An Art Gala on the Quad

While you're walking outside, you hear the sound of chatter and laughter from the not-so-distant quad. Your interest piqued, you cross the block to get to the quad and see an array of canvases set up on the green.

There’s a small crowd milling around, clumps of people talking with each other about the art on display. The first painting that catches your eye is one of a massive windmill looking over a cloudy river in a style reminiscent of the Dutch Masters. You walk up to it, taking in the detailed brushwork. Great care has gone into making the faint cracks in the brickwork, the blurred reflections, the blend of blues in the sky come alive, and you’re half surprised this thing isn’t hanging in a museum already.

“That was where I grew up,” you hear a voice say next to you.

Brooke’s dressed in jean overalls that have a hint of paint dashed across them, green and brown earth tones that probably went into the painting you’re currently admiring.

“Impressive,” you say, trying your best to keep your eyes on the painting and not on the curves of the girl who’s suddenly come up by your side. “Doubly so, now that I know it’s you who was behind the canvas."

“You think so?” Brooke says, looking up at you. “Not many people have come by to look at my painting today. I think the style might not be… as catchy as the other things on display. The traditional side is really losing out.”

“What do you mean?” you ask, but then you realise that the people standing around this section of the quad, with its still life and landscape paintings, is rather lightly populated—those that are sticking around look like professors or grad students or people from the town itself, rather than the undergrads.

Those young folk happen to be flocking by the other end of the quad.

“It’s modern art on the other side, but not like, gallery modern art. It’s the kind of digital art that you could find on DeviantArt,” she says with a frown.

You’re personally not sure that’s such a bad thing, but you squint a bit, looking across the quad to the pictures there, and you find your attention caught by what seems to be a ‘big-tiddy anime girl,’ so to speak. You take a step in that direction.

“No, don’t tell me you’re going there too…” she says, a look of hopelessness crossing her face.

Just then, you see a dark-haired girl running across the length of the quad.

{if Jennifer > 0} It’s Jennifer!

“Suck it, Brooke,” she laughs, drawing closer, “looks like our side’s going to keep up the tradition of winning the popularity contest.”

Brooke shrugs.

“Jennifer’s just an asshole,” she says to you, paying no attention to Jennifer.

“Oh wait, you’re here Alex?” Jennifer says suddenly, turning to you.

“Nope,” you reply, stepping backwards. “I’m not here.”

{else}

Jennifer

“Suck it, Brooke,” she laughs, drawing closer, “looks like our side’s going to keep up the tradition of winning the popularity contest.”

Brooke shrugs.

“Jennifer’s just an asshole,” she says to you, paying no attention to Jennifer.

“And who are you?” Jennifer says, looking at you. She looks familiar to you… you’re pretty sure you’ve seen her before.

“Alex,” you say. “Are you, by any chance, in East Hall?”

“Oh, that’s who you are! I keep seeing you around the dorm,” she says. “So, you decided to show up?”

“Nope,” you reply, stepping backwards. “I’m not here.”

{endif}

You’re not sure what exactly is going on between the two girls—some popularity contest based on the art exhibition?—but you don’t think you want to be a part of it.

“You should stick around for just a bit,” Brooke says, touching your arm. “We’re about to do a count for both sides in a second.”

“You should at least check out our side first, if you’re going to be counted on a side though,” Jennifer says, getting her own arm touch in too.

Well, both of them are making good points, which leaves you with no easy answer for the pickle you’re in.

Brooke +10
Jennifer +5