Musty Books (Tag: Anyone)

Astrid easily kept up with the teen as she walked almost right next to her. "Yeah I know." She agreed with a chuckle. "How about you?"

"Well, because of the accelerated academic program throughout much of my career in school, I believe that my social interaction skills are below par of that of a normal child." Xion blurted out. Her school did move her up through the grades too fast. She had already gone to college and gotten a degree in computer sciences because she had been bored. She could have gone on to get doctorates but had education had lost its appeal.

((Just thought of Astrid and Xion going to the self help section to find books for Xion on how to make friends))

(Can do that if you wanna xD)

"Oh uhm okay." Astrid replied with a much happier voice than she intended. At least, she thought to herself, it´s not me then as it appears. Smiling at her she tried out an suggestion. "Well if you want to we could like ... try to train you there? Otherwise if you want to we also could ... go to the self help section later. Maybe a book there could help you? No offence though of course!"

((Just an idea. We don't have to if you don't want to))

Xion frowned as she turned her head to better look at Astrid. "This place is so strange..." she mused. "So many people here believe more in me than I do myself." She said this more for the fact that Astrid believed she could be re-socialized to better understand how to interact with others. She supposed Zack had never tried having her read something that would tell her how to make herself more personable. "Do you actually think it would make any difference?"

She shrugged at the question. "Well it surely is worth a try don´t you think so?"

Xion shyly looked away. She had to admit, it wasn't something she had tried. "Maybe?" she said uncertainly. She attempted a smile up at Astrid. "I'll need a hot chocolate before we do anything."

"Just try it." She suggested as she gave Xion a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Hot chocolate? Sure thing!"

Xion blushed lightly and ducked her head. She swiftly made her escape to order a hot chocolate. She wasn't used to anyone other than family being that friendly with her. She scuffed her foot against the ground as she waited for her drink. "Are you... settling in here okay?" Xion asked in an attempt to keep the conversation going.

"Mmmmh yes so far everything is good or even better I think. Of course I miss my mom though and everyone and everything that I had to leave behind ... but I got to meet some really nice and cool people here already. Doubt I have to mention how exciting and awesome this place itself is right? How about you?" She replied after she ordered a hot chocolate herself. Not her favorite drink but she really was into it right now.

"Everyone here seems friendly." Xion said softly. She personally wasn't used to it. All of these people, so un-judging of what she could do and how much smarter she was than all of them and finding like minds. "I don't really miss anyone but my mom."

"Yeah I have the same impression so far. ... But better watch out since not everyone can be friendly all the time. Oh but I definitely don´t want to scare you or such!" She replied, hesitation to talk again for a moment. "Really? What about your father and other family members?"

Xion nodded. She knew just how untrustworthy some people could be. She could remember all the times she trusted people and they either used her or made fun of her behind her back. It made it very hard to be trusting. "Um... Oh... Our drinks are done." Xion said. She walked up to the counter as the barista called her name, and Astrid's name followed after.

Astrid just followed Xion as she heard her name right after hers and walked to a table together with Xion, both of them having their delicious hot chocolate with them.

Xion smoothed a hand through her hair and traced her finger around the rim of her cup. The hot chocolate was good but she could instantly recall better and worse cups as soon as she tasted it. "Zack doesn't like me talking about our dad..." Xion sighed since Astrid had asked and she had none too subtly avoided the subject.

"Oh ... uhm you don´t have to talk about him if you don´t want to of course. I´m sorry. I didn´t mean to push you into an uncomfortable topic." She replied with a little blush before she drank some of her hot chocolate.

Xion smiled, sincerely appreciating the concern that Astrid was giving her over the matter. "You didn't know." Xion said. She bit the inside of her cheek, a habit she had developed when she was nervous. "My mom though... It's my first time away from home. I miss her."

"Oh I know how you feel. I miss mine too. Well maybe not that much as you since right now I´m still at the status of being happy about my freedom from her but ... still I do miss her." Astrid replied smiling at Xion again.

Xion nodded in understanding. Here, she didn't have to worry about her mother catching her doing something she disapproved of, still, Xion wasn't really much of a rule breaker. She would still be able to recall every lecture her mother ever gave her. "But you like it here." Xion repeated from earlier.

"Oh yes I definitely do! Don´t you?" Astrid replied with a joke.

"I... don't think I can weigh an opinion yet." Xion said, preferring to have more evidence of good or bad before she could say for sure. Her brother seemed to like it. "I haven't even met my roommate yet." She had moved in, but no one else showed up. She was afraid that they had stuck her in a room alone because no one wanted to be in a room with her.

"Not? Wow. Well I guess then either your roommate is pretty late or you will get one later. OR you´re a lucky one that has a room just for yourself." Astrid remarked. Sure it might be nice to have someone with you in your more or less own 4 walls but still it as well was quite comfortable to have a room just for yourself where you didn´t have to take consideration about anyone else but yourself.

Xion bobbed her head, though she wasn't quite as optimistic as Astrid was apparently. "Zack went to go get groceries for us and I was going to make dinner for us." she said. "I'm better at cooking than he is." And yet her brother never seemed angry or upset that he was constantly outperformed by his younger sister. He even encouraged her to do it.

"Well sounds like the two of you found your places when it comes to make meals. Good for you! Me and my mom even had some fights every now and then. It didn´t and doesn´t happen often but if so they we can fight quite heavy though." She replied chuckling before she continued drinking her hot chocolate. "Oh if you have to like hurry or such because your brother is waiting just say so okay?"

"It's okay. He said he would text me when he got everything." Xion said. "And we would meet up then. I don't even know what he's getting." She smiled over her brother's lack of planning ahead. He just jumped head first into things.

"Oh dear you really are quite the spontanious ones are you?" She said still chuckleing.