Academy of Misfits discussion

She may customize it however she wants!

Hailee threw her dorm door open and tossed her pile of bags in carelessly. Except one, that one she set to the side of the doorway, not wanting her things to break. She closed the door again and skipped out of the dorms.
Wonderful World of Books, here I come!

Hailee threw open her door for the second time, but this time not as hard. She checked behind to make sure she hadn't hit the bag and birdcages that she had taken the precious seconds to set down with care before rushing to the library. She stepped into the bland dorm with her arms spread on either side as if displaying it for her new friend to see. "Welcome to my super dull dorm room!" She said with a sad, forced smile. "It could use some work..."

"Don't lie." Hailee persisted, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, it'll look much better once I actually put some 'me' into it." She turned and plucked the birdcages from the ground, setting them on her bed. She was about to open the birdcages, but first took a quick glance around the room. "The door!" Hailee said, pointing at the door that still stood agape. "Close the door! I don't want them running--I mean flying--away."

Hailee stood up and looked around him. He was right, the door was very much closed. "Oh... haha, oops." She muttered turning a little red. How did I not noticed? Am I really that distracted by being in my room? When she thought that, she went even redder, turning towards the birdcages as an alternative to looking Lorcan in the eyes. She pulled a small key out of her pocket and used it to unlock the locks on each of the birdcages, letting the birds free.

Hailee nodded in agreement. "The best. Not even your future dog would beat these, and you can't change my mind." She said with such an air of a surety. She pointed up at the large, greyish owl. "That one's Sunshine. I needed to call him something bright because when I saw him at the pet shop, everyone was pestering him about being a dark, hateful owl. But he's Sunshine. And don't you dare call him dark!" She added pointing an accusing finger at him, her expression was very serious as she waited for a response.

Hailee smiled and dropped her hand back to her side. "Right answer!" She said. She pointed at the yellow and white lovebird that was cuddling with the blue and white one, perched atop the ring of their cage together. "She's Anya and he's Kai, and they are the most adorable couple ever and you can't change my mind," Hailee stated before grabbing the cages from her bed again and studying the room.

AestheticBug wrote: "((*sighs* Stupid auto correct. I meant he not she ;-;))"

((lol, that's okay!))

Hailee crossed her arms and nodded curtly. "Yes. So I hope you aren't planning to steal them. I know they're gorgeous, wonderful, one-of-a-kind, intelligent, and obedient angel-pets, but that won't earn you friendship points."

"Well, that's good!" She said with a grin. She turned back to look at the birdcages contemplating where she could put them. The rings on the tops would let her tie ropes through and hang from the ceiling, but she wasn't sure she could stand that tall. What would be even cooler, is if she found a way to string a vine through them and hang that on the wall, but that presented the same problem as her first idea. Still... she would love to let the cages hang high for the birds to fly around in...

"Oh. Yeah. I'm thinking it'd be great to hang them up somewhere, I just don't know if I'd be quite tall enough to reach the ceiling, even with a chair." She chuckled, a bit embarrassed. "But I'm sure I could still pull off a homey feel for the birds if I set them on a table or desk or something." She added with a shrug.

Her eyes lit up. "Would you?" She asked, and without waiting for much of a response, jumped with more than a hint of glee. "Ohmygoshthankyousomuch!" She slurred, then proceeded to ramble about her plans for a vine-wrapped rope to be looped on the ceiling and hang the cages from there, maybe even adding some potted flowers or other decorative items to the mix for the three birds' enjoyment. "...Or... is that too much...?" She asked after she realized how long she went on.

"That's all I have for now." She muttered, wringing her hands together and biting her lip. "But my room will be smothered with plants, and I have some super cute purple flower drapes for the windows! I could set out my rug and hang up the picture frames I brought from home." She started to brainstorm, envisioning everything laying out in the room. She plopped down on her bed and sat on her hands to restrain her body from going wild and setting everything out then and there. But it was hard, her excitement was really a challenge to overcome.

"Hmm... it'll probably take about a week for me to grow my vines long enough, I brought some from home, but their still kinda small for what we need. So... next Thursday?" she offered.

Hailee sprung from the bed, unable to contain her excitement any longer, and wrapped Lorcan in a big bear hug. "Thank you so so much!" She exclaimed, practically bouncing on air. It would make the perfect, beautiful area for her birds to fly and she absolutely couldn't wait.

Hailee stopped bouncing when she felt his hands on her back. She stood there for a heartbeat. Two. Cheeks red as a tomato and hot as a pool of lava. Then she stumbled out of his arms awkwardly. "Haha...! Thanks again, Lorcan." She said. Why won't my cheeks stop burning? "Anyway, I probably should get some sleep..." she mumbled. She knew full well how weak the excuse was, especially with how bright the sun shone through her window, but she just needed to give her cheeks and butterfly stomach some time to calm down. Or a lot of time.

Hailee coughed uncomfortably. "Y-yeah. You too. Or... I mean... maybe your not going to sleep. Haha, 'cause, it's still, like, the middle of the day, so..." She stopped herself from rambling about useless stuff again and just waved. "Yeah. Uh... bye, I guess. See ya, sometime. Or not. If you don't want to..." She buried her face in her hands, flushing uncontrollably. "You know what? Just go." her voice came out muffled and she almost hoped he didn't hear what she said after she realized how rude it sounded. But she couldn't bring herself to open her mouth again. Not after the life-changing speech she just gave.

"She listened to his footsteps fade in the hallway until there was no more sign of them. She screamed and ran around the room, letting out the build-up of emotions she had been holding in the whole time he was there until she flopped back on her bed in exhaustion. "Does this mean I have a love life now?" She laughed as soon as she said the words out loud. "Don't be silly, Hailee, a hug doesn't make a love life. We're just friends."

((I gtg. It's almost 3 AM here, so gn!))

Hailee rolled off her bed groggily, feet lifting her heavy body up from the mattress as she squinted against the light. She hadn't realized that she'd fallen asleep. "How long was I out?" She mumbled. But it came out more like. "Huhlon wuzeyyye owtah?"
She checked out the window and noted that it was still bright outside, so it can't have been too long. Then she heard the loud growling of her stomach and realized it was probably time for lunch. Or past time.
Hailee sighed and fixed herself up before heading out the door, looking around for the cafeteria.

Hailee opened her dorm door with Lorcan right behind her and studied the room. She still hadn't gotten a chance to decorate, but the vines for their plan to hang the birdcages had started to grow. Her sour mood fleeted instantly at the sight of the vines. Plants had a way of doing that to her...
And him...
She blushed, going into the kitchen area to put away the container in the fridge. And to hide her red face from Lorcan. She couldn't imagine what he'd say if he knew she had developed a crush on him after just a day.

((brb. maybe 15 mins?))

((nvm))

Hailee walked back to the front of her dorm. She still felt like maybe she did the wrong thing back there. She pressed her lips together as she struggled to keep everything in. "Okay... I'm all done. What now...?" She asked, trying to pretend like it was nothing.

((no, I thought it would take longer than it did, but I finished really quick. Ur good!))

Her heart leaped at his words. He wants to? she thought, suddenly feeling a bit giddy. Again, he had a way of doing that to her. She smiled, "Okay" She said. She hoped she hadn't made him want to, she hadn't even touched him since the hug, though, so how could she have? She groaned despite her efforts to hold it in when she remembered what she did in the cafeteria. Will this be haunting me the rest of my life?

"What?" Hailee asked, straightening and trying to force a grin. Then she just gave up, flopping on her bed. "I just don't like my power that much... it's so manipulative and it makes people feel things that they don't actually feel so it's all fake and people never like it when others change how they feel or control them in any way and maybe she glared at me, but still it doesn't seem right. I feel so guilty for using my power on her. She didn't deserve that..." Her head drooped into her pillow after she finished letting everything out. "Sorry, you don't need my weird, complicated feelings..."

Hailee heard him sit by her bed and she turned her head to face the other way so he couldn't see her red cheeks. I can't believe I embarrassed myself like this! He just wanted to hang out, not talk about all my life problems! "I guess you're right... but... how could I ever like my power when it's so manipulative? I know I wouldn't like it if someone controlled my emotions. Also... maybe you're just saying that because I made you feel that..." She regretted saying that last part as soon as it left her mouth. He'd totally hate her now that she told him she might have messed with his emotions.

Hailee sat up, chewing on her lip. "You're sure...?" She asked, referring to what he said about her not having influenced his emotions. She needed to hear him say it one more time and found herself hugging her knees against her chest while she waited anxiously for his answer.

Hailee let out a deep breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and smiled back. "Thanks." She said, feeling much better after he'd talked to her about it. Her legs fell out of her arms' death squeeze as she hopped up from the bed. "So... what are we doing now?" She asked, remembering what he said about wanting to hang out. Her heart did more flips and she hugged herself to try to get it to stop.

She grinned as an idea entered her mind. "We could go to the garden..." She suggested. She loved plants and gardens were full of them. "But only if you want to." She added quickly, "It might sound kinda boring. We can do something else if you want."

Hailee bounced a little on her toes. His smile is so cute! she thought. "Great! Let's go!" She exclaimed, opening the door. She was so giddy as she led him out of the dorm and down to the garden.

((ya!))

The noise faded away slowly until she could finally focus again. The world cleared before her and...
Her heart lept to her throat when she met his eyes. She didn't try to hide her flaming face this time, she was just too happy to see him. Then she realized that she was laying down on something... soft?
She surveyed the room. Her room.
"Wh-what happened?" She asked. Weren't we just in the gardens? How'd I get here?

"Oh..." Hailee said as the pieces started coming back together. Kayleigh and that stone-faced way she took my apology. And Lorcan hugged me then brought me back here? It was such a sweet gesture, but... she looked down at his feet, "Sorry for making you carry me... that must have been hard... with your leg..." Why am I so terrible at apologies?

Hailee didn't know what happened next, but she definitely didn't consent to it. The next thing she knew, she was sitting up and pulling Lorcan into a hug. "Thanks..." She said before pulling back out of the hug. "Thank you for helping me, but... you don't need to carry me if it happens again. We could've just stayed at the gardens. Or you could have left me there. I don't care. I just don't like when people risk harming themselves for my sake." There has to be a catch. Nobody really... cares like that, right? Especially about me.

Before Hailee could stop herself, she found herself blurting. "I don't get it! Why? I just--you just--nobody would really do that... especially not someone you've only known for a day!" Liar. You'd do that for him. "Why are you being so nice to me? All I've done is badger you and drag you around everywhere. I don't... get it..."

Hailee looked into his eyes. So sincire. She wanted--needed--to trust him. But... she just needed to know first. She reached out and grabbed his wrist. He was telling the truth. There was no doubt. emotions of worry and care slammed into her senses. He cares about me... and there is no catch. Can it really be that simple?She slumped forward, suddenly feeling terrible for questioning him and his kindness.
"I'm sorry. You were just trying to help and I'm really happy you did." She smiled to prove it. Genuine. "I guess I just have trust issues that I never knew about." She hoped he'd forgive her. And his emotions told her she didn't need to worry about if he would or not.

Hailee sunk into the hug willingly, wrapping her arms around his back. Is it weird that I'm starting to get used to this? she thought. She'd lost count of which hug this one was, but she liked it. "Ummm... Lorcan?" Hailee said, still sitting in his warm embrace.

Hailee took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. Am I really gonna say it? But isn't it too early? What the heck! I can't keep it in any longer! She took another deep breath and spat it all out. "So, I know that it's only been a day and that you'll probably think I'm super weird and maybe even not want to be my friend anymore but I just can't hold it in any longer so here goes!" She exclaimed in one quick sentence. After another deep breath and looking at anything but Lorcan she finally mustered the courage. Before she could chicken out again. "I...I like you! Like, like like you, ya know? Sorry, it was just super hard keeping in all the emotions and whatever and... well... I'm not keeping you, so go ahead and leave if you want or whatever. Sorry."

"Umm... so..." Hailee started to get super nervous when he didn't say anything. But he wasn't leaving either. Maybe he just wants to be friends? Well at least he isn't ditching me, I guess, but... "Is that... a no...?" Hailee asked, but she kind of hoped she hadn't. She wasn't sure she actually wanted to know.

Hailee's jaw dropped. First, she was shocked. Like... he said he likes me... Then it became hard to breathe. Then she let out a squeal of excitement, leaping off the bed and practically tackling him. Then she stepped back rocking on her toes. "Sorry... I'm just... yay!" She grinned doing small jazz hands as his words continued to repeat in her mind over and over.

Hailee stood, opening her mouth and closing it several times before she finally said something. "Yay! So... we both like each other... what now?" She asked with a small, nervous giggle. Do we just go back to being friends again? Is it too soon for... maybe... nevermind.

((GTG, it's midnight! XD Cont. tomorrow?))

Date... date... date Lorcan... "So like... you'd be... my boyfriend?" Why do I like that word so much? Boyfriend!

"Yes!" Hailee said. Zero hesitati

on. "Yes... Boyfriend..." she smiled, she really liked calling him that.

((Sorry I accidentally posted lol!))

Hailee was grunting super wide as she went to sit back down on the bed. She folded her hands in her lap and fidgeted nervously. What now? We're dating, but I guess I never really thought about what that meant. she blushed bright red and started clenching fists of hair at her next thought, Does this mean we're going to big a lot more? Or... kiss...?

They say in awkward silence for what must have been ages before Hailee finally cleared her throat. "Uh... Anyway, thanks for helping me... I feel lots better now! I don't know what happened over there..."

((Sry for disappearing))

"Oh, okay, sure!" Hailee said with a grin. "I was just thinking how unfair it was that you got to see my dorm three times, and I've never seen yours."

((Yeah!))