Marie winced slightly when Kaydence jumped. She hadn't meant to scare her. Of many of the people at Alden, Marie was the least scary of all of them. But Kaydence soon smiled and Marie returned it hesitantly. "I apologize. I didn't mean to frighten you."
Her brow wrinkled when Kay didn't seem bothered about being lost. "I suppose you're new here. A freshman this year? Are you taking summer classes or just got here a little early to settle in?" She stopped and seemed a little baffled when Kaydence began to speak, and speak, and speak, without ever taking a breath. How did she breathe? How did she talk so much and so fast without tripping over herself. It was a marvel to the soft spoken selkie. "Yes, easy to lose your way here. At least until you get used to it."
Marie looked down at her book and opened it, memorizing her page number before shutting it completely and tucking it between her chest and her upper arm. Other than being a little excitable and perhaps talking too quickly, she seemed harmless. But Marie knew better than to trust someone right off. Had she seen a down of feathers on her back, though? That meant she was not human and therefore, not a threat.
"I am, actually." She glanced down at herself. Fairly flat chested, tones arms with flared hips and long gangly legs. She supposed she did have an optimal swimmer's body. "The pool isn't far from here, actually." She pointed at the building Southeast of them and then turned back to Kaydence. "It's just there. I'm on the swim team, so I am fairly certain I could find it in the dark." She gave a pleasant smile and waited out the barrage of questions being fired at her without much pause for reply. But, when they were finished, she spoke up.
"The cafeteria is South of here, and I can show it to you if you like. It's nice to meet you, Kaydence. I'm Marie." She reached out to take the younger girl's hand and shake it gently.