Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Open)

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor never liked to conduct any sort of side business anywhere near the public eye. Even though the select few members of the student body aware of his reputation most assuredly had their facts wrong and his exploits blown terribly out of proportion, Trevor was well aware that he was walking a very thin line. The best way for him to remain out of the spotlight was to stay inconspicuous and, unfortunately, that didn't always happen, especially when you were dealing with other people who were decidedly less concerned about such things.


With a low grumble of exasperation, Trevor swiped the spreadsheet from the screen of his tablet and turned his eyes up toward the approaching student. Trevor recognized the guy instantly, after all, he'd paid a decent fee to have a paper written for an upcoming class and was coming to collect. This, in an of itself, wasn't the issue, Trevor had the paper ready to be handed over on a small flash drive in his bag. The problem was the execution of the delivery. Trevor was nothing if not meticulous in his business dealings. When an exchange was set for 9pm in the campus parking lot then, goddamn it, the exchange should be at 9pm in the damn parking lot not at 10:15. And, to top it all off, here was this knucklehead looking as obvious as could be trundling across the courtyard expectantly.


In the end, it didn't matter and, in a way, Trevor wasn't surprised. After all, classes hadn't even been going for a week and the guy already couldn't handle the workload. Trevor probably wasn't dealing with the most prodigal of students. Still, Trevor did what he could to keep the exchange as brief as possible. With a touch of scorn lining the features of his face, Trevor didn't move from his spot sitting beside the fountain in the courtyard as the guy began to stutter over his words. Trevor cut him off with a wave of his hand. Within moments Trevor had fished the small USB memory stick from his bag and tossed it toward the other student. "If I find a copy of this floating around anywhere I'll have you killed." Trevor said, straight faced, as he looked up to the guy who, it looked for a moment, considered the much smaller, brown haired boy to be serious. Trevor was unamused. "I'm kidding." He replied, his tone flat. "We're done now." And with that, the recipient of the flash drive hurried off, leaving Trevor behind to shake his head and offer a low sigh.

The business of the day was done and Trevor was happy to head inside and relax until morning would come and he'd get to do it all over again.  The tablet made it's way into Trevor's bag and the pack slung over his shoulder as he started through the parking lot in the direction of Bellefonte's dorms.  His eyes narrowed as he spotted someone nearby.  With a furrowed brow he looked to them, then  over his shoulder toward the lumbering dolt who was just now pocketing the flash drive and back to the other person again.

"Hey."  Trevor said cautiously, offering a faint wave of his hand.  He wasn't about to admit any wrongdoing in spite of how shady and bad the scene had been just moments ago.  "Didn't think anyone else would be wandering around the parking lot so late at night."

[Tiana Jackson]

”That all of it?”

Tiana checked the van one more time to see if there were any more bags or boxes to take in. Tiana had volunteered to help the kitchen staff bring in some food when they’d gotten a late call about the next shipment of food getting delayed due to an accident. One staff member decided to go out and get some more ingredient themselves, which was why Tiana ended up staying so late. She was basically becoming a fellow staff member when it came to the kitchen at this point anyways. Which was why the last one heading inside threw her the keys to lock up since her hands were empty. Tiana smirked and went to double check the van when she noticed something in the distance. She’d seen enough shady business back home to realize whatever was happening probably wasn’t legal. Rolling her eyes, Tiana was perfectly fine with moving on as if she hadn’t seen anything.

"Hey.”

Tiana glanced over her shoulder and saw one of the boys addressing her. Tiana raised an eyebrow and shut the door to the van.

"Didn't think anyone else would be wandering around the parking lot so late at night.”

Tiana gave him a look before continuing about her business. She wasn’t looking to spend all night out there.

”Had to bring in some ingredients for the meals tomorrow.” Finding no other bags or boxes, Tiana shut and lock the door before turning to Trevor. ”Look I know you aren’t going to admit anything, but I’ve seen drug deals before so I know shady business when I see it. However I don’t really care too much. Although my advice? The parking lot probably isn’t a good idea. Especially this late with staff checking for people cutting curfew.”

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor issued a low chuckle, his hands finding the pockets of his pants as he glanced over his shoulder toward the kid who was lumbering off in the distance. "What?" The dark haired teen said, a wry smirk on his face. "Him?" His head shook as he shifted his gaze back to the girl who was scolding him like a child. "I'm hurt that you'd instantly take me for someone involved in 'shady' business." Trevor spoke without missing a beat. The presence of the girl hadn't phased him in the slightest. It wasn't as if he hadn't dealt with this sort of thing before.

"Actually I was just handing off a flash drive with notes for a group project." Trevor admitted with a bit of a shrug. Calmly he started toward Tiana, closing the distance so he wouldn't have to talk so loud to explain himself. "You know, social sciences and all its weird, group requirements." Trevor quickly shifted gears, waving a hand in the general direction the kid he'd just made the exchange with had gone. "You'd be surprised. Rory looks dumb and... well, he is, kind of, but he's amazing with PowerPoint." He studied Tiana for a brief moment, the smirk which skirt that thin line between confidence and arrogance still on his face. "If you've got anything like that coming up, I'll hook you up with his number, he always likes helping people out."

[Tiana Jackson]

”What? I'm hurt that you'd instantly take me for someone involved in 'shady' business.”

Tiana didn’t believe Trevor for an instance, but like she’d said she truly didn’t care. His business was his, and her business was hers; Tiana would be fine keeping it that way.

”I’m sure the nurse has some bandaids for that.”

She couldn’t help but make the dry remark before locking the van. She crossed her arms and regarded him coolly, guessing that he wasn’t done talking yet since he went on.

"Actually I was just handing off a flash drive with notes for a group project. You know, social sciences and all its weird, group requirements.”

Tiana frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow, only sparing the fading figure a glance. She didn’t believe the story for a second, considering the “trade” could’ve been easily done inside with others around if it was so innocent.

"You'd be surprised. Rory looks dumb and... well, he is, kind of, but he's amazing with PowerPoint. If you've got anything like that coming up, I'll hook you up with his number, he always likes helping people out.”

Tiana gave Trevor a look for a moment before slowly shaking her head with a smirk.

”Thanks, but I think I’ll pass. Besides, if your wonderful words of Rory are true I think I’d get frustrated with him pretty quickly. Although if you’re telling the truth, why not simply trade your notes inside the dorms? You know, where it doesn’t look incredibly suspicious.”

[Trevor Paige]

"They do." Trevor replied with a nod. He didn't miss a beat, countering quickly with an idle scratch at his chin. "But the big guy that's usually there has rough hands." He said, turning his mischevious gaze to the young, dark haired woman. "I'm sensitive." He pointed out with no small amount of mirth displayed in his smirk. "I bruise easily."

Trevor then gave a short laugh. "He's not so bad." He insisted. "Just wait. When finals roll around and you're stuck trying to put together some asinine slideshow for whatever class has you presenting you'll wish you had his number." The almost whimsical way in which Trevor spoke belied the intensity of his words. He was well aware of how ludicrous it all sounded but it was necessary to buy into such a farce. After all, misdirection and subterfuge were his greatest weapons.

Without warning Trevor snapped to a completely different topic of conversation. He wasn't in the mindset of spinning his being caught red(ish) handed doing something he probably shouldn't have been any more than he'd already been forced to. "Tiana, right?" He asked even though he already knew the answer. While the two of them hadn't formally met before, they were both high school students and close to the same age. It was pretty difficult for Trevor to not know his classmates at least more than they knew him. "Yeah, I remember you from English Lit."

[Tiana Jackson]

"They do. But the big guy that's usually there has rough hands. I'm sensitive. I bruise easily.”

The sheer cheek of this boy was equally fascinating and annoying to Tiana. It was part of the reason she still didn’t believe him despite what he said. Everything seemed to perfect to her. Too well explained for Tiana to believe him. There was also the fact that Tiana truly didn’t care but he was still trying to play it off.

"He's not so bad. Just wait. When finals roll around and you're stuck trying to put together some asinine slideshow for whatever class has you presenting you'll wish you had his number.”

Tiana rolled her eyes at the claim, her expression clearly dubious. She honestly doubted she’d need anyone else’s help with something like that. She also somehow had a feeling she wouldn’t want the help from someone under Trevor’s thumb. Even if she didn’t know him for so long, she got that distinct feeling.

”Yeah. Right. I think I’ll manage, but thanks.”

She hadn’t needed help so far, so she figured she wouldn’t later.

"Tiana, right?”

The abrupt shift in subject made Tiana frown, but she was surprised he knew her name. Instantly her eyes narrowed in suspicion, yet she also was finding him a tad bit familiar.

"Yeah, I remember you from English Lit.”

It was a good enough explanation, and Tiana couldn’t really refute it since she wasn’t sure. Still, Tiana had a feeling the statement was said to shock Tiana and change the subject. She was willing enough to go along with it.

”I guess I’ll have to take your word on it since I don’t remember much of you. Yeah, my name is Tiana. You going to give me yours?”

[Trevor Paige]

Trevor gave a bit of a shrug. In truth he didn't care much for convincing Tiana of his associate's skills with PowerPoint, even if the boy in question actually was talented. No, Trevor's intent was largely misdirection and distraction. It certainly helped to have a wealth of knowledge and information about the world around him and the people in it he could draw from to aid in steering and directing conversation as he saw fit. In this case, it had, apparently, worked to perfection.

"Nah, don't worry about it." He said as he waved a hand dismissively. "Happens all the time. I've just got one of those easily forgettable faces." He used to wonder what it was like to forget or not remember every minute detail of every day but now he saw it as an advantage. Rare was he caught off guard by someone knowing something he didn't. It served him well even at a young age. "It's Trevor." The answer came with a polite nod and a bit of a smirk. "So, are you just wandering around, spying on students or is there something that brings you out here so late?"