[Second Life] High School General Interaction Post

[meat_mooks]

Just another day at Fairplay High School...

Comments

[astridhofferson]

For a moment she just gave him an oblivious blink. And when it occurred that he could be picking on her, Astrid frowned almost in a pout, a cross expression flashed over her face before she was smiling softly again, appearing amused by the sarcasm. "Yes, it is freezing, though..."

She shrugged, positioning to lean back on the wall, head raising and gazed up at the sky. "I'm probably just weird, but cold weather doesn't really bother me. It's not so bad compared to--"

Compared...

Compared to... to... what?

Astrid's brows furrowed at the clouds as she lost her train of thought. Strange. She knew what she was going to say a second ago.

Shifting awkwardly against the wall, she shrugged it off, taking out her cigarette carton and nonchalantly popping another stick between her lips and holding it there with her teeth as she dug around for her lighter. "...Anyway, you were right to run away."

"You made the right choice. And who cares if you'll be called a coward for it." Lighting up her cigarette and blowing out a smoke, her eyes dully stared off and her demeanor seemed to take a complete apathetic change. "Better a coward than irrational, I say..."

[astridhofferson]

Okay, that raised her eyebrows and she silently stared at him incredulously. Was he complimenting and indirectly insulting her at the same time? If she was offended or annoyed, he couldn't tell. There wasn't a trace of it on her face. But maybe her teeth did absent-mindedly grind on the butt of her cigarette.

Saying such things. What gave this lower class man that right after barging in on her time and... ...Easy. He's just concerned.

"I--I am aware of that," she stammered indignantly, then sullenly eyed down at the cig, fiddling with it between her fore finger and thumb, feeling a sudden rush of shame. Of course it was shameful, she knew that. She... knew that.

"...I don't plan on keeping this habit forever. I do want to quit. Eventually. And, really, I tried to. Once. It just..." Makes everything feel a tiny bit better? Keeps me sane?

There was another pause from her... but then it was probably unexpected when she turned to face Harold, stepping closer to him and lowered her head, looking up at him pitifully and also a bit guilty, albeit a bit pleadingly. "That means--this means you won't... You won't tell, right?"

Just how much of a big mouth goodie goodie are you, Harold?

[astridhofferson]

Stunned, she nearly gawked at his opportunist reply, closing and opening her mouth then settled on frowning at him dejectedly. He's good.

She tilted her head to the side, holding her chin and thought really hard. "Rgh..."

Heeey.

Astrid fixed her eyes back at him and beamed, faintly giggling behind her fist. "Ooh I get it. A bribe, huh? I admit, your words were admirable, but I'm onto you!"

Not taking her gaze off of the boy, her hand found its way on her chest and moving aside the bit of scarf and piece of fabric of her collar, her smile shifted into a wry grin. "This is what you are really after, right--"

Ah there it is. She fished out a second pack and waved it at him.

"You want me to fork over my share. You're still too young to buy your own, so you need mine, right? You seem like you need one. I totally understand."

A blink as she noticed something with the pack. "...huh. It's empty. I thought I hadn't used these yet... t'ch. My reserves..." Astrid rubbed the back of her head and grinned sheepishly. "W-Well, this is embarrassing. --Oh!"

She plucked the cigarette she was currently working on from her lips, glancing back and forth between it and Harold... until she resigned, offering it out.

"I guess there's no helping it. You can manage with this one, can you? S-Sorry, I got some of my lipstick on it..."

...Well?

[astridhofferson]

Astrid stifled laughter, retrieving the cigarette with the other. "Y..you're not gonna die, are you? I'm so sorry, I kind of pressured you there, didn't I."

Geez, by the way he was acting, she thought he was cut out for it.

"Oh, c'mon. I'm not that old," she chuckled meekly, scratching her cheek with a bent index. "If only I were older and wiser. Then I'd definitely have less trouble on my science exams. Maybe."

A chance to hang out is more likely than you think.

[astridhofferson]

"Well, I'm--I'm not terrible either..."

She considered this carefully. It was a nice gesture-- though why the sudden interest of helping her? Could he have some kind of ulterior motive? But what would Harold gain from that? Granted Astrid wasn't a part of his... crowd and, perhaps, she knew a few people that turned their noses up at him or cleverly mocked his misfortune, but hopefully he realizes taking it out on her wouldn't benefit him in the slightest.

"This is a extortion waiting to happen, isn't it. You'll ask for a bribe again," she said, frowning skeptically.

[astridhofferson]

My, where did that come from? She's heard that on multiple occassions and from different people, but it managed to catch her off guard this time, unprepared to hear it come out of his mouth so suddenly. Unsure of how to respond at first, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind an ear bashfully. "Ah... I'm flattered."

Something told her he genuinely wanted her friendship and it surprised her that she'd take up his offer this quickly.

"...Deal. You're a funny guy and maybe somewhat rude, but... you're kind of nice."

Astrid tapped her chin and checked her cell phone, pressing buttons with ease, sorting through some things on the small screen. "Pretty sure I don't have any plans with Junior on that week, uhm... Oh, okay. Here we go. I'll be free..."

She gave him the time and date.

"...Is that fine?"

[astridhofferson]

Harold looked like he zoned out a moment there. Astrid resisted waving her hand in front of his face.

"Oh! I almost forgot that, didn't I? Yeah, you'll need that too. In case--in case you change your mind or if... something comes up. If you're too busy." Why was she rambling now? Anyway, she exchanged numbers and flipped her phone closed, depositing it in her pocket. Her smile brightens, albeit her lips a faint blue from the chill.

One last draw from the cigarette then she drops it, stamping and twisting out the light with the sole of her boot. "And I checked the time, guess I better go. Before my nose runs and I won't be very cute."

Lame joke, but he'll laugh because she is cute.

The other hand shoved deep in her pocket, she flicks a one hand wave as she walks past him to leave for class. When she turns the corner and reaches the door, Astrid immediately halts just in time from colliding into one of the teachers blocking the entrance.

...Well, crap. Seems she miscalculated just how much time had passed.

[meat_mooks]

"Smoking, I see," said Mrs. Norbury. "Well, both of your parents are going to hear about this."