Depressed ((open))

[vinnie]

Vinnie was still having girl problems. Big surprise. It wasn't that the was shy with girls. . . he just didn't know how to handling liking one. The big problem was that the one he liked the most was taken. . . by one of his best friends no less. He was just sick of not knowing what to do! And he was beginning to get very lonely. It seemed like most of his friends had someone and he still never had a girl friend. Vinnie sat on the front steps staring off into space, thinking about his plight.

[Viola Hastings]

Viola walked up the front steps to St. James and readjusted the strap on her man purse. She double checked her wig's security by passing it off that she was side sweeping her bangs. She noticed Vinnie sitting down and looking fairly miserable. She wasn't overly excited to see him at this point, but they were friends, and she hated seeing her friends look glum. She stopped walking up the stairs and took a seat beside him.

"Why the long face, man," she asked, deepening her voice as best as she could.

[vinnie]

Vinnie hadn't noticed Sebastian show up until he heard him speak. Vinnie slowly looked over at him and his delightfully goofy face. Something about this kids face just always gave him a bit of an internal giggle. He really didn't know why.

"I dunno, man," said Vinnie, turning to look forward again, "Just thinking. . . Do you think girls don't like me?" Vinnie felt like he had bonded with Sebastian since he started going to St. James so he didn't have a problem talking to him about his problems, even if he was vague about it. He couldn't talk to Desmond about it because the last time he did all Desmond said was, "Vagina's are icky! You should just learn to like cock!".

[Viola Hastings]

((The best part is I hear my friend Greg's voice saying that. .. and it's close to what he would normally say.))

"Sebastian" folded his arms across his legs and looked at a group of giggling girls in their plaid Catholic skirt walking by and glanced back at Vinnie.

"Yeah, I think they do," she said, with a chuckle. "Especially the blond. But seriously, I do."

[vinnie]

Vinnie watched as the girls ran passed him a giggle. "Well, I've figure out that they like looking at me, but I dunno," said Vinnie shaking his head and picking at spot on his shoe, "None of them seem to really want to get to know me, you know? And all the girls I like don't like me or are already taken. I'm really bad at talking to them too. . . I see these guys in school, these stupid 'smooth talkers'. They're always talking to girls, but the thing is all those douche bags want is to get into their pants! Don't girls see that? I'm not like that at all. . ."

[Viola Hastings]

"Well, speaking as a completely objective third party observer," she began. "There is a happy medium here. you don't have to be a sleeze to smooth talk girls. Just pretend that yer talkin' to a guy and act all natural like."

[vinnie]

"But I can't do that!" Vinnie said, almost outraged. "I curse when I talk to guys. . . I-I-'m not very polite when I talk to guys. . . wouldn't it be rude to treat a girl like she's a boy? I dunno, I always thought girls liked gentlemen. . . oh my God! Have I been wrong? Have I been polite my whole life for no reason?!"

[Viola Hastings]

"But I can't do that! I curse when I talk to guys. . . I-I-'m not very polite when I talk to guys. . . wouldn't it be rude to treat a girl like she's a boy?

"Well sometimes girls don't mind cursing," she replied. "I'm not saying you should curse at them, or all the time. .. just yeh know loosen up around them."

I always thought girls liked gentlemen. . . oh my God! Have I been wrong? Have I been polite my whole life for no reason?!"

"I mean. .. not being a girl myself, I wouldn't know exactly," she said, realizing that knowing all this information might seem fishy. "But I think. . .maybe there are times when chicks wanna gentleman and times when they want a bad boy. . ."

She played with a bit of the bangs on her wig before remembering that wasn't actually her hair. . . or very masculine for that matter.

"I mean, that's what I've learned from some of the chicks I dated at muh old school," she said as an afterthought.

[vinnie]

"The bad boy?" Vinnie said with his eye brow raised. He'd already gone though his bad boy phase in Jr. High when he had just moved to Pittsburgh from NYC. He was angry he had to move away from his family so he ended up taking it out on kids in his class. All the kids had been assholes or bullies, of course. Vinnie had never been a bully himself nor had he ever lashed out at girls. Since he was mostly raised by his aunts after his mother died they had taught him to always treat woman with respect. Unfortunately they never taught him how to get a girlfriend.

"I've already been through my bad boy phase." Vinnie said, "It seems a bit immature to me. . . Besides, don't you think I should date a girl how likes me for me? I'm not trying to change who I am . . . I just want to learn how to communicate with girls better. I tend to not know what to say or I say something stupid. . . Ask your cousin, she can tell you that. . ." Vinnie still cringed every time he thought about how much of an asshole he was at the Home Coming Dance.

[Viola Hastings]

((She likes me for me, not because i look like tyson beckford, with the charm of robert redford))

"Besides, don't you think I should date a girl how likes me for me?"

"Well yeah, I mean, I guess," she said.

This was weird even for her, she was only slightly better at the whole relationship thing than Kyan was. Not that she couldn't hold onto one, rather just that she found it hard to give advice about them.

"I'm not trying to change who I am . . . I just want to learn how to communicate with girls better. I tend to not know what to say or I say something stupid. . . "

"Well don't complicate things so much then," she said. "Just be yourself, and don't worry about screwing up, or sayin' the wrong thing, or impressin' anyone."

"Ask your cousin, she can tell you that. . ."

"Naw, she's not the type to hold a grudge," she said. Which was true for the most part of her.

[vinnie]

"Well, we'll see how she treats me the next time I see her." said Vinnie doubtfully. He really thought that Sebastian was just saying that to make him feel better. Viola had to be mad at him, she just had to be! First of all he spent a lot of the night staring at Faye, then he ran off after Brooke after she left the girls bathroom crying, then he forgot that Viola's best friend had been stabbed the weekend before! How could she not be mad!

"You do seem to know a lot about girls. . . I'll give you that." said Vinnie. He looked at Sebastian closely for a moment. "Hey! Wait a minute," he said after a long pause, "If you know so much about girls. . . why don't you help me find a girlfriend?!"

[Viola Hastings]

Viola was certain Vinnie had realized her secret for a moment. She was relieved to say the least when instead he was merely interested in asking for her help.

"Help you find a girlfriend?" she asked slightly thrown off. She hadn't been expecting this at all. "Well, I. . uh mean . . .I guess. . .I can. What kind of girl are you looking for?"

[vinnie]

Vinnie thought for a moment. He never been asked what kind of girl he was into, nor had he thought about it. He sorta just liked who he liked. "Ah, well," he began, "She can't be a slut or a bitch. . . she should be nice. . . um, smart, I don't want an air head for a girlfriend, you know, someone I can have an intelligent conversation with. She should like Star Wars. Oh, my favorite show is Mystery Science Theater, I guess she should at least know what that is. She should have good taste in music . . . you know, like Queen, Zeppelin, Floyd, Oasis, Hendrix. . . ummm, she should like big dogs because I have a big black Austrian Shepard and he's like my baby and I'm not ashamed to admit that. Umm. . . I don't like girls who obsess about their weight or are vain. . . I dunno. . I'm not being to specific am I?"

[Viola Hastings]

"I, feel like I should be writin' all the down or something," she said with an awkward chuckle.

She tried to make a mental note of all Vinnie's requirements. She didn't say it out loud but Vinnie's requirements matched more guys than girls.

"I'm sure there are at least ten girls in the school like that. . .or even over at Gee Dubyou," she assured him.

[vinnie]

Vinnie laughed awkwardly. It had been quite a list. . . but Vinnie really wasn't sure what he wanted. He just said the first things that came to mind.

"Ten?" repeated Vinnie. That seemed to be a very small number compare to the amount of girls at St. James. "That doesn't leave a lot of options does it? And how am I supposed to met a number of girls from GW? Ugh, I don't really know what I want!" Vinnie slumped down in defeat, "I guess if I like a girl, I just like her. . ."

Just then a group of chattering girls came up the steps and one brave one stepped out of the crowd. "Hi Vinnie!" she squealed before running back to her group to be greeted by a fit of giggles. Vinnie sighed.

"How am I suppose to meet a girl if they all run away?!" he demanded.

[Viola Hastings]

"I was only jokin'," she assured him about there only being ten girls that fit the description.

"And how am I supposed to met a number of girls from GW?"

"Well I know some of the kids that go there. . .cuz my uh cousin goes there and all. . .so I could help you out with that," she offered, catching her little slip up.

She watched as another group of giggling girls approached them and ran away giggling. She rolled her eyes; they were actually starting to annoy her now.

"How am I suppose to meet a girl if they all run away?!"

"Well stop 'em from leaving," she said. "Yeh know, ask 'em how they're doing or somethin'," she said with a shrug.

[vinnie]

Vinnei blushed as yet another group of girls walked by giggling. Why didn't they just stop to talk to him?! Was he that intiminating? He thought he was a nice guy. . . Another group of girls approached. It was his chance. As usually they giggled as they passed, but Vinnie was on top of it this time.

"Hello, ladies!" he said politely. "How are you?" They all stopped and looked shocked. For one hopeful split second he thought that at least one of them was going ot stay, then the girls all looked at each other, giggled, and ran away. Vinnie turned back to Sebastian with a dissapointed look on his face. "I really thought that might work. . . "

[zanna]

Zanna didn't have a lot of free time, but she felt like walking today. She never had a lot of free time any more. It was kind of frustrating. She'd been screwing up more at work, doing worse in school (but not necessarily bad, just worse), and her skating seemed a little off. All she wanted was one night when she could hang out with friends, have a good time, and not have to worry about every little thing in the world and what everybody expected from her!

She was on her way to practice at the moment, but... well, she didn't care. This was her second practice that day, what more could her mother expect from her? Plus, she hadn't eaten anything in roughly 20 hours. What she needed was a break... or better yet, a distraction.

"Hello, ladies! How are you?"

As Zanna turned the corner she heard a somewhat familiar voice floating down the street, and right after a group of giggling girls who were hurrying away in the opposite direction.

"I really thought that might work. . . "

"Vinnie?" the name escaped her lips before she could stop herself, and froze in the street. She had only spoken to him once before, after her skating practice (a week ago? two weeks? a few weeks?). And now she'd interrupted him while he was trying to pick up girls or something. She felt a little embarrassed, but she couldn't help that he happened to live in between her house and the skating rink.

"Ummm... hey." She wondered if he even remembered her. How awkward would that be?

[vinnie]

Just after the group of giggling girls left, Vinnie heard a familiar voice say his name. It was Zanna. Vinnie hadn't seen her since they had lunch together a few weeks ago. He figured she was always busy with work, skating, and school. That and Vinnie was distracted by the whole Garrett Faye situation. Zanna looked very worn out; it seemed like everything was starting to take it's toll on the poor girl.

"Oh, hey." said Vinnie, standing up. He just realized he was still in his school uniform. . . which made sense because he was still at school. "Ahh, what are you doing around here?" Vinnie wondered why she was wandering around St. James when he knew she went to GW.

[zanna]

((ooc- watch my creative genius making up for my lack of reading posts before I join threads. And... Go!))

Zanna smiled, glad that Vinnie remembered her. It wasn't often that she met a strange boy from another school and went out for pizza, even if it hadn't led to anything. After all, she had fun. It had been the first (and probably last) time in a long while that she had just gone out and had a good time without worrying about practice or school or anything like that.

"Me? Oh, well, I have a free period at the end of the day, so I skipped out early to walk to the rink... practice. It's such a nice day outside, though, that I just didn't feel like driving. You know?" Zanna looked up at the clear October sky. The leaves were changing colors and falling from the trees, and there was a nice breeze. It was just one of those perfect fall days.

"Though, honestly, I was debating not going to practice. I mean... I was there earlier this morning, before school, working on a few things. I just don't feel like working," Zanna paused. "Sorry, now I'm just moping. Oh, sorry... I don't believe we've met," she said, looking at the strangely feminine guy Vinnie was with. "I'm Zanna, I go to George Washington," she said.

[Viola Hastings]

Viola watched as a lone girl approached Vinnie and the two struck up a conversation. She thought about sneaking off while they were talking: giving them some privacy and her an opportunity to go see how Kyan was doing. It was then that the girl turned her attentions towards her. . .rather him.

She recognized her: Zanna Aislin, a fellow senior at George Washington High. The girl was a skater through and through, but the two had never been overly close. Viola didn't mind her, in fact she quite liked the girl, she just never went out partying with her or anything of that sort.

She stood up and dusted her hands off on the khaki pants that were mandatory for the boy's school uniform. She extended it for Zanna to shake.

" 'Sup?" she said. "I"m Sebastian. . .Kelly."

[vinnie]

"O." said Vinnie, nodding his head. "Well, school just ended here not too long ago. I've just been sitting out here and, um, just chillin' out. . ." Vinnie was stuck was again. He always blew it when it came to conversation with a girl, he just could never thing of enough stuff to talk about! And when he did it was always far to general like the whether, nothing to really get a good conversation going. Luckily Zanna had plenty to say;

"Though, honestly, I was debating not going to practice. I mean... I was there earlier this morning, before school, working on a few things. I just don't feel like working,"

"I guess it's not really my place to say this, but it seems to me that you practice too much." said Vinnie, "Maybe you should take a break? I mean, if you really don't want to go to practice and you think you need it. . " Vinnie pause for a moment. "Do you like Star Wars?" he blurted out like an ass. Luckily, Zanna seemed to be distracted by introducing herself to Sebastian who, of course, introduced himself in all his awkward glory. That kid really was strange. . . It was if he was acting like he thought a typical boy should. . . .

Vinnie stood and waiting for the introduction to pass. He was cursing himself on the inside for not introducing the two himself; that would have been the polite thing to do. But, Sebastian had told him to lighten up so maybe this was good for him.

[zanna]

Chillin' out? Zanna thought that this was a curious way to say 'trying to pick up hot school girls', but she knew that she wasn't really one to judge. After all, she had only met the guy once. Maybe he was a lady's man! Though he really hadn't struck her as the type at the rink that day, or when they were having pizza later that night.

When Vinnie said that maybe she practiced too much, Zanna blushed heavily. She knew that it was true, and that all of the work was really taking a toll on her this year more than ever, but there wasn't a whole lot she could do about it. Quitting now would devastate her mother! Luckily, she was spared from answering that question directly because Vinnie blurted something completely unrelated out.

"Do you like Star Wars?"

"Uh, yeah," she said, a little confused as to where the question had come from but figuring it was a nice change of subject from her psychotic mother and training schedule. "My dad was a huge fan, and passed it down to my brother and me. Why do you ask?"

[vinnie]

Vinnie noticed the blush. Was is it a good thing or a bad thing? Further more, how had he caused it? Normally when he made a girl blush it was followed by the girl running away with a fit of giggles. Normally it was just because he had asked a simple request of her like asking to borrow a pencil. Vinnie didn't understand why girls acted to so strangely around him. Perhaps that's why he got along with Zanna so well; she didn't turn into a brain dead giggler when ever he spoke to her. And Zanna didn't run away so that was a good sign.

Vinnie's face lit up when Zanna said she liked Star Wars. It was most certainly a start. "Oh, I was just wondering." he said, "Sebastian and I were talking about it so I just wanted to ask." He felt bad for lying, but it was far less awkward then the truth of him discussing what he looked for in a girl. Now, how to bring up the rest of the stuff without seeming strange or random? He had an idea so he thought he's just roll with it.

"Yeah, Sebastian was also saying that Lord of the Rings better than Harry Potter," Vinnie lied. He gave Sebastian a subtle nudge with his elbow to tell him to play along, "I disagree. What do you think? We were arguing about it for a while now, it would be nice to have a third opinion." Vinnie had never done something like this before in his life! He felt very sleazy lying to Zanna, but if things went well he'd tell her the truth soon enough.

[zanna]

Glad for the distraction, Zanna had completely forgotten about skating for the time being. She had only been stopping by to say hello since Vinnie had remembered her, but now that they were holding a conversation she couldn't help but stay where she was and smile as they spoke of pop culture references.

Zanna listened to Vinnie explain that he had just been talking about it with Sebastian, and nodded. She couldn't help but wonder what had come over her. Of course, she was a very sociable person, but she barely knew this guy! Now she was blushing over stupid observations. At least she managed to keep her composure. This was so unlike her!

What do you think? We were arguing about it for a while now, it would be nice to have a third opinion."

Zanna paused for a moment before responding, wanting to formulate her opinion in her head first so that she didn't sound stupid. "It's hard to compare the two... I mean, they're in completely different categories! If you're into the older style of writing, I mean, Lord of the Rings was so well written! But Harry Potter is easier to read through, and more fun. It's more whimsical, while still being deep and thought-provoking at the same time. Plus, Sirius Black is my favorite character ever," she admitted, realizing that she hadn't actually declared one better than the other but, well, it was the truth. She did love them both.