Chase Residence, Three Rivers, Pa., July 13

[chasingangela]

Orientation for UNY was kind of annoying. It was too long, for one, and the city was hot, too hot to concentrate on the trust games the RA kept trying to get them to play. And this weird Goth chick kept giving Angela the hairy eyeball for no reason at all, as far as she could tell.

But at least it was over, and she was home. She tossed her suitcase at the foot of the stairs, shouted a greeting to anyone who might be around, and started flipping through the mail.

Comments

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty poked his head out of the kitchen where he had been getting himself a pop.

"Hey," he said not exactly knowing where to start about the phone conversation he had a few days ago with Anakin. "Um. How was your trip?"

[chasingangela]

Angela walked over to give her boyfriend a hug, shrugging as she went. "Okay, I guess. It seemed too long and my new roommate didn't show, so I have no idea who I'll be living with. And getting-to-know-you games are totally lame."

She noticed Marty seemed a little hesitant. "What's up with you?"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"I got some bad news," Marty said seriously. "I probably should have called you but... I didn't want to interrupt your first week at school."

[chasingangela]

Angela winced. She knew if Marty hadn't even wanted to call, it must have been really bad. "Fandom stuff?" she asked tentatively.

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Marty said rubbing his head and started to lead her to the couch. "C'mon. We should probably sit down for this. Anakin called the other day. Something happened to Hamlet when he went home."

[chasingangela]

Angela squinted in disbelief. "But he's okay, right?" she asked.

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty shook his head. "He was killed," he said gently. "Apparently he was in a sword fight and was hit by a poisoned blade. Somehow his uncle had something to do with it."

[chasingangela]

"There's no way," Angela said, hoping somehow this was a joke. "Hamlet's uncle killed him?"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"Not before Hamlet took him out apparently," Marty said seriously. "I wish it was otherwise but I don't think Skywalker would make a joke out of this."

[chasingangela]

"Oh," Angela said, because that was all there was to say, because it felt like every year there was another death. "Anakin wouldn't joke, no."

She slumped in her seat. "Was there a funeral?"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"I think he had one for... whenever he was from," Marty replied. "Anakin said there might be one held by the students there and he'd let us know if it happened."

He gave her a long look and reached out for her hand. "You okay?"

[chasingangela]

Angela squeezed the offered appendage "Yea, I'm fine. I man, I'm not, but ..." her voice trailed off. "I didn't see him much after junior year? But it's sad to know someone from our class is gone." She shivered. "Especially in such an awful way."

"Are you okay?"

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Not really but... yeah."

Marty sighed and leaned back on the couch. "Outside of the one time we were stuck in a room with Bridge and Xander I really didn't get a chance to talk to him much."

[chasingangela]

Angela half-smiled. "He got in trouble with me, like, the first month of school," she said. "That alien-landing-pad painting thing where everyone dyed their hair."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

A small smile crossed Marty's lips. "Ah, yes... The infamous gremlin spit excuse."

[chasingangela]

"It made sense at the time," Angela said, feigning dignity. "But ... yeah. Thanks for telling me about Hamlet."

[oatmanspatient.livejournal.com]

Marty leaned over to give Angela a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry."