[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/r5XJkCF.png[/img][/center]
[b]Thames’ Edge Campus
Monday Morning[/b]

[color=B24161]“Uhh, thank you again… I should introduce myself, my name is Gloria Sosa Hathaway, so what’s yours fellow Philosophy student?”[/color]

The cold is chilling now, suffocating any other thought – correcting the [i]mistake[/i].  Alistair reads the curiosity, the [i]hope[/i] on Gloria’s face through her nerves, warm and dangerously compelling.  [color=0072bc][i]You must not accidentally sabotage another.  Nor may you dedicate time that [/i]must[i] be utilised for understanding.  Distance yourself, [/i]now!

[i]You’ll hurt her…

Moreso by attachment.[/i]  “Alistair Parton,”[/color] the boy answers, straining for a frigid tone and keeping his eyes firmly anchored forwards as he sets a rapid pace out of the building and onto one of the campus roads, where a slight rise and curve inhibit line of sight.  [color=0072bc]“The building ought to be down there…”[/color]  Alistair trails off from his attempt to sound authoritative, suddenly self-doubting – and then flinches.  [color=0072bc][i]Stop undermining yourself!  You look vulnerable; vulnerability endears; endearment creates connection and connection without comprehension [/i]risks harm to others[i]![/i][/color]  He nods in affirmation; [color=0072bc]“It will be down there,”[/color] he declares.

That is all that Alistair says as the two make the short walk down to the entrance of the Mary Wollstonecraft Building and then pass through its bright atrium to arrive at the doors of Lecture Theatre 2.  There, he gives Gloria a swift nod, now working to [i]not[/i] read her expression and focussing [i]hard[/i] on keeping his own blank, before making his way inside to find a seat at the very front while hoping against hope that she doesn’t follow.

[@Landaus Five-One]