After the initial run in with him the first day, Ian didn't think much about the new kid. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that wanted to make friends, so he avoided going into the 'Welcome to your new hometown' spiel. Probably best, it wouldn't likely have been been received very well at all. The next few days go by largely uneventful. Donny mentioned she had a new girl in her homeroom too, and he'd seen her around after his sister had pointed her out. She actually looked a lot like that Matt guy in his class and he wondered if they were related somehow.
But still. Days rolled by and other than taking note that he did show up for class, Ian didn't notice much of anything about the guy. He was the angry type, which kind of the type of person Ian tried not to get himself involved with. Personally, he'd been in more trouble for fights at school than almost anything else; he can't help that he's protective of what's his. People talking trash about his mother or calling his sister a whore aren't things he has ever been able to simply let go of. Doesn't matter that his sister could do with a few less dalliances with any boy who's attention she could grab-- he wasn't going to sit back and take someone talking about her that way without a fight.
So violent people? Angry ones? They were the type he tried real hard to steer himself away from, generally.
Kind of hard to steer away from someone who drops themselves right in your field of vision, though.
Ian blinked once and let his eyes refocus on the guy--Matthew, his name was Matthew--sitting across from him in the cafeteria at lunch. "Uh, hi?" He perks one eyebrow at him, not sure exactly what to make of the sudden intrusion.
"Don't get all doe-eyed on me, all right? I just need somewhere to sit and--" he waved one hand in a vague gesture. "you got the most space at your table."
He wasn't wrong, exactly. Except when his sister or his best friend were making up his tiny entourage, Ian usually sat pretty well enough alone at lunch. Not that he couldn't easily surround himself with people if he wanted, he had plenty of friends and never really had to be alone if he didn't specifically choose it. Sometimes, it was just easier this way. "Right." His voice is stilted and a little awkward, still a little unnerved by this guy. "So, where are you from anyway?" Because it definitely wasn't anywhere all that nearby, the accent was all wrong.
"The shitty side of Chicago. Why?"
"Just asking." He shrugged a little and popped a chip in his mouth. "You plan on eating or... just skipping lunch?" A shrug is the only response he gets and Ian huffs a soft, annoyed sigh. "Look, is there a reason you're so short--"
"Uh, yeah, it's called genetics, they teach that shit in science class."
Ian almost didn't manage to contain the laugh at that interruption. "No, I mean your attitude. You're kind of a dick, and I've done nothing to deserve that. Hell, all I've done is help you." And ignore him right after that for the last three days. But whatever, that's not the point.
He scoffed and tossed his head back a little, "Oh, don't worry, Princess. You ain't nothing special, I promise. I'm just this peachy with everybody."
A slight frown creased his forehead. "I can't decide if that's better or worse, actually." he admits, taking a sip of his drink. He doesn't seem phased by being called 'Princess' and whether that's a schooled reaction or something else entirely is debatable at best.
"How about you just don't worry about it, huh?"
Ian nodded and then shook his head. This guy was a real piece of work, that was for sure. The rest of the lunch period is spent in relative silence, the two boys don't have much to talk about and Matthew didn't seem to want to do much of that regardless. When the bell rang, Ian pushed up to his feet and shouldered his backpack. "See ya around, I guess." he muttered with a half-hearted wave before he took off to go to his next class.
071. Lunch
But still. Days rolled by and other than taking note that he did show up for class, Ian didn't notice much of anything about the guy. He was the angry type, which kind of the type of person Ian tried not to get himself involved with. Personally, he'd been in more trouble for fights at school than almost anything else; he can't help that he's protective of what's his. People talking trash about his mother or calling his sister a whore aren't things he has ever been able to simply let go of. Doesn't matter that his sister could do with a few less dalliances with any boy who's attention she could grab-- he wasn't going to sit back and take someone talking about her that way without a fight.
So violent people? Angry ones? They were the type he tried real hard to steer himself away from, generally.
Kind of hard to steer away from someone who drops themselves right in your field of vision, though.
Ian blinked once and let his eyes refocus on the guy--Matthew, his name was Matthew--sitting across from him in the cafeteria at lunch. "Uh, hi?" He perks one eyebrow at him, not sure exactly what to make of the sudden intrusion.
"Don't get all doe-eyed on me, all right? I just need somewhere to sit and--" he waved one hand in a vague gesture. "you got the most space at your table."
He wasn't wrong, exactly. Except when his sister or his best friend were making up his tiny entourage, Ian usually sat pretty well enough alone at lunch. Not that he couldn't easily surround himself with people if he wanted, he had plenty of friends and never really had to be alone if he didn't specifically choose it. Sometimes, it was just easier this way. "Right." His voice is stilted and a little awkward, still a little unnerved by this guy. "So, where are you from anyway?" Because it definitely wasn't anywhere all that nearby, the accent was all wrong.
"The shitty side of Chicago. Why?"
"Just asking." He shrugged a little and popped a chip in his mouth. "You plan on eating or... just skipping lunch?" A shrug is the only response he gets and Ian huffs a soft, annoyed sigh. "Look, is there a reason you're so short--"
"Uh, yeah, it's called genetics, they teach that shit in science class."
Ian almost didn't manage to contain the laugh at that interruption. "No, I mean your attitude. You're kind of a dick, and I've done nothing to deserve that. Hell, all I've done is help you." And ignore him right after that for the last three days. But whatever, that's not the point.
He scoffed and tossed his head back a little, "Oh, don't worry, Princess. You ain't nothing special, I promise. I'm just this peachy with everybody."
A slight frown creased his forehead. "I can't decide if that's better or worse, actually." he admits, taking a sip of his drink. He doesn't seem phased by being called 'Princess' and whether that's a schooled reaction or something else entirely is debatable at best.
"How about you just don't worry about it, huh?"
Ian nodded and then shook his head. This guy was a real piece of work, that was for sure. The rest of the lunch period is spent in relative silence, the two boys don't have much to talk about and Matthew didn't seem to want to do much of that regardless. When the bell rang, Ian pushed up to his feet and shouldered his backpack. "See ya around, I guess." he muttered with a half-hearted wave before he took off to go to his next class.