No Rest for the Weary [open]

[evolution]

It was tough coming back to school. Taking a year to get his life in order didn't seem like it was nearly enough, and that year had gone by so quickly it felt like it was absolutely no time at all. Losing a family member, let alone your own father is exhausting and painful. Tyler Ward was many things to few people, and few people meant many things to him, but his father was certainly one of those few that meant everything to him. He was his best friend and his confidant. Going back to Hawaii to put things in order for his family was tough, especially because now he was the man of the house considering he was an only child. Tyler hated the situation he was in, the situation he never imagined himself in, not at his age anyway. He realized he wasn't the first person in history to be in said situation, but it certainly felt like it because even though everyone consoled him and reassured him it would be alright, it never felt alright.

Tyler returned to Washington University to little fan-fare. He had friends from several classes that he kept intouch with while he was away, but eventually even that stopped and he fell off the radar for a time. Not to many people were even aware that he was back at all, and he was okay with that because he could get back into the flow of the college work load without being distracted by all the things going on around campus. Lately, Tyler was retiring to the library in frequency to study and more importantly, to be alone. The effects of losing his father were still as fresh as the day it happened and while he wasn't the one to be a social butterfly at the moment, he did make small efforts sporadically. One good thing that did come from it was the quality of the music he was writing. He was was coming up with pieces that were very somber in their melody and yet somehow relaxing and vibrant. He had even begun to dabble in writing orchestrated music, designing the music on his computer using music creating software. He had become very enthralled in his writing and creating of music and even his professors were impressed with his level of ability.

Now you may ask, what is Tyler doing in the library rather than at N Block were the majority of his classes take place. They have labs there that are open for use and have equipment that the students are welcome to. Tyler does spend some time there, but the library is larger, more places for you to hide, more corners for you to get lost in so you can enjoy your solitude. Today however was rather different. Today Tyler had been up far too long the night before working on several things at once and after his classes had retreated to the library once more, where he found himself passing out on a couch located near the back of the building itself. With a book on his chest, one leg over the arm of the couch, the other off the couch on the floor, Ty was quite comfortable even if he didn't look the part. Boy, whoever said school wasn't fun was a liar!

[ella clemintine torres .]

don't make it bad

A month into school and Ella was already behind. Good start to the year really. It was all her doing too. No cosmic force had kept Ella from her studies. Just her own procrastination. Watching movies with Charlie always seemed a lot more entertaining then essays analysing plays and histories of theatre movements. For instance, she really didn’t care much for the Fluxus movement. Ella was more of a traditionalist when it came to the stage. While, yes it was interesting, it wasn’t exactly up Ella’s alley by any means.

Like any respectable lazy college student, Ella was fantastic at doing the things she liked and wanted to do, but left everything else to the last minute. Or at least as last minute as Ella would allow. Within a week of the due date she usually started to freak out and start researching like crazy. Which would actually explain why she was in the study room of the library. Engrossed in her lap-top, with books scattered about her. One such book was on the life of Yoko Ono by an author called ‘Jasekuh Jakson’. Ella had actually no idea that Yoko did anything but break up The Beatles until she had started this assignment and learnt she was actually a major player in the fluxes movement.

The thing about studying post-modernistic theatre, there really wasn’t a lot of published sauces on it. Internet sites where plenty, but a lot of it was crap and couldn’t really be credibly used in an academic essay. Which was making the research a hell of a lot harder. Which in term was putting Ella on edge a little. Letting out a sigh, Ella closed her lap-top. She needed a break before her brain exploded and she could no longer function as a human being. Looking up, Ella frowned. She actually hadn’t noticed that anyone else was in the room when she had entered.

That meant she was either really unobservant (which was more then true) or that they had entered after her. Either way, she now saw Tyler Ward, asleep on one of the couches. Smiling slightly, Ella cocked her head to the side. To wake him up or let him sleep? Reaching across to her note-pad, Ella ripped off a sheet of paper, rolled it into a ball and tossed it towards the juniors head.

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[evolution]

Tyler felt the light pelting of a paper ball tap him in the temple and rather than simply sit up shocked and react like one might expect, Tyler did the opposite. His reaction was rather delayed considering it took him a moment to register that he had even been hit, but thinking quickly Ward flung his hands up and grabbed at the side of his head where he was hit and groaned in agony. "What the hell man?! Who coats their paper balls with concrete?! Was that even paper? It felt like a cue ball!!!". Tyler took the moment to peak up through his fingers to see who might have thrown the paper ball, and after he noticed Ella, simple stopped, put on a somber face and sat up.

"Oh. It's you." he said flatly. "Geeze Ella, if I would have known it was you I wouldn't have made such a scene! I was hoping some Hollywood starlet had noticed this handsome guy laying on the couch, but no! Instead I get Ella, Cy Young Award winning pitcher!" Tyler added with a moment of laughter as he walked to the table were Ella was studying and took a seat across from her. Looking at the books and papers strewn about the laminated wood table, Tyler nodded his head in disbelief, taking in the amount of things she had in front of her. Returning his look to Ella, Tyler asked with a smirk "Last second studying again?"

It was almost rhetorical in his tone, but he figured she'd probably give him a witty remark regardless. Tyler could relate to those last minute cram sessions; quite frankly so could probably one hundred percent of the student populace. Tyler hadn't fallen into that last minute scramble since his return, but if he continued to catch some Z's on library furniture, then it would only be a matter of time.

Tyler glanced back down at the books on the table and happened to notice a book on Yoko Ono, to which he grabbed and held up showing Ella the cover, shouting "Beatles' Killer!" he then hushed his voice, being in a library and all, and continued by saying "Though I imagine this says quite the contrary right?". He had a quizzical look on his face but couldn't help but flash a smile. Tyler and Ella were good friends, if ever so briefly. He met her at the beginning of his junior year right before his father died. But they shared a lot of interests and became fast friends, always picking on one another or trying to hook each other up with the weirdest looking person at a frat party. He could still remember the girl that had a mouth like a booby trap!

Once Tyler started back at school, he hadn't found much time to talk to Ella and had only managed to let her know he was back to school. This was one of a few times he had actually got to see her without running off to class a second later or vice versa.

[ella clemintine torres .]

don't make it bad

Ella snorted back laughter at the show his was putting on. She hadn’t even hit him that hard really. If it had of been anyone else, Ella might have felt guilty, if not horrified that she had hurt them. However, she was certain Tyler wasn’t all that serious and that he wasn’t going to be upset with her. So instead of being horrified she chose to be amused. Which actually was a lot more enjoyable anyway. Also a little more dangerous. Considering the library wasn’t exactly the place of studying and quiet. Not goofing off and laughing.

Ella offered him a small wave and a sheepish grin as he looked up. “Yeah. Only me. But we both know you still would have carried on like that even if you did know it was me.” She issued him with a teasing grin. Leaning back a little in her chair, stretching her arms above her head. Studying really didn’t do wonders for a person’s back. Often times she had thought that perhaps it would be a worthy idea to have a chiropractor on campus. Honestly they’d earn a killing from crippled students who spent too long hunched over a laptop.

At his comment about the late minute studying, Ella rolled her eyes a little. “No, I like to surround myself with books of crazy Asian ladies for the fun of it.” Teasingly, she poked her tongue out at the boy. Glancing across the table at him. “I see you aren’t doing any studying at all? Must me nice, having the chance to nap while everyone else is busy.” Ella closed her laptop. Feeling confidant that this little study break would take up a huge chunk of her time. Not that she was complaining. Oh no. She would have taken any chance she got to take a pro-longed break.

Laughing, Ella took the book off him. Replacing it on the table. “Shh. I don’t want to get kicked out.” She glanced at the front cover, before looking up at Tyler. “I wouldn’t know what it says about the Beatles in there.” She gave a small shrug. “I’m only skimming it ‘till I find information on her involvement with the fluxus art movement. I don’t really care what the rest says.” She paused, eying him for a moment. “I suppose though, from your negative reaction to her that you are a Beatles fan?”

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[evolution]

Tyler took her childish poking and teasing in stride. He knew she was playing around simply because that's what the two of them tended to do in each others company. Tyler leaned back in his chair, propping the seat up on its back to legs and put his arms behind his head after a slow stretch. with a smug smile on his face, he explained his moment of relaxation, "Well see, those are the rewards one reaps when they study their ass off before and after classes and hardly gets to see the light of day, let alone the sound of crappy music and cheap beer at parties." Tyler gaze glazed over for a moment, then said, more to himself "God I miss parties."

Then Ella mentioned the fluxus movement and Tyler snapped of his moment of remembrance and something about 'fluxus movement' jogged his memory as he took on a contemplative facade and scratched his beard. "Isn't fluxus Latin for flow or flowing or something? I know it was some kind of international network of artists noted for blending different artistic media in the 60s. As for the Beatles-Killer, I have no idea what her involvement was, though she was known for her collaborates with Lennon and some art she's done." Tyler said, almost looking like he was disgusted that he could even speak about the woman in a fair light.

Immediately after she asked of his Beatles fandom, Tyler looked at Ella wide eyed for a moment. Ward crashed back down onto all four legs of his chair and put his palms on the edge of the table. His face had an expression of 'are you kidding me?' "El, hello? Music major! I swear woman, its like you don't know me at all! I'm just another piece of eye candy to you!" Ward exclaimed, his tone declining from serious to foolish as a smile grew on his face.

Someone on the other side of the library shushed Tyler and to which Tyler shushed back, but louder, putting his finger to his mouth for added effect. Turning his attention back to Ella, he shook his head and said, "Really, some people. Just don't know how to keep it down in a library." Tyler was aware that he was being kind of loud but played the oblivious card well. "So, aside from the obvious word load, and studying, how are you? Meet any handsome stud on campus yet? Did he arrive on his black stallion and whisk you away to the food court for a romantic dinner consisting of a Big Mac and large fries?" Tyler never seemed to conjure up a serious conversation with Ella, though the lack of effort on his part was obvious. Seriousness was for the classroom; for your midterm and your final.

[ella clemintine torres .]

don't make it bad

Ella bit her lip. Torn between mortified and completely amused as the boy was shushed by a fellow student. As it was, she stifled her own slightly nervous giggles. Biting her lip, she cast an apologetic look at the student who had shooshed him. She felt slightly guilty. If she hadn’t of woken him up, he wouldn’t be making all the noise. She then turned her attention back to the older male, shaking her head. “Come on Tyler, I don’t want to get kicked out.” Though her words didn’t carry much weight, was she was laughing slightly as she spoke.

At his next question, Ella felt her cheeks flush greatly. Her mind automatically flicked to Hunter. However, somewhere in the back of her mind she saw Charlie’s frowning face. She knew her best friend thought the guy was gay, which was partly why she was staying a little reserved in the situation. Ella and Charlie were not in the habit of fighting over men, and it wasn’t something the brunette wanted to grow familiar with. Besides, she liked to think she had good gay-dar and Hunter didn’t set off any bells in her mind. Perhaps Charlie just wished he was gay?

“Well. There isn’t any knights on horses..” She started, picking up her bag and searching through it for her bottle of water. “There may be a guy though..” Ella felt another blush rise in her cheeks as she spoke, but she tried to stay as casual as possible. “Nothing has happened or anything… But yeah, there is a guy I like.” Finding her water, Ella took a sip before asking “What about you? Any girls you’ve got an eye on?”

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