Aric was one of those guys that never quite managed to completely fit in anywhere in the High School social structure during his time there, the type who was overlooked or simply forgotten about if he wasn't right there. He wasn't terrible at sports, he was good enough to avoid being picked on by the jocks, but not quite good enough to make any of the teams. He had been studious enough to keep his grades at an acceptable enough level to keep his parents and teachers off his back, but not so much that he drew attention with Straight As or got lumped as a nerd, though still enough to comfortably be accepted to his college of choice on the merit of his grades alone. He wasn't bad looking, good enough to avoid any laughs or looks of revulsion from the girls, but not hot or cute enough to make their hearts skip a beat or to be the subject of secret whispers and longing. In short, Aric fell through virtually every social crack that existed. Of course that could have its advantages as well. He had avoided the radar of the jocks and bullies who were out to get everyone, he was never hassled when staff or students wanted volunteers for some meaningless school activity that, at heart, nobody involved with wanted to do, and of course he tended to have the ability to come and go more or less as he pleased. Overall, for now Aric figured it was a good life, one that had gotten him through High School more or less unscathed until he had gotten college and found somewhere to fit in a little better. All those jocks had gone off to other colleges that cared about nothing but sports, leaving Aric the only person from his High School who had gone to his college of choice. Unfortunately, he didn't really feel like he fit in much better there either, going to his classes but never quite being able to bring himself to join in any of the more social aspects of being a college student.
That afternoon had started out like most any other, classes finishing, students hurriedly wanting to get away as fast as possible, Aric among them. However once he was about halfway back to his dorm when he stopped and mentally slapped himself as he remembered. He had removed some books from his bag during his final class of the day and had forgotten to pick them up again, and those were books he needed for an assignment. Besides, if he waited until morning someone else might have found and taken them. With a weary sigh the boy turned around to make his way back towards one of the classroom buildings. It was seemingly devoid of students by the time he got back, almost an hour after classes were over. Even most of the teachers had left by this point, they tended to want to get away as quickly as the students sometimes. Fortunately that just meant there was nobody to hassle him about still being around after hours when he wasn't supposed to be there, and his walk to the pool building was a quiet and uneventful one.
It took a little while for Aric to remember the way back to the classroom. He was still new to college and new to the layout of the building after all, but he made it a point to not consult a map if he could avoid it, how else would he ever learn his way around? Finally though he found the large classroom where he had left his books. For a moment he thought he heard noise inside, but dismissed it as his imagination after just a moment of hesitation, then opened the door in order to stroll inside, never even once suspecting who or what he might find inside.
That afternoon had started out like most any other, classes finishing, students hurriedly wanting to get away as fast as possible, Aric among them. However once he was about halfway back to his dorm when he stopped and mentally slapped himself as he remembered. He had removed some books from his bag during his final class of the day and had forgotten to pick them up again, and those were books he needed for an assignment. Besides, if he waited until morning someone else might have found and taken them. With a weary sigh the boy turned around to make his way back towards one of the classroom buildings. It was seemingly devoid of students by the time he got back, almost an hour after classes were over. Even most of the teachers had left by this point, they tended to want to get away as quickly as the students sometimes. Fortunately that just meant there was nobody to hassle him about still being around after hours when he wasn't supposed to be there, and his walk to the pool building was a quiet and uneventful one.
It took a little while for Aric to remember the way back to the classroom. He was still new to college and new to the layout of the building after all, but he made it a point to not consult a map if he could avoid it, how else would he ever learn his way around? Finally though he found the large classroom where he had left his books. For a moment he thought he heard noise inside, but dismissed it as his imagination after just a moment of hesitation, then opened the door in order to stroll inside, never even once suspecting who or what he might find inside.