Powerful (Kisara and DawnsLight)

D

DawnsLight

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Original poster
Nick adjusted the strap of his backpack on his shoulder, shoes squelching wetly against the linoleum as she meandered down the hallway looking for the lecture hall. It was a lucky break that he was able to get into this particular lecture series, coming in as late in the University signup process as he had. If the choice had been his to transfer he would have done things properly, gotten in and settled in the first wave instead of just filling empty spaces. It made him feel like a place-filler, someone who wasn't really real.

It was bad enough that the young man was as nondescript as someone could be. Mousy brown hair in need of a trim curled about his ears, and though his eyes were blue, they were a dull near-grey shade of it. He was the very picture of average: neither tall nor short, fat nor remarkably slim; Nick was simply in fair shape, and eyes would seems to pass over him in a crowd as if he were part of the background.

It was perhaps for this reason that, due to his own distraction, Nick collided with another student. Embarrassed, he muttered apologies and looked up to see just whom had run into him.
 
As usual, Piper was late for class. After years of fighting her perpetual tardiness, swearing each year that she would work on it, she decided to give up the illusion that she would ever change. Besides, this was college! No more uniforms, no more hall monitors, no restrictions on eating during class, a gigantic library to explore....

Daydreaming, she turned the corner, suddenly smacking face-first into a warm surface.

"OOF!!" She rubbed her nose, peering down at her victim. "Oh man, are you okay?!"

A pair of hazel eyes met his gaze. She bent down, took his hand and pulled him back to his feet. He was easily a half foot taller than her. She pushed her hair out of her face, black strands falling free from the messy bun atop her head, which was secured by a flamboyantly lime green ribbon.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention, are you okay? ... I just asked that, didn't I?" She laughed, feeling extremely awkward.
 
Honestly a little bit stunned, Nick climbed to his feet with the help of the young woman who had sent him sprawling. "Er- yeah. I'm fine, thanks," He was staring. For all that he was nondescript, this girl was vibrant and lively. Despite the awkwardness of the laugh, Nick found it infectious and soon an embarrassed smile of his own lit his face.

"It was my fault, I wasn't paying very much attention either. This is my first day here and I'm trying to find this lecture hall..." He trailed off, digging his course list from his pocket to consult the information he had already memorized. "It's 'Intro to Genetic Theory', Hall 7. Uhm... Do you know where that is?" He asked hopefully. A chance to walk with a pretty girl, even just for a short while, would be something of a treat.

Holding out his hand to the young woman and smiling in a friendly, open manner that honestly felt a little unusual on his face, he introduced himself. "I'm Nick; Nick Stone. I just transferred in. Pleased to bump into you," He joked, the ghost of a grin flitting across his face.
 
Her cheeks began to redden as she found herself catching his gaze, momentarily captivated by his eyes. What an interesting color...

She grinned, hoping it would dispel the blush before he noticed. "That's where I'm headed! I'm Piper, Piper Lafleur." She shook his hand, her grip surprisingly strong for such a small frame. "Pleased to meet you!"

She glanced up and down the hallway, mentally scanning the map she had tried to memorize before the first day of classes. "I think the lecture hall is... that way." She pointed in the direction he had been walking before she'd accidentally struck him. "We'd better hurry though, last I checked I was five minutes late..." Another smile, this time sheepish.
 
Feeling rather lucky at this turn of events, Nick made a grand sweeping gesture with his hand in the direction that Piper had indicated. "Ladies first. And I'm sure that you being late is excusable since you're rescuing a lost classmate." He arched his eyebrows conspiratorially, amusement in his eyes. Adjusting the pack on his shoulder again, Nick walked down the hall with his lovely companion and tried to think of how to make small talk.

"So Intro to Gen Theory, huh? Are you majoring in biology or you just like to be bored to tears?" He asked as they walked, trying to divide his attention between the pretty girl and the ground. It wouldn't do to trip over his own feet just now, not when he'd already somehow ended up on the floor once today.

As they reached the door to the lecture hall, Nick paused. He didn't want to open the thing while he and Piper were in conversation and make even bigger spectacles of themselves than they already were, arriving late. Pressing his index finger to his lips in a quieting motion, Nick leaned in to speak softly, "Just stay behind me when we go in. I'm not the most noticeable guy; we might be able to get to a seat without getting chewed out."

Opening the door as quietly as he could and saying a silent thank you to whoever maintained the hinges, the nondescript young man slipped into the crowded hall. The lecture was already in full swing. Keeping Piper shielded from view, a guiding hand on the small of her back, Nick calmly walked to two seats near the back. Settling in, he flashed the young woman a reassuring smile and began fishing around in his backpack for a pen and paper. It seemed so simple as to be almost miraculous that not a soul looked up at their entry; incredible luck indeed.
 
Piper curtsied jokingly at his gesture, heading off towards the lecture hall. She shrugged at his question, replying with a bit of wistfulness in her tone, "The topic just struck me as fascinating. My high school biology class was pretty scant when it came to genetics, so I wanted to learn more, I guess. Plus, even if it does turn out to be boring, I can always sleep through it." She winked, laughing.

Upon reaching the classroom door, she nodded in consent of his words, mimicking the motion of closing a zipper across her lips. She followed behind him silently, feeling an odd sense of protection and trust in the feel of his hand on her back. She peered around the rooms as she slid into her newly-claimed seat next to his, surprised and delighted that no one had seemed to notice them. She met his quite dashing smile with a triumphant grin of her own, flashing a thumbs-up as she retrieved a pencil and notebook from her bag, focusing her attention on their new professor.
 
Nick watched Piper from the corner of his eye before turning his attention to the lecture in progress. Maybe this transfer wasn't such a bad thing after all.



The hall was a susurrus of movement and murmured conversation as the students were dismissed. Hoping to avoid the inevitable bottleneck at the door- and perhaps talk to the vivacious young lady he entered the room with- Nick took his time in organizing his notes and stowing them safely away in his bag. He flashed a friendly smile, "I didn't catch you sleeping, so it must not have been too bad." He leaned back, trying to look casual as he did. Women tended not to notice him, and having a captive audience was somewhat intimidating. He might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

"If..." He began, suddenly more nervous than he thought. Nick recovered quickly, hoping that the young lady packing her own things away beside him wouldn't notice. "If you don't have another class right after this, which is to say, I don't have one for another few hours and if you don't either, maybe we could get some lunch. If you want. No pressure." Smooth, he groaned inwardly. A pretty girl shows you a little attention and you start acting the fool. She just met you, Stone, and you're hardly one to inspire love-at-first-sight. Nick ducked his head, pretending to look for something in his bag until his embarrassment passed.
 
Piper nodded thoughtfully. "It was even more interesting than I had hoped..." Replacing her supplies to their ruddy old black backpack home, she looked up at him as he began to speak, her gaze meeting his before he broke eye contact.

Her lips spread into an easy smile. "I don't have another class until after lunch myself, I'd love to join you!" She stood, slinging the solid pack onto her back with a thud. "I don't know about you, but lunch is definitely my favorite part of the day. I made sure not to schedule any classes from 11:30 to 1:30 just for that reason!" She winked jovially.

She walked with him out the lecture hall, trekking to the cafeteria through the flurry of lunchtime activity. "I wonder what they have to eat..."

(Note: Trying out a different font color to represent Piper!! Is that okay with you? This color doesn't bother you, does it?)
 
(Color's fine! Experiment all you want. XD)

Nick followed the bubbly dark-haired Piper as if she were her namesake. With a start, he realized that the cafeteria was bustling and he had to work at not being bumped into in order to keep close to the girl. As he dodged and tried to keep up, Nick scanned the cafeteria for something that might be interesting. Or edible, given his experience with cafeteria offerings at large.

The food on offer largely seemed to be above what one might expect with the dining room being divided up into sections rather than just one long line. Smaller lines offering everything from pizza to noodle bowls to fried chicken. Nick's stomach gave a rumble in anticipation; he laid a hand on Piper's shoulder as he hooked a thumb in the direction of the noodle line.

"Hey, I'm going to check that one out. If it's not your thing, I'll find you." He smiled and set off in the direction he had indicated, a little spring in his step as he deftly wove around other students busily moving about the dining room. This day was going great so far; he was looking forward to getting to know a new friend- a cute female friend- over what certainly smelled like a delicious lunch.
 
She peered in the direction he gestured, but another food item caught her eye. "That's cool, I'll meet up with you in a bit then. I'll snag a table in the back!"

She weaved her way through the crowd into one of the lines, buying her lunch and seeking a free table, but there seemed not an empty seat in sight. She ventured out of the dining area, wandering down the bustling corridor. After a minute, she passed a doorway, and decided to investigate.

It appeared to be a lounge, filled with lush sofas and high, wide windows, upon which rain pattered mischievously. In the corner of the room sat a massive white piano. To her great surprise, the lounge was completely empty. She selected a sofa directly across from the doorway, hoping that Nick would venture this way, too.
 
"Aw- Damnit!" Nick swore. Of course the inevitable had to happen. He made it through the short line with what looked like a delicious bowl of steaming noodles without incident, had even made it through the crowd to what looked like a safe place to stand and look for Piper when out of nowhere some asshole bumped into his back. Now he was wearing his meal.
The broth dripped from the hem of his shirt as he set the ruined tray on a nearby table with perhaps a bit more force than necessary.

Giving the dining area a last searching glance and holding the warm, wet front of his shirt away from his skin, Nick took off down a side corridor. He might have time to change into his hoodie and catch Piper before she decided he was a lost cause. There would still be time to get something less risky to eat. Like a sandwich. Why didn't he get a sandwich? Nick muttered to himself, getting more and more irritated by the minute. There wasn't even a sign for a men's room down the corridor for him to duck into to clean up in and change. Getting desperate- and a little itchy, truth be told- Nick ducked into an open doorway and into a lounge, starting to pull his shirt up and off in what was an altogether awkward motion when he noticed someone watching.

With a start, he dropped his bag and shrugged his shirt back into place, the broth-soaked front clinging to his stomach irritatingly. It had gotten cold. "Piper!" He gasped. The sight of the girl sitting there on the plush lounge sofa, silhouetted by the grey light of the rain-streaked windows was certainly unexpected. He held a hand to his chest. "I was looking for a place to change and I thought you were still in the dining area. I got bumped and the soup..." He gestured to his soaking shirtfront and gave a little shrug. "I just wasn't expecting you."

Kneeling, he began to rifle through his bag, pulling out a worn grey hooded sweatshirt. "Do you mind if I change really quick? I couldn't find the men's room and-" He grinned sheepishly, "Can I borrow some napkins?"
 
Her face lit up as he walked through the door, excited and relieved to see he had found her. She raised her hand to wave him over, but froze as he appeared to be... stripping?! Her cheeks turned beet red, laughing a bit uneasily at the whole situation.

"Oh man, that SUCKS! Here, I've got napkins!" She hopped off the sofa and handed him said napkins. "I always make sure to get like a hundred of them, I mean they ARE free." She put her hand over her eyes and turned around. "Go ahead and change, I won't look!" She hoped her blush had dispelled... Nothing like an awkward reaction to make things even more awkward!

"I've got extra food if you want some of mine." She gestured towards the sofa, in front of which sat a small table she had absconded from across the room. There, she had a whole spread - several servings of fried chicken, heaps of mashed potatoes, and green beans all crammed into to-go containers. "I tend to order a lot... I have a huge appetite." Dammit, stop blushing!
 
At Piper's reaction, Nick himself was nearly blushing. She's so cute! Look at her blushing; why on earth is she giving me the time of day? His mind all but yelled. Instead, he took the napkins, quickly pulling off the soiled garment and wiping his abdomen clean before pulling on the hoodie. Much better. With a little grunt, Nick rose to his feet again, everything squared away. "Alright, I'm decent." He said with a grin, tossing the used napkins in the wastebasket. Dropping his bag onto one of the sofas, he made his way in front of Piper, looking down at the spread she had indicated on the little table.

He turned his head slowly back towards her, one eyebrow cocked in wry amusement. "Piper, you could feed a family of four with this. Where do you put it?" He asked with a soft chuckle, indicating her small frame. He really hoped that wasn't rude...

"Well, let it not be said that I ever kept a girl from her appetite. Let's eat; and thank you for sharing." He smiled, ducking his head in mild embarrassment. Laying one of the still-formidable stack of napkins flat on the table, he laid a drumstick on it. The sides would be tricky, but if she was squeamish about it he could do without.

While they sat there side by side on the plush sofa busily enjoying the impromptu picnic lunch, Nick watched the girl from the corner of his eye once more. The patter of the rain on the window seemed to punctuate the silence. Clearing his throat and trying to be casual, Nick leaned forward just a bit. "So, you come here often?" He grinned cheesily, indicating the lounge. "Seriously though, have you been enrolled here long? I just transferred, and I'm actually majoring in biology."

Setting aside the cleaned chicken bone, he looked to the lovely young woman beside him.
 
Piper laughed, again a bit nervously. "I know, it's pretty ridiculous... The doctor said I just have a high metabolism, so I have to eat a large amount of carbs to keep up my energy." She shrugged. "I'm certainly not complaining; it's definitely not the worst problem to have!" She began eating, treating each bite with unmistakable relish.

The tapping rain paired with the short silence and kind lunch partner was immensely relaxing, and she let her eyes slip closed in contentment for a moment before Nick spoke.

"No kidding? I just transferred here myself, last week! But I uh, ahem, haven't really decided on a major just yet..." She trailed off, mumbling the last few words, feeling embarrassed and more than a little bit like a slacker. "I figured I would enjoy the new found freedom and try out some courses before I settled into something, you know? It's nice to have options. TOTALLY different from high school." She wrinkled her nose at the thought. Her eyes roamed for a moment, and she noticed he wasn't eating any side dishes... "Ah! You need a fork!!" Without pause, she hopped off the sofa and jogged out the room, returning shortly with a spork. "This is all they had left..." She laughed, resuming her seat next to him. "What made you decide to pursue biology? Other than it's pretty darn fascinating."
 
Nick gave Piper a reassuring smile and nodded. "There's noting wrong with being undeclared. I actually think it's pretty smart to try out different things and get all of your general studies out of the way." At the mention of high school, Nick's smile slipped just a bit. He continued on anyway, "Have you been out of high school long? I mean, when did you graduate?"

His question had to wait it seemed, since the lively dark-haired girl was up and out of the door like a rabbit. Nick's head spun a little bit at the speed, and he was just recovering his sensed when she was back already with the utensil. Taking it in hand, he grinned sheepishly. "You really didn't have to do that, I could have gone myself." He murmured, leaning forward to scoop a bite of mashed potatoes. They weren't bad for cafeteria food.

Wiping his mouth, he turned once more to the girl at his side. "I actually have a sort of vested interest in biology and genetics. It's... complicated." He raised his shoulders in a helpless shrug. Waving it off, he took another mouthful of the sides. The less he had to get into his freakish... what would you even call it? A mutation? The less said, the better. Besides, at least for the moment she was actually speaking to him. He hated to ruin it.

"So, what do you do outside of classes? You've got to have some hobbies." He ducked his head, and hoped that he wasn't being too nosy. She fascinated him, truth be told. He just wanted to know more; perhaps become friends. And if it becomes more than that... He shoved the thought from his mind. Easy boy. "I like to write," He offered weakly.
 
She grinned, shaking her head and commanding, "It's no problem; eat, eat! To answer your question, before I so rudely interrupted you..." She chuckled a bit at that, gathering another piece of chicken to demolish. "I graduated this past May, so I'm a freshman here. I started late for some... lame and totally boring reasons I'd rather not say, for fear of boring you to tears". She laughed again, however this one seemed a bit strained somehow.

She listened to him as she continued eating, nodding at his words. "'Complicated' is definitely something I can understand." She offered a little smile, finishing up her food and using a total of about 3% of the napkins she had procured for the meal.

Her eyes lit up at the mention of hobbies. "Oh man, you name it, I probably like to do it. Bike riding, swimming, listening to music, horseback riding, eating, sleeping..." Her smile widened. "You like to write?! What kinds of genres do you prefer, if you don't mind me asking? My favorites have always been sci-fi and fantasy-type stuff."
 
Nick let the forced laughter go unremarked upon. It seemed as if they shared something a little more than simply classes, and if she was no more eager to discuss it than he was, he certainly wouldn't press. It was a little reassuring, though.

Piper's enthusiastic response to his inquiry had him chuckling softly, setting aside his utensil. The normally dull color of his eyes seemed to brighten somewhat as he watched her. "You seem like a really active person, but wow; that's a lot of hobbies!" He laughed and colored slightly when she turned the conversation to his preferred past-time. Becoming suddenly shy, Nick run his hand back through his hair nervously and found something suddenly very interesting on the arm of the sofa.

"I write some sci-fi, thrillers and stuff. Short horror stories. Nothing good enough to get published or anything, but it occupies my time." He murmured. Pulling himself to his feet, Nick began to gather up the empty containers and used napkins, tossing them into the wastebasket. Flashing a grin at Piper and dusting his hands off in an exaggerated, he made his way back, resuming his seat.

"Alright, since you cooked I did the dishes. Fair deal?" He joked, leaning back casually and letting his hands fall slack in his lap. Suddenly remembering, he checked his watch; not much longer before his next class. Time seemed to get funny when he was with this girl; he wished it would slow down instead of speed up. Brows knit in regret, he looked up into those bright hazel eyes. "I've got to get going if I'm going to find my way to class without being late again. I...uh..." He seemed to search for something to say. "If we don't have any more classes together, I'll catch you in gen theory?" He finished lamely, groaning mentally at his smooth delivery. Or rather, lack thereof. "We could have lunch again, if you want."

Standing a little more reluctantly, he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, headed to the door of their little private lunch room. Nick was just almost out of the door when he glanced back, a warm smile crossing his features. "I'm really glad I met you, Piper. It's good to have a friend in a new place like this." With a little wave he stepped out, on down the hall in search of his next class and absolutely distracted for a far better reason than he was that morning.
 
"Aw wow, I wish I could write, that's so cool! I would totally love to read something of yours sometime, if it's okay with you. If not, it's totally fine!"

Piper laughed in amusement at his offer to "do the dishes". She smiled, nodding. "Let's definitely have lunch again, this was so much fun!"

She stood, sliding her bookbag back onto her shoulders. He was already walking ahead, and she looked up as he spoke again, eyes meeting his. She instantly blushed at his words, stammering a response. "Y-you too... I'm glad, too." But he was already gone.

She shook her head, once again trying to rid herself of the warmth in her cheeks. Why did she always get so nervous around guys?! Especially nice, cute, interesting ones...

She stood there a moment, hands clasped on the straps of her backpack, lost in thought, when suddenly it hit her. "I didn't ask for his number!" She sighed, heading towards her next class. That's okay, she thought, I'll see him Wednesday for gen theory. She smiled to herself, jogging out the room and down the corridor.
 
In the day in between that first meeting and the next day he was set to have class with Piper again, Nick couldn't seem to stop smiling. New place, new possibilities, and a new friend had him feeling a little brighter and it was reflected in his overall appearance.

Dull blue-grey eyes cleared and sharpened, taking on the hue of stormy seas. His color became more healthy, less wan and pale and even his mousy hair was showing some luster. He looked happy and healthy and as an added benefit, people stopped bumping into him quite so much. This only served to improve his already sunny disposition.

When Wednesday rolled around, he waited by the door to the lecture hall excitedly. He had gotten there quite early; probably just a little too early in his eagerness to see the vivacious young woman. Nick couldn't help grinning at the thought of her, possibly looking for all the world like a fool. Reign it in a little, Stone. Be cool.

He gingerly adjusted his bag on his shoulder, careful not to crush its contents. He had to thank her for sharing her meal somehow.
 
Piper turned the corner, jogging towards the lecture hall at a brisk pace. She woke up late yet again! As she approached, her eyes lit up as she glimpsed Nick. Waving, she stopped short in front of the door with a big grin.

"Good morning! Ready for class?" She fished her phone from her jeans pocket, clicking it on and showing him. "HA, I'm two minutes EARLY!" She beamed proudly. "I'm marking this occasion, because it won't ever happen again... Smile!" She clicked a picture of him, smirking a bit at the surprise.
 
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