nine

spitballing


The Student Center is basically the hub of campus, in the way that only a place that caters directly to the college lifestyle could possibly be popular. The Student Center has the best wi-fi connection, the campus bookstore on the upper floor, the food kiosks and coffee bar in the food court on the lower level, the student store - where Ella works - and a helpful selection of oddly specific self-help pamphlets.

The first time she saw the one labeled How To Tell Unplanned Pregnancy from Full Moon PMS, she almost choked on her water.

It's a slow day, for the most part, but then again most double shifts are. She rings up a few late-semester book acquisitions from two giggling trolls - no irony there - and spends twenty minutes convincing a particularly irate faerie that Willie Wonka's Everlasting Gobstoppers do not, in fact, last forever.

"That's false advertising!" says the faerie, her wings fluttering rapidly in agitation.

Ella shrugs. "That's human nature," she replies flatly. "Did you want to buy the candy or not?"

The faerie huffs, spins in a quick circle, and zips out of the Student Center with a trail of sparkling magic in her wake. Ella scoots the candy under the counter, sits her ass back on her mostly-comfortable stool, and wastes time with her sketchbook. Time lapses in the mind-numbing mid-afternoon lag, which is the only breath of a break she knows she'll have until well after the dinner-time rush. She's trying very hard not to think about Anthony Masen and how weird their encounter was, but it's not working. She looks down at her sketchbook, scowling at the photo-realistic study of the contours of Anthony's face. She hadn't even realized she was doing it.

Of course this is the time Peter pops up. Ella shuts her sketchbook casually, counting on Peter's lack of observational skills to not notice that she's obviously trying to hide something. She's in luck; Peter is obviously occupied by other matters, his lapis lazuli eyes clouded with whatever thoughts are causing his brow to knit so tightly.

The first words out of his mouth, before he has even draped himself halfway across the checkout counter, is a rushed, "Do you think he could tell?"

Ella slowly tucks her sketchbook away, not really paying attention. "What?"

"Riley. Obviously."

"Naturally," she mutters dryly.

"So?"

Ella looks up at the pressing tone in Peter's voice. "So, what?"

Peter gestures broadly, nervously. His ears are pink. "Do you think he could tell that I might - like, that I could possibly see him - us - I mean, do you think he knows?"

"That you don't know how to form a sentence? Probably. You've been friends since high school."

"Oh, my God. You're so mean."

She sighs, propping her chin on her hand. "I think he's either really dense or asexual." She pauses. "Of course, it's also entirely possible that you're equally as incapable of flirting as you are at speaking like a normal human being, which doesn't exactly help your chances."

"So salty," he chides, though he does lean away from the counter, reassured by her assessment.

He has confidence in her, she realizes. He trusts her judgment. Not many people have done that in Ella's life - given her their trust. She can count those people on one hand, and of the two, she let one down horribly.

(Not that she thinks of her foster sister. She doesn't. It wasn't her fault, except for when her mind insists that everything that happened in that house could have been prevented, if only Ella were faster or smarter or more savvy.)

Ella rolls her eyes. "Why are you here bothering me, anyway? Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Oh, right!" Peter exclaims, mood shifting abruptly into his usual up-beat excitement. In a way, he and Riley are perfect for each other; both clearly have a flair for drama. "I happen to have very important business. Very important."

Her brows raise in reluctant curiosity. "Which would be?"

"What're your plans for Halloween?"


A/N: Can I just say how much I adore this Peter? Love him.

As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.

~cupcakeriot