fandomhighdorms | First Floor Lobby, evening

"It is a bit much, but I couldn't decide on which book to bring down here, and I hate being caught with one I don't want to read," Evie explained, smiling up at him. "Hullo, you're new! I'm Evie. Carnahan."

"A.J.," he smiled back. "Nice meetin' ya, Evie. Wait. Eve? You're Abigail's roommate?"

"Ohh, no. That's Eve Levine. Quite nice, I was in a workshop with her this session. I'm Evelyn, or Evie. And it's a pleasure to meet you too." She cocked her head. "Abigail, I think I've seen her around, but I don't know her very well. IS she a friend of yours from home?"

"Nah," A.J. said, leaning back a little with his hands on the back of the couch so he was kind of hanging on it, butt poking out as a weight down. He had a few drinks in him, so he was feel a little goofy, and goofy meant pulling on backs of couches. And then letting go, catching himself, and then pulling himself forward again, draping forward again slightly and looking at Evie's books. "She's my Big Sis, with the little program they've got. Here I was getting all excited, thinking I I could be all cool and, 'Hey! A name I know!'"

Evie watched him for a moment, wondering if he were dancing, or perhaps just very tired? Poor boy. "Ahh. No, it's difficult being new, isn't it? I've been here almost a year, and I *still* end up surprised by this place." She pointed to the end of the couch. "Would you like to sit down? You seem rather off-kilter."

"Sure!" A.J. chuckled a little bit, and then, careful that his landing didn't disturb her books, he hopped over the back of the couch and landed on it with a small 'oof.' "Thanks, Evie. I think I might have had one too many at that bar tonight," he admitted sheepishly, a little breathlessly as if the maneuver over the couch left him a bit winded.

"Oh dear." Evie gave him a chiding look, well used to this from Jonathan. And, well. One or two ill-considered evenings of her own. "If you're about to be ill, don't get it on the books. I take it you visited Caritas? What did you have to drink? One of those little drinks with the umbrellas?"

"Don't worry," A.J. shook his head a little. "I feel fine. And, no, just a few beers, but maybe next time, I should have one of those drinks with the umbrellas. You don't think it'd make me look too...effeminate, do you?"

"Absolutely not," Evie said firmly. "I'm certain you're quite masculine enough to be able to drink a drink with an umbrella." Some of them having a rather strong kick, as she remembered. "I believe Professor Deadpool drinks those, on occasion. And he's definitely... ummm..." She frowned, trying to find the right word, then looked proud of herself. "'Badass.'"

A.J. beamed a little. "You think I'm masculine? Well, assume I'm masculine, since we just met and everything..."

Evie laughed a bit. "Well, yes. And you're not a giant turtle! Or a frog. That always makes questions of gender a bit more complicated, doesn't it?"

A.J. laughed, because that just seemed so random. "Maybe not to someone who is a turtle or a frog," he pointed out.

"Well, no. I'm sure it's all very clear to them," Evie said agreeably. "And therefore, yes, you're quite masculine enough, as a boy." She tilted her head. "Where are you from, A.J.? I'm assuming somewhere here in America, but it's always good to check."

A.J. nodded a little. "Yup. I'm a Jersey boy, born and raised. How about you? British accent, right?"

"Yes, London and Cairo," Evie said, nodding her head. "Are you here because you, um, wish to be?" She inquired, hoping that wasn't too awkward. "Some people seem rather startled when they arrive here."

"I got, uh....in a bit of a....we'll call it an artistic difference with the administration at my last school, got kicked out, and my parents threw up their hands and said, 'Boarding school!' This is the one they could afford the easiest, it seemed."

"Ahhh," Evie said, nodding. "Well, you're not the only one who's had difficulties at their previous schools. And we have a few refugees too. I'm here because my parents were worried I'd be hurt in London, and felt that America would be safer."

"Hurt in London?" A.J. asked, frowning. "How?"

"The War," Evie said matter-of-factly, then paused. "Um. Has anyone mentioned that some people time-travel to get here?"

"Oh, God," A.J. groaned, rolling his head and tilting his head back against the back of the couch. "Time travel, too? Seriously?"

"There, there." Evie patted his arm. "It's only your first day. No one says you have to learn it all at once. My first day? I found out about magic. I spent most of the day staggering around in disbelief."

"You had it easy, then," A.J. sighed. "Let's see. Time travel, magic, zombies, trolls, different worlds, bars that serve minors without legal reprecussions, demons..." He paused to think of what he might be forgetting, "zombies, super powers....Probably several other things my brain is psychologically trying to block out because it's too traumatic..." He did grin, though, at the end of all that, shaking his head. "Maaaaaan. This feels like one crazy ass trip."

Evie laughed. "And it's just beginning, and you haven't met your instructors yet! It evens out after a bit, but it doesn't get less strange, really." She shook her head. "Most of the people here are very kind, though. So if you find yourself in over your head, they'll definitely help."

After a bit, A.J. added, "I see why the bar serves minors now. Preservation."

"Quite possibly."

First Floor Lobby, evening

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