Makoto smiled and waved at Nicholas as she was introduced. She was glad to hear that if she did need a job maybe she could TA in a year or so. Makoto imagined that she would need more experience to do so, which would obviously mean in the coming years as opposed to right away. Phoebe was very excited to greet Nicholas and it seemed safe by their interactions to assume that at the very least, they were attracted to each other. She was very aware that she was the third wheel, by her own mind's doing rather than her new companion's. Could she call Phoebe that already? She hoped so, if nothing else she hoped to be regarded as an acquaintance.

Someone new sat down beside Phoebe, he seemed to make her a bit uneasy. Her tone changed when she talked to him, but she was still polite and friendly. The boy that had just sat down and begun to talk to Phoebe quickly changed trains of thought in the conversation and introduced himself to Makoto. She thought that Flood was an odd name but he may not have wanted to give his real one. She was in no position to judge since she herself was going to be doing the same. 

"My name is Gale." Makoto said, smiling sheepishly. She was still young and had yet to get accustomed to boys. She could barely forge a friendship with a girl when her mom was alive, much less with a boy. Makoto wondered why the boy chose Flood as his name, if in fact he had chosen the name for himself. By looking at him, he did seem to be about her age, plus or minus a year or two. She was never really good at guessing ages.