7/10/2012

[skinnendesol]

WHO: Lillian, Rolf
WHERE: Library
WHEN: July 10, 2012, afternoon
WHY: Mailbox discussion

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[azuranthine]

The library's air conditioning was a welcome reprieve from the heat. Normally, this time of day would've found Lillian camped out under her tree with a canvas tote full of art supplies, poetry books, and whatever novel she was currently reading but the weather was too warm, even for her. The library worked just as well, especially with so many of the students gone for summer. There was even more peace and quiet here than usual.

Despite that fact, Lillian's mind kept wandering to the mailboxes in the attic and the strangeness she'd witnessed with them the day before. Things didn't just vanish or materialize out of nothing. There had to be a rational explanation for what had happened.

Even if that rational explanation involved a passage to the underworld secreted away in her dormitory's attic.

It was common in many cultures to leave food and trinkets out for the dead but in all of her readings, Lillian had never heard of mailing things and didn't that happen only at certain times of the year like Halloween?

Lillian rested her chin in her hand as she stared off into space, outwardly oblivious to all who came near. She spotted Rolf entering the study area out of the corner of her eye but didn't look at him directly or wave to him. If Rolf wanted to talk, he knew when, where, and how to find her.

[skinnendesol]

Once inside the study area, Rolf stopped to survey the tables. Most were empty, and while he could dump his books onto one of those, he couldn't help but spot a certain someone at a certain table by herself. He should've known his tutor would be one to hang out in a library and space out like that. Though, she could be a little more inconspicuous about it.

He veered towards her and once he was close enough, he thrust an open book just inches from her face, holding it there.

"There. Now everyone will think you're studying. Carry on with the spacing out," he said with an easy smile.

[azuranthine]

Even though Lillian saw him coming, the sudden book in her face still caused her to blink with surprise. She giggled softly, reaching for the book.

"I didn't realize I was that obvious... Hi, Rolf," she replied, smiling back. She nodded toward the books he held. "What's all of that?"

[skinnendesol]

"You're always obvious," he sighed in mock disapproval as he set himself down across from her.

"This. This is research for a surprise paper in Choir, of all places. I only signed up for that class because it was supposed be paper-free!" And no, he wasn't ashamed of admitting that to Lillian, who knew best that he wasn't as studious as he should be.

Another sigh and he settled down, leaning back against his chair. "Anyway, what're you doing in here? Find an interesting wall to sketch?"

[azuranthine]

Lillian giggled again. "No, not yet. Just thinking." She leaned across the table to peer at the books. "A paper for choir? I thought you guys just stood around singing." She kept smiling fondly, resting her cheek in her hand and watching him. "How long does it have to be and what's it about?"

[skinnendesol]

"Ugh, that's what I thought, too," he complained, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "It's a two-page biography about some dead singer that we had to pull out of a hat. Can you believe that?" Two pages! Okay, it wasn't a lot, but Choir should NOT have a paper, and he was sticking to that.

"I got some guy called Enrico Caruso. He did operas or something." Nope, not remotely interesting at all.

[azuranthine]

"Enrico Caruso?" Lillian's face lit up. "I have some of his albums if listening to his music would help you come up with things to write."

"Maybe the choir director doesn't know what to teach. How many students signed up?"

[skinnendesol]

"Huh?" Lillian actually listened to this guy? He straightened up in his chair and immediately began thumbing through the first book in front of him. "Nah, it's okay. It's just a biography. Not like I have to analyze his singing or anything." Thank god.

"There's not too many of us right now. Maybe like seven. I probably won't be taking the class again when school actually starts."

[azuranthine]

"Oh, that's too bad. It would've been nice to hear you sing at school concerts. I bet you'd look dashing in the boy's choir uniform," Lillian teased gently before looking down at the book in front of her. Rolf had given her the 'C' volume from one of the encyclopedia sets in the reference section. Lots of interesting subjects started with the letter 'C'.

"Do you have any other electives in mind for when school starts?"

[skinnendesol]

Lillian might've been right about the uniform, but he wasn't about to spend his allowance on something like that. Money was tight enough as it was, and he'd rather spend it on clothes he'd actually wear.

"I haven't really thought that far yet, but I've heard some good things about Art class." Something about the teacher being pretty laid back about projects, in fact.

"What about you? What elective are you taking now? I've barely seen you all summer," he smiled. "Well, until yesterday." In the dorm attic, of course.

[azuranthine]

"Um, several classes," she explained somewhat sheepishly. "An art class, a history class, um, and I wanted to get economics out of the way."

A flicker of frown appeared on Lillian's face when Rolf mentioned the day before.

"The art classes are really good here. I think we're getting a new teacher this fall. I didn't know you liked art."

Lillian dropped her gaze back to the book in front of her and turned to the entry on chameleons. Lillian liked chameleons.

[skinnendesol]

"Not really, but it seems like an easy elective." And perfect for him.

He glanced up from his book and paused when he couldn't meet her eyes. Just the way her expression was set (more blank than usual) signaled to him that she was trying to hide something, like she was feeling uncomfortable. It wasn't that hard for him to figure out why.

"You're burning a hole in that book, you know," he murmured to her in a softer voice.

[azuranthine]

"Hmm." Lillian couldn't help but feel a little disappointed by that. It would've been nice to have had another interest to talk with Rolf about. "It is an easy 'A' so long as you complete your assignments on time."

She blushed a little when his voice softened, glancing up a little shyly from the book. "Chameleons are really interesting."

[skinnendesol]

"Not that interesting. Not after yesterday, right?" Because it wasn't every day one got to play around with unusual, haunted, and/or magical mailboxes. He thought Lillian seemed a little off after their little cleanup crew dispersed, but he was too busy feeling a little... surprised by it all to ask her about it. Well, now was a good time to.

"It was kinda weird, huh?" he prodded her gently.

[azuranthine]

"It was. And chameleons are always interesting," Lillian added almost as an afterthought.

But that wasn't the point and Rolf was far from stupid. Even if Lillian had wanted to lie to him about how she felt, it wouldn't do any good. Dishonesty with Rolf never did sit well with her, not counting the tricks she pulled on him to get him to apply himself more in their tutoring sessions, but that was for her friend's own good, anyway.

"I'm not sure what to make of it, honestly. So I'm still thinking over what I saw. I believe my own eyes but... I guess I'm concerned about why and how it happened. It's all very odd."

[skinnendesol]

"Okay, chameleons are interesting," he admitted with a smile. "And yeah, I feel the same way. It's something you'd expect in a movie, not above our dorms where we sleep."

Whoops, maybe he was being a little too candid there, and he backpedaled. "But, if we leave them alone, the mailboxes probably can't do anything to us. I mean, it looked like they were up there forever."