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Post by Magdalena "Maggy" Veloz on Sept 8, 2009 23:03:31 GMT -5
Magdalena had not forgiven Phil for his insensitivity over the weekend. He thought he could just pretend nothing had happened, and she would be okay with it. Well, she wasn't! He hadn't acted at all interested that she'd had a date with Tyler, and even his apology had nowhere mentioned the actual reason she was upset with him. She hadn't bothered to tell him about Nolan, because she knew he wouldn't care. She opted to stay away from the cafeteria, telling herself that it was too crowded; an honest assessment would have included the brief vision of Phil pushing against the crowds to hurry through the cafeteria.
Lunch, she decided, was not a necessary part of the day -- perhaps this philosophy had something to do with her stick-like build -- and so she headed to the one place guaranteed to be silent and free from other students: The library. The only other occupant was Phil's sister, but she was studiously scribbling in the notebook splayed out in front of her and didn't look up, so Maggy decided not to say anything, and slid past her to the back of the library, picking up books at random. It wasn't long before Aimee picked up her belongings and padded quietly out of the room, and Maggy breathed a sigh of relief, realizing as she did so that she had been half-afraid the girl would ask why she hadn't come over that weekend. Her relief was short-lived however as a scream rent the air, and then a sound she had only heard in television.
She shrank back into the aisles, squeezing her eyes shut and hoping that whoever had caused that....that horrible sound....they wouldn't come in here, they wouldn't, they wouldn't, they wouldn't.....She took another step backwards, right on top of someone's foot. Brown eyes flicked open as she inhaled sharply, barely biting of a scream of her own.
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Post by Tyler Durnham on Sept 9, 2009 3:33:57 GMT -5
Well, the morning had been fun, really fun, Tyler enjoying his flirting with Brittany almost as much as the girl seemed disturbed by it. She didn’t bite, though, he was sure at least a part of the girl was interested. She had to be, he was Tyler Durnham after all. She was still probably unsure if it was some sort of trick Aly set up, his interest in her. It was, but it wouldn’t stop him from sleeping with the newly blonde girl.
But, Brittany’s loss, Maggy’s gain. Either the girl had been deliberately avoided him, for some reason he didn’t understand, or else they just happened to have not crossed paths since their Valentine’s Day date. Whatever the reasoning, Tyler intended to find out. And it would make for an amusing lunch anyway.
He knew she wouldn’t head to the cafeteria, she was like him in that way, never seemed to spend much time there. There wasn’t many places she could be besides that. He was certain she wouldn’t leave the school, and he doubted she would hover around the sports fields. So, he figured the library was his best bet, and the moment his class finished headed there. He was good at pursuing women. If only they gave grades for it.
On his way in, Tyler passed a young Asian girl, but paid her almost no mind, she wasn’t the one he was after. A few steps in though, and he heard a sound that even made him afraid. There was no mistaking the sound of gunshots, not to Tyler. His father liked to shoot occasionally, and insisted his son know his way around guns, so he knew the sound of a bullet when he heard it.
And he snapped immediately into action, as much to protect himself as well as anyone nearby. He pulled shut the heavy library doors, locking them. Hopefully keeping the gunman or gunmen out. And then, glancing around, seeing no one close, quickly made his way through the small library.
Then Maggy stepped on his foot, and Tyler’s hand quickly moved around her, pressing softly against her mouth, attempting to muffle a scream if one escaped her. He didn’t think anyone would try to get it, but still, it couldn’t hurt not making their presence known by yelling out.
“Maggy, it’s me. It’s ok.” he told her, his voice calm even if he felt far from that. Thoughts of winning the girl over were far from his mind now, he just wanted them both to get out unscathed. He pulled his arm away, gently turning her around to face him, his eyes carefully appraising the slender girl. “Don’t know who, but someone’s decided to shoot up the school. We should stay here, for now. Are you okay? You haven’t been hurt or anything, have you?”
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Post by Magdalena "Maggy" Veloz on Sept 9, 2009 15:05:59 GMT -5
Maggy wasn’t sure if she was relieved or annoyed to find that the person she had so rudely stepped on was one Tyler Durnham. She had only been avoiding him since their date, her confidence that he was actually interested ebbing as soon as she was out of his presence. But then, it was only Tyler. Only Tyler! As though he weren’t just as capable of being criminally dangerous as any other mortal. Still, she didn’t think he was going to murder her, he seemed to like pursuing her far too much.
“Tyler!” She whispered, heart beating fast from finding a hand unexpectedly over her mouth; but now she was facing him and able to talk, so she did, nerves lending her a conversational courage she didn’t normally possess. “You…you startled me.” She gave him a weak smile. Startle was an understatement; for one terrifying moment she had been sure she was a dead woman. “Did you say someone’s shooting up the school?” Of course that was what he had said; she’d heard the gun, and the scream, she couldn’t very well pretend that wasn’t what was happening. But Aimee had just left…and her friends. She suddenly regretted not accepting Phil’s apology. What if she never saw him again?
“I’m fine.” She was physically unharmed, anyway, though her mind was reeling at the unhappy possibilities that came with armed murderers in the school. “Who…why….?” She knew it was silly asking, he had just said he didn’t know. But it was so difficult to comprehend! She needed at least those few answers. “Are…are you okay?” She offered in anxiously in return. “They didn’t….that shot….” She gripped the edges of her skirt, squeezing her eyes shut. “I never wanted to be in a horror story.”
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Post by Tyler Durnham on Sept 10, 2009 5:00:47 GMT -5
“I’m alright, not hurt.” Tyler quickly assured Maggy, not thinking about how he could play the situation to his advantage now, or if her interest in his wellbeing could mean she still had her crush on him. All he was concerned with was not getting a bullet lodged into any of his, or for that matter, Maggy’s, body parts. A scar anywhere on his perfect skin would not look good. He always took good care of his appearance, couldn’t risk having it altered now.
She looked like she might have a panic attack, her knuckles going white the way she was gripping her skirt. It wouldn’t be good if she broke down on him. But while Tyler was good with his words, especially when it came to charming the opposite sex, calming a frightened girl during a school shooting was a bit past his normal skills. So, instead of saying a word, he hugged her, a very unusual move coming from Tyler. He held, he embraced, but he never hugged. At least no one would see, and even if they had, he could blame his behaviour easy enough on the stressful situation.
He then led her to a nearby table, helping her to a seat. He took the chair opposite, wondering himself what was happening outside the library’s locked doors. He was number one, that was no surprise. But still, didn’t mean he didn’t have friends, people he cared about. And the thought of any of his friends, or girls, getting hurt was making him worry more than he prepared to show.
“And you won’t be. We’re going to stay here.” he repeated softly. “Someone would have called the police by now, they’ll show up soon enough. We don’t know what’s happening out there, so it’s best to stay in here. Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay.”
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Post by Magdalena "Maggy" Veloz on Sept 11, 2009 22:46:33 GMT -5
Maggy hardly noticed as she was lead to a chair, dropping down limply and burying her head in her hands. She had so few friends, and the idea of losing them tore painfully at her mind. At least Tyler was here, which meant that he was safe, even if nobody else was. And what about that guy she had met the other day, Nolan? He had seemed so nice, it wouldn't be fair if anything happened to him. After a moment she noticed that Tyler was speaking, apparently much more confident in their safety than she was.
"No...." She inhaled in sharp protest, "It's not...they had guns...." She tried not to think about people with guns hunting her friends through the hallways like foxes. "we never made up," She whispered, voice taut with despair. She was certain that she was never going to see anyone she cared about again. Except Tyler. That was some small comfort. "I'm glad you're here." She added simply after a moment, eyes cast down at the table. She wished she had his courage; she couldn't sense the worry emanating from him, too caught up in her own fears, but he was Tyler, the confident and suave football player, and he couldn't be afraid. If he was worried for his teammates, or the girls he regularly flirted with, he didn't show any signs that she was capable of reading.
It seemed ages that they sat there, but it was surely only a few minutes in reality before the police burst through the doors, spreading throughout the library. She thought she was going to faint when the helmeted, uniformed men with the most dangerous weapons she had ever seen (even counting Phil's collection) approached them, and she reached for Tyler's hand under the desk, clasping it with unnecessary tightness. After some questioning the officers left, on to the few other terrified occupants of the room. And then they were gone, and the intercomm crackled to life once again, ordering all who were able to make their way to the auditorium. Maggy quickly dropped Tyler's hand, standing with anxious alacrity. "I ummm bye." She squeaked, fleeing for the door.
*tags for wrap?*
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Post by Tyler Durnham on Sept 12, 2009 4:17:24 GMT -5
The fact that Maggy was glad that he was there was not lost on Tyler. It could just have been the stressful situation, or that she was glad she had company, but that was not what she said. She said he was glad he was there. Not that she was glad she wasn’t alone, but that he was with her. It made him smile just a little, his usual way of thinking flaring up just a little. He had a chance to, especially now, he figured, with this display, being here for her. As cold as it may seem, to think of hooking up when people, friends, could be hurt, dying, or already good, he had to think that way. He wasn’t as calm and collected as people often took him for. And Tyler was very afraid. Anything to take his mind of that fear was something he seized upon.
He wasn’t aware she had taken his hand at first, even when she squeezed it tight enough to cut of circulation, the armed officers storming the room enough to distract him. They were approached first, which wasn’t a surprise given their table was the closest to the door. It was only as he answered the few, brief questions, speaking for the two of them, that he noticed the fingers tight around his own. And he squeezed back, his thumb skirting softly over her skin. He figured he was safe, their hands were under the table, no one would be able to see.
He stayed like this with her, regain his composure, relieved that it was over with. He wasn’t the only one, he watched Maggy relax as the police moved on. And then the message came over the intercom, and she dropped his hand as quickly as she had taken it. Tyler didn’t have time to respond as she fled away from him, watching in some surprise. She survived a school shooting, and yet she was still nervous to be around him. She wasn’t like any girl he was used to.
The others still in the room followed her lead, albeit slowly. And soon he was the only one left. And it was like this, alone with his thoughts, a sigh escaped Tyler and he succumbed to his fear, for just a moment. He rested his head in his hands, his elbows on the table, taking slow, deep breaths. And then he stood, the worry on his face completely replaced by indifference. He was a Durnham, they had to play it cool. That was how he was raised, and he couldn’t change that now. Digging out his phone to call his father, he made his way to the auditorium.
Wrapped
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