Lost Over Lattes

[Keaira]

Ashley smiled and shrugged at his suggestion that she will do great. "Thanks, I guess we will see tomorrow, I feel pretty confident, I don't know about A++ confident though." She giggled. "Lunch sounds good, and hope you love spicy. I will definitely save you a seat if I get there first. I like sitting in the middle though, because it seems less attention is on you, the troublemakers like the back, which actually puts more attention on them, and the ones who have to be teachers' pets sit in the front answering and asking a lot of questions, which puts a lot of attention on them. Sorry, psychology coming out again, causing me to ramble, I will bring you the menu and you can keep it to see what all you want to try. Some days after work, I might even be able to deliver, if you ask nicely," she claimed as she giggled.


Ashley then noticed him blushing now, "I was only seeing if you had a sense of humor when I said that. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable." She smiled a sympathetic smile as she grabbed her things and stood waiting on him to be ready to head to his dorm. "The last thing I want to do is embarrass you or hurt your feelings." As they walked outside, she stood beside him, and had to keep herself from just blurring out her feelings for him, and grabbing his hand. She had only just met him, why did she feel so strongly about him? She shook it out of her head and smiled at him. "So which dorms are you in? In case I need to lead the way." She winked and had a look letting him know she was just giving him a hard time playfully. She needed to be careful though as she didn't want to hurt his feelings at all.  

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"I j'adore spicy food. You'll see just how much tomorrow," Benjamin replied, taking a moment to brag about his big appetite. "In fact, you might want to give the cooks a heads up about their newest customer. He might clear out their entire stock of chili if they're not careful," he concluded with a chuckle. Upon hearing Ashley's spiel about where she preferred to be seated in class, Benjamin followed along. "I never thought about it like that before. Normally I grab a seat anywhere there is one, but you make a good case about middle seats. Nice advice, Doctor Professor Ashley," Ben said as he finished packing up the last of the books and study materials. "And yeah, if you ever get the chance, delivery would be great. And of course I'll ask nicely, I'm nice to all my friends," he finished with a smile. Though they had only met hours before, he felt as though their relationship had resembled the friendships he had made at OU.


Benjamin laughed nervously as he placed a hand over his face, hoping to hide his reaction to Ashley's earlier joke the best he could. "I know. It's just... uh, starting to get super hot in here," he replied, falling into his habit of fibbing once more. "That's why I'm getting all red. It's not like I'm embarrassed or anything, so you don't have to worry about me." Ben took a moment to zip up his backpack, slinging the bag over his shoulder in preparation for their next move. "I mean, what could I possibly be embarrassed about? A-anyway, I'm ready to go if you are." With that, he rose from his seat and followed Ashley outside.


In response to Ashley's inquiry, Ben responded, "I'm in Copley Hall. And thanks, big sis, but I know the way this time," he finished by returning her wink and playful jab with ones of his own."So, where are you headquartered?" he asked, wondering if she lived close by. 


((I think Copley is one of the dorms at Georgetown? Not too sure though))

 

[Keaira]

Ashley giggled at his description of how much he loved spicy food. "I will warm him, but I don't think you could clean out the chili. We make a lot as it is surprisingly very popular. We even have a contest with it. " She shook her head at his comment regarding seats in class. "I am not a doctor or professor silly."  She smiled and winked. "I am nice to my friends too, but can be feisty sometimes as you have probably figured out now," she giggled at that. Maybe that was why she never really had a boyfriend.


"Good thing we are going outside then. Are you sure that is why you are red though? It doesn't feel hot in here to me, I always freeze. I hope you aren't coming down with something." She was genuinely concerned that he was hot in the library. She always had a jacket there because it usually got cold, which she could just be cold natured. "Feeling better out here?" She asked as they got outside. 


She couldn't help but giggle. "Big sister, huh? I guess that could fit. Although, I would rather be a friend that an enemy and siblings can be enemies or friends depending on the day." She smiled at him and glad he knew the way to his dorm. "I am in Kennedy Hall. Not too far from yours."


((It is ;-) and I made up that it wasn't far from his because I honestly have no clue)) 

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

“A chili-eating contest? Okay, you have to enter the next one with me,” Benjamin exclaimed, excitement fully apparent in his voice. Georgetown would soon be the home of a new chili-eating champion, if Ben could help it. “And yeah, I know that. But honestly, if you wanted to, you could have convinced me that you actually were a professor here. And my radar’s definitely picked up on that feisty-ness of yours, not that I mind,” he added with a laugh. “That’s what makes our conversations so interesting. Variety is the feist of life. No, wait… that’s spice of life. Man, I messed that one up. But I’m sure you know what I mean," he concluded while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. 


“I’m fine, really. I promise,” Benjamin insisted, disappointed in himself that he worried Ashley so over something so trivial as a blush. “I’m already feeling a little better. My body just goes weird sometimes. It’s been like this since I was small.” As if to prove a point, Ben sneezed once more, making sure to turn and take a few steps away from Ashley as he did so. “See what I mean?” he said in between sniffles. “If it’s not my allergies acting up, I get these weird fevers. But they usually go away after I take some medicine or get some rest. It's nothing major to worry about.”


Ben could only take her word about siblings, as he was technically an only child. "Well, maybe you know better than I do, since I never really had a brother or sister. Do you have any siblings yourself?" he asked, taking interest in learning more about Ashley's background. “You’re in Kennedy? Awesome! That’s pretty close by,” he replied, happy to learn that Ashley's dorm was only a short walk away from his own. “Well, here we are,” Ben announced as they approached Copley Hall. As he opened the front door with his student pass and held it open for Ashley, Ben stated, “My room’s on the second floor, so this should be a quick trip. And then we can get you some lunch at the cafe.”


((Haha, it's fine. We'll just go with that ^^))

 

[Keaira]

"I will try to enter the contest with you, but it is hard. You have to eat a certain amount in like 5 minutes without any drink or anything else. It is really hot, and really hard to do. You might be the champ though, and if you do win, you get a picture on the wall, and the meal free." Ashley knew there weren't many people who had won the contest. It was just too hot to eat that quickly without anything to cool it off. Ashley giggled at his alteration to a common saying, "Hey, feist is better than spice." She winks, and nudges him. She was glad he liked her feisty attitude. She only brought it out with people close to her. She was surprised she was able to open it up so quickly to Benji, but she wasn't complaining. 


Ashley understood allergies, as she had pet allergies. "I understand, I would die if I had it every time I stepped outside. I have pet allergies, and that is enough to drive me crazy. I am glad you are feeling better though. We better get on to your dorm so that you can take meds." She smiled and nodded in the direction of his dorm. Hopefully it wasn't too much longer, so that he could get some more relief.


Ashley nodded, "I have one older sister. She is now like my best friend, but we used to fight so much. Mom and dad almost put us on opposite sides of the house, and have schedules that we would follow so we wouldn't be at the same place at the same time, but they were just being silly. We would fight, but we would also stand up for each other, and do each other's hair and such. I was actually the one to slap a guy's face when he cheated on her, because she wasn't going to. You should have seen his face when someone 4 years younger than him, slapped his face. He was so embarrassed." She stopped talking as they got inside the dorm room. She didn't want to disturb anyone that may be in their rooms, and she felt like she was babbling again. 

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"That does sound pretty difficult," Benjamin admitted after mulling over Ashley's description of the chili-eating contest. "But I at least have to give it a shot. I guess I have some practicing to do!" Practicing for a chili-eating contest, in some ways to Benjamin, seemed more appealing than being in one. All of the fun without the pressure to win. "Feist is better than spice sounds like a motto if I ever heard one," Ben said with a cheerful chuckle, continuing where he left off. "It suits you, too." He would have to add it to the other quotes and phrases in his repertoire. As they continued their journey to Ben's dorm, he offered Ashley a consoling smile after learning that she also periodically suffered from allergies. "Oh, so you know what I'm talking about. It gets pretty crazy, doesn't it? Especially this time of year." Thankfully, they were only minutes away from their destination.


Now in the hallway leading to his dorm, Ben couldn't tell if he was getting chills from the indoor air conditioning, or from Ashley's story about her sister's now ex-boyfriend. "Um, remind me never to get on your bad side." Although he was an only child, Ben had similar feelings about the other members of his family. While they might not have always gotten along, Benjamin still cared for them. Oddly enough, he hadn't heard from his family lately. Maybe they're finally giving me some space to breathe. While stopping in front of the door to his room, he briefly thought back to his final moments spent with his family leading up to his departure to Georgetown a few days earlier. Ben recalled these memories with some fondness as he produced a set of keys from his pocket, before stopping short. Noticing that the door to his room was cracked open, Ben felt his heart begin to race. He distinctly remembered locking the door when he left earlier that morning. Why was it open now? Benjamin pushed the door fully open, only to reel back in shock. His worries that someone had broken into his room were abated when he recognized the people in the room, only to be replaced with new concerns. 


"There he is," a short, middle-aged woman acknowledged warmly as she rose from one of the spare seats in the room to give Ben a hug. She was joined by one of the two other men in the dorm, a thin, brown-haired man with a dimpled grin. "Benji! Hope you don't mind a surprise visit from your folks," he added, enthusiastically wrapping his arms around the still-shocked law student. The third and final individual bore a striking resemblance to Benjamin, leaving one to conclude that this was Benjamin's father. "It's good to see you...," Mr. Inouye began, trailing off when he noticed that his son was not alone. He gave Ashley a quizzical look before continuing, "And a friend of yours, I assume?" 


A moment of silence settled in as Benjamin tried to process what was happening, while his family glanced over his guest with differing levels of intrigue and curiosity. After clearing his throat uncomfortably, Ben figured that it would be best to start with introductions. "So, everyone... this is Ashley. She's a friend of mine, and she's also one of my classmates." Carrying on with the introductions, Ben pointed to the brown-haired man. "Ashley, this is my Uncle Jay." At mention of his name, Jay gave Ashley a bright smile. "My Auntie... I mean, my Aunt Lynn." Lynn's smile, while polite, was also tinged with suspicion as she directed her attention from her nephew to his guest. "And this is my father." Mr. Inouye's reaction mirrored Lynn's, which highlighted their already existing physical similarities. It appeared as though the two were also related. "As you probably figured out by now, this is a complete... surprise." Benjamin turned to Ashley to see what her reaction would be, his eyes brimming with apology and dismay.


((This may or may not be my last post before the update, if it's still happening on Sunday. ))

 

[Keaira]

"Yeah, allergies suck. Hopefully the medicine will help you." She smiled. Then, she giggled at his comment about getting on her bad side, "I don't think you have anything to worry about. You couldn't get the wrath of me, unless you hurt or threaten my family, and you don't seem like the person that would do that."

As they get to his dorm, she looks confused at the door. "Should we call security?" She states, but realizes he already opened the door, and shrugs, hoping they aren't about to be attacked. Then she notices 3 people inside, and based on reactions, decides they are family of Benji's. She gets a little nervous, and gets a little shy going through her, but wants to be respectful.

Ashley just smiled and nodded as the introductions were made. She could clearly tell Benji was surprised and uncomfortable that his family was there. "Nice to meet you all. What a wonderful surprise, Benji. Your family is sweet to visit. I can catch up with you later, if you need some time to hang out with them. You have the study materials for the test tomorrow, so you should be fine. I can go back to my dorm and eat noodles and read."

Ashley didn't want to impose on family time, as she loved spending time with her family, but she also knew she would be furious if her family showed up unannounced like this, but then again they are fully aware that she hates surprises. She smiled as the family looked her up and down, she assumed, judging to see if she was good enough for their Benji. She tried her best to keep a respectful, straight posture and attitude.

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

Although several minutes had passed since he was introduced to his second breakdown moment of the day, Benjamin still was at a loss for words. His uncle, on the other hand, was not so unfortunate. "I knew we should have brought his old baby pictures," Jay whispered under his breath, eliciting a chuckle from his wife. "What was that?" Benjamin asked, thankfully not in hearing range to pick up on the comment. Jay cleared his voice to cover up his suppressed laughter. "I said, we come bearing gifts from afar," he announced with a flourish before presenting a care package that the trio had bought with them. "It's all your favorites, so don't get too mad at us for not calling ahead, all right?" Jay added with a smile. "Maybe you can share with your, uh, friend here."

Speaking of Ashley, she had just offered to call off their extended study session in lieu of an Inouye family reunion. Shoulders sagging, Ben turned to her and replied, "No, you don't have to leave. I mean, we already made plans and everything..."

"We certainly didn't mean to intrude upon your... plans," his father spoke up after Benjamin trailed off, picking up on his son's distress. "Had we known, we would have planned our visit differently. I hope you'll understand," he finished, motivated by a sense of guilt to issue an apology.

While this was happening, a thought occurred to Benjamin. He was definitely sure that he had locked the door to his room prior to leaving that morning. So how did they get into his dorm, anyway? He balked as a second thought came to him. Turning his attention to his aunt, Ben asked, Did you pick the lock to my door?, mouthing the words behind a raised hand so as to avoid Ashley from picking up on what was being discussed. The last thing Ben wanted Ashley to know about his family was his aunt's incredulous talents with a hairpin.

Lynn stared at Benjamin blankly before giving him an ambiguous wink and grin. Leaving the silent question in the air, Lynn instead turned to Ashley and stated, "Well, Ashley, you seem like a nice young lady. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Offering her a genuine smile, she continued, "It's pretty quiet on this floor. I could see how Benji, Benjamin, could use the company."

"We weren't going to stay here for long," Ben insisted, his face scrunched in an agonized expression. He knew this conversation wouldn't end there. His more traditional father would want a further explanation of the situation. His uncle would likely chide him about what was happening for the next infinity and beyond. And he would have to ask about getting his lock changed, following his aunt's antics. "I was just making a quick stop so I could uh, pick something up. For studying," Ben explained, settling with another half-truth. He'd rather not give his family a reason to worry by bringing up his allergies. After subconsciously wiping the tip of his nose with the back of his hand, Ben continued, "Like Ashley mentioned, we have a big test tomorrow that we were going to study for. So-"

"We get it. We'll get out of your hair," Lynn finished the statement while rising to her feet. "We'll be staying in town for the next week, so don't be a stranger. That goes for you as well," she added, referring to Ashley. "Maybe we'll be seeing more of you in the future?" She choose to ignore the pained look her nephew was giving her and opted to give Ashley a wave farewell.

Sensing that the time for visits was up, Jay joined his wife and brother-in-law as they made their exit. He paused to slap his hands on the back of his nephew's shoulders and stated, "I know you're in school, but make sure to have fun every once in a while. And I'm still looking forward to our rematch." Looking to Ashley, Jay added, "Did he tell you yet? This guy's a soccer fiend. I still keep him on his toes, though, don't I?"

"Hai, hai," Benjamin agreed as he ushered his aunt and uncle from the room. "Thanks for the care package," he called after them. And maybe call next time? After that, only one of Benjamin's relatives remained.

"It's good to see you, son," he stated. "Take care." Despite the fact that he had issued his farewells and that his two other relatives were waiting in the hall, it appeared as though Ben's father was still waiting for something.

Ben sighed inwardly. It wasn't like he was upset with his family, not enough to send them off with a cold shoulder, in any case. Relenting, Ben wrapped his arms around his father in a quick embrace. "Bye, Dad," Benjamin said before releasing him. "I'll call you tonight, I promise." Happy now that he got what he wanted, Mr. Inouye acknowledged Ashley with another polite smile before leaving the room.

Benjamin took a deep breath once the room contained only two individuals. Sheepishly, he switched his attention to Ashley while brushing the back of his head. With a sigh, he simply stated, "Well... that happened."

((I'm sorry it's so long. >,> This is what happens when I double, uh... quadruple.))

 

[Keaira]

Ashley nodded and smiled at all the conversation going on. She was shy, so didn't say much. "Yes ma'am, I am sure we can work something out to see you this week." She stated as she gave a warm but nervous smile. She was shocked about his family, but thought it was a very nice gesture. She looked at Benji with a sympathetic look as the family teased him some. She hoped that she didn't cause discomfort between them all by being there with Benji.

As they left, she couldn't help but grin and have warmness in her heart at the interaction between Benji and his father. Once they were all three gone, she couldn't control herself, and gave Benji a soft hug. "It's ok if you want to spend more time with them. I completely understand. We have all semester, at the very least, to hang out. They came all this way for you. I thought it was very sweet." She releases her soft hug, and looks at Benji with a warm look on her face that gives the thought of understanding. She understood what it was like to have family make surprise visits.

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

Apparently, the hug Benjamin gave his father wouldn't be the only one he received that day. While Ben pondered how he could possibly recover from the embarrassment caused by the intrusive surprise visit, Ashley wrapped him in a warm embrace to show that no harm was done. Caught off guard for a moment by the gentle gesture, Benjamin eventually replied in kind, awkwardly returning the hug while hoping that the sweet girl beside him wouldn't notice his heart racing frantically inside of his chest. All too soon, at least in his view, Ashley released her hug, and Benjamin reciprocated. "Thanks... for...," Ben stammered, trailing off again as he searched his still-racing heart for the right words to express his feelings. "Everything, I guess," he clumsily concluded with a lop-sided grin. "Honestly, I've put you through a lot today. I'm just glad you're still around and I haven't scared you away with all that's happened."

After Ashley explained that she would be okay with Benjamin spending more time with his family, he insisted, "You don't have to worry about them, really. Like they said, they'll be around for the next week or so. And when they do leave, we could always just do a Skype call, or something." With a sheepish smile, Ben added, "As you just witnessed, they know how to get a hold of me when they want to. Trust me, you won't get in the way." Curiosity suddenly struck Benjamin as he noticed the care package laying idly on his bed. "Hey, I know we're about to go eat, but why don't you check out some of the stuff my folks brought me?" he asked. "You could take some back with you to your dorm for later."

In one swift movement, Ben crashed on his bed and undid the packaging of the box before him. It contained a wide array of chips, tea and candy in a variety of flavors. One item caught his attention, a can of his favorite green tea. Ben snatched up the can, unknowingly revealing an envelope containing family photos (with no aforementioned baby pictures), before offering Ashley the box.

"Here, help yourself. There's plenty," he said with a bright smile. While he left Ashley with the care package, Ben walked over to his storage closet and swung open the door. After rummaging through his belongings for a moment, he located a bottle of the medicine he was after. Shaking up the can of green tea in one hand, Ben used the other to crack open the bottle. He then deposited a couple of the tablets in his palm, gulped them down and took a sip of his drink to wash away the acidic taste of the medicine. With that matter finally settled, Benjamin returned his attention to Ashley. "All right, that's taken care of. Are you ready to go?"

 

[Keaira]

"I am not easily scared off." Ashley giggled. Once he mentioned his care package, she shook her head. "I get one from my parents every week so I am pretty stocked up." She laughs and then sits on his bed and looks through the pictures. There aren't any baby pictures but there are a couple of pictures from when he was a kid, she guessed around 9 or 10 years old. "Aww so cute. These pictures are great Benji."

She decided to grab a piece of candy as it was her favorite, Whether's Original Caramel candy. She opens it and puts it in her mouth and closes her eyes and moans. "Oh my goodness these are my favorite and I haven't had any in a while. Thank you Benji."

She then nods and goes out the door into the hallway and turns to see if Benji is beside her. Once he comes out the door, she starts walking down the hall to go down and out the building to go to get some food as her belly growls loudly and angrily. She blushes embarrassed by the noise her stomach is making.

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

Benjamin couldn't help but grimace and facetiously stick out his tongue when he noticed the pictures that his family had included with the other goodies in the care package. "Well I'm glad someone's having fun," he told Ashley while trying his hardest to avoid face-palming. After seeing how much she seemed to be enjoying the pictures, Ben added with a playful wink, "Hey, I know I'm cute and all. Just don't try and take any of those home with you, okay?"

Benjamin took back the box and moved it to the closet after Ashley picked out something she liked. "Yeah, these are pretty good," he added, taking a piece of caramel for himself before putting the box away and leaving the room. So her favorite candy was caramel? He would have to remember that. Suddenly, a growl coming from Ashley's stomach broke his concentration. In response, Benji broke out with an easygoing laugh. "Candy's great, but apparently it's not all that filling. Let's go get you some real food."

Moments later, the pair arrived at the dining hall they agreed upon. Benjamin quickened his pace and opened the door for Ashley just as they approached the entrance. "After you," he said cheerfully while giving Ashley a bright smile. "Know what you're in the mood for?" he asked as the two entered the building.

 

[Keaira]

Ashley giggles at the thought of taking some of the pictures home with her. "You are cute, but that would be awkward." She smiled, and walked out the door. "Candy isn't feeling at all. Thank you, I am so ready for some food. Could probably eat a whole cow." She laughed.

As they walk into the dining hall, she closes her eyes and smells. "I think I am going to go to the pasta bar where you can choose different types of pasta, and meats, and other items to go with it. Of course, I would have to add lots of cheese. I am a cheese-a-holic". She giggled as she stated her made up word. She did love cheese though, no matter what kind.

She walks over to the pasta bar and picks penne, with chicken, broccoli, and shrimp, cheese, and Alfredo sauce. She smiles at the server and takes the plate, as she thanks him. Then she turns around to see if Benji is still close by, and when they lock eyes, she points to a table in the back corner, away from the others that are there. She figured it would be easier to have a conversation, if there wasn't a lot of other conversation around drowning them out.

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"A whole cow?" Benjamin repeated, playfully scrunching his face in faux disgust. "I'm glad there aren't any farms close by, then. Eating a cow sounds like something you could get arrested for, if you don't get horribly sick from some kind of weird cow virus first," he teased with a laugh.

After looking over the foods available, Ben settled on getting a cheeseburger with all the fixings, along with a side order of fries. As an afterthought, he grabbed a side salad to round out his meal. Ben's father, being a doctor, had always emphasized the importance of healthy eating, and Benji couldn't quite shake the feeling that he had completely evaded his father's presence. Once he finished, Benjamin rejoined Ashley at the pasta bar with his food. "Mmm, that looks incredible," he said, nodding his head at the pasta dish Ashley was carrying. As he took a seat at the back table Ashley specified, Ben continued, "I might have to try that the next time I'm here. Let me know how it tastes, okay?" he asked while picking out the condiments he would use for his own meal.

 

[Keaira]

Ashley giggled and then stuck her tongue out at him. "It was an exaggeration smarty. I don't think I could actually eat a while cow, and I definitely don't want any mad cow disease." She couldn't help but laugh, and then snorted because of laughing so hard. This made her cover her mouth and blush a deep red.

Once she sat down, she started eating her pasta. "Mmmm it is so good. You definitely have to try it soon. I love pasta. Your burger and fries look amazing too. I love a good burger too. I love food in general if you couldn't tell." She took another bite and was savoring it all. Then she realized she forgot a drink. "I am going to grab a soda, want anything?" She smiles as she stands up to head over to the drink area. She didn't drink a lot of soda, but was craving one today so she figured one wouldn't hurt. She could use the caffeine anyway.

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"Phew, that's a relief," Ben replied, playfully sweeping his spare hand across his forehead with a chuckle. He was, of course, only kidding around, but couldn't help but continue to tease Ashley here and there. Apparently, Ashley had found their conversation humorous, so much so that she snorted loudly from laughter. Benjamin fell silent after the incident, before falling into another fit of laughter. "Wow," he said, complimenting her out of jest and not mockery. "Was that supposed to be a cow impression? Or did I miss something?" So she wouldn't feel too embarrassed, Benjamin did his best to replicate the noise. The noise caught the attention of some students walking by, who in turn cast a quizzical glance their way. Noticing this, Benjamin cleared his throat before quickly sitting down to his meal with Ashley.

"Sweet. Pasta's on my list, then," he said before taking a bite of his burger. "And of course, who doesn't love food?" He paused to grab a couple of his fries, swirling them in a small pool of ketchup before munching them down. "You know," he continued in between bites, "If this whole college thing doesn't pan out, we'd probably make a decent pair of food critics. Or maybe we'd open our own restaurant so we could get all the free food we'd want." He wiped at his mouth with a napkin to rid himself of any spare crumbs while he gave the prospect some thought. "Well, it wouldn't be free if we owned the store, but you get what I mean. Hopefully," he added with an innocent smile, knowing that his inner ramblings could sometimes get out of hand.

When Ashley mentioned that she was going to get a drink, Benjamin's eyes darted to his tray. Earlier, while he was in line for his meal, he had apparently forgotten to get a drink as well. Turning to Ashley, he responded, "Oh, yeah. If you don't mind, I could do with some lemonade. Thanks, Ash!"

 

[Keaira]

Ashley thought about his suggestions for a moment, "Either one of those options do sound pretty good, but I am determined to be a lawyer. I am this far, might as well finish." She shrugs and gives a warm smile. Being a food critic where all you had to do is judge food and experience and write about it sounded great though. From working in a restaurant she didn't know if she wanted to own one though.

She gets up and goes and gets the soda and lemonade, and comes back, sets down the drinks, and sits back down. She sips on her drink some, and then continues to eat. "Their lemonade is amazing. It is what I get 95% of the time, but today I am craving a soda. I must be on a sugar kick today for some odd reason." She shrugs again and continues to eat and get a drink of her soda every few bites. "We still on for our lunch date tomorrow, or do you need to spend the week with your family, enjoying the sights of town, showing them around to the many different attractions?"

She didn't mind waiting a week for going out to eat with Benji, or hanging out. She wanted him to be able to spend time with his family if he needed to, or wanted to. She didn't want to come between them. She had all semester to hang out with him, and hopefully be able to get to know him more. She felt like he was already a good friend, and someone she could count on. She didn't think she would be lonely anymore, at least not for a while. She looked up at Benji, "I hope I didn't cross the line earlier by giving you a hug. I thought it may help comfort you."

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"Yeah, I had that figured out as soon as I saw your practice exam," Benjamin replied with a smile. "It just something to think about, you know?" As Ashley left to get their drinks, Ben casually dipped some more of the quickly disappearing French fries into the remnants of his ketchup. As he wolfed down more of the fries, a thought came to him, what year was Ashley in, anyway? She had mentioned that she was determined to finish, that she had come all this way. How close to graduating was Ashley, and thus, how much time would they have to spend with each other before potentially parting ways to go down their own paths in life? With a frustrated sigh, Benjamin shook his head. No, he wouldn't think that far down the road. Rather, it would be best to takes things minute by minute, one day at a time.

"Thanks again," he told Ashley once she returned, a lemonade and soda in hand for the both of them. He took a sip of his drink and confirmed Ashley's comment about the lemonade being excellent with a pleased smile. Upon hearing her asking about their scheduled date for the next day, he responded, "Yeah, I'm still on for lunch. I'll call my family later tonight. We'll set something up for this weekend, most likely." After finishing off his burger with great zeal, leaving only a few spare fries and about half his beverage remaining, Benjamin once again patted away at his mouth with a napkin. "You know, I'm still learning where everything is around here. I'm sure you know that already, after what happened this morning." After successfully refraining from rolling his eyes and, in return, letting bygones be bygones, Benjamin continued, "Anyway, what I'm getting at is... would you mind showing my and my family around town? If you have the time, I mean?"

As Ashley brought up the subject of their earlier hug, Benji took a quick sip of his lemonade to avoid nervously clearing his throat, as well as to give himself some time to come up with a response. After a moment, the best he could come up with was, "Er, no. No, that... that was fine. It didn't bother me. It was more of the opposite, actually," he concluded honestly.

 

[Keaira]

Ashley smiled, "You are very welcome. Hope you like it as much as I do." She sits and drinks some of her soda, and finishes half of her pasta. "I am going to have to take the rest to my room for later." She gets up and runs to grab a to go box real quick.

As Benji talks about showing their family around she nods. "I would love to be the tour guide. I have off all weekend this weekend so whenever you need." She giggles a little nervous giggle at his comment about the hug. "Good to know. Sorry I am a big hugger when I get close to people. If anything makes you uncomfortable please tell me!"

She finishes packing her good in the box. "Thank you for eating with me. I am full and happy now. I was starting to get a little hangry." She giggles and drinks the remainder of her drink. "Ready to go? You can come by my room and hang out and study some more or we can go somewhere else, or of you need some alone study time, that's okay too." She smiles brightly and slurps the last drop out of her drink and blushes. "Sorry didn't realize I was out."

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"Great! Maybe we can plan out our weekend over lunch tomorrow?" Benjamin asked, referring to their plans at the Modern Ambiance. That would give Ben enough time to ask his family if they had anywhere in particular they wanted to visit. Ben had to admit it, he was excited with how their weekend was turning out.

After receiving Ashley's thanks for their lunch together, Ben responded, "Sure thing. Anything I can do to help out a friend." He definitely knew what it felt to be hangry; it was something he wouldn't wish on anyone. At least, not on anyone he liked. "Oh, I'm used to getting hugs by now." Granted, they came mostly from his father, a big hugger in his own right, but Benjamin figured he could spare Ashley the specifics. "You kind of caught me off guard with that last one, but it was more of a pleasant surprise than anything."

"Your family won't be there waiting for us in your room, will they?" Benjamin asked mirthfully. "Just kidding. I have all my books with me, so I don't mind stopping by your place if that's where you want to go." He tilted his head slightly in thought before continuing, "Maybe once we're done studying we could walk around campus a bit? That way, you can get a head start on your tour guide skills for the weekend."

As Ashley indicated that she was ready to leave, Benjamin rose from the table and collected his dining tray. "I'm out too," he replied while shaking his cup, rattling the ice cubes that remained. "I think I'll get a quick refill before we head out. Want me to grab another soda for you?"

 

[Keaira]

"Sure, I will bring brochures I have and also my laptop so we can make a list of destinations." She smiles and nods. Planning is something she has always been good at.

Ashley giggles at his remarks about her surprising hug. "Glad it was a pleasant surprise and not a scary awkward one." You will most likely get more hugs then because I get excited sometimes and that is the best way I know to comfort someone." She shrugs.

"No, my family isn't much for surprises, so I would know if they were here." She smiles at his suggestion, "I would love to give you a tour around campus. That way maybe you can find your classes easily tomorrow." She giggles and winks as she elbows him lightly, just giving him a hard time as a joke.

She hands him her cup and nods, "Yes please and just a little more ice, I like to eat it." She giggles and grabs her box and waits by the door for him to return.

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

"Thanks for the heads up," Benjamin quipped with a smile. After Ashley teased him about his penchant for getting lost, he responded with a sarcastic "Ha, ha" before adding, "Just remember this is still technically my first week here. At least give me a month before you keep teasing me about getting lost." While he said that, Benjamin was grateful that Ashley was okay with giving him a tour. Maps were okay, so long as they were accurate, but they still couldn't beat an in-person tour with good company.

"All right, let me get you that soda," Benjamin said with a smile as he collected Ashley's cup. He returned from the soda fountain moments later with both their drinks, acting quickly so as to not keep his new friend waiting for long. After extending the cup of soda to Ashley, which contained a good amount of ice as she requested, Benjamin used his free hand to open the exit for the both of them.

((The Block. The Blockkkkk.))

 

[Keaira]

Ashley giggled. "Alright, I guess I can stop teasing you for now." She then waits by the door. Once he gets back with the drink, she takes a sip and follows him out the door. "So, if you would rather go ahead and drop off our books at my room and take the tour and then study we can, that way we have a little more daylight for the tour?" She looks at him as she asks and has the straw in her mouth taking another drink.

Once they reach her building they go to her room and she unlocks the door and goes in, "come on in. It isn't much but it works." She had it decorated nicely and it had a nice bed with shelves in front of it and it was clean. "You are in luck, I had my weekly cleaning this morning." She giggles.

(In case you are like me and sometimes like a visual aid, here is a picture of what I had in mind.)

 

[Nana_MelaNinja]

Now having taken his allergy medicine, Benjamin could fully appreciate the warm summer breeze of the waning season as he and Ashley leisurely strolled to her dorm. After Ashley suggested taking the tour first, Benjamin took a moment to think it over. "I didn't think about that," he admitted while using his free hand to check the time. The day was slipping rapidly by. Given that their study session would take a few hours, it would leave them with little daylight for a proper tour around campus. "You're right. It wouldn't be much of a tour if we're stumbling around in the dark, huh? All right, I'm game," he agreed with a smile. As the two approached the building, Benjamin quickly finished his drink and dumped the empty cup into a nearby trashcan before entering.

As he followed Ashley through the layout of the building, he rubbed his hands together to keep them warm, having gotten frosty from holding the ice-filled cup for so long. His hands dropped to his sides, though, as Ashley invited him into a room that could be easily mistaken as a part of a designer home catalog. "Not much?" Benjamin echoed quizzically as he took a few steps into the well-decorated dorm. "Don't be so modest. If anyone should be embarrassed here, it's me. My room is so plain compared to yours," he replied with a chuckle while scoping out the four corners of the room. "Do you have an interior decorator in your family, or did you do this yourself?"

Not attempting to come across as too nosy, Benjamin directed his attention away from the decor of the room and back to Ashley. "Well, anyway. I'll just leave my stuff, uh, over here," he said while setting his backpack against the wall next to the door. "Let's see, we already went to the coffee shop and the library. And we just came back from the cafe. Besides stopping by our class, do you have anywhere else in mind that we can we go to?" he asked. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to check our the gym or rec room. I hear they have a pretty decent soccer field, too."

 

[Keaira]

Ashley blushes at the compliments Benji gave her regarding her room. "Yours looks fine. You just got here. I have had plenty of time making mine more like home. I did this myself. I love decorating as a hobby, but would never get a career in interior design." She put her bag on the table. "You can set your bag on the bed or table. It doesn't have to be on the floor. I am still a college student, and just haven't had time to allow my room to get messy yet." Ashley giggles a little. She then grabs a bottle of water out of her mini fridge and holds one out to Benji, "want one for the trip?"

Once she hears him ask about places to go, she nods at his suggestions. "We can go by the gym, weight room, classrooms, fields, the canal, the bridge, and anywhere else you want to go. There is even a hospital within walking distance. We can go around all over so no worries. It is a big place, so be sure to stay close so you don't get lost." Ashley winks at him and giggles. She then grabs a light jacket just in case it cools down while they are out. "Ready? We have a lot to cover in a short amount of time, and being here for three years now, I can tell you most of the history as well." Ashley giggles and twirls a strand of her hair in her fingers.

Ashley starts to walk towards the door, and stumbles on the rug, getting her foot caught on the edge of it. She blushes, "Oops sorry. I can be clumsy at times." She dusts herself off and notices that she scraped her knee a little on a seam in the floor. "Let me get cleaned up. It won't take long. I am so sorry." She states as she goes and grabs her first aid kit and pulls out Peroxide, Neosporin, and a bandaid. She then sits on the chair at the desk so she is able to reach her knee easier. "Sorry to keep you waiting."