Sleepless Studying {KyerinNicolette}

[Nicolette]

Exams would be starting in three days and she had hardly had any time to do any studying. She had been so busy talking to all the different clubs that wanted to do things for the festival, and then trying to figure out what the Student Council would do for the festival. Her homework had taken up a lot of time as well, and she had been struggling to stay caught up in class and work with the Student Council. Many nights had been spent without sleep, trying to finish a last minute project or working on important paperwork for the Student Council or for the school in general.

This was another one of those sleepless nights. The school library was open 24-hours during the weeks leading up to exams, and during the exams themselves. But given that it was three in the morning, a lot of the students had gone back to their dorms, especially since the following day was Saturday. She was the last one left, her eyes glued to the text book in front of her. She was still dressed in her school uniform with her school supplies spilled across the table in front of her.

Her eyes were slightly tinged with red, and there were black circles beneath those multicolored eyes. She looked a little pale and she even looked a little too small in her uniform, as if she'd been loosing an unhealthy amount of weight. But who had time to eat when you were doing a thousand things at once?

Nicolette de la Fontaine, president of the Student Council, turned the page of the text book in front of her, but her eyes only glazed over the pages, glossed over in how exhausted she was. She resembled a porcelain doll with too many flaws and cracks.

[Kyerin]

It was early in the morning... waaaay too early, for the young man's liking. However, he wanted to take care of some studying, and he didn't have much time during the day as he wished. Even if he could use the spare minutes in between acquiring the equipment and prizes for the SFF activity at the school festival and doing the last minute projects, the books he really needed to use were in the library, and that was jam packed during the day... not so much at this time.

Kyerin Saito took the small stack of books he had, and dropped them on the table, sighing a bit. Despite the heaviness of the load, he still looked rather well, though somewhat tired for being up so late. His clothes were clean, and he still smelled of body wash, considering that he took a shower before coming here, to wake up some and to not bother others here with his body odor.

He sat down at the table, and pulls the first book off the top, flipping it open. However, he paused before reading it, looking up across the table at the figure there. It actually took him a moment to recognize the girl, considering that... well, she looked like death warmed over, to be polite. "Miss Nicolette, are you doing alright? You look.... very tired."

[Nicolette]

As if waking up from a trance, the young woman looked up violently, her eyes widening greatly and a small gasp slipping past her pink lips. She wasn't alone? Why hadn't she heard him come in? How long had he been there? These questions raced through her mind, and then she suddenly remembered that he had asked her a question. Swallowing hard and coughing a little to clear her scratchy throat, she spoke.

"Bien sûr...I mean, of course I am alright, Monsieur Kyerin..." She forced out, swallowing hard when she found that it had taken effort to speak properly in a clear tone. She nearly had spoken French before she'd caught herself.

[Kyerin]

Kyerin blinked, somewhat surprised about her speaking French; he wasn't quite sure why, when he had a moment to think about it. He knew of her French heritage, and considering that her mental state probably mirrored her physical appearance, why wouldn't she resort to it? He was a bit proud that he did understand the French, thanks to his French class, but he kept the pride hidden inside.

"I suppose... we might have different definitions of alright then," he remarked slowly, folding his hands in front of him, trying to approach the topic diplomatically. "You look somewhat malnourished and exhausted. Are you oveworked? Could you use some assistance? Maybe a cup of coffee?" He wasn't sure what he could really do to assist her, but she really looked like she could use a nap.

[Nicolette]

Did she really look that bad? She couldn't stop the tears that suddenly sprung into her eyes. She had hardly noticed that she really looked so overworked, but even her rival was noticing these changes? Maybe she hadn't seen a mirror or something, that reflected how awful she looked. Maybe she was utterly repulsive! The thought brought more tears to her eyes, a few even spilling on to her cheeks.

"I....I..." she choked out, but couldn't say anything more as she looked down, trying to hide behind blonde bangs. Her fingers clenched at her skirt and it was then that she realized how dirty she felt. She hadn't showered in over a day, and she feared she probably smelled bad, too. Oh, today was not her day! She looked her worst, and here was her rival, staring straight at her!

[Kyerin]

Well, it appeared that he was too harsh for being diplomatic, considering that her eyes were watering, and she wasn't even looking at him now. Maybe it was a surprise to her, especially if she had been so busy with everything to notice it. Well... good for him; he just made her cry. Well... looks like it was time for more diplomacy.

Kyerin forced up a small smile, and got up from his seat, walking around to crouch near her. He rested one hand on her shoulder, hoping to get the older girl's attention. "It's fine, it happens," he remarked, trying not to play it up so much. "You've been rather busy lately, with the Student Council on top of all of the projects and the exams. Deep breath in, slow breath out. Would you like to go shower or get a bite to eat? I can watch your stuff here, or I could go get you something."

[Nicolette]

Why was he being so kind and understanding? It only made her feel worse, especially because she felt like being so rotten. She sniffled as more tears poured out and she brought her thin hands up to wipe them away. A shower would be nice, but that would require time that she didn't entirely have to give. She needed to study.

"You... You do not have to worry about me... I need to keep studying. I have no other time to do so, with the library's crowded day time and my busy schedule... I will manage something..."

[Kyerin]

Kyerin mentally sighed at the girl's remark; he had underestimated her stubborness, though it wasn't too surprising, considering how much she seemed to heap up on her plate the entire time. She had to be a perfectionist; he tended to be at times, and she was being more extreme than he would have been. Sounds like he would have to use more diplomacy.

He sat down in the chair next to her, looking at Nicolette. "Of course I would worry about you; I would like to think of us as at least friends, despite our positions. Besides, I know about how smart you are; you'll be fine if you take a break from studying to shower and eat. It might be required now, considering that it will probably distract you now. So, Nicolette, maybe you go take a shower and I'll get us something to eat?" Anyone who knew Kyerin would find it very interesting and unusual, considering that he called the President by her first name.

[Nicolette]

Nicolette sniffled as she listened to him speak to her, and she was quiet as she thought over his words. Her odd eyes rose up to catch his at the sound of her first name coming from his lips. Sure, he'd called her Miss Nicolette before and such, but just her name and nothing else... It made her heart race just a little. She swallowed hard and gave a small sigh.

"I... I suppose that would be best..." She said softly, her eyes falling back to her lap. She sat quiet for a second before moving and slowly standing up. She swayed a little bit, a sudden bit of dizziness overcoming her. She'd been sitting for so long that her legs were weak and she felt a bit of a head rush.

[Kyerin]

Kyerin noticed her gaze drift to his eyes, her own showing something that seemed to resemble confusion and... something else. He wasn't quite sure, and he didn't get much of a chance to analyze it as she looked back at her skirt. If he wasn't as worried about her, he would have checked her thoughts to see what she was thinking; of course, that was a calm headed and completely logical move, and he wasn't quite in a stoic mood to think of it.

He watched Nicolette rise, but notice her waver and sway a bit. He quickly hopped to his feet, and placed his hand on her shoulder, aiming to steady her. The young man gave her another small smile. "It seems like a much better idea now, don't you think? Would you like some help getting back to your room?"

[Nicolette]

Would she be able to make it back to her room? She honestly hadn't thought that detail over, considering she wanted nothing more than to just sit and study until she passed out. But then, all of their stuff would be left behind, assuming that they came back afterward. She glanced down at the watch on her slim wrist and thought for a moment.

"If... you would be so kind as to accompany me to my dormitory, I would not mind opening it up for you to be able to study there. I am sure the librarian would not mind if we took a few books with us..."

It was the only offer she could think of. She didn't want him walking all around the campus, and she did have some food items that he could search through if he was hungry. She wasn't meaning to see too forward, but she was also very tired and exhausted, so at least being able to be understood was a bonus.

[Kyerin]

Kyerin paused as the girl seemed to think about the current situation. His own personal thoughts were that it would be fine for them to leave their things here for a while; even if the librarian was half attentive, there was practically no one here, so their books and school work would be fine while they were gone.

However, her suggestion was something he hadn't contemplated. Studying in her room... if they took the library books, it would be as simple as studying here, and it wouldn't require the return trip, considering that he wasn't even sure how well the President could make a one way trip. So it did seem like the best possible idea for them to do... and they did have privacy... so they wouldn't be bothered. While they study, that is.

Kyerin nodded, though he still rested his hand on her shoulder to steady her. "I am for it if you are willing to do that. Would you like me to carry your books?" He had already checked out his books, just in case he took them to his room later, so he would be fine. He wasn't sure about being able to carry all of the stuff and help support Nicolette though.

[Nicolette]

Nicolette shook her head as she gathered her things, putting most of them into her book bag. "No, I can carry them." She replied simply, pulling the strap of the bag onto her small shoulder and gathering the rest of the books up into her frail arms. She waited for Kyerin to gather his things and she tested a few steps before she determined that she could probably walk for a little while without too much trouble.

They exited the library together and Nicolette led the way through the school and out the front entrance. The dormitories were just a short walk down the path, but with how exhausted she was, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to make the simple journey. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself onward, careful with her steps as they started walking downhill.

They arrived just outside the girls' dormitories a few minutes later. There were some lights on in various rooms for both dormitories, filled with last minute study sessions and cramming for the upcoming tests. They made their way inside and to the elevator, where Nicolette leaned against the interior walls for support, and then they exited until they stood outside her room. She felt around for her key and unlocked the door before stepping in.

The dormitory looked hardly touched, as if no one had been living there in quite a while, which Nicolette felt was true. Besides the bathroom and the bed, she hardly had used the dormitory at all. She set her things on the coffee table and stumbled a little, using the back of the couch to support her for a moment as she let out a deep breath.

[Kyerin]

Kyerin nodded slowly, pausing to watch the girl collect her things before packing up his own books and notepads. He wanted to make sure that she would be able to do alright before getting himself settled in, considering that he could easily stash his supplies somewhere around here and get them later. However, seeing that she managed to stay stable for a few steps with her books, he decided to let her be for now, and instead just walked next to her, ready to help steady her or catch her should she slip.

It took a few minutes to reach the dorm, but the seconds seemed to drag by with their slow pace, the young man matching Nicolette's steps. There was no real rush, especially at this time of night, with hardly anyone else awake, much less out. He didn't even really care about being seen going into the girls' dorm and the Student Council President's room; anyone who knew her enough to worry about his presence would agree that she needed a break and to take care of herself... hopefully. If not, it would just be chalked up as part of the evil influence of the SFF... not that he minded, even though he was working on repairing that tainted view.

Kyerin followed the girl into her room, carefully shutting the door behind him, and watched her rest against the back of the couch. "Would you like me to get you something to drink?" he offered, trying to play the host despite being in her domain; he wasn't even sure what sort of drinks she had on hand. Still, she shouldn't be worrying about that right now; she needed to relax.

[Nicolette]

Nicolette shook her head and pushed herself up, looking toward the man in her dormitory. "No, but thank you.. If you are hungry or thirsty, most of what I have is located in the cabinets and refrigerator. The cups and plates are in the cabinet above the sink."

She moved toward the hallway. A shower was a must now; she had company and she couldn't have herself smelling bad around other people. "I will be just down the hall. If you need anything, just knock."

She disappeared into the bathroom, where she quickly took her dirty uniform off and tossed it aside. She winced at her appearance in the bathroom mirror as she took her hair band and placed it on the counter. She really did look horrible, and Kyerin had seen her like this. She let out a sigh as she walked over to turn on the shower. She waited until it was the right temperature before turning it on and stepping under the water.

Her shower wasn't very long, but she'd taken the time to wash her hair twice and then put conditioner in, before washing over her smooth, frail body. Now that she smelled of olive blossom soap, she was much more comfortable about being around others. She turned off the water and stepped out, drying her hair as best she could with a towel before combing it. She wrapped a towel around her thin body and went for the door.

She hesitated and bit her lip. Where would Kyerin be? Probably no where near the hallway... Nah, why would he be? What reason would he have? She opened up the door as the cool air of the hallway hit her near-naked skin.