Choose your Poison (Open!)

It was riveting, the novel Ash was reading. Sure, it was one of those cheesy Choose Your Own Adventure novels, but it was fun and nailbiting. It was far better written than the ones he used to read when he was younger. It was so enjoyable that Ash could be found reading, pacing back and forth, not really watching his surroundings. But the area was really empty and there was no one around to watch him be weird, so he figured he was safe. He had just gotten to a very good part of the novel and was deciding on the next decision he was going to make when his toe caught on an unexpected bump in the cement. Saving himself the book went flying from his hands and the tall teenage when hands first into the cement courtyard.

Being pretty new to the school Tara had no other place to be other than near the school, so she would normally hang around the main entrance or in the large courtyard. Ever since she got to the school she never really encountered with anybody even on her first day. She was still uncomfortable with the fact she had this 'gift' or whatever and had no idea how to control it. Simply strolling through the courtyard a boy had drew her attention what he was doing was very strange to Tara. He was reading, though that wasn't the strange part he was just walking everywhere reading a book. When he had fell Tara shook her head mumbling to herself, how embarrassing falling like that. As she stared at him for a moment, silently judging before asking the question. "...You alright?" Tara had asked him before glancing over to see the book he was reading next to her feet. She had bent down to pick it up for him. "Kind of strange your reading here." Tara had told him before handing the book back to him.

Ash had been aware that there were people out in the courtyard, it wasn't common that it be completely empty. But for the most part it was quiet and no one came near him. So he had been pacing while reading his book, despite it looking quite odd. Ash was never aware when he was doing something weird and was only ever embarrassed after the fact but would never change how he did things. Pacing while reading kept his adrenaline pumping and he needed some of that since the book was just so very good.

Of course, his actions always lead to something extremely clumsy and he found himself stomach down on the courtyard floor, hands and elbows aching from the impact. Groaning he turned himself over just in time to hear the voice above him asking if he was alright. Ensue lobster red blush. Ash looked up to find standing there a girl he hadn't met before. Of course it was someone he didn't know, that just generally seemed to be how it happened.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." Ash answered nervously, pushing himself to his feet. To most it would seem strange, but it was a nice day out and there were very little people around. Ash chose the places he read for a reason. "Well, it's quiet, and nice out. There aren't too many people out." At first it had been him sitting on a bench, reading the book, not moving a muscle except to turn the pages. But then he had jumped up at a very interesting part and the pacing had ensued. "Thank you." He said as he took the book back from her and flipped through the pages, making sure it was safe and he hadn't hurt it. His hands shook violently as he did so. The muscles in his arms were unused to such hard shock and there were scrapes all over his palms from the ground. But Ash was unconcerned, the book was more important to him.