Pride & Persistence

Ian swallowed and looked down to his hands on the table, picking at a hangnail that gathered his attention on his thumb. "With Em," he confessed, not looking up. With the girl that his parents still thought was his girlfriend, because Ian hadn't told them otherwise yet. He took a breath and, as he exhaled, the words came out slowly too. "We broke up last week. Anjya confronted Em about it. They got into a fight."

“Em…Emily…” Roger repeated dumbfounded. Becca schooled her face to unreadable, even as her eyes flashed.

“You broke up… and Anjya fought with Em over it… and Uncle Salu will call me about it.” Becca summed up what her child was telling her. “What did Emily do?” She finally questioned.

Ian could hear it in his mother's tone. She already knew. She had to know. ... or maybe he was just projecting his wishful thinking so that he wouldn't have to say it out loud. He realized that had to be it and he put his head in his hands now, elbow on the table, and released a shaky, pained breath. "I walked in on her and Hammond," he whispered, the heels of his hands pressing against closed eyes. "... together." There was no doubt what his addition of that word meant he had seen.

Roger sighed from his spot, reaching over to set a hand on his son’s shoulder. Becca’s anger washed over her in a red tide. She swallowed it for now, moving up to her feet to step around the table. Without a word, her arms wrapped around Ian. With him sitting, she was the perfect height to rest her head on his shoulder and hold him like she used to when he was a child. She didn’t say a word as Roger cleared his throat.

“I am sorry Ian, that is… a horrible situation. “ Roger sighed.

“I could rip her hair out.” Becca lost control of her anger as she held Ian.

“Becca, “ Rog warned lowly.

“Did Anjya get some good shots in?” Becca asked far too hopefully.

Ian didn't know what he wanted in this moment. To yell and shove his parents away from him and tell them that he was fine, even though he wasn't. Or to turn into his mother and hug her for everything he had. Since he couldn't decide, he just sat there, his eyes burning against the heels of his hands, and he tried to bring his emotions under control like he was supposed to. He was too humiliated to have any luck with that, though. His breath was shaky, his heart pounded in his chest. "Yeah... I think so..." he mumbled in response to his mother. "God- I was such a moron-" he muttered.

Becca stroked her fingers through Ian’s hair, her anger continuing to boil. “No, you aren’t. “ she insisted perhaps a slight sharper than she should. Roger gave her a look and she sighed. “Ian, this doesn’t fall back on you at all.” She didn’t relinquish her hold. “You cared for her. She will regret this , one day she will know. “

"I'm the moron who thought a girl like that could actually like a guy like me," Ian groaned his counter to his mother's argument. He should have known better. Em was too pretty, too popular, too sporty to be genuinely interested in the nerdy Ian.

Becca released a noise of outrage. She released Ian only so she could grab his face and direct it up to her. “In every race you win. Loyalty, intelligence, strength, humor, morals, the list goes on Ian. You don’t let this girl tear you apart, you hear me?” She demanded.

Ian pulled his face away from his mother, or tried to, "That's not how high school works," he protested. "Okay? I should have known better and I didn't. Didn't see it coming." Ian wasn't usually blindsided by things. He was too observant for that, most of the time. "Just- don't- don't try to make this better. Please. I can't-" he couldn't take it if she tried to fix this by making him feel better. He would fall apart.

“Oka-“ Roger began, but Becca softened now, her expression half broken for him.

“High school is short.” She told him gently, or as gently as she ever seemed to go. “There will be other girls, ones who appreciate you. This is a bump.”

"Yeah... well... you know... real good look for the first time I go and date someone in high school," Ian muttered. Somehow, people knew he didn't date. Now they knew he was the one who Em cheated on. He cast a look his father's direction, then let his gaze fall again, realizing he couldn't bring himself to really look at his father. He had almost made the exact type of mistake his father warned him against. "High school's not short enough," he whispered, "and now Anjya might be suspended, too." Which meant he also would be weathering all of this without his best friend for a while.

Becca gave the softest snort. “Let Anjya’s parents worry about that.” She slid into the seat beside him. “You have one more year, Ian. This isn’t the end of it all, I promise.” She squeezed his hand.

“Your mother is right, but you have every right to mope for a bit. How about you go on up to your room? I will fix you a plate when everything is ready. Take the night to relax, the girls won’t bother you.” Roger sent his son a sympathetic look.

Ian groaned at the idea that there was one more year to deal with all of this. Nevertheless, he leaned towards his mother so that his head flopped onto her shoulder. As much as he wanted to be grown and tried to fight it, he did find comfort from his parents. His father's offer to bring him the food was very welcomed, as was the validation that he was allowed to mope. After a minute of leaning against his mother, he nodded and sat back up. "Thanks," he murmured to them both as he rose to his feet. Once on his feet, though, he couldn't get out of the room fast enough to go disappear in his bedroom where he fully planned on hiding out all night.

“Becs-“ Roger turned to his wife but she already had her phone out.

“He will call me if I don’t.” Becca pointed out and lifted the phone to her ear.

Ooc akip?

OOC: Sure. Do we want to do the phone call with Tellisie, Salu, and the principal?

Ooc I don’t know why I have no inspiration for that , yesterday I was exhausted but I got plenty of sleep last night and my brain is blanking completely

OOC: Okay. Then do we want to skip to Anjya coming over to try to convince Ian to go to the dance?

Ooc could you place Ian in his room? I am going to have Anjya appear in the doorway with his suit and toss it at him XD

OOC: Sure thing.

BIC: Ian hadn't been taking the breakup well, even if he was the one who decided it. He knew it was right, but it still hurt. Knowing that Emily didn't care for him the way he had cared for her was a blow that he didn't know how to manage. He was grieving-- not something he really had learned how to do very efficiently. For him, it looked like avoiding friends and teammates, skipping a practice or two, and ditching chess club, all so he could go home and hide out in his room. Music, homework, and junk food that his mother wouldn't appreciate. That was all part of his healing method. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to get away with this, but he was aiming to try it for a few more days-- because it wasn't just the breakup, it was also the embarrassment of how it all came to be being such public knowledge.

Tonight was just more of the same. Avoiding thinking about the dance he was planning on taking Em to. Avoiding thinking about the way they would have talked and laughed and kissed and... maybe even something more. Putting music on in his earbuds so loud that he couldn't hear anything outside of it-- blocking out his heartache while he tried to focus on homework that was too basic to keep his interest. Who needed a dumb dance anyway, right? He had gone this long without one, why should he need to change that?

“Are you a princess for tonight?” Charlie followed Anjya to the door, dressed up in a ballerina outfit that had seen better days. Anjya paused to send Ian’s littlest sister a grin.

“Yes.” Anjya decided in the moment and sent the eight year old a wink. Princess was a stretch, Anjya was half convinced she looked Ike she belonged at the dance as much as Charlotte looked like she belonged at a ballet company production. Her mother insisted she looked stunning, but stunning was a word people used to describe … well.. her mother. Tellisie had helped Aniya pick the dress, a vivid green number that matched her eyes and contrasted her dark hair, it hugged her form with lofty loops of soft material that made the dress flow with every step she took. IT was stunning. It cost too much money. When Anjya had asked how Papa would feel about it, her mother had simply snorted. She had done the same when picking out the earrings, necklace and makeup, finally insisting Salu would want to spoil his only daughter.

Of course, that had all been before Em cheated on Ian and ruined the dance. For one, Anjya’s attendance had been dependent on Ian’s and for two- Anjya didn’t WANT to go without Ian anyways. The whole point had been for them to go together originally. So Anjya had come to terms that the dance wasn’t happening…

Until today…

When that bitch showed up to school hanging off of Peter Irwin’s arm, laughing loudly and shrieking with delight anytime he leaned close to her. It was an obvious move, seeing that Ian had dumped her, Brody had apparently wanted nothing but a screw, but Peter? Peter was the star swim captain. He was handsome, tall, blonde- and Anjya …

Well…

Anjya had made a decision she knew Ian would disagree with.

But Ian was wrong sometimes. And this was one of those times.

She strode into Ian’s room now, pausing only for a second to take in the sight of him sulking at his desk. A sigh escaped her before she steeling her shoulders, hoisted the hefty black bag in her arms and then tossed it onto the desk with a smack.

Ian's math book was no match for the large and heavy bag tossed upon it. Ian, who had had no idea someone had come to his room, could have jumped out of his chair in surprise-- as it was, maybe he should have. He pushed back from his desk so rapidly that his rolling chair couldn't keep up. Instead of rolling away, it tipped back and sent him sprawling to the floor. He narrowly avoided missing hitting his head on his bedside as he went down and found himself looking up at the ceiling in confusion. With befuddlement, Ian at least gained enough of his senses to yank an earbud out of his ear and look around, "What is--" he started in an angry demand, then his eyes fell on Anjya and his tone changed, "-- happening?" He was completely dumbstruck by what he saw before him. Anjya was... dressed to the nines like he had never seen before. She was... "Wow..." he murmured, not able to get out any of the words that described his best friend in the moment. Slowly, he pushed himself to sit up on the floor, ignoring the fallen over chair. "Uhm- you look- wow-" he breathed out again, the shock on his face not caused by his fall.

Anjya had a hand on her hip and hitched a brow as Ian went down. With anyone else she might have worried- but Ian? An amused tilt hit her lips, then froze as he stared at her. “Oh…you think-?” She paused , then lifted a hand to the arm bangle currently hugging her bicep. Of course her mother had convinced her to embrace some of her Greek heritage. She felt uncomfortable for a mere moment as she was essentially on display, but quickly brushed it off. “So you gonna hurry up and get ready or are we going to be late?” She asked, going over to the desk to unzip the suit bag.

Ian frowned, following her movements with his eyes. He finally caught sight of the bag after tracking Anjya to it and stood up, looking confused now. "Uhm- did you forget? I'm not going to the dance," he reminded her of something that he clearly thought should be obvious. He didn't exactly want to go to the dance tonight. He knew Em would be there-- with whatever date she had brought. He also knew there were tons of people that were going to be there-- plenty of people who he didn't want to have to look at when they were looking at him. Awkward. Everything about it was going to be awkward.

“Uhm, did you forget? You promised.” Anjya mirrored back, tugging the suit out. It was as tall as her on the hangar, but she shook it out and went to his bed, laying it out. “You said you would take me to the dance, so chop chop, I expect to be dancing away in thirty minutes. “ she faced Ian and her hand found her hip again.

Ian looked up to the ceiling like he was trying to find strength, then to Anjya again, "There's going to be another dance, right? Can't I take you to that?" He asked, not able to completely remove the pleading tone from his voice. "I really- really- don't want to go tonight..." he emphasized it in a way that spoke of the heartbreak he was getting over and how much he wasn't ready to put himself out there tonight. "Please?" He added, hoping she would understand and just let it go.