Morning already? ]Lassieface[

[lorilie]

The young girl was curled on the couch, her eyes closed over curious, soft eyes, and legs pulled toward her lean body, feet bare. Loralie had obviously fallen asleep, right here in the Lounge, as was evident from the book which had fallen from her hand. Said novel now lay on the floor, Loralie's hand open and loose in the air above it as her other arm tucked under her head as a pillow. Her glasses were still firmly on her head, just a little cockeyed over her pale oval face.

She shifted in her sleep a little, obviously from a dream. Loralie's clothes were her usual set of jeans, black hoodie of very light material, and a t-shirt underneath. Further examination of the couch revealed a border collie, also dozing soundly, next to the girl. The collie's back was against Loralie's thighs, her muzzle resting on her owner's calves while her tail and rear were shoved against the back of the furniture. Her ears twitched slightly and her groggy head rose to gaze blearily at the hallway as the sound of approaching footsteps. Willie yawned, her vocal chords prtesting slightly with a little squeak at the end, making her sound almost like a puppy.

[Onzyy]

*

[/b][/size] IF THERE[/size][/color]'[/font]S ANYTHING TO SAY[/size][/color],[/font]
^{- - - - - - - - if there's anything to do. if there's any other way. i will do anything for you. - -}[/i][/size][/font][/size][/center]

Darren had entered the lounge area a few minutes ago. His time was being spent with his yearling filly and his mare. His hands may have been busy with the horses, but his mind was Loralie. For a while he hadn't seen her, and he wondered what she had been up to. Darren had found her to be quite lovely, quiet and gentle. Someone who wasn't loud and overbearing, but also not so quiet that he wouldn't have conversation. Though she hadn't talked much during their meeting in the library, Darren felt that he could break through to her.

In his pocket was a horse head pendant that he found, and he wondered if she would appreciate it. A small token of protection, a "lucky" charm in way. Reaching the door that separated the dorms from the room, Darren heard a small keening sound and put it down as a dog. As always, Darren had a ready smile avaliable for anyone who was in the room. What he hadn't expected was to find Loralie asleep on one of the couches, with her border collie by her side. ”Hey girl. Sleeping well I see,”

[/color] he whispered quietly to the collie, patting her head fondly. Darren settled himself on one of the couches, and watched as Loralie slept.


”This is your character speaking.”[/color]
[/blockquote]
NOTES: Complete
TAGGED: Myssi
OUTFIT: wearing clothes? naturally
CREDIT TO: FOREVER COURTNEY! @ CAUTION.
MUSE FROM:The Canadian Tenors[/blockquote][/size][/font]

[lorilie]

Willie watched the boy move off after patting her, and found this to be unacceptable. He had shown her attention, after all, and in her opinion, which was always the most important, she derseved more than just a simple head pat.

So, the little dog got to her paws and leapt off the couch, following Darren's retreat. Her scrambling movement woke Loralie, who's eyes opened as she jerked softly, before raising her head and taking in her surrondings. She looked at Darren warily for a second or two before recognising him and offering a small smile.

"Salutations, and good morning, Sir Darren. I apoligize for my not being awake in your presence." She murmured quietly, standing to her full height and stretching out her arms before stooping to retrieve the book. She noticed Willie begging for Darren;s attention and grinned at the little dog. "Hope I've not kept you waiting too long, and left you to deal with her morning energy."

[Onzyy]

*

[/b][/size] IF THERE[/size][/color]'[/font]S ANYTHING TO SAY[/size][/color],[/font]
^{- - - - - - - - if there's anything to do. if there's any other way. i will do anything for you. - -}[/i][/size][/font][/size][/center]

Darren allowed himself to observe Loralie while she slept. He wondered what her quirks or habits were. What she liked. What she didn't like. What annoyed her, and all that jazz. He was also pretty happy, he actually made a friend at the Academy, but so far nothing really happened while he had been here. Darren laughed quietly as Willie demanded more attention, but waking her mistress in the process. For someone who had just woken up, Loralie was sure spunky.

”Good morning m'lady. I hope you had a restful slumber?”

[/color] Darren asked, joining in the fun. His smile didn't merely extend on his face, but shone in his eyes. You can always tell a fake smile, when the person's eyes aren't at least glinting. Darren patted Wille's head again, and scratched behind her ears. She was a sweet natured dog, and he liked that.

”You have not kept me waiting long, but I do not mind waiting. Willie has been very entertaining by far,”[/color] he said. The way he was talking suited his English accent. For him this was a great time, and he appreciated every moment that he could spend with Loralie.


”This is your character speaking.”[/color]
[/blockquote]
NOTES: Complete
TAGGED: Myssi
OUTFIT: wearing clothes? naturally
CREDIT TO: FOREVER COURTNEY! @ CAUTION.
MUSE FROM:The Canadian Tenors[/blockquote][/size][/font]

[lorilie]

"An excellent, if not moderately uncomfortable." Loralie replied, adjusting her glasses and pulling her hair from it's discombobulated ponytail. She shook the blond mass of hair, then hastily pinned it into a messy bun at the back of her cranium.

When Loralie looked back at Darren, she felt her breath catch slightly. His eyes glimmered at her, speckled with the most delicate shade of misty morning dew. They smiled at her, even when his mouth was smiling in her direction. His smile was one of a kind, she decided. Genuine, unique, and absolutely perfect. It was a smile that would always be remembered.

"Oh, yes." She said, snapping back into focus. "Willie can be extremely entertaining. She probably wants a walk. I usually take her out in the morning after I wake up and such. Would you like to join us, Darren? I know Willie would enjoy your company very much."

She mentally cursed herself for being such a cliche lovesick schoolgirl. This type of affection had not been in the girl's gameplan. She was unprepared for the murmers her heart urged toward her, and she was baffled by this odd English accented boy who'd dared to reach out a hand to her in the library. Or perhaps it was the fact that he remembered her that had caught the young girl so off guard. All in all, Loralie knew one thing. She had a friend. A friend that she already wished was more than her simple friend.

[Onzyy]

Darren's blue oracles watched Loralie. There was pure mischief in them, but not to do Loralie any harm. They were always like that, and made people warm up to him, that is until they found out what was wrong with him. He glanced at Willie and laughed at her antics. It was a warm laugh, hardly ever fake. I would love to accompany you m'lady. Darren answered Loralie. It was a friend he appreciated, but he didn't want to be just friends. Did he? His mind answered with a clear and definite no, and his heart joined into the fray.

To break his thoughts, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Looking at the caller ID he saw that it was his adoptive father, Scott. There was a considerable time difference between New York and Kentucky, so the call baffled him. Excuse me, he said to Loralie. He answered the phone. Hello Scott...Wait, hold on...She delivered?...A brother?...And a sister...Tell her I say hi...Love you too...Bye. That was basically how the conversation went. When he faced Loralie again, he had a massive beam on his face.

He wanted to hug her, and spread the joy. That was my adoptive father. I have a brother and sister, he was over the moon, and was slightly sad that he couldn't be with his family in New York, but he wouldn't want to be anywhere else than with Loralie right now. So are we leaving? he asked, the joy in his voice unmistakable. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place, fitting perfectly.

[lorilie]

Loralie grinned at his acceptance to her offer and put the book down on the table, knowing it would be there when she returned. She went over to Wille and knelt by her, whispering to the little dog. The border collie whuffed a response, then trotted down the hall.

When the dog was gone, Loralie turned back to Darren. Neither could say anything, because at that moment, his phone rang. She nodded to him and turned to watch for Willie. The collie was fetching her leash from Loralie's rooms, something she'd been taught to do as a puppy. Loralie had trained her herself. In fact, the girl often trained her animals to do differant tricks, when she had animals to train. Over the years, dogs and cats had lived and passed on with her. In fact, the only animal she'd owned and hadn't trained had been her rabbits.

When Darren hung up, Willie entered at the same time, leash in maw. Loralie listened to Darren as she fixed the dog's leash onto her.

She was happy for Darren, and smiled to him. "Congratulations!" she told him, twisting the dog's leash in her hands a bit. Her experiance with siblings hadn't exactly been wonderful... Her stepbrother had hated her. He'd done everything he could to make her life miserable. But that was past, hopefully, and she nodded and started off, leading Willie and Darren off to start the morning walk.

[Onzyy]

Darren was on a natural high. The birth of his 'siblings' had made his heart beat slightly faster. The way to round it off was by spending time with Loralie. Willie walked in with her leash in her maw, and Darren smiled. The dog was one of a kind, character wise, and he knew that he would like a dog with the same kind of attitude. Yet he also knew that he didn't have time. He had a yearling to train as well as a mare that needed just as much time.

Thank you, he answered her. He offered his arm, bent at the elbow, so that she could hook in with him. Let us depart m'lady, he said to her, a smile playing on his face and glinting in his eyes. Somewhere a faint strain of music played. Darren tensed up knowing what would happen if they moved closer to it.

The smile that was usually so friendly was now tense. Darren didn't want to scare Lory by one of his "happy-fits" as it had been dubbed ages past.

[lorilie]

Loralie's spirits lifted a bit as they wandered outside, the smell of nature making her a bit cheerier, but the thoughts of her stepbrother had put her into a dreary mood. She cursed the elder for his impact on her life, his negative effect on her feelings.

She stole a glance at Darren, studying him as she often studied humans. He was a lean figure and tall, as she already knew. But there was something about him that made her drawn to his essence like a moth is drawn to a light.

Inwardly, she chuckled at her comparison, mentally noting hoiw she was indeed like a moth. She dwelled in darkness and flitted in shadows. She was a rather dull personality and a rather bland person. She was rarely extravagent and she admired those who were creative naturally. Darren seemed to pocess all the qualities she did not, and it made him a somewhat awed figure in her mind. And, he was nice, sweet, actually intrested in her. The mere thought astonished her, for even in her hometown no one had cared about Loralie. Teachers appreciated her work effort, but didn't actually seem to notice her beyond that. Only one teacher had actually cared for her like his own daughter and had tried his hardest to coax her from her shell. But when her brother had been particularly vicious to her one day, Loralie had fled so deep withen herself, that it seemed like she would never find the way our of her own darkness.

Suddenly, Darren flinched slightly, a slight irratated flick to his broad shoulders. Loralie's eyes rested on him calmly in a mere second, her gaze silent and unwavering, trust shining shyly in the depths. "What's wrong?" she asked, her head naturally tilting to the side slightly.