Who: Will and Jem When: Monday 31st March Where: UCI Campus What: A first meeting Rating/Warning: Low/None Status: Complete
Will was walking across the campus towards his next class, though it didn’t begin for another half an hour so he was dawdling. He had settled into a pretty good routine since arriving though he was beginning to think he needed to get out and about more. He had a few friends from his course and he was starting to know the people who worked at the local coffee shop. He was thinking he needed to start looking at getting his drivers license too, that would help him get around a lot easier. And he could then visit the beach more.
Lost in thought he didn’t notice that he was on a collision course with another student until he walked into him, “Crap, sorry my fault” he said offering his best sheepish but charming smile.
Jem was normally fairly good at paying attention to his surroundings, but today, the first day back after break, his mind was still in bed. He didn’t normally sleep in late, because of school or work or simply Church waking him up to be fed, but he’d spent the weekend actually lounging around; as much as Jem did lounge when there was still coursework to do. So, today he wasn’t paying attention as much as usual and didn’t see the other student either until they collided, “No. I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention either.” As he stepped back and glanced over the other to make sure he was alright, Jem couldn’t help but think that he’d seen him somewhere before. “Are you alright?”
“Perfectly fine. I haven’t damaged you have I?” he asked looking Jem over, feeling a strange sort of deja vu kind of feeling as he properly checked him out. “Looks like we were both in that post break haze” he grinned.
Jem nodded, “No, I don’t think I’ve been damaged.” He adjusted the strap of his bag, which went across his chest as he watched the other man, trying to figure out why he seemed so familiar. Of course it was possible that he’d simply seen him on campus before, considering how many students there actually were, but somehow he thought he’d remember if he saw someone who looked like him just randomly on campus. The brunette just had that air about him that would make him very difficult to forget. “I suppose we did.”
“Am I delaying you from getting to a class?” he asked, “Because if not I insist that you let me buy you a coffee as an apology and if I am then I may have to insist that we meet again so I can apologise at a later date” he said in that charming welsh way of his.
At the coffee invitation, Jem almost declined, but instead, glanced at his watch briefly before looking back at the other student, “No, actually I’ve got at least half an hour before my class.” Normally Jem would get to class early and go over work, but he’d mentioned to Tessa and Caroline how he knew he needed to get out there and try to make some friends and what better way than coffee with someone who had almost knocked him over? “I’m Jem Carstairs, by the way.” He extended his hand to the other man, figuring he should at least know who he was buying coffee for.
Will smiled when his new friend accepted, it may be an unorthodox way to make friends but Will would take it. “Will Herondale” he replied shaking the hand offered, “Pleased to meet you even if it wasn’t an ideal introduction”
“Will Herondale? Are you on Valarnet?” He recognized the name right away, having responded to the man’s initial post on the network and had spoken to him at least once after. Now he knew why he looked familiar and felt a little silly for having not realized it before.
“I am” he nodded, “Oh, now I remember! Did you find anything good to do over spring break?” Will asked as he remembered Jem had been the one to inform him that speaking to someone once on the net didn’t mean they knew each other when Will had offered to do something fun over the holiday.
“I saw a friend on one of the days. Did a bit of sightseeing, which I had hoped to do with my cousin, but she moved about a week ago.” Jem had posted about that to which Will had replied, not that he thought about it. “Aside from that, I worked. How was your break?” They had started walking towards the cafe on campus now and he glanced over at Will as he asked the question.
“Not bad. I slept a lot, read a lot, did some wandering” he shrugged, “I think they’re starting to know me in the local coffee shops” he grinned, “I think I’ve got a real addiction forming” he admitted.
“How long have you actually been in the area?” Jem might have been there since October, but there was still a lot that he needed to do and see and planned to do quite a bit over the summer. “I’m still rather partial to tea myself and it’s never exactly right when I get it from a shop.” Jem didn’t do tea leaves or anything too complicated, but he did like to know what brand of tea he was drinking.
“About three weeks” Will said, “It took longer than I thought it would to get the paperwork sorted to start school here, but I’m not too far behind” In actual fact he was ahead with his reading which was good since he had a few essays to get caught up with but thankfully he’d been granted good extensions on those. “I think that’s why I’ve started on coffee, the tea everywhere just tastes funny here”
“I know all about that. I transferred from Trinity in England and I had started the process in September, but didn’t get everything sorted until October.” Jem had also been ahead of the curve, having emailed professors from the courses he’d chosen so that he would be able to get the reading and assignments before officially attending classes, “It’s a shame that Americans don’t seem to have as much of an appreciation for tea as we do.”
"What is it you're studying?" Will asked not being able to recall if he'd asked on the net or of Jem had mentioned it. "It is, I might have to get my parents to send it over so I can get the tea fix when I need it"
“Music.” He said as they reached the cafe and he pulled the door open, holding it for Will, “I’m studying to become a conductor. What are you planning on doing with your degree? Literature, correct?”
Ah yes, it rang a bell he thought. “Right, I remember now. You don’t play” he nodded, “Yep that’s right. I haven’t really thought that far. I just wanna get through the studying first” he grinned.
Jem nodded as they got in line once they were inside, “Not for lack of trying of course. I suppose I simply don’t have the gift.” He listened intently to Will, slightly transfixed. Jem had seen plenty of attractive people in his lifetime, Tessa included, but there was something about Will that practically commanded people’s attention, “If you enjoy old books, a friend of mine runs a bookstore here in Irvine that has a nice selection of first editions.” Of course Jem saw no harm in telling Will about Tessa’s shop.
“Well like I said, from what I know a lot of conductors don’t play. I don’t think you need to in order to understand music” Will smiled, for some reason he wanted Jem to understand that he hadn’t meant it as an insult, he didn’t want to put off a potential friend. Especially such a cute one. “Really? That’s great, I adore old books. Who doesn’t? Don’t say you don’t, it’ll break my heart” he joked giving Jem his puppy dog look for good measure.
Jem laughed and nodded again, “I enjoy reading quite a lot. And I’m still a book purist. I prefer actual books to tablets.” It was nice to meet another young person who liked reading, considering so many teenagers spent most of their time watching tv or playing video games instead of reading. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was a cultural thing.
“Now that earns you a cookie as well as a drink” Will informed him, “I mean I understand the tablet reading makes it easier for those who travel and all that but really you just can’t beat an actual book in your hands” he grinned, “I can wax lyrical for hours so please, for both our sakes, stop me”
Jem had not expected to, not only, literally run into someone that morning, but actually have a real honest conversation with said someone that wasn’t all about the weather and what they were going to do during the summer. Will was certainly a surprise and Jem had a feeling that he had many other layers to him, “Why thank you.” When he was younger and even now to a certain extent, Jem had had trouble making friends, because he’d been so shy, but there was something about Will that made it easy to talk to him, “Alright then. I’ll stop you. Should we find another topic then?”
It helped that Will, by nature, was fairly loud and friendly. It could sometimes come across as cocky or arrogant but if time was taken to get to know him it soon became apparent he wasn’t really. “We should, though I guess it’s only fair to warn you now that I have an opinion on practically everything and I am not afraid to share it”
Somehow Jem wasn’t exactly surprised to hear it, “I’ll try not to get offended then.” They finally reached the front of the line and Jem placed his order then moved aside to let Will order. He still had a little while yet before class and he was sure that he and Will could find another topic to talk about on their way back towards the school.