One Too Many (Anyone)

Quinn Xavier Tchaikovsky had a nasty little habit of partying just a little too heartily. Normally, that just meant he had a headache in the morning, but now things were different. He was a teacher now. Hitting the bottle too hard could lose him his job. He hadn't been at Foresta too long, so he didn't know how the administration felt about alcohol, but it was a risk he was willing to take. He would just have to have friends in high places in case anyone ever found out.

This particular night, Quinn was particularly optimistic about his prospects of getting some. He didn't normally have a problem with that, but he had a feeling that tonight was going to be mind-blowingly memorable. He didn't know why. In fact, when he swaggered into the pub at about eight at night, there weren't too many people in there.

Quinn hopped over to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. Now, just to wait for something to catch his eye.

Usually on a regular night Penelope Benton would be found in her apartment either reading or watching tv, by herself; no contact with anyone; Just her alone in her apartment with her cat and Mr. Darcy because she would either be reading Pride and Prejudice or watching the movie. However on this night she had gotten up her courage and decided to go out. So putting on her best pair of dark slimming jeans and a dark purple t-shirt, she grabbed her jacket and went out. There was just one problem, where was she going to go? What was she going to do? She had heard some of the teachers talking about a pub in the local village, so decided it was better than nothing Penelope headed into the village.

Finally locating the pub, Penelope stood at the door just staring at it, contemplating going in. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea she thought to herself. However after another minute she gathered up the slim amount of courage that she had and went inside. Luckily it wasn’t busy. Letting out her breath Penelope walked shyly over to the bar. After sitting down the bar tender came over and asked her what she wanted. “Oh! Uh, um well, water?” she finally decided on quietly not making eye contact with the tender at all. Once he had left she took a few deep breaths before taking off her jacket slowly. Looking around to see if there was anybody she recognized her eyes landed on the guy sitting a few stools down from her. She knew him from somewhere, finally it clicked. He was a new teacher at Foresta. Closing her eyes she took another few deep breaths before turning towards the guy slightly. “Um, excuse me but don’t you teach at Foresta?” she asked quietly not even knowing if he had heard her.

Quinn shot Penelope a debonair smile. "Why yes, yes I do. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Quinn Xavier Tchaikovsky. And whom do I have the infinite pleasure of addressing?" he asked in his low, rhythmic voice. Quinn looked her up and down quickly and discreetly. Her pale skin gave a contrast to her brown hair that Quinn found simply breathtaking. He knew, now, why it was that this night filled him with that rare feeling of optimism. He got a feeling from this woman, he didn't know exactly what it meant, but he liked it.

Quinn sat down on one of the barstools and proceeded to sip from his gin and tonic. He tried to remember where he knew this girl from. Then it occurred to him. He had seen her working at Foresta... What was it she did? Quinn thought it was something to do with math, or maybe science. Well, there was no harm in not knowing at any rate. That would just give them that much more to talk about.

As he slowly downed his gin and tonic, Quinn removed his old leather jacket to reveal a light blue polo that showed off his aristocratic sense of self as well as his well developed, muscular chest. A few minutes later, he ordered another gin and tonic from the bartender. The bartender gave him a look as if to show that he suspected Quinn would be the sort of person who never knew when to stop.

Yes, Quinn definitely had a touch of optimism mixed into his arrogantly confident mannerisms on that night.

Penelope blushed and looked down at her shoes “Nice to meet you, I’m Penelope Benton; I also work at Foresta as a teacher’s aide for the science department” she said quietly the heat not leaving her face. Looking up again at him she realized he had taken his jacket off and the shirt he was wearing showed off a nice body. Her face flushed once more even harder and she immediately glanced back down. Hoowee this would be interesting. She had never been in this situation before, talking to a member of the opposite sex at random, in a pub no less! Maybe she was changing, Penelope grinned at the thought finally something was happening in her life for the better.

Noticing he was drinking some sort of drink she glanced down at her water and felt stupid, looking at the bartender she ordered a rum and coke. She had no idea what it was but she had heard it get ordered many times on tv and in movies. After getting it and taking a sip she quickly ordered another glass of water before turning her attention back to Quinn. “So, what brought you here to Foresta?” she asked uncertainly, what a lame question good going Penelope way to ask the stupidest and most obvious question in the world she thought immediately after she had asked it.

"Science? Such a fascinating subject. It always intrigued me. Unfortunately I never had a mind for chemicals and species and such. I stick to beliefs, thoughts, things of that sort." Quinn flashed her the same devilish smile he had given Blair just the day before. He began to psychoanalyze Penelope. She was shy, probably had some terrible trauma in her past that kept her from warming up to people. Or maybe she just had difficulty talking to men. Either way, he was going to have to break her out of her shell.

"Actually, my brother is a student here. I'm half here to teach and half here to keep tabs on him for my father. And what is a ravishing lady like you doing in a sham of a school like this?" There was something good here, and Quinn was going to find it.

Penelope nodded “Yes, though I’m more of a plants and species specialist than chemicals.” She replied looking at her glass, taking another sip of her drink and quickly washing it down with water. She had never drunk alcohol before, now she knew why it was horrible stuff. How could people get addicted to this stuff? She wondered. “So do you teach philosophy then?” she asked getting a little more loose with the alcohol, hmm maybe this was why. Even though she had only drank two sips she could already feel herself getting more and more relaxed.

She nodded taking a bigger sip this time, more of an actual drink of it. However his question brought her back to reality very quickly. She quickly glanced at him before looking back at her drink “It’s a long story but let’s just say I had no where to go” she replied still looking at her drink but opting to down the rest of her water instead.

"Yes, I do teach Philosophy. Rosseau, Locke, Hobbes, all that stuff. Most people don't have much of a taste for it, but me, I find it fascinating. The workings of the human mind and whatnot. Meaning of life." Quinn said. "Can I buy you a drink?" As he added this last bit, he got that charming, coy smile that he oh-so-often had in situations like this.

He liked the shy type, and Penelope was obviously the shy type. She seemed to be looking everywhere except at him. Strange, because she came up to him, not the other way around. Quinn thought that during their chat thus far, they might have made eye contact once. He would break this woman out of her shell, somehow, if the liquor didn't do it for him.

Penelope nodded “I could never understand the workings of the human mind” she said as she drank the rest of her water already feeling better, maybe that’s what people meant when said “light weight”. At his question she hesitated, because A) She didn’t know anything about alcohol and B) She had never been drunk or been around anybody who had been, but the movies didn’t make it look all that fun. However she did vow to herself to become more open and at least try to have fun so she nodded “Sure, why not” she said looking at him in the eye for a second a slight smile on her face before blushing and looking back at her now empty water glass.

"Hey," Victor called out to the barkeep, "could I get another rum and coke for my friend here?" The bartender turned to pour a rum and coke. As he handed it to Penelope, Quinn looked at him and added, "Thanks." One must always be polite. Quinn looked down, he was starting to get a bit dry himself. But, without him even having to ask, the barkeep refilled his gin and tonic. Quinn liked this guy. This guy was one of his favorite barkeeps ever.

He sipped from his gin and tonic, planning. Once Penelope got just tipsy enough that she wouldn't notice, he'd switch from liquor to water. It's hard to be charming and drunk at the same time. Quinn was not a pure man by any stretch of the imagination, he had no problem with these little acts of deception. Now he just had to keep the conversation flowing.

"So, what do people do around here to pass the time? It all seems a bit quiet, the whole town."

Penelope looked at the drink hesitantly before grabbing and drinking the whole thing. Bad idea. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it she looked back at him and grinned slightly before turning back to her empty and glass with a look of astonishment. Did she actually just drink that whole thing? Why would she do that? What the hell was she thinking? It took her a minute to reply because the taste of alcohol was still in her mouth. “Um, well I actually don’t know. This is really the first time I’ve ever been in the village except for anything school related” she admitted sheepishly. Wow was she pathetic.

Quinn wasn't sure what to think of Penelope's utter obliteration of her drink. He was impressed by her ability to handle alcohol, but she didn't drink it in a particularly ladylike manner. He discreetly signaled for the bartender to bring another drink for her. Upon hearing that this was her first time in the village for social reasons, Quinn somewhat panicked (he didn't show it, however). If he couldn't find some common ground to talk about, the conversation might stagnate, and then all the drink money would go to waste. "Really. How strange, that makes two of us. I've only come down here for school reasons." Quinn said, lying through his teeth.

"What do you think of Foresta?"

Penelope glanced at the new drink, this time she was going to wait a bit. Crossing her right leg over her left she turned so that she was facing him and leaned her left elbow on the bar. She still however didn’t look at him; her eyes were focused only on her shoes. “I like it, I mean who wouldn’t. It’s just a welcoming environment to anyone. Doesn’t matter what age, sex, skin tone, race whatever. We’re all there for the same reason. I would love to be able to teach a class of my own there someday” she replied in a dreamy voice, except after a minute she realized she had just talked a whole lot about something to a complete stranger and didn’t stumble or stutter once. Hm, maybe she was changing. “What about you? Even though you haven’t even been here that long, what’s your impression of it?” she asked now taking a small sip of her drink.

Quinn paused for a moment and considered his options. He could tell Penelope his honest opinion of Foresta, or he could agree with her. In reality, he hated Foresta. He wanted a city. He got a village. He missed the hectic atmosphere of a metropolis. This quiet village was far too... well, quiet, for him. He needed adventure, but Lumin had sent him here to keep tabs on Vic, and he owed the old man a favor or two for raising him. In the end, he decided it was most advantageous to agree with her. He said "Oh, yeah, it's lovely. I mean, you can really think out here. None of that hustle-and-bustle that's all over the city. It's so serene." In his mind, Quinn was laughing his ass off at the irony of his words. In reality, he smiled politely as he talked about the beauty of the woods that he hated so.

"The kids though - they're why I'm really here." That'd score him some points.

Penelope nodded in agreement “Yeah, I never go used to the city. Too much noise and too many people” she said quietly taking another sip of her drink. Her head was starting to feel a little fuzzy, partly because of the alcohol and partly because of how nervous she was talking to a complete stranger; and a man at that! However at his next comment she almost spit out her drink. Covering her mouth to swallow, she looked at him one eyebrow raised “Are you kidding me? The kids are the reason why I don’t want to be a teacher” she said shuddering slightly. She hated teenagers, they were so rude and arrogant; especially gifted ones they thought they were so much better than the rest of the world because they were different. Well if they were so different then why was there a school full of gifteds? They could just as easily have been the normal ones getting killed by careless gifteds using their powers without thinking or knowing how to use them. Then how highly would they think of being gifted then? Besides being what they were, was what got most of the kids here in the first place. Just like Penelope they were ashamed and had no where else to go.

Quinn was confused by this woman. Most women he knew loved children, especially the ones that worked in schools. She obviously didn't have that same maternal instinct that the rest of them had. He should have called that, he thought, based on how shy she is. Obviously not the "warmth and hugs, rainbows and jellybeans" type. That was something of a breath of fresh air. He knew far too many women who were that constantly happy sort of person, and they drove him up the wall.

"You don't like the kids here? I mean - if you don't like children, why work at a school? I guess I can understand it, some of them have ridiculously big egos because of their powers, but they're still good kids.

[[Sorry it's short, I got me some WB today.]]