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 Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:25 pm
"Aye, tha's not a bad idea, really," Faolan said, then clapped a hand on Rory's shoulder. "Th' lad here knows th' teacher better'n me. He should show you about while I go find a few rousties t' help wi' movin' your vardo." He pushed Rory forward toward the girl a little, then headed off to the area of the camps where most of the roustabouts lived.
Rory grinned at the girl. "Well, bonny lass. Shall we?" He offered Lee his arm.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:38 pm
Wait, what? "That's not..." Lee's words faded as she watched Faolan walk off. No, Faolan! Don't leave me with this guy... Slumping her shoulders forward in defeat, Lee turned back to Rory with a weak smile. Hesitantly, she grabbed the arm of what seemed like her escort for the day and let him lead the way. Hopefully she wouldn't pass out or get a nose bleed during all this...
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:06 pm
Rory led Lee into the tent to show her around the small classrooms, each divided from the others by hung quilts. "It ain't fancy, but we learn well here." He took her about, introducing her to the teachers and pointing out how they kept the students separate depending on grade level.
After showing the girl around, Rory took her back outside, hands in his pockets and shoulders hunched a little so he could lean down to talk with Lee. "Hae you eatin' yet, girl? Could get some lunch. My treat."
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:28 pm
Walking around with Rory and politely introducing herself to the teachers, Lee couldn't help but make comparisons of this school to her private school back in the upper districts. To say the least, it was a bit of a culture shock. It would help, though, if she had a familiar face in class when she started attending. After Rory mentioned the separation of grade levels, she looked up at him and tilted her head. "What grade are you in, then?"
Lee wasn't one to decline food, and smiled up at the boy after his offer. "Yes, please." She'd been a fan of carnival food since she arrived in Farstep, and such a meal was worth the chance of dying from embarrassment talking with Rory.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:51 pm
"I'm a senior, e'en though I'm only sixteen. Th' clan has this rule about th' cut-off dates fae grades," Rory drawled out as he escorted Lee through the carnival grounds. "I wis born just afore the date, so I got t' gae t' school a year early. Donnae matter, really. I'll be seventeen soon enough." He glanced at her sidelong. "What about you, girl? What grade be you in?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:36 pm
"Y-you're only sixteen?" She nearly stopped walking at the words, but quickly resumed her stroll from before. Rory definitely seemed older. She was convinced now -- never, ever guess someone age. This was her third wrong guess in a month. At any rate, he was still in her class, right? "I'm a senior, too. 'Cept, I'm seventeen." Tugging a bit at the ends of her hair, Lee looked to the ground as they walked, finally getting the courage to ask a question that was nagging at her. "Do you think maybe... you could walk me to class on my first day?" Her cheeks reddened, and she suddenly felt the need to come up with excuses as to why she'd ask such a thing. "I just don't wanna get lost is all... And, other people might accept me more if I come with you. I might not be so much of an 'outsider'..." Oh jeez, why had she even bothered to open her mouth?
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Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:44 pm
"I donnae mind walkin' you t'class at all," Rory chuckled. "Where's Faolan got you livin', girl? I didnae think he'd hae much room fae more people 'round his vardo." He looked down at Lee as they walked. "You're surprised I'm younger'n you, I take it? I thought you were fifteen, actually, or my age." He stopped and took her hand so she'd stop, too. "Look, lass, th' best way fae you t'not seem like an outsider is t'not be one. People join th' didikai clans all th' time, so we be use t'not hearin' th' accent from some people, but if'n you keep feelin' like an outsider, people here, they're gonna treat you as one, and you ain't an outsider. Not anymore." He started walking again, still holding Lee's hand. "There be a pizza vendor up here. You like tha' sorta food?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:40 am
Lee's eyes peered up at Rory for just a moment, just to make sure she hadn't imagined him agreeing. Eyes wandering back down, a small smile crossed her lips. "Faolan gave me his old vardo. It's gonna pretty close to his, I think." She'd show him if he asked, but she certainly wasn't about to invite him over, simply because she'd heard that sends the wrong message. But she had to admit, while Rory took some getting used to, he was very... likable. Well, at least until he told her how old he thought she was. "Wait, what?! I don't look that young..." Folding her arms, Lee felt the urge to kick the boy in the shin, as she'd done the last time such words had been spoken to her. She was almost an adult, dangit! And of all the people to say something, it was someone younger than her.
Her pout was ended early, however, when Rory took her hand. The annoyance was replaced with a fuzzy, almost nauseous feeling, one that kept her gaze straight up at the boy as he spoke. She couldn't get herself to smile or say anything in return, not even a nod. Because for once, someone had told her she belonged and she believed them.
While starting to walk again -- apparently for pizza? -- ruined the mood that had been building in her from the thought, she was a little relieved to not have to say anything about it. To being with, she wasn't entirely sure Rory would understand, but more importantly, opening up wasn't really Lee's cup of tea. So instead, she happily went on to talk about food. "Actually... I'm not sure I've ever eaten pizza..."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:45 am
"How did you manage t' be seventeen an' ne'er hae pizza, girl?" Rory chuckled, leading her toward the vendor's booth. "As fae how young you look, take tha' as an asset. Might not seem much now, but youthful looks hae they're advantages later on. At least no one's thinkin' you look older, eh? I get people thinkin' I'm o'er twenty all the time. I'm still a lad, you know. Figure I'll get t' twenty, an' then people will be thinkin' I be thirty. Ay, such is life, yeah?"
He stepped up to the vendor when it was their turn and ordered a few slices of cheese pizza with ground hamburger on it then looked at Lee. "There's a menu there if'n you want a different kind."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:37 pm
Lee shrugged, keeping it to herself that her parents would never allow such a meal to be brought into their home. There was no reason to mention she came from a completely opposite lifestyle when she was trying to fit in.
While looking young had it's advantages later, who was to say she'd still be baby faced then? There was no stopping wrinkling. Looking up at Rory as he spoke, she had to admit, she wouldn't have guessed he was any younger than twenty either. "That's good, though. Girls like older looking guys." Or so she remembered hearing from her friends. Still, he had a point. But when she'd thought he was older, it hadn't entirely been about his looks. "See? You say things that most sixteen-year-olds wouldn't. I dun think most'd think that far ahead..." She sure didn't care what she looked like at thirty, or even twenty for that matter.
Rubbing the back of her neck, Lee shrugged and nodded. "Whatever is fine..." Hamburger, pepperoni, ham, she had no clue what those would taste like as toppings, and assumed there wouldn't be too big a difference in taste. A pizza's a pizza, right?
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:50 pm
Rory ordered two more slices of the same kind as he'd gotten for Lee, then turned to look at her. "I donnae think I'm much different from most lads me age, but most o' th' lads I know are from th' clan here. We all tend t' think on some future or other. Kinda hae t' in this place if'n you wanna be earnin' your keep later."
When the food arrived, he carried both plates over to a table, motioning Lee to get their drinks, then sat down. "I'm not rightly sure what your life wis afore comin' here, but didikai are pretty social wi' each other an' we know tha' th' best way t' live is by sharin'. Everyone does their part. I donnae know if tha' makes much sense."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:49 pm
Was she really the only one who didn't think about the future? In fact, the very thought made her uneasy, especially now that she could potentially be dragged away at any moment. Maybe Rory found his future inviting? Hers would be spent either hiding from her parents or going to college, both of which she'd strongly prefer not to dwell on for too long. Lee knew the only reason a cop hadn't barged in and took her home already was because she knew it would be social suicide for the family; as soon as details got out that the Katan daughter had been forced away from her pikey husband, Mrs. Katan would lose all social standing. But that wasn't guaranteeing the woman didn't think up something on her own; these next few months, Lee would have to remain vigilant.
Her thoughts being pulled back from that tangent, Lee grabbed the drinks and followed Rory, sitting across the table from him, eying the pizza somewhat suspiciously. "It makes sense..." She reassured him. "We just did the complete opposite of that where I'm from. Look out for yourself only. Can't really trust people, either. Or at least that's what I'd hear my parents say." It was much easier to appreciate a community like this when she compared the two. Lee lifted a slice of pizza and watched the grease drip onto her plate. This is gonna be really good or really awful... Hesitantly, she took a bite, and in the next instant she had gobbled down the whole slice. Had she really gone seventeen years without trying this? It was official; Farstep had the tastiest, greasiest foods she'd ever eaten.
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:56 pm
"Your parents, they ain't exactly wrong. It is hard t' trust people at times," Rory said, taking a few bites of his own pizza. His foot nudged Lee's a bit as he stretched his long legs out under the table, relaxing in her presence. "You get t' where you learn after a time who you can trust an' who t' steer clear from." He looked up at her through his bangs, blue eyes partially hidden. "I hope you might be thinkin' o' me as the former."
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:42 pm
Rubbing her cheek, it made her a little nauseous to hear someone say her parents were right. A small blush grew in her cheeks when she felt Rory's foot, but it quickly faded. Shrugging at his question, she thought he seemed maybe a little mischievous, but after talking to him a bit he seemed like an "okay guy". "I s'pose." She looked up from her pizza to look at the boy, cocking her head a bit. "Should I?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:47 pm
"Perhaps. I donnae think Faolan would leave you wi' me if'n he thought I'd be trouble fae you, yeah?" Rory chuckled, going back to eating. "After we're done here, I can show you where I live if you want."
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