After School funtimes

[Jay]

The after school crowds around Cloud Nine always seemed to be thick, but if you were careful enough to avoid them it was only moderately difficult to find a nice place to be alone. Gabriel, for his part, had done just this. He was not exactly in a quick rush to get home, so being the problems with living with all females, not including the brooding lodger who seemed to be renting a room there.
He had no proper commitments, aside from having to pick up his cousin from dance at five thirty, so he got himself into a wonderful little corner of the grounds, sitting on the grass underneath a scraggly old tree looking in dire need of a drink of water. If he’d been pre-emptive enough to consider that he’d be staying later than usual, he might have though to bring his guitar, but as luck would have it, he hadn’t, and it was absent from his hands. He simply sat there for a while, relishing the relative silence of his alone-space.

After he’d become sufficiently bored of relishing, he did the only thing worth doing and pulled out his sketchbook. He knew he had homework, but he also knew that he didn’t care, and promptly pushed it to the back of his mind. He opened it to an already started drawing, something rather sinister looking, like a dark nightmare from a horrible childhood memory, or perhaps something from the black cauldron Disney movie, it was hard to tell. His pencil moving with simultaneously careful and free strokes, he lost himself in his little world of drawing.
He didn’t notice when anyone looked at him or walked by, but when one girl who looked as though she had no business being in a high school tried to look over his shoulder at the picture, she earned a loud growl and was sent fleeing to the opposite end of the grounds. Gabriel smiled to himself. God did he love peace and quiet.

[i n k]

BIRDS CAN FLY SO HIGH AND MAKE YOU FEEL SO SCARED

The last bell had rung clear and loud through the halls, the grounds, and the gym, echoing in its merry way that cried, "You're free to go!" Chrysanthemum felt like she could fly, simply jump and crash through the building's ceiling with happiness. Today had been a glorious day, as always, but the sky was full of gorgeous clouds, graceful cotton patches against the corn-flower blue of afternoon.

Mum took a deep breath of the fresh, not-full-of-learning air and exhaled with an appreciative, "Ahhh." Her orange sundress just accented her joyous mood, singing along with her as she skipped around Building Three and danced along towards the playground. As soon as she had run a lap around that, dodging other students, she stopped to wave to a few of her many friends, smiled at the world in general, and spotted a very peculiar, miserable looking student who seemed to have a little black raincloud over his head.

Now, most people don't like those pests, but Gabe was surely the exception. However, Mum's powers of observation did not come with her metaphysical abilities, and the plants leaning toward her every move backed up this fact; so she set out, humming and fluttering, towards Mr. Little Black Raincloud leaning over his sketchbook, bounded up, looked over his shoulder, and said, all politeness: "Whatcha drawin'?"

Complete innocence. Bad, bad, timing.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM, AND YOU SEE THAT THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU.

[Jay]

Mr. Little Black Raincloud looked up from where he was hunched over his sketchbook, his head turning up to the girl who’d dared to intrude on him with the calculated slow pace of a horror movie. His eyebrows were furrowed, and though a frown might have been expected, his lips were drawn in to a tight, neutral line, which somehow made him seem even more threatening.
He managed to keep this exact expression all the while that he stared silently at the girl, which was a period that lasted no longer than two minutes, but felt like near hours to Chrysanthemum. Eventually, after Gabriel’s face grew tired of staying like that, he spoke, unable to prevent the corners of his mouth turning downward in personal anger as he did so.

“Nothing.” He said, voice flat and even, though unmistakeably tainted with malice.
“It’s obviously not nothing.” Chrysanthemum replied, still smiling for reasons which Gabe could never hope to comprehend.

“I” he began, shutting his sketchbook and laying his pencil on top of the cover “am drawing nothing.” He put a sharp emphasis on each word, trying to get his point across.

[i n k]

THIS IS MY FACE

"Well," she huffed, clearly acting, "A few seconds ago you were surely drawing something. You like to draw, huh?" A wider smile, cuter face; niceness rule #45: Always show you're ready to be friends. "I'm not very good at it; so I totally appreciate your talents."

Her happiness bloomed over the sides of its containing fountain, soaking everything around it in a thick coat of what most would call, 'slime.'

Gabe nearly growled at her.

"Oh, pardon my manners!" she giggled. "I'm Chrysanthemum."

Niceness rule #22: Always introduce yourself with a smile.

When was this girl NOT smiling? D|

I'VE GOT A THOUSAND OPINIONS, THOUGH NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO EXPLAIN.

[Jay]

“Well.” Gabe said, still more than a little peeved. “I am not drawing anything now, so what I was previously drawing does not merit an explanation.” He crossed his arms. Appreciate his talents? He couldn’t even find a place to begin pointing out all of the things wrong with that phrase.

“I’m Gabe Crowe by the way.” He added, though regretted it more than anything after it had escaped his mouth. In his eyes the last thing he could ever want was this… this… giggling bundle of smile to know his name. He realized it was too late once he closed his mouth though, and his displeasure was evident.

“Nice to meet you Gabe!” she said, her bubbly personality and smile not lessened in the least by Gabe’s hateful expression.
“Just Crow is fine.” He said bluntly, turning away from the girl. He wasn’t sure if he was actually being blinded, or he just couldn’t tolerate the happiness of the smile anymore.

[i n k]

THIS IS MY BODY//

"Ooh, that sounds dangerous. And graceful!" And birdlike- like she could say anything about that similarity. "People usually call me Hummingbird or Mum, but you can call me anything you like!"

Just follow the rules, her mind added.

Niceness Rule #1: Don't talk about the Niceness Rules.
Niceness Rule #2: Don't talk about the Niceness Rules.

Or was that Fightclub?

Anyhow, Mum plopped down next to Gabe, dress dancing over her legs; she sat like a Native American, legs crossed and hands perfectly folded between them. She hid her teeth behind her lips but still smiled, mouth curved in an upward C. Oh, does she ever stop?

"So," she said, rocking a minute amount. "why are you sitting here all alone?"

//NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY AND DISABLE IT, WELL, I'LL STILL BE HERE.

[Jay]

If one were to listen very closely, or if one simply had superior hearing, it would have been very likely that you could have heard Gabe’s brain snap. Unfortunately, few had time for such trivialities, and an even smaller amount actually cared, so his last strand of sanity vanished not missed by anyone.
Except for himself, that is, but no one seemed to care.

He tried to keep his hands at his side, and not wrapped around Chrysanthemum’s neck, and by the way they were shaking slightly, it was obviously an actual physical struggle.
”I am alone.” He said calmly, trying to keep his voice from showing his anger any more than it was. “Because I like to be alone.”

Chrysanthemum did not look entirely pleased. “That’s silly.” She said bluntly, and although she was clearly not impressed with the explanation, her smile stayed.
”No it’s not.” Gabriel began in argument, “It’s perfectly logical.”

[i n k]

YEAH YOU MAKE ME MERRY,

Chrys smiled, though it was partially forced, the grass that had been previously leaning towards her shriveling back. "Come on, now," her voice was higher, strained. This young man was NOT following the niceness rules. In fact, he was blowing them out of the water and stomping all over them with his Doc Martins.

Or whatever it was he was wearing.

"I dislike being alone. You should learn to be like me, and we can be friends!" Can this girl get any more ridiculous?

MAKE ME VERY VERY HAPPY.

[Jay]

“Did I ever say I wanted to be your friend?” Gabriel snapped, and though he didn’t actually regret saying it, he did feel the very slightest nano-twinge of guilt at having said it. Even though the nano-twinge still picked at him as he kept talking, he couldn’t stop himself now, even if he really wanted to, which, all things considered, he didn’t.
“Are you seriously considering that I would want to magically change who I am and become a flowery ball of social politeness and smiles and completely out of the blue become your friend? Are you honestly that blind? People don’t just change, dearie, especially not so they can be friends with you, and you’d better well learn that.”

The twinge grew, but he ignored it and let out a growl of frustration. Lord did he hate people that wouldn’t stop smiling.

“You are being completely ridiculous. What is it? Some sort of contest? How many friends can you make by the end of the year? Is there some sort of law that you have to follow? Gotta be sickeningly nice to everyone you meet, even if they don’t want you there? And, on another note: I, for one. LIKE. BEING. ALONE.” He ended each word harshly, although he really didn’t need to have said them as loud as he did. He was steaming with anger and he honestly hoped that she would take the hint.

He decided that even if she didn’t he’d try to ignore her, and once more pulled out his sketchbook and began to draw furiously on a blank page. He was considering drawing something of an angry teenager who looked a lot like himself smashing things with an oversized hammer, but opted for something a bit more tasteful, and began to draw a demonic thing that looked like a crossbreed moose and bloodsucking leech.

[i n k]

PUSH THE LITTLE DAISIES

Gabe's words ran over Chrysanthemum like a hurricane, the grass previously leaning happily toward her legs curling back in a terrified cower. Her entire expression was slowly crumpling, bit by bit, as the young man sitting next to her continued to bash what she did everyday, without even knowing her, after this five minute period of him not even bothering with a real conversation. There could have been a "thanks," in there somewhere, she thought, and the words would be pleasant now, not this hellfire spitting of emotional curses. The last thing to twist downward was Chrys' smile.

She sat still after Gabe was done, stiff, staring at his ear with all the anger she could muster. The only sounds were breathing and the scratching of his angry pencil.

Suddenly, the once happier of the two couldn't take it anymore.

"Excuse ME, but you think I don't KNOW that?" the usually musical voice was now echoing smashed pottery and piano keys. "Just because there are sour egg-suckers like yourself on this Earth doesn't mean I can't try to HELP people! I looked over here and saw- YOU KNOW WHAT I SAW?" She was inches from his face now, eyes twice the size of what they used to be. "I SAW A MISERABLE, SELF-HARMING BOY WHO NEEDED AT LEAST ONE GOOD THING IN HIS LIFE, EVEN IF IT WAS A PLEASANT CONVERSATION." Chrys's voice was ringing over the campus, louder now than had previously been documented. "BUT NO, YOU THREW THAT AWAY TOO."

She stood up, the tree Gabe was leaning on shaking violently; leaves rained down like hail, the older wood cracking dangerously.

"I'm glad you like being alone, because that's all you'll be for the rest of your pathetic existance."

And then the guilt rushed in.

Chrysanthemum found herself kneeling, hands pressed against her eyes as the tsunami of tears hit. Nature seemed to be giving her a hug, nearby trees and other foliage leaning ever more strongly toward her as if trying to embrace her.

So much for the Niceness Rules....

AND MAKE 'EM COME UP.

[Jay]

Gabe took all of Chrysanthemum’s yelling without so much as a flinch. Okay, a lie, he did manage to flinch when she said ‘self-harming’ and ‘pleasant conversation’ The last line also did it’s part to drive the message home. Yet still, even between her bouts of happiness and bouts of anger, the only thing that managed to truly hit him where it hurt was when she started to cry.

He felt the ratty old tree twist awkwardly behind his back and he pulled himself forward forward, putting down his sketchbook lightly beside him, as if making a noise would somehow cause Chrysanthemum to keep crying, or cry more if that were even a possible option.

“I… I-um…” he stuttered out, and for one of the few times in his life actually found himself completely at a loss for words.

Sure, he didn’t exactly like this girl, nor what she had said, done or smiled at him in the past little while, and sure, he didn’t exactly want to make friends with everyone he met, but the reality of how much he’d squashed this girl’s apparent dream of saving a wretch like him from the lonely gutter to which he had exiled himself was finally starting to dawn on him. The once microscopic nano-twinge of guilt had manifested its self into a proper smack to the face, which caught Gabe quite off guard.

His mouth was slightly agape, and he looked up and around, as if there would magically be some sort of escape from this sudden awkward mess. Perhaps he’d done something just plain awful and a teacher would run out and yell at him to pull him away from this unexpected nightmare. No such luck for him. All he got when he looked up were a combination of angry and confused glares from the people who’d been around to witness the bomb drop. Oh shit was he in for it now.

“I’m… sorry?” he ventured, and though the sincerity of the words was a tad forced, he tried to make them sound as honest and truthful as possible.

Nothing changed, and so he tried once more.

“Please don’t cry.” he said, his voice was cracked with apparent worry and embarrassment, and the plea was at this point quite genuine. His face had turned almost as red as the streaks in his hair and he began to bite on his thumbnail worriedly.

“Please?”