|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 16, 2008 22:23:21 GMT
Bland.
It was all so bland. The food here, that was. He had been brought up with foods of a vast spectrum of colours; scarlet masalas, orange patias, dark green saag, brown bhajis, golden pilau rice... This food had a range of colours, too, but it was nowhere near as alive as his had been. And the smell was so nondescript, so boring. There was none of the sharp odours he had had as a child.
But really, it was better that way. He didn't want to remember it. It was better he ate this sludge. At least it wasn't... it wasn't home.
He walked over to one of the many empty tables - not many people here tended to go for lunch before midday, which was the precise reason that he chose to. It was easier to eat alone. He was past caring about what other people thought of it, anyway, and it gave him some time to think about what he should... what he should do.
He still didn't know. Maybe he just didn't want to think about it.
He sat down on one of the large and heavy chairs, and began to pick at the orange-y brown stew halfheartedly. He knew it was good for him, and he knew he should eat, but he didn't have much of an appetite.
Well, he didn't have to stay for long, at least. It was nice not having any obligations just yet. Being able to disappear while everyone else was at class. Course, he'd have both timetables and classmates aplenty, soon, so he'd have to make the most of it while he could.
Oh.
He might have spoken too soon. Someone... He could hear someone behind him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 16, 2008 22:45:45 GMT
Ok, so now hadn't been the best timing in the world but she was used to doing that.
She always had bad timing in everything...except her Irish Dancing.
She had just texted her best m8 back home and heard bad news. His girlfriend had dumped him. And on Valentines day none the less.
So she had been trying to cheer him up ever since and wasn't getting anywhere. Also her older sister got engaged too only to be told her fiance was in critical condition three hours after he asked her.
And now she had let down her other friend who had asked her out and now she was walking towards the didning hall. She was early and hoped no one would be there.
She had been wrong. But there were only a few.
She walked up behind a new guy.
"Excuse me sir, so you mind if I sit next to you?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 17, 2008 15:18:22 GMT
Dammit, he'd been right.
He turned to see the voice that had spoken from behind him and saw a girl standing there - a surprisingly tall girl, she must have been at least the same height as him, if not more. Arihant knew that he'd always been small for his age and he was used to other guys being taller than him, but he didn't like it when it happened with girls.
Well, it wasn't her fault, of course. And her accent... She was Irish, then, too. He loved Irish accents, he thought suddenly, then flushed a little. He wouldn't have thought that a week ago.
"O-Of course," he said, a little flustered. He still wasn't used to all these people. "Go ahead."
He checked he had his gloves on - a mere reflex, of course, it wasn't like he was going to forget them. He only ever took them off in the shower or when playing the violin, and that was it. That was why he hadn't had a chance to play anything yet. He'd even worn a scarf down to the dining hall, just to be careful. He doubted someone was going to reach out and touch his face, so he was relatively harmless for now.
But... but if he stayed, he would always have to be this careful. He knew Nurse Gornray thought him capable of it, but still... He didn't know. He just didn't know.
He went back to his stew for a minute or so, but felt so unspeakably rude not speaking to the girl beside him that he was obliged to ask, rather awkwardly, "What's your name? Sorry, I'm just- I'm new; I don't really know anyone yet."
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 17, 2008 17:46:33 GMT
Isolde stared at the boy beside him.
"My name is Isolde, Isolde Moore and same here. I hardly know anyone, we're in thwe same club so to speak," she smiled gently at him.
"Sorry if I sound rude, but what is your name sir.?" Isolde asked bashfully.
Well at least she wasn't the only one. She grabbed a bread roll and some cheese.
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 17, 2008 21:45:39 GMT
"Arihant," he replied, a little shocked. She was new too? Really?
Well, then... why had they all been staring at him?
No, no, he thought. Don't think about it that way. Look at her. She's probably... probably normal. More normal than you could ever be, anyway.
But he couldn't contain his surprise. "You're new too? I thought I was the only one." He smiled shyly. "It's... a bit frightening."
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 17, 2008 22:08:19 GMT
"You're preaching to the choir," ashe pondered his name for a bit, "Arihant....unusual but lovely,"
She had to say it out loud.
"I like it,"
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 18, 2008 21:34:43 GMT
Unusual but lovely? He tensed slightly in surprise.
Well, he supposed it might appear so to someone who didn't know what it meant. She evidently didn't speak Hindi, he realised, but then again, who did here? It was just as well. It wouldn't help if anyone knew what 'Arihant' meant.
That was another thing he'd have to think about. If Nurse Gornray wanted him to tell people about... about his powers, would he also have to tell them what he'd done?
No. No, he couldn't. That was just taking it... it was just too far.
"It's... it's OK, I guess," he mumbled, rather pathetically. He tried to think of something else to say for a moment, while forking through the stodgy food on his plate (but neglecting to actually raise any of it to his mouth), and a couple of seconds later resorted to the rather pathetic - "Isolde is a beautiful name, though."
Please, try and say something else. Anything. You're humiliating yourself.
"You're from Ireland, right?" The inevitable hopelessly boring words soon proceeded from his hopelessly confused thoughts.
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 18, 2008 21:53:01 GMT
"Thanks and yes, I am," she smiled.
Well obviously he was nervous and she bet, underneath all that dark colour skin he might even be blushing.
"And you must be...Indian?" she took a stab at it.
Never trespass on anyone's backround, unless you want the same thing happening to you! her dad's voice rang in her head as she tried to see what to ask after this.
He was quite right too.
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 19, 2008 20:05:21 GMT
"Yes, I am," he said, smiling slightly but not, he feared, very convincingly. Not convincingly in the sense that he was still staring down at the brown mulch on the plate below him instead of looking at Isolde. "Near Bangladesh."
It was always easier to give an approximate location, he had found - it worked, at least in part, to quench the curiosity of some of the more... exuberant of the people he had met.
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 19, 2008 20:13:48 GMT
"Cool," she gave a bit of a laugh.
"Have you ever watched Lost?" she asked without hesitation.
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 19, 2008 20:46:44 GMT
Well, he'd not been preparing himself for that. Questions about his home, his family, his power, sure, but... Television?
He'd heard of 'Lost' while in Austria, or some program like that, anyway... Well, at least, he thought he had. There'd been some... adverts or something, probably. Something overdramatic about a plane.
He never tended to like dramas, anyway. Real life was too stressful already without getting worked up over fictional characters.
"No," he said, smiling. "No, I don't watch a lot of television."
And he was being antisocial again. Really, he had to learn that he couldn't just say whatever he felt like provided there was a (fake) smile plastered across his face.
"Is it good?" he asked, getting up the courage to look at her. In the eyes. He might be ready over the next... minute or so.
Clearly he would do so very well in this school...
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 19, 2008 20:54:53 GMT
Ok.
"You don't watch telly? Finally, I've met another person who doesn't like to watch T.V. I've only watched it about 3 opr 4 times or so but you look like someone from it," she grinned and shrugged.
Well at least he looked at me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 19, 2008 21:19:02 GMT
He raised his eyebrows rather a lot. He was certain - absolutely certain that he didn't look like any TV character. Actors were supposed to be good-looking, after all.
He turned to her and began to protest, but was stopped for a moment by his own surprise -
Her eyes were... were exceptional. So vibrant and blue. They put them in mind of - of lightning, almost. They just seemed... well, electric.
Rather shocking, really. But he soon collected himself. "Well," he said, a smiling a little and averting his own eyes again - he couldn't keep a gaze that was so bright, so - searching? Was it? No, he was just paranoid... probably... "I assure you that's not me. I couldn't act to save my life."
Well, provided that lying didn't count as acting, that statement was true. Ish.
|
|
|
|
Post by Isolde Moore on Feb 19, 2008 21:23:56 GMT
"I know it's not you silly," she laughed, "I said he looked like you,"
She took a sip of her orange juice and looked over at the window.
The lake was.....glassy looking?
"I must go and explore the grounds sometime," she said more to herself, then turned to face Arihant again, "What group are you in?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Arihant on Feb 19, 2008 21:31:41 GMT
"Umm... Warriors, I think," he replied, a little absentmindedly. "You?" he asked in return, poking around at the food on his plate. Really, he should be eating it. In theory.
In theory. He repeated this to himself inwardly, wondering where that came from. It made him feel better, somehow. Detached. No obligations. Nothing to worry about. No... no infernal decisions to make.
He repressed the urge to groan.
|
|
