Newbies [Dorm 308]

Larissa was so happy that it was the weekend. Sundays were always her most favorite days because there were no classes and she could lounge around in her thick blue, worn sweater that was at least two sizes too big and gray sweatpants, not to mention her blue fuzzy socks to match. Looking at the clock in her room as she brushed out her hair, she was happy to see that it read 11:30 a.m. Sure she'd been awake much longer than that and had already grabbed some breakfast but now was her time to relax and watch a movie with hot chocolate as she watched the snow fall outside... It sounded like the perfect day to her.

Placing her brush carefully on her dresser, she tugged at the sleeves of her sweater to keep her hands clear as she put a smile on her face and skipped out the door and into the small living space that now four of them shared. She had been a little excited when she found out that she would be sharing a room with Kaya, but she didn't know anything about the fourth person that recently moved in, not even their name which was a little unsettling. Oh well. She would learn that eventually.

Without a second thought, she continued her skip through the small living room and towards the kitchen area, stopping just in front of the cabinets that hung on the wall. Swinging the door open, Larissa didn't hesitate to grab a mug and a pack of hot chocolate, mix it in with some milk and stick it in the microwave. After just over a minute passed, and the ding from the microwave finishing rang through the living room, the summer grabbed her cup using the sleeves on her sweater to make sure the cup wasn't too hot, mixed up one more time then carefully moved to the couch next to the large window, sitting down by crossing her left leg underneath her right which dangled off the couch. Glancing out the window, she watched as the clouds gently sprinkled snow onto the ground below, the snowflakes practically suspended in the air before landing on the blanket of white that stretched as far as the eye could see. "This was a good idea," she breathed before giggling to herself before wondering if anyone else was actually here in the dorm room.

Well if Larissa was still here, of course Daniel was. He didn't really go anywhere without his sister, occasionally he did. The sound of the microwave is what caused him to wake up. With a slight groan he sat up, running his hand through his messy hair attempting to straighten it out slightly. Rissa must have been up. At least that is what he guessed. He stood up off his bed, and gave a stretch. He was already wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt so he could openly go out into the common area. He still hadn't met the other two room mates yet, but apparently Rissa already knew one of them.

The tired boy exited his room, and sluggishly walked over, and sat on the opposite end of the couch from his sister. "What are we watching Rissa?"

The snow had caught up with her. Kaya knew it was cold out; it had been yesterday that she almost caught hypothermia in the forest. It felt like an eternity ago. She rubbed the throbbing skin along her wrists. Nothing happened there, she told herself. It was a nightmare, nothing happened there. She finally decided to get up at noon. She'd been in bed since nightfall, the day prior.
She stepped out of her dorm, wearing the pajamas she put on to warm herself from what had happened the day prior. Her old sweater was laced with blood. Nothing happened there, nothing happened there.
"Hello," she said sleepily, quietly, yawning at Larissa, not acknowledging the new person yet. She expected at least somebody to be in the common room. She'd heard walking for the last few minutes, and it was part of why she decided to get up, to put all that happened behind her. Nothing happened.
A crimson bird was outside their window, perched on a snowy branch. The top of its head was thinly white, and it silently looked at her. Kaya blinked back.
"It looks cold," she observed silently. It was scarlet on a blue sky.

Startled slightly at the entrance of both her brother and Kaya, she squeezed her mug a little tighter as she turned to face the two. Smiling at Danny who joined her on the couch, she turned to Kaya with the same friendliness. "Hello! Care to join us?" she asked Kaya before setting down her mug on the coffee table not too far from her. If she kept holding it, she knew she was going to spill it. Shifting her weight so that her whole body was facing both of them better, she glanced at Daniel before looking towards the blank tv screen. "I haven't really picked out what I want to watch yet. If you have a suggestion, let me know!" It didn't really matter to her who she was talking to. All suggestions were welcome because she had no idea what played on the channels here or if she wanted to skip all of that and watch Netflix.

Suddenly it dawned on her that Kaya had spoken again. Larissa's attention turning back to the window, she nodded in agreement as her eyes snapped to the bird who looked lovely sitting on the branch. She was actually surprised to see it, thinking that it should be in the south for the winter. "Would you like some hot chocolate? I can make you some if you are cold. It warms you up real quick!" she said lightly, turning once again back towards the center of the room.

Danny shrugged. He didn't know of anything to watch. He looked up at the new girl in the room. Please don't say he was in a dorm full of girls. He didn't want to be the only guy that would have been bad. She didn't seem to notice him just yet so he wasn't going to say anything. He just shifted in his spot. "You pick something. I'm fine with whatever." He said in his usual tone.

Kaya's eyes lit up at the mentioning of hot chocolate. It was somewhat of a drink-of-choice in Arviat. "That would be good--fantastic, yes, that would be very fantastic!" Her voice was matched with a polite grin, straightening up as she ran to the small "kitchen." She put her hands on the counter. "My father used to make it all the time, but I never knew how." His was good; not as 'very fantastic' as the diner down the street, but it was comparing spring to summer. The best pizza in America to the best pizza in Italy. Of course, she'd never had pizza before.

"Don't pull that, Danny..." Larissa grumbled as she got up off the couch to help Kaya. She didn't leave without first tossing the remote Daniel's way. She didn't feel like choosing this time. Originally, if she were by herself, she would have sat there and stared out of the window for an hour or so, occasionally sipping on her hot chocolate. A movie did sound nice, but she had no clue what to choose and peaceful silence was the next best thing.

As she got to her feet and walked to the kitchen area, she turned her eyes toward her brother. "You pick something this time. Doesn't matter what." With a small chuckle, she moved past Kaya and opened the cabinet she used earlier, pulling out another mug and cocoa packet. Going through the same process she used to make hers, Larissa popped the mug into the microwave and pressed the start button. "This might not be the best hot chocolate, but it should be pretty good," Larissa exclaimed before the microwave dinged. Pulling the mug out using the sleeves of her sweater, she placed it down on the counter and stirred in the contents of the small packaging. "There!" she chirped as she finished. "It's ready for you! Danny do you want some?"

Danny shook his head, and tossed the remote away. No way. He wasn't choosing. He never really watched any tv, and he didn't really care about what movie they watched. He didn't have a strong desire to watch anything specifically. "I'm not choosing." He simply stated not caring if Rissa got mad at him or not. He shifted in his spot on the couch for a moment, before getting settled again. "Nah I don't want any right now." He said in the same tone as usual.

Kaya took it in her hands, spinning on her heels, gripping the mug. She lowered her lips to the rim, but looked up at Danny. Who was he, exactly? He seemed a little nonplussed about everything going on. She gave a small smirk in his direction, and tilted back her head to take in the hot chocolate. She let out a small choke. Forcing it down, she winced. It was so watery and cheap! Is this what all southern hot chocolate was like? Papa's was always made from scratch, and she was glad it was...

She placed the cup down, trying her best not to look displeased, just distracted. She walked forward, gripping the back of the couch. "That is an expensive-appearing television, hm." It looked like the one the mayor had in Arviat. They didn't watch TV a lot; their home one was a little small, and there was only one.

The summer pursed her lips for a moment when Daniel tossed the remote away from him and rejected the hot chocolate. Giving a small look of defeat, she sighed and pulled her sleeves back up her arms and moved out of the kitchen, her hip missing the edge of the counter by practically millimeters before she stopped next to her brother, glancing at Kaya, listening to her intently. "I guess so," Larissa said with a shrug. "We brought it from home. Our parents bought it for us a few years ago and let us bring it with us so we had at least something to do while we're here." Finally moving to the couch, Larissa sat down in the center next to Daniel, crossing her legs underneath her before reaching and grabbing her mug. "Do you want to join us?"

Daniel was glad when Rissa didn't press anymore for him to choose something. He shifted in his spot to allow more room between him, and his sister so that way Kaya would have more room on the other side of the couch if she choose to sit down. A yawn escaped Danny, and he propped up his head against his arm which was resting against the arm rest of the couch. He glanced over to the t.v. It wasn't that expensive looking to him, it just looked like a regular t.v. Where was this girl from then?

"Sure." Kaya much preferred standing. Sitting with people seemed a little too restrictive. She didn't want to be rude, however, and hopped over the couch, landing beside Larissa. She wanted the corner, but that boy already took it. Well, at least she didn't have homework. Not yet, at least. "What are you watching?"

"I'm not sure yet," Larissa replied as she picked up the remote and turned the television on. It blinked to life and began showing a random show that Larissa had never seen before. It didn't look too interesting so she flipped it to a selection of movies through the internet. "I was kind of thinking about [future Disney flick]. Is that okay?" she asked before rolling her eyes and giggling at Daniel. "Is that okay with you too or do you want to watch something else?"

Danny ignored his sister's giggle for the most part. "I already told you that I'm fine with whatever you put on." He still didn't know the other girl's name, but he wasn't going to ask. It was fine with him if he never got to know the girl. He wasn't too fond of strangers, but it seemed that Rissa knew this girl, so maybe he should attempt to know this girl too? Eh he will worry about it later.

"I don't know much new film," stated Kaya. It didn't mean she wasn't a huge cinemaphile. She'd spent the last few years of her life watching classic English and French movies, some in the community center and some on her laptop. It was how she learned a lot of her English. She wasn't the best reader. The girl noticed Larissa's mug at a sideglance and hoped she wouldn't call attention to her own lack of one.