Logs:Best Coast

Best Coast
Dramatis Personae Astrid, Harm
In Absentia	2020-10-06 “And us west coasters will make this place cool.”
Location <XAV> Gardens - Xs Grounds
From indoor gardens to outdoor, though without the protective greenhouse glass the back gardens do not last all year round. Still, the gardens out here are well-tended and well-worth spending time in, as well. The paths wending through the beds of flowers and herbs and vegetables spread out through the school's back grounds, tended by students as a credit class. Benches offer seating and a small pond is home to koi and turtles, as well as a few frogs. At the far back edges of the garden, a droning buzzing marks a few stacked white boxes as beehives. It's another brilliant autumn day, the blue sky clear as far as the eye can see. Classes are done for the day, and most extracurriculars not starting just yet, so there are a lot of students coming and going inside the mansion. Out here in the gardens, though, it's reasonably quiet at the moment. Harm is sitting cross-legged on one of the benches near the pond, knitting a thick, fluffy blue-purple-pink yarn in the round, though it's not clear yet what the final product will be. They're wearing a rainbow ombre tank top under a light green linen jacket and brown wrap pants, their rainbow-strapped sandals tucked neatly under the bench beside their bag The end of class is the best part of the day. Well, maybe not always, but today it is for Astrid. After spending all that time indoors, she feels that pull for fresh air and trees. Something to help break up the monotony of indoor living. So she heads to the garden, a place she’s yet to visit since her recent arrival. She’s dressed in her usual: black hoodie over a black t-shirt, black skinny jeans, black plastic framed glasses and maroon canvas Vans. It’s almost as if a gangly black hole decided to take a stroll through the gardens if it weren’t for her shoes. She doesn’t notice the other teen sitting on the bench as she’s a little too focused on her surroundings. Harm looks up as Astrid wanders near, hesitating before they transfer both ends of the thick circular needle to their left hand so they can wave. "Hi there," they say, blushing as soon as the words are out of their mouth. "Sorry if I'm bothering you, I've just seen you around a coupe of times but haven't said 'hi', so..." Their narrow shoulders hitch up slightly and they smile. "I'm Harm. Maybe Astrid is jumpy in general, or just didn’t expect someone else to be in the garden, but whatever the reason she still lets out a rather loud gasp as Harm begins to talk. “Crap, didn’t see you there!” Her left hand clutches to her chest while she laughs and pivots to face the other teen. “Guess I’m still not used to so many people being around.” She flashes a toothy grin and fails to adjust her glasses as they still look crooked. “I’m Astrid. Nice to meet you.” Her voice starts to settle back to her normal low monotone now that the excitement has subsided. “Oh, and no need to apologize.” Harm's blush deepens, but their smile does not fade. "I was blending in," they say. "But yeah, that's boarding school life! It can be hard to find actual alone time here, unless you go farther out on the grounds or learn the good hiding spots in the mansion, and when they're not likely to be occupied." They set their knitting down in their lap now, even though it's not obvious what they might need their hands for. Lacing their fingers together, apparently. "It wasn't as big an adjustment for me but I think most kids here have a hard time at first. How's it been for you?" Astrid lets out a low laugh, grabbing her glasses free and trying to clean them with the bottom of her hoodie. “I can get pretty focused too. Easy to miss things.” Glasses are replaced back on her face and still crooked. “I’ll have to remember that and keep an eye out for some good hiding places.” She takes a deep breath, happy to be ingesting that crisp fall air. “I think I’m settling in just fine.” She pauses, thinking back to her last couple weeks. “Yeah.” She reaffirms, head bobbing in a series of nods. “You've been here long then?” Harm nods. "Focus is good to have, too. I'm glad you're settling in, though." They tilt their head to the side at the question. "Oh wow, I've been here...almost a year, I guess?" Their eyes have gone a bit wide. "I can't tell you if it feels way longer or way shorter. It's been that kind of year." They shake their head as if to clear it. "So, what do you like to do? Found any ways to continue your hobbies here, yet?" “Yeah, thanks. Me too.” Astrid shoves both hands into her hoodie pockets, eyes momentarily diverted to the ground as she offers up a lazy shrug. “This place doesn’t seem so bad all in all..” Again she laughs, looking back at Harm. “Oh yeah, plenty of space to skateboard around here and I met another student hanging out in a… suk… sukkah I think? Anyway, he said there are some good skate parks in the city. So that is nice.” Hands are removed and glasses fidgeted with again. “A year doesn’t seem so bad. Get to visit home?” "It..." Harm frowns. "It's got its problems. I guess every place does, huh?" Their fingers tighten against each other, then unlace and sink into the chunky knit if their project. "But I guess mostly it's been alright. I don't go home much." They look down, too. "Winter break was kind of excruciating, so I stayed for summer. Needed to catch up on some classes anyway, I'd been home schooled before." They very deliberately untangle their fingers from the yarn. "You miss home? Wherever that is?" Astrid nods along, knowing very well no place is perfect but doesn’t vocalize it. Her eyes briefly dart to the movement of Harms hands and the knitted project. “Home is Portland…” she tilts her head, smiling. “Yeah, I do miss it.” And then a thought strikes her - what if they think she is referring to the other Portland. “Oregon that is… not sure if people think I’m talking about Maine? Anyway, I oddly enough miss the rain and definitely miss the city.” Her attention falls to the sky. “How about? Where you from?” Harm blinks, startled. "I didn't even know there was a Portland in Maine. I'm not very good with East Coast geography yet." Their smile comes a little more easily now. "I'm from a commune in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains, just a couple of hours out from San Francisco. I've never been to Portland, but -- West Coast, represent?" They sound a little uncertain here. "I don't think it's weird to miss the weather you grew up with, anyway." Astrid laughs at the geography comment. “I should know better than to clarify that. Portland Maine may have been first, but who cares about Mains, right?” She returns the smile, but it is cut short from the interruption of a muted alarm clock ring. “Sorry…” A cellphone emerges from her left pants pocket, held up to squinting eyes and quickly turned off. “Looks like I better head back in. Been using alarms as reminders.” Phone is returned to her pocket as she starts to turn away. “Oh, it was great to officially meet you Harm… and I, um, am going to need to hear more about this commune you grew up in.” How could she pass up that? She pauses one last time, “And us west coasters will make this place cool.” It comes out as awkward as her last grin looks. “See ya around.” Harm's head bobs knowingly. "It's a good idea -- using your phone to keep track of where you need to be. I am *not* that organized. It was nice to talk to you!" Though here their smile skews a little crooked. "I'm afraid you might have to carry the weight on makings things *cool&, though, I'm a bit light in that department." They wave again. "Have a good day!"