Capable of Anything

[Blaire Montoya]

Blaire had an assignment due for college. It was the last thing left on her list to complete, and despite the obvious advantage she could have used, she opted for the traditional route. She took proper time into accord and did her best to plan out the schedule so she’d have the time to complete it like she should.

Did she stick to it? No. It was what landed her where she was now.

Except that as soon as she made it to the library, she was distracted. Instead of settling down with a laptop and just pushing through the remaining hundreds of words she was hung up on, she was trolling the stacks, laptop still secure in the bag swinging inches above the line of her dress. The fiction section. Something completely out of this world, maybe. Nothing too heavy. Or maybe she wanted a heavy political agenda. Y’know, the kind clouded in a shroud of literal space.

But before her hands could land on a coloured title that she might try to read, she glanced up at the person nearby.

“Any recommendations?” She asked instinctively, shrugging her shoulders lightly as she wore the hint of a smile, “Anything that’ll make a little time fly.”

[Robbie Wilkes]

Doing assignments on a weekend was not something Robbie wanted to do but he had held it off for a really long time already and he just couldn't anymore. So the library was the only place he knew he would find the materials he needed since it was the only place that stored the kind of information his assignment required.

The library wasn't as empty as he had originally thought and he even bumped into a few of his friends from class before he disappeared in between the shelves to find the books. He didn't expect to be approached but when he did, he returned the hint of a smile with a wide sunny one of his own.

"I think you might be in the wrong place if you're looking to make time fly here." He responded with a chuckle. Ever the supporter of fun things that require you to be outdoors, Robbie wasn't exactly the right person to ask about books. But he did know a thing or two about making time fly. So if this girl was willing to hear him out, he had an idea for her to try.

"Although...what are your preferences?"

[Blaire Montoya]

Pressed lips allowed a smile to grow at the response he gave. At first glance, this guy didn't exactly look like he belonged in a library out of his own interest, but he had been around, and surely it wasn't so hard to strike up a conversation with someone new.

Briefly, Blaire turned her attention back to the stacks she stood in front of. It was a vain hope that something would spring out to her, and a moment later she was already prepared to give up. It only got worse when he spoke again. She curled a hand around the strap of the bag over her shoulder; working on an assignment was already so fleeting.

"That depends," She drawled then, letting a few seconds pass. Time, as it were, "Are we still talking about books?"

[Robbie Wilkes]

Her answering with her own question had Robbie chuckling, looking at her with an amused look on his face. "Sure, if you want to talk about books." He shrugged, grabbing the book closest to him. He read the synopsis and snorted. "This is about a fifteen year old girl thrust into a world where fairies rule and she has to find an old white man to save the day." He handed the book to the brunette and turned to face her, leaning against the shelf.

"Let me guess, you're procrastinating from schoolwork." Robbie asked with an amused grin. He was doing the exact same thing so obviously everyone he was going to meet asking for book recommendations had the same thought.

[Blaire Montoya]

Blaire shifted her gaze away from his eyes when he reached for a book at random. He pulled a synopsis out of what appeared to be a fast read of a blurb, and seconds later he was giving it to her. She genuinely flipped it over to let her eyes scan the wording on the back, but she absolutely refused to really read it.

"Is it that obvious?" She asked with a laugh, but she didn't really need an answer as she glanced up to catch his eyes again. The look appeared the same on just about everyone's face, she figured, especially when literally asking about how to make moments go as quickly as possible.

Exhaling a sigh, Blaire knew she could bite first. "I just- I can never sit down and write extensively about a subject I don't care for." She admitted, shrugging her shoulders at the fact. Surely that was everyone's universal excuse because it was so frequently true.

[Robbie Wilkes]

Robbie didn't know who would even read such a book. Although if he was bored enough, there was a chance he would skim it. He was never bored enough.

Chuckling at her response, the blonde shrugged. "I see it in the mirror every day." He shook his head soberly before his bright smile returned to his face. Her reasoning behind the procrastination was one he had also heard a lot. He was one of the lucky ones, doing what he liked, but even he had times when he just couldn't be bothered to do anything related to the subject.

"I hear ya. Well, don't tell anyone this but this library actually has some pretty good books. But they're not stored here. Come on, follow me." He gestured for her to follow him and he guided her to the spot that he called his make-out spot. Part of the reason why was so that when people heard about it, they wouldn't think to visit. And he could read in peace. He had a reputation to uphold after all.

"There. Peruse at your convenience. But, I mean, if you're looking for a more substantial way of wasting time, my girlfriend and I believe that lazer tag kills time fastest. If you wanted, I could gather some people and we could go."

[Blaire Montoya]

Following a stranger might not have been the best call to make, but Blaire did so regardless. After all, it was virtually impossible to end up in a remotely negative situation when the ability to rewind a minute or two was at her disposal. She saw the way people looked at her curiously, but as far as knowledge of a reputation went, Blaire was in the dark.

"Look at you, hiding everything good." She mused, her eyes quick to search a newer selection. She reached out to take a proverbial stab before his last suggestion caught her ears.

Briefly, she glanced down at herself. She quickly doubted how well such a task would work in a dress, let alone heels no matter how short they were. When she glanced up, she couldn't help the way she initially laughed. "Do you take a lot of strangers gaming, or are you just an excellent judge of character?" She asked then, because as far as she looked, she doubted she gave off the lasertag vibe.

[Robbie Wilkes]

As far as following strangers went, they couldn't have gotten a safer one than Robbie. Or if the situation soured, a more dangerous one. But that was neither here nor there. The girl didn't seem to give off any stranger danger vibes either. She asked for book recommendations, for pete's sake. What was he in danger of, paper cuts?

"I know though. I'm a bad boy, tell everyone." He gestured around them with a finger and chuckled. He knew he was being supremely lame but she hasn't run for the hills just yet so that's a good sign.

When the girl looked down at herself, so did he. It was only then did he realise that she was in an outfit that might constrict movement. But they did offer shoes over there like they did at bowling alleys. The dress, however, might be a bit of a nuisance. Still, she didn't look like she wanted to say no.

"I wanna brag and choose the latter but no, I'm the worst judge of character. But come on, who doesn't love laser tag?" He shrugged happily. He took his phone out, ready to get his contacts to meet them at the laser tag arena. "Whaddya say?"

[Blaire Montoya]

There was an immediate image of herself in Blaire's head. She wasn't sure how often people did this sort of thing on a whim, but she supposed it didn't really matter either way. There was no shame associated with eventual humiliation, because really, what was the point in such a useless emotion?

She scrutinised him, then. Clever look on his face and the kind of confidence most people would either die for or be incredibly jealous of. Or want. To be like or be with.

"I've never tried it, honestly." She pointed out, but she was still smiling as she did so. As far as sheltered individuals went, she was relatively sure she was one of the highest. "So yes. But I do have one condition; I'd like to know the name of the man who will inevitably shoot me with lasers."

[Robbie Wilkes]

He was already selecting the few people who would be more than happy to spend a few hours of their time on laser tag. The prospect of having a newbie in their midst was also a welcomed thing.

Knowing that she was a complete newbie made Robbie grin even wider. "You're gonna love it, and it's Robbie. Robbie Wilkes." He nodded proudly, as though his name meant something. He reached a hand out for a shake, beaming all the while. "Okay so, I've gotta check this book out and run to my dorm quick. Do you need a ride?"

[Blaire Montoya]

Confidence continued to beam as he gave his name, to which Blaire had to nod her head once at the information given. It might have gone right over her head, but that had to be expected for someone just re-entering the world that was schooling in Kalispell. She didn't hesitate to reach out and take his hand, offering a light enough shake. "Blaire." She offered in return, because it was only fair to give a name for a name.

"It'd be easier - well, probably - but I don't mind. I can find my own way." She replied. Not everyone wanted to share a care with a relative stranger, and Blaire could easily accept that. Public transport in a growing city wasn't overtly difficult to manage.

[Robbie Wilkes]

Nodding once at her response, Robbie tucked the book he had found for his assignment and beamed at her. "Just wait for me outside at the parking lot? I'll be there." He grinned and ran to the librarian's desk, setting the book down to be checked out.

He did a quick run to his dorm and left the book on his bed before grabbing his car keys and running down to the parking lot. He saw Blaire there already and he waved her over to his car.

"Blaire! Over here!" He called out before climbing into his car and starting it up.

[OOC: Hope I didn't overstep!]

[Blaire Montoya]

Libraries were relatively boring. Blaire had known that from the moment she walked in, and she had expected that to be her day until she went home later on and found herself no closer to finishing the assignment she had due. A skip in time and she could have caught up with hours of work, but it didn't feel like an option. Instead, she took the better one posed to her. She agreed and found her way to the parking lot alone.

It was there that she briefly wondered what would happen to the rest of her day if he never came back. She wouldn't exactly blame him. And maybe he couldn't blame her when he called her name and she looked at him with clear cut surprise before she followed the call to his car.

"Do you do this often?" Blaire asked him, almost idly after she sat. But she carried a point she wanted to understand; one she couldn't so easily forget when she found herself harbouring a kind of interest, "I don't know a lot of people who let strangers in their car." Especially from a place where anyone could be anyone and do anything. It was interesting, to say the least.