“And this is where you'll find the carnival of tortured souls!” Yakov Ivanov, or rather
James Ivanov to everyone who wasn’t his parents stood on the festival grounds with his arms crossed with a wide smile on his face and cell phone in his hand. Beside him was his sister, Ani, a newly minted freshman at Delbrook who was taking in the sights that the administration had put together for their first day of school.
“Is any of this necessary? I want to learn something.” She commented in a bored tone,
“Also, your jokes are as dumb as your face.”The thirteen-year-old brunette sighed as she adjusted her glasses before she looked around the festival grounds. The carnival or whatever. Part of James mind wondered how she’d actually take Delbrook. It had more opportunities for her than any other school their parents could afford and they had spent a considerable amount of their working class finances to put him and his sister through Delbrook’s curriculum. He knew that much because his mother constantly reminded him of that fact. Well, that, and he hadn’t found a suitable girlfriend to bring home in three years.
When he was in the 9th Grade he had his first real relationship burn out in flames because of that personality of his mother’s. Maybe it was why he didn’t try to date often, though he always had crushes. Being one of the runningbacks on the Football Team meant he had plenty of opportunities to do so, but fear had its way of… well, making you hesitate. He wondered how everything would turn out this year in that department since Chloe had asked him a pretty important question back in June.
“Do you want to give us a shot next year?”Chloe Arkinson was pretty intimidating. Aspiring journalist. Head of the School Newspaper. Debate star. The list went on and James still wondered what he did to even deserve a chance at a shot let alone a shot at all. Maybe it was his sense of humor or the way he had with people? He didn’t consider himself too accomplished unless a sub-3.5 GPA and mediocre Football player was accomplished. If he was going to be honest with himself, he was a little anxious about the situation even though he refused to not capitalize on it. He had found Chloe attractive for a while now and not just because she was a cute blonde in journalism class. He liked her more for the intangible aspects. The no nonsense attitude, the work ethic, the intelligence; it just so happened she was cute on top of it.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be seeing way more dumber things.” The eighteen-year-old commented before taking a look at his phone. New Messages. Of course.
“I guess I’ll tolerate it. Can I go back to class?”James kept his eyes glued on the phone,
“I think you should get used to it. I'm sure there's something here that you'll be into.”As his sister sighed James decided it would be best to respond to the messages he had gotten between leaving his house in North Long Beach and arriving at school. He couldn’t keep up the silent treatment. He was bad at it.
Chloe Good morning. I know we sort of left off last year with a question... Have you done any thinking on it?
Me Thinking. Panicking. Sweating. I've done a lot of things on it.
Chloe Panicking and sweating? Really, do I truly elicit so many emotions with a single question?
Me It was a pretty important question. That you asked like a cliffhanger.
Me And yes, I'd like to. Though I think you knew that already.
Chloe You give me far too much credit. I am no mind reader. But I am happy to hear your answer...
Me She says in ellipses...
Chloe I don't want it to be like I forced you. I know I don't have that power but still. You're sure, and it's not because I could knock you out in three moves right?
Me You totally robbed me of my free will. Absolute monster.
Me Also, three moves is being charitable. I'd be cooked in at least two.
Chloe You can't see me. But I'm rolling my eyes right now. Also it'd be three. neck punch, knee to the gut, upward kick to the face.
Me Not my face! I need that for seducing.
Chloe Not anymore. |
James paused, his smirk dropping for a second. Well, that about covered it, or at least covered it in the way Chloe would cover it. It was a weird way to start off Senior Year and all the anxieties that would come with it. What would exactly change? or would it be the same for the most part? He doubted it’d be like how it had been with KC. He supposed it was pointless to think about, really. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to be in a relationship. James had different anxieties.
He looked back to his sister who was looking around the festival, but she wasn't shooting comments back at him. Not yet, anyway. It wasn't long until he was back looking at the feed on his phone and typing a reply.
Me Yep. To everyone's great disappointment I'm sure.
Chloe Well, they better watch it. So, are you at this lovely carnival right now?
Me Yep. Just making sure my sister isn't totally overwhelmed.
Me Because schools normally throw carnivals for their students.
Chloe Only Delbrook could make a Carnival awkward. I'm trying to find a story in all this mess, but I'll circle around and find you.
Me I'm the stupid looking one. Pretty obvious——or maybe I'm my very own Waldo...
Chloe You're the adorable one, and don't worry. I'll find you, I have a particular set of skills.
Me See you in a minute, then. |
Welp. First interaction since June.
New Year. New everything.