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[right][sub][color=708090]Starring: Alex Durand and Addison Helmsley
Time: 8:15 AM
Location: The Quad - Room 206[/color][/sub][/right]
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Smoke drifted out from between Alex Durand’s lips and floated up, dissipating as the ocean breeze brought the grey cloud into the air. Licking his lips, Alex dropped the end of his joint onto the pavement, crushing it under the heel of his shoe. Pedestrians passing by hardly gave him a second glance as he stepped off the wall, joining the school of fish as they swam to their tanks, to live out whatever miserable lives they’d been destined for.

Not Alex though. He wasn’t a fish, but a bird, flying high above his worries, headed for the aviary that loomed over the city. Marble Heights was waiting, and he’d have to arrive sooner or later. 

His plane had landed in San Francisco only a few hours ago, but he’d sent his luggage ahead and got the driver his mom hired to drop him off a few blocks from his favorite ramen place in the city. If he was about to submit to nine months of psychological torture in the name of education, then god damn it he’d start it with a joint and some ramen.

This is how Alex found himself strolling into the Oaklands building at 8:30 in the morning, bobbing his head to the [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKATiv1Ala0&ab_channel=AmineVEVO]music[/url] pouring out of his Airpods and into his ears. Had he opted for a less musical walk to his room, he might’ve heard his name shouted from a few feet behind him, might’ve heard the slapping of expensive sneakers on the pavement, might’ve been prepared for Addison Helmsley to launch herself full force onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and sending his ramen to an early grave. [color=57969e]“Fuck! My ramen,”[/color] Alex said, the dejection seeping out. 

The disappointment on his face was quickly replaced with elation, as he turned around to face his assailant. [color=57969e]“Addie!”[/color] Alex shouted, wrapping his friend into a hug. [color=57969e]“You owe me a ramen by the way,”[/color] Alex said, pointing at the noodles on the ground to emphasize his point. 

Addison looked stunning, per usual, glamorous, yet casual all at once. [color=f7cbb4]“Yeah, yeah, that’s what you get for trying to have the first smoke sesh of the year all by yourself. Selfish little goblin you,”[/color] Addie said, reaching up and ruffling Alex’s hair before slipping past him with what he figured was only the first of many bags. Alex followed behind her, ramen left in the past, Airpods slipped into his pocket.

[color=57969e]“You seen Reyna yet?”[/color] Alex asked as he took in the Oaklands building, scanning for friendly faces. 

[color=f7cbb4]“If I had, do you think I’d be here?”[/color] Addie teased. [color=f7cbb4]“Shouldn’t you be more concerned with where Lucy is?”[/color] That earned her a light shove from Alex, who was already forming a retort of his own.

[color=57969e]“Says the one fawning all over Honey.”[/color]

[color=f7cbb4]“Oh shut up! I don’t ‘fawn’ over anyone,”[/color] Addie said, repaying the shove with a punch to the shoulder before jabbing the button to call the elevator. 

[color=57969e]“You’re right, you’re more of a stalker really.”[/color]

[color=f7cbb4]“Hanging out at the cafe is not stalking, Alex. It’s a public space.”[/color]

Alex chuckled and shook his head as they stepped into the elevator, and slapped the button for the second floor. [color=57969e]“How was your summer? Enough for Queen Addison?”[/color] Alex asked, knowing very well what a Helmsley summer entailed.

[color=f7cbb4]“Nothing’s ever enough, but it [i]was[/i] enjoyable. Missed everyone here though. What about you?”[/color]

[color=57969e]“Eh, the usual. Worked at one of dad’s shops, went to visit Evan, skated, surfed, smoked.”[/color] Wyatt shrugged as the elevator slowed to a halt, and presented him to the second floor. [color=57969e]“I’ll text you if I hear about plans?”[/color]

[color=f7cbb4]“Damn straight you will,”[/color] Addie said, before her face was hidden by the reflective metal of the elevator, and Alex began searching for his room. Halfway down the hall he found Room 206, and swiped his ID to get inside. He was sure he’d gotten an email about his roommates, but he’d never bothered checking. They’d either like him or they wouldn’t, he couldn’t really care less about that. He just hoped they weren’t boring as fuck. [/color][/indent][/indent]