Third Floor Common Room, Wednesday Evening

[longislandiceme]

For the second night in a row, Bobby had set up a common room with his Go-Between Guy DVDs. This time, however, he'd also ordered a bunch of Chinese food- enough to share if anyone came by. He might not be able to cook, but at least he could feed people this way. It was only fair considering the number of times he'd had others' cooking.

[ooc: ...what can I say? I've been in a chatty mood lately.]

Comments

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

Peyton shook her head. "No, not at all. He was great. Just..."

She made a face. "I liked him, was really attracted to him, and... I let myself get into something I shouldn't. Kind of a friends with benefits thing. We were together, sort of, but it wasn't exclusive - at least not on his side. I knew that going in, agreed to it and told myself I could handle something like that. But I couldn't."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer reached over, to put a comforting hand on Peyton's shoulder.

"That must've hurt."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. A lot. It was worse because he was such a wonderful guy. It's just, there were other people he liked too. And when he got involved with one other person in particular..." She wanted to be careful not to be too specific. "Well, I'd fallen for him by then and I couldn't handle it. I didn't wat to be the kind of person to try and guilt him into doing something he couldn't, but I didn't want to let him go. My, my bio-mom helped me see that I wasn't being fair to either one of us, that I deserved more than just that even though I didn't think I did."

"I broke it off," Peyton said after a moment. "I hated to and he didn't really understand and I couldn't tell him I'd fallen in love, so I know it hurt him, but... I didn't know a better way to do it."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Oh, hon," Jennifer said. "I... I can't even imagine how that must've felt."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"We agreed to be friends, just without the benefits part, but," she shrugged. "It's awkward. If I hadn't started things at least I'd still have my friend. And without him... he did so much for me, was so good to me. It's hard."

"But it was the right thing to do. I just would have turned into one of those clingy demanding girls, trying to manipulate him to get what I wanted."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"And that wouldn't be fun for anyone," Jennifer said. "I think you did the right thing, though. Not that I'm a relationship expert."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Peyton said softly. "It wasn't the easy thing and it still hurts like hell, but it was the right thing."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Just takes time, right?" Jennifer said.

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"So they say," Peyton said with a smile. "And who knows, maybe someday I'll find a guy who only wants me."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"We can hope," Jennifer said. "And hey, we're still young."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, the women in my family seem to die young," Peyton said with a rueful smile, "so I better get moving."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer winced a little, thinking about the women in her family.

"I guess so."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," Peyton said. "Didn't mean to be a downer. Just... meant to encourage you to hold out for what you deserve, you know?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"It's good advice," Jennifer said. "I mean, it's not like I'm ready to start sleeping with boys, anyway."

Oh, Jen. She hardly knew the list of conquests she'd have in the future.

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"I started way too young," Peyton admitted. "I mean, I've only ever slept with three, but I was still way too young and it was with the wrong guy for the wrong reasons. I seem to not do so well with that. Though the second..."

Right guy, right reasons, waited till they were both sure. Only stands to reason he'd have to go into hiding without her, right?

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"My dad was way too protective for me to get away with anything like that. I mean, I've not even had a boyfriend, yet," Jennifer said.

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

"Mine was gone almost all the time. I've kind of lived mostly on my own since I was 14," Peyton said. "But hey, you're pretty, and you've got lots of time."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jen blushed a little. "Thanks. But you're far prettier than me."

[darkangelsawyer.livejournal.com]

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Totally in the eyes of the beholder. And I'd totally disagree by the way."