|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:25 pm
He had slipped Irelia a note in the middle of one of their classes, not looking forward to this meeting any more than he had the meetings with the other girls. He was burning his bridges. He could practically see the flames dancing in front of his eyes. He stared up at the dingy sign over Fakir's, the duck positively taunting him of all the hours he had spent inside, searching through the dusty tomes for something interesting to read. Running into Irelia.
They both seemed quite attached to this place, and he wasn't sure why, other than the books. Maybe it was the atmosphere. Maybe it was how empty it was, as if the owner didn't care if there were people inside or not, he was so obsessed with his reading and writing. Or maybe it was because no one else from school ever came here.
He hesitated rather than go in, and turned, leaning against the brick wall next to the door, his hands shoved into the pockets of his long blue trench coat, his pale blue eyes appraising the people walking past. Slowly, carefully, he started to fade from notice, as if just another detail in the brick walling, something that people instinctively looked over and around.
It was more interesting to watch people this way.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:24 pm
The note was not exactly cryptic - "meet me at Fakir's"- though Irelia wanted to know just what Antony wanted. Their last meeting had been something of a lost cause for her, she practically threw herself on him, and well. NOTHING HAPPENED. It was mildly irritating, as Irelia could practically steep herself in the thoughts of the males around her, disturbing as it was. Her moral code, as tarnished as it was, prevented her from prying in the thoughts of those she cared about, so Antony was a closed book to her. So was Jace. The two of them drove her mental.
So now she was walking in to Fakir's, curiousity getting the better of her, and she let her gaze fall on Antony. He was -too- pretty, the fine line between feminine and masculine almost crossed, prettier than most of the girls she knew.
Irelia had had a stern talking to about the state of her dress, so her usually revealing, sorta Pussycat Doll-esque dress had been replaced by well. A confusing combination of a leather jacket and a grey eyelet dress and tights. Irelia was still working the whole "dressing for success" route.
"Hey. We've gotta stop meeting like this."
Irelia flashed him a smile. And pushed down the tantalizing thought of reading his secrets. It was more fun being merely mortal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:27 pm
What could he say to that? We will? He sighed slightly and straightened, not surprised that she noticed him straight away. "Let's go in," he said with a slight smile. "I'm freezing."
He pushed the door open, holding it for her to go through first. There were some old chairs in the back for people doing research or just reading. He figured they could talk there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:34 pm
Even though Irelia was usually oblivious to body language, she couldn't help but notice an apparent level of... seriousness that was far heightened compared to his usual level of serious. Which was pretty serious.
She followed him to the chairs at the back, piling her books and coat unceremoniously on the floor beside her.
"So. Shoot. What's got you so worked up that you can't talk to Jace about it."
This was said with an icy overtone. The two of them must think she was an idiot; she was a light sleeper, and Jace wasn't exactly subtle when she clomped out of her room. She hated people having secrets she couldn't share in, absolutely despised it, but still she wouldn't read their secrets. So she just had to guess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:37 pm
He blinked before he sat down across from her. "I told Jace," he told her calmly. "And now I'm going to tell you. I'm going on vacation on the thirteenth for a week. Then at the end of next month I'm going to go tour some colleges."
It was blunt, but he was sick of trying to candy coat things. And he figured she would appreciate the news right off instead of him trying to make polite.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:44 pm
Irelia stared at him blankly.
"What's with the doomsday announcement?"
Irelia didn't get what the big deal was. AS SOON AS she turned sixteen she was so buying a cherry red motorcycle. And her and Jace can be badasses and visit him. No big.
Irelia crossed her legs, and looked at him expectantly, her chin on her hand.
"There must be more to this than just THAT, going to college doesn't destroy friendships or anything. Whenever I get a chance, I'll be going too. You're not the only brainiac, remember?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:46 pm
"Now, see, that's exactly the response I've been looking for," he said, leaning back and relaxing. "I might take a while, of course, since I'm going for my law degree, and I'll have to get my bachelors in something else first. But I'll be coming home on the weekends, if I can find a place close enough, and on the holidays for certain."
But Jace had made it seemed as if the world was ending and Delilah had sounded as if he was abandoning her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:56 pm
Irelia laughed.
"Seriously, I'm just pissed I can't go too. I have too many misdemeaners this year, and still not enough credits. Probably next semester, if i want to," Irelia shrugged, "I'm not sure if I want to go right away, I missed a lot of being a teen last time I lived."
Irelia spent a moment getting Antony up to speed. It was no big deal, she was just an ex-goddess of a dimension run by books. No wonder she was always drawn back to this place.
"To be honest Antony, we were never as good of friends as say, you and Iggy. Or even you and Jace; I was always behind you and it drove me mad. Without trying, you were better than me at EVERYTHING and i resorted to pilfering through your secrets because that was the only upper hand that i had. It's hard for me to always feel like i have to try so hard to be friends with people, when that's all I want. For people to accept me. Except its always, "Oh Irelia's nice and all, if only for -blank-."
Irelia swiped at her eyes angrily. She was not trying to get all upset and melancholy at this.
"So I really appreciate you thinking of me as an important enough friend to tell me this personally. You have things so. So..." Irelia was at a loss for words, "...Easy."
"And don't give me crap about ghosts. Or Rudolfo. Those are easy, compared to the simple fact that you are LIKEABLE."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:59 pm
He looked at her. Then he looked at her for a longer moment before leaning on one elbow, resting his head on a fist. "I see," he said. "And you came to this conclusion on your own?"
It was infuriating, the kind of response that would make many people want to hit him. And he knew it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:08 pm
Irelia shook her head.
"I don't know why I even bother sometimes," Irelia grabbed her coat off the floor, dislodging her books, "Sometimes I think to myself, hey, Antony's a good guy, he will totally listen to me."
Irelia knelt down and scrounged for her books, but they were proving to be illusive.
"But you don't. Not really. You hear me talk and then you say something completely arbitrary, or rude, and it gets my hackles up. So if you wanted a clean break. Here it is."
Irelia grabbed her last book, and straightened up, fixing her hair.
And then she swooped down, grabbed his collar and forced her lips to his. Moving a fraction of an inch back, she looked at him with icy eyes.
"I liked you. Deal with it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:12 pm
He smiled slightly, reaching up and pushing one huge curl back behind her shoulder. "I've always liked you, Irelia. Well, almost always. I wasn't quite sure what to think of you when we first met. But now I consider you a friend. And to tell the truth, I don't have many friends. Especially ones I'm willing to tell about my abilities to."
Then he pulled his hand back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:22 pm
"And I don't have many friends either, Antony."
Irelia sighed, and put on her jacket again.
"And now I have my answer. So have fun on your trip and everything, find a good college and all that jazz."
Irelia paused, and then went on.
"But don't expect me to come running to you with open arms when you return. I might not have a lot of friends but at least I try. Or at least I'm honest with them, rather than your piddly attempts at being real."
Irelia shook her head, and turned to leave. She was cutting her losses, and it sucked and she hated herself for doing it, but she turned back to Antony.
"And another thing. If you ******** touch Jace again I will hurt you. I won't kill you because you will of course have to be ******** IRONIC and come back and haunt me. But seriously. No one I know should have to put up with that crap. I'm done trying. I really am. I don't despise you, or hate you or anything. I'm just tired of this. If you actually considered me a friend you wouldn't act the way you do around me. So ******** get a clue."
And Irelia left, slamming Fakir's door behind her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:25 pm
Yeah, he thought, he had screwed up in SO many ways. Mentally he watched the burning bridges, leaning back in his chair.
"So," Thanatos said softly, slowly shifting into sight. "Are you ready to listen to me now?"
Antony turned his head, looking at him silently. "I might."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
