Jasper could appreciate Brex’s clever comeback in their banter, getting a small chuckle out of Jasper. He continued however with a slight smirk on his face, “Well, keeping you on your toes is my specialty. Gotta keep things interesting.” he gave a small laugh before continuing, a slight challenge in his voice as he spoke, “Bet this won’t be the last time I’ll catch you off guard”
Jasper, noticing Brex’s hesitation, softened his expression, sensing the weight behind Brex’s words. “Fair enough,” he said gently, not pushing for more. “Everyone’s got their own stories, and some parts are tougher to share than others. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here to listen. No rush, mate.”
He then shifted the conversation to a lighter topic, giving Brex the space he seemed to need. “Oh, really?” Jasper’s eyes brightened with curiosity. “That’s impressive. Picking up the keys quickly is no small feat.” His voice then turned more casual instead of intrigued, “I mean, if you find it fun, why not dive into it more? Seems like you were onto something there. What kept you from spending more time with the keys?” he asked, with a somewhat serious tone, wanting to understand this part of Brex better. “Too many other tempting instruments stealing the spotlight?” He flashed a playful grin, emphasizing his friendly and inquisitive nature.
Jasper gave Brex a nod of agreement. “I get that, mate. Drums and bass, the heartbeat of the music, right? It’s like they have this power to pull you in and let everything else fade away. Music has a way of doing that, bringing people together and giving them a moment of escape. You’re spot on about the bass - it’s the backbone of a good groove.” He smiled, trying to convey his appreciation for Brex’s musical perspective. When listening to music, Jasper truly appreciated the bass, maybe even more so than the drums. The drums often were safer, in the background, where a bass could really make or break the instrumentals of a song in Jasper’s opinion.
“Gotcha,” Jasper replied, catching on to Brex’s concern of how his roommate would react to him playing in the room. “Well, hopefully, your roommate can appreciate the musical magic happening in there. Otherwise, I’m sure it’s his loss.” Jasper shrugged, as he subtly complimented Brex’s skill on the bass again.
Jasper, in that moment pieces everything together. It made sense now, why he had been raised in a trailer. He was actually talking to the son of a famous artist, from a band he might even know. He was interested in the genre his father’s band was in after all. He sensed however, that Brex did not want to talk too much about it, so his reply was somewhat muted and casual, “Huh, that’s something, growing up in the thick of music like that. Your dad being famous adds an interesting layer to it all.” he sort of processed as he spoke. His tone stayed easygoing, making sure not to pressure Brex to feel like he had to share any more.
“Honestly, mate, you’re not wrong. It had ‘snooze-fest’ written all over it last year,” Jasper replied with a grin. “You probably would’ve found a more interesting time rearranging your sock drawer. But hey, at least you missed the boredom and stumbled into meeting me instead. Quite the upgrade, I’d say.” He added a playful wink, appreciating the lighthearted tone of their conversation. It couldn’t be ignored Jasper had quite a flair for dramatics.
Jasper followed Brex into the room, eyes scanning over the displayed instruments.“Nice setup you’ve got here,” he commented, nodding towards the guitars and bass. “And that bass, mate, that’s a piece of art. Love the floral motif - it’s got character.” he wasn’t quite sure whether he meant it seriously or half sarcastic himself. There was something special about it, even if it didn’t strike him whatsoever as an instrument Brex would play. “As for what to bring, bring whatever you feel like playing. If you’ve got a preference for acoustic or electric, go with that. Pretty sure amps are covered, so no need to lug one around. Just bring one instrument you vibe with, and your passion for music, and we’ll see where it takes us.” He grinned, eager to see what kind of music they could create together. His invitation to carry something didn’t quite seem needed after all, yet he was glad he had offered, as this brought him an unique insight into Brex.
@bpalmer - Brex. Why am I loving their interaction more and more, even if I feel some second handed embarrassment for Jasper 
Victoria smiled warmly, recognizing Katrina’s embarrassment and wanting to make her feel at ease, “Oh, don’t you worry. There’s absolutely no need to be embarrassed about your English. Learning and speaking a language that is not one’s native language can be challenging, and I’m more than happy to help you with it. I can definitely help you with your English, and if there’s anything you’re unsure about, feel free to ask.” she gave her a reassuring smile, “Learning is a two-way street, so if you’re willing to help me with my Gaelic, I’d be delighted as well.”
Then the conversation switched to their respective backgrounds, showing genuine interest in Katrina’s home in Aviemore, Scotland. “Aviemore sounds lovely. I’ve been in the Highlands, but never to Aviemore. I’ve heard it’s incredibly picturesque though.”
Victoria could feel herself turn red a little too as she saw the effect a simple compliment had had on the girl. “And about your outfit, laundry day or not, it suits you perfectly. No need to be shy about it.” she looked Katrina in the eyes as she said that, a gentle smile on her face showing she was genuine in what she said.
She noticed her embarrassment relating English class, and Victoria gently placed her hand on Katrina’s for a brief moment, a subtle reassurance of support. Their eyes met, and in that shared understanding, Victoria silently communicated that she was there to help.
She then, a brief moment later, followed up using words, “As for English class, don’t be too hard on yourself. Grammar, spelling, and pronunciation can be tricky for anyone, especially when English isn’t your first language. If you ever need help or want some extra practice, feel free to reach out. I’m more than happy to assist you in your language learning journey.” she repeated once again. “We’re here to support each other, after all.” By responding in this manner, Victoria aimed to create a supportive and friendly atmosphere, one to show she was there to help Katrina, even if she was struggling in some moments. They were all here, on their own, no parents, and even if Victoria had maybe contributed to Katrina’s embarrassment, she wanted to help her wherever she could to make this a comfortable place for her.
Aria found it a bit weird that Liv didn’t go into what she had said about Evelyn whatsoever, but she decided to ignore it and she returned the smile, her eyes reflecting the warmth of the moment reassuring their friendship. “I’m sure you will!” she said confidently, even if she had her own doubts about Victoria, she was quite certain Liv and Victoria would get along really well. “Good luck with the decorating! I’ll catch you later. Have a fantastic day!” She waved with a friendly demeanor as they parted ways.
Aria decided that maybe she should return to her room too. Even if she stayed in the same room as last year, and she didn’t need to do any decoration, there were still some articles that needed to be written, and some plans to be made for the school paper this year, something she proudly had been contributing to the previous year, and gotten a higher rank in for this year. More opportunities awaited her. In that moment however, a familiar face caught her attention.
She walked over to her Cal, someone she had already briefly spoken too the day before. She always enjoyed seeing more LGBTQ+ people, and Cal seemed to have an interesting story and the same activist nature as Aria had herself. They had briefly discussed possibly working on something together, and Aria was more than helping giving Cal a stage and a means to discuss matters that mattered to them possibly, if they could work things out. As she approached them, there was no direct contact, Cal seemed to be into something on their device, listening through their headphones. “Cal” she said their name, but that was not helpful either. So she gently tapped their shoulder, hoping that would make the contact.
“Got it,” Owen replied, picking up on the hint of nervousness and surprise, not pressuring her to explain herself more, “I try to at least go on a walk every day, something about the fresh air really helps clearing the head” He looked at the park ahead of them as he spoke. It was something he sort of meant as advice for Lila, something that might be good for her to do as well, while saying it in a casual manner, relating it to himself only.
A little bit later, they reached the park. It luckily wasn’t that busy. “I know just the right place to sit”, he said, a smile on his face. He guided them to a nice bench, in a not too remote area, but that still felt somewhat secluded. He didn’t want to take her somewhere too private, in no means did he want to make her feel unsafe, yet he also wanted it to be private enough for her to feel comfortable talking. The bench was under a nice big tree, a view of a pond and the winding pathway. As he said down, Owen turned to her with a friendly smile, saying, “How about a little snack before we get to some talking? I have some crackers. I know crackers aren’t the best, but feel free to dig in if you’re interested.” His body language was open as he said so. He hoped she at least appreciate the gesture of him sharing the food he had on him right now.
I love these interactions honestly 
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