The rest of the day passed fairly quickly for Tua - eat lunch with her friends, attend her classes (and enthusiastically engage in the ones she had actually wanted to take, and that didn't just exist because the college wanted to drain her bank account dry), etc.
It was well past ten at night, and she was drying her hair in her dorm room. Savannah was at her desk, tiredly sketching out something or another and half-heartedly listening to a YouTube video that was breaking down some kind of calculus problem. Tua winced sympathetically.
She had some free time to knock out most of her homework- except for one painting project assigned in her art class. She always waited for a sunny day to paint outside if she could, and besides, art wasn't something you could rush whenever you wanted to.
It had been another good day, all things considered. The ink from a pen drawing she had drawn onto her arm bled into her sheets as Tua closed her eyes and fell asleep.
(Real quick- I gotta go for a bit. I'll probably be back on later tonight- like probably a LOT later tonight. Sorry!! Also, do you mind me doing time skips the way I have been? Idk how I feel about trying to write out scenes both characters aren't in, sorry if it's annoying.)
Kyran dragged himself through the rest of his day and it didn't get much better. Things had gone okay but his mood was still dark.
It was almost 11 by the time he walked into his dorm, dropping his bag by the door. He was one of the lucky few who had a single dorm so he didn't have to worry about a roommate although it did get pretty lonely sometimes. Being feared at school and living alone did have its downsides. He dropped onto his bed with a heavy sigh, running his hands tiredly through his hair.
(Real quick- I gotta go for a bit. I'll probably be back on later tonight- like probably a LOT later tonight. Sorry!! Also, do you mind me doing time skips the way I have been? Idk how I feel about trying to write out scenes both characters aren't in, sorry if it's annoying.)
(No no no, it's fine! Honestly, for your first time roleplaying, you're doing really well! I didn't do nearly this well on my first forum for quite some time)
(Of course! Like I said, don't be afraid to ask questions! It's something I definitely should've done and didn't when I first started)
(Seeing it say "Open like a book; Closed" made me so confused XD)
(Yeah, I suppose that can look a little confusing if you only glance over the title, can't it?)
Tua woke up feeling like she had gotten hit by a truck. Whoever lived in the dorm next to her and Savannah enjoyed setting their alarm for ungodly hours of the morning at random days of the week, and today apparently was one of those days.
Oh well. She was awake now, might as well go for a run or something. Tua untangled herself from her sheets with a groan, nearly falling off the small bed and onto her face. Looking up, she could dimly make out Savannah's form in the dim light-her roommate had apparently passed out at her desk. The instructional video was still playing, although Savannah had apparently been considerate enough to turn it down while Tua slept.
She raked her hair out of her face and slipped into some socks and a warm pair of sweatpants. Her running jacket was stashed in the closet, and she retrieved it as quietly as she could, wincing as the door creaked. Her earbuds, phone, and pepper spray were all laid out on her desk.
5.13?
Whoever kept setting those alarms next door was a maniac.
Well, it'd be stupid to go back to bed now, and the universe clearly wanted her awake. Tua shrugged her shoulders and made her way out the door and down to the outdoors.
(Idk if posting while the other person isn't there is?? allowed??? Sorry if it's considered rude or something???????)
(Not at all, it's fine! Personally, I like having something to wake up to)
Kyran's morning started better than yesterday. His alarm actually went off so now he could go for his morning run. He changed into a black tank top and a pair of running shorts along with his running shoes. He pushed in his earbuds as he headed outside, taking a deep breath of the cool morning air.
Tua was suitably less cranky now. The sky was beginning to turn pink over the campus, hinting at the beginnings of the sunrise. The fall leaves crunched a little underfoot as she ran on the sidewalk.
Well, the Universe knew best, she supposed. It was a beautiful morning.
She stopped and crashed on a bench nearby, taking a swig from her water bottle. That campus looked so picturesque like this, in the dim purple lights contrasting with the deep darks and greens of the forest beyond the campus. She really should do a painting of this at some point. Tua took out one of her earbuds to better enjoy the silence of the early morning, taking another drink from her water.
She frowned and paused her music completely… Had she just heard footsteps? Another early morning runner??
Just in case, she fingered her pepper spray.
Yep, it was definitely another student runner. Tua relaxed a little as a figure approached on the sidewalk, barely visible in the dim light.
Kyran stayed on his track, watching the sunrise as he ran. Since he'd slept in yesterday, he was going twice as far to make up for it. His earbuds were blasting his music and his breaths were heavy as he wiped sweat from his forehead.
Yep, Kyran was unintentionally gorgeous, like he always was. Though it's not like he knew or acknowledged it.
Tua was almost done with her little rest.
She kinda wanted to say hi to whatever other brave soul was running this early. Maybe they could be friends and go running together sometime, that would be fun. All her other friends hated any form of exercise with a passion (Savannah claimed it was against her religion whenever Tua asked), having a running buddy would be fun.
She waved enthusiastically from her place on the bench, and then stopped, squinting at the figure.
Was that…? It was. No wonder she had been woken up a little earlier than normal.
The Universe CLEARLY wanted good things for her, there was no other explanation- maybe this was good karma from her campaign to save the manatees earlier that year?
"Good morning!!" She called brightly, standing up on the path as Kyran got closer.
Kyran slowed to a stop begrudgingly, breathing heavily and taking the opportunity to wipe his face.
"What are you doing up so early? Usually I'm the only one out here at such an hour." His mood was clearly better than yesterday but his tone was still slightly irritated because that's just who Kyran is.
He swept his hair back, the muscles in his arms twitching as they rested, looking her over with a frown.
Was he… Talking to her?? Huh, that was new. He didn't even look like he was considering throwing her out the nearest window. Maybe it was because there were no windows around?
"My neighbor is a psycho, so I woke up a little early," Tua replied cheerfully. "Besides, I like running before people are out and about. It's pretty. How about you?"
WHY was he gorgeous while he was running. By what witchcraft. NO ONE looked good running??? It was way too early in the morning for her heart to be doing things, whyyyy.
"I always go running in the mornings. Helps me wake up. Besides, it's always so peaceful out here before everyone is awake. I find it quite calming. Although I can't say I ever took you for a runner." His face deadpanned.
"Then again, I didn't take you as much of anything other than a thorn in my side so there's that."
Ah, there we go. She had been getting a little concerned.
"Why, been thinking about me?" She asked cheekily, throwing in some finger guns for maximum effect.
He rolled his eyes with a snort.
"Please, don't flatter yourself. It's more likely that you've been thinking about me rather than the other way around." A slightly smug smirk crossed his lips as he raised an eyebrow at her.
"What do you think? Am I on the right track?"
"Something like that," Tua said thoughtfully. "That's your fault, not mine, though. And if you wanted me to flatter you instead, all you had to do was ask!"
He rolled his eyes again, this girl was impossible.
"Please don't, I got enough of that back in high school, thank you very much."
"Too many compliments? The horror," Tua shook her head with what she hoped was a properly sympathetic expression. "I, too, often struggle with legions of admirers. See, we have so much in common!"
He didn't dare encourage her antics with an answer, just shaking his head in disappointment. She could really be too much sometimes.
Tua grinned even wider.
"Sooooo, I've still got a lap or two or three to go, buddy system?"
He hadn't walked away yet, so hey. That was something.
Kyran contemplated it for a minute. Sure, he despised the girl and everything she stood for but he'd hate himself if he let her go alone and later find out something happened to her. Dammit, how did she always manage to weasel her way back into his life?
He sighed in defeat. "I guess. Can't have you getting murdered by someone that isn't me, can I?"
