[u]Nicholas Raynor & Shannon Balore[/u]

After a moment or two of resting, he smiled, before sighing, looking up at the teacher. "I appreciate that offer, but only if I can earn it. I'm not using my abilities to take short cuts, sir. Maybe we'll discuss that later. Right now, I feel like grabbing a bite and taking some time to rest. If you need me, I'll be at the cafe." And with that, he finished his winding statement, slowly standing up, taking in another deep breath, and making his way out of the hospital, taking the time to continue to gather deep breaths. It was -true-, the additional healing had taken some strength out of him and made his trek harder, but it wasn't -that- difficult to walk at his own pace.

Moments later, Nicholas found himself feeling a tad bit better, much more capable of walking at a decent pace without being out of breath. Not only that, but he stood in front of the entrance to the cafe, slowly moving to open the door and walk in. He observed his surroundings and looked over the menu, haven't yet done so before, before simply ordering a simple chicken panini and a hot tea to go with it. After retrieving his meal, he looked around the cafe. It seemed like not an awful lot of people were here, which were to his tastes. However, a certain person with ginger hair caught his eye. Something about that atmosphere she gave off about her...she looked awful stressed. Or maybe just upset over something. And yet...

He moved towards her table, taking his hot tea and sandwich with him before standing across the table from her, looking down at her. "If you don't mind, miss, I'm going to sit here." He simply stated, not trying to sound rude or forceful in the least. If anything, his voice would come off as still somewhat tired from the work he had done with the others, and maybe a bit concerned? Hrm. Maybe she wouldn't notice that last bit. With that, he slowly took a seat across from her, not trying to impede her personal space by keeping his items close to his side, quickly moving to take a sip of the hot tea. Ah...green tea. He did enjoy it. Just like that, a smile moved across his face, as his body was filled with its natural warmth.

[i]Oh in fact, I do mind.[/i] Shannon rolled her eyes up into her head as yet another annoyance decided to help himself to her table. She knew she was good-looking, but, seriously, why is she attracting all the people she doesn't want to talk to? Shannon gave Nicholas a good look, he looked like a real Boy-scout... Reminded her a bit of Ethan - Hopefully he won't be as irritating. But otherwise, this kid was unremarkable as they get. For once, Shannon was going to contain her immediate contempt, and go finish her cake. She was down to a few bites, and it was so great that she'll have to get [i]another. Remind me to tip the waitress.[/i] She thought to herself with a smile. "I can't object too much since you've already helped yourself, now can I?" She said with a little smirk. If this boy was looking for a date (Or the rest of her cake) then he's going to [i]very[/i] disappointed. 

Even as Nicholas finished downing a good portion of his tea, he couldn't help but hear this girl's [i]complaint[/i]. He smiled a little, looking up to her. "Its not that I mean to intrude...its just, well, I know everyone has a hard time adjusting to a new school, right? I'm kind of new here, myself, and you seemed interesting, so I dropped by to say hi. Meet new people, ya know?" He stated. 

Don't mean to intrude? Well, he did that the second he walked over here. But maybe Shannon will keep her mouth shut for now. Maybe not. Depends on what (she thinks) this kid's up to. Going off that "I'm new here" story (Which she has heard a [i]thousand[/i] times already) he just wants to integrate himself in some group... Or something else. Shannon couldn't peg it that well. He was too young to be looking for a date, at least in her. He barely looked like he's sixteen. "I heard [i]that[/i] one before." She cynically said. "Just that I'm probably not the best choice for a first chit-chat..." Shannon was easily the hardest person here to get a good first impression on. It was because of her rather high standards.

Though, that was only half the truth. He could tell, just by looking at her. The quickness in her eating her cake, the composure of her body language...she wasn't too comfortable with him. He wondered, though...he looked over her cake. When a waitress walked by, he quickly rose his hand. "Excuse me, miss. Em...could I get another cake just like her own?" He asked eagerly. She nodded, and went on her way, before turning back to the girl. Maybe it was just a hunch, but perhaps by keeping more of that cake here...she would stick around? Something to make her chill out, perhaps. Moments later, the cake arrived, fork and all. Nicholas split the cake in half, carefully so, before moving to take a bite out of his half. It was...delicious. Just how the frosting and cake layering melted in his mouth. Oh god...that waitress needed a tip. He couldn't help but smile goofily as the cake satisfied any sweet craving he had, to the point that he utterly ignored the cynical statements she had made, blissfully unaware through his ecstasy.

"Strawberry." Shannon just had to say the second Nicholas asked for a cake. Shannon was personally wondering what this child was trying to accomplish. Was he getting a cake for her, or himself? That was the golden question. But it quickly turned out to be for himself. Which was great, since Shannon would have vehemently rejected it, and probably walked away. Though, the stupid look this kid had on his face as he ate the cake made her think he got some sort of sick sexual satisfaction from it. The people this academy attracts by the boatload....

"Oh...em, sorry." He stated, widening his eyes at just how much he was enjoying this cake and looking so silly he was in front of a girl, of all things. Though, this wasn't the first time, either. He had made silly mistakes like this before, and had gotten all kind of mean comments thrown at him in public. He quickly wiped his mouth of any crumbs he had on his mouth from the cake with a napkin. "Thanks for pointing out the kind of cake you had." He stated, before looking down at the cake...crud. He just realized. He...well, he was planning on giving part of this to her. Luckily, he had halved it beforehand. "Oh...em...sorry. Are you still hungry? If so, you can have a piece, if you want!"

"No." Shannon snapped. She didn't want any of this child's cake... Those faces he was making turned her off from [i]ever[/i] eating this stranger's cake. "Sorry, but, I can't be won over with gifts from complete strangers..." She cynically said again, narrowing her brown eyes.

Nicholas couldn't help but widen his eyes. Oh dear...thats when he felt it. A certain fear he had felt many times before, creeping into his mind. That certain sense, that unutterable feeling of loneliness slowly and surely isolating himself from the others as reality struck. Had she really thought of him as someone who was trying to 'win her over' with cake? He was just trying to be nice, thats all. And maybe at the same time, make a new friend? Slowly, he closed his eyes. "...My name is Nick. I didn't mean to win you over at all. I saw you stressed, and I just thought I would try to cheer someone up. Forgive me for being wrong." He stated simply, no longer sounding happy or joyful. In fact, in one fell stroke, the girl had just killed whatever happiness he had found that day. Nicholas was admittedly a gentle guy. He didn't like upsetting people. He lowered his head in shame, and sighed, gently pushing his cake away from himself.

"... Then tell me what you get out of it?" Shannon was quick to reply. She hadn't finished her cake on purpose, because she had to give this kid a reality check. "What do you possibly get out of cheering a complete stranger...?" She asked, very curious to what response this kiddo would come up with. 

Slowly, the young man constructed the words proper in his mind, before speaking out, with less enthusiasm with before. "...I just thought that you looked like you were having a bad day, and if I was in a bad way like that, then I know I would like someone to help me out too, ya know? Do to others what you would do for yourself?...Besides..." 

Oh goody. Another super nice [i]imposter[/i]. Just when Shannon [i]couldn't[/i] get enough of them. She sneered, and rolled her eyes behind her spectacles. "Spare me the nice guy routine." She was quick to insert. "Nobody is nice [i]just because[/i], I've learned that time and time again...." She trailed off, rolling her eyes up into her head. She brushed some strands of her hair back behind her head. "Everyone who slaps the 'good' or 'nice' title on themselves [i]always want something[/i], even if they have to fake their true nature," She shrugged, "Status, money, or simply just want to feel important... It's all something they can get from other."

Nicholas was taken aback. He thought over this for a moment, before slowly shaking his head. "...Maybe you're right about some people, but I just...wanted someone to talk to and relate to, maybe even have a friend? I've had weird time here so far. One girl wanted to get in my pants just because...another, a girl named Gabe, gave me a death stare just for trying to help out a friend who was being interrogated viciously by her just because she was in an accident with Jaska. I'm tired from everything I've done so far, and I just came here hoping to maybe relax and have a conversation with someone who seemed interesting to me, ya know?...Or maybe I just come off as some sort of creepy kid. I don't know."

So Mr. Nice guy was having a bad day? Tough luck. People here have bad [i]lives[/i] and you don't see them complain. But whatever. "You best get used to people like [i]that[/i]..." Shannon said as she took a long sip of her coffee (Which she honestly forgot was even there!). She broke eye contact with Nicholas for a moment and closed her eyes. Before she gently pressed her coffee cup against the table. "You've just entered the biggest cesspool of arrogant assholes, sociopaths, power hungry maniacs, and narcissists you've ever seen... Where do [i]you[/i] lie?"

Nicholas shook his head. He...didn't know. If anything, he was always taught to not be any of those things. Both from personal study to how his mother taught him. He never wanted to be any of those things. And so, he stood up, pulling out a twenty dollar bill and placing it on the table beside his food. "...Thats for the meal. You can take the rest as a tip, ma'am." He spoke to the waitress, before looking at the ginger-haired girl. "...I don't know. And if it were up to me, I would rather not be any of them." He stated. With that, he left the whole sandwich, what remained of the tea, and the partially-eaten cake behind, moving to step out towards the door of the cafe. He slowly stepped out into the rain, lacking an umbrella as his clothes slowly got soaked as he wandered towards the student dormitories. Maybe he should just take some time to himself there...maybe people weren't in the lounge anymore...