Bryce Reynolds (racingthoughts_) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2013-03-03 09:47:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-09-24, bryce, juliette |
That's why we stick to your game plans and party lives
Who: Juliette and Bryce
Where: SOHS, near the locker rooms
When: after school
All in all, Bryce had had a pretty great day. Okay, so the joy and draw of dressing up as Flash Gordon had pretty much fallen away a little after lunch, but that was probably because the stitches that held his shirts together were starting to itch. Right? Oh, that and he was pretty sure that nobody but the nerds had any freaking idea who he was dressed up as. And Bryce was not above running straight to the boy’s locker room after his last class to change into his soccer clothes. It was pretty liberating to get ready to go to soccer practice and Bryce even sang a little song as he got dressed into his gear. He shoved his plainclothes into his bag and fiddled with the Flash Gordon sword for a bit before he settled for letting it hang out one end of the bag. He didn't want to break his dad’s sword -- he was pretty sure there would be nothing that would save him from being beaten alive or worse, grounded right before the Homecoming dance. Which, Bryce still needed a date for.
The end of another school day meant the end of another opportunity to find a date that he could stomach going with. That, and Hyemi had some strange obsession with being able to “approve” his choice or something. Whatever. Hyemi was his track friend and lunch buddy and luckily she had seemed to have been too busy yelling at Micah today to want to sit with him. Which meant that Bryce got to sit with Angeline, and any chance to do that without Locke around was a good one, in his book. Bag slung over one shoulder, Bryce made his way back out to the main part of the gym to head outside for practice. He stopped short just in time to see a pretty brunette walking towards the girl’s locker room. She had not dressed up for superhero day, but...Bryce found that he sort of didn't care. At all. She was dressed really well and did he mention he had done his homework? Those were designer labels, or he would eat a huge piece of dirt. Or something. Was it the slightest bit disturbing that he could spot that she had a Coach bag from so far away? Probably for someone who cared. Instead of continuing to stand there, staring like an idiot, Bryce waved his hand and tried to get her attention. “Hey,” he managed. Wow, pretty lame, even for him. “Uhm, hi. Don’t think I've seen you around before.” Well done, Bryce. “Are you new here?”
Juliette's parents - and, by extension, Juliette herself - believed in the importance of extracurriculars. Which was why she was already on the volleyball team with plans to join the tennis team when their season began. She'd stayed behind briefly in her last class to discuss the curriculum with her teacher, excusing herself when practice time drew nearer. It wouldn't take long to change and get out to the gym, so she wasn't in any rush as she headed for the girls' locker rooms. She was nearly there when she saw a boy exit the locker rooms in front of her; she wasn't entirely surprised when he addressed her. 'Are you new' was hardly an imaginative question, especially considering the size of the school, but she supposed she'd have to keep answering it until she was either no longer a novelty or the rumor mill had done its work.
"Yes, first week," she replied with a polite smile, taking the opportunity to give him a quick sizing up as she continued to approach. "Juliette de Lucien," she added as she stepped within reach and stopped, holding out a hand. Human, from what she could catch from his scent, but something more that she couldn't yet place. Good looking, though she couldn't speak for his personal style given that he was in a football kit. Not that she minded, of course; she approved of anyone who made an effort to keep fit. It paid off for him, from what she could see. "Pleasure to meet you."
Since there weren't many people around, Bryce took the opportunity to open his telepathic shields in order to get a read on the young woman coming towards him. The most he was able to catch was the distinct impression, physically, that she was sizing him up. He took the time to do the same and what he saw made him smile, perhaps a little more than just the polite one on her face. “Welcome to Scarlet Oak,” he spread a hand out to the side as if showcasing the town. “Glorious, isn’t it?” The sarcasm was evident in his voice. Something in her voice -- probably the French accent so distinct, he could probably live inside it -- made him reach for her hand and take it the old fashioned way. Those etiquette classes his mother made him go to definitely paid off on those rare occasions he deemed fit to use them. Lifting her hand a few inches towards his lips, Bryce hesitated. Did girls really go for this crap? With an unsteady laugh, he switched his grip so he could give her a proper handshake, feeling like he’d just made an ass of himself. What was worse? Oh, something along the lines of the fact that pretty much every thought inside this girl’s head was in a different language. Bryce had taken French in school, but two years and a lousy accent was getting him nowhere. Don’t panic, don’t panic, just breathe. “Bryce Reynolds,” he managed finally, trying his best to keep his blood pressure from skyrocketing as he struggled to understand what she was thinking. With a little bit of a mental shrug and shudder, Bryce sealed his own thoughts off tight. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Juliette. Or, I should say, enchanté.” He flashed a bit of a grin before he squeezed her hand gently and let go.
“I’m afraid that’s about all the French I know, though, so. You’d be better off talking to one of the people in the French club.” They had one of those, right? “If we even have a French club.” Taking a moment to take a breath without being too obvious, or so he hoped, Bryce nodded his head back towards the locker rooms. “Do you play a sport?” Because it was pretty obvious from his attire that he did. If he looked hard enough, he could tell that this Juliette was pretty fit, but she was covered up to the point where he’d probably be accused of gawking. Play it cool, Reynolds, you don’t need no stinking telepathy. Which was a bold-faced lie, seeing as he was pretty sure this is what the awkward kids felt like. The geeks and the losers. Euugh. “It’d be cool to see you out there, if you do.” See? He could do this, he was doing fine! That was pretty innocent to say, and it was the truth to boot. “Are you enjoying your first week?” Aaaand that was pretty much the limit on questions he was going to ask before Bryce was certain that he looked like an idiot. Why couldn't you pay attention in French class, huh? You could have picked up a word or two. Yes, this must be what it felt like to founder in social situations. Bryce liked it not one bit.
Juliette was used to making boys (and some girls) stutter, but this one seemed like he was about to panic before he got himself marginally more under control. It was interesting to watch, and perhaps just a little bit amusing. Juliette let him go for a moment or two before taking pity on him. "I haven't had the opportunity to explore much of the town," she said, "but it is... quaint. Living in such a small town will be an interesting experience, I think. It is, after all, only for a year." She'd likely head back to Europe after that for university, unless an opportunity in the States presented itself as too good to pass up. She highly doubted the likelihood of that happening, however.
"This is a good opportunity to practice my English," she said with a Gallic shrug. "Immersion environments are always best for learning languages quickly." Not that she needed it; she'd grown up bilingual. "I've already met one who speaks French rather well, however." For an American. She smiled briefly. "Volleyball right now," she said, "and tennis when it starts up. I played for my school back home." Even if some complained that having weres on the team was an unfair advantage. She'd had to practice holding herself back for so long that it was habit to play at human levels, though she'd had a group of were friends with whom no one had to hold back. "So far, it is... interesting, being here," she said. "You do a number of things differently than I am used to." She nodded towards him, indicating his football kit. "Do you play recreationaly or for the school?"
Oh, Bryce was still on the edge, but the fact that he’d calmed down a little bit was a good thing. Still, it was completely unsettling not being able to read someone’s thoughts -- not because they were an earth elemental but because they were thinking in a different language. The fact that he was being at all amusing to Juliette was lost on him seeing as he was having a hard time connecting her facial expressions to anything. The fact that Bryce relied on his telepathy a little much was completely being thrown in his face. “There’s some interesting shops, if that’s something you like to do. All the better stores are out in Ann Arbor, though, where it’s more urban.” There, see? He was being helpful and he didn't even have to pluck it out of her thoughts. “I hope you do find it interesting here. Do you plan to ...go back home after you graduate?” Bryce gestured in the air a little bit when he paused, his smile edging just a fraction towards being more confident.
With a soft chuckle, Bryce nodded. “It doesn't sound much like you need the practice, your English sounds really good! It probably sounds even better than mine, to the trained ear.” Perking up at the knowledge that someone spoke French well enough in her opinion was something intriguing. Could he learn the language well enough to communicate slightly in a year? Probably not, but the idea was tempting. Bryce was feeling like he’d been stranded in his own mind. “Sweet, that’s really cool. Volleyball is fun, definitely. Not so much a fan of tennis though, nor am I any good at it. Do you have team practice?” Slowly, it was dawning on Bryce that...if Juliette was as new as she claimed she was, it was entirely possible that she didn't have a date for homecoming. The smile transformed on his face to something much more confident than before as he shifted the bag on his shoulder. “What sorts of things? And yeah, I play on the school teams for soccer, lacrosse and track.” The tone of his voice made it sound as though Bryce didn't think that was in any way impressive.
After a pause, Bryce tilted his head to the side and let the question forming in his mind out finally. “Are you going to Homecoming this Saturday?” Might as well ask, right? If she wasn't, there wasn't really any harm done. Except for the fact that I am NOT looking forward to going stag..
"It is likely," Juliette answered when asked if she'd go back home after graduation. "I would have stayed to finish school had my parents not insisted I come along." She shrugged again, an elegant little one-shoulder affair that was rather quintessentially Gallic. "I am not closed off to whatever opportunities may arise here or elsewhere." His scent indicated he was calming down, which Juliette took to be a good thing; she wasn't sure what had set him off before, but he was easier to talk to now that it was passing. Of course, Juliette was her parents' daughter; years of charity functions meant she was a fair conversationalist regardless of the circumstances.
She smiled briefly at the compliment. "Thank you. My parents speak French and English; I grew up speaking both. And yes, I believe team practice begins soon." She indicated the locker room door with a brief tilt of her head. "I was heading in to change. I assume you have practice as well?" The subtle way he played off his athleticism made her hide a smile; she saw through it, but could see how it would work on someone not quite as observant as she was.
She watched him, seeing several thoughts flash over his face before he finally asked her about the dance. "We don't have this Homecoming or prom back home," she said. Schools just didn't host formal dances for students. "I'm unfamiliar with the custom, but from what I've heard, it sounds interesting." She looked him over once again. "You may be my escort. Dinner first, yes? I will make arrangements." Presumptuous, maybe, but she was a good judge of character and motivation. He wouldn't have asked if he'd already had a date lined up.
Nodding, Bryce smiled a little bit. Just visiting France would be awesome enough that he could barely even imagine living here. It must make America seem so...commonplace. “Ahh, so they had to drag you here then? That's unfortunate. Seriously, I've never been to France but I would wager it’s a whole lot better than Scarlet Oak.” Not that there was anything wrong with Scarlet Oak, it was just that Bryce knew there were better places out there. France was probably one of them. The proper way that Juliette spoke was definitely interesting and Bryce could tell that she was very calm and focused. The intensity that she spoke with definitely told him that much. Who needs telepathy when you can be perceptive? Bryce. Bryce sort of needed telepathy.
“That’s very cool. Do you speak any other languages?” Because it was one thing for a person to be bilingual --it’d be another thing to be able to speak more than just the two! Not that Bryce was on his way there at all. He was terrible at it, even if he could read his teacher’s thoughts. “Oh, my fault, you probably need to get going here soon.” Though, Bryce didn't really make much of a move to leave or end the conversation. Nodding, Bryce smiled a little, brushing the back of his head. “Yeah, practice starts in a little less than half an hour.” Why he made his answer so precise, he wasn't exactly sure, but it could just have been nerves.
As Bryce listened to what Juliette was saying about not having dances back home, he thought that what she meant was that she wasn't going. A hesitant smile found his lips when she said that it sounded interesting. He was just about to pipe up and ask her when she very noticeably looked him up and down again. His smile grew just about the time that she seemed to come to a decision. Escort? ...That means ‘date’ in fancy-people talk, right? Bryce assumed that’s what she meant, because she went on further. He lifted his brows, the smile still stuck to his lips and not moving anytime soon. At least Bryce could tell that Juliette was very decisive! “Dinner? Oh, yeah, that’s...that’s usually how it goes, heh,” despite not wanting to admit it to himself, Bryce’s laugh did sound nervous. “Great. That’s awesome!” Bryce was a little stunned that things had moved to that topic and been resolved so quickly, it was easy to tell that he was still coming to grips with not having needed to even ask Juliette. “So, it’s settled then.” A goofy, content sort of smile pulled at his lips as he nodded. “It was great to run into you,” he managed, sticking his hand back out for a handshake.
She could tell that he wasn't used to someone else taking the lead, at least when it came to dates and functions, and Juliette couldn't help but be a little amused. When she decided she wanted something, she didn't wait around and hope someone would offer it to her. She was a born huntress; she might be patient and stalk her prey if that's what was necessary, but if something was there for the taking... she'd take it. Anyone who missed out did so only as a result of their own hesitance.
"A pleasure to meet you, as well," she said, reaching out to shake his hand firmly. Reaching into her bag, she found her black leather card case and extracted one of her business cards - it was a simple affair, a clean serif font displaying name, phone number, and email address printed on thick, high-quality cream card-stock that was watermarked with the snow leopard's rosette pattern so faintly as to be nearly invisible except in the right light. She handed him the card, sliding the case back in her bag, and offered a parting smile. "Until later, Bryce." It was, after all, nearly time for practice.
Male or female, Bryce had to admit that he was red-blooded and American enough to enjoy a firm handshake. Maybe even especially from a young woman like Juliette. It showed that she felt confident that she could hold her own and he was certain that he’d enjoy getting to see whether or not that was true. It was still slightly off-putting to be taking the backseat in the stereotypical, old-fashioned sense, but with a smile like that, Bryce thought he could make an exception. He took the -- a business card, really? -- slip of card-stock that Juliette offered, a barely veiled look of bewilderment on his face. He found his smile quickly enough, in time to wave a goodbye in Juliette’s direction. “Later, Juliette!” He moved off past her and to the back of the gym, where the exit to the sports fields was located. He paused before he left the building, head bent to inspect the card between his fingertips. With a nervous laugh that ended with a bit of warmth, Bryce tucked the card into his gym bag and set off for soccer practice.