Don't need my health, got my name and got my wealth Who: Helena and Bryce Where: SOHS library When: Bryce's free period, just after lunch
The fact that Bryce didn't have to immediately jump back into an actual class after lunch? Oh yeah, he needed that. Just one little block of time to refocus, to get him through that afternoon lull while his body tried to function whilst digesting. Or something. Either way, Bryce had found a spot over in the corner of the library near a window where he'd cracked it just the slightest bit. What? The room could do with a bit of fresh air. And in doing so, completely losing his train of thought as to what it was he was even doing in the library. Was it his English paper he came to work on, or his Chemistry project? Who really even used Chemistry after high school, anyway? He saw the purpose of English -- he certainly didn't want to sound like some slack-jawed idiot when he purposely had his wits about him -- but Chemistry? Only thing that made up for it was that Mr. Wrigley had been cool when Bryce had asked for help. Even been excited when he'd expressed his interests in doing something with the noble gasses, because like hell was Bryce really good with understanding much else. Well, much else in Chemistry. The bad taste that it left in his mouth probably meant that that was what he was meant to work on while he was in the library.
Too bad, though. The little bit of cool air that filtered into the library from the crack in the window was distraction enough. Bryce didn't have a particularly good grasp on his mental walls, though, and before he could zone out completely, the thoughts of those in the library started to filter into his awareness right along with the afternoon air. Most of the thoughts were calm and quiet, a lot like the library itself, and for a while Bryce just relaxed, bringing his shields up to the point where the people around him sounded like soft, calm white noise. Slight better control achieved, Bryce stared out the window and put his head on his chin, thinking. No, not really thinking, just sort of letting his mind wander where it would. Like to the fact that he'd probably have to work really hard to graduate this year. He'd have to show his teachers how serious he was about that and he was not really doing that so well. One little afternoon just to daydream was okay, right? Bryce thought so. He'd get up and find some books he needed in a minute, but right now he just let himself exist.
Had his shields been all the way up, he would have missed the bright, shiny bubble-like thoughts that floated gently his way, lightening up the tone of the distant hum he was picking up. Turning away from the window, he caught sight of a blonde girl in a hideous get-up. Yes, that was the point of today's 'Fashion Disaster' day, or whatever it was called, but Bryce had chosen not to participate. Despite her distracting attire, there was something very familiar about her face. Whether it was because he knew her from seeing her around school or somewhere else, Bryce couldn't figure it out. Big surprise. And by the time he'd come to that conclusion, he was sure he'd been staring. "Hey," he said softly, feeling like he should be able to at least remember her name. "You're Helen, right?" That was right, wasn't it?