Elain was one of those fortunate souls that had parents who were... well off in their careers, and with her father being the leader of a council that served the smaller towns and villages near the large estate that the lived on tucked away on the outskirts of that far away city she and her big brother had left in their metaphorical rearview mirrors, there was hardly anything that their mother and father could not afford their children if they saw fit to dote upon them in such a way. Which was more or less what her father did for Elain. She'd been the typical daddy's girl growing up, always excited to see him when he would return from one of his business trips. Of course she loved her mother with all her heart, they did so many things together like cooking and gardening when Tal was busy tending to the family business, but whenever the man had a spare moment in that busy schedule for his, the honey-blonde girl would trail after him like a lost little puppy having found its best friend in the whole world. Her mother would always say that it was amusing to watch that solemn and fierce man laughing as he played those games of wild imagination, tag, or hide and seek as he would chase the little girl around that yard while she fled from those open arms, delighted laughter filling the air as she would look over her shoulder to make sure that her father was still playing. As Elain got older, she truly understood just how much the serious man had loved his bright daughter, and her love for the man only deepened as she grew older. So, naturally, when she came to her mother and father after a day full of six periods and told them that she wanted to go to college, the girl on the brink of womanhood had hardly been denied. If anything, there had been nothing but love and pride in the eyes of her parents. In the end, Elain hadn't had to pay a dime from her intellectual pursuits. She knew not everyone as anywhere near as fortunate as she was and for that she would always be grateful.

Chasing away those thoughts for a moment, not really wanting to feel that pang of loss and sorrow that usually found her when she began to look back on those sweet memories of her late parents, that train of thought almost always leading back to that night and inevitably that rainy day when they'd been buried, she says happy give the handsome stranger walking beside her that undivided and bright attention and intrigue. He was almost shy one moment, and then the next thing she knew, there would be some smoldering flame in those fierce amber eyes unlike any she'd ever seen before. What was he thinking? What memories might her words or perhaps just even her presence be bringing to the forethought of that brooding and solemn mind that he so clearly wielded with an effortless ease that she couldn't help admiring? There was so much that seemed to flicker across those eyes of his and yet it was almost as though each emotion or thought was only a fleeting flicker of an ember before it disappeared into that he gaze of liquid fire that seemed to almost make that cold of the late fall morning to go nearly unnoticed by the young woman as she walked with him towards the bus stop. He leans in towards her then, that space between them shrinking down to so little and yet Elain hardly flinched away or tensed uncomfortably. If anything, she found herself enjoying that boldness as he whispers then. Only offering him that radiant smile as she tilts her head curiously, she is still trying to put what very few puzzle pieces she had of the man together somehow so that she might see a little further into Benjamin. She had an uncanny talent of making friends just about everywhere she went, never giving up on any one soul until they made it absolutely clear that they didn't want her around in which case she'd happily leave them to their lives, and as they walk on, she can't help thinking that this wouldn't be the last time she would see the man - and for that she was both excited and glad for. She wanted to know more about him, this handsome young man with that solemn face and crooked grin. Would he give her that chance, though? Elain could only hope so.

When he lunges forward and skillfully snatches that piece of paper ripped away from her messenger back, she comments with appreciation. He returns that paper to her then and when he glances briefly down to the etched wording only to apologize before looking away, Elain can't help but find that small gesture endearing. So in turn she offers him that warm smile as she explains that it was just something for her English class and that she wouldn't mind the criticism, he seems to grow almost bashful again and she has to stifle that gentle note of laughter that instead finds those glacier blue eyes."Seriously though, you must play a sport of some kind. Those are some fast reflexes! And if you're not in any sports, you should definitely consider it", she says brightly to him as she moves to take her paper back so she could shove it deeper into her bag. His fingers brush against hers and he is quick to move away, though Elain hardly cared about that small touch. Gosh, when was the last time the honey-blonde young woman had made another almost timid just by brushing against them? She couldn't even remember. Well, there was that one cute boy from her senior year she shared a wildlife biology class with that she'd sort of dated. And by sort of, it was one of those holding hands and quick kisses on the cheeks sort of dating that had to stay within her campus because if Lazarus ever found out... That shared had only lasted a little while though, because eventually her big brother did find out, and well, let's just say she didn't see much of that boy anymore as he took to avoiding her like the plague. Yes, she was quite pretty - though she certainly wouldn't go so far as to call herself beautiful, she was too modest for that - but that did little more than earn her flirtatious remarks from the guys in her school before someone came up and told them about that big brother she had and then they'd be sure not to make eye contact with her after that. So being pretty was one thing, but with Lazarus always threatening anyone who looked at her a second longer than necessary, it wasn't surprising that she hadn't really had many guy friends, let alone boyfriends. She'd need to take extra care to ensure that he didn't find out about Benjamin.

His remark about Shakespeare has her icy blue eyes widening ever so slightly in both surprised and delight. So, he was saying fellow Shakespeare lover? It wasn't every day that the young woman casually came across anther soul that took enjoyment in those older pieces of literature and she has to remind herself to not bombard him with a thousand and one questions on just what it was that he liked about it, what his favorite play was, how those dramatic novels and writings made him feel. That would be a topic of conversation later on, when they crossed paths again which she was becoming increasingly certain would happen. Especially if she had anything to say on the matter and he didn't try and resist her curious advances and desire to discover those dark and mysterious waters that made him Benjamin. There was no way she'd ever try and change him. If anything, she hoped that as they might begin to learn more about one another and those souls would grow more and more familiar, he would remain as he was now. Solemn and yet, she knew there was so much more than he was letting on."It's one of my favorite things, honestly", she simply says though there was clearly so much more that she wanted to say. When they're on the bus and settled into their seats and she boldly remarks on how he should smile more, that toned reply only has her smile shifting into something a little cheeky, icy blue gaze glittering brightly at his reply. A typical guy reaction, but Benjamin was more than a typical guy. He goes on to tell her that he was aiming for all those pre-med classes, that he wanted to be a surgeon one day, and Elain as nothing but respect glowing in her gaze."Well, something tells me you'll get there, Benjamin. You're one of the few that seems to have it together enough to do anything they put their mind to", she replies warmly just as the bus is coming to a gradual halt.

Once the bus has come to a complete stop at the campus already bustling with life as the student body rushes about to those respective classes like the ever flowing currents of intertwined rivers and streams, Benjamin rises from his seat beside her, moving just so that she is able to sidle from her own seat and walks down that narrowed aisle and steps down and out into that crisp morning air once again. She turns around then to face the young man as his voice reaches out to her again, his gaze suggesting that he would be moving in the opposite direction as her."I'm headed this way, actually", she says sweetly before pointing towards the arts building. She then moves to reach into her messenger back, tearing the corner off that English homework he'd rescued for her earlier while also retrieving a pen from that side pocket and writing down her name and phone number. Returning the pen to where it came from, eyes of early morning frost return to those burning ambers as she gives him a radiant smile once more, offering him that piece of paper."This was fun, Benjamin. I'd really like to do it again sometime. So, ya know, in case you wanna talk Shakespeare sometime...", she says smoothly, playfully as she gives him a wink and impish grin before taking a few steps in the direction she needed to take."See you around", she says one last time in that sugary sweet voice. Giving him one last appreciative glance and a small wave of her hand, she turns her back to him and walks off towards her English class. Would he call her? Text he? Throw away that little note? She didn't know, but at least she could say that she tried and that was more than enough for her to walk away happy, disappearing into the sea of students as yet another day of education begins.