((I do hope you're not angry, I'm afraid i haven't been able to get on too often. at most once per week))
"You think so? Hmmm, Thank you for that. If you'd like maybe i'll draw you again some time... though in perhaps more a situation more favorable than the last."

she offered a subtle chuckle to Pia with that before offering a soft nod. She then thought on the bits of information Pia was giving her she listened well enough it seemed. She stretched very slightly before deciding to take a seat at the least crowded table waitng for pia to join her.
"I didn't think there would be a beach... I didn't really look at the sort of island this was. I expected something like a mesa really, similar to Alcatraz rather than the Bahamas."
She shrugged faintly with that.
"Not that I imagined this to be a prison mind you, it was just my uninformed thoughts."
she corrected herself hoping she didn't sound too rude about the school she had only been attending for two days thus far.

(Not angry at all:) Take your time. I'll be patient)

"More modelling.. me?", Pia added with surprise. She really did not know what to think about that. One part of her, the shy part, really did not want it. But the sketch was very good, and one part of Pia liked the attention, the chance to be part of something pretty.

Alcatraz? Does she know how close she is?, Pia thought. It was a beautiful place, this island, but also somewhere that someone like Pia could not get away from. She had been plotting her escape for countless hours.
"Uh.. yeah.. it is pretty", she said "The beaches are wonderful. One should be careful about going there alone though.. Because of sudden drafts and waves, off course!"
The last bit she added hurriedly. No use mentioning monsters. She decided to change the subject before saying something she did not want to.

"About the modelling bit, what kind of situation did you think about?"

She looked at Pia Quizzically for several long seconds after her warning about the beaches and the reason behind it. for one of those seconds she might have seemed ready to press into why she had hesitated. In the end she just offered a smile and a simple nod.
"Well you seemed tense in the classroom posing nude. I was hoping to perhaps I could sketch you in something you feel more comfortable in, perhaps in a more natural setting or secluded setting; perhaps a glade in the forest or my dormitory for instance."

Her soft tone held no secrets, not even the slightest hint of lust or desire that so many others in the school, human and monster alike, had held dozens of times before, in fact she sounded entirely professional for an amateur artist. The excitement of sketching someone in a natural pose and setting they're comfortable in flowed with that perfectly.
"but Either way I would enjoy spending time with someone other than the people in my class, College is supposed to be about making friends right? even if I'm starting a tad late."

"Yes, I guess that is true.", Pia said, smiling. She had been rather poor at making friends herself, and it seemed she had a habit of getting the ones she had made into trouble. Or their relationships got very complicated rather quickly. She appreciated Laele's company. She seemed a straightforward, reasonable person, and Pia though she was someone she might grow to like and appreciate.
"I think I would like to model for you, if you like.", she continued. "I am sorry if I seemed a bit.. hesitant. It is not something I am used to, that is all. But really, I am kind of flattered that you ask, even."

Laele nodded to her with a notable brightening of her smile.
”I'm glad you've decided to do that for me. So rare I get a model to myself.”
Laele might have been a complicated person but, she wasn't one to have complicated relationships, she was a 22 year old virgin after all, that was proof of that. She did think Pia was a very kind; if not slightly withdrawn person, She also believed she was hiding something, what she had no idea and she decided it best not to ask.
”I was told there was a very nice pool in the school. I was wondering if you'd mind showing me where it is? I think it'll be a nice place to relax when there isn't anyone to go to the beach with.”

"Sure!", Pia said. "I can show you right after we finish here."
She was glad that they had switched to less sensitive subjects. It felt good to be of help, and to use her mind on less worrisome pursuits. She tried to keep the conversation going while they ate. She felt like she wanted to know a little more about Laele. She seemed friendly enough, but Pia got the feeling that she was not a person that would stand for any nonsense. She obviously had a creative side, something Pia wished she had. There was also something about her bearing. She was not that much taller than Pia, really, but she carried herself well.

"There are the indoor pool, but also an outdoor pool. The opportunities for swimming and suchlike is one of the great selling points of this school, I guess.". Pia paused a little.
"Why did you come here?", she asked.

"Why did I come here? honestly I have to admit, after le cordon blu and deciding cooking wasn't the right career for me, I felt this would make a unique choice of schools. I wanted something different from the norm and this was as different as it got."

she explained through her faint smile. She cracked her knuckles after.
"And since you asked me... Why did you decide to come to shokushu?"

She was certainly excited to see the pools, it was part of her choice honestly, of course there were other reasons but that was a good plus.

"Mmm.. it is different, all right." Pia said between mouthfuls. She knew just how different this place was. She just hoped Laele would be spared the scary different stuff. She might just do that, but Pia decided she might want to keep an eye on Laele in the future. She was good looking.. that might cause some trouble. Not that Pia could do a lot to help, but she had some experience with the dangers here, and maybe one day her new friend might need some backup. Pia might not be much, but she would be better than no one.

Pia swallowed down the last of the salad, then answered the question. "Well, I was sort off undecided about what I was going to do after high school. Ideally, I wanted to go to the University, preferably in Oslo, or maybe Bergen. I was kind of.. I don't know.. Restless, and I wanted to do something different, maybe travel, see some of the world. Be a bit more independent, maybe. So, at the end of my last year in High School, we were taken to this fair, where various schools and such had their stands. I bumped into a recruiter for Shokushu there, and she suggested I hand in an application. I did, and then I got accepted, even offered a reduced fee, so I decided to give it a shot. So.. here I am."

Laele listened to Pia's story nodding slightly at that as she finished the tale of how she decided on this school. she of course didn't know how different Pia meant.
"A lot like my own story except i decided to try a thing or two before hand. Guess we have at least one thing in common then, We're undecided about things. Do you have troubles like that a lot? I certainly find that I do."

she paused for a few moments now the reduced fee caught her as curious.
"Reduced fee? really? I was offered free tuition based on my high school transcript... but, anyway, I didn't ask the prefect but, any idea why they ask some of the questions on the application? Like why did they need to know about... well... about my pubic hair and.... and the status of my chasity?

Laele obviously didn't quite like talking about this but she really was curious why they had asked and she did try avoiding saying she was a virgin directly.

"..Err.. I was told the questions were part of a psychological survey, and that the answers were going to be anonymous.." Pia said.
Of course they weren't! Pia, you naive fool..
Pia could have kicked herself for not realizing that the questions were a build up to what was going to come.
That explains my acceptance, she thought to herself. They probably just needed to fill their quota of virgins or something..

And they had asked Laele the same. Pia could not sit by any more. She had to give Laele some kind of warning. Pia bit her lower lip, a pained expression on her face. How was she going to say this? How?

Pia leaned forward, her face very close to Laele's. "Don't..", she began in a whisper, her eyes wide, begging the German girl to believe her, to heed her warning. "..don't mention that I have said this, but.. Be careful. Weird stuff happens here. I can't tell you what, but don't trust the management. They cover things up. Keep your wits about you, and if anything..anything happens, you can talk to me."

Pia looked about her, to see if anyone had overheard them. It did not appear so. "I.. I can't explain anymore. If you know to much, they will get you. I am sorry..I.. be careful. Please."

Pia leaned back, looking miserable. She hoped, really hoped, that the other girl would never know the truth.

Laele blushed faintly having someone's face so close to her own but, the words that followed put many questions in her head. conspiracy was a hot topic in her head right now. she wondered what wierd thing happened, what things she should avoid but when Pia said she couldn't risk saying anything else or that Laele would become a definate target she softly nodded.
"Thank you for that Pia... I will keep your words in mind and be very careful... I take it it would be best for me to not look into it further. thank you for putting yourself at risk."

she offered lowering her gaze feeling just a little bad about it now. but she decided it would be best to stop thinking about it though it was difficult. she shook her head softly.
"Perhaps we... should go to the pool now to clear our heads."

she offered closing her eyes softly with a nod then.

Doubt racked Pia. Should she have said anything? Should she say more? If someone had given Pia a warning, would it had mattered? Probably not, at least not unless they had given her the full story. But if she told Laele too much, then that could be a death sentence in itself. Sure the management would not let someone that knew the truth escape. Doubt, doubt, doubt.

Still, if nothing else, Laele would know she was not alone, should something happen. That had to be better than what Pia had gone through, believing she had gone mad.

"Uh.. yeah.. Pool! That is a good idea.. do you want to go now?"

"Yes it sounds fantastic, I do have my swimsuit with me in my bag. should be quite fun."

she said simply standing and waiting for pia to lead the way.

"Oh, you do? Always prepared, I see", Pia said, and stood up, gathering her stuff. As asked, she lead the way, but suddenly hesitated.

"Uh, I don't have a swimsuit. I mean, I have my school issue at my room, so we have to make a detour."

Pia did have her school issued standard swimsuit at her dorm room. She had had another one, but that had gotten ruined. Pia did not want to think about that incident right now. She had been thinking of getting it a new one, but she had never gotten around to it.

"You know.. if you are anxious to dive in right away, I can show you they way. But if you'd like me to keep you company.. Would you mind making a detour at the mall? I have been planning on buying a new one, and I kinda would like somone to help me pick one out.."

"A mall? the school has it's own mall on the island? really?"

she blinked a bit surprised at that finding it almost unbelievable an idea that such a thing would exist.

"Or is the school store just very large and has normal swimsuits for students to use at the beach so they don't have to deal with the school issue there as well as in the pools?"

she tried to make sense of it but, thus far she couldn't think of any way to for now though she decided to wait for pia to reply before actually thinking about that anymore. she smiled faintly.

"Well you did certainly say it would be better for us to go as a group so either way of course we can get you a new swimsuit and worse comes to worst I have a spare that should fit you in my room."