. late applicant, open...

[Bella Hayes]

‘A late applicant’ she read the word aloud from the yellow sheet describing her status and to be shown to teachers if requested at the start of a lesson. The wind was blowing hard and the sunlight was fighting hard to escape but it wouldn’t let up and the clouds engulf the grass back into shadow. Not that it mattered as she sat under the wooden bench bleachers.
Her stuff had not yet arrived and all she had was a single book to keep her amused until she could find the school library, with that solemn thought she leaned back into the creaky wooden bench pulling an old leather bound book back out from her shoulder bag.
No-one has passed her yet, it seemed ghostly to how silent even the winds blew.
“It is early” she reminded herself folding her fingertips back across the cold leather spine, even the kitchens hadn’t opened for breakfast.
As the clouds finally settled and the light had decided to stay in place she stood folding the book back across her waist and collecting her shoulder bag.
Walking back along the courtyard she looks for any signs of archery or fencing ,smirking slightly at none she shook her head letting the dark locks pass by her ears and wisp across her skin.

[Avalyn Roderick]

Ava walked to the courtyard, the wind making her hair fly, and eyes water. She was walking by heself, Caleb was busy, and she hadn't made any other new friends yet.

She had just came back from lessons and her arms were full of books, the wind was blowing hard, and she kept her head down, and papers clasped tightly. Needless to say, one flew away. Sighing she chased after it.

She reached to grab it, and turned around swiftly, knocking into a girl.

"Oh I'm so sorry," she exclaimed flustered, graping tighly to her books, willing them to not fly away.

[Bella Hayes]

Being off guard she turned slightly from the nudge dropping her own book to the ground. looking at the girl for a moment before shaking her head indication an apology was un-necessary.

“No …Its fine…an honest mistake” she commented before leaning forward to collect her book ,the pages had been blowing over while left on the ground, she snapped it shut before standing .Re-ajusting the red shoulder strap of her bag so it lay flat again to her shoulder.

“Are you ok?” she always felt like she had to check, physical pain had to be at an extreme before she could feel it, but others ‘humans’ could feel as much as a paper cut.

[Avalyn Roderick]

The girl had dropped her own book, and she reached down to pick it up, before asked how she was.

"I'm fine." She said smiling, "It takes more then that to get me down."

Reaching our her hand she said "I'm Ava, nice to meet you"

[Bella Hayes]

She shuffled the book into her left hand ,shaking the Ava’s with her right.

“like wise” she smiled gently ,maybe this place wasn’t as ghostly as she had first thought.

“I’m Bella…Is that for private reading or are they just class books” she questioned seeing that Ava was struggling with the load. Flipping her own back at her waist she pulled her shoulder sack back to rest on the front of her waist, undoing the zipper she placed the book inside then returning her attention to Ava.

[Avalyn Roderick]

"Well, both really, as well as a friend's," Ava replied remembered how Ryder had dumped all his books on her, before wisking away, to flirt with some girl or another.

"I went to the library as well, I heard they had gotton new books over the summer. You interested in reading?"

[Bella Hayes]

She laughed alittle “you don’t think its mad to like books?” a rhetorical questioned most teens preferred to watch TV or take substances from her experience.

Her dark lips pulled back again to a friendly smile as a idea crossed her mind. “how about I help you lug them to where-ever they are going and you show me the library…I seem to have been left to find my own way around”

The winds roared again this time from behind Bella, taking the long waves of her hazel hair back over the pale skin of her face. Shaking her head slightly they fell back into place though she used a hand to brush the last few strands away from her eyes.

[Avalyn Roderick]

She shrugged as the girl laughed at her, "A little," she replied uncertainly, shuffling her feet.

As Bella offered to help, a grin of relief crossed her face, her shoulders were killing her. She gladly handed over some on the books.

"So you're new here? I was wondering why I haven't seen you around," she remarked, as she led the way to the library.

[Bella Hayes]

She took the books and held them by wrapping her arms back across the covers and pressing them to her waist and torso.

“Yes I arrived this morning , I was told the school had a ‘acceptance’ for all types of students but I haven’t seen any-one else around yet.

She said while following Ava back along the courtyard pathway towards the buildings.

[Avalyn Roderick]

With less to carry, she felt cheerful already.

"They tend to hand out at the local nightclub, and get piss drunk," she said laughing. "Quite a lot of them are..." she paused thinking of the girls she saw at the nighclub herself, "Lets just say rebellious."

As she looked at the girl she found herself wondering where she came from, and how old she was. She kept quiet though, she herself hated people asking her to many questions.

[Bella Hayes]

She smirked as Ava spoke about what seemed rather un-ruley class mates.
“that seems more like soul destroying to me…then im not what you would call a social drinker”

The books slide down alittle at her waist ,passing her right hand back under the spines she pulled them back into place before seeing Ava’s attempts to read her with subtle glances.

“Seventeen and lived in London before alittle traveling with a friend…what about you?” she questioned “how did you end up here”
Bella was always quite straight to the point though never meaning to seem rude.

[Avalyn Roderick]

Thinking back to her own drinking experience, and the terrible hangover that followed, she grimced and replied, "Me neither."

“Seventeen and lived in London before alittle traveling with a friend…what about you?” she heard the girl say, “how did you end up here”

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks

"Oh... I didnt mean to be rude, I just - well you know - its best- I'll think I'll shut up now." she stared at her shoes, to hide her cheeks.

Then she remember the second part of the question.

"Well, my father was...busy," she internally snorted at the understatement, "so I figured why not."

[Bella Hayes]

“no its not rude…I don’t mind answering anything” she nodded softly at Ava’s answer.
“ahh fathers” she commented as they passed the outside pathway of the school.
“Mine was always busy also…then again he wanted a boy”smileing she looked at the school. “So when’s first lesson”

[Avalyn Roderick]

"I know all about it" she said groaning.

She reached to check her watch, and her mouth dropped open, and she got clumps of hair blown into her face.

"Less then ten minutes, we've got to hurry!" she siad quickening her pace, she hated being late for lessons.

[Bella Hayes]

"what?" she followed after ava who had seemed to already have made distance up along the path.
"which lesson?" the books slipped again and she recoved them in the same movement as before.