WIRELESS connections ; [CLOSED]

[James Kent]

There were a few things about Arizona that no one had warned him about. Of course, there were the repeated reminders of the blazing sun, which cast down heavy even in months that were supposed to be cold. There was the sand; he'd always hated sand and being in Arizona was not the way to grow affinity for the thing. One thing that no one had told him about - that no one had warned him about was the distinct lack of trees. Even on the properties of suburban home owners there were very few trees. Many opted for a style of landscaping known as xeriscaping, which kept the plant count to a minimum. He had been warned about their stucco house, but not about the fact that it wouldn't have a green yard with plenty of trees. Jim liked trees; always had and always would and wasn't about to change that now, even though he'd been packed up and shipped out to Arizona.

So after a first day of mind-numbing classes, Jim did what only Jim could do and took his laptop outdoors in search of a tree. Somewhere, anywhere... There had to be a tree on this campus and he was determined to find it. Where ever it was would be the place that he would haunt when ever classes weren't in session. All he had to do was find it. And there, just off the sports field was a small grove of trees and green grass that reminded him of the lush Washington state he'd left behind. Wilderness was just out your backdoor, or down the highway in Washington; big, green wilderness with trees and plants and grasses everywhere. This overgrown spot tended to remind him of that. Green was good; it meant that things were healthy and alive and he could stand to chase that feeling just a little bit longer. Or as long as it took for Arizona to start feeling like home.

The temperature was not overwhelmingly hot. Today, Jim had worn a lightweight hooded sweatshirt, but mostly out of habit and not out of comfort. Beads of sweat clung to the hairs on the back of his neck, wetting the collar of his sweatshirt, lightly. Unzipping the garment, he walked forward with a look of determination on his face. There was shade in this spot and he meant to claim it before the heat waves of real Arizona summer came rolling in. He crashed into the grass, but not hard enough to stain his jeans. It only took a minute for him to make himself comfortable. He removed the sweatshirt, rolling it in a ball and tossing it onto the ground. His backpack joined it shortly after and it had barely hit the ground when his laptop was opened across his lap.

Quickly, he managed to find an unsecured wireless network - though the school's wireless still reached this spot, the new transfer student could not be bothered with remembering the password he'd been given at orientation. In a few moments, he was browsing random sites - one in particular for a band who's name he couldn't remember but whose song echoed in his head. It was a melody he'd overheard in the lunch room and he wanted to see if he couldn't be encouraged to remember the words from the mysterious song. Several attempts to his normal sources proved nothing. He ignored several random windows which opened - instant messages from friends back home. Evidently, today was a day off for them, thus explaining their early presence online. They were all of course in the midst of planning whatever revelry was to take place that night. Saying hi to a few, Jim wondered how many would be getting wasted and stumbling to class tomorrow bleary eyed.

He hadn't had a drink since leaving Seattle. His going away party had been a ridiculous affair hosted by a friend on his parent's docked yacht. Whether or not consent had been given for the festivities, Jim had never known nor asked. All he could remember was the sheer number of people, girls in particular who had shown up to wish him off well. There had been a lot of dancing, a lot of drink pouring and a lot of sitting and chilling. Knowing his friends he was sure there'd been a lot of other fun too - various drugs of the party variety that he'd never been a fan of. They'd all learned quickly to hide their dirty little secrets from him. Drugs were one thing he didn't have the time or the patience for. The thought burned brighter in his mind as a particular girl whom he'd seen be taken to the hospital for an ecstasy overdose ask how the party scene was in the desert.

Jim had to answer that he didn't know. Since arriving, he'd spent the majority of his time at home or visiting various family. His cousin - two years his senior, a college student at the local university had been good enough to take him around and out a few times, but Jim - the Ultimate Wingman, knew what having a younger relative hanging around could do for a guy's game. There had been a couple of girls he'd met at the parties that had been his own ages, but he highly doubted any of them were on campus now. Having friends was something he'd sort of taken for granted back home and while he was sure that there were people here worth getting to know, he had no idea who they were or where they were. Surely, they'd never find him sitting under this tree. But there was plenty of time to worry about all of that later. For now, he was going to enjoy this little bit of shade, this little bit of heaven that he'd managed to find on the school campus.

[Alexandria Evans]

Alexandria didn't care about trees really, she never really thought about it. How many are killed a day, and how they allow you to breathe. She never got how that worked. But she had an assignment on it. How was she supposed to do something they never taught? Research. She had her laptop with her, looking for someplace shady to sit so the glare wouldn't hurt her eyes.

She saw the tree, but someone was there. She didn't care, so she walked over, sitting a little away from him. She opened her laptop, logging in and waiting impatiently. The 300 word report was due just next period.

She was used to the weather, so she adjusted. She wore a short denim skirt, a black and red striped tanktop, and a bagged black, green and white hoodie laying on her lap so her laptop didn't burn her legs.

She logged onto the school's wireless and waited more, glancing over to the male. Not bad looking. She started to say something, but stopped herself. She had no need to talk to the male. She had seen him around, once or twice. Figuring he was new, she looked back to him, "Um. Hi. I'm Alex." she smiled slightly, "Are you new here?" she asked.

She looked down, she was a drug-addict. Though she'd never admit it. She kept trying to stop, but it only drove her inside. Moving her long dark brown hair from her face, she let out a sigh. She could hold off for a few more hours.

[James Kent]

Jim watched the girl approach over the screen of his laptop, though his fingers stay busy, clicking and scrolling as he also continued his pursuit for knowledge. He was immediately drawn to the bare legs stalking in his direction and he watched her sit out of the corner of his eye. There was something familiar about her - but his brain was probably just playing tricks on him. Everyone today has seemed vacantly familiar. This girl didn't remind him of anyone specific, but just the fact that she was familiar was enough.

"Hey, I'm Jim," he answered, looking up fully from the keys and acknowledging her presence like a normal person. He ran a hand through his messy brown hair and nodded. "Yea, I just transferred actually. Today was my first day," he said, realizing how stupid and unnecessary it sounded as he said it. One thing he knew for sure - there was no point in giving people information that they didn't specifically ask for. Secrets were important - though admittedly this particular fact was not exactly a secret.

"What year are you?" He asked simply. There was probably a nicer way to do it - something more socially conventional where he could beat around the bush. But that wasn't Jim's style. He liked things simple and direct. He also liked the set of long legs that her laptop rested on. That short skirt was asking for it; of course he'd never have said that to her.

[Alexandria Evans]

Alexandria looked to him and nodded. "Nice to meet you." she said with a weak smile. She saw him look at her legs and laughed weakly. "I usually don't wear... skirts. I'm the more gangster punkish type, not that I label myself." she said, "My friends shook my soda up and it exploded on me. So I had to change." she shrugged.

"Year? Senior... How about you?" she asked, looking at his eyes. Stunning. She looked over his body, then back to his face. Usually she didn't go for people like him. Not that there was anything wrong with him. She had to admit, he was cute. And he seemed nice. "So...what're you working on?" she asked weakly, trying not to be nosey.

[James Kent]

Evidently, he'd been caught eying those lovely legs, but he wasn't the kind of guy to be flustered by being caught ogling. "Nice to meet you," he grinned. "And don't worry, it was a good change." His face slid into a comfortable smile, one his mother often commented his face had the perfect disposition for. "I'm a senior as well," he said, shifting slightly. "I was just trying to find this band - I thought I heard enough of the song earlier to know what it was, but I guess not," he added, with a hint of remorse. "What about you?"

As he waited for an answer, Jim realized this was the first real conversation he'd had with anyone his own age since moving here. It surprised him to learn that skirts were not a normal part of her attire either; especially since she had the legs for it. His thoughts were distracted, too focused on her better physical aspects and not so much on whatever her answer was to whatever question he had just asked her. He tried to remember which question that was, exactly... He would figure it out from the answer.

[Alexandria Evans]

Alex blushed again, looking at him. "Thanks." she said, looking down slightly. She looked up as he spoke and laughed softly, "Really?" she asked.

"Oh. Something for a class. Why trees are important, or something. Obviously they aren't too important." she said, "Because Arizona seems to have none." she laughed weakly, looking at his eyes look at her legs still. She laughed softly, "But I am guessing I should wear them more often."

[James Kent]

"Absolutely," Jim said, nodding feverently, unable to believe that it was possible that there was a girl who did not know everything there was to know about her most valuable assets. Surely, she had to be jesting with her skeptical attitude toward her legs - a subject which they kept very, very easily coming back to. It was fine with him. The length of her skirt was perfect: short enough to attract attention and just long enough to leave the best parts a mystery. He was thankful for the backup subject of whatever miscellaneous assignment it was that she was working on. He wondered if there was any possible scenario which her assignment's subject was not a coincidence with his current train of thought.

"Well, these trees kind of suck," he said, looking upward into the branches. They were all right, as far as trees went, but nothing spectactular. "Just because Arizona doesn't have it doesn't mean they aren't important," he said, teasingly. He clicked away at his computer for a minute, before finding a folder with scenery pictures from home. "See?" He said, turning his laptop to face her. A short slideshow of the pictures in the folders played slowly. Pictures of lush green forests covering great mountainsides faded in and out. A few were up close, a few were more of the landscape variety, but all conveyed the message. "Trees are all right."

As the slideshow played, he continued to tease her. Let alone all the oxygen and what not they do for the environment - paper and all that... But you're probably right, not very important," he grinned, hoping this line of mockery wouldn't offend her.

[Alexandria Evans]

Alex looked at him, smiling shyly. Noone ever made her shy before. Not this shy. She looked down at his laptop, at the trees. "Woah." she said, getting up, moving beside him, hoping he didn't mind.

"That's beautiful." she said looking at all of the green lush. "Wow. Arizona sucks compared to there." she laughed weakly. "Well.... I don't get how trees allow oxygen." she said, frowning. "Ah. I never use paper. No need for me. I use my laptop in every class about." she laughed softly, looking up at him. "Stop mocking me." she glared playfully.

[James Kent]

"Washington state," he announced, as the pictures continued to flick through on his laptop screen. These ones were decent - he wasn't much of a photographer, but digital cameras made everyone Ansel Adams. He'd happened to catch some good shots - sunset, sunrise, mist rising off the trees. Of course the limited collection on the screen did not include the hundreds of shots that he hadn't liked; those were all swiftly selected out and deleted, never to be seen again. Which was good - he sucked at taking pictures for the most part.

He was never one to discourage closeness, particularly from good looking girls. She had rich, dark brown hair and green eyes - his favorite combination. She seemed fairly confident and comfortable in his presence quickly; something he was aware of instantly. Though her tone was dangerous, the playful nature of her eyes betrayed her. "Like you can't take a friendly tease," he said, rolling his eyes. "But I'm not really some tree-hugging hippie," he added, in an attempt to explain himself. "I'm more of a fan than anything else, I guess." He clicked off the slideshow of pictures and smiled. "So which class are you in that requires a tree paper? I may need to rearrange my schedule."

[Alexandria Evans]

"Really beautiful." she said, and that wasn't a word she used alot. She looked at the laptop close and looked back to him. "You are really good at taking pictures." she smiled, moving a bit closer to him. She felt odd, being to far away, since her friends, mostly Tristan, were always up on her. They were protective friends.

"I can take it." she laughed softly, watching his gorgeous eyes roll. "I wouldn't care...if you were a tree hugger." she said. "You seem really nice." she said, nodding slightly. "Maybe sometime we can hang outside of school." she suggested, winking at him.

[James Kent]

Compliments were always a good thing, but Jim felt a little sheepish about accepting ones on his photographs; perhaps if she'd known the truth she wouldn't agree, instead he just mumbled some kind of thanks. It wasn't worth explaining, really. "That would be wicked," he said, of her somewhat invitation to meet-up off school grounds. "I mean, I've been here for about two weeks and haven't even heard of anything going on..." His voice trailed off and he was lost in thought: the number of times he'd talked to old friends in Seattle about parties and mixers and every other stupid thing they did was beginning to weigh on him. Though he'd been all in favor of warmer climates at first, he was apprehensive once the move was actually in full swing.

"Here," he said as he reached into his pocket. He leaned away from her slightly to perform the action and then leaned back, not realizing how close they were; legs nearly touching. From his pocket, he had pulled his phone and he turned it on and handed it to her. "Put your number in there and then I can give you mine." As he waited for her to perform the action, he wondered aloud. "What do people do for fun here?"

[Alexandria Evans]

She looked at him, a smile coming to her face. She nodded "Ah. Usually news here travels fast." she said, looking up at him still.

"My friend...is throwing a party tomorrow." she said, which would be Saturday. "Do you wanna come with me?" she asked. She looed down as he handed her his phone. Smiling widely, she took it, giving him hers, as she put her name and number into his. "Oh. We party....and alot of other things. Too much to really explain." she laughed weakly, looking down.

[James Kent]

Jim nodded as he tapped his number into her phone. "Yea, I'm always up for a good party," he said with a grin. She looked down for some reason, as if she doubted the interest of what she was saying. In all honesty, Jim was more than interested in what she had to say that he likely should have been. There was something endearing about her that he couldn't put his finger on. He wanted to search her face for the reason, but could not feel comfortable doing so in the casual nature of their current setting.

"Well, if it's cool for me to tag along," he said casually. Though he knew he wouldn't be a bother as 'the new guy,' he was surprised at her eagerness to invite him out.

[Alexandria Evans]

Alex smiled as she took her phone back, and gave his to him. Looking back up, she nodded. "It's one of those parties...that if you hear about it, you can come." she said, "And with how good looking you are, you may wanna stay away from one of my other friends." she laughed weakly. She was talking about Tristan, a sophomore who she was friends with. The party would be held at her other friend's house, Dometri. Rich son of a bitch. She kind of got annoyed by it at times, but then again, it was nice. He was protective over her, and again, the same person who got her started in drugs.

[James Kent]

Jim nodded, though he liked to think that this kind of offer wasn't one she would make to just anyone. Maybe it was a confidence thing, maybe it was something else. In any case, all of that was ignored easily by the fact that she was still in such close proximity. It wasn't a bad thing and he was going to do what he could to continue it. She also said something about him being good looking, which he knew too well was not the kind of thing that you said to just anyone. He laughed with her, toying for a moment with the thought of actually being well sought after.

"You're not so bad yourself," he said, giving her a teasing once over again. "Especially if you keep this skirt thing going - we can always look out for each other, I guess," he offered. He vaguely started to remember that he was expected at home, but a quick text or two would solve that in no time. With nothing to seriously consider having to work on, he ventured further. "I mean, can't you just call dibs or something?"