I don't own Total Drama.
This was the first and last time he'd ever let Izzy meddle in his love life. She'd been on at him for the last three weeks to go on a blind date with her new gal-pal, Dawn. He'd never met the girl before, but Izzy had assured him that she was hot stuff, a blonde bombshell of sorts. And she was clever too, Owen had said, the perfect kind of girl for his best friend Noah.
So Izzy had been right that Dawn was pretty. Okay, sure, she wasn't spectacular, but she wasn't an eyesore either. Wearing a modest green dress, she had her hair pulled back in a half-up, half-down style that really suited her.
But as far as he was concerned, the date itself had been a total disaster.
They hadn't argued, but that was probably because the entire night was pretty much spent in awkward silence. But aside from having both been forced into the date by Izzy, they had absolutely nothing in common. He was an academic and well, Dawn was Izzy's psychic. That about said it all right there.
Despite his cynicism and his sharp tongue, he was still somewhat of a gentleman. Regardless of the fact that this date had been one of the worst ones he'd ever had, he still walked Dawn to the door of her apartment.
"Thank you for dinner." she said, pulling her apartment key out of the pocket of her black trenchcoat.
"Thanks for showing up." he said, descending one step. "Well, I'd better go. Good night."
"Are you sure you won't come in for a cup of coffee?" she asked, turning the door handle. "Just so we can tell Izzy we at least tried to make this work? She spent enough time coercing us both into this date, we owe her that much."
Noah shrugged, not fond of the idea of seeing a shelf full of crystal balls and shrunken heads, and any other voodoo magic props that so-called psychics used. But he fancied the idea of Izzy's nagging even less, so he conceded defeat with a curt nod. "I suppose we ought to, if only to shut her up."
Dawn nodded and lead the way into her apartment.
The entrance-way of Dawn's apartment only had a shelf for shoes and a welcome mat, creating a small, almost claustrophobic space that was separated from the house by something as ridiculous as he'd expected from someone who claimed to possess psychic powers - a beaded curtain.
Slipping off her shoes, and hanging her black coat on the hook above the shoe rack, she vanished through the curtain before Noah had even closed the door behind him. He couldn't help rolling his eyes in mild annoyance. He just hoped that he wouldn't see anything truly disturbing in the psychic's house - something worse than a shrunken head.
"Erm, nice curtain." Noah quipped sarcastically.
"Oh, thank you." Dawn replied, before adding in what almost sounded like a cheeky tone, "Keeps the nargles at bay, you know?"
With a deep breath, he parted the bead curtain and pushed through into the next part of Dawn's apartment, expecting something like psychedelic tie-dye pattern walls with scented candles lining shelves on her walls. Instead, he was surprised to see that the walls were painted a very neutral shade of grey-green and instead of shrunken heads and scented candles lining her walls, he found three bookshelves that were packed to capacity.
"Sorry it's such a mess, my work has called me in every day this week." Dawn apologized from a room off the hallway, shortly before a large black and white dog bounded into the hallway, wagging its tail and squealing with excitement. "Boudicca, no!" Dawn called, before appearing a second later, grabbing onto the dog's collar to hold it back. "I ought to have warned you that I have a dog. You're not afraid of dogs, are you?"
"No, I've got a golden retriever at home." Noah said with a nod, and Dawn released the dog's collar with a relieved look on her face, finally allowing it to greet their guest by frantically licking Noah's fingers
"Oh how lovely!" Dawn said as she leaned down to kiss the creature on the top of the head.
"Boudicca is an interesting name for a dog."
Dawn shrugged. "What can I say? History is my life - my present."
Her answer was just as unexpected and interesting as the fact that her shelves were lined with books instead of voodoo magic props.
Noah found himself making idle conversation with the girl. "So . . . you're a psychic? Is it usually this busy this time of the year?"
"Of course, everyone wants to know when they're going to meet their true love, or when their partner is going to pop the question - it's always busy." Dawn said as she lead him to the small kitchen and dining area in her apartment. "The shelter really benefits from all the donations though."
Noah's brow wrinkled in confusion. "I'm sorry?"
"I only do the psychic thing to raise money for the animal shelter. I charge donations." The blonde explained. "I work for the museum downtown."
"Really?" Noah couldn't help being pleasantly surprised by this new revelation.
"And when I'm not poring over museum archives, I'm at the shelter." Dawn said with a smile, pushing a lock of blond hair out of her grey eyes. "I owe them so much – they're the reason I have Boudicca and Lizzie Bee."
At the name 'Lizzie Bee', a chocolate spaniel with a grey-tinged muzzle raised her head and padded into the kitchen to join them.
"Noah, I'd like you to meet Elizabeth Bennett - Lizzie Bee for short." Dawn gave a smile as she grabbed two cups from the cupboard, then scooped some ground coffee beans into her coffee maker. "I trust you've read Pride and Prejudice? It's one of my very favourites. I have a soft spot for the classics."
"No less than ten times." Noah responded with half a smile, helping himself to a seat at Dawn's small table as the old spaniel wandered over to him, wagging her tail.
"So, Izzy said you're an English teacher?"
"Yes, but my students have absolutely no respect for classic literature. If I wasn't already in debt up to to my neck, I'd go back to school and become a professor of literature where my students would at least have some interest in the subject." Noah said with a sigh. "But I suppose I shouldn't complain all the while I have a job in my field when there are no jobs to be had."
"Yes, you should always look on the bright side." Dawn said with a nod as the coffee maker gurgled to life behind her. "Do you take cream or sugar?"
"Just cream, thanks." Noah said as the blonde turned around and opened her refrigerator.
As Dawn made coffee, a silence fell over the duo for what might have been the hundredth time that evening, Noah noted that for the first time, the silence almost seemed comfortable. Almost, but not quite.
He was honestly intrigued by this strange girl whom he had never fathomed would have something in common with him. Izzy was a wild individual, one who he thought should have been institutionalized at some points in their friendship, and in the very least medicated during the rest, so Noah was always wary of her chosen companions. Izzy had been known to associate with some rather questionable folks over the years, although Noah supposed that on the spectrum, a psychic was hardly that strange in comparison.
"So. . ." Dawn began, making her way to the table with a cup of coffee in each hand. The feeling of almost-comfort in their silence was wearing off quite quickly.
"So." he responded. Maybe we should end things on a positive note and call it a night, Noah thought, but instead of suggesting that, he found entirely different words coming out of his mouth. "You said you have a soft spot for the classics? Are you familiar with John Donne's Holy Sonnets?"
Dawn smiled. "Is death not proud?"
And with a small smile of his own, Noah found himself thinking that perhaps it was a little early to call it a night quite yet. And perhaps the blind date hadn't been such a colossal disaster after all.
But he'd never tell Izzy that.
Izzy ships Noah and Dawn, this is my headcanon.
Constructive criticism always appreciated! Please review!