WHO: Jules MacLaver & Harrison Exley WHEN: Back in high school WHERE: Behind the school SUMMARY: Jules stumbles upon the Harrison WARNINGS: none really
Some days you just needed to get away from crowded hallways and cluttered cafeteria. That was today. Sometimes high school was too much for one day. Be it drama between friends, new homework assignments, or something else it just felt like a lot today. Jules went of find a quiet spot, letting her feet do the walking as she ate the mini donuts packed as part of her lunch.
Jules’ feet had done the walking and she round behind the gym, not a place she normally went. There she stumbled upon Harrison. Jules felt like she was encroaching on his personal space. “Oh, hi, sorry,” she quickly said poised with her mini donut at the ready to be eaten. Jules dropped it back to the bag.
He’d been about to drop his cigarette and crush it but upon seeing who it was Harrison paused. At least it wasn’t another teacher with a lecture or a threat to call home. “Sorry for what?” He asked with a sly grin.
“Interrupting,” Jules shrugged her shoulders. She looked at Harrison wondering if he expected her to scuttle off. Should she? “Dunno if you wanted privacy or something.” Jules smiled awkwardly before picking her donut backup and eating it.
“I just don’t want detention,” Harrison admitted with a shrug as he took a drag and exhaled. He was usually fairly good about not getting caught, but everyone had their off days. “So it’s a good thing you’re not a teacher.”
“If I was a teacher I’d be hiding in a staff room to get away, not back here,” Jules said almost a little more defensively then she had intended. “But lucky for you I don’t have detention granting powers.” Jules looked down at her donuts and then back to Harrison, “want a donut?” She wasn’t sure what else to do.
“Some teachers get off on handing out detentions,” Harrison informed her casually. He vastly prefered the sorts that did hang out in the break room but there was always that one member of the faculty. Harrison too looked over at the donuts. “Sure. What kind do you have?”
“Ha, yeah I guess you’re right there is always someone who enjoys our misery,” Jules shrugged her shoulders. “Oh just pack of mini donuts, powder and chocolate.” She looked at the bag before shaking it. “Pretty delicious.”
“I’ll take a chocolate,” Harrison replied. A second later he added. “Want a smoke?”
“Okay,” she shuffled a little closer to let him pick the donut himself. Smoke? She had never done that. Would it be cool to do that? Would it be uncool to say no? Would she look an idiot? Probably. “Nah, but thanks.” Wise choice better not look a fool.
Harrison took the donut, had a bite, and chewed. “Well, if you change your mind.” He shook the pack before sliding it back into his back pocket.
“Thanks,” she gave a half smile. “So, do you come back here often?” Jules obviously didn’t. Was this where people came to smoke?
Harrison smiled back. “Eh, sometimes. It’s a fairly decent place to hide out.” He shrugged as he took another bite of donut. “At least, I haven’t been caught here yet.”
“That’s good to know,” Jules smiled, “So, what makes you seek a hideout?” Jules wasn’t sure if that was a question she should even be asking. She moved to lean against the wall as she took a bite of another donut.
As he took another drag and exhaled smoke Harrison nodded toward the cigarette in explanation. “They won’t let me do this in class.” He joked.
Well, yeah that made sense. “Ha guess that would certainly land you in detention.” Jules wondered what the appeal of smoking was if she was honest. “Question,” she paused very briefly, “Why do you smoke?” It was just something she was curious about as it had never really appealed to her.
Well, that was a new one, at least coming from someone his own age anyway. “I hope this isn’t going to turn into an anti-smoking lecture.” Harrison laughed before continuing. “Why does anyone do anything?” He smiled before answering his own question. “I enjoy how it feels, I like the entire ritual, sure it’s probably killing me but we’re all going to die eventually so…”
Jules was about to say oh, nevermind, as she was afraid she had offended him. Though he continued and was able to answer her question. “Oh,” she smiled, “I guess that makes sense. I can see the ritual of it being nice.” She supposed she could relate. “And no, I didn’t plan to give you an anti-smoking lecture, I’d like to think I’m a little cooler than that.”
Harrison grinned. “You never know, the most random people will lecture you for any variety of reasons.” He dropped the cigarette and ground it into the pavement.
“Trust me, I know that,” Jules laughed and waved a donut. “Lots of people give their free health advice.” She shrugged her shoulders. “So I am sure food or cigarette people have opinions.”
“What do you like to lecture people about then?” He asked blandly.
“I dunno, maybe their snack choices cause sometimes they are awful,” Jules joked, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t think I really lecture people.”
Harrison pushed away from the wall and stood. It was probably time to head back. “That’s the right answer.” He smirked. “Talk to you later?”
“Yeah, talk later,” she smiled giving him a bit of an awkward wave.