An hour and a half later, Tua could conclude with certainty that her calling was NOT in technical analysis. Or IT. Or engineering. Or anything that required a remote knowledge of computers.
She had managed to dredge up some articles on a Science Decathlon he had won four years in a row- good for him? He had graduated with flawless grades as student body president. He had also apparently been EXTREMELY dedicated to the school's Science Club- there was an entire article about some local teacher or another gushing about how the school had been trying to cut funding for it, only for Kyran to step in like a true White Knight of Nerddom and argue against it.
… And he was majoring in BUSINESS? Odd.
Tua looked over her notes and added a simple 'BIZ???' at the bottom. She'd continue that thought later. Back to the task at hand, with all of those glowing articles and reports, not a single picture of him with his parents or siblings was attached to the articles. And she KNEW how reporters loved to include those touchy-feely glowing pictures of teary mothers and proud fathers hovering over their successful child. Sketchy.
She'd have Savannah help her look into it later- first though, work. Tua groaned to herself as she packed her things up.
Work, and then a chat with her soulmate. Tua had a feeling she should ask Kyran one last time if it was okay to dig around in his past like this. She knew she wouldn't be okay with it.
(I hate that I keep posting so late btw, I'm really sorry. 2021 has been lowkey kicking my butt. In other news, a wild plot thread has appeared in my head since, so… That will hopefully be a thing?? (:< )
(I will tell you right now, the hardest part about role-playing is trying to keep a plot going! Trying to figure out where to take things after you solve one plot line can be pretty tough so I will take any plot ideas you could ever come up with)
(And don't worry about it! We all get busy!)
Kyran nearly slapped himself. This was not the kind of person his parents had raised him to be. He supposed to be the calm, level-headed genius, not some emotional mess crying over some friendship. His parents had hated the fact that he was friends with Seth, said he would distract Kyran from his work when in reality, they probably just hated the fact that he had someone outside who could see everything they put him through.
Tua's shift had FINALLY ended, hallelujah. She waved goodbye to a few of her work friends and made her way back to campus. She walked straight for the library- debate club was tonight, so she was a little short on time.
Hopefully Kyran was still here.
A short walk later, she found herself in the library, waving enthusiastically to get her crush's attention.
Kyran sighed when he saw Tua waving lime a mad woman. He brushed his hair out of his face before dragging himself over to her. "What is it now? Just here to bug me at work again?"
"Yep!" Tua replied unrepentantly. She dropped both her bag and herself onto a nearby table.
"Actually, I don't have long, sorry. I just wanted to triple check reaaallly quickly about something. You're cool with this, right? Me digging around in you past? Because, I know 90% of the people I know would hate that."
He simply raised an eyebrow at her with a deadpan stare. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? You did talk to Seth and he loves to run his mouth so I'm sure you know a little more than you wanted to find out." He shrugged. "If you want to give up on this and think that it's more work than it's worth, you can just tell me."
"Woah, woah there!" Tua raised her hands palm outwards. "You're not scaring me off that easily, gorgeous. I just unfortunately have a working conscience. I only stalk people with explicit permission, I'm afraid." She lowered her hands to the surface of the table she was sitting on. "As far as what I did find out so far, I won't tell all just yet, but. Science, huh? It seemed to be kind of a thing for young-Kyran. Why business?"
He laughed humorlessly. "You know the story. Why do you think? I wanted to be a chemical scientist. I wanted to work in a lab and have a doctorate. But my family is nothing but businessmen, having a scientist isn't in the cards."
"Screw the cards. It's your life, not you family's. Also, businessmen kinda suck nine times out of ten." Tua paused for a moment, deliberating, and then lowered her voice. "Honestly, that sounds a lot like a friend of mine. Tight expectations from her family that didn't line up with what she wanted. Trust me, she's lived to regret it. I'm not trying to tell you what to do or anything, but if I were you I wouldn't make her mistake."
His eye twitched in irritation. "It's not expectations. It's force. My father is best friends with a lot of the college's administration so if he wants something done or not, he can make it happen. I have no control. It's not my life. It's whatever they want it to be." He sighed. "I'm not unique. So they force me into the cookie cutter ways that they've always done."
Tua frowned. She did NOT envy Kyran's home life- if her mother had done anything like this to her, she would have been livid.
"He has that much power? Why not transfer to a different college? There's only so much a parent can do legally because of FERPA once their student is 18. One of my brothers actually had a really similar case a while ago. Actually, come to think of it, the Dean here probably wouldn't want to try and violate that Act, that would put the institution in a lot of trouble with both the government and with future prospective students," She ranted irately.
"Like hell I could. I'm under lock and key, I can't do shit. This is the freest I'll be probably ever. Once I graduate, it's off to create a new business under the watchful eye of my father." He shook his head, running his hands through his hair. "Look, I shouldn't be talking about this. You've got somewhere to be and I have work to do. Just drop it for now."
Tua opened her mouth to protest and then shut it a second later. He was… kinda right. She had given some advice, he hadn't wanted it- pushing further would be rude. She sighed and held up her hands in mock surrender.
"Fine, fine. I'll let it go for now. That's just not a great way to live- you're not going to get another shot at life, y''know?" Tua trailed off for a second thoughtfully and then shoved her hands into her pocket for a stray piece of paper she had been doodling on earlier. She scribbled the time and adress of the bowling alley she had invited Seth to.
"Here- I almost forgot! Speaking of living, me and some friends are meeting up to go bowling, if you wanted to come along. Seth might be there, so it's not like you won't know anyone. Also me!" Tua added hastily, batting her eyelashes so hard that it hurt a little.
"If you bat your lashes any harder, they're going to fly off." He flicked her forehead with a small chuckle. "Dork. Now get going before you're late and the librarian yells at me."
Tua's entire face turned bright red. WITHOUT her permission. Rude.
"I'll- um. Yep. I'll do that. I'll see you around!" Tua grabbed her bag and jumped off the table, upending a chair in the process. She cursed under her breath and righted it before heading for the door.
She would have to let Nacho, Lucy, and Savannah know that they may be having another guest for bowling week.
…Making their teams uneven again. Oops. Savnnah was going to skin her.
He watched her go before returning to his work. If he was going to possibly date the woman, he had to prove that he could be more than just cold and stoic, right? So he could show her a little playfulness and warmth every once in a while. Just to prove to her and himself that he wasn't a total robot.
(Possibly date, you say? (:< )
Tua couldn't help but be in a good mood for the rest of the day. 'Dork?' that had definitely been flirting, right?
And then she had turned red and stuttered like a middle schooler. Tua put her head into her hands and groaned. she was supposed to be the smooth one in this relationship, damn it.
"I'm beginning to think you're actually bipolar or something," Savannah commented beside her. She was scrolling through her phone lazily, one leg across Lucy's lap. Lucy was either dead or asleep, Tua could never tell. "Something on your mind?"
"Yeeees. Kyran. I think I might be wearing him down! Also I invited him to bowling nightIhopethatsfine."
"Doubtful." Savannah muttered. At the same time, Lucy jerked awake with an undignified snort.
"Wha-? You invited someone else-?"
"Hey, I'm the one who STARTED bowling night! I invite whom I please." Tua told her. Lucy flopped backwards on the couch.
"So the teams are uneven like always if both him and that Seth guy show up. Great."
"You'll live," Tua said absently.
"And how is your mission to become a legitimate stalker going?"
"It's not stalking if it's consensual, thank you very much. And it's going… not great. I have a couple of leads, but. Yeah, I'm not great at this," Tua admitted. Lucy hummed without moving.
"Wow. If only you had a friend who is a future engineer and speaks Python more fluently than English." Tua froze.
"Nacho? I didn't even think about that. Do you think…?"
"Just saying. Off record, you know. On record, I think you shouldn't be a stalker, and I think all men are terrible."
"Thanks for that, Lucy."
(Ohohoho you read my mind)
Kyran had been fighting with himself his entire shift, wondering if he should go with Seth to bowling night. He couldn't even remember the last time he went bowling. But eventually he relented, sighing internally as he texted Seth that he would be tagging along.
Seth: You? Coming with? Who are you and what have you done with my best friend.
Kyran: I'm serious, Seth. Not like I have anything better to do. Besides, if I have the possibility of dating her, I should get to know her beyond the annoying procrastinator, right?
Seth: I suppose. But I'm still suspicious that you've been replaced by some weird clone.
Tua hummed along to the song she had playing next to her while she evaluated her canvas. She had finally decided to go with a simple picture of the campus in the morning for her project, and so far she was satisfied with the results. She swirled her paintbrush around in her palate to blend the colors.
Kyran and Seth hadn't gotten back to her about bowling night, but she hadn't expected them too. Either way, it would be fun- it had been way too long since the last time she had gotten her friends away from their problems on campus.
Not thinking about that now, though. It had been too good of a day for that crap.
Tua added a few more strokes and then carried her palate, cup, and brushes to the sink to watch the sun set out the window while she cleaned up.
Seth finished up a few projects for his psychology class before texting Tua that they would, in fact, be there tonight. Seth was honestly surprised that Kyran was coming. He hadn't really been expecting it, he thought that he would turn her down once again. But he had the right idea. Seth just sighed. Was he doing the right thing? Was letting Tua invade his life the way she was the right thing to do? He dropped his head into his hands. "Not everyone is going to hurt you like they did, Kyran. You don't need to test them like they are." He muttered under his breath.
Tua woke up groggily at about 7, and reached for her phone beside her bed. She winced at the bright light, and tried to squint at her notifications. Her only class for the day had been cancelled because the Professor had a cold (didn't want to come)- lit. A text from Seth? Tua grinned brightly when she read through it. Well, she hadn't been expecting that. It was a good day already!
"Savannah." She whisper shouted at the other bed crammed into the small room. "Savannah."
"What?" Her friend grunted sleepily.
"Seth and Kyran are coming tonight!"
"I don't care. Goodnight." Her friend disappeared back into a giant fluffy blanket that Tua was positive had been hers at some point.
"Savannnaaahhh you told me we could get coffee and sketch together!" No response. Tua clambered gracelessly out of her bed and started pulling at the blanket.
"What're you- cut that out-" Savannah made a strangled hissing noise as Tua finally managed to yank the blaket away from her. Tua sat patiently through the ensuing string of insults and curse words.
"You ready now?"
"Fiiiine," Savannah climbed out of her own bed and grabbed her toiletries tote. "Lets go get ready."
Kyran woke up and stared at the ceiling for a moment. Today was his "day off" in a sense, seeing as he only had one class in the afternoon that was canceled for the week since the professor was on vacation. So he had more than enough time to kill. He turned to look out the window, watching the sun rise as he contemplated life.
Savannah had stopped grumbling when they were both seated outside in the breeze with a hot cup of coffee and sketchbooks ready.
"See, I don't know what you were fussing about." Tua told her smugly, beginning to sketch out her friend's profile. Savannah made a noncommittal noise and begin sorting through her colored pencils.
"Whatever. What are you working on?"
"Just-for-fun stuff. Are you going to work on The Thing?" Tua asked, deepening her voice for effect. Savannah rolled her eyes.
"I really probably should do my Comp homework."
"With colored pencils?"
"…No. Fine, yeah. I'm goofing off instead of doing my homework like an adult, I hope you're happy."
"I am!" Tua replied cheerfully. "I'm excited for tonight, mostly. Did I tell you Kyran is coming?"
"Three times now, yes." Savannah said drily. Tua let out a happy sigh, setting her cup down dangerously near the edge of the table.
"I'm wearing him down, see! Before you know it, he will be willingly holding multiple conversations with me a week."
"I still can't believe you think him putting up with your madness is equivalent to him having feelings for you." Savannah said, drawing the word 'feelings' out like it was a curse.
"Ooo, equivalent. That's a big word this early in the morning! Can I borrow the pink?" Students were beginning to show up for their morning cup of coffee all around them. A tired-looking senior began his shift behind the counter, probably bracing for rush hour. Tua winced in sympathy.
Kyran was rather enjoying his contemplating when there was an annoyingly loud knock at the door. Said knock belonged to Seth. "Why the hell are you at my door this early in the morning?" "Because I want coffee and you're coming with me." "…why??" "Because I have nothing better to do and I know you have nothing better to do so yeah!" Kyran sighed. "You're a simple creature, Seth." "Guilty as charged. Now come on, shake a leg and get dressed! I'll be waiting!"
And wait he did as Kyran pulled himself together and stepped out of his dorm. Seth grabbed his wrist, near dragging him across campus to the coffee shop when he spotted Tua and Savannah sitting outside. "Now what in the plot convenience is this?" Seth came to a stop near their table with a bright smile. "Morning ladies!"
Savannah jumped nearly a foot in the air. Tua laughed and grinned.
"Morning, gents! Fancy seeing you here." She snagged a chair with her left hand and dragged it to the table. "Care to sit?"
(Also. 'What in the plot convenience?' was golden XD)
(Hehe, small 4th wall breaks are fun)
"Why thank you m'lady, we'd love to." Seth grabbed another seat and forced Kyran down into it, placing him directly next to Tua. "What are you two doing out here so early in the morning?"
