Theory of Attraction
Quote from Deleted user on October 8, 2023, 2:15 pmLee followed her hand to see it point at the blank space on the check out card, but didn't immediately understand what she was wanting. Then suddenly it clicked.
" Oh, I'm Lee." He said. " Lee Chang," he finished, his voice seeming to shrink as he spoke his last name. It was brief, but there was a clear moment of conflict in his eyes that came from the name's use.
Lee followed her hand to see it point at the blank space on the check out card, but didn't immediately understand what she was wanting. Then suddenly it clicked.
" Oh, I'm Lee." He said. " Lee Chang," he finished, his voice seeming to shrink as he spoke his last name. It was brief, but there was a clear moment of conflict in his eyes that came from the name's use.
Quote from Indy on October 8, 2023, 3:01 pmThe girl didn’t seem to notice the way Lee had shirked away from his last name. Or, at the very least, she did not appear to present any manner of surprise on her blank face. Instead, she closed up the book and pressed it to Lee’s palms. The gesture was not done forcefully, but it was not entirely a suggestion either. She cast a look down rows of books towards the checkout and exhaled a soft snort of air.
The girl didn’t seem to notice the way Lee had shirked away from his last name. Or, at the very least, she did not appear to present any manner of surprise on her blank face. Instead, she closed up the book and pressed it to Lee’s palms. The gesture was not done forcefully, but it was not entirely a suggestion either. She cast a look down rows of books towards the checkout and exhaled a soft snort of air.
Quote from Deleted user on October 8, 2023, 3:19 pmLee turned and followed her gaze. Seeing the checkout he realized what the girl was wanting him to do next. He turned back to her shaking his head.
" I can't. My mom's expecting me to be here when she comes to pick me up later." He said, assuming checking out the books meant the girl wanted to leave the library.
Lee turned and followed her gaze. Seeing the checkout he realized what the girl was wanting him to do next. He turned back to her shaking his head.
" I can't. My mom's expecting me to be here when she comes to pick me up later." He said, assuming checking out the books meant the girl wanted to leave the library.
Quote from Indy on October 8, 2023, 11:55 pmAgain, the girl snorted with a harsh breath of air and shook her head. She squinted at Lee, almost a word at her lips but it did not pass.
Instead, she reached out with her right arm to grab at the end of the boy’s sleeve. There was nothing forceful in the girl’s grip. It was a suggestion, and no more, yet she seemed determined that he would follow her nonetheless.
Again, the girl snorted with a harsh breath of air and shook her head. She squinted at Lee, almost a word at her lips but it did not pass.
Instead, she reached out with her right arm to grab at the end of the boy’s sleeve. There was nothing forceful in the girl’s grip. It was a suggestion, and no more, yet she seemed determined that he would follow her nonetheless.
Quote from Deleted user on October 9, 2023, 12:24 amAt the girl's persistence, Lee took a look back at the check out and signed. " Okay," he said, as he began moving slowly over to check out the books. He had time for a little adventure as his mom wouldn't be there to pick him up till after work, and she always worked late. He was rather curious of the girl named Ami, he hoped by following her long enough she would even speak finally- Then a possibility crossed Lee's mind.
" ..So, I noticed you don't talk.. Are you mute?" He asked as politely as he could. " It's okay if you are," He quickly added. " I won't think less of you."
At the girl's persistence, Lee took a look back at the check out and signed. " Okay," he said, as he began moving slowly over to check out the books. He had time for a little adventure as his mom wouldn't be there to pick him up till after work, and she always worked late. He was rather curious of the girl named Ami, he hoped by following her long enough she would even speak finally- Then a possibility crossed Lee's mind.
" ..So, I noticed you don't talk.. Are you mute?" He asked as politely as he could. " It's okay if you are," He quickly added. " I won't think less of you."
Quote from Indy on October 9, 2023, 11:02 amLee’s remark earned a brief pause in their journey, and another squint of her curious eyes. She did not speak, but her expression contorted in a funny way it did not previously. Her eyes scrunched and near imperceptibly seemed to roll towards the ceiling. Then with a click of her tongue, she continued to lead the boy.
Their journey did not lead them very far. It led them exactly to the check-out desk the girl had pointed to previously. At their approach, Ami’s fingers had continued to lead Lee - and the book he was clutching, to the counter.
The librarian noted the duo on their approach and had found the pair curious.
“Funny,” the librarian mused aloud as she looked at the strange girl that had brought Lee, “Wouldn’t have thought you the ‘friendly’ type”.
“You checking that out hon?” she asked in reference to the book he held.
Lee’s remark earned a brief pause in their journey, and another squint of her curious eyes. She did not speak, but her expression contorted in a funny way it did not previously. Her eyes scrunched and near imperceptibly seemed to roll towards the ceiling. Then with a click of her tongue, she continued to lead the boy.
Their journey did not lead them very far. It led them exactly to the check-out desk the girl had pointed to previously. At their approach, Ami’s fingers had continued to lead Lee - and the book he was clutching, to the counter.
The librarian noted the duo on their approach and had found the pair curious.
“Funny,” the librarian mused aloud as she looked at the strange girl that had brought Lee, “Wouldn’t have thought you the ‘friendly’ type”.
“You checking that out hon?” she asked in reference to the book he held.
Quote from Deleted user on October 9, 2023, 1:12 pm" Yes," Lee answered quickly at the librarian's inquiry. He placed the books on the counter as his eyes drifted back to Ami. She was so very curious, and utterly confusing. By her response, he felt assuming her mute was the wrong answer. But it couldn't be simple shyness that kept her from speaking, she acted far too comfortable around him, dragging him around as she did. Then what made her not speak? He couldn't think of what it might be.
" Yes," Lee answered quickly at the librarian's inquiry. He placed the books on the counter as his eyes drifted back to Ami. She was so very curious, and utterly confusing. By her response, he felt assuming her mute was the wrong answer. But it couldn't be simple shyness that kept her from speaking, she acted far too comfortable around him, dragging him around as she did. Then what made her not speak? He couldn't think of what it might be.
Quote from Indy on October 11, 2023, 1:15 pmThe librarian moved efficiently to check-out the book from Lee’s library card. The affair was over in a moment, and soon the new book was handed back to Lee with his name written just below Ami’s on the check-out card.
The girl had continued to monitor the situation from several paces behind. She’d not missed the arrival of two more parties, a couple of boys roughly Lee’s age. One had snorted over some gruesome spread on the comic shelf, while the other was pulling books off random from the shelves into a neat stack besides him.
The boys had suddenly narrowed in on Lee.
“Hey,” one hissed in his finest ‘library whisper’, “Who’s your new friend?”
The librarian moved efficiently to check-out the book from Lee’s library card. The affair was over in a moment, and soon the new book was handed back to Lee with his name written just below Ami’s on the check-out card.
The girl had continued to monitor the situation from several paces behind. She’d not missed the arrival of two more parties, a couple of boys roughly Lee’s age. One had snorted over some gruesome spread on the comic shelf, while the other was pulling books off random from the shelves into a neat stack besides him.
The boys had suddenly narrowed in on Lee.
“Hey,” one hissed in his finest ‘library whisper’, “Who’s your new friend?”
Quote from Deleted user on October 11, 2023, 1:35 pmLee retrieved the two books and his library card as he heard the boy behind him speak. He turned and recognized him- He was someone Lee was certain he'd seen in the hallways at his school, but beyond that he didn't know exactly who he was. Unfortunately he knew that lack of knowledge might not go both ways, as his severe allergies often made him a recognized face at school. (Having a reaction at the school cafeteria always spread like wildfire through gossip.)
" I just met her," Lee replied with a shrug. " ...I Don't think that makes us friends."
Lee glanced at Ami to gauge her reaction to what he had chosen to say, but before waiting for a response from either he turned and began to head off towards the library's front door.
Lee retrieved the two books and his library card as he heard the boy behind him speak. He turned and recognized him- He was someone Lee was certain he'd seen in the hallways at his school, but beyond that he didn't know exactly who he was. Unfortunately he knew that lack of knowledge might not go both ways, as his severe allergies often made him a recognized face at school. (Having a reaction at the school cafeteria always spread like wildfire through gossip.)
" I just met her," Lee replied with a shrug. " ...I Don't think that makes us friends."
Lee glanced at Ami to gauge her reaction to what he had chosen to say, but before waiting for a response from either he turned and began to head off towards the library's front door.
Quote from Indy on October 11, 2023, 1:54 pmAmi didn’t seem to make any reaction one way or the other to Lee’s statement. Instead, the girl watched the two boys. Without blinking. The girl’s face became almost entirely alien as she studied the two like bacteria in a petri dish, and the two couldn’t help but back away unsteadily.
“Creeeeppppy” the larger one noted, waving at the comic book in his hand, “It’s just like, one of those mutants”.
“Creepier,” the second concluded.
As Lee had made a break for the door, the girl relinquished her post and trailed after him a few paces. She’d started blinking again, and the inhuman quality of her face retreated. In the daylight, she seemed just as she was: a little girl with a glitter hairclip, lilac sneakers, and her mother’s haori that swam over her. The air stirred in the faint breeze by the door, leaving one of the sleeves to dangle and trail in it. She stopped, waiting to see if Lee would turn around.
Ami didn’t seem to make any reaction one way or the other to Lee’s statement. Instead, the girl watched the two boys. Without blinking. The girl’s face became almost entirely alien as she studied the two like bacteria in a petri dish, and the two couldn’t help but back away unsteadily.
“Creeeeppppy” the larger one noted, waving at the comic book in his hand, “It’s just like, one of those mutants”.
“Creepier,” the second concluded.
As Lee had made a break for the door, the girl relinquished her post and trailed after him a few paces. She’d started blinking again, and the inhuman quality of her face retreated. In the daylight, she seemed just as she was: a little girl with a glitter hairclip, lilac sneakers, and her mother’s haori that swam over her. The air stirred in the faint breeze by the door, leaving one of the sleeves to dangle and trail in it. She stopped, waiting to see if Lee would turn around.
