welcome!

[embry alyssa st. clair]

”...so keep it peaceful people. We’ve got press coverage now, which is what we want, don’t give them any reason to speak poorly of us now. PASS BILL 147!!” Her last words into the megaphone were shouted amidst cheers, and Embry pumped her arm into the air before jumping down off the car roof she’d been standing on. All around her were people, some older, but many her own age, and all of them had either picket signs or noise makers of some sort as well as other brightly coloured objects, anything to get people’s attention. There was even a guy dressed as a tree. All of it, the atmosphere, the noise, the throng of people, it all made Embry’s blood pump like nothing else could. It was things like this she lived for, things that made her feel like she was doing something, anything with her life to make it meaningful. To make a difference. She’d worked hard on this gathering, for weeks she’d done nothing but contact people, other activists and environmental groups, hoping her contacts would aid her in branching out on the topic they were all here to support. And it was beginning to look like all of her hard work had paid off. There were hundreds of people here today, and the news cameras had even showed up to film that picketers.

In just a few short minutes, Senator Joseph St. Clair would be arriving to meet with a delegation of Michigan state manufacturers and discuss with them what exactly they would be willing to do in reducing gas emissions from their plants. Based on how these meeting s went, Senator St. Clair’s mind would be made up on whether or not he would vote to pass Bill 147 to force manufacturers to reduce their gas emissions drastically from their current levels. It would be an amazing difference, and a huge environmental win, with these changes leading into many other possible changes for the better. But Embry knew her father, and she knew that his main concern was always on revenues, industry and economy. He would listen to what the manufacturers had to say, what they were willing for and he would want to keep them happy so that their business stayed in Michigan. Because of that, she highly doubted he would vote to pass the bill. And so, here she was. Here all of them were.

Now back on the ground, Embry moved herself close to the front of the crowd, her megaphone still in hand so that she’d be able to use it to communicate with the crowd if need be, and to shout once the Senator walked passed. Yes, the Senator. Neither she nor Gabrielle had ever called him father, or dad, not even daddy. Around the house he was always ‘the Senator’, even their mother referred to him as such. ”Go ask the Senator if it’s alright with him if you go to Savannah’s house for the night.” It was so pretentious and Embry hated it, and yet she called him that. In fact, she wasn’t even certain if he would answer should she call him dad. The young woman had her riotous mass of curly dark hair pulled back from her face with a light orange, yellow and green bandana over the top of it. Her upper frame wore a white t-shirt with a green peace sign on the front of it and her lower half bore a pair of black tights, a green fitted skirt made from a soft t-shirt material that fell to just above her knees, and she wore a pair of brown Birkenstocks on her feet. She hadn’t come here dressed to impress, but to picket and let the Senator know just where she stood. He might not see her in the crowd when he walked by, but there was a very big chance that he would see news coverage of this tonight on the news, and there would be his eldest daughter, standing upon a car shouting for a cause he was more than likely not going to support.

Spotting her father’s town car, Embry raised the megaphone t o her lips and turned back to the crowd. ”Senator St. Clair is arriving now, everyone loud and clear! PASS BILL 147!!” She shouted, cheers and cries greeting her once more as the crowd took up the chant around her. Keeping the megaphone to her lips, Embry continued to chant along with them as she watched her father get out of his car, button his suit jacket and then pass into the building. He didn’t even look at them as he made his way into the meeting, but it only made them cheer louder. He wouldn’t be able to ignore them always, or her for that matter.

[miroslav coposu]

Funeral tux? Check. Homemade coffin? Check. Gas mask? Check. Sign that says 'Don't shoot, I'm already dead'? Double check. He was dressed to the nines and in the coffin before he'd even left for the protest. Now that he was here, he was starting to feel his adrenaline pumping and the rush of a good protest. Of course, he had added the sign, last minute, when a friend of his suggested that a gas mask and a box might seem a little bit of a terrorist action - especially from a student here on a visa. So, the sign was added and thrown on a stick to be held by the boy. On the other side, there was a sign that said something about how the Senator's gas had killed him and, then, his date of birth and death. Incidentally enough, today was his date of death. A little over dramatic but that's what protesting was all about! You were trying to show people just how passionate you were because this meant something to you. For a kid coming from a place that had a very small carbon footprint, you couldn't help but be passionate. He even lived in an apartment that had solar panels to supply the electricity and took measures to help the environment. He made sure he got the corner apartment, too. Plenty of windows to use less light during the day. See?

Sitting around in his apartment, Mirko and his friends were talking about what to do for the protest. The got together and started to build a makeshift coffin from materials that they'd later grind up and throw into a compost pile. They had one on his roof where he grew a small garden and everyone in the apartment building who contributed to the pile was allowed to pick from it. Then, they'd all gone out and gotten the most morbid looking outfits that they could and dressed themselves up to impress... the grieving. He'd picked up a gas mask at some random supply store on the way to the protest and they were all set. This was going to be epic and he really couldn't wait. The adrenaline rushed through his veins, made him antsy, and he was practically shaking in anticipation for what would happen next. When the were done, they'd go back to his place for homemade lasagna made in his solar oven and a spread of raw nuts and veggies. That was, of course, assuming they didn't get themselves arrested... again. He really couldn't afford that. He needed to stay in school before his dad started threatening to pull him out of the American universities and send him back to Bulgaria where he might have the option of going to school there or just accept his role in the Romani community.

Now that they were at the site, the boys all took their positions and waited for the Senator to start climbing the steps into the office building. Then, his friends carried the coffin with Mirko in a gas mask and his picket sign onto the ledge of the top step. Of course, the security had him removed nearly almost immediately but they'd had to carry him away because he refused to move. Once he'd been put out of the way, though, he was on his feet and screaming in the gas mask, his words losing some of the accent as he shouted. "I want to live! Stop Hitler and his gassing! Crack down on the gas emissions!"

[embry alyssa st. clair]

Embry had kept her position at the front of the mass of people, wanting to stand there and very possibly be seen by her father. Maybe all of this went even deeper than her desire to pass Bill 147, and save the environment. Maybe a little of it also had to do with the ever ensuing battle between herself and the man who'd help spawn her. But those were daddy issues she had no desire to touch on. Instead she held tightly to her sign which read 'Stop being a Senator, Start being a Father; Care what air your children breathe'. Yes, a subtle jab at the fact that he was her father and seemed completely oblivious to the fact. And if some of the activity over near the journalists meant anything, she'd been spotted and recognized for who she was. Embry liked to pretend most of the time that she was in no way related to Senator Joseph St. Clair, except for moments like this. No, at these times, being his daughter and being at the forefront of protests against his policies had its extreme advantages. If nothing else it was a black mark on his oh so pristine image.

When the guys in the suits had arrived carrying the coffin, Em had been highly amused and impressed, especially when it's occupant had defied the security and remained where he was. Laughing and cheering with the rest of the crowd as the security were forced to remove him themselves, Em felt that wonderful thrall of excitement and pleasure that came from these things. It was a more intense high then any drug she was sure, being surrounded by people who cared, and who got why she did things like this. Being with people who actually wanted to make a difference and did what they could to see it happen. She loved it.

After the Senator's arrival, it was time for the business men to arrive. With their arrival the crowd grew even louder and more enthusiastic, signs waving vigorously, voices chanting, all of them directed at the men in suits passing by them and into the building. Those were the men who would sway her father's mind one way or the other, and Embry didn't hold much hope that their opinions on the matter lay in the same direction as the crowd's. After all, reduction in gas emissions would mean expenses for them which cut into their yearly revenue. Who would want to take a pay cut just so they could provide the next generation with breathable air?

As the manufacturers delegation passed, Em caught sight of a couple of the journalists heading in her general direction. She knew what they would want, what they always wanted when she was spotted. They'd want an interview from the Senator's own daughter, and though it could have its uses, Em didn't glory in the spotlight like that, didn't care to make this about herself and her father, or their dysfunctional family. So she wrapped her arm around her friend Jenn's shoulders and shouted into her ear. "Time to run interference." This was a well rehearsed and timeless plan that was executed with precision by the two of them on numerous occasions. Embry would thread her way through the crowd into obscurity, and Jenn would force her way into the journalists' path and become spokesperson for the gathering. The plan was going as smoothly as ever, except Em had forced herself into a tight group of people who didn't seem to want to move. Lifting her megaphone she shouted into it, "Move!!". Continuing to press as she did so. The group parted so quickly Em found herself near leaping into the open space before her, and directly into the body of the next closest person. Their chests connected just mere milo-seconds before their heads did. Of course, his was much more protected by the gas mask whereas Embry had no such protection and her forehead connected with the rather hard contraption on the front of the guy's face.

Crying out in pain and stumbling back a step, Embry lifted a hand to her forehead, eyes closing for a second before she finally pried them open to wince up at the guy she'd collided with. "I'm so sorry!" She apologized over the roar of the crowd, a faint blush staining her cheeks.

[miroslav coposu]

It was true, his scene was a little amusing but it also made a point. Then again, so did every sign that was out there but he was used to putting on shows. Every night, travelers would come by the settlement and want to see a show. With Mirko, it meant acrobatic tricks or knife playing. Either way, when it was his turn to make a few extra dollars for his community, he put on a show. Why should the protest be any different? At least people would take note of what he was doing and would pause to consider the things he was doing and what he was fighting for. If it would benefit him that much, it was worth it. Besides, his antics wouldn't just be benefiting him or his small community. They'd be helping everyone. It was a world wide movement. How cool was that? His father wouldn't know what to say about it but he'd get over it and just accept it as his son doing what his son did best - being crazy. Krasimir would have understood. Heck, that boy probably would have been right there with him, a second coffin in the protest. Kras wasn't often the kind of guy that took up causes like this but he was so supportive of his younger sibling that he would have set himself on fire if Mirko was doing it, just so he wasn't alone.

Once everyone was inside, Mirko knew it was time to pack up. Why stay when the people you were trying to convince weren't around? It wasn't like the people watching the news were going to be able to do anything. So, Mirko jerked his head to his friends and they started to push their way through the crowd. After a few minutes, the boys realized how much fun crowd surfing would be in a coffin surfboard and Tommy had climbed up and started the crowd going. It was easier to get the massive box out, too. That left the Bulgarian male to weave through the remaining protesters who thought that it would look more impressive if they were all packed together. It helped that he had a scary looking gas mask on, though. Once people noticed that he was there, they'd move but it was a slow and painful process. That process only got more painful when someone fell into him, bumping him and butting heads. He barely felt it but he knew she had to be in some pain over that one. Well, that wasn't what he had planned on doing with this get up at all.

His hands shot out to grab her by the shoulders and he tried to steady her without coming off as too aggressive in his actions. "Are you okay?" Nevermind her apologies, it was an accident. He was, more or less, concerned about how her head was. Mirko released one of her shoulders and reached up to brush a few strands of hair out of the way and looked over her forehead. "No blood but I don't doubt that there's going to be a bruise and a bump. You should take it easy. Did you drive?" He wouldn't recommend she drive home. If she didn't, he'd give her a lift home, no problem. Hopefully, someone would be at her home with her until the bump went away and she was sure that she was going to be okay.

[embry alyssa st. clair]

Embry really shouldn't be left on her own, it was a miracle she hadn't managed to be trampled to death in one of these yet. Suddenly finding her personal space invaded, firm hands on her shoulders steadying her frame, which she was rather glad for, and a gas mask inching nearer to her. It was odd, and almost spooky, she felt rather like she'd been plunked down into the middle of a war zone, or a scene out of some crazy sci-fi movie. Her face still scrunched slightly in pain, Embry's back stiffened slightly as fingers began brushing her curls out of her face and she found herself being examined by the male holding on to her. The faint blush on her cheeks heightened and became quite prominent as their proximity became nearer. Once again, Em found herself smack dab in the middle of a situation she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself in.

That was when she realized he was talking to her, and with the noise of the people around them, and the muffling affect of the gas mask itself, Em really wasn't sure what he was saying. "Um... I-I can't understand you." She stated awkwardly, raising a hand with a pointed finger to indicate his facial covering. "The uh... gas mask." Her blush was still prevalent upon her features, and she put her sign on the ground with the end of it braced on her leg so she could gently examine the bump over her eye once more. There was a bit of a bump, and it was painful, but she'd survive. She'd had much worse. With an exclamation of shock, Em felt someone force their way passed her from behind, and her body was suddenly pushed into his once more. Turning her head in time she missed hitting the gas mask again, but her hand had come up to brace herself and it was planted in the centre of his chest. Once the press of the crowd relented, Em pushed back away from him, that blush still staining her cheeks. She attempted to offer a smile but it came off a little shy and nervous. It'd been a long time since she'd been this close bodily to a male, and with it being one she didn't even know? Talk about awkward!

She had to wonder how she managed to always find herself in this sort of situation. Karma was clearly not an environmentalist and couldn't be a supporter of the cause. She was far too quick to ding Embry for any show of success or pride. Em's grey eyes gazed upwards at the person before her, recognizing finally that this was the same person she had watched camp out on the steps in a coffin, and she felt a zing of happiness at getting a chance to speak with him. She liked his tactics, and wondered if he was a member of any specific groups or committees. They could use someone like him in the local PETA chapter, Em's been planning a small heist to rescue some animals from a lab, but had as of yet, not found anyone willing to risk it.

[miroslav coposu]

He cocked his head at an angle and took a moment to look down at her, blinking. What was she talking about? He was about to repeat himself and say it louder but, then, he realized that he was still wearing the mask. He'd just gone to take it off when she fell into him, again. This time, he put a protective arm around her and held her so that she didn't fall to the ground. That wouldn't be a very nice way to go about it. He'd tipped his head back, not wanting her to knock her head against it for a second time. While he held onto her, Mirko figured it was better that he just take off the mask so that's what he did. One hand still holding onto her back, Mirko reached up and pulled the heavy rubber off of his face. Ugh, that felt much better. It was hot enough in the suit, having something on his face was only making it hotter. His dark hair was matted against his glistening forehead and there were indentations from the outline of the mask. Not the most attractive way to be caught but he was planning on getting out of here soon. The breeze was helping but the indents would be there for a while and he really didn't feel like getting caught in a news photo with him looking the way that he did. Maybe they should duck out of here as soon as possible. It didn't sound like a bad idea to him. The girl seemed like she'd been on her way out, herself. It'd help if they held off on the talking until they were in a safer, quieter area.

Mirko looked down at her as she pushed away and he offered her a small smile. "Come on, let's get you out of here before they take us both out." Without the mask, his accented words had to be better and he knew that it wouldn't be as hard to make out now that he was raising his voice to match the crowd's. He wrapped an arm around her waist and grabbed her sign with the hand holding his mask and started to weave a path through the crowd. Finally, on the outside of the mob, he released her but kept walking and took her hand instead. "I was saying that you didn't have any blood. It might bruise but it's just a bump right now. I wouldn't recommend driving or sleeping until the bump is gone, though. Does it hurt?" They'd parked somewhere around here. No doubt, his friends had already taken the first vehicle and gone back to his apartment. He didn't want to miss the compost party. They'd be shredding the coffin and you just didn't want to miss something like that! He'd have to call them and tell them to wait for him if she'd come alone. "Did you come here, alone?"

[embry alyssa st. clair]

With the shove, she not only found herself bumping into him once again but this time his arm was around her and she surprisingly found herself nestled against him protectively. How odd was it that she felt rather secure where she was, despite the fact that he was a complete stranger. Because her face was semi-buried in the crook of his shoulder, Em found her nostrils filling with his scent, something masculine, comforting and exciting all at the same time. She liked it, and closed her eyes for a moment as it soothed her somewhat frazzled spirits. That was until he leaned back ever so slightly so that he could remove his mask. With his hand warm at in the small of her back, Em gazed up at him, grey eyes widening just a fraction as she took in his appearance. Yes, to be honest he was a little worse for wear because of the gas mask in the summer heat, but none of that could disguise how truly adorable he was in the hottest kind of way. This wasn't the face she had expected to come out from behind the mask, not at all. Their faces were close enough together that she could have placed a kiss easily upon his chin if she wanted to. It caused her cheeks to burn even brighter. She pushed away so that she could try and clear her head. Swallowing Embry looked anywhere but at him.

Of course, that was until her waist was suddenly being enveloped by his arm, her body close to his side and she was being lead out of the people. It turned out to be very helpful to her since all she had to do was concentrate on keeping pace and he took care of getting them out. As the burst free of the throng, Embry took a deep inhale of air, lungs thankful and burning for the cleaner, cooler air. This was the very thing they were trying to protect and save. How could the Senator not realize that? Expecting to go their separate ways after an awkward farewell, Em was shocked when he took her hand and continued to walk with her, apparently leading her somewhere. "Oh.. no I'm-I'm fine... I'm used to it." She finally responded after a minute or two. An embarrassing minute where she couldn't seem to catch her bearings to respond. He was holding her hand and it seemed the most natural thing to do. As she stared down at their clasped hands, she'd also come to realize that not only was this the guy who'd been in the coffin and done his part to make a statement, but that he was carrying her sign for her. Had she truly fallen directly into the 'package deal'? Not only was he an environmentalist with creative activist methods, but he was kind, thoughtful, and gorgeous to boot. There had to be a catch, someone this good looking could not be single. "I came with some friends, we took the bus, but.." Em peered over her shoulder at everyone that was still at the protest and knew it was very doubtful that she would run into either Jenn or Maxine. At least at this point it was pretty unlikely. Having gotten distracted in what she was thinking about, Embry didn't bother to pay attention to what her feet were doing and they got tangled up in themselves and she tripped slightly. Blushing and cursing herself under her breath. Flushing at this, she peeked up to see if he was paying attention to the fact that she'd just about fell on her face. "I d-didn't hurt you... when I fell into you d-did I?" She asked, voice a little shaky out of nervous habit.

[miroslav coposu]

He'd grown up around enough girls to know that they needed a certain level of protection and, in this crowd, it was just safer if she stayed close to him. He was able to hold up against the crowd a lot better than she was, it seemed. God, he felt sorry for her. If she was smelling him, he must not have put on enough deodorant when he showered this morning. Hopefully, it wasn't too bad because he didn't think anyone would want to speak to him after they got a good whiff of him. Hey, he was a grown man and he was a little sweaty. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd been in jeans and a tee but this was a little over kill and he was currently wearing three layers on his upper body and had been wrapped up in a heavy plastic mask for the better part of thirty minutes, now. It was crazy. He didn't know what she thought she'd find under the mask but he wouldn't have been surprised to hear her use that word with him. He got that a lot. He was adorable or cute or charming. He was the baby boy of the family, it was to be expected. Not to mention... Well, he was a little young in the face. He took it with a grain of salt and moved on with life. Besides, it could have been worse. People could have said he was horribly ugly or looked like his father. Fortunately, he'd gotten his looks from his mother and he thanked god for that one. If he had looked like his father, it would have been a sad day. Don't get him wrong, his father was a decent looking man but he was too gruff in his appearance and Mirko didn't plan on growing a beard like his - ever.

He released a soft sigh, enjoying the cooler air that wasn't musky with the breath and sweat of several others. He loved the concert scene and he loved protesting because of the ambiance but, after a while, you just had to get out of it, too. He wasn't leading her anywhere in particular, just leading. The main goal was to get her away from the moshing crowd so that she didn't have anymore accidents. "Used to it?" He chuckled and looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "You run into a lot of guys with gas masks on? I've got to go to the parties you attend." Finally, he stopped and caught her stare. Yeah, he did that a lot. He crossed personal boundaries, especially with girls. It was just how things were done for him. It freaked the guys out when he'd lean in a little too close to look at a computer screen or a book. It wasn't that he was trying to put a move on them - he didn't like guys like that - he just didn't see how it was too far into their space. Now, though, they were in physical contact and he was in a no-no space violation, again. Respectfully, so as not to come off as disgusted, he released her hand and took a step back. Hopefully, she wouldn't think of anything in the wrong way.

"But they've probably already left, without you." You didn't need to be a mind reader to finish that sentence. "Don't take this the wrong way but you did hit your head on my mask and you've got a bump. I feel that I should take you home so I know you made it there safely. My car is right around the corner in the car park and I've no where important to go just yet. I don't mind at all." If he turned on the news to find that she'd died on the bus or something... No, he wouldn't allow it. If he'd been back in Bulgaria, insisting would have been so much easier but the cultures were too different. Now, it was his turn to laugh and brush off the inquiry of health. "I think my mask will hold a grudge against you but I'm fine." Luckily, he had been looking at his mask when she stumbled and he thought that he was only imagining it. This girl had it hard, didn't she?

[embry alyssa st. clair]

If he wanted to protect Embry he was going to have to take more drastic measures than just an arm around her. First wrap her in bubble wrap and then place her in a giant bubble; her worst enemy and greatest danger was herself. Some nights she went to bed wondering just how she'd managed to make it through the day. It really was a miracle at times. So this little run in, this smashing of faces was nothing for the girl. She was thankful for the help however. It wasn't often people bothered to help her out anymore, not once they became used to how accident prone she was. After awhile there were so many bumps, falls, bruises and cuts that people just gave up being concerned about her. What was one more stitch or band aid?

Embry found herself laughing softly at his comment and shook her head, her awkward stuttering side momentarily forgotten in her amusement. "It's not my first time seeing a gas mask, but I didn't mean that. I meant I'm used to hurting myself... it happens a lot." She shrugged her shoulders to indicate it was really no big deal. How could it be? It was the story of her life. As they came to a stop and she found her gaze being caught and held by his own, Embry could feel her blush beginning to stain her cheeks again. She wasn't sure what to do with herself beneath his very intent stare. Did she smile? Did she stare back? Look away? Finally her grey eyes dropped, feeling very unsure of herself and not wanting him to see how awkward she was. Her hand was suddenly free and she shoved it quickly into her pocket, while her other held on to the megaphone. That way she didn't have to wonder what to do with it as she stood here and spoke with him. Why was she the most awkward creature on the face of the earth?! Seriously, had she missed out on the lessons of how to be a girl? And if so... where did you go to catch up now? Realizing that her mind had once again wandered off on her, Embry's gaze quickly flashed back up to his and she tried offering a small smile, hoping she wasn't coming off as clumsy and emptied headed... that would be unfortunate.

She nodded and shrugged once again. "Even if they haven't, my chances of finding them are slim." Hey, it was one of the dangers of the job, getting split up from the people you came with. As if on cue her cell phone vibrated in her pocket and Em pulled it out quickly to read her text. "Ya... they're on the bus, which just left..." She sighed and then lifted her eyes from the phone to him. If the bus had already come and gone, that meant there wouldn't be another one for another half hour. The idea of waiting around here for the bus was not an appealing thought. As he offered to drive her home, Embry's hand lifted unconsciously so that she could chew on the edge of her thumb as she thought it over. She didn't know this guy, at all. Going in his car alone with him seemed like a very foolish and dangerous thing to do. Every self defence class she'd ever taken alerted her to all the possibilities of danger if she accepted. At the same time, she wasn't getting any instinctual warning signs going off while around him, and he just had a very genuine and trusting face. "A-are you sure?" She asked, peeking up at him from beneath her lashes, the shy look returning."I just live over on campus, at the Gamma Beta Kappa house." And now she'd just told him where she lived... what was with her lately? Going back to the apartment of arrogant rock stars, giving her home address and accepting rides from complete strangers... This reckless spontaneity wasn't like her at all. At his next comment Embry laughed, her nervousness melting away once again beneath the layer of amusement. He was slowly easing her out of her awkward shyness. "Well I apologize to him, and hopefully we can get passed this and be friends." She offered a bright smile, her first real one since they'd run into each other. Not the small, shy smile, but the big, beaming smile that was the typical, happy-go-lucky Embry. "Miss. St. Clair! Can I have a word?" A voice suddenly called from the crowd and Embry groaned inside her head as she looked over her shoulder. The journalist from before had managed to catch up to her despite Jenn's attempt to run interference. Turning back to the guy in front of her, Embry offered another bright smile. "Wanna get out of here before the rest of them all decide to leave and we get stuck in traffic?" She asked brightly. Grabbing his arm she turned him from the direction he had been looking, away from the journalist and tried to steer him in the away direction. "Did you say your car was this way?" Okay... so now she was acting like a crazy person, but she had no desire to get stuck trying to talk her way out of an interview. The sooner they got out of here the better. "I'm Embry by the way, I suppose if you're giving me a lift home and will know where I live I might as well tell you my name since I've already broken all the 'safety' rules." She lifted her fingers up to make quotation marks around the word safety. And now that her mind was on escape, the rambling, talkative girl that was Embry St. Clair had returned.

[miroslav coposu]

Seriously, he'd like to know what kind of people she was hanging out with if she ran into guys wearing gas masks on a regular basis. They sounded like fun people and he'd have to check them out. "Hopefully it's all purely accidental," he commented with a concerned brow raised. Too many young people went down an unnecessary path and that was never something to be thrilled about. He never understood the desire to hurt one's self. He rubbed at the corner of his eye, feeling the itching that usually came when he got too sweaty. He needed a shower but he wouldn't be able to get one for a while. His moments of staring seemed to do him some good. The girl was rather lovely and he didn't mind the view. Hey, at least he'd been accosted by an attractive girl, right? Of course, he was probably coming off too strong and making her feel very uncomfortable. She'd probably be glad to get rid of him the first chance she got. Who knew what kind of guy he was? He was probably some sort of insane rapist or something! That was the last thing she needed to deal with. He could understand her worries and he didn't blame her in the least.

"You should try arranging meeting spots. That's what we usually do." It was rare to drive their cars to these things unless they were looking to bring in some heavy duty props. If it had just been the gas masks, they probably would have taken the metro but they were sure that a homemade coffin would have been a bit much. He gave a small move of his head and a thoughtful expression. Oh well. There'd be another one, there was the metro and always a cab. She had options but it always sucked to be left behind. "You don't trust me," he said with a smirk. His psychology class had told him that much. She was biting her nail, she was nervous about his offer. A girl, getting into a car with a guy she didn't know and no witnesses... Scary. The only bright side he could come up with was that it was daytime and most rapes occurred after hours but he wasn't going to offer up such a lame use of logic. "Smart to be careful but I'm supposed to stay out of trouble or I might lose my visa. Or, worse... My father will find out. I'd tell you I'm one of the good guys but that's usually what the bad guys say, isn't it?" So, she attended his school. Interesting. He didn't know much about the sororities or which house was which but he knew full and well about them. He knew which ones had the best girls to date and which ones to avoid. His interest had in the Gammas had, more or less, been on the author they had in there but he heard she was something of a prude and he didn't have the time to deal with girls with issues. "He says hold your breath and we'll see." See? No hard feelings. Mirko shot a glance over her shoulder as he heard someone call a name and his brows bunched together in questioning confusion. St. Clair? Wasn't that the name of the senator?

Mirko was pulled out of his thoughts, rather literally, and he found himself being dragged along in the direction that they'd originally been heading. He left what he'd been thinking about to another time and focused on the situation at hand. "It's the black Insight at the end," he pointed to the hybrid with his free arm. Mirko gave her a small smile and nod as she introduced herself and wondered if that was a nickname for something longer. Should he introduce himself by his full name? He was still a little shaky on some of the Western customs and this was one of them. Oh well. "I'm Mirko." He pulled his keys from his jacket pocket and hit the button to unlock the doors, letting her run to her side and dropping into his own. Seat belts on and doors shut, they were off, slowly rolling out of the parking lot and into the city streets.