Untill then, I'll be The Great Unkown. on Labyrinth Gardens

Renaye Warren

October 28, 2007 1:32 AM

Being secretive... [TAG: Brett] by Renaye Warren

Renaye knew what she was going to do, but she knew Irene would be mad. Well, too bad. This was for her own good. Raye was worried about her cousin. Irene had been all... very un-Irene-like ever since the summer. She would laugh at jokes, but she always seemed distracted. She had picked up the habit of keeping her hair in her face, where her bruise use to be. Raye felt terrible for her best friend, but she felt even worse that Irene would let a pathetic scum like Uncle Damon get to her. She was so above him! As far as Raye was concerned, neither of them was related to him. Renaye was doing an intervention. It was time this stopped. In order to do this, she was going to find Brett.

Josh had decided he was going to stay out of it. It was probably not going to be the most comfortable convorsation and he didn't want Irene upset with him. Understandable, but still. Renaye hoped Brett would get it. He was her boyfriend! Surely he would want what's best for her... right? She just hoped she was right about what was best for her... No. She was right. Irene couldn't be that girl who was always looking over her shoulder, keeping an eye on her past. Raye was going to get her past that if it was the last thing she did.

Her plan was to find Brett. He must have noticed the weirdness. Once she found him, she would explain her plan to sit Irene down and tell her that she couldn't dwell on this whole summer thing. No more. Brett knew about that, right? Irene wouldn't keep something as big as that secret... would she? Renaye hated it when she was like this! She didn't even know what Irene was like anymore when she went all weird... Renaye looked around from the spot on her bench, her blonde bangs falling into her face as she spotted Brett.

"Brett!" she called, waving him over. "Care to acompany me for a bit?"

0 Renaye Warren Being secretive... [TAG: Brett] 0 Renaye Warren 1 5

Brett Hodges

October 28, 2007 10:23 AM

Just call me Unnamed Secret Agent #23 by Brett Hodges

Brett was hanging out in the gardens just him and his second favorite soccer ball. It was one of those days where it wasn't really summer anymore but it wasn't fall either and it was just nice. Brett breathed in the air, noting how excellent the lack of humidity was treating him, pumping up his energy for a productive practice. He'd been running in the gardens every day this week, but without Tyler there, it was getting boring. Thus, this time he brought the ball. He'd have to run slower, but practicing his footwork would keep his brain occupied. He was still stretching when Irene's cousin, Renaye called his name and waved.

"Care to accompany me for a bit?" Renaye asked.

He suddenly remembered the penetrating look her brother Josh had given him at the Quidditch game.

"Uh, okay?" he said and followed her. One of his mugs had gone out with a girl once who, out of nowhere, decided that Zand had broken up with her. Zand swore up and down he hadn't, and one of her friends figured out later that the girl had taken something he said the wrong way. Irene wasn't insane like that.

He hoped. She'd been a little off lately. Was that him? Crap, what was he doing wrong? He tried to think, but nothing came to him. Maybe her family found out he was a son of squibs? That might be bad. He should have told her. Wait, no, they'd been together like, what, a few weeks? It wasn't that long that she'd be mad about it. It wasn't like she'd given him a copy of her family tree either.

Renaye seemed serious about something, though.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked.\r\n\r\n

0 Brett Hodges Just call me Unnamed Secret Agent #23 0 Brett Hodges 0 5

Renaye

October 28, 2007 11:01 AM

Don't worry. We'll think of something for you. by Renaye

As Brett headed over, Renaye was thinking about how she was going to put this... Somehow, "Your girlfriends acting messed up so we're going fix her" was the first thing in her mind, but didn't seem to work so well. Brett looked worried as he headed over.

"Am I in trouble?"

Raye laughed a little. She didn't like this whole 'I'm being really serious' thing she had going on right now. Too bad that's how she needed to be for the moment.

"No, no," she said, folding her legs up pretzel style. "But I need your help with something. Warning: It's not going to be a walk in the park." What was she going to do if he refused to help her? She didn't really know of anyone else she could go to. There was Elly, but Renaye didn't know her very well. They had only met over the summer.

"Here's my plan," she said, "You have to have noticed Irene acting off lately. Since that whole thing over the summer. She's tough. What happened when she was little made her tough, but she let's emotional stuff really get to her. She always has a reason, and a good one, but this time it's going too far to her head. I don't her to be like this forever."

She paused. If he had questions or something, she was listening. She menatally had her fingers crossed, hoping he would help her...

0 Renaye Don't worry. We'll think of something for you. 0 Renaye 0 5

Brett Hodges

October 28, 2007 8:43 PM

That would be nice by Brett Hodges

Not in trouble, huh? Guess that question showed his guilty conscience pretty clear. Renaye forced a laugh, and he smiled uncertainly and sunk down beside her on the grass, stretching his legs out in front of him. He picked a blade of green and before he could inspect it, Renaye explained, "But I need your help with something. Warning: It's not going to be a walk in the park."

"Meh, walking's boring anyway," he joked, flicking the blade back with its brethren, "What's up?"

"Here's my plan," she said, "You have to have noticed Irene acting off lately.

Well, yeah. Irene was acting a bit weird sometimes. Mostly when the Quidditch bash came up. Brett assumed something had happened just before it, by minutes or even days. It had something to do with the bruise that had just been beginning to show at the party. Irene didn't want to talk about it, and Brett--having dealt with Echo's issues all summer--had recognized a sore spot and known better than ask.

"Since that whole thing over the summer. She's tough," Irene's cousin continued, making like he ought to know what she was talking about, "What happened when she was little made her tough, but she lets emotional stuff really get to her. She always has a reason, and a good one, but this time it's going too far to her head. I don't her to be like this forever."

Brett had no idea what she was talking about, at least not on the level of specifics. One thing he understood real clear was that something happened over the summer--nothing new there--and Irene was letting it get to her. Renaye wanted to believe Irene was stronger than that.

Maybe she wasn't. It was hard to tell because Brett didn't know what it was she was dealing with. Maybe it was something big. Big things were not outside of his personal experience. He had moved away from his dad to Sundance, Wyoming--which wasn't much on the sun compared to Southern California where he'd lived previously. That was pretty big. Not only was he the new kid at school, made to sit with the outcasts, Echo and OneT, but he and his mom were also adjusting to not having his dad around anymore. That was pretty big. Going emo last year from homesickness and culture shock before he met Irene had been big, too. Finding out his family wasn't what it seemed to be was big. Being emotional support to Echo for his phobia coming out and Zand for his monster breakup this past summer had been big, too. They had all survived--sometimes Echo was still touch and go (no pun intended), but in all, things were working out. So whatever Irene's big bad was, he wasn't worried.

But Renaye was worried, and that gave him pause.

"Forever is a long time," he said neutrally. He didn't know how to tell her this, but he didn't believe in forever. Everything changes. Echo flashed across his mind and Brett couldn't believe his friend would never be able to date, or that he'd grow up just as weird and awkward as he was now. Bad things didn't last. People adapted to new situations. It was like their job. Irene would too, she just needed time.

"Look, Irene hasn't talked to me about any of this yet," he admitted, "But when she's ready to talk about it, she will and I don't think we should rush her. I mean, you met Echo, right? Big curly," he held his hands out to demonstrate how big this hair was, rendering the noun unnecessary. "He's got some things he needs to work out, and he was doing good with it until his parents found out and tried to 'help.' I don't want to do that to Irene."

0 Brett Hodges That would be nice 0 Brett Hodges 0 5

Raye and Irene

October 29, 2007 9:48 PM

Don't worry. I'll try. by Raye and Irene

Renaye's heart seriously almost stopped. Brett's confused look clearly told her that he didn't know what she was talking about. Crap... Did she just sell Irene out to him? She thought he knew! Man, if she had a chance at avoiding trouble with her cousin she just blew it. Well she never expected to get through this without Irene being upset with her.

"Look, Irene hasn't talked to me about any of this yet," he admitted, "But when she's ready to talk about it, she will and I don't think we should rush her. I mean, you met Echo, right? He's got some things he needs to work out, and he was doing good with it until his parents found out and tried to 'help.' I don't want to do that to Irene."

Renaye closed her green eyes for a second. "Sorry," she said, opening her eyes again. "I thought she told you. But I'm going to talk to her. If there's anyone I know, it's Irene. I've had my mind made up, it was only a question of who was going to be there with me." Brett seemed to doubt that she knew what she was talking about. Renaye had grown up with Irene. Well, since she moved in with Uncle Mike. She had practically lived with her since she was six, with Raye's parents never being around. Irene was really good at ignoring the subject of her past around other people and thinking about it constantly when she wasn't around others. Irene had talked to her briefly about how she felt about everything, but, in short, she had pretty much said that she was furious at her dad. Well Raye already knew that. It was the few words in between that made her worried. Things like, "I can't believe he actually did it..." and the vague look on her face when she decribed the look on his face...

"You don't have to do this. I get what you're saying. I really do, but I honestly think someone needs to talk to her. Once you know the whole story I think you'll understand more." It may have sounded ignorant, but Raye believed it. This was something where you needed to know the whole story. He knew Irene well, but he didn't know everything. Renaye heaved a sigh and looked around the Gardens with a distant look on her face, but out of the corner of her eye she saw someone that she really didn't need here right now...

"Raye!" Irene said, smiling over at her cousin. "Brett! Two of my favorite people!" Irene walked closer to the two, but as she did, noticed the rarely serious look on Raye's face.

"What?" She said, stopping where she was. Renaye always looked happy. There was never good news behind a serious Renaye.

"Um... Irene," Raye said, "I need to talk to you."

"Is someone hurt?" She said, her mind jumping into panic mode. Renaye shook her head and took Irene by the arm. Irene stood her ground though.

"What's going on?" Irene looked over to Brett. What was going on? Renyae seemed reluctant to say whatever it was in front of Brett. That could only lead her to one conclusion: It was probably about something he didn't know about and that only left her dad. Irene let out a breath.

"Oh," She said. "We'll talk later," she said in an even tone. She was going to have to tell Brett eventually anyway and she was going to do it now, now that the situation brought up the question. Renaye raised her eyebrows at her cousin. Irene sat down on the grass next to Brett.

"Later," Renaye said, giving her cousin a wave. As she walked away she turned and said. "And I mean it. Later."

Irene turned back to her boyfriend. How do you start to explain something like this?

"I think I know what she was talking about," Irene said. "And I think I owe you an explanation."

OOC: Sorry to completely switch this up on you. I was trying to get this in before the fast-approaching midterm.

0 Raye and Irene Don't worry. I'll try. 0 Raye and Irene 0 5

Irene

October 29, 2007 9:49 PM

OOC... by Irene

I meant to add to the OOC: If this messes with something you had planned or something just send me an e-mail and I can rewrite it or something.

0 Irene OOC... 0 Irene 0 5

Brett Hodges

October 31, 2007 9:57 PM

Untill then, I'll be The Great Unkown. by Brett Hodges

Brett didn't like this talking about Irene when Irene wasn't there thing, and the almost accidentally finding out things she hadn't decided to trust him with yet wasn't cool either. Renaye was embarrassed about that too. And then they had differing ideas about how proactive you should be in other people's drama. This whole conversation was turning into Awkward 101 and they were both acing it.

It was sort of nice that she trusted him, though. At least he wasn't just barely tolerated for Irene's sake or whatever. That was good, anyway. He picked another piece of grass and it gave him someplace to look as she worried her way through her explanation.

It occurred to Brett that he really didn't know Irene all that well. He knew that Echo and Irene were completely different, so maybe what he knew about Echo--or Zander, for that matter--wouldn't help him do the right thing with Irene. Echo and Zander were both guys. Maybe girls were completely different.

He had a little sister, so he tried to think about her and he issues. Was it bad that he couldn't think of any? They were always so busy: He had his friends. She had her friends. He had soccer. She had dance. When they went to their grandparents' house, she had cousins her own age and he had cousins his age. They lived in the same house, but they barely saw each other at all. It had never bothered him before, and it didn't bother him now. Not... exactly.

"Raye! Brett! Two of my favorite people!" called a familiar voice. Brett looked up feeling something somewhere between guilt at being caught discussing her, and relief that this conversation was over.

Well, it would have been, but Irene and Renaye's brief exchange led Irene to crouch down next to him and say the somehow discomforting words, "I think I know what she was talking about," Irene said. "And I think I owe you an explanation."

Owe? Brett thought as Renaye walked away.

"Renaye's worried about you," Brett explained, feeling this was a necessary thing to make clear. He was not worried. Worried was a thing for parents and longtime friends. He was not worried because to be worried would be to not trust her to take care of herself and he didn't know her well enough for that to be acceptable.

"I wasn't gonna ask," he said, "but if you want to... I mean, you don't have to. What you said, it's not--you don't owe me anything. I'm just happy to, you know. You're really cool--it's cool, I mean, if you don't want to talk about it. But you can. If you want to."

Whoa. Major scores on emotional expression, there. Good job, Einstein, way to be the anti-self-expression.

Embarrassed, he looked for Irenes eyes. They took longer to find than you might expect.

0 Brett Hodges Untill then, I'll be The Great Unkown. 0 Brett Hodges 0 5

Irene

November 04, 2007 1:42 PM

Hmm.. Has a nice ring to it. by Irene

"Renaye's worried about you,"

Irene sighed. She had figured she was. Everyone had been worried about her for a while. It got annoying after a while. In the summer she was so sure that she could take of herself, she would be fine if they left her alone. Now not much had changed though... They had all given her space, but everything remained the same. The one thing that was different now was the freshness of the event, though the feelings still remained.

"Yeah," she said, "Everyone has been for a while..."

"I wasn't gonna ask," he said, "but if you want to... I mean, you don't have to. What you said, it's not--you don't owe me anything. I'm just happy to, you know. You're really cool--it's cool, I mean, if you don't want to talk about it. But you can. If you want to."

Irene couldn't help but smile as he stumbled through his explanation.

"I want to tell you. I really don't like keeping secrets all the time, so here it goes..." Irene took a calming breath.

"I lived with my mom and dad in Kentucky. My mom worked at a school near this old restaurtant. One day the restaurant caught fire and spread to the school. My mom and twelve other people died. Then my dad started drinking, a lot. Soon it was like I wasn't even there to him. He would spend all of our money on his beer and not even buy food. Sometimes, when he was really drunk, he would just yell for no real reason. He'd tell me how stupid, useless, bothersome I was to him..." Irene felt her voice catch. She use to think he didn't mean it when he said those things. How naive could she be? Of course he meant it. She blinked and continued.

"Eventually he just stopped taking me to school. I was stuck at home listening to him scream. He never hit me. Sometimes I thought he would, but he never did. This lasted for two years until Uncle Mike came. I remember being hungry and looking through the fridge, when the door opened. Uncle Mike saw my dad passed out on the couch and then saw me. He woke Dad up and started yelling. He was so mad... He was yelling about how he came to get some of mom's old stuff, only to find her daughter starving. He took me with him when he left, but as he carried me to the car my dad was behind him, telling him he was going to get me back one day no matter what. I think I reminded him of mom. Everyone always told me I looked like her, I think he just got confused... But I've lived in Michigan ever since Uncle Mike took me away."

"Last year the Wizarding Council's Department of Child Services interviewed me and inspected Uncle Mike and my dad's houses. They named my uncle as my legal gaurdian and then put a restraining order on my dad. So I went home for the summer, not worried about him at all for the first time in my life. You guys were going to come over at the end of the summer and everything was going to be great, and it was, until the day of the Qudditch get-together. There was about an hour left until people started showing up, Uncle Mike was getting food. I was chilling with Renaye and I saw someone in front of our house, guess who? I went outside to get rid of him. I started yelling at him. I was so mad... I couldn't believe he was actually there. He just had this look on his face like... like he hated me. Really hated me. I just..." Irene felt tears sting at her eyes. She blinked, trying to keep them back. She didn't want to cry right now, but try as she might, she still felt the tears slip and fall.

"I always thought that he wanted me around, but the way he looked at me... It's like he wished I would just die right there. I started yelling again. I told him how I was happy I didn't have to put up with him anymore. Then he... Then he hit me. I don't care that it hurt like hell, it's just upsetting he had actually did it... He turned around after that and went home. Once I went inside Josh was there holding back Renaye who was ready to go out there with me. Then everyone saw that bruise on my face," She reached up to brush her hair in front of her face, but stopped herself. She had to stop that. Instead, she wiped away the tears making trails down her cheeks, trying to keep her breathing as normal as possible.

"I was so mad at him... He always ruins everything. Whenever things start going right, he manages to show up and mess it all up. Even when he's not near me, all the memories are still there and that bugs the crap out of me. Everytimes I think of it, I see that look he gave me," Irene looked up and met Brett's eyes, knowing her own eyes were red, and said in a whisper, "He really hates me..."

Before Irene could even stop herself, she was finally letting out all the feelings she had bottled up since the summer. She didn't bother keeping back the tears, or controlling her sobs. All she wanted to do right now was have someone tell her it was going to be okay...

0 Irene Hmm.. Has a nice ring to it. 0 Irene 0 5

Brett Hodges

November 04, 2007 7:22 PM

You should try a gong. Their rings go on forever. by Brett Hodges

Brett was way out of his depths here, he decided. He'd never had a family member die, or become an alcoholic. He'd never been abused. He'd never gone hungry. As Irene told her story, he wondered what she'd written about for Fury! last winter. She'd probably had amazing ideas and lots of life experiences to draw from. And it just showed how unprepared to deal with this he was that that was one of the first things he thought of.

When she finished and started sobbing, Brett cautiously reached around her far shoulder and gently pulled her toward him. He found a wad of beat up but unused tissues in his pocket and left them on his knee for her.

There was nothing to say to her story. There was really nothing. He pushed her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear and didn't tell her to stop. If she stopped, she might pull away. He leaned his head against hers and wondered how did he end up with such a beautiful, awesome girl? How did she get to be so strong? He'd had no idea about any of this and would never have guessed her past was anything but normal.

"I don't think your dad hates you," he found himself saying because he felt like he should say something. "If he hated you, why would he come? I mean, like, take my friend Zander. He was going with this girl for like eight months and they were real tight. He totally loved her, they were always together, all that. But then this summer she broke up with him and now he's like the mega-distrught and he mopes around all day missing this girl. But when he sees her for real, he's always acting like he hates her: He ignores her, he yells at her, he insults her... the whole bit. And afterward I'm always like, 'Zand, mug, what'd you do that for?' If he were nice, they'd be friends and he wouldn't miss her so much. And he knows that, but when he sees her, he just goes crazy. He wants to fix it so bad, make it like it was, but he knows he can't fix it. It can't ever go back, and he can't accept it like it is. It's like he misses her so much he just doesn't know what to do with himself."

Brett pondered what he just said for a moment and finished following it to its conclusion, "But for all he yells and scowls and stuff, he doesn't hate her. She thinks he does, but she doesn't see him the rest of the time. Maybe it's sorta like that with your dad."

Your hair is soft, he thought at her with a small smile over the top of her head. He'd never kissed the top of anyone's head before. Ten minutes ago he probably would have reviled it as unmanly, something mothers do to babies and little kids. But right now, for some reason, it seemed like a thing to do. He didn't know what Irene would think of that, though, so he didn't. He hoped she didn't move. This closeness was nice. It was very unlike being held by his mother or anyone else who'd ever held him. It was special, different, warm. It was connection, a perfect kick, a goal, winning the championship. It was a slice of pizza, hanging out with his mugs on a summer day, the right word in the right place at the right time. It was the opening lick of a favorite song. It was sitting on santa's lap when you were six. It was a fingerful of cookie batter and a glass of milk. It was the final twist at the end of a good mystery. It was that last second before midnight on New Year's Eve and first time you've hugged your dad in two years and suddenly realizing that he cares and all the fights are behind you.

It was right now, and it was nice.

[OOC: If I assumed too much in having her not resist Brett's holding her, let me know and I'll rewrite it.]\r\n\r\n

0 Brett Hodges You should try a gong. Their rings go on forever. 0 Brett Hodges 0 5

Irene

November 05, 2007 11:01 PM

Ah no! I think I sold mine! by Irene

Irene leant into Brett as he put his arm around her, just wanting to stay here for a while. She didn't want to walk back to Sonora, eyes red and face blotchy. She just wanted to stay here with Brett and let everything out... He knew the truth now. If he decided to get up and walk away she would understand. Irene came with a past, and usually that was a lot for someone to take in. If he decided it was just too much, she would get it. She hadn't exactly laid off on the details... She reached out and took one of the old tissues from his knee, wiping away her tears. She hated being like this...

"I don't think your dad hates you," he was saying. Irene wanted to disagree, but she listened to the rest. "If he hated you, why would he come?" He went on to tell her about one of his friends back home and how he acted around his ex-girlfriend. It made sense in this weird way... except for one thing: Dad thinks she's her mom. That was probably why he kept coming back... Over the summer he had even asked her if she was 'Jen.' No matter how much he wanted her to be mom, she wasn't. He loved mom, not her. She was just the daily reminder that Mom had died... Irene wiped away her tears again, turning her face into the fabric of his shirt. She was so glad that he wasn't flipping out. It was so relieving that he didn't break up with her on the spot, telling her that her life was way too crazy for him to have a part in.

"But for all he yells and scowls and stuff, he doesn't hate her. She thinks he does, but she doesn't see him the rest of the time. Maybe it's sorta like that with your dad."

Irene understood what he was saying, really. "Maybe," she said quietly, her voice not sounding quite normal. "Or maybe he thinks I remind him of Mom all the time. Maybe he likes the thought of having Mom back, and he thinks that having me back will do that. He even calls me by Mom's name sometimes, like he really thinks I'm her... and that doesn't help any. I still miss her, even if I was little when she died. Things were normal when she was alive. Everything was going back to normal before, but then he showed up and just... it messes with me. I'll go back to everything that happened before, even though what I have now is so great. I have you; I have my uncle, Renaye, Josh, and Laina..."

Irene took in a breath, noticing how nice he smelled as she did so. Why was she even wasting time on her dad? She didn't need him around, and he didn't need her, no matter how much he thought he did. Irene just needed her real family and friends and she would be fine. More than fine. In fact, without her dad or the haunting memories around, her life would be spectacular.

"I just need to forget him. I think I'll be great, just as long as the memories and Dad stay out."

"I don't think your dad hates you," he was saying. Irene wanted to disagree, but she listened to the rest. "If he hated you, why would he come?" He went on to tell her about one of his friends back home and how he acted around his ex-girlfriend. It made sense in this weird way... execpt for one thing: Dad thinks she's her mom. That was probably why he kept coming back... Over the summer he had even asked her if she was 'Jen.' No matter how much he wanted her to be mom, she wasn't. He loved mom, not her. She was just the daily reminder that Mom had died... Irene wiped away her tears again, turning her face into the fabric of his shirt. She was so glad that he wasn't flipping out. It was so relieving that he didn't break up with her on the spot, telling her that her life was way too crazy for him to have a part in.

"But for all he yells and scowls and stuff, he doesn't hate her. She thinks he does, but she doesn't see him the rest of the time. Maybe it's sorta like that with your dad."

Irene understood what he was saying, really. "Maybe," she said quietly, her voice not sounding quite normal. "Or maybe he thinks I remind him of Mom all the time. Maybe he likes the thought of having Mom back, and he thinks that having me back will do that. He even calls me by Mom's name sometimes, like he really thinks I'm her... and that doesn't help any. I still miss her, even if I was little when she died. Things were normal when she was alive. Everything was going back to normal before, but then he showed up and just... it messes with me. I'll go back to everything that happened before, even though what I have now is so great. I have you, I have my uncle, Renaye, Josh, and Laina..."

Irene took in a breath, noticing how nice he smelled as she did so. Why was she even wasting time on her dad? She didn't need him around, and he didn't need her, no matter how much he thought he did. Irene just needed her real family and friends and she would be fine. More than fine. In fact, without her dad or the haunting memories around, her life would be spectacular.

"I just need to forget him. I think I'll be great, just as long as the memories and Dad stay out."

0 Irene Ah no! I think I sold mine! 0 Irene 0 5

Irene

November 06, 2007 10:26 PM

OOC: ... hmm... by Irene

Just noticed that the post repeated. I don't know what happened there...

Here's a revised post. It's the same thing pretty much.

Irene leant into Brett as he put his arm around her, just wanting to stay here for a while. She didn't want to walk back to Sonora, eyes red and face blotchy. She just wanted to stay here with Brett and let everything out... He knew the truth now. If he decided to get up and walk away she would understand. Irene came with a past, and usually that was a lot for someone to take in. If he decided it was just too much, she would get it. She hadn't exactly laid off on the details... She reached out and took one of the old tissues from his knee, wiping away her tears. She hated being like this...

"I don't think your dad hates you," he was saying. Irene wanted to disagree, but she listened to the rest. "If he hated you, why would he come?" Brett went on to tell her about one of his friends back home and how he acted around his ex-girlfriend. It made sense in this weird way... execpt for one thing: Dad thinks she's her mom. That was probably why he kept coming back... Over the summer he had even asked her if she was 'Jen.' No matter how much he wanted her to be mom, she wasn't. He loved mom, not her. She was just the daily reminder that Mom had died... Irene wiped away her tears again, turning her face into the fabric of his shirt. She was so glad that he wasn't flipping out. It was so relieving that he didn't break up with her on the spot, telling her that her life was way too crazy for him to have a part in.

"But for all he yells and scowls and stuff, he doesn't hate her. She thinks he does, but she doesn't see him the rest of the time. Maybe it's sorta like that with your dad."

Irene understood what he was saying, but she just didn't think so. Dad wasn't like that. "Maybe," she said quietly, her voice not sounding quite normal. "Or maybe he thinks I remind him of Mom all the time. Maybe he likes the thought of having Mom back, and he thinks that having me back will do that. He even calls me by Mom's name sometimes, like he really thinks I'm her... and that doesn't help any. I still miss her, even if I was little when she died. Things were normal when she was alive. Everything was going back to normal before, but then he showed up and just... it messes with me. I'll go back to everything that happened before, even though what I have now is so great. I have you, I have my uncle, Renaye, Josh, and Laina..."

Irene took in a breath, noticing how nice he smelled as she did so. Why was she even wasting time on her dad? She didn't need him around, and he didn't need her, no matter how much he thought he did. Irene just needed her real family and friends and she would be fine. More than fine. In fact, without her dad or the haunting memories around, her life would be spectacular.

"I just need to forget him. I think I'll be great, just as long as the memories and Dad stay out."

0 Irene OOC: ... hmm... 0 Irene 0 5

Brett Hodges

November 06, 2007 11:24 PM

Here, have mine. by Brett Hodges

Brett fingered a hem on Irene's shirt. She was soft and warm underneath it. The shirt was pretty nice too. He was quickly getting to love the feel of warm Irene nestled in closer than anyone had ever nestled in beside him before. Irene listened to what he said. It went over okay, but didn't prove that helpful. At least the old tissues were getting some use. Old tissues and a shoulder to lean into he could handle--especially the latter part.

"I just need to forget him. I think I'll be great, just as long as the memories and Dad stay out," she said in a final sort of way.

"Anything I can do to help with that, you let me know," he volunteered. A light breeze pushed a few strands of Irene's hair into his face and filled him with the scent of her. He hadn't noticed it before, but... wow. It suddenly came to him that Irene smelled like Irene. He closed his eyes and tried to hold onto that whiff forever.

Hold onto it forever? Man, Brett, you are loosing it, some remote part of his brain commented. It's a scent not a birth certificate.

Brett had to admit that while his brain was a spoilsport, it had a good point. Under no circumstances did he want anyone, especially Irene, to think he was becoming a sentimental freak. He vowed never to tell anyone about that thought he just had, and hoped another breeze would blow so he could smell her again and not think it, just to prove his lack of sentimental freakhood to himself and any telepaths in the general vicinity.

By the time that happened, though, he didn't notice. He was too busy thinking about Irene and how she had shared so much about herself and he hadn't shared much of anything at all. By all estimates, it was his turn and he needed to figure out what to say.

"So, I guess there're a few things I should tell you too," he began. Well, here was something: "Remember how in History of Magic I got kinda worked up about muggle rights? Well, there's a reason for that.

"I was raised a muggle, but my parents weren't. I don't know how up you are with the purebloods, but my dad was a member of the pureblood Hodges. I say was because he's a squib, so he was disowned when he was 11. Mom is also a squib, but most mom's family is squibs so it wasn't as big a deal. They were both squib rights activists back in the day."

"They figured with them both being squibs, they'd prolly have squib-kids, so they choose to live in the muggle world so me and my sister wouldn't grow up feeling disabled--we'd be normal.

"My dad got real frustrated after awhile and mom and him argued a lot, and eventually dad left us, and we moved to Wyoming. That's where I met Echo, at the, uh, bottom of the social chain. Only knew him a few months, though, before he got in a fight with this other kid and got expelled." Brett snickered at that a little because this was the same kid who'd refused to pass notes during History of Magic. Brett might be a troublemaker, but he'd never gotten himself kicked out. Of course, he'd never had any incidents of accidental magic that made him seem like a danger to the other kids.

"But once he was gone, I started making lots of friends. I had my own posse, we had our own talk, we played soccer, it was great. It was all going really really good. And then I got my letter. Mom called dad. It was a big family emergency and that's when I found about my parents being squibs, that my dad left because he felt like he wasn't doing enough for Squib Rights. All of it."

"So I'm really, like, adamant about respect for nonmagicals because of my family. Muggle kids who come here, they're like all excited to be entering a new world. I came in knowing that I was entering the world my parents wanted to save me from. And even not being a squib, like, that was a big deal. Dad forced being happy for me. Mom did too, but I could tell she was really upset about it. I didn't want to go, and I didn't understand why I had to. They made me come, but they're afraid I'm going to come back thinking I'm better than nonmagicals cause I gots the magicks."

He squeezed Irene a little bit, "And I'm all, like, what if they're right?"

Man, he reflected, what'd I tell her all that for?

0 Brett Hodges Here, have mine. 0 Brett Hodges 0 5

Brett Hodges

November 06, 2007 11:29 PM

OOC: I figured it out. :-) (nm) by Brett Hodges

0 Brett Hodges OOC: I figured it out. :-) (nm) 0 Brett Hodges 0 5

Irene

November 21, 2007 11:41 AM

You're so generous! by Irene

Irene felt the weight of the day falling on her. Laying here in the Gardens was peaceful, and now that she had wiped away the last of her tears, she felt like just staying here in the serenity of the Gardens, and in the comfort of Brett's shoulder. His whole calm-factor he has while she was telling him about her whole freaky past was great. She didn't know how she would have been able to get everything out if he had interrupted her with questions or started freaking out... But now it was her turn to listen.

So, I guess there're a few things I should tell you too. Remember how in History of Magic I got kinda worked up about muggle rights? Well, there's a reason for that."

Irene nodded, but remained listening. She knew how it took to relive not-so-nice things in one's past. She listened as he told her of his parents and how he was the wizard born into a family of Squibs. Brett told her how his dad had left when he was young. When he told her about Echo getting expelled, she couldn't help but smile. Echo? No way... She wanted to say something, but he had let her get the whole story out, and she was going to do the same...

They made me come, but they're afraid I'm going to come back thinking I'm better than nonmagicals cause I gots the magicks. And I'm all, like, what if they're right?"

Irene sat up straight and turned to look at Brett, meeting his eyes. She took one of his hands in hers, giving him a small smile. "I don't think they are right, because you don't want them to be. You might have magic, but your parents are still going to love you even if you're learning it," Irene said. She returned to their original position, laying her head on his shoulder, keeping their hands together. "And from what you told me, you don't think you're better than them; you're just afraid that it might become that way. But you have a respect for all the non-magical people that a lot of wizards don't have. Do you think that maybe you might make them proud, rather than worried?"

OOC: I am so sorry this took so long! Taking a bunch of honors classes plus advanced math that may just be the undoing of my mind!

0 Irene You're so generous! 0 Irene 0 5