Includes: Fresia, Tanner, Aberius, Shola
Time: Afternoon
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As Tanner walked with me up the stairs he was trying to describe some of the locals to me.
“Oh, speaking of residents,” he said in that cool voice of his. “Hey Shola. This is Fresia, she just got here.” Tanner looked at me and said “This is Shola, she just came yesterday too.” He gestured towards Shola.
“Hey.” She said to me with a nod.
She looked a little sleepy but I wasn’t going to be rude and laugh, though I wanted too. “Good Afternoon Shola.” I smiled at her and waved as she passed by us.
There was so much to see in this house, it was so big! Tanner walked with me down the hall ways and as I was staring up at one of the unique light fixtures I felt someone bump into me. I looked down and felt really embarrassed for not paying attention to where I was going. “Oh my. I am so terribly sorry, are you alright?”
“My fault, sorry... Could you tell me what day it is, though?” He asked, looking back up at me. He looked a little panicked and somewhat distracted. I had wondered to myself if he was ok and what was the matter.
“Today?” I thought to myself, back to the calendar on my desk before I had departed from my parents house. “I believe it is the night of March the 13th… Actually, it is only 10 minutes away from tomorrow.” I looked back down at him after my thought process had claimed its answer and I realized he was shirtless. I blushed slightly wondering the age of this young man. He seemed occupied with his own mind and I wanted to ask him why he had seemed so stressed… “Excuse me, little boy?”
“I’m not a little boy, I’m freakin’ 22, dammit!” He snapped. I felt terrible and shocked all at once. I hated making bad impressions and I had no idea what was going on in his mind but I had apparently upset him. I fought with myself not to get upset or look weak, it was my first day here and I didn’t want to be known as that sensitive girl who cried because someone yelled at me… “I-I am sorry…” I looked away so that he didn’t have to look at me and I could excuse myself.
“No, I’m sorry… what is your name?” he asked me. I guessed that he could tell I was upset and he felt bad… though I didn’t want anyone to feel bad for me…
“Fresia.” I said politely, keeping my cool.
“Fresia, I’m Aberius. Please forgive me; I’m having a little problem right now.” That streak of worry back in his voice.
“Is… there anything I can do?” I spoke and my concern was visible as my brow drew together.
“No, I’m fine… Actually, I would recommend staying in your room for the 15th… I, um… here there’s
going to be a swarm of locusts…” He spoke quickly.
“A swarm of locusts?” I looked at him strangely and wondered if he was telling me the truth. Was there something bothering him so bad that he couldn’t say? Well, he didn’t know me but it still tugged at my heart strings to know that whatever it was, it was really that bad. He felt the need to make up something as ridiculous as a swarm of locusts in the house so that he didn’t have to say what was wrong…
“Yeah, so I have to go find… Bug spray! So go hide in your room until it’s safe to come out, okay? Lock the door, too. It’ll be safer that way.” He rushed his sentences and I looked at him wondering what was really wrong… he darted off and I turned to watch. Maybe I would visit his room later and see if he needed someone to talk too…
I looked at Tanner and he looked back at me. We were both a little confused and he saw the worry in my face.
“Eh, don’t worry. Whatever has him vexed I’m sure he’ll work it out.” Tanner said to me but… I couldn’t let it go.
I had never seen what I saw behind his eyes and it ate at me not knowing what was wrong or if I could be of any help. That feeling was something I had picked up from my mother as a child. She had always helped whenever she could. The neighbors, the festivals, always working so hard to make others smile and feel welcome. I envied her will and had adopted it for myself…
“I hope you are right. I am still a little worried but he seems to know what he’s doing.” I gave a half hearted smile to Tanner and he accepted it for what it was. We continued down the hall way and he pointed out rooms here and there to me. I couldn’t wait to see what my room was going to look like.
((Hope I got Tanner right O-o For some odd reason I keep seeing him dressed as a Pirate or something from Pirates of the Caribbean with all that hair and putting on jewelry XD XD))