Smoke Stack
Something's Wrong with the New Girl
"You can pair up with Gerard for this project, Lilith." Gerard's ears perked up as Mrs Piers directed the striking new girl. He let out an indignant groan, letting Mrs. Piers know that some random, probably untalented chick was not welcome to help (or, more likely, hinder) his beloved art project.
"Be nice, Mr. Way" Mrs Piers chided. Gerard hated when she chided him, he hated when anyone reprimanded him, as though he didn't know when he did something wrong or disrespectful. Usually when he did something unpleasant he did it on purpose, such as groaning to show his unhappiness with his new art partner. He simply figured that if he let the teacher know about his displeasure in a conspicuous enough way, she would graciously revoke the partnership and place her with someone more deserving of her unknown menace. Mrs. Piers loved him enough - Gerard was probably the best in the class, a real teachers pet. He wasn't even sorry.
Gerard eyed the new girl as she encroached upon his blessed work space with small, petite steps. Her gait intrigued Gerard for she seemed so confident in her stature, yet she walked like a timid mouse; her head was even angled toward the ground, and her small, shockingly rugged hands we clutching her books close to her chest in the same fashion a small child would clutch his stuffed bear during a raging storm. Gerard didn't feel like over-analyzing this discrepancy in behavior at the moment; he just wanted this stupid girl to sit down so he could lay a few ground rules and continue his work.
"I'm Lilith," the striking stranger declared as she cautiously rested her books on the black-top table. Gerard couldn't help but wonder if she thought that the books were made of glass or the table of sticks. "I would prefer if you called me Shay though, by my middle name, if that's not too much to ask." Gerard didn't appreciate the slightly condescending sneer that Lilith's voice contained throughout the last sentence. Gerard felt as though he knew Lilith by her introduction alone; she was going to get over her little new-girl-nerves quickly and turn out to be just like every other stuck up bitch in this place. It was painfully obvious to Gerard, now that he thought about it: Lilith stood confidently, yet walked timidly and talked quietly because she was scared shitless by the thought of people judging her harshly - of course she wouldn't care what Gerard thought of her. He scoffed at the very institution of social status; it consumed so many people that might have been decent human beings otherwise.
"Howdy Lilith." Gerard wasn't going to give her what she wanted, battered knuckles or not, this girl was not going to take any sort of hold over him.
"Right. Should have guessed." Lilith snorted softly.
"Oh?" Gerard was getting too much enjoyment out of pissing her off, which was evident from the growing side grin that was etching itself involuntarily onto his pale face.
"Just tell me what we have to do please. It's my first day and this is my last class - don't make it the worst one."
"You have to attempt not to ruin my project while having equal participation in it as I do. Sit back today and observe, tomorrow I'll let you know what you can contribute that won't mess my to-be masterpiece up too much." Gerard wasn't usually this horrible to people, especially people as beautiful as Lilith happened to be, but he could just tell that she needed to be put in her place before she got too comfortable.
"Look, asshat," Lilith confronted Gerard irately. "You may have gone here for a few years, and you may think that this whole 'punk-rock', 'bad-boy', 'devil may care' facade is cool and effective, but you're wrong. Okay? It's obvious that I'm not welcome on your project and that you have already decided who I am and what I'm like, and that's fucking fine, but you don't need to be a motherfucking prick about it all. You just need to suck it up and fucking deal with it, and after spending a lifetime in your body, I'm sure you don't need a step-by-step tutorial."
Gerard's confident smirk faded as Lilith hissed at him; he felt like a complete asshole. Obviously he meant to do that, but he really didn't anticipate it being thrown back in his face by a shaky, pale girl that barely had skin on her bones. He also didn't expect it to be as witty as it was, Lilith was going to give him a run for his money - Gerard knew it.
As soon as it had begun, class ended, and although an entirely unfamiliar person had entered into Gerard's life class ended in the same way it had began as well - in an awkward, lonely silence. He wasn't sure what to think as the doorbell-like chime signaled the end of the day's classes. He was utterly perplexed as to what to think of this girl who had beaten hands and black hair, commanding stature and submissive steps, soft introductions and vehement confrontations. He thought he might hate her, but he felt himself brimming with curiosity about her, about her life, her interests, her dislikes, her family, her wounds, her eyes, her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her shoulders - her everything. Way was tempted to chase after her out of the art room, but he figured he'd done enough damage for one day; he really didn't want Lilith thinking that he was some sort of bipolar fuckwit. There would be no way out of that one, since he couldn't exactly disprove it himself. He decided to try to repair the awful first impression tomorrow, and trudged home where his beloved Ramen noodles awaited him.
"Be nice, Mr. Way" Mrs Piers chided. Gerard hated when she chided him, he hated when anyone reprimanded him, as though he didn't know when he did something wrong or disrespectful. Usually when he did something unpleasant he did it on purpose, such as groaning to show his unhappiness with his new art partner. He simply figured that if he let the teacher know about his displeasure in a conspicuous enough way, she would graciously revoke the partnership and place her with someone more deserving of her unknown menace. Mrs. Piers loved him enough - Gerard was probably the best in the class, a real teachers pet. He wasn't even sorry.
Gerard eyed the new girl as she encroached upon his blessed work space with small, petite steps. Her gait intrigued Gerard for she seemed so confident in her stature, yet she walked like a timid mouse; her head was even angled toward the ground, and her small, shockingly rugged hands we clutching her books close to her chest in the same fashion a small child would clutch his stuffed bear during a raging storm. Gerard didn't feel like over-analyzing this discrepancy in behavior at the moment; he just wanted this stupid girl to sit down so he could lay a few ground rules and continue his work.
"I'm Lilith," the striking stranger declared as she cautiously rested her books on the black-top table. Gerard couldn't help but wonder if she thought that the books were made of glass or the table of sticks. "I would prefer if you called me Shay though, by my middle name, if that's not too much to ask." Gerard didn't appreciate the slightly condescending sneer that Lilith's voice contained throughout the last sentence. Gerard felt as though he knew Lilith by her introduction alone; she was going to get over her little new-girl-nerves quickly and turn out to be just like every other stuck up bitch in this place. It was painfully obvious to Gerard, now that he thought about it: Lilith stood confidently, yet walked timidly and talked quietly because she was scared shitless by the thought of people judging her harshly - of course she wouldn't care what Gerard thought of her. He scoffed at the very institution of social status; it consumed so many people that might have been decent human beings otherwise.
"Howdy Lilith." Gerard wasn't going to give her what she wanted, battered knuckles or not, this girl was not going to take any sort of hold over him.
"Right. Should have guessed." Lilith snorted softly.
"Oh?" Gerard was getting too much enjoyment out of pissing her off, which was evident from the growing side grin that was etching itself involuntarily onto his pale face.
"Just tell me what we have to do please. It's my first day and this is my last class - don't make it the worst one."
"You have to attempt not to ruin my project while having equal participation in it as I do. Sit back today and observe, tomorrow I'll let you know what you can contribute that won't mess my to-be masterpiece up too much." Gerard wasn't usually this horrible to people, especially people as beautiful as Lilith happened to be, but he could just tell that she needed to be put in her place before she got too comfortable.
"Look, asshat," Lilith confronted Gerard irately. "You may have gone here for a few years, and you may think that this whole 'punk-rock', 'bad-boy', 'devil may care' facade is cool and effective, but you're wrong. Okay? It's obvious that I'm not welcome on your project and that you have already decided who I am and what I'm like, and that's fucking fine, but you don't need to be a motherfucking prick about it all. You just need to suck it up and fucking deal with it, and after spending a lifetime in your body, I'm sure you don't need a step-by-step tutorial."
Gerard's confident smirk faded as Lilith hissed at him; he felt like a complete asshole. Obviously he meant to do that, but he really didn't anticipate it being thrown back in his face by a shaky, pale girl that barely had skin on her bones. He also didn't expect it to be as witty as it was, Lilith was going to give him a run for his money - Gerard knew it.
As soon as it had begun, class ended, and although an entirely unfamiliar person had entered into Gerard's life class ended in the same way it had began as well - in an awkward, lonely silence. He wasn't sure what to think as the doorbell-like chime signaled the end of the day's classes. He was utterly perplexed as to what to think of this girl who had beaten hands and black hair, commanding stature and submissive steps, soft introductions and vehement confrontations. He thought he might hate her, but he felt himself brimming with curiosity about her, about her life, her interests, her dislikes, her family, her wounds, her eyes, her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her shoulders - her everything. Way was tempted to chase after her out of the art room, but he figured he'd done enough damage for one day; he really didn't want Lilith thinking that he was some sort of bipolar fuckwit. There would be no way out of that one, since he couldn't exactly disprove it himself. He decided to try to repair the awful first impression tomorrow, and trudged home where his beloved Ramen noodles awaited him.
The problem with this story is that I'm not really sure how to continue it. I'm leaving it up here just in case I ever figure it out, but I can't promise anything sorry xo
8/9/13