Shoot ne now (Open)

[oliviapendle]

Olivia walked through library, her blue eyes scanning the area while a heeled feet clicked on the ground. This is what she left Baylor for? Her lips pursed slightly, her first day on the job, and after being given the grand tour of the place, she could hardly say she was impressed. Luckily her expectations coming to this place hadn't been all that high to begin with. As the move had become more immanent, she started questioning the sanity of choosing to leave one of the better colleges in the country to come to this flea bag place in the middle of nowhere. She kept reminding herself that this was a high school, not a college, and not even a swanky one at that, but one meant for juvenile delinquents. it was to be expected that things weren't going to be the best of the best here. But as she'd walked into the library, her home really as long as she worked there, she had to start screaming her mantra in her head. IT'S JUST A HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S JUST A HIGH SCHOOL!

But surely it could be better than.. this. It just seemed so small and pitiful. And whoever had been in charge here before her had clearly been lax when it came to requisitioning new books. The place was in a state, outdated and poorly organized. Well, at least she wasn't going to be looking for things to do for the first little while. But where the hell was she even supposed to start? She went back to the desk, taking off her cardigan and draping it over her chair. She crouched over a box that had been left there, full of books, but mysteriously labled only as 'stuff', and began going through it.[/size]

[arthurchurchill]

Having been informed that today was the day the new librarian was supposed to arrive, Arthur had headed to the library soon after arriving to work. Madeleine with him, complaining of a 'stomach ache' to get out of having to go to daycare, and following behind her father as quickly as she could, before he just picked her up. The toddler cuddled into him, laying her head on his shoulder, and a small smile graced his face, as he patted her back. He knew that she didn't actually have a stomach ache - she was just feeling shyer than usual, and Arthur didn't want to push her. She was far more timid than either of her brothers, and her big blue eyes always made it hard to say no to her. Finally reaching the library, Arthur frowned, as he did every time he entered the room. It wasn't quite as big, or well-off as he'd like, but despite his efforts, it'd never gotten any better. Even with Henry trying to improve it as well, it made little progress. They both had their own jobs, unfortunately, and couldn't do much there.

Seeing a woman sitting at the desk, Arthur set his daughter down, and cleared his throat softly. Madeleine quickly shuffled behind her father's legs, half of the pale face, framed by inky black hair, still visible. Holding tightly to the fabric of his pants, she watched the woman at the desk go through books. Patting his daughter's head, Arthur offered a sheepish smile. "Hello, Ms. Pendle, I presume? Arthur Churchill, Deputy Head." Offering a hand, he hoped she wouldn't blame him for the poor state the library was in. It wasn't his fault, really. He'd been there for just a year, and the library wasn't his job!

[oliviapendle]

Olivia looked up from what she was doing when she heard someone clear their throat. Her eyes fell on a shorter man with a little girl attached to his leg, watching Olivia nervously. She smiled a little, while she wasn't always the most patient or kind with adults, depending on her disposition for the day, she had always had a soft spot for kids, who wouldn't? They were always so cute, though usually dirty... and more often than not, germy. OK, maybe she liked the idea of kids more than the children themselves. But this little one was just beautiful.

Her attention was drawn back to the man when he spoke, a nervous looking smile on his face. Deputy head, huh? She had half a mind to tear him a new one, the state this place was in. But it seemed like it would be a bit like kicking a scared puppy, he'd only said a few words, but was already wafting off fumes of 'timid' like a cheap cologne. So instead, she rose from her desk, smoothing out her skirt as she stepped towards him. Up closer, he seemed shorter, even without her heels, she wasn't sure he would be taller than her, granted she was a tall woman, but still, it was the kind of thing Olivia would notice. She took the offered hand, shaking it lightly. “Pleasure to meet you Arthur, and please, call me Olivia. she said in her soft texas drawl. “ And who might this little angel be?” she smiled, looking down at the little girl, who at least appeared to be neither dirty nor germy.[/size]

[arthurchurchill]

Smiling politely, he nodded as she told him to call her Olivia, and looked down at Madeleine, who hid her face in his knees. "This is my daughter, Madeleine. Madeleine, come out and say hello to Miss Olivia." Walking out from behind his legs, the little girl looked up at the woman, and squeaked out a greeting, before running back to hide again. "She's a little shy, I'm afraid." Turning around and picking up his daughter, he kissed her head, his smile becoming more genuine. Running a hand through her hair, he sighed as she buried her face in his shoulder.

Patting her back, he looked around the library. "I'd like to apologize for the state of the library. I've tried to improve it, but I've not had time to focus entirely on changing things. I would like to let you know that I would be happy to help if you need assistance getting new books or organizational systems for the library." If he'd been able to do all of it himself, he would have. Part of it was his own fault - he was daunted by the huge task. Being daunted, though, was a bit familiar to him. Even now, he was aware of the fact that he was shorter than Olivia, which wasn't at all pleasant. Of course. He hated his height, it was the first thing he'd change if he could. It'd been the source of most taunting directed at him in school, and even though he was an adult now, he hated it. More than anything.

[oliviapendle]

Olivia smiled a little more genuinely as the little girl squeaked out a greeting and hid in her father again.  Adorable.  Not only did she not look germy, but she was quiet as well, a Librarian’s dream.  She took a second, looking at the girl, with her complexion and hair, she didn’t see much resemblance to her father, and though she would never say it, at least not to his face, that was probably a good thing.  As with most people, Olivia had decided to base first impressions on appearance alone.  In her head, and in her experience, the men she met from across the pond fell into two categories, the James Bond-esque ones, and the ones like her new boss.  Not that there was anything wrong with the man per say, like Hugh Grant, or Hugh Laurie, or any other variety of British “Hugh”, he undoubtedly had some bumbling charm that more than made up for the lack of height and the timid look, but all the charm in the world didn’t help if people couldn’t get over that first impression, though she would concede, someone clearly had gotten over it, since he had the kid to begin with.
 
She mulled that over as he spoke, shaking her head when he offered his assistance in getting the place back in order.  Too much else on his plate indeed, if anyone had bothered hiring someone as soon as the previous Librarian had left, this would hardly be a problem, now would it?  But she wasn’t going to nitpick her boss on the first day, not out loud at least.  “ Oh no, don’t you worry about that.  That’s why I was hired, right?  I’ve tackled worse.” she said, her blues eyes giving a quick scan over the library.  “ Though this comes close.” she said, her nose crinkling ever so slightly.  Her smile was back in place, bright as ever when she brought her attention back to him “I’m sure I’ll have this place in top shape in no time.  Aside from possibly engineers, I don’t think anyone is more obsessed with organization than a Librarian.  It’s our blessing and our curse I’m afraid” she said with a light chuckle.