impromptu picnic // arynn

[Carson Brooks]

Carson finished writing the homework up on the dry erase board and turned back around to face the class. "You don't have to get all fancy. Just give me the basics and we'll call it good. But... if you want extra credit, I want real life examples of how it works." He tucked the dry erase marker in his pocket without really thinking about it and closed the master textbook on his desk just as the bell rang at noon. "Get out of here and get some lunch. Go on, shoo. Homework on my desk on Thursday!" He watched the kids pack up and file out with a sense of satisfaction. It had been a good class today. Well, unless you counted Erika making half the desks vanish halfway through the lesson, but that was par for the course with her. A little bit of grumbling and some creative rearranging later, and they were back to the basic principles of inertia. No harm, no foul. He'd probably have to file a report about the missing desks, though. Food first. Then reports.

The weather was gorgeous outside, and that's exactly where Carson headed after stashing his stuff in his bag and locking up the classroom. With all the abilities of the people who resided at the Academy, he wasn't entirely sure why they locked anything anymore. Maybe it was just out of habit. He knew at least two people just in his last class that could have gotten in without a problem, though by different means. He continued to ponder this issue as he jogged down the steps and into the sunshine. He had one more class today, but maybe he'd go for a run afterward. It was the perfect day for it.

Carson's first stop was his bike. The Suzuki JSX-R was parked in the teacher's lot not too far away. There was a set of saddlebags strapped to the back, and though it marred the gorgeous lines of the sleek machine, it sure did come in handy. He pulled out a brown paper bag, the kind kids always used for lunch when he was little. He used them for the same purpose. Inside was a half soggy sandwich, a can of soda, some chips, and an apple. It wasn't much, but he didn't usually get fancy with lunch. He told himself he enjoyed simple things, but the truth was that he was lazy about it. Well, and he couldn't cook all that well. Those were definite contributing factors to the simple sack lunch.

Carson didn't eat at his bike, though. He made his way to the courtyard and sat on a bench, figuring he could eat and watch people at the same time. It was hard for him to interact with people physically, but he could watch them and talk to them. He pulled out his sandwich, a simple ham and lettuce on white, and dug in.

[Arynn Carter]

Mouth opening wide in an overpowering yawn, Arynn shut the massive book full of Edgar Allen Poe's works and shoved it to the side of her desk. She turned her eyes away from the students retreating from her classroom. Girls in their little cliques chattering excitedly to each other, a couple of guys rough housing and talking about some sport or another, there were the loners, the nerds... some of those banded together and then there were those that insisted on thinking they had to be alone. She'd work on them as the semester progressed. Arynn hated sad things. She'd had enough of them throughout her life. It was one of the reasons she had turned out the kind of person she was today. It was why she, more or less, did what she wanted. There weren't many things that scared her, especially when it came to social interaction, because life was too short for her not to do the things that she felt made her happy. Her desire to help others be happy stemmed from that desire in her to be happy herself. She hated watching movies or reading books that had sad endings. And when she said hated... she meant HATED. Like, with a passion.

Flipping bangs out of her eyes, Arynn slid back her chair and moved over to the window. It was such a nice day that she decided that she would eat outside in the courtyard. She liked being outside better than inside anyway. And it would be positively criminal if she stayed inside on such a day as this. She sidled over to the small fridge unit in the corner of her classroom next to her desk and opened the door to pull out her homemade lasagna. She'd made the meal last night and these were left overs. Not like it mattered. Her food was almost as good as leftovers as when she'd first made it. Grabbing a plastic fork, she threw her bag full of homework to grade and notes for the next class over her shoulder and ambled out of the room.

Eventually, she made it out to the courtyard. Arynn took a moment to inhale deeply and bask in the day's warmth before looking around to choose a good spot where she could sit, relax, and eat. And then a small smile began curling her glossy lips. She hadn't been at the academy for very long and so had not had the opportunity to really meet any of the other professors. Yet here was one across the courtyard, sitting all by himself, and he looked good enough to eat. Which meant that she was all over that. It was important to get to know your coworkers, after all. Like, were they married? And other such... pertinent information. Her smiled deepened.

Starting across the courtyard toward him, she managed a few hellos to students she knew and for some she didn't. A few minutes later she was standing in front of the male teacher with a beaming smile, food in one hand, and her other grasping the strap of her shoulder bag. "Ello, mind if I sit 'ere?" Her English accent was there, but not overwhelming. She was still working on it, too.

[Carson Brooks]

Carson quickly determined that the weather was better than the food. There was a gentle breeze that ruffled his hair and the sun was warm on what little bit of skin he had exposed. He wouldn't say he was exactly afraid of touching people, but he wasn't a fan of it when it was unexpected. Covering up cut down on accidental contact which, in turn, meant he didn't overload himself with people's powers and blow up the school. It was an annoyance, but he was rather fond of the Academy and didn't want to see it ripped apart by twelve different powers.

Watching the people that strolled by, Carson crossed his legs at the ankle and polished off his sandwich. There had always been a wide variety of people at Silas. Some people appeared different because of their power, and others appeared different because they chose to. Most of them, though, looked just like anyone else. There was nothing on the outside that gave a clue to the power within them. As his eyes scanned the passersby, he caught sight of someone staring at him. A female someone who could have been an older student or a younger teacher. And she was watching him.

Carson continued to watch her as she made her slow approach, stopping to greet the people she obviously knew. Teacher, he guessed, and a gorgeous one. He popped the occasional potato chip in his mouth while he watched. It wasn't long before she was standing in front of him with a container in one hand and the strap of her bag in the other. He shook his head just very slightly before he could stop it, not at her question, but at what wanted to come out of his mouth. Something along the lines of Damn, you're gorgeous. He could almost hear the signature being scrawled on the sexual harassment form from here, so he kept that particular observation to himself. And she was English which was just... hot. This woman spelled trouble.

"Sure, you can sit here." He paused to give her time to sit. "The day the teachers get assigned seating for lunch, I'm leaving." He said it on a joking way with a smile tugging on the corners of his lips. That's when he actually saw what was in her little container. He stopped moving and his eyes widened. Someone passing by might have thought he'd just seen a ghost. "Oh. My. God. Is that lasagna?" He blinked then, and realized he must be coming off as a total nut job. He shook his head and pried his eyes away from the food to look at the woman sitting next to him. "Sorry. It's just that I haven't seen real food in awhile. It's like an endangered species at my house." He then held out his gloved hand, figuring she was new. "Carson Brooks. I teach physics, manners, how to tie shoelaces, and apparently also answer questions about why there are letters in algebra. Mostly just physics, though."

[Arynn Carter]

Be still my beating heart, she thought. His eyes are gorgeous! It was the first thing that popped into her mind when he moved his head to look up at her. Arynn cocked her head ever so slightly in response to seeing his own start to shake but then immediately stop. She hid the confused frown that wanted to pull down her mouth. She certainly hoped that wasn't the answer to her wanting to sit next to him. That simply wouldn't do. How was she supposed to get to know a very hot tea--her coworker if he wouldn't even let her sit next to him. Thankfully, the words that came tumbling out of his mouth were much more agreeable. Smiling brightly in response, she slid the bag off her shoulder and set it on the ground propped up by edge of the bench and settled herself onto the other half of the seat.

Holding the container of lasagna in her lap, a pleasant smile still on her lips, Arynn looked over at him and opened her mouth to respond to his comment about teacher's getting assigned lunch seating but the witty comeback she had died on her tongue as he all but freaked out about her choice of lunch. Crystalline blue eyes glanced down to the lasagna with an almost surprised expression and then turned them back onto him. "Yes?" she replied with a breathy chuckle. His reaction had been amusing, to say the least.

Oh, that was the perfect opening to find out the one thing at the top of her list of things to find out about him. Those eyes dropped to regard his gloved hand for only half a second before she was sliding her slender fingers across his palm and grasping it to shake briefly. She couldn't help but wonder why he was wearing gloves which meant she was also wondering about his powers. She honestly should have gone over the academy roster better, but she'd been so focused on learning the faces and powers of her students that she hadn't had much time for looking over those of her fellow professors. Such a shame, too. Oh well. She liked finding things out the old fashioned way.

Bringing her hand back, she used it to tuck some stray strands of her wavy hair behind an ear and then popped off the lid of the container. Arynn found herself laughing lightly as Carson introduced himself. She liked his sense of humor already. "Don't forget babysitting them when they're naughty," she added with an amused smile. A smile that she turns back onto him. Eyes glittering with mirth. "Arynn Carter. I teach basically anything that has to do with the written word, which means, more often than not, that I'm teaching them how to look smart on paper. Easier said than done, I'm afraid. Oh, and I teach the Martial Arts class and oversee the advanced use of the simulation rooms."

Picking up her plastic utensil to dig into a corner of the moist lasagna, she asked, in a deceptively nonchalant way, "You mean your wife doesn't cook you real food?" She hadn't seen a ring on his finger (of course she looked!) but that didn't mean he wasn't married or otherwise taken. She had known plenty of men that didn't wear their wedding rings for one reason or another. She plopped the bite of lasagna in her mouth as she waited for his answer. Arynn was an incorrigible flirt, but she considered married men off-limits. Happy endings and all that.

[Carson Brooks]

Carson could tell the woman was a little confused by his reaction to her lunch. Even as leftovers, it looked like good lasagna. Still, it wouldn't be good to make a coworker thing he was insane. Luckily, she must not think he was too off his rocker because she reached out and shook his hand. "Pretty name." It was times like this that he wanted to be able to shut his power off. He wanted to actually feel her hand in his and wondered if she had calluses or if her hands were soft and cared for. A person's hands said a lot about them. He already had one student's power, though, and he didn't want to push his luck. The kid was a water manipulator which was pretty nifty. But the more abilities Carson gained, the more unpredictable they became and the more dangerous the situation got. It was better to play it safe. He'd learned that the hard way.

Carson grinned at her introduction. "Martial arts, huh?" She definitely looked like someone would could kick butt and take names, but it intrigued him that she mainly taught English and literature. "I'll be sure to watch my step and use proper grammar at all times, ma'am." He grinned and nearly laughed, but it was at himself. He didn't mind strong women. He liked them, in fact. There was something off-putting about a woman who couldn't take care of herself. He tried to shake off the thoughts that kept swirling around in his mind. Arynn was just sitting here sharing space for lunch. He shouldn't be automatically eyeing her for a dating prospect. She was beautiful, though. And her accent was starting to get to him.

Carson popped another potato chip into his mouth as Arynn started to dig into her lasagna. Her question brought a frown to his face as he shook his head. "Nah, no wife. I have a chocolate lab named Trudy, but she's not very good at cooking. It's the lack of thumbs, I think." When he looked toward her, he had to squint against the sun, but it made a pretty backdrop for her. He shook some crumbs and salt from his gloved hand, then pulled the gloves off completely. It was warm out and the things were making him sweat. "What about you? Husband? Pets? Some crazy goldfish named Albert?" He really shouldn't be asking. Employee relationships weren't exactly against the rules, but... Why was there a but? It wasn't against the rules and he was only sharing lunch with a beautiful woman. He needed to chill out.

[Arynn Carter]

Oh, she liked his sense of humor already. She felt like it had been forever since the last time she'd been able to have a conversation with someone that was full of witty banter. The kind that put a smile on her lips and a laugh on her tongue. Not the biting, insulting kind that sometimes occurred where it felt like she had to be equally as biting to defend herself and survive or simply walk away from the conversation all together. Generally, she did the latter, but the fact still remained in that situation that she was left without any kind of conversation at all. This Carson Brooks had started making her laugh from the very first moment he'd opened his mouth. She counted that a good sign. A very good sign.

"Thank you," she said when he commented on her name being pretty. "I've always thought so." A wistful smile passed her lips, but it was fleeting. Arynn had been her mother's middle name. She chuckled at his usage of ma'am. "If you start calling me ma'am, I'm going to feel much, much older than I actually am... and I'll have to start calling you Mister Brooks to compensate. Or, perhaps, it should be sir?" The corner of her mouth curled ever so slightly in a mostly hidden smirk.

Then she dug into her lasagna and he answered her question... and it took every ounce of her self control not to let the triumphant smile that wanted to break out do just that. He might find it a little odd for her to act as if she'd just hit the jackpot or something. And he hadn't mentioned a girlfriend or anything, just his dog. If he had a girlfriend, he would have taken that opportunity to tell her so that she wouldn't get the wrong idea. Not that that necessarily stopped her. It was mainly marriage that she considered a definite no-go.

Arynn shook her head and tsked as if what he'd said about Trudy and her lack of thumbs was the saddest thing she'd heard all day. She even threw in a dramatic little sigh. "Darn those lack of thumbs. It'll get you every time." She stuck another bite of lasagna in her mouth and chewed on it almost thoughtfully... because Carson had asked her just the question she'd been waiting for and she had to give him a suitably appropriate answer.

"Could I consider a husband as a pet?" She finally mused aloud after she swallowed. A smile showed that she was teasing. "No, no husband for me. No pets. I used to have a song bird when was living in England, but I gave it to my niece. Bloody easier than carting it along with me all the way to America. I haven't found the time since to look into another pet." She turned her body a little more toward him and crossed her legs. The pencil skirt that she was wearing hiked an inch or two up on her thighs with the new position. "And if I did have a crazy goldfish, Mister Brooks, I do believe that I'd call him something more along the lines of Henry or George." It was an inside joke, at least to her, that she used those names because Henry and George were the names of some of England's more notoriously 'crazy' kings. She highly doubted he'd get it, but it made her smile anyway.

A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. "So, Carson, if I may, how do you fare against bribery?" She stuck another mouthful of the moist lasagna in her mouth and continued to watch him, fighting the smile that was beginning to form.

[Carson Brooks]

Carson couldn't help the slightly horrified look that crossed his face when she threatened to call him Mr. Brooks or sir. He got enough of that from the students. He had to fight a smile, though. He liked talking to Arynn. With her, it felt like there were five conversations going on at once and he was sure he was only aware of two at the most. There was what was being said, and there was the underlying sense of what wasn't being said. However, he got the feeling there was more to it than that. Oh, that didn't mean he was oblivious to the flirting. He just hadn't done it in awhile. He'd have to get back into the habit and quick.

"Darn those lack of thumbs. It'll get you every time." He nodded, amused by her expressions and totally agreeing with her. "Absolutely. I honestly think if Trudy had thumbs, I'd be in trouble, so maybe it's better that she doesn't." Though it was probably better that the dog didn't talk. Thumbs he could handle, but he was a little afraid of what Trudy would say if she had the ability. His thoughts went to the Bush's baked beans commercials where the golden retriever kept threatening to spill the secrets of the baked bean recipe. Definitely something Trudy would do, except it would be about the dirty socks under the bed and the plates he always left on the coffee table.

"Could I consider a husband as a pet?" Carson froze with a chip halfway to his mouth. Had he completely misread the entire conversation? Was she flirting with him or was she just one of those people who were naturally flirty without meaning anything by it? He raised his eyebrows at her, questioning. "I suppose it depends on the husband. I think most wives classify their husbands as pets, though." Even though she was smiling, he didn't really relax until she said there was no husband. He honestly didn't see how. Any guy would be an idiot to let her go.

"I'm sure you'd have no problem finding another pet or two. Get yourself a couple llamas, maybe a pot bellied pig or a goat. Name it Lucy." She crossed her legs then, and Carson did his best not to look at the way it made her skirt ride up. Oh, it was definitely riding up, though. He swallowed and jerked his eyes back to her face. "Henry or George. English kings, right? In that case, I'd go for Henry. Definitely the more psycho of the two in my opinion." But neither quite so crazy as he was. Eyes. On. Face. Must keep his eyes on her face.

"So, Carson, if I may, how do you fare against bribery?" Carson eyed her as she chewed, glad she was using his first name, but more focused on her question. "Depends on what I'm being bribed for, but on the whole... not very well at all. I have the willpower of a small child." He grinned then, once again squinting at the sun in his eyes. "You could probably get by with a piece of candy or a shiny new quarter." Actually, all she had to do was ask, whatever she was intending to bribe him for. He was generally a giving kind of person. Then again, he had no idea what Arynn was up to. "Do you bribe people often?"

[Arynn Carter]

"Love, if you live alone with only Trudy as your housemate, I'd be worried if she had thumbs, too. Just think of all the extra dishes she'd leave around in your bachelor pad." Not that she could easily see how he was still a bachelor. He had a fantastic sense of humor and a wittiness that kept her on her toes. He was handsome... extremely so. And his eyes were gorgeous. She did always have a thing for gorgeous eyes. After all, they were windows to the soul.

Arynn noticed Carson's slight negative change in body language when she mentioned the husband-pet thing. An incorrigible flirt such as herself learned to not only notice but correctly read a person's body language. His reaction was one of the reasons she immediately went on to assure him that there was no husband in the picture. There wasn't even a pet. If she was going to properly flirt with this man and consequently get a date out of him which was obviously her main goal at the moment, she couldn't let him think that she was taken in any way shape or form. Not that she was a serious relationship kind of girl. The very thought had a way of scaring her. A fear that resided somewhere deep down inside of her in a place that she only half understood and the rest was born from a primitive need for self preservation.

She laughed, almost choking on the bite of lasagna she had in her mouth, at his mention of all the pet options she could choose from. Taking a moment to catch her breath and make sure no lasagna decided to permanently lodge itself in her trachea, she stuck her fork in his direction playfully. "What on earth would I do with a llama, a goat, or a pig? Lucy or not. I cannot say that they'd be the most lovable creatures... nor the most cuddly. I... suppose I could ride the llama." She half-snorted, half-chuckled at the image that popped into her mind of her riding around on a llama. Shaking her head, still smiling, she ended with, "Nooooooo, thank you. I'm quite all right in the pet department for now. But perhaps I may live vicariously through your pet ownership and meet Trudy in the near future." Shameless insinuation right there, for the win.

Well, that was it, wasn't it? If Carson Brooks had managed to not only catch but understand her inside joke about naming a crazy goldfish Henry or George, she sure knew how to pick them. Honestly, she was surprised that he did. Despite the kings' being infamous for their debaucheries and whatnot, there either weren't many people that knew their English history or simply failed to put two and two together because Henry and George weren't typically subjects bouncing around in their thoughts. As a result, she couldn't stop the grin from forming on her face. A laugh was added into the mix when Carson answered her question about bribery.

"Bribery does seem to have its uses that I like to take advantage of, yes. I suppose I should say that I utilize it often. My victim and means of bribery may change, but the result tends to stay the same. And I oh do so like to win." She shifted her position which caused the skirt to slide up almost another entire inch. She didn't seem to notice, but, truthfully, she was doing it on purpose. "No piece of candy or shiny new quarter. Fresh out, I'm afraid. But I make it a point to invite dashingly handsome men when I find them to supper at my place. You see, I love to cook, but it does tend to get tedious when I always have to do it for myself, and you did say that real food is an endangered species at your house."

Sticking another bite of lasagna in her mouth, her crystalline blue eyes watched him with a sparkle in them as she waited for his reaction. She all but asked him out right then and there. Some men jumped at the chance while others shied away from a woman who wasn't scared to go after something she wanted. She was curious to see which one was Carson Brooks.

[Carson Brooks]

"If Trudy did that, at least they'd be clean plates. I swear she licks for a few minutes even after there's nothing left." Carson loved that dog, though. He hadn't really been out to get a pet, but his girlfriend at the time had been. Jenny had seen the puppy in a pet shop window and had fallen completely in love. Trudy had come home with them mere moments later. Jenny had been more immature than he realized, though. When she figured out that puppies peed on the floor, crawled in bed with you at 3am, and chewed up your favorite pair of shoes, she'd gotten fed up. Not only fed up with Trudy, but fed up with Carson as well. He figured it was for the best. If he taught kids all day, he didn't need to raise one which seemed to be what Jenny had wanted. It had been beyond time for a change of pace. At least Carson got to keep the dog.

Carson stared at Arynn's fork when she pointed it at him threateningly, but he was fighting a smile. "What on earth would I do with a llama, a goat, or a pig? Lucy or not. I cannot say that they'd be the most lovable creatures... nor the most cuddly. I... suppose I could ride the llama." He stopped fighting the grin when he answered. "Well, you could ride the llama. You could get milk from the goat. I hear it's good for you. And pigs are really smart. If you hurt yourself you could probably train it to dial 911." He poked her fork with the end of his finger. "Though I think you'd be more likely to hurt others." He punctuated it by poking her fork again, but he wasn't afraid of her in the least. She seemed like a woman who knew who she was and it was quite refreshing.

"Nooooooo, thank you. I'm quite all right in the pet department for now. But perhaps I may live vicariously through your pet ownership and meet Trudy in the near future." Carson's chewing slowed as he watched her. Okay, she was definitely coming on to him, and he was inclined to let her. Especially when her skirt hiked up farther. He definitely looked that time. Look at her face, dumbass. His eyes didn't immediately go there, but followed the lines of her body first. Face. His eyes met hers and he tried to pick up where the conversation was. Bribery. Right. He listened, and continued to stare at her. At least it was her face he was staring at this time. Did she just ask him out?

Carson leaned back against the bench a little and pretended to consider her proposal. "Well, I don't know. You see a bribe implies that you want something from me. Seems like if I go over to your place for dinner, I'm the only one who's winning." He eyed the lasagna again pointedly. "That does look really good, though. I figure you're a pretty good cook." He popped another chip into his mouth, still pretending to think about it. In truth, he already knew what was going to happen. "Throw in a drink and you have yourself a deal, Miss Carter." He eyed her again, leaning back forward now that his decision was made. He'd worry about the repercussions of touching her later.

[Arynn Carter]

Arynn let a wicked little smirk curl one edge of her glossy lips. She had definitely noticed him checking her out that time; starting from her exposed legs and up the curves of her body until he finally made it back to her face. She would take that as a compliment. People could lie and say whatever they wanted or whatever they thought the other person wanted, but it was much harder to lie with their body language. She was also glad for it because if he hadn't checked her out then she would have been subtly revealing small fractions of her legs for nothing. A woman always appreciated it when her efforts were appreciated. Especially when they were appreciated by a male professor that, without a doubt, had the majority--if not all--of his female students crushing after. She could hardly blame them. He was most certainly crush worthy. If for no other reason that he was dashingly handsome, as she'd put it, but that obviously wasn't his only appeals.

As if to prove just that, Arynn chuckled again at what he said. But this time it was probably more so because what he said brought to mind a lovely image of her own ulterior motives. "Why, I most certainly do want something from you." She smiled, but, if he was paying any kinds of attention, he would have noticed the mischievous glint in those crystalline blue eyes of hers. "Your charming company, of course."

Leaning against the back of the bench, almost as if to match him posture for posture, she regarded him with a smile. A deceivingly harmless smile. "A deal it is then. Any particular vintage, Mister Brooks?" Scooping up another bite of lasagna, it was almost to her waiting mouth when she paused purposefully and added, "And I can assure you, I'm an excellent chef, and I thoroughly enjoy eating... things." Her tone of voice was light, so unless he was in on the game she was playing with him, he could easily have missed the double meaning behind her words. She was teasing anyway. Well... mostly. She finished plopping the bite of lasagna in her mouth and savored its yumminess while her eyes continued to watch them.

"Now that I've successfully bribed a fellow professor, I hope you don't mind too terribly if I inquire after a few mundane things. Like, what does a bachelor such as yourself like to do in his spare time when he's not teaching physics, manners, how to tie shoelaces, and why there are letters in algebra?"

Another bite and her lasagna was almost all gone.

[Carson Brooks]

Carson might be out of practice when it came to flirting, but he wasn't completely blind. He knew what was going on and what Arynn was up to. He was also pretty sure what it was that she wanted. Him. It wasn't an egotistical thought, merely a probable suspicion. A suspicion that she confirmed moments later with her own words. "Why, I most certainly do want something from you. Your charming company, of course." No, he didn't miss the look in her eye when she said it. He looked right back at her and he could imagine... things. She was a gorgeous woman who was flirting with him and who had just invited him over for dinner and the pleasure of his company. He knew what was going to happen, and he was more than okay with that. He wasn't usually one for one night stands, but he wasn't exactly opposed to them, either. And maybe it would turn out to be something more in the end. He'd just have to wait and see.

"No particular vintage." His lips quirked at the corners. "I'm not very particular about what I drink, though I did have a pretty traumatizing experience with apple juice when I was little." He didn't usually drink at all except for special occasions. He'd found that being drunk while trying to manage someone else's gifts didn't end well in most cases. So he'd practically sworn off touching people, drinking, parties.... though he did make exceptions. "And I can assure you, I'm an excellent chef, and I thoroughly enjoy eating... things." Things, huh? Yes, his imagination was really getting away from him now. He blinked a couple times in an attempt to turn that imagination off or this lunch was about to get very interesting. Well, more interesting than it already was. He swallowed a bit harder than necessary.

Carson popped a couple more chips in his mouth and crumpled up the empty bag, listening to Arynn's questions as he chewed. He couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up out of him and was surprised she'd remembered his answer to the earlier introduction. "Oh, why do I get the feeling that's going to be an inside joke for awhile?" He rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned back again, starting to get more comfortable. "See, you could have asked me something that would make me sound amazing, but I'm afraid I'm a little boring. I run in the evenings, done everything from weightlifting to yoga. I watch movies, read books, grade more homework than I ever did while I was in school..." He smiled at Arynn then, in a slightly self-mocking kind of way. "Oh, and I can't forget my baby." He pointed across the courtyard toward the faculty parking lot where his motorcycle was sitting. "I have a thing for motorcycles." He dropped his hand and tucked them both in the front pockets of his jeans. "As for letters in algebra, I just don't think they could come up with something better. If it was me, I would have used a question mark since that's essentially what it means. What about you? What do you do when you're not teaching kids to look smart on paper or teaching them how to beat up on bullies that make fun of them if they fail in that?"

[Arynn Carter]

"What on Earth happened with apple juice and yourself?" she delved, sincerely interested. The first possibility that popped into her mind was something dealing with fermentation of the apple juice. That could be an unpleasant experience no matter who you were. It was little things such as this that Arynn enjoyed learning about another person. Such memories were interesting--personal--and it was a countless collection of them that composed a person, shaped them into who they were, and added depth to their personality. It was one of the reasons getting to know new people could be so much fun. Not to mention each person was different, led different lives, made different choices... each person was a different adventure in getting to know.

Arynn finished her lasagna as he finished his bag of chips. At his own comment, she chuckled. She decided that she liked the sound of his rich laughter. He had a very nice voice to listen to. "Give me half a chance and I'll make certain it is. It would keep you on your toes, no?" She put the plastic fork inside the container and fit the lid back on before setting it aside as he spoke about asking something that made him sound boring. She retrieved an orange from the side pocket of her shoulder bag and returned her attention to him. Beginning to peel it, she looked over at him with a smile. One of those smiles that someone got when they found out they had something in common with the other person. "Oh? You enjoy running? As do I. Perhaps I could convince you to join me one of these days." She suddenly smirked and turned her eyes back onto the orange she was peeling in her lap. "That is, of course, if you can even keep up."

Her slender fingers paused in her peeling momentarily at his mention of having a baby before she could recover and continue. She followed the direction of his pointing, unsure of what she was supposed to be looking at, and almost--almost--sighed in relief when he explained that his 'baby' was a motorcycle. Her eyes lit up at the mention of motorcycles and she turned them back on him, her hands needing no supervision to finish peeling her orange. "I haven't ridden a motorcycle since I was 17." She made sure to leave out the how, where, and why. "I would love to see yours sometime, if I may?"

Waiting to answer his own question before filling her mouth with delicious citric acid, she replied, "Well, when I am not teaching students to look smart on paper or how to beat up bullies, I'm typically looking smart on paper or beating up the bullies myself." She smiled over at him to show she was joking... mainly. "Besides working out, I grade mountains of papers, as you mentioned you're already doing, and prepare more lesson plans. If you think you're boring, I'm ashamed to say that I may be more boring than yourself. I try so hard to not be a creature of habit, but I cannot seem to help myself." She pointed toward the faculty parking lot as well. "I also have a baby. I've always had a thing for Mustangs."

She ate a piece of orange before posing the inevitable question. "Mind if I ask what your gift is? Mine is muscle manipulation. A fancy name for a potential pain in my arse."