First Day Back ((Open!))

[Elicia Alexander]

She had been gone. For over six months. Everyone she knew and had loved was likely gone now, but her father had thought it was for the best. To send her to a hospital for her eating disorder. It wasn't the white walls, hard beds, and what not, it was more the soft comfy rich kind of rehab center if you had to put a name or description on it. Still, it had been hard for her not to be in school though she had kept up with online courses as well as a tutor that had come to see her. She wasn't any thicker than she had been when she left, she was still painfully thin, the Italian girl was very fragile and pale, but according to the scales at the hospital she had reached her goal and home would do her some good. But Eli was already back to her old ways, she didn't want to gain weight, she wanted to lose it. And being 91 pounds was far too much.

Her overly thin hand moved up and clasped the door handle, pulling softly, the gentle squeak of the overused hinges sung as she stepped into the school. It was before second, but after first, she was late, but she was back and she was ready to go back to school. Ready to make new friends. The door closed behind her, and the thin girl took stock of what was in front of her. With her contacts in, you couldn't tell that one eye was blue and the other green, but instead they both looked green. She was dressed in a pair of simple blue jeans, and a fluffy white sweater that made her look almost normal weight and kept her overly thin body a bit warmer than without. Wrapping her tiny arms around her, she headed out to her locker to grab her books before she could head to her class of History, apparently that was her new second period.

[Edward Foster]

Wow, I really need to hurry up. Edd thought as he walked at a quickened pace toward his locker, a bit sleepy and also thinking about the raid he had last night in World of Warcraft which, was why he was so tired from staying up on it till 2:00 in the morning.I really should stop doing that, or just quit it all together. He thought while pondering last night, not really serous about it though.

Around a minute later he arrived at his locker and quickly opened and peeked inside, making a silent prayer that his binder was in it.

{It's a bit short but, I didn't know really how to respond.}

[Allen Daughtry]

California has a weird way of picking up a person's mood. Having lived in the cold, sporadic atmosphere of the central East Coast for the past few seasons, the junior Allen Daughtry found himself suddenly regretting his style of heavier clothes, especially with a warm Sun in the sky and a nice breeze sifting through the salty air of San Fransisco. It had only been a week since he had "transferred" from the Mugen Hall Collective to the System's prominent example of power, known as Hircine High School. While the reasons for his departure had been less than desirable, and considering the choice had been nothing more but an illusion of free will - since the consequences of the other end - Allen found himself enjoying his new surroundings. In a way, it almost fit him. While he'd still be the quiet, withdrawn observer he had always been, at least the lively and energetic side of him that had only recently begun to sprout could stretch its legs and enjoy itself.

But still, no matter what fun and pleasure could be had on the side, business was business, and that included school as well.

Exiting his assigned dorm building with his back pack holstered across one shoulder and his worn leather jacket wrapped under his left arm, Allen Daughtry held a home-made sausage and egg breakfast sandwich he tossed together for himself as he collected together his school supplies, before dropping off a few for his companion and taking the elevator down to the courtyard grounds. Along with the usual shades and German cross that lay on his person, Allen was sporting a slightly different look then usual: leather brown shoes without laces, stonewashed blue jeans that were tinted with a slight dust shade over the worn denim fabric, and a mahogany tee shirt that was overlapped with a loose, short sleeved red shirt that had a two-button collar undone and an eagle symbol pressed onto the left side. Besides that, though, his hair was still spiked the same way, and his cerulean eyes were as bright as ever.

Thus, with a sandwich bitten into his mouth and his things hanging all over him, Daughtry entered the front doors of the establishment with a care-free mood about him, and with a quick glance to his cell phone using his right hand - since his left hand was still holding onto his sandwich, and he was too lazy to glance up to see the clock - he noted that his homeroom class was nearly over.

'Good, that class is already a bore.' Allen thought to himself, remembering how he nearly fell asleep just yesterday to the teacher's dull talk about health. In all honesty, Allen didn't really care much about watching his calorie intake or worrying over the products used by fast food restaurants; his metabolism was strong enough to keep him in shape, his hobby of Parkour eliminated most of the weight through exercise, and his diet was only two filling meals a day. Besides, he loved food too much to care about his weight; if worrying over his health meant sacrificing some of life's best pleasures, than he saw no reason to follow it. Still, that was just how he was; he was very strong with sticking to his own personal agenda. It was difficult to make Daughtry think about what society expected of him.

Still, Allen had arrived in school fast enough to attend his history class, so he wasn't too concerned over any potential repercussions. Strolling down the hall to reach his locker, however, Daughtry thought he noticed something odd. While he noted another young man in the hallway, the transfer saw a girl at her locker wearing a sweater, and he immediately wondered why.

'It's pretty nice out today, not cold at all... I mean, damn, if it's so warm that I have to take off my own damn jacket, that says something. So why is this girl wearing a sweater?'

The back of Allen's mind began to speculate a few ideas, but his ego didn't allow him to assume or confirm anything. Still, he was too curious to just shrug off the wonder, so after he stowed away his own leather jacket and finished the last of his egg sandwich, Daughtry wiped off his hands by quickly rubbing them together and strolled towards the girl, before placing him on one side of her locker, and gazing at her with a peaked angle of his head. He watched for a moment, scanning for any particular reasons why she would be wearing a sweater, before finally asking, "You know, it's pretty warm out... you feeling all right with that sweater on?"

[Elicia Alexander]

((*squeals* Thank you both for posting!!))

Elicia pulled her book out of her locker and slid it into the pack that was hung across her chest, and hung softly against her hips. She closed her bag letting the velcroe catch itself as she closed her locker. A boy stood beside her, his locker next to him. Elicia blushed. Why? Because she was shy, and there was a boy standing right there beside her. She didn't say anything, much too shy at the moment to do so but she did give him a small little wave.

A hand hit the side of her locker, not hard, but it was still shocking enought to make her jump. Shy but soft green eyes looked up at the boy, a blush taking over her face even more. He was.. cute! Why woudl a cute guy want to talk to her? She wasn't cute.. well.. she didn't think so. She bit her lower lip as he asked her the oddest question she had ever been asked in her life.

Green eyes widened. And fell down to the sweater that covered her overly thin body. If one was to look at her wrists they would see how tiny she was.

"Oh I .. I always get cold in class, and instead of putting my coat on all the time I .. I just wear a sweater." she said. It wasn't a lie, it was true, her body as thin as it was couldnt' stay warm. She blushed. "Umm... I .. my ..my name is Elicia." she said softly her blush growing deeper with the seconds she stared into the cute one's eyes.

[Edward Foster]

{"cute one" thats not nice }
Edd Turned his head to see a petite looking girl on his side, who seemed to be talking with a guy who, by the looks of it was bigger than Edd,and the smell of egg on him. Edd continued to 'search' for his stuff on to stall so he could somewhat spy on them.

After a bit he began to think. Hrmm I bet that egg was good, also it does seem a bit hot for a sweater, but perhaps not for her. This thought made Edd look down at his own clothes which, consisted of a small black shirt with a white X on it with sleeves that went down to mid- bicep along, with black shorts that went a little past his knees that, had pockets on both sides, and along with all this were his sneakers and black glasses.Wow, I really do need to get brighter clothes. He thought, also semi fantasizing about a egg he wish he had eaten.

After he was done thinking about all that he chose to rise at that moment, taking along with him a brief case looking binder with a swiss army logo on it, also choosing to be social at moment and said."Hello you two." and put on a real smile, and fixing his glasses.

[Allen Daughtry]

The girl's responsive behavior, both in body language and speech, surprised Allen Daughtry. He hadn't expected her to start blushing madly, and he certainly hadn't expected her stuttering nervousness. He watched her carefully, noticing the rosy shade in her cheeks, and pondered on what would cause her to react in such a way. Was it that he surprised her? Was she shy, or socially awkward? The boy began to suspect the latter, as her quaint wave and slight jump at the planting of his hand indicated.

Yet, her explanation for the sweater made perfect sense, and it even made Allen question depositing his own jacket. Glancing to his own locker with a contemplative frown, Allen made a guttural noise of thought and opened the locker door back up, before grabbing his worn leather jacket and tossing it back on, talking with the girl as he went on, "You don't say? Makes sense... probably best I take my jacket with me then, if the classrooms get cold."

Allen refocused himself as the girl went on to introduce herself with hesitation, and the boy allowed a small, pleasant smile to pass over his lips, "Glad to have a name to place on such a pretty face Elicia, you can call me Allen, since it's my birth name and all."

Once Daughtry was finished introducing himself and wrapping his jacket around his shirt, he allowed his left hand to press his shades over his blond hair, allowing his cerulean eyes to be revealed - it wasn't really out of any sort of conscious intention, merely that he felt it would be more comfortable, socially and actively. Still, before he could go on to ask Elicia why she was so nervous around him, the boy behind him spoke up. Allen immediately turned on his heel to glance at him, and smirked.

"Well, glad you're up for some chit chat too. What do you think dude? Is it cold in the classrooms, or should we take a gamble and show up bare-armed? I'm sure the muscles would impress everybody, but goosebumps never have been attractive..."

Allen grinned at the thought and leaned against his own locker, nodding to himself, before glancing back at Elicia, "If you don't mind me bugging you Elicia, why are you turning all red? Are you really that cold? Or are these shades just that hot? I know I chose them for a reason, after all."

[Elicia Alexander]

"Glad to have a name to place on such a pretty face Elicia, you can call me Allen, since it's my birth name and all."

Pretty face? She blushed har again and smiled though. Pretty huh. She hadn't thought she would hear such a good looking boy think she was pretty, r maybe he was just trying to be suave, she was unsure, but whatever, it was one of those comments that really made someone's day.

"Nice to meet you." she said softly with a gentle nod. Her thin long fingers reached up and tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear, the blush on her cheeks beginning to fade just slightly.

Elicia watched, in utter horror of the adorable man before her, as he placed the coat around him and then slid his sun glasses up into his blonde locks revealing the most beautiful eyes. If only her eyes were so beautiful, she would certainly have a bit more confidence in herself. Her own green eyes, though the one was a contact, looked up at him widening slightly. His eyes were so beautifuly.

Hey, you two.

Elicia's eyes shifted over to the boy she had shyly waved at earlier and she smiled kindly at him.

"Hi." she said warmly. "I'm Elicia." her voice was still soft and unsure of herself and yet, she didn't feel as dazzled with the other boy as she did with Allen.

"If you don't mind me bugging you Elicia, why are you turning all red? Are you really that cold? Or are these shades just that hot? I know I chose them for a reason, after all."

She chuckled softly her blush only returning in a darker version than before.

"Oh well .. I guess.. I'm just a bit shy is all." she said with a soft kind hearted smile, sweet really. "Though your sunglasses, I like them, and .. and your eyes."

She turned to the other boy, trying not to look at the boy that was .. beautiful.. trying not to stare into his pretty blue eyes.

"What's your name?"

[Edward Foster]

"Well, glad you're up for some chit chat too. What do you think dude? Is it cold in the classrooms, or should we take a gamble and show up bare-armed? I'm sure the muscles would impress everybody, but goosebumps never have been attractive..."

"I don't think its that cold but, it could be." Edd said not really giving a answer, yet voicing his opinion, just the way he wanted it.

After he answered him he turned his head to wards Elicia who, had asked him his name but, before he answered he made some quick obviations, one being the redness of her checks, two was the he skinniness, even with the sweater he noticed it from her face seeing as it was thinner than normal yet, he had some trouble telling because of her hair so he was not sure, until he thought of a plan. Hrmm, she seems very friendly with him, also she is very thin looking.

After he had his thought and a slight pause he said. 'I'm Edd Foster, nice to meet you." He said holding out his hand, to shake.

[Allen Daughtry]

'... And she only gains another shade of red. A shy one indeed, definitely.'

Allen just smirked at the situation of conversing with a quiet girl and a modest guy, something that was extremely rare in the colorful world of high school. Knowing their names - Elicia and Edward - certainly helped to imprint their identities to their faces, but for now, he had to admit that they were far more casual than most people he knew. As the two introduced themselves to each other and Allen took in Edward's simple response to his own question, he shrugged, thinking there was no reason to respond, since it involved Elicia's own choice of clothing.

Of course, when Elicia explained why she was turning so abundantly scarlet, Allen's grin widened, before downsizing to appear modest and appreciative of her compliment, simply replying "Thanks," before turning his attention to his own school bag for a moment, checking if his own textbooks were in order.

"All right... history's there... good." Allen quietly spoke to himself as he turned his bag back to him and glanced back to his companions with the same smirk as ever, and slipping the ebony shades over his eyes once more, a common habit with him, "So, where you guys headed for the next period? I hope you get a warmer classroom than usual Elicia; it might let you slip off the sweater and enjoy the warm weather we're having, you know?"

[Elicia Alexander]

"nice to meet you Edd." Elicia said shyly.

Her attention was turned back to Allen as he seemed to be talking to himself. She wasnt sure, why, but whatever floated his boat. She wasn't all too eager to et to class but it might not be so bad if she had someone to go to class with. One of these two anyway. It might make class much more enjoyable. Allen began to speak again, asking them where their first classes were and hoping that Eli's room might be warm enough that she could take off the sweater and enjoy the warm day.

She was curious just why he wanted her to take the sweater off for some reason. She wasn't sure exactly what it was all about but she really doubted she would be taking it off any time soon.

"Umm I have History first." she said softly. "What about you guys?"

[Edward Foster]

{Sorry for the wait}

"I have Math right now, I guess all catch you two later." Edd said A bit sad to have to leave. Elicia and Allen, all keep those in mind. Edd thought as he walked off to math.

[Allen Daughtry]

When Elicia replied that her next class was history-oriented, Allen's eyebrows curiously piqued behind his shades, considering that he too also had a history course in the next period. Yet, before he could speak, Edward both answered the girl's question and, in the same breath, gave his goodbye. Allen had glanced at the boy as he spoke and began to turn his head to Elicia when he made a swift double-take as the other boy made his departure. Allen blinked a few times in surprise behind his shades, before shrugging off his departure and turning his attention back to Elicia.

Daughtry allowed a casual smirk to form in his lips as he shrugged, "Some kids actually like school, I guess; as for me, I've got a history class too, United States history to be specific. It's just around the corner from here."

Allen glanced around the halls for a second, a frown passing over his face as he quietly admitted out loud, "Well, I think it's around the corner; I'm still a little fresh with this place."

Turning his attention back to Elicia, Allen simply queried, "So, is this history class of yours in the same direction? Might as well walk together if we're on the same path. Goodbyes can be so depressing, after all."

[Elicia Alexander]

It seemed that Edd had math instead of the history that she and Allen had. Which was a shame she had wanted to get to know them both more. But Edd wasn't very talkative, and perhaps he was as shy as she was. Maybe she would meet up with him again and they could talk about things more prominently. She looked after Edd, as he moved to leave and gave him a shy little wave. She felt bad in a way that he was headed in a different direction but she couldn't do much with fixing schedules she wasn't a hacker nor did she have that kind of money. But that was alright it was a large school but she would likely see him again. Her eyes turned back to Allen who stood there with his shades, unfortunatly, covering his beautiful eyes.

"I have the same class." she beamed softly.

She liked Allen. There ws something about his confidence and the way he carried himself that made her want to be around him more. As though she could absorb that aire from him and use it to boost herself a bit in her own right. She looked up at him, imagining his eyes, as they would stare down at her. Elicia couldn't help but blush at the thought of his eyes staring into her mismatched ones. No one at school even knew they were mismatched, she always wore a contact over the other eye to hide the fact that they were indeed different colors. Just another one of the many things she was ashamed of.

"I'd be honored to walk with you." she said in a soft but cheerful voice. She was feeling slightly more comfortable with him around, and she was enjoying his company. It was nice that she wouldn't have to walk and enter class alone, she figured they had the same class, and it would be a good place to get to know each other in.

"So.. you said you're new?" she offered as she motioned for him to begin walking and stepped in beside him so she could guide without leading him, to their class. "Where are you from?" she asked him softly. Curious about him, desperatly so, she just couldn't get his eyes out of her mind.

"Umm.." she bit her lower lip softly. "Why.. do you wear the sunglasses.. do you.. wear them all the time?" she asked, it seemed stupd and she regretted it the moment it was out and yet she was so absolute in her curiosity there was no way she could not ask. It was one of those things designed to keep you up at night.

[Allen Daughtry]

Elicia's spirited point that they shared the same class gave a satisfied grin to Allen, as it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. There would be no departures after all; he'd still have her company until the end of history class. In truth, Allen was happy about that fact, as he was finding he had the same problem at Hircine High as he had throughout his life - making "friends" with his fellow classmates. As much as he knew that his strict limits on when to consider a person his friend or simply a respected acquaintance, Daughtry suspected that he'd have an easier time giving such a title to a sweet-hearted woman than a fellow man. Back at Mugen Hall, for example, Allen would have likely called Sapphire Firestorm a friend before Gerald Taku, and he knew the latter a good deal more than the former.

Still, Elicia was a bit of a curiosity to Allen. He didn't know what it was, but the girl's demeanor gave him a strange peak of interest in her. He knew thus far that it was nothing terribly emotional, likely just something inquisitive or problematic, but he felt that it was more comfortable for him to be surrounded by friendly faces than a brawler or a drug dealer - and he had met people like that within his first week at Hircine. It was, indeed, a time to change the pace in a better direction.

"Honor? Heh, that's a new one," Allen wryly spoke back as Elicia began to stroll with him in the direction of their class, his grin evident as he kept his eyes on the path ahead. His hands had slipped into his jean pockets, the simple book bag on his back faintly rustling with his movements. Soon enough, Elicia asked if he was a newcomer to the area, and where he originated from. Allen turned his head to her for a moment to show he was replying, before returning his eyes to the corridor, "Yeah, me and a friend just arrived last week, in a bit of a hustle too. We both used to attend the Mugen Hall Collective over in Philly, real big school with a ton of students, and that was getting to be too much to handle so... we came out west."

Allen pulled up a pleasant smirk at the thought as he prepared to ask a question of his own in return, but instead found that she had her own curiosity to fill. She seemed nervous to ask, or maybe just itching to know the truth, but Elicia asked what the facts were on his sunglasses. He turned his head towards her in a casual dropping of his guard and stopped his walk, gazing at her behind the opaque lenses for a moment before smirking at the question and shrugging, "The shades? Funny you ask... you'd think I would get that question more often. But yeah, it's just an old habit of mine, started wearing them when I moved to Maryland a few years back and usually have them on throughout the day. I guess you could say they're my... shield. Yeah... I think that's a good way to describe them."

Allen watched Elicia's face closely. He didn't suspect any malice out of her, but he wondered what she was interested in. In regards to the real truth of why he wore the sunglasses, that was more personal and metaphorical to the pleasantly philosophical boy: the way he saw it, the shades were as much a guard of his eyesight as his behavior and personality were a shield of his inner thoughts and feelings. The shades were a shell to the real man hidden behind them, protecting him from any risk of internal injury. They were a guard, a mask. Still, he certainly would not tell that to a new acquaintance. Such principles took time to share.

Allen held his smirk and continued on with his own questions, hoping to give Elicia ample time and space to explain her own motives, "Why? Do you like my sunglasses that much Elicia? And on an added note, am I right in assuming you're a native here? I can't really pinpoint my feeling, but you certainly don't look like a newcomer like me..."

[Elicia Alexander]

She had to admit, Philly was a long way away, almost completely opposite from where he was now. She was curious, more so now, about the man that walked beside her. She wondered if he even had parents, why had he moved all the way over here. It seemed a very large move with a friend. If he moved with a friend, it probably meant that he didn't have parents, or that he didn't have anything to do with them. She wasn't going to ask about what could be a very touchy subject, but she was curioud and hoped that they could get closer so that she could sat he curiosity and probably in the mean time gain more. But she was enjoying her walk with Allen. It was pleasureable, and she didn't feel any pressure, except when he turned those beautiful eyes on her, though luckily they were closed. Else he would realize they made her quite breathless.

"It seems far to travel, merely to attend another school. But, I hope you like it here, it's a bit rough around the edges." she said honestly, and softly.

The sunglasses came next. She did wonder why he wore them. It reminded her of that old classic song about wearing sunglasses at night. She could almost see Allen doing just that. So that he could watch people, and notice things and no one would ever know exactly where his eyes were pointed. It was a good tactic, but.. she missed his eyes. Even if they had that effect on her. Stupid to miss somethng she had only seen once, but such was life. He stopped his walk, and her eyes, green as they were today, looked up into his own.. or .. as far as she could estimate. He explained them, making her brow rise in more curiosity and yet she kept her questions to herself as he explained that his glasses were more like a shield, one that he wore everyday.

What she couldn't figure out was why he would shield himself. He was good looking. Beautiful eyes, as stated numerous times before, as well as confident, and a bit suave. He had nothing he should be hiding, as far as she could tell.

"But.. why?" Her eyes widened. She seriously hadn't meant that question to slip out and found her biting into her lower lip fast to shut herself up from saying anything else.

He asked her.. about his shades, if she liked them that much. And she found herself shaking her head, as she let her lower lip go only to embarass herself further.

"No, you're eyes are breathtaking, I .. prefer them." she said, turning a bright shade of red before she looked down at the floor. At least then maybe, she wouldn't embarass herself by blurting out what was really on her mind.

He seemed to think she was a native here, making her chuckle.

"No, just.. been here for a year or so. I was born in Italy, but was brought here by my father some time after, so it's why I don't have much of an accent. And.. we lived in Washington for about sixteen or so years, before moving here, so I could go to school." she said softly.

Not mentioning her mother at all. She really didn't want to go there, especially fresh out of the hospital.

[Allen Daughtry]

Allen knew that his answer had not been enough to sufficiently explain his motives for wearing the sunglasses, and when Elicia murmured in surprise an extending question, his lips loosely formed an honest smirk of secrecy. Yet, while Daughtry noted the girl's body language in her face, he didn't comprehend her embarrassment at asking, nor did he foresee the reply he received on his own query.

'... Breathtaking?'

The girl's compliment had, to say the least, taken Allen aback. He wasn't used to such attention or favor in his looks, and if he had not visibly flushed red himself as Elicia did, he most certainly felt it. His lips were parted for a moment in a bit of shock, and behind the shades, Daughtry's eyes widened. For just a moment, his left hand rose up to press against his temple and even considered slipping his sunglasses away from his sight to satisfy Elicia, but then another thought came to mind.

'Don't let your guard down Allen. You need to keep your figure, even with kind people like Elicia. Hold onto the mask.'

Instead, Daughtry's left hand simply fixed the positioning of the sunglasses over his eyes and allowed a casual smile to pass over his face as he spoke back to Elicia, "I appreciate that Elicia, but maybe I'll save that for a little treat in later days, eh? Besides, we can't chat if you have no air in your lungs."

Allowing his smirk to widen, revealing his ivory teeth, the boy simply shrugged his shoulders as he began to continue his walking as he gave the girl a piece to answer her earlier question - for now, "Obviously there's more to these shades than I've said Elicia, but let's save that as a mystery for another day. I don't like talking about myself all that much, anyway."

As they walked, growing closer to their destination, Elicia followed her chuckle with a brief summary of her own origins, telling how she was born in Italy before moving to Washington, where she spent most of her life until arriving at Hircine High. Allen had to admit, the girl's exotic birthplace was intriguing, and the fact that she might have grown up in the northwest struck a chord of nostalgia in him.

"Really now? You have Roman blood Elicia? That's quite a pleasant surprise, I never would have guessed," Allen began, laughing a bit himself at the situation and enjoying the points of interest and the relations, "And when you say Washington, do you mean the State? If so, then we grow up near each other; I was born and raised in Salem, Oregon before moving to the east coast. Small world, huh?"

Allen glanced ahead for a moment to make sure they were on the right track, before continuing with his own speech, "To add on my earlier explanation of why I am here, my friend and I are adventuring, you could say. Hircine High's been in quite a bit of news I hear, so I thought we'd try this place out. But I must admit, why did you decide to attend Hircine? Is it because of the 'rough edges' as you say, or something else?"

[Elicia Alexander]

When his hand raised up to his sunglasses, she felt her eyes widen. A smile warming across her face, letting a bit of the real, and inner Eli to shine through. She wanted so badly to see his eyes again, he couldn't understand how beautiful they were. Maybe he needed first a show of absolute trust. In which she was a bit shy to give, but as his hand moved up to his sunglasses she figured that he had decided to show them off again. But when he stopped he would see her fall.

Her eye lids fluttered down softly looking down at the ground, her smile fell, and she turned her face back to the direction they had been walking in. Her entire body went back to the shy and afraid girl that she had been before the hope of his eyes had gotten to her. He tried to make it into a joke, but she couldn't find a smile within her for the moment so she merely nodded.

"Perhaps if you were to.. have.. umm.. well perhaps if I was to prove to you that I too.. hid my eyes.. maybe.. maybe then?" she offered shyly. "My eyes.. they.. they aren't this color." she whispered softly as they gently rose, her green eyes looking at him. Hidden behind contacts that hid the beauty of her real eyes.

He told her that there was more to the shades than just a fashion statement something she had gathered quickly when he couldn't seem to go five minutes without having them on. She wsn't upset persay they had afterall just met and she didn't think he was ready to open up to her, and tell her his secrets.

"There.. is more to everyone than.. than first meets the eye, some more than others, and they .. yearn for someone they can open to.. tell.. to .. to find support .. love.. acceptance.. something more than pain." she whispered softly as they walked side by side.

She blushed when he asked if she was Roman.

"Yes, I am, I wasn't born here in the States, I was brought here some months later." she said softly. "I don't remember Rome, but.. I've always wanted to go back, my Grandmother lives there." she said with a soft shrug, maybe one day she would get to go back. But for now she was concetrating on getting past the new diet.

"And yes, Washington State, Seattle, actually. My father had a house there, but traveled a lot, and then decided to move myself and him down here when he and my mother got a divorce." she said gently. She wasn't upset about it, oddly she was at peace. She hated her mother, and what she had done.

He asked her why she decided to attend Hircine. She bit her lower lip softly, she couldn't tell him the whole truth, not unless he trusted her first, and she wasn't sure he was ready to do that.

"Well.. when we moved. My father, was hoping that.. I would grow stronger her. Not.. physicaly of course but, emotionally, mentally, gaining confidence. But I don't know, I had gotten settled and then had to go to the hospital for a few months due to complications, and now I'm back but I have to start all over again, no one I knew is still here, and I feel.. as though .. what's the point?" she sighed.

She bit her lower lip shutting herself up quickly. She continued walking, her fear was getting to class and nt being able to talk to him anymore, and then the bell would ring and she wouldn't see him til tomorrow, and she didn't want that. She had a feeling that if they stopped talking she woudln't have the nerve to start again, she was already giving much more of herself than normal. But still, she felt as though she could trust him, as though maybe.. just maybe he might actually understand a bit of why she did wear sweaters on a hot day, why she hid her eyes, why she was shy, and maybe eventually why she didn't eat.

"Umm.. well.. what kinds of things do you like to do.. you know.. hobbies.. extracircular activities and the like." she said looking up at him with her jade eyes.

[Allen Daughtry]

'She's putting me through a guilt trip, even if she didn't mean to...'

Allen hadn't expected Elicia's outright disappointment with his decision for the sunglasses to remain over his eyes, but as he kept watching, the corner of his vision revealed all too well how her body language converted from open hope to saddened loss. He began to wonder if some sort of travesty caused her self-esteem to dissipate, considering her constant blushing and withdrawn behavior. She was even becoming desperate, offering one of her secrets in exchange for his own - and all just to see his eyes. Was she in such need for personal comfort, perhaps even intimacy, that she would open herself up to a stranger?

Allen Daughtry's former smirk of false amusement quickly became nothing more than a shell, and his lips drew to nothing more than a frown as she informed him that she was wearing contacts to hide her natural eye color. The immediate question to Allen Daughtry fell into two factors: Why was she hiding her eyes, and why was she telling Allen? Was it really because she wanted to see his eyes, a sort of exchange to make it justified, or was there more to it than that? Nonetheless, Daughtry was starting to feel uncomfortable. Throughout most of his life, he had either been a withdrawn child that had no interest in sharing his feelings and thoughts with other children, or a made up personality designed to express some of his true identity and allow himself to release his need for self-actualization. With other students throughout his life, Allen always avoided telling others about himself. But now Elicia was practically forcing him to play "Truth or Dare," except it was either to hand over a truth, or ruin their chances for something more.

'Goddammit,' Allen thought to himself as Elicia spoke about the need for understanding by others, the desire for revealing one's true self to another human being, another soul. Part of what she said could be extended to Allen's character, but not all; he did hide himself, and he did desire love and support from others, but he didn't need acceptance, and he didn't need to escape any pain. He had, long ago, fully accepted the way he was, and the only reason he hid his true self was because of his fear of pain from losing those he loved.

The logic was, according to Daughtry, if you never had loved ones in the first place, you never have to fear losing them at all. But now Elicia was essentially forcing the boy to open the shell so that he could comfort her, something she very likely needed. To say the least, it was not a situation Allen was fleeting to do, but then again, he had stepped away from his old beaten path several times in the last year, and he was beginning to realize that he wasn't the selfish bastard he always believed to be.

It was, truly, a conflict of internal interests.

Allen kept walking quietly with Elicia as she briefly summarized her life in Washington, notably her parent's divorce. Allen noted this as a significant possibility for why she acted so nervous, considering the failing of a marriage could have terrible repercussions for the child. Allen knew that first hand - he would never have become a thief or a rogue if his mother had not betrayed his father's love. Extended on the fact was her father's reasons for attending Hircine High: he wanted Elicia to grow "stronger," a common theme in the Corporal Punishment System, and considering Hircine High used to be the poster school of the entire nation, it was a great place to try. Yet, the notice of her time in a hospital suggested that Elicia fell victim to the dark side of the System, and now she was doubting her reasons for attending the school in the first place.

And Allen also knew the importance of upholding one's beliefs and ideals, and it sounded as if Elicia was having a problem with her own as well...

'Well shit, if I take off the shades to give her some comfort, I'm practically opening myself up to questions about me, but if I don't, she'll just keep getting worse herself! So it's my discomfort or her own being! Christ!'

Just as Elicia was awkwardly beginning to ask Allen about his hobbies and interests - likely as a way to keep the conversation going on any sort of thread - the two arrived just outside the door of the history class. Throughout the rest of their walk, Allen had not spoken a word and had kept his eyes firmly ahead of them, his shades still clouding his eyes, though his lips had been grower grimmer with every moment. It might have been misinterpreted, but in truth, Allen was asking himself a serious choice: open the door, or keep it closed? If the boy chose to express even a fraction of his true self to the girl, he'd be risking something that had never been in his habits, and in order to do so, he'd have to give up on a day of history class - though, that was the least of his worries. If he shut himself in yet again, though, he could just walk into the class room and say his polite goodbye to the girl, saving himself from potential pain, but openly knowing that he'd be leaving her alone and upset in the process, a risk that worried him greatly.

In the end, the question was thus: Selfishness, or Selflessness?

Standing idly in the hallway, with the classroom on his left, and Elicia on his right, Allen sighed, before reluctantly glancing at the girl for a moment, gazing down at the emerald eyes that were supposedly a ruse, and found himself curious to the truth of what lay behind them. He was an observer by nature, after all; an analyzer of life and the world, of the Universe and its ultimate truths. He was a pursuer of knowledge and understanding, something that always required risks and action. God does not plant a manual on how Existence works on one's door step; God, whatever sort of being it may be, expects a person to learn on their own accord, and that itself was a truth of its own.

Again, Allen sighed to himself deeply, but it was out of confirmation than anything else; he had made his decision. Holding his glance on Elicia for a moment more, Allen then allowed his left hand to clasp a hold of his sunglasses without hesitation, folded them, and slipped them away into his jacket's lining chest pocket. Turning his attention back to Elicia, Allen watched her for a moment, and then gradually allowed a casual smile to pass over his lips.

At last, he spoke, "Elicia, I'm not looking for acceptance, I'll tell you that right now. Maybe a bit of understanding, though I don't need society to give me praise. So since you're offering me one truth about you... I'll let you have a few truths about me. Fair deal?"

Allen's smile broadened a bit as he turned to his left and began walking down the hallway once more, ignoring the class of history entirely. He wasn't going to tell Elicia to follow him, nor to offer, but it was certain suggested what he meant by the continuing stroll, and he hoped the girl would catch on.

He kept his cerulean eyes poised over his shoulder to watch her standing behind him as he continued to walk, giving her a piece of wording to follow herself, "Now you've got me wondering what your real eye color is... oh, and I've got quite a few hobbies, and Parkour is one of them. Some people called me the Urban Ninja back in Philadelphia. Maybe I'll show you what I mean some time..."

[Elicia Alexander]

As she asked him of his hobbies they reached the door where behind, the classroom sat. History class being held, they were late, and yet.. she didn't care. It was only her first day back she had intended to make a good impression but she knew even her father would understand, if she was to spend time making a friend instead. He was very strict about her grades and yet when she could make a friend, and have a support that wasn't related to her, he seemed more lenient than not. He seemed to stand there deliberating on something. She bit her lower lip, her eyes darting to his lens covered face and back down again, unsure if she was making him uncomfortable.

Her mouth opened, she was about to speak and appologize when a long sigh came from him. His chest deflating, her mouth snapped shut softly as she waited. Wondering what he was about to do. His left hand lifted and she froze. All her movements stopped, as he reached up and took his sunglasses off. His eyes looking right into her green ones. She blushed deeply but she couldn't look away, they were beautiful she felt a tightening in her chest. He had no idea the power his eyes held, or perhaps he did. maybe that was why they were covered so often, or perhaps the magic was created because they were covered all the time. To hide such beauty made things so much more breathtaking in the end.

While he was watching her he would see her face light up. She loved his eyes, she found comfort in them as stupid as it might sound. But she wasn't sure she could tell him that, still she found her back a bit straighter, her chin lifting a bit. A smidgeon of confidence returning to her slight form. He smiled at her, and she returned it shyly tucking her hair behind her ear. He spoke. Not looking for acceptance but perhaps some understanding. Her eyes watched his as he spoke to her, she bit her lower lip.

While he wasn't looking for acceptance she was. There were few in the world that had ever accepted her, and most of them were gone, only her father remained. And he had to accept her. While not her father by birth, he was her father by raising and lving her, so in a way he had to accept her. But even still, she found that she wished to find it in others her age. To know that maybe all the damage her mother had done to her over the years was nothing. It was her mother that was nuts, and not Elicia that was ripe with the problems of her past. She sighed softly, her eyes shifting to stare at his shoes. She nodded, when he mentioned the deal about sharing truths, she could afford to share more than one if he wished, but there were some things it would take time and trust to get to know.

"I .. I suppose.. I .. I'm looking.. for .. both." she admitted in a very soft, very unsure voice.

He turned, her eyes darted up to his face and noticed the wider smile. Giving him a shy version of her own. It didn't take but a second for her to follow him. History, or a friend willing to open up. A friend was certainly the better choice. He looked at her over his shoulder, she blushed and chuckled seeing his eyes again, as he admitted his curiosity for her eyes now that she had mentioned them at all.

She chuckled. It was quite a pretty sound, and she didn't do it often enough, but she found herself comfortable around Allen. He was easy for her to relate to.

"Parkour. That is the one where you run and jump through the city right?" she asked curiously as she walked beside him. A bold woman would have taken his hand for her own, made him hers, right then and there, but not Elicia. She was far too meek for that and instead walked beside him, her hand laying on the strap of her bag. "I'd like to see that, it seems highly popular these days, and I'd be interested to see what exactly it looked like and entailed." she admitted.

She would show him her eyes, when they got to a place that they wouldn't likely be surprised in. She didn't want everyone in the world to know about them. Just Allen. Because he was sharing with her, she wanted to share with him. She looked up at him and smiled.

"I play the violin." she said since he had shared one of his hobbies with her, she figured she could share one of hers. "But mainly I'm an artist, I paint, mostly landscape though, I have a studio at home." she smiled as she walked beside him.

"I wonder though.. what color do you think my eyes are?" she asked curiously looking up at him.

[Allen Daughtry]

Allen's concession to Elicia's wishes immediately brought out a positive response in her, a sort of light in her eyes and beam in her smile. In all honesty, Daughtry still didn't understand what was so special about his eyes to the girl, but he assumed that he was unable to see the "breathtaking" beauty in his own eyes because of his own modesty and the fact that all people are used to their surroundings - and one's eyes were as familiar as something could get with a person. Still, the joy that seemed to practically jump out of Elicia helped to give genuine satisfaction behind his smile.

As Allen began to walk away from the history classroom entrance, he took note of several things. For one, he absorbed the subject of Elicia's comment to his own words regarding acceptance and understanding. Her hesitant words that suggested she desired both factors only helped to further solidify Allen's suspicions that Elicia was suffering from low self esteem. Secondly, his admittance to her wish have a clear affect on her confidence, as her stature seemed to restore itself instantly. And thirdly, the boy was surprised by how she didn't hesitate for a second to follow him instead of entering class. It didn't necessarily suggest where her priorities were - after all, every student would openly accept an opportunity at skipping class if given the chance - but it did suggest how important her current time with Daughtry was, and that meant he had to keep a close eye on the direction of their conversation.

Yet, he seemed to be doing well, because she was actually laughing now, an obvious sign of a better mood with her. Daughtry kept his glance on her face as the two continued their stroll together, and he listened to her questions about his favored activity outside of school, before answering in an explanatory manner, "That's the extreme of it, but yes. Parkour is defined as the 'art of flight', but that doesn't always mean in a literal sense. Most of Parkour just teaches you the most effective way to escape a dangerous situation in an enclosed area, like how to jump over multiple obstacles with the least energy used or how to avoid an attack in the best way. Roof jumping is just the peak of the skill, you could say."

Allen nodded to himself quietly for a moment, before finishing the description, "I'll make sure to show you some time, perhaps later today; just don't expect anything too flashy. Parkour isn't really an art form, it's more of a skill. Free Running is the style where people jump around buildings and obstacles in the most artistic way. There's nothing wrong with that, since some people like using their physique for art, but that's not my style. It's just a technique to me. I save music and thought as an art form."

It was now Allen's turn to listen, as Elicia told him that she was an artist, particularly through the exquisite violin and the paint brush. Daughtry smiled brightly at this, finding art a noble and romantic pursuit, especially when in the case of Elicia's abilities. As she finished feeding Allen the one bit of her hobbies, she then struck him with a pondering query regarding her eyes, and what color he thought they truly were. Allen grinned at the question, sensing a strange air of flirtation from her, even if she didn't mean it. The guessing game was something of a personal tease, after all, something where Allen was expected to find out an internal secret about the girl, and he couldn't help but feel amused by the idea, though it was no laughing matter, however satisfying.

"Well, first off," Allen began, glancing back at her as they continued to walk, "I think the violin is a beautiful instrument, so I envy you for that; you'll have to play for me someday. And since you paint, I can't help but wonder what you've painted; I've always been a fan of representational art, sometimes a few of the romance pieces. The sensations drawn from them are something indescribable, I must say."

Allen then allowed his eyes to check the path ahead of them, though his smile widened to a bemused grin as his attention then focused on the query, "Well... that's difficult to say Elicia. Your hair color makes me think you'd have gorgeous brown eyes, but then again, I can see a pair of sapphire eyes contrasting well too. Then again, those emerald eyes do look beautiful, so I dare say that's a hard guess. But why tease when I can see them, eh?"