It's what you do to me... [open]

[leslie]

Cosseted away from the remainder of the school, separated by halls and empty rooms filled to the brim with unused instruments, a lone piano made itself known. Notes of varying degrees of volume rose from the long-dormant keys as slender fingers eagerly tapped out an unnamed melody. Echoing down the abandoned halls of learning, the song rose and fell with the musician’s furor only to pause mid-stream to find its center again. Textured floors embraced the music at first then rejected it in strong waves of sound – echoes ever present as the musician continued onward.

From inside a brightly lit room, the source of the disturbance paused again. A single hand moved from the row of keys onto the unmarked staffs, gingerly sketching out the melody in notes and rhythms. Content with the result, the hand returned to caress the ivory blocks and ebony steps, bringing out another stanza of rolling crescendos and subtle refrains that emphasized the natural beauty of the instrument. Fairly gliding along the sea of black and white, the fingers moved with finesse – gaining speed until one dropped from the platform, leaving only one continuing the dance. Running up and down the keys, skillfully bringing a lighthearted sound from the large body, the single hand stopped suddenly… allowing the final echoes to resound before playing four final notes in a steady chord,

“A, G, E, B.”

Smiling despite herself, Leslie gazed over the filled staffs of hurriedly drawn notes, taking the time to fill in a few eighth notes she barely noted before. It would be a beautiful song once it was finished, once she had found the inspiration to complete it. The corners of her mouth gradually falling into their natural, level state, she gathered up her music and swiftly stuffed it into her satchel – swinging that onto her shoulder while closing the piano delicately with all the affection of a friend.

It had only been luck that brought her to the music department, her uncle telling her that the school had one that most likely would be stocked with all manner of instruments. For her, the piano had always been her forte. The keys and sound connected in a way she could understand, the notes always consistent. Drawing in a deep breath, she unhappily opened the door to leave – humming the first verse of a song she had heard on the radio earlier, “Hey there Delilah, what’s it like in New York City? I’m a thousand miles away but girl tonight you look so pretty. Yes you do… Times Square can’t shine as bright as you… I swear it’s true!”

Still singing to herself, she clutched her bag to her side then walked out of the music room, closing the door softly behind her, “Oh it’s what you do to me… what you do to me…”

[tray]

Traytaine was preparing himself in the locker room. Pulling on his black jeans and poncho. He was going to train today, thankfully the home work load was fairly light. And thanks to that fact he wasn't needed to do anything else as well. Instead of going to train with Kevin, who wasn't expecting him anyways, he decided he would head back home to spend some time by himself. With all the noise that he had been inundated by through the day was getting to him.

Stuffing his change of clothes into his backpack he stood up, pushing the locker closed. No one else was in the locker room from what he could tell, even as he walked out there wasn't anyone in his sight. Walking down the hallway he began to hear the sound of a piano, no doubt from the music room since he couldn't picture the intercom system being used for music.

As he got closer to the music room itself the music began to fade away, leaving him questioning if it did come from there after all. However the closer he got he noticed another sound grow louder. Singing. A song that sounded familiar to him as well. The door to the music room opened a few feet in front of him, and out came the Asian girl he had met twice before. As she sang the song he came up beside her, finishing the song. "A thousand miles seems pretty far. But they've got planes and trains and cars."

But Traytaine had no music talent to speak of, so instead of singing it, he merely said it. His eyes trailing to his right to look at the girl with a hint of amusement in his eyes. It was one of the few songs he had bothered to remember. "Hello Asian girl." He said with a small nod, his hat in his backpack, and his hair still pulled back into a fairly messy pony tail.

[Martin Tome]

Martin had been listening to the melody, it was nice. Martin never really liked to play a piano but he enjoyed hearing some one play it. The music stopped, Martin frowned,

'sigh, good things never do last do they?'

Martin was wandering the halls and he started to hear the piano so he stopped and started to listen, not knowing where it was coming from, everything around here echoed. Suddenly Martin became aware of a song drifting in the air. Martin shuddered, a song was softly making its way around the building, with no obvious source. That was just creepy.

"Well that is possibly the most frightening thing I have ever seen."

Now Martin gathered his wits about him and decided to look around for the source. He wandered around until he Finlay became aware of foot steps. Another shiver.

'God, whats wrong with me? Its only foot steps... that I cant seem to see where they come from...that are almost ghostly... that could possibly belong to a phantom of some sor- okay okay none of that kind of thinking Martin.'

Martin continued to look around until he realized that he had really no reason to want to find where the sound was coming from... unfortunately turning back now was not an option as Martin was now completely lost, his best bet was to find the source and ask for directions. Finlay after another good 10 minutes he saw a girl walking.

'thank god, that must be the singer, now I can ask her how to get out of this god awful place.'

Martin walked over to her.

" 'Scuse me! I'm lost, I don't come to the music department much, do you know how to get out of here?"

Now he noticed another person, Tray! He owed him one and needed to thank him for the help he got from him the other day.

Martin broke into a goofy looking grin.

"Tray! Remember me? You helped me out with those two guys the other day! I never got to thank you! Hah its a small world huh?

[leslie]

Hand still on the door’s handle, Lin turned around to begin to leave only to see the boy from earlier as he said the next lines of the following verse – the ghost of a smile gradually creeping onto her lips as she sang the next few lines in her soft, floating voice, “I’d walk to you if I had no other way… our friends would all make fun of us and we’d just laugh along because we know that none of them have felt this way…” As the song drifted from her lips her smile was gradually replaced by her normal expression, though her eyes were still crimped at the edges with suppressed laughter. “Delilah I can promise you that by the time we get through the world will never ever be the same… and you’re to blame.”

Shaking her head gently as she shifted her grip on her satchel to just one hand, she tucked the other into her pants then rested her weight on the same leg to give her a relaxed posture. This was the second time she had seen the boy in a short amount of time and, not that he was unpleasant, she was beginning to wonder if he purposefully sought her out. “Hello poncho boy. What are you doing down here?”

Again shifting from one foot to the next, she took a single step back and rested her back against the cool concrete wall – her eyes trained upon him while her hand began to fish around for what remained of her lunch that was wrapped intricately in yet another piece of wax paper. Yet as she had just caught it with her fingertips, a voice from behind her startled her, causing her to lose her food and turn around to discover its source.

Confused as to who he was talking to, she briefly turned toward the poncho-clothed male then back again to the other boy, her expression blank until he began speaking specifically to the other, "Tray! Remember me? You helped me out with those two guys the other day! I never got to thank you! Hah its a small world huh?”

“Tray? Is that your name?”

[tray]

OOC: I apologize for this being short.

Traytaine watched quietly as the girl continued the song, a very faint smile on the girls lips, and he listened while turning himself to the side, squaring his shoulders at her. She had a good voice, or maybe it was just the fact that he liked the song itself and she had remembered most of the lyrics as well. She took a relaxed posture, and he moved himself back a single step for spaces sake. "I was about to leave." He said with a small shrug, and then watched as she stepped back as well.

His backpack shifted from his right to left hand, his body turning to the sound of a voice, catching from the corner of his eye that the girl was also surprised by the sudden appearance of a male student, and giving him an opened hand in his direction. He seemed young, and.. foolish. He took on a dorky grin while looking between the two of them, and spoke to him specifically. Surprised by this he frowned slightly and took a step back, squaring his shoulders at him.

What the student said confused him. He didn't remember helping anyone, or telling anyone his name. Not even the Asian girl had heard his name as of yet, how did this one learn it? "I don't know you." He spoke in a vacant, cold, tone. His eyes swiveled to the left, staring at the girl as she asked if Tray was his name. With a very faint frown he shook his head. "Traytaine Lessard." Fading blues returned to the male student, seemingly sizing him up.

[Martin Tome]

[[Ooc: i got to go after this post.]]

Martin was in a situation, these two had met, Martin might be in the wrong place in the wrong time.

"Okay okay, I guess you didn't really help me. I was in the hall way and I got jumped, the guys targeted you, and the one that came after you, you just picked him off like nothing, as for your name... you don't actually expect to go to a school without people knowing your name do you? But I wanna thank you anyways, without knowing it you helped me, thats as good as any help in my opinion."

Martin was friendly with everyone, even if this guy was cold, it wouldn't stop Martin, unless he got Martin pissed, then Martin could be cold too, and so far this guy's attitude was starting to bug Martin. Martin's grin had dropped.

'steady Martin... you are thanking him, not picking a fight. Don't make this guy your enemy you know what he can do, you saw it from the guys who punctured your lung.'

Martin paused to brush the hair out of his eyes.

"Moving right along... which of you was playing the piano?"

[leslie]

Slowly shifting her weight forward so that she could silently slide down the wall toward Tray, she clutched her satchel with both hands and held it in front of her… stopping a less than a foot from the poncho only to turn back and look at the other. While she normally was shy, she seemed to be a little more timid than normally, her eyes gauging the boy’s attitude. He seemed friendly enough – though Tray was not amused with his informality. Looking back to Tray, she allowed a fleeting, shorter than brief smile to cross her face as she dipped her head in acknowledgement, “Traytaine. I’m Leslie.”

Introductions finally complete between the pair, Lin quickly turned her attention back to the odd man out, slowly relaxing as no imminent threat seemed apparent. While he was unknown – the boy didn’t have the attitude of any of her earlier attackers and he didn’t seem to display any aggression. Gradually relaxing her hold on her bag, one hand fell back to her pocket, the other holding her shoulder strap to her chest as she nodded her head, “I was playing. I didn’t think anyone could hear. Usually these rooms are made soundproof.”

Glancing back at the door that wasn’t more than two or three feet away, she inspected it a bit closer and found that the normal soundproofing measures hadn’t been taken – meaning that her piano playing had most likely echoed around the hall like a ball in the pinball game.

“Well, they usually are.” One corner of her lips turning downward in a slight frown, she sighed then reached up to her bucket cap and pulled it down a little more. As it slid down around her ears, her black hair fell over her cheek and neck, her immediate response being to push it back behind her ears which brought her hat up again. Leaving the strap of her satchel, she used both hands to push her hair back up into her cap then bring it down over her ears – looking from one male to the next to see if they found it amusing.

“I just found out the school had a music department period. I’m hoping that they have a choir that is halfway decent. I haven’t been able to sing anywhere save for my uncle’s karaoke nights for the longest time.”

[tray]

OOC: Remember Martin, I have nothing against you. This is just how Tray is.

Traytaine listened with a vague expression of confusion. He did remember that he was attacked in the hallway on his first day. But he didn't remember trying, or wanting, to protect anyone. Frowning while thinking about it he raised his hand, brushing his hair out of his eyes and back behind his ear, his eyes still on the male. "I just remember being attacked.. I don't remember helping anyone however."

The next question as taken in stride, his head turning to the side, knowing that she would answer for him because they did not know each other well enough for him to answer for her. Before she answered she took it upon herself to come closer to him. He didn't realize that she had moved closer until then, and her eyes moved up to his before she dipped her head slightly. It was to their introduction. "Leslie doesn't sound Asian." His tone showing a light amusement.

The conversation didn't hold his attention for a few long moments, it grew to the point that he was not required for it, and so instead he reached down into his pack, watching Leslie, the Asian girl play with her hat and hair. It came out looking fine, but it was fairly amusing that she had such a hard time with her hair. Her voice just before this, and after her introduction, slipped past his notice.

With a small sigh he raised his hand from his backpack, taking his black hat with it. Pushing his hair back and then placing the hat down, his eyes went between the two. "Why is it that you decided to stop in the first place?" His question was clearly directed to martin, slightly cold still, although his posture showed no threat. "You are attracted to Leslie?" It was the first, and most obvious answer that came to mind.

[Martin Tome]

Martin listened to the girl named Leslie.

"If its any help, you sounded pretty good."

Now he listened to Traytaine. That little voice in the back of his head was starting to piss him off just as much as Tray was. Martin clenched his fist then slowly let them unclenched.

"Look, I'm a genuine slacker, its just what I do to wander around halls, I had never been to the music department so I wanted to check it out. Then the music started playing and I got curious, then, by looking for the source I got completely lost, I was just asking for directions, don't get the wrong idea, and, it sounds to me like you two have already met. So why are you down here? No disrespect, that was just a completely random question."

'there that wasn't so hard! Just keep trying like that and you can leave without anything broken up this time.'

If that little voice in his head had a body, Martin would have killed it by now.

[dante]

"What to do, what to do?" a tall dark brown haired man, maybe even black haired would mutter to himself as he finished off his bottle of tea,

'I could try the music room again. I think this is the period that the teacher in there has his lunch as well and getting some time there be good.' he thought as he stood up, wiping a few stray crumbs off his black short-sleeve shirt onto the table. He quickly cleaned it up with the rest of the trash he made, throwing into a nearby trash can as he slipped his hands into his beloved black cargo pants and made his way out of the lunch room, his backpack following him as well,

"Hope no one is there today... heh who am I kidding, no one is ever there." he said absent-mindly, a small smile gracing his features as he repositioned his backpack to make himself a bit more comfortable. Regardless, the slightly spiky-haired male made his way to the music room, pushing the door open with little effort. With eyes closed, the teenager was completely oblivious to the other people in the hallway at the moment, none of them talking at the precise moment he had came in. This noted, he felt rather comfortable as he threw his backpack onto a nearby table,

"Man nothing beats the empty music room during lunch period." he said silently as he slowly opened his eyes revealing the dark orange orbs he possessed. While normally they weren't orange, contacts helped him attain that very strange eye color. This aside, his eyes would fall upon the teens in the hallway, a sheepish grin curving against his lips, about to apologize in case he was heard but was cut off by the girl's sentence,

“I just found out the school had a music department period. I’m hoping that they have a choir that is halfway decent. I haven’t been able to sing anywhere save for my uncle’s karaoke nights for the longest time.” she explained, Dante's head immediately looking up to the ceiling for the moment,

'Choir here... eh... it's... alright I suppose. Only heard them once though so...' he thought, his train of thought having made his ears ignore the words said after this sentence. Regardless of that though, the teenager would make his presence known (if no one had noticed by that point) by stepping forward toward the group and adding his own dialog,

"If you are wondering about the choir..." he started, "they are okay I suppose but it would help if they got some people with a bit more emotion when they sing. Oh and my name is Dante before anyone asks, nice to meet y'all." he stated, keeping his words short at the moment until the others introduced themselves to him. His hands slipped into his pockets as he smiled lightly toward the group, awaiting any type of response.

[leslie]

Though Leslie had met Traytaine before on two separate occasions and still didn’t know him very well, she did doubt that he would come to the rescue of anyone he wasn’t familiar with… and as the boy continued to trip over himself in the conversation she also doubted they were connected in any way. Glancing from Traytaine back to the other boy, she nodded at the compliment but made no move forward. She knew she was a decent player when she set her mind to it – and to hear compliments about a skill she was still honing did little. She would, unlike others, prefer to hear criticism and corrective instruction than simply that she was ‘good’.

“My name is Natsuko Mai Aiko but I don’t use it around many people. My uncle called me Leslie when I first came here – and it’s the name that’s stuck. Though my few friends call me Lin.” Once again, at his teasing, a subtle smile gradually graced her lips, her eyes dancing with skillfully held-back laughter. “Do all of your friends call you Traytaine? It’s a mouthful.”

As soon as she spoke her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening at her own boldness while she pulled her hat down over her eyes to hide her embarrassment. She didn’t know what it was about boys that made her so… odd, but whatever it was she needed to learn how to control it. As her eyes flitted to the other boy, her expression leveled and she simply shrugged, not knowing what Traytaine had been doing either.

[tray]

OOC: Dante, did you read the first posts? It's not lunch time. It's the end of the day. There wasn't even a music teacher in the music class, which means it was more than a bit late for everyone to head home. I won't say anything about the fact you say no one is ever in the music room, but still has a choir.. other than what I just said.

Traytaine drew his eyes down at the twitching of the boys hands, he clenched his fist twice now. It was a natural reaction for him to read such small movements, but the fact that the boy decided to find out his name on his own accord was also disconcerting, making him all the more perceptive. "If your a slacker, then you don't care about the rules. Open a window and jump out, we're on the first floor." He said with a bored expression, obviously not buying the excuse given to him.

The question itself however would be answered in the same tone. "I, unlike you, wasn't lost. I was taking this route purposefully to leave." He said with a small shrug, his ears already catching the sound of someone coming down the hallway. A fourth. Soon they would be a crowd outside the music room, Traytaine thought with a hidden sigh. "Where were you trying to go anyways?" He asked, still finding it odd he could get lost in the first place.

His attention turned to a figure behind the younger male student, the form that came was grinning, already making Traytaine uncomfortable. But he was still listening to the girl next to him, Leslie, who was in fact Natsuko Mai Aiko. Then she began to smile, her eyes telling him that she was thinking something devious. Any amusement that could be found was lost on Traytaine, he simply sighed heavily. But at least she was embarrassed by it. "I don't have friends, so, no they don't."

Traytaine then noticed that the student behind the first male came forward, his a hands in his pockets, and speaking about the choir. He was growing more uncomfortable, again, with so many people around him and expecting him to interact. He still did much better alone, or at least with one one or two. Although, it probably wouldn't be quite this bad if Martin wasn't making himself look aggressive. 'I wasn't going to ask your name.' He thought to himself, his eyes moving down to Leslie. "Were you leaving too?"

[Martin Tome]

Martin had calmed down now, He heared another person come down the hallway, he introduced himself as Dante. Now Martin noticed he hadn't even introduced himself.

"Oh I haven't introduced myself! My name is Martin Tome."

Martin listened to Tray, at this point, the conversation was boring him.

"Traytaine, I'm said I'm a slacker, not stupid, jumping out of windows isn't relay my thing. Congrats on not being lost but I relay don't care. By the way, slacker doesn't mean I don't follow the rules, I simply choose to ignore the ones that make life boring. As for my destination, like I said I ignore things that make life boring, so I decided to walk around a little bit. Soon I saw the music building and I decided to check it out, I'd never been here before so I thought it would be a neat experience. I never really have a destination, unless I have something important to do."

[dante]

OOC: Sorry for lateness, had a lot to to do for a project in my English class. Basically the reason why this sucks too >.<!

IC: A light sigh would escape Dante's lips, hardly audible in the least as he could see his statement about the choir was completely ignored. While he did appreciate the fact that Martin acknowledged his introduction and threw in his own (a nod being given in return to acknowledge him), it was still a bit irritating considering the circumstances. Regardless, his ears were still listening in on the conversation, catching the name of the other two amongst the group as well, easily seeing one was asian and as for the other... well who knew. Though what he did notice about Tray was that he seemed to love burning Martin, 2nd degree burns by the look of it. It also seemed he was a loner by his statement of having no friends or possibly Emo, though if anything it probably the first one,

'He doesn't seem emo to me.' was Dante's first thought after that sentence. Immediately following this thought, Martin took it upon himself to make a huge speech to give everyone a bit more of an understanding of what kind of person he was... a kid who loved to talk that was for damn sure thus far. Perhaps a rebel, perhaps an aloof good-for-nothing, who knew with the short time spent in his presence so far,

"You know you should really answer him with something far more witty and sarcastic. Like with the window jumping, should have said something like, "pffft who does it from the first floor? Gotta be at least 4 stories up!" he would whisper to Martin, giving the man a push in the direction of utilizing laconic wit of the Spartans. Any more dialog from him would only emerge if one of the three were to give him the chance to interact... and possibly twist anything they said to whip out with his typical sarcastic antics.

[Martin Tome]

((sorry this is so short i was kind of in a rush))

You know you should really answer him with something far more witty and sarcastic. Like with the window jumping, should have said something like, "pffft who does it from the first floor? Gotta be at least 4 stories up!"

Martin grinned. Then window jumping idea had seemed like a good idea when he had given up looking for the source of the music and needed an exit he would have done it the moment he had a chance.

'This Dante guy has some jokes.'

Martin whispered back.

"Its been a long day, but the sad thing was I was seriously thinking about jumping out the window to leave the building when I was lost. Hey, is it just me or does this Tray guy seem kind of... hostile to people. I don't think its anything personal but he seems kind of repenting of me. You know what I meen? or am I just babbling?"

[leslie]

((Why is it so hard to post these days? I'm just putting myself in so many weird situations that I'm just not sure Lin would react to. Sorry boys.))

Lin glanced from one boy to the next, unsure who to listen to though her instinct was to pay the most attention to the boy who was closest - and that happened to be Traytaine. Giving him a small nod, she spoke quietly so as to not interrupt anyone else, "I was just on my way home. I thought everyone had left."

Surprised by the claim to jump out of buildings four stories up, Lin raised a brow then seemed to lift a corner of her mouth in a smile only to return to her neutral - unsmiling, unfrowning state. "That seems to be a long way up. Two stories, maybe - but four?" She shook her head, nodding in Martin's direction then Dante only to shift her satchel onto her side, "Were all of you going home as well? I have to walk today - I live on the east side of the city. Meaning I need to get started now otherwise I'll be doing lots of extra exercises for my uncle when I get home to make up for being late."

[tray]

Traytaine watched with a uninterested expression, the situation was not something he cared about. The sole reason he was still paying attention to the two across from him wast he fact that, the student who introduced himself as Martin, had been aggressive with him. But he soon lost all attention on him, as he was portraying himself as someone that talked too much, and poorly thought out his words before hand.

His head turned down to Leslie, hearing that she was also leaving, he looked back to the other two for just a moment. Dante was still an unknown factor. But his mind was sliding away from that. He was losing his care of the situation, quickly. His body turned, showing his back to those behind him, and looked down to Leslie before turning his head fully forward as well. "I'm leaving. I'm on the east as well."

An invitation or a statement would be left up to Leslie to decide, because he shifted his backpack to his left hand, pushed his hat back a bit, and began to walk down the halls again. He would head home, drop off his bag, and then probably walk around until police curfew. It felt like a decent day for a walk, even if that meant that he had to go home first to drop off his things.

[dante]

"As long as you weren't think of jumping out that window because you're emo, it's all good." Dante quickly replied to Martin's statement, making sure to get the fact out that he absouletely hates emo. Carrying on, Lin soon started speaking her own words, having managed to hear the whispered sentence Dante had made earlier,

"That seems to be a long way up. Two stories, maybe - but four?" were the words that would escape her lips. Dante grinned at that immediately, crossing his arms as he shrugged lightly,

"Well if you're 4 stories up at least you get to yell 'WEE!' before you kiss the ground. Plus who doesn't enjoy free-falling?" he asked sarcastically, his light grin still present as he slipped his hands back into his pockets. Not a moment sooner though, Lin would speak once more, explaining her situation if she were to be late getting home which happened to be tons of excersise,

'Pfft I wish I got punished like that.' Dante thought before letting his mouth open,

"Y'know their is these things called trains and cars that exsist nowadays. They make getting somewhere quick, a LOT easier." he would tease, loving the fact that he was getting plenty of oppritunites to be sarcastic. Deciding to be a bit kind though, his sarcasm would die down as he spoke in a neutral tone,

"Though if you need to get to the east I can give you a lift if you like. I have to go north-east so it's on the way I am sure and same goes for you as well if you feel up to it." he finished, giving the offer to only Tray and Lin. He might have offered Martin a ride as well since for once he had his father's car but Dante didn't even have the general direction of where he lived.

OOC: Sorry for being late, tried to get it out yesterday but got kicked off PC >.<!

[Martin Tome]

((ooc: sorry this is so late, I'm going to have Martin leave the thread because i have allot of stuff going on and I will probably be late often.))

Martin laughed.

"I'm guessing you don't like emos'? Its okay, I'm not attentive enough to be emo."

Martin grinned and laughed along with Dante's jokes.

"Though if you need to get to the east I can give you a lift if you like. I have to go north-east so it's on the way I am sure and same goes for you as well if you feel up to it."

'oh crap.'

Martin had forgotten that he should have been getting ready for work by now. His house was really close to the school so he could just walk there, but he would have to hurry.

"As much as I would like to stay and chat, I really got to go. Nice talking with you, but i can find my own way out."

Martin walked over to the window, pushed it open, and jumped out.