Staying After[open]

[Akemi]

Akemi Desterian

Her tan skin was bent over a book, staring down at the page. She had little else to do here but hang out around the school, seeing as it was all she had known her entire life. Everything had been taken from her so abruptly, she hadn't been able to readjust. Just last year, she had been accepted into a prestigous college. With the death of her father though, she was unable to attend because of her nerves. And so, she returned to this tiny town's school every day, hoping maybe someone would need a tutor.
The girl glanced up, her dazzling brown eyes catching the sunlight streaming through the window. The clock on the wall said four oclock, the janitors would be coming to clean soon and she would have to leave. Not something she was looking forward to, as often times she slept in her car, keeping to what she knew rather than to the new.
Often times, the girl thought about just going home. There was nothing here in this new town except drunks puking at her feet periodically. She didn't have the social skills to get a job working with adults, and she didn't have the training to work as a teacher with the kids. And so she was stuck in the middle of childhood and adulthood, pretending she still belonged in school.
She could easily pass for a 16 year old without question, lending to her asian heritage. Her mother was beautiful, though Akemi had never gotten to know her. Hearing the squeaking of the wheels on the trashcan, she closed the Trigonometry book she had been reading for fun, and started backing her things up.

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[Kanchana]

Dante sat at the library desk, frowning slightly in concentration before scribbling a few words in a hurry. He didn't want to be in other people's way, he hated being the annoyance.

He lifted his head, the short brown strands of hair sticking out in all directions, not that he cared.
He was handsome, young and caring. Some how, liked by everyone, but single.

He rose from his chair, packing his bag with heavy books. History of Science. Trigonometry. History of War. All pouring neatly into the black bag.
Swinging it up onto his shoulder, he headed for the door, only to pause a few steps later.

Her asian heritage was clear in her features, the slightly angled eyes and long black hair. But he was immediately drawn in by her innocent beauty.
"Hello," he said, frozen to the spot but tried to act more casual. He kept his face blank of emotion, but was forced to let a small, warm smile past.

[Akemi]

Akemi

She was startled by the sound of a male's voice, and she dropped the trigonometry book on the floor, turning quickly toward the sound of the voice. He was handsome, reminding her of her father. She'd never been really good around guys.
"Hi."
Was all she managed to squeak out before turning back around. There was something about him that seemed oddly familiar though, and she tried to run it through her mind as she leaned down and picked up the trigonometry book. Then it hit her, like a ton of bricks. She turned quickly back around.
"You were at the renissance fair a couple weeks ago, weren't you?"
She felt like an idiot asking, but she had to know. Maybe then they'd have something to talk about, other than her feeling like he was trying to complete a bet on her for how quickly he could get her clothes off, as it seemed guys sometimes did in the past.

[Kanchana]

His smile widened at the sound of her sweet voice, though he noticed his uneasiness and stayed where he was.
Seeing she dropped her book, he quietly bent to pick it up and offered it back to her.
"Yes," he said, his eyes searching her face for something. He didn't remember seeing her around before, but maybe she had seen him. He blushed slightly, wondering why she would remember that.
"Were you there?" he asked awkardly.

[Akemi]

Akemi Desterian

She couldn't help but let out a little tension breaking laughter as he replied, realizing now the uneasiness on his face. She was almost giddy with delight realizing that he wasn't just another jock trying to hit on her...at least, this was a jock trying to hit on her that could use a sword.
"How could I forget the white knight?"
She smiled and blushed a little, turning back to her backpack to put her book away. It wouldn't quite fit, but she talked as she tried to cram it in there. Talked...maybe...a little...too...much.
"I thought I recognized you, you did really well in that jousting tournament; though you hung your lance a little low and did bad stage form on that last blow-probably really knocked the wind out of that one knight!"
Finally, she cramped the book in the bag and was now struggling with the zipper.
"And, you held your sword funny the entire second half, your swings were sloppy and unaimed it looked like."
She turned to look at him, not staring at his face but staring at his shoulders, looking for any obvious damage to either of them. She squinted as she tried to remember what happened.
"You did fall pretty sloppy when the one guy knocked you off, landing right on your elbox. Probably jarred it for the whole fight."
Her gaze flicked back up to his face, and she blushed bright red turning back to the book bag.
"I'm Akemi Desterian, by the way. I think they announced you as 'Sir Dantae,' is that your real name?"

[Kanchana]

He listened to her flurry of words, trying not to be embaressed for her knew it was all true.
He nodded slightly, and smiled a little.
"I know, not my best..." he said quietly with a shrug "but I got hit in one of the first jousts...had to use my left hand."
He nodded once more "Yes miss, Dantae James at your service," he said with a small bow and smile.

"You seem to know a lot...about these things," he said after a moment, awed by her beauty and clear intellgance that shone though her mere being.

[Akemi]

OOC: Hey Chana, I'm going to bring back Nana back eventually, do you still want Xena and Dream to have had that foal? It might be entertaining to see hoe complicated things get if Nana's still infatuated with Dantae but he's now in love with Akemi. Or, Akemi can just find a different guy and Dantae can go back to Nana...

IC:
The girl couldn't help but smile at the guy's amazement that she knew what she was talking about. He seemed taken aback by her onslaught of words, and she felt a little ashamed for having lectured him. She bit her lower lip, staring down into her backpack as if looking for the words to say in there. You seem to know a lot... He said. She couldn't tell if he was mocking her or if he was truly being sincere. She gulped, knowing she'd already blown it. She didn't know what she could possibly say now, so she reverted to her default excuse.
"I-I read a lot."
She didn't turn to look at him. She was afraid of the look that could be in his eyes, of disdain, of regret for having started talking to her. It was always the same. I wish I were a mouse. Then I could disappear.

[Kanchana]

He grinned honestly at her responce and nodded.
"Thats good, I do to," he noticed how scared she seemed, but was unsure why. Unable to think of anything else to say, he nodded towards the door as the janitor's entered with their wheelie bins.
"Did..you want to go have a drink together?" he asked "or something..."

His gaze was warm, awaiting her responce willingly. Someting about her called to him, made him want to know more.

[Akemi]

Akemi

She glanced at him over her shoulder, those caring eyes. She shifted her gaze in front of her again, listening to his words. It was tempting. You don't drink. You're not old enough yet. She closed her eyes tight, pretending she was somewhere else. But when she opened her eyes, she was still in that room-still standing with Dantae's eyes in the back of her head. What could it hurt?
The janitor's squeaking wheels broke her concentration, and she looked to the trash bin to Dantae and to the door.
"M-Maybe another time. I should get home."
She quickly walked toward the door, hoping that there next meeting might not be as awkward. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes filled with a mix of confusion and fright as she picked up a run down the hall.