Outside of Crescent Dormitory
The sun was out; its warm bask felt good on William's skin, and he strode out the ironwrought gates of the Comet Dormitory with a bag slung haphazardly over his shoulder, sneakered feet striking the pavement in a quick steady march. William's stride was purposeful, but he would be darned if it wasn't another aimless walk to the library.
He hoisted the strap of his bag to a more comfortable position on his shoulder, hearing his books and stationery jostle for space in their cloth confines. Idly, his mind wandered to the letter he had received only the day before, each segment compartmentalised by the distinct handwriting and diction of his family. His sister's had been full of the precociousness and slight ignorance of a child still young, his mother's reminiscent of a tired but smiling face as soft hands moved across a page to scribe concerns for his well-being and gentle admonishments to eat well; he was looking
so thin lately. His father's had lacked no confidence that William would bring back admirable grades for his family to
ooh and
ahh over. Their imagined pride and joy would have been motivation enough for William to put in a few hours of revision, but the prospect of the probable - substandard scores and a dubious report card - was just another sharpened spur in his side.
He passed by the Crescent Dormitory, but didn't think to spare it more than a glance. It was a blockish building, and William had never set foot inside of it before. Its imposing presence on the grounds, hostel to the female demographic of the school, hardly ever warranted much attention.
But William caught himself doing a double-take just as he was about to pass the gape in the walls, his ears pricking at the sounds of running feet.
He peered around the cemented bricks, only to see a girl in a black dress of lace dashing after a darting cat. He watched, caught between bemusement and amusement, as the girl kept in hot pursuit. The cat - as though lulled by the conspicuous opening - made immediately for the gateway, where William was concealed. Without a second thought, he lowered himself to his knees, his breathing slow and even, as though he were on a hunt.
The cat leapt into the arms of freedom, only to be scooped up at once, and cradled neatly against William's chest, rumbling with chortles. He stood, still chuckling, as he revealed himself from behind the wall. His tousled hair - now more windswept than usual - fell into his eyes, and he tossed the loose strands away from his face. Standing tall and gazing at the girl, William gave an unabashed grin and took a step towards her.
"You've got an adventurous fellow, haven't you?" he asked, wondering curiously who this girl was.
@ViolentViolet
