Who: Alyssa and Will When: Early March Where: UCI Campus What: Random encounter Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete
Will was rather enjoying his classes at the moment, they weren’t too heavy thanks to his previous reading of the material and he’d handed in his last three essays ahead of the time allowed. It would surprise people no doubt since he came across as a bit of a joker but he had a serious side too.
Walking across campus, head in a book, he didn’t notice the girl until it was too late and he’d plowed into her, causing her books to drop from her hands. “Sorry” he said immediately, his welsh accent still strong, “Completely my fault” he added as he bent to pick things up for her.
She was smiling when she knelt down, cocking her head to the side. “No harm done. You’re a long way from home too.” She didn’t have the cockney accent she should have, being born in Essex, but she was glad for that. None of the Yanks would’ve been able to understand her. “Did my hard shoulder harm you in any way?”
“Ah a fellow Brit, wonderful” he smiled at her. She may not have a cockney accent but she didn’t have an American accent and Will could recognise any British accent since he’d missed them for a while now. “It was as light and soft as a feather. No bruising or anything” he winked at her.
“Well, that’s something! I’m all elbows and angles,” she chuckled. Welsh accents were pretty, and he was handsome, but she wasn’t really in the mood to add yet more boys to her drama. But friends were awesome. “How long have you been here?”
Will chuckled, he was happily in a relationship but flirting came as naturally as breathing to him and that wasn’t likely to change. “Almost a year now. It’s been fun so far and of course meeting people such as yourself only makes it more enjoyable” he winked at her.
That just made Alyssa laugh. “Smoothy,” she grinned. “I used to live here, just moved back. Honestly, I’m glad you’ve been here a while. It’s so strange, it’ll be good to have another level head around.”
“I try” Will told her laughing too, he was glad she wasn’t offended. Too many girls were overly sensitive he’d found. “Ah I’m glad I don’t have to skirt around the crazy. I find it mostly rather amusing, so I look forward to many conversations with a fellow level head as you said”
“It usually is amusing when it isn’t violent or terrifying. Really, it’s like the weather. Oh, people are being murdered, better take a jumper.” She wrinkled her nose and giggled. “I still can’t believe it snowed here again.”
“You’re exactly right. Strange how quickly we become accepting of such things” Will mused before grinning, “I rather enjoyed that, reminded me of home”
“I used to own maybe two jumpers. I had to invest in an anorak too.” Alyssa missed the rain back home. People in LA always told her she belonged further north, in Oregon, where it always rained.
“I have a ridiculous amount of jumpers and coats. My mother sent them over mistakenly believing the weather might be like back home” Will told her, “So if you’re ever in need of more just let me know” Though she was tiny so they’d no doubt swamp her.
“If I ever need a jumper that hits my knees, I’ll let you know.” Alyssa couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head. “Do you go to school here, or are you looking for someone?”
“You’d look cute” he assured her, “Oh I’m an English Lit and Classics student hence my preoccupation with reading instead of looking who I was walking into”
“Belle made reading and walking look easy. Blame Disney for unrealistic expectations,” Alyssa beamed. “And I’d look eight, and I already look too young.”
"You are absolutely right. Disney are definitely to blame for a number of those" he grinned and laughed, "But a cute eight year old" he teased.
“Ew, paedophile!” Alyssa playfully socked him in the arm, but she was laughing and smiling as she did so.
Will laughed, "I said cute not hot" he said with a smirk, "Now that would have been much creepier"
“Yeah, you’re not making it less awkward,” she snorted. “But whatever, I shouldn’t keep you from your courses.”
"I'm totally fixing it" he told her then nodded, "Or yours. It was good to meet you. Will Herondale, at your service" he added with a little bow and a grin.
“Alyssa Hamilton,” she curtsied. She was on her way to studying, but this had been a nice interlude.
"Lovely to meet you Alyssa, I hope our paths cross again" he said before letting her go on her way.