[center][h2][color=ed1c24][i][b]Drake “D” Edwards[/b][/i][/color] &[/h2] [url=https://fontmeme.com/cursive-fonts/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/181015/5ceecc7538164d6fcf8526b3db450793.png[/img][/url][hr] [img] http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x105/ShatteredCovenant/drake3post_zpsrxjdemys.jpg [/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/r0kQiuz.png?1[/img][/center] [hr][h2][center]Location: Dorm Room[/center][/h2][hr] Drake stared at the number for longer than he cared to admit. [color=f7976a][i]Sally Hendricks... 555-[/i][/color] He could barely make out the rest. His vision was far too blurry at this point. Drake forced himself to put the phone down. It was a bad idea. He needed to get his mind off of it. Laying in bed wasn't going to help things. He pushed himself back to his feet, tucked the refilled flask into his back pocket and slipped his phone into his front one. Maybe a stroll would do him some good. It was better than nothing, he concluded. Drake left his room and shut the door behind him before walking aimlessly down the hall. He didn't even have a destination in mind. It was time to go wherever his feet decided to take him. As he made his way down the hall, the color scheme changed. Perhaps he was in the women's dorm area now. As soon as his mind snapped to this, he paused. This was an even worse idea than the phone call... After another moment, Drake tried to turn around much faster than his body was prepared for. His equilibrium was not in a cooperative mood and his feet suddenly forgot how to do their jobs. Drake managed to trip over his own leg during the spin and, in an attempt to not fall flat, he started forward in a mini-sprint before colliding with one of the closed doors that lined the hallways. With a massive [i]THUD[/i] Drake did his best impression of a bull versus a matador, only it was his head versus the heavy wood of the door. The door won. Drake landed flat on his butt on the opposite end of the hallway, his eyes wide in disbelief, unable to accept what had just happened. [color=f7976a][i] You tripped... [u]on yourself[/u], you friggin idiot?![/i][/color] He looked left and right. It did not appear as though anyone saw it. What little was left of his dignity might still be intact. Aya was nearly done putting her clothes away when she heard a loud noise that seemed to rattle her entire room. She jumped, letting out a high pitched yelp before slapping a hand over her mouth. Eyes wide, she spun, trying to figure out the cause. Her room appeared to be intact. Aya crept towards the door, not sure what to expect. Fingers curling around the knob, she turned it and pulled the door open -- The door that a man had apparently been leaning against on the floor. Drake's back support instantly vanished and he fell to the ground. Looking up he saw a pretty, upside-down lady. "[color=f7976a]Uh... heh...[/color]" He was at a loss for words. Any sort of explanation was bound to sound stupid. "[color=f7976a]Soooo... I'm Drake,[/color]" he said, still lying flat on the ground. He then raised up a hand as if offering to shake, even though it would be impossible from this position. "[color=f7976a]You're pretty cute. I don't even care if you're backwards.[/color]" Aya jumped back to keep from getting her feet smashed when the man fell. Laying there was a bearded man with different colored eyes, who reeked of alcohol and smoke, holding his hand up to her to shake. Aya could only stare, perplexed. She looked up and down the hall, as though an explanation would just appear. The door across from hers had a crack spider-webbing out from a space in the middle. She looked back down at the man. At a loss for anything else to do, she reached down and hesitantly took his upside down hand. [color=aquamarine]"Are... are you alright?"[/color] she asked. [color=aquamarine]"Do you need help or something?"[/color] "[color=f7976a]Oh wow, you must use lotion,[/color]" Drake said, feeling the softness of Aya's hand. He kicked his legs and tristed himself up, having to release his grip of Aya to put himself on all fours, belly down. [color=f7976a] [i]Alright, on three... one... two...[/i][/color] Drake pushed himself up with his hands and tried to straighten his legs at the same time. He managed to spring to an upward stance, but it was a little too fast. He started leaning backward and his eyes went wide again. He grabbed for Aya's shoulders and pulled, hoping to use her to stabilize himself. In all the effort, he succeeded in not falling, but ended up putting Aya into his torso and instinctively wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug to keep from falling. "[color=f7976a]Nah,[/color]" he eventually said, responding to her offer to help. "[color=f7976a]I think I got this now. Thanks, though![/color]" He released his wrap on her and pulled out his flask. "[color=f7976a]Any chance I can help [i]you[/i],[/color]" he said, giving his flask a wiggle. Aya gave a strangled yelp when he yanked her into his chest, arms locking around her, only to release her just as quickly. Aya was still trying to orient herself, a hot blush already making its way up her neck when a flask was waved in her face. [color=aquamarine]"I'm eighteen,"[/color] she blurted instinctively. She clamped her mouth shut, fighting to get her mind in order. She realized she was still standing [i]very[/i] close to him. The blush had reached her ears. Taking a step back, out of the hall and into her room, she said, [color=aquamarine]"I'm sorry, are you a teacher, or?..."[/color] she trailed off, because of course that was a stupid question. The beard made him look older than a normal student, but he was also drunk off his ass, offering her alcohol. Drake laughed, overly amused with the question. "[color=f7976a]Yes,[/color]" he said finally. "[color=f7976a]Professor Plum, at your service,[/color]" he announced with a goofy bow. "[color=f7976a]I never did catch your name, though,[/color]" he noted as he straightened up again. While he waited for an answer, he twisted off the top of the flask and took a quick swig before resealing it. "[color=f7976a]What do I call an upside-down eighteen year old lady who doesn't like a drink?[/color]" Aya cracked a smile, despite herself. "Professor Plum" was... oddly charming, for a drunk. But then, she supposed most drunks were. [color=aquamarine]"Aya,"[/color] she answered. [color=aquamarine]"I'm new. And it's not that I don't drink -- I mean, I do, sometimes,"[/color] she babbled, before clamping her mouth shut. [color=aquamarine]"I just... don't think you're supposed to be offering me any."[/color] Her gaze moved from his flask to his odd eyes to the crack in the door behind him. [color=aquamarine]"So, [i]Professor[/i],"[/color] she said, her smile growing ever so slightly, [color=aquamarine]"there a reason you're stumbling around the girls' hall?"[/color] Aya could guess the answer. "[color=f7976a]Is that where I am?[/color]" Drake looked around, feigning stupidity. "[color=f7976a]I knew I took a wrong turn somewhere...[/color]" His eyes then reset on Aya. "[color=f7976a]I've been here a week and I'm sure I would have remembered seeing that face. New, I take it?[/color]" He looked Aya up and down, trying to get any clues about her. "[color=f7976a]You're in a special kind of school with special kind of people. What special kind of thing can you do?[/color]" [color=f7976a][i] Please don't say telepathy...[/i][/color] Aya quirked an amused eyebrow when he asked if she was new just after she'd introduced herself as such. But then he asked about her mutation and she stiffened. Giving a quick shake of her head, she said, [color=aquamarine]"Nothing special."[/color] He was the second person in a row to ask her that -- it was like the go to ice breaker question here, wasn't it? Dread filled her stomach. She'd be dodging that question with every new person she met. She knew intellectually that the simple thing to do would be to just [i]tell[/i] people her power. But... she'd never said it out loud before. And she never wanted to. [color=aquamarine]"I don't really belong here,"[/color] she added with an awkward smile. [color=aquamarine]"Just... didn't really have anywhere else to go."[/color] "[color=f7976a]Huh...[/color]" he said thoughtfully. "[color=f7976a]You sound like me, only yesterday.[/color]" Yesterday, he was just fireproof, embarrassed of his 'ability' and wanting to keep it a secret for as long as possible. Today, however, Drake had the potential to command an inferno. "[color=f7976a]Look,[/color]" he said as he broke personal space and wrapped his arm around Aya's shoulders, his hand still gripped on the flask. "[color=f7976a]Don't ever be ashamed of who you are, because who you are today might not be the same as who you are tomorrow. Sometimes you gotta get passed the awkward shit to get to the good stuff.[/color]" He gave Aya a one-armed squeeze. "[color=f7976a]You don't gotta tell me,[/color]" he said then, "[color=f7976a]but know that you [i]can[/i]. Anytime. It'll be cool, I promise.[/color]" He then looked around the hall again. It would be awkward as hell if a certain someone happened to come out. "[color=f7976a]Well, Aya, it's been a pleasure,[/color]" he said as he released her from under his arm. "[color=f7976a]Anything else I can do for ya before I mosey?[/color]" There was something hard and tight curling around Aya's chest at the sudden show of compassion, and a lump caught in her throat. She gave a small nod as his words passed through her. He released her and Aya felt a burning behind her eyes. She blinked up at him. She opened her mouth to say thank you, to tell her how much that meant even if she didn't understand why she was getting so emotional but instead what came out was -- [color=aquamarine]"Your eyes."[/color] She stopped, her mind catching up with her mouth. Aya looked back up at him. [color=aquamarine]"Were they always like that?"[/color] Drake huffed lightly through his nostrils with a crooked smile. He then drew his face in close to hers, their noses nearly touching, as he attempted to give her a better look. "[color=f7976a]Ever since I was born,[/color]" he said, his tone much softer than before. After that, he let the silence permeate, studying her eyes as much as she was studying his. They were dark, looking nearly devoid of an iris. "[color=f7976a]Yours are a little extraordinary, too, eh?[/color]" he said. Aya was barely breathing, caught in how [i]close[/i] he was. His eyes were vibrant, bright crimson and blue -- the blue one had a sliver of red in it, she noticed. At this distance she could see the small landscapes that made up his irises, the detailed hills and valleys as his pupils shrank and grew. [color=aquamarine]”They used to be green,”[/color] she finally answered, her voice just as soft as his. [color=aquamarine][i]I miss them...[/i][/color] Aya snapped back into herself and took a step back. [color=aquamarine]”Umm... thank you. For talking to me, I mean. I’ll let you get back to your...”[/color] [i]drunken stumbling[/i] [color=aquamarine]“evening. It was nice meeting you.”[/color] She cracked a wry smile. [color=aquamarine]”Try not to break any more doors.”[/color] "[color=f7976a]Mmhmm,[/color]" he said, amused. Drake didn't have a hat to tip, but he dipped his head in a similar manner all the same. "[color=f7976a]Don't be a stranger, Miss Aya.[/color]" With that, he turned and started walking back the way he came, with his free hand waiving in the air as he walked. "[color=f7976a]I keep a close watch on this heart of mine,[/color]" he started singing obnoxiously. "[color=f7976a]I keep my eyes wide open all the time...[/color]" he then took a turn out of sight. [color=f7976a][color=f7976a][i]I think I like her[/i][/color][/color], he thought to himself. Aya watched as he all but sauntered away, singing all the while. She listened as he turned the corner, his voice filling the hall when she couldn't see him anymore. A bemused smile found its way to her face and she let out a small huff of laughter. Finally, Aya moved back into her room, closing the door softly. She turned, leaning her back against the door. Aya tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Her smile grew, a warm feeling spreading in her chest. Maybe mutant school wouldn't be so bad. She wasn't certain it was the right choice yet, but... [i]"Don't ever be ashamed of who you are..."[/i] Her smile drifted away. Aya pressed her lips together and looked down. Kainoa's face flashed through her mind and Aya gave a harsh intake of breath. She tried to exhale but it was shaky and forced. She squeezed her eyes shut, as though she could block out his face if she just blinded herself to the rest of the world. But he lingered. Aya opened her eyes and pushed herself away from the door. [i][color=aquamarine]Look busy.[/color][/i] She moved back to where her suitcase was, laying at the foot of her new bed. Aya blinked down at it. It was empty. Turning her head, she saw the closet filled with her clothes, all hung neatly. She hadn't realized she'd finished already. Reaching over, she pushed the closet door shut. Aya was officially moved in to the Ashford Institute.