Nadine - closed to Hapa1981

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nadine: Background:

“You’ll soon settle in,” Her father had told her.
”It’s a brand new life, a dream.”
The US would give her so many opportunities and would give them a brand new start!

But it hadn’t turned out like that!
For as long as she could remember she and her father had been close. Despite her mother’s death when Nadine had been a mere toddler, she didn’t feel that she had missed out somehow as they had always been comfortable, happy, secure… or so she thought. In her mind her father had ‘sold out’ attracted by the lure of more money, prestige and status and although he told his daughter that this new college she was to attend would give her an excellent basis for her future, Nadine felt that he had selfishly sacrificed her happiness ..


And so she had been forced to leave her home, her friends everything she knew and been dragged half way across the world. Rather than bringing them closer, her father’s work schedule kept him away from her for longer and longer and without her usual network of friends she became lonely and angry. Of course Nadine had known before that she would never settle in the US, but now coupled with what she saw as her father’s desertion of her she was more determined than ever not to!

In the 2 short months she’d been in the neighbourhood Nadine had transformed herself from popular, hardworking High School student to becoming disaffected, careless and frankly a pain in the ass to her both fellow students and college staff alike. In fact she had done everything to sabotage the new life that her father was trying to build for them. After all, who cared about opportunities or education if he was hardly ever home?

But getting this through to her father and even getting his attention these days was proving more and more difficult. And so she had slowly travelled beyond making a nuisance of herself at home and college to an occasional foray into shop lifting … and was ever open for a new opportunity to show her defiance and get a buzz out of life and perhaps ultimately get the attention she so eagerly sought … ?

IC:

A double period of Lit studies had done nothing to improve Nadine’s mood. She had learned very quickly that as a Brit she was expected to have expert knowledge of the English classics, which of course she had enjoyed in the past, but being considered something of a novelty had quickly irritated her. Conversely when American literature was studied, she merely switched off. The session had seemed endless. She used to enjoy studying and had wanted to do well, but all that had changed now. And then all that stretched ahead of her was lunch and then a study period followed by a tutorial at the end of the day that she had been warned not to miss. Not that he warning would deter her. She knew she was flying close to the wind, but if the college authorities contacted her father, so much the better.

Finally mercifully the session was over. Despite her eagerness to be free of class, she dragged behind the others watching them walk out in groups each heading out to eat and congregate in groups. Initially she had been welcomed by all and invited to join them at their lunch, in their clubs, the societies and all manner of social activities, but she had avoided cultivating any close friendships and after a week finding her feet had distanced herself more and more from her peers. Where she was directed to work in groups or present a collaborative paper, she contributed as little as possible. It was the only way to hide how intelligent she actually was.

Slowly she dragged herself up from her seat and made her leisurely way from her seat on the back row, to the front of the class and then out into the corridor. All around her was a hive of activity and bustle, but as usual she walked in her own little cocoon exiting the building and heading out to the corridor at the back which led down to the music practice rooms. Of course she was not supposed to be there, but that didn’t stop her. The rooms were sound proofed and designed for students to practice their instruments or singing or whatever the hell else needed rehearsal during lunch time. She hung out there quite often during lunch times, yet another time of the day she hated. She had been interrupted there a couple of times with students who claimed they had booked that time for study, but although a first year and supposedly at the bottom of the pile, she had easily seen them off …

And so she entered the far studio, a small room with very few furnishings. With a sigh she pulled herself onto the table there, her feet up on the adjacent chair and dipped into her bag taking out a bottle of water and fixing her headphones in her ears. With a quick check of her watch she calculated that she would kill half an hour or so here and then consider whether she would actually even bother with her afternoon schedule …

Godddd she was bored to death in this country!
Uncharacteristically she gave vent to her frustration, by suddenly kicking the chair across the room with such force that the plastic moulding cracked as it hit the wall.

”Fuck… “

She muttered in English tones, irritated at the inconvenience of the damage caused, but by no means repentant…

 

[Hapa1981]

OC:

Ethan Stonewell grew up under the heavy burden of the Stonewell name. His grandfather had the aptitude and determination to build and expand an empire of machine parts across the global when the word "corporation" was only just starting to be used. The Stonewall name had always been synonymous with "old" money and Ethan's father never let that idea stray far from his mind. In Ethan's opinion, his father was at his best a absent buffoon and at his worst an ignorant failure. Despite his father's best's efforts, the family corporation managed to stay profitable due mainly to the Stonewall legacy than any from any of the hours his father spent at the office during Ethan's formative years.

Combined with a much too young mother (who was quickly divorced after Ethan's birth) and a solitary life raised by butlers and maids who lived more in fear of Ethan than in love with him, Ethan grew up with a rather cold outlook on life. He saw life as a competition between those who took what they wanted and those who didn't know they were being taken.

http://media.monstersandcritics.com/people/Topher_Grace/images/group9/MTO-007223.jpg


IC:

Ethan had been on campus for a few months longer than most freshmen. He had completed his studies early and purchased an apartment early to familiarize himself with the setting.

It didn't take long for him to make friends, especially when some of the upperclassman recognized his name. But they were more of an entourage than friends to him and Ethan did little to encourage them to stick around for very long. He would occasionally drop his credit card at a bar and open a tab for a group of classmates, but that was more because it served a purpose for him rather than letting him get to know the strangers any better.

Ethan still felt as isolated as ever despite being surrounded by people who were somewhat enamored by him. That is until he noticed a quiet, British girl gazing off out the window in his American literature class. He found himself a purpose and soon was following the brunette to learn more about them.

Piece by piece he learned more and more about the intriguing woman and any thoughts of the futility and boredom of a college education disappeared from his mind. He would learn human nature from this woman in his own classroom.

He finally decided to approach her when he saw her disappear into her usual lunch spot, the soundproof studio in the musical studies wing. He came inside the room just as a chair crashed into the wall leaving a large crack.

"I know the rooms are soundproof, but I don't think they need you testing just to make sure," he said with a smirk.

"Do you mind if I come in? I'm in your American Lit class and saw you came in here." He didn't wait long to slip into one of the chairs next to her.

He unzipped his black messanger bag and pulled out a large stack of papers that had a thick black clip holding them together. "I think you may have dropped this in the hallway. I heard you were assigned Edgar Allen Poe for the essay assignment today, so this clearly must be yours."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nadine

"I know the rooms are soundproof, but I don't think they need you testing just to make sure,"

Nadine looked up, the voice taking her by surprise; her initial reaction concern at having been caught damaging college property, but upon seeing the smirk of the young man who stood in the doorway, she scowled, reverting to irritation at having her solitude disturbed.

"Do you mind if I come in?”

The question was rhetorical as he moved into the room closing the door behind him. She eyed him suspiciously as he took a seat.

“I'm in your American Lit class and saw you came in here."

She looked at him more closely. He seemed vaguely familiar, but no more so than many others who moved around the college campus. Neither name, nor any facts about him came to mind and indeed why should they? She made no comment, no acknowledgement. He hadn’t given her his name, so mercifully she was spared from introducing her own name, or not ...

"I think you may have dropped this in the hallway. I heard you were assigned Edgar Allen Poe for the essay assignment today, so this clearly must be yours."

She looked at the all-too-familiar swathe of papers and frowned.

”Gee, thanks…”

She gave a parody of an American drawl as she took the papers from him and dropped them from a great height onto the table on which she sat. She hadn’t noticed she’d lost them, but it would have given her a perfect ‘out’ for not completing the assignment.

”So … you’ve done your good deed for the day …”

She observed making it clear she did not want his company.

”Don’t let me keep you … “

She could do nothing to mask her inevitable Brit accent, but then if he shared a class with her, he would know she was English. He had obviously listened in enough to know what topic she had been assigned, she could only hope that her reputation had preceded her and that he would leave her as quickly as he came…

 

[Hapa1981]

”Don’t let me keep you … “

She was timid like a mouse. He could almost feel the walls she put up around herself. It made him wonder what kind of person lived behind those walls. Was it the quiet, innocent person she was showing him now or was it the devious shop-lifter or maybe something different all together. It didn't matter much to him because he was determined to mold whatever person it was into what he could imagine, but that would take time.

"Don't worry, you're not keeping me at all." He relaxed backwards in the chair and slouching in his seat. It sent a clear message that he was not going to move from her protected alcove.

"Oh. By the way, I noticed of the assignment might be a little difficult so I did you a favor and included some writing for you." He gestured casually at the papers in her hand like it was no big deal. In truth, it was a completed essay assignment. He had gotten it from an upperclassman from a few years before and had paid him an extra hundred to re-edit it to ensure the phrases were different and the plagiarism would be near impossible to detect.

As he watched her eyes travel over the pages, he smirked again. "Don't worry. The first time it was submitted the paper got a A-, but I was promised by the student that the correction he made would improve the grade quite a lot."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Don't worry, you're not keeping me at all."

Nadine frowned as he seemed to make himself comfortable. He was confident and cocky, but why had he sought her out?

"Oh. By the way, I noticed of the assignment might be a little difficult so I did you a favor and included some writing for you."

She glanced at the pile of clipped papers on the table, curious as to what he meant, but not giving him the satisfaction of checking out the writing he said he'd included.

"Don't worry. The first time it was submitted the paper got a A-, but I was promised by the student that the correction he made would improve the grade quite a lot."

His words made her eyes widen and despite her earlier intention she picked up the paper and flicked through it finding to her surprise that rather than just a few notes, there was hidden in the midst of her disorganised and unfocused jottings a completed essay.

"What makes you think I want my work done for me?"

She challenged the guy who still sat looking up at her.

"You must think I give a damn about my grades, or about stupid American literature..."

She commented scathingly as she dropped the papers back on the desk, even though handing in anything like a half decent essay would get the tutor's off her back, for a while at least. But life was never that easy ...

"No one hands out freebies ... what's your price ... there has to be something in it for you, right?"

She accused. She didn't trust him. And the fact that she had no knowledge of who he was whereas he seemed to have at least a pretty good idea about her and her habits put her at a definite disadvantage.

"I may be English, but I'm not stupid, so tell me what you really want ... "

She intended to be challenging, assertive, but in fact her words sounded more interested betraying the fact that part of her was intrigued that he would seek her out, much less suggest she effectively cheat her way to a better grade...

 

[Hapa1981]

"You must think I give a damn about my grades, or about stupid American literature..."

This made him laugh out loud in a way you would smile at a child who said they would stay up all night waiting for Santa Claus.

"Nadine, I can assure you. If I thought for a second that you were someone who gave a damn about grades, I would never have handed you such a gift. I don't make friends with those who care for schooling. I seek a more useful education and I hope my friends would too."

He could see the daggers in her eyes and the heat in her breath. She had so much anger seething inside her, but had no idea where to direct it. In his experience, passion this strong hid in quiet women. He would have to be a little careful to draw out the fire in her, but also to steer clear of the stepping directly into the flames.

"You're right. There are no freebies in life. So maybe you would be so kind to hang me back the paper which would let you ignore your class for the rest of the year."

He held out his open hand waiting for her response.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

She didn't like the way he laughed at her.

"Nadine, I can assure you. If I thought for a second that you were someone who gave a damn about grades, I would never have handed you such a gift. I don't make friends with those who care for schooling. I seek a more useful education and I hope my friends would too."

His words didn't make sense. She was not and had no intention of being his friend and could not imagine what he meant by ' a more useful education'.

"You're right. There are no freebies in life. So maybe you would be so kind to hang me back the paper which would let you ignore your class for the rest of the year."

She saw him extend his hand for the essay and hesitated for long moments whilst thoughts and emotions conflicted, but true to what had become her default reaction, anger won through. Why he chose to mess with her she couldn't imagine. Well, she didn't care. She picked up her bag and put it over her shoulder.

"Then why waste my time and yours?"

She asked angrily and threw the essay at him, satisfied at the force with which it skidded over his extended hand and slammed into his chest. With a final glare she made to walk past him annoyed that he had effectively chased her from her lunch time sanctuary ...

 

[Hapa1981]

“Maybe we should start over, Nadine.” He stood up from his seat and extended his hand to her in a peace offering. “I am Ethan.”

“I don’t really want anything from you. I just thought you’d enjoy having some help with your essay. I promise that this is safe and a guaranteed A. But if you don’t want it, that’s cool. You don’t have to leave.”
Leaving the choice up to her, he put it down on the desk next to him.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

“Maybe we should start over, Nadine.”

He stood his body blocking her exit even as his words stopped her flight as effectively.

“I am Ethan.”

She eyed his extended hand suspiciously and reluctantly put her hand briefly into his.

"I don’t really want anything from you. I just thought you’d enjoy having some help with your essay. I promise that this is safe and a guaranteed A. But if you don’t want it, that’s cool. You don’t have to leave.”

She saw him put the essay on the table behind her, but made no move to pick it up, yet ...

"So ... "Ethan", you obviously know my name, know what I'm studying ... and that I'm crap at American Lit .... "

She stated accusingly.

"But what you obviously don't know is that much as I'd like to get the tutors off my back, I have no intention of handing in A grade papers: I don't need that kind of attention and like I said, I don't give a damn about my education."

She sighed heavily and perched back on the table again.

"I know this is a good college and that I'm lucky to be here and all that crap my father fed me before I got hauled over here, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm just marking time here."

She halted, realising she'd told him more than she'd intended.

"So whatever you're after, you're wasting your time."

She told him grinning suddenly.

"Ask around, I'm not a 'friendly' type of girl ... "

 

[Hapa1981]

"I'm in your class." He smirked again, but this time at his own expense when you finished the thought, "I'm glad I am so memorable to you."

"But what you obviously don't know is that much as I'd like to get the tutors off my back, I have no intention of handing in A grade papers: I don't need that kind of attention and like I said, I don't give a damn about my education."

He laughed out loud at this. "You know, if you don't want to attract attention, just change the essay up a little bit and you won't get an A. I offered you an A so that you can slack off the rest of the class and not worry about failing. It's a win-win situation. You don't worry and you don't have to do any more work that'll attract attention."

"But like I said, it's your choice."

"Ask around, I'm not a 'friendly' type of girl ... "

"I don't need to ask around to find out you're not the 'friendliest." He halted for a second to be sure he phrased it right and not to offend her.

"You don't exactly make it easy for a guy to be nice to you, but I suppose I'm a sucker for the 'unfriendly' type. Even if they are tragically british." He pretended to be horrified with the simply mention of the word British to help illustrate how ridiculous she was for putting herself down about it earlier.

"Look, I know you don't want attention and probably want to disappear. But I promise the time will pass much quicker if you have a sympathetic ear when you make fun of everyone else in this godforsaken place."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"I'm in your class. I'm glad I am so memorable to you."

She shrugged. She had given up paying attention to anyone else weeks, no months ago. None the less she listened as he told her how she might just chane the essay to get a pass grade without the A. She picked up the papers, flicking through them at that considering that it might indeed save her a lot of aggro ...

"I don't need to ask around to find out you're not the 'friendliest."

His words seemed harsh, but they brought a grin glad that he had gotten THAT message at least!

"You don't exactly make it easy for a guy to be nice to you, but I suppose I'm a sucker for the 'unfriendly' type. Even if they are tragically british."

She chuckled at his words. At least he wasn't treating her like some novelty item.

"Look, I know you don't want attention and probably want to disappear. But I promise the time will pass much quicker if you have a sympathetic ear when you make fun of everyone else in this godforsaken place."

He had her attention and he had her curiosity.

"You're not so keen on being here either then?"

She asked him.

"What's your story Ethan ... and I'm not buying that you're short of people to be 'friendly' with ... "

She asked him, the essay still in her hands as she questioned him, her whole demeanour more approachable and certainly less defensive, than previously.
Not that she wouldn't retreat or flee if she felt threatened ... Being left to her own devices in a strange country had developed her survivor skills if nothing else...

 

[Hapa1981]

"My story is probably less interesting than your own." He leaned back against of the chair behind him. Making himself more comfortable and hoping she would take the cue herself. He slipped his hands in his pockets and crossed his legs to speak to her.

"Rich father. Neglected child who was left to his own devices. There are lots of ways to describe the story really. Tragic... Liberating.... Cliche....."

Once again a grin flashed across his face, but this time it was directed at himself. When put into words, his whole life seemed like the material of a depressing after school special for rich kids. It always seemed like an oddly pathetic story, but maybe that was why he had always tried hard not to let it define him. Yet, if Ethan was a betting man, he would definitely bet that all rich, spoiled, neglected children thought they defined themselves separately from their circumstances. And it was probably even a safer bet to say that almost all of them were lying to themselves.

"Sure, I have my 'friends," he jestered quotation marks around the word, "but these friends are nothing more than leeches. Maybe that's why I'm intrigued by you. You seem quite determined to live in isolation rather than suck up to the nearest trustfund baby."

His eyes locked with hers as he continued, "maybe that's what made me like what I saw in you."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"My story is probably less interesting than your own."

She thought he was going to brush her off, but instead he gave a brief account which amounted to the fact that he had a rich father who like hers didn't seem to give a damn ... the only difference was that it seemed this had always been the case for Ethan, whereas she was still unbelievably hurt by being cast adrift in a strange country.

"Sure, I have my 'friends," but these friends are nothing more than leeches."

She nodded. Her peers hadn't realised that she was comfortably well off, perhaps because she didn't throw money about and her dad was too busy earning it to actually enjoy it or spend time with his daughter.

"Maybe that's why I'm intrigued by you. You seem quite determined to live in isolation rather than suck up to the nearest trustfund baby."

She met his eyes finding it strange to be scrutinised so closely.

"maybe that's what made me like what I saw in you."

She shrugged away the compliment uncomfortably.

"There's nothing intriguing about me."

She denied quietly.

"And I'm comfortable enough financially and even if I weren't, I'm not the 'suck up' type ... "

She sighed.

"As for isolation. You have that right. I don't fit in, but I guess that's 'cos I don't want to fit in ... "

She met his eyes as if daring him to challenge her on that.

"Back in England I had friends and a family and a father I actually saw."

She knew that talking to him risked him realising that she was lonely, but she continued.

"Over here ... there's no one ... so I keep myself to myself ... and ... make do... I guess... "

She felt a pang of homesickness. She would make do ... but as soon as she could work out the logistics, she was determined to return back 'home' to England. Not that her dad would even notice.

 

[Hapa1981]

"Look, I'm not telling you that life will be any better or any easier. This school sucks and moving here may have been the worst decision of your whole life." He leaned over to reach into his messenger bag. He fumbled through the pockets for a bit before finally finding what he was looking for.

"Maybe you're right that this whole country sucks too..."

He stopped to pull out a small bottle from the bag and offer it to her again.

"But at least you'll have a drinking buddy to self-medicate."

He decided to take a swig of the clear liquid himself. Vodka wasn't his favorite and the bitter taste filled his mouth while the warmth from the liquor warmed him. The advantage of Vodka was that it looked no different than water and would arouse much less suspicion at school.

"And by the way, there are plenty of rich leeches here that'll bleed you dry of every once of individualism and uniqueness, so hold on to that stuff for dear life. I'd hate to see you turn into a mindless drone..."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Look, I'm not telling you that life will be any better or any easier. This school sucks and moving here may have been the worst decision of your whole life."

She sighed watching as he reached into his bag.

"Maybe you're right that this whole country sucks too..."

She shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not. It's just not 'my' country ... "

She told him eyes widening as she saw the bottle in his hand.

"But at least you'll have a drinking buddy to self-medicate."

She watched him take drink from the bottle.

"And by the way, there are plenty of rich leeches here that'll bleed you dry of every once of individualism and uniqueness, so hold on to that stuff for dear life.
I'd hate to see you turn into a mindless drone..."

She took the bottle he offered and took a drink, feeling the unfamiliar burn and managing not to react too obviously to the raw spirit as she swallowed it.

"That won't happen..."

She told him handing him back his bottle feeling a warmth fill the pit of her stomach.

"... I wouldn't go for rich guys anyhow ... "

She gave him a sassy grin.

"Present company excepted of course... "

She told him with the first genuine smile she had bestowed on him thus far.

 

[Hapa1981]

His eyes went wide and he gestured for the invisible audience around him, "The lady can smile! It's a miracle!" He joined her sassy grin with one of his own. "And furthermore, she let me get a peak at the cards in her hand when she noted that I might be an exception to the rule."

Taking the bottle back from her, he took a larger drink himself. "That's good to hear because I knew from the moment I first saw you that this maiden would be a lot of exceptions to many rules."

He tossed the bottle back over to her this time, not giving her the choice of whether she wanted more.

"Now what do you say we disappear from campus for a bit? Since you seemed so intent on making the college class think you're a loner, I would hate to corrupt your reputation by having them see you even talking to such a low life like myself."

He stood up from the chair and slipped the black bag onto his shoulder.

"Maybe I can convince you that life in this side of the pond can have its perks."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"The lady can smile! It's a miracle!"

He teased her causing her to chuckle at his antics.

"And furthermore, she let me get a peak at the cards in her hand when she noted that I might be an exception to the rule."

She watched him drink and tried not blush at his next comment.

"That's good to hear because I knew from the moment I first saw you that this maiden would be a lot of exceptions to many rules."

She didn't quite believe what he said, but it was nice to have a bit of positive attention for a change. Instinctively she caught the bottle and followed suit in taking a long drink from it, again the burn and then the warmth, which was far from unpleasant.

"Now what do you say we disappear from campus for a bit? Since you seemed so intent on making the college class think you're a loner, I would hate to corrupt your reputation by having them see you even talking to such a low life like myself."

She doubted that he was a low life, but likewise didn't want to ruin her rep for not running with anyone, so she nodded at his suggestion slipping from the table, returning the bottle to Ethan and placing the essay he had given her into her own bag without thinking.

"Maybe I can convince you that life in this side of the pond can have its perks."

She stood up and moved to his side.

"Well... that would take some convincing ... but I was going to skip classes this afternoon anyhow, so ... I'm more than happy to do a disappearing act ... my speciality in fact... "

She told him cryptically; she could make herself disappear just fine, but she also managed to make objects around her disappear, just for the fun of it ... and it wasn't what she really considered stealing anyway ...

 

[Hapa1981]

Ethan knew the double meaning of her last statement, but thought it best to feign ignorance. He didn't want to push his luck when he only just recently got her to open up to him. Finding out that he knew about her shoplifting habit would probably rebuild whatever walls he had so carefully taken down.

"Well, just don't pull that disappearing act on me and we shouldn't have any problems."

Seeing the essay slip quietly in his bag, he knew that his prey already had one foot in the trap. It wouldn't take much more for the trap to spring.

He finished the last bit of the bottle and tossed it in the garbage as they moved to the door. "Well, looks like we'll have to get a refill. Might be early for a club, but we can certainly try. Honestly the only bars open at this time are strip clubs or dive bars. I'm not sure your British sensibilities will fall in love with that side of America. We could always go to my house and crash the liquor cabinet. It'll be empty today so you won't get the EXTREME pleasure of meeting my father..."

He turned to her to gaze once again in those steel blue eyes, "unless of course, there was something in particular you wanted to go."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Well, just don't pull that disappearing act on me and we shouldn't have any problems."

She smiled, but made no reply. She would definitely disappear pretty quickly if she didn't like how things were going. But as it was, he seemed good enough company and certainly different to anyone else she'd met around college. And drinking in the afternoon was a novelty for her, though judging by his next words, it wasn't for Ethan.

"Well, looks like we'll have to get a refill. Might be early for a club, but we can certainly try. Honestly the only bars open at this time are strip clubs or dive bars. I'm not sure your British sensibilities will fall in love with that side of America. We could always go to my house and crash the liquor cabinet. It'll be empty today so you won't get the EXTREME pleasure of meeting my father... unless of course, there was something in particular you wanted to go."

She shook her head.

"I doubt the clubs are like the ones back home. Sounds like your "father"(she mimicked his accent now) has about as much home time as my dad does ... but I don't care where we go .. just out of here... "

 

[Hapa1981]

As they made their way out of the building, he noticed a few glances at them. Ethan knew they were more directed toward himself than at the woman at his side, but he worried she would notice and be afraid. Instead he guided her down the nearest staircase whether there would be fewer eyes. He held the door open for her.

"Pardon my lady," he said with a flourished gesture of his hand, " but I have a feeling that strip clubs in England are probably no different than strip clubs in America." His eyes looked her up and down for the briefest of seconds before he continued, "I have a feeling that you wouldn't be too comfortable in a place like that, especially when the men there are more likely to be looking at you rather than those employed there."

"I think you'd prefer the comfort of my house."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Nadine walked companionably enough beside him. As usual she kept herself to herself and didn't look round. She had learned over the weeks that eye contact only made people approach you and so she was unaware of any interest in their departure.

Content to let Ethan guide her, she allowed him to wave her through the door and laughed at his mock-gallantry.

" ... I have a feeling that strip clubs in England are probably no different than strip clubs in America."

She shook her head.

"I wouldn't know. I used to go to clubs, but not strip clubs. They're another hting altogether."

She clarified as he continued.

"I have a feeling that you wouldn't be too comfortable in a place like that, especially when the men there are more likely to be looking at you rather than those employed there."

She wasn't sure how to take that. She supposed it was some kind of compliment, but she didn't much like being compared favourably to a stripper.

"I think you'd prefer the comfort of my house."

She glanced at him with a creeping uncertainty. There were more options than strip joints or his house, surely.

"No ... I think we'd be fine at the Mall, or getting a coffee or something ... "

She looked at him frankly.

"Strip joints and hard liqueur aren't my scene. Sure I don't mind a drink here and there, but ... "

She shrugged.

"Sitting at your house drinking all afternoon sounds almost as boring as American Lit ... "

 

[Hapa1981]

"No ... I think we'd be fine at the Mall, or getting a coffee or something ... "

He raised his eyebrow skeptically at her. "The mall?" Are you sure you're not from America? I don't think there is a bigger cliche than ditching school to hang out at the mall."

"But I suppose any of the local coffee shops will have a high probability of seeing one of our professors working their latest manuscript."

"I guess the mall it is then. Since you are going to bash my house for being boring." He enjoyed teasing her and gently pushing some of her buttons to get a reaction. "I didn't say we were going to get smashed in my dining room. One of the few benefits of my family is that my house is usually not too boring when it's filled with lots of unnecessary expensive toys."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"The mall?" Are you sure you're not from America? I don't think there is a bigger cliche than ditching school to hang out at the mall."

She smiled.

"Comes with the territory ... cross-contamination ... "

She told him.

"Would you have preferred it if I'd suggested the 'shopping centre'?"

She was unconcerned by his teasing.

"But I suppose any of the local coffee shops will have a high probability of seeing one of our professors working their latest manuscript."

She hadn't considered that. Fortunately she hadn't run across any of their professors before whilst she'd been wandering through the shops.

"I guess the mall it is then. Since you are going to bash my house for being boring."

She laughed at his accusation.

"I didn't say we were going to get smashed in my dining room. One of the few benefits of my family is that my house is usually not too boring when it's filled with lots of unnecessary expensive toys."

She considered his words.

"That's true, but you said you were heading home to 'crash' the liqueur cabinet. No word of 'unnecessary expensive toys', but I guess I'll keep an open mind as to the 'boring factor'..."

She told him magnanimously.

"... if your place runs to coffee though, I might be persuaded to give up the retail therapy... "

She told him innocently.

 

[Hapa1981]

They made their way across the quad of the campus. Ethan led the way toward his car. Few of the students actually had their car on campus, mainly because getting a parking spot is so difficult.

"Well of course, nothing would be boring with me at your side..... I'm pretty certain those were the next words coming out of your mouth." He enjoyed joking with her even if it was at his own expense.

"Well, we can start at the mall and go from there. May as well embrace the American Way while we're here and you can show me some true Brit fun down the line."

Pushing th ebutton to the car, it unlocked and they hopped in the car.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Well of course, nothing would be boring with me at your side..... I'm pretty certain those were the next words coming out of your mouth."

She laughed and commented smoothly.

"Sure ... if that's what you want to think ... "

Somehow things seemed companionable between them and they soon found themselves at his car. She hadn't really thought far enough to speculate as to whether he would drive them, but the prospect was definitely more fun than using public transport.

"Well, we can start at the mall and go from there. May as well embrace the American Way while we're here and you can show me some true Brit fun down the line."

She shrugged as she slid into the passenger seat. She had never really gotten used to it being on the right hand side of the car. Yet another cultural clash, she thought.

"I guess we can do the American Thing if we must ... "

She told him and she buckled up.

"Though I've never really found what 'true Brit fun' is supposed to be ... "

She turned her head to look at her new companion beside her.

"... as long as we're away from this place, I really don't care what we do ... "

She told him accommodatingly.