[center][hr][hr][color=c71585][h1]Preston James McTavish[/h1][/color] [hr][hr] [center][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/vmclR0mRRdnsk/giphy.gif[/img][/center] [b][u]Location;[/u][/b] 4-K to near Arena [b][u]Interacting With;[/u][/b] NPCs [b][u]Mentioned[/u]:[/b] N/A[/center][hr][hr] Preston buttoned his cuffs and accepted a tie that one of his escorts handed to him. Looping it over his head, he properly tied his own tie—a technique that any grown-man who dare wear a suit should know how to do (at least in his opinion). Sliding the knot up to his throat, he faced the mirror to make sure it was centered before he held out his arms. An escort stepped up behind him as he slid one arm through one sleeve, and then his other before drawing the jacket over his shoulders. He faced the line of escorts that stood behind him—eight since two remained outside with the vehicles. Tugging and adjusting his jacket, he pulled his cufflinks through as his blue hues passed over each of the [i]fine[/i] gentlemen that stood before him. [color=c71585]“You have no idea how hard this is for me,”[/color] Preston began. When he finished making his adjustments, he lowered his arms and turned his head away, his face scrunching up with dramatic emotion. His thumb and index finger rose to pinch at the corners of his eyes and keep the pseudo-tears away. He was about to relieve his only ticket back home. Well, actually he could always call a cab and high-tail it to the nearest airport, but still! Going from Utah to England was like riding through the River of Styx in a barbed wire canoe—madness. Not even first-class could spare him from the atrocities of human life. However, if he had to make a decision to finish out his senior year with a roommate or to return home as a drop-out…difficult. Really, really difficult decision, and at that moment, his heart was screaming for he knew already which option he was going to choose. Dropping his hand, Preston kept his head turned as though to hide the sadness on his face. He held out his hand to his escort and said, [color=c71585]“It was a pleasure. Send my father my regards, his son will at least be valedictorian by the end of the year.”[/color] The first escort grasped Preston’s hand in a firm handshake and walked off. Then the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and then lastly…the eighth stopped and peered over his shoulder to make sure the other seven gentlemen had left before he spread his arms and locked his arms about Preston in an embrace. “I’ll miss ye, boss!” the eighth man sentimentally exclaimed. That had been the crack and Preston’s tears escaped him like a dam as he embraced the man back. [color=c71585]“I fucking hate you!”[/color] he cried, burying his face into the goon’s shoulder. They continued to pat each other’s backs. “Servin’ you was always a pain in me arse, but I loved seein’ ye happy!” Breaking the embrace, Preston thrust out a finger toward the door and yelled through sniffles and whimpers, [color=c71585]“Piss off already. Get the hell out!”[/color] The eighth man wiped his tears on his sleeve and sadly turned to the door and saw himself out. Preston turned back to the sink to delicately clean up his appearance. Just as quickly as the tears had come, they were gone as he wiped at his eyes with a tissue. [color=c71585]“Fucking knob almost ruined my suit,”[/color] he grumbled. If there had been a single wrinkle in it, then he would have brought his arse back and made him iron it out. Standing before the mirror, he turned his head left and right, inspecting the left and right side of his countenance before he tossed the tissue over into a receptacle and sighed. His dark brows lowered over his eyes in irritation. Another fucking year… [color=gold][h3][i]On campus, approaching the arena…[/i][/h3][/color] “Oh my gods, there he is!” “Where!?” “Look!” “Oh my gods!” The girl with blonde ringlets was clinging to a small lunchbox. It was held against her chest and she was practicing breathing exercises, much like a pregnant woman might perform to calm her racing nerves and heart. She was one of the Muses’s daughters, [b]Maribelle[/b], and her best friend and support, a brunette by the name of [b]Beatrice[/b] was standing next to her with a hand resting on her shoulder. “You got this. He’ll love it, don’t worry. You just need to confidently approach him, greet him, compliment him on his…well…everything! Compliment everything! And then present him with the cake you made him.” (pant, pant!) “You make it sound so easy!” (pant, pant) “I might faint before I get there!” “Just keep breathing. Come on! Hurry!” Beatrice snagged Maribelle’s hand and the two girls raced over to the Son of Hera prepared to intercept him. Preston was imagining how boring and drawn-out the ceremony was going to be when he noticed a girl racing toward him. He stopped, and then glanced to his right and saw two more approaching him, and then looked to his left and saw two more! Preston inhaled deeply and exhaled on a sigh as he prepared himself. As soon as all five girls came within proximity of him, they all seemed to abruptly stop and stare at each other in shock. [i]What is she doing here?[/i] one girl thought. [i]That bitch, I saw him first![/i] Maribelle was panting, but the sun was suddenly getting brighter as she stared at the Adonis. Suddenly, she felt light headed and he started to rise above her head. Preston saw the girl tumble and immediately turned to catch her in his arms to spare her from eating the concrete. Several of the girls gawked in disbelief and envy. She was faking it! She just wanted Preston to feel sorry for her! Preston took a knee, holding the girl in his arms as she laid there, still clinging to the lunchbox. Opening her blue eyes, Maribelle weakly held her lunchbox out to him. “I’m…I’m sorry…I just wanted to give this to you,” she said with cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Preston smiled down at her and took the lunchbox from her hands. [color=c71585]“Thank you. Are you all right?”[/color] Maribelle was speechless upon seeing his gorgeous smile. He was so beautiful, and he was so concerned about her. Say something you idiot! Beatrice saw that her friend was in a fluster and quickly stooped down to retrieve her. “Um, she’s still recovering from her dizzy spell. Thank you!” Beatrice quickly explained and just as quickly ran away with Maribelle. “Where did those other bitches come from? We were there first!” Beatrice grumbled. Maribelle staggered along, trying to keep up with her friend as she stared back at Preston. “I can’t believe I fainted in front of him.” “It’s a good thing you did. He was practically holding you in his arms, girl!” Maribelle shook her head, her blonde spirals bouncing about her shoulders. “Oh gods, don’t say that. He was just concerned that’s all.” “About you!” Meanwhile, as Preston returned to his feet, he glanced over the other three girls. The single girl approached, “Oh Preston, I had such a horrible summer. I caught my boyfriend sleeping with a man!” Preston arched a brow at the news. He didn’t hear that one too often. Reaching into his pocket, he removed his business card and handed it to her. [color=c71585]“Come see me later.”[/color] “Thank you, Preston!” the girl ran away with the card, holding it as though it had been a golden ticket to the Chocolate Factory. The other two girls seemed to have a greater dilemma. They were arm in arm and her friend was looking down at the ground as though she were too afraid to make eye contact. “Preston, we have something to talk to you about when you get the chance.” Preston frowned suspiciously at the girl. He was feeling an unsettling hunch. Like he did with the last girl, he handed them his card. [color=c71585]“I should be in my office by 11,”[/color] he explained. The girls took his card. “Thank you, we’ll be there.” Preston watched the two girls walk off and for some reason, he couldn’t shake the disturbed feeling he was getting off that one girl. Turning back in the direction of the arena, he followed the crowd of students that started to trickle in.