its more literal sense. His skin had a healthy, athletic glow, but it seemed to refuse the gentle caresses of the UV light that so many other kids basked in for a tan.

The pale color merely accentuated the depths of his choice in style, and the coal black sheen of his long hair. Currently the silken locks rested back from his face, albeit loosely flowing down trim shoulders. A black brow arched as he watched the lithuanian abandon pursuit and head towards him. A quiet smile curled his firm lips into a smirk, his eyes smouldered softly as they wandered over her body, noting with approval the pleated, plaid skirt and sweater, and travelling further. Almost a physical presence before he rested the peircing weight of that steady gaze upon her eyes.

Then she did something wholly unexpected. She touched him. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the smooth feel of her soft, warm skin, or the closeness. Simple, southerly investigation would prove that. However, his reputation had a tendency to precede him. At best he usually got curious girls sitting nearby enough to stare, without having to actually engage him in polite conversation. The tension didn't exactly enter his muscles, it instead sort of just appeared, as if water reacting to a cold breeze, a soft ripple of strength beneath flesh, and then he stilled.

That heavy gaze with his grey, perhaps pale blue, eyes settled on her hand as she lifted his pentacle, and he let his eyes walk up her arm slowly, not with hostility, just caution. Girls who liked the idea of popularity most certainly did not flirt with him, yet here she was. Perhaps she was socially suicidal, she seemed too intelligent to be unaware of his status as a loner. His mouth opened, momentarily dry, and he ran the merest tip of his mobile pink tongue along the edges of his lips as he watched her, letting the silence sit for just a moment.

Long enough to let her wonder, yet assuredly not so long as to let her feel he was being rude. He cleared his throat and his voice, pitched quiet enough to fail to carry beyond the two of them, was easily discernible, a sort of rich, alleycat purr, lower than typical in a guy his age. Still, he's not Barry White.

"Wiccan? I'm impressed you're even familiar with the phrase..."

Two strong fingers catch her wrist in a secure, yet certainly not ungentle grasp and he pulls her hands from the necklace, letting the worn silver fall back to his throat. A lean leg extricates itself form his footrest and pulls out a chair for her. Her hand he releases slowly, almost a caress, certainly something...intimate...in the way his fingers slid from her wrist and down her own slender digits.

"Please, sit. Yes, I suppose you could say I'm Wiccan, perhaps it would be better to simply leave it at pagan, though..." he pauses, a momentary concern adds steel to the silken pools of his eyes.

"How much english do you actually understand miss.....?"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Chantelle Dubois

"To make it easy, we'll simply use our real names."

Chantelle barely nodded. Her mind already focused.

A pause and then she heard Devin’s voice.
The tone was familiar, yet now he was another person, a reinvented character, an errant boyfriend.

"C-Chantelle,"

Only a slight movement of the head indicated that she was even aware of his presence. She heard his nervous cough, but did not allow reality to intrude in order to assess if the nervousness were affected or still a part of his real persona he could not shift.

"Look, I know... you're probably... irritated.
I guess I embarassed you, didn't I?"

Now his speech had begun, Chantelle found she slipped easily into character.
She raised her eyes to look up at him as he stood before her. She gave him a cold stare.

"Y-Yes, I did. I know I did. I was a fool, and I was crude, and I didn't let you defend yourself or choose for yourself, but I tried to make a decision for you."

Chantelle frowned, clearly not convinced by his apology.
His gaze met hers finally.
She let a hint of the hurt “she” felt show, then hardened her expression once more.

"I could say I only meant to help you.
I could say it was only out of love for you.
But I'd be lying, because if it had been out of love for you, it wouldn't have been such a dumb thing to do."

Chantelle watched as Devin knelt before her and took her hand.
She felt his tight pressure, saw his imploring look.
She remained cool and unmoving.

"I was a fool. Please... please forgive me.
Give me a chance to act not out of crude desire and protectiveness, protectiveness of a woman I do not deserve, but out of love.
I beg you, Chantelle."

She smiled softly as he lowered his head and pressed a light kiss upon her hand, then, as if fighting her initial response to the tender apology, Chantelle took a deep breath and pulled her hand away from his.

She stood and walked to the side, as if battling with her thoughts, putting distance between them.
She left Devin on his knees, knowing he would be watching her.

Suddenly she turned round.
Her expression tormented, angry, yet sad.
Her eyes looked imploringly into his, her voice was impassioned as she spoke.

”How can you say that.. that you love me Devin?”

She took a step towards him.

”If you loved me, you would trust me… last time… last time you said.. you promised that you would!

Her voice faded dramatically to a whisper, the pain and disappointment clear in her voice.

… and… now you accuse me again… “

Her voice faded to a whisper, pain and disappointment clear in her voice.
She let tears spring to her eyes and turned just late enough to ensure he had seen.
Her face turned away from him, she spoke softly.

”How can you … ?”

She breaks off, attempting to hold back a sob, struggling for composure.

”You embarrass me… insult me… and before all those people and yet, you expect me to believe that you love me?”

She turns back to Devin, letting him see the tears on her cheeks.
Her eyes lock with his.
She watches him stand and begin to close the distance between them.

”Why would I want anyone else? “

She lets her voice lower to a hoarse whisper;
she raises swimming eyes to Devin.

”Ohh… Devin… why do you do this, when I love you so…?”

 

[tornfrom]

Rick strolls into school late as usual and stops by the office to check his schedule. The tardiness of his pressence is not noticed by any of the office workers and is always excused. Rick is the star football player for the team and reaps all the benefits.

"Uh Miss Parker, all my classes look good except for this PE class with the * by it. Oh and the ESA note on the bottom."

Miss Parker, the office clerk told Rick that the PE class was teachers assistant position for his coach and the ESA was the Exchange Student Assistant program. Both had been assigned to Rick due to his end of semester prank last school year.

"I'm being repremanded for that this year?! I should get an extra A for taking that VW bug apart and reassembling it in the school foyer in only one night, that was a lot of hard work, and good work I might add."

She just handed his schedule back along with his ESA assignment and waved him goodbye.

*Well at least coach was looking out for me. I suppose they could have kept me from playing. PE should be a blow off class. I'll make those wuss's cry. But this exchange student assistance crap is no good. I don't have time to mess with new students much less foreign new students. Ok I guess I should find this Elisaveta and get this overwith as soon as possible. At least I got a chick*

Rick struts off reluctantly to find his assignment.