The Roof [Tuesday, Afternoon]

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Last week... last couple of weeks, actually had been made up of a few ups and downs (along with a couple of interesting interludes). Effy supposed it was all supposed to balance out so she could call it 'okay', but somehow she couldn't. Not really.

Or, not truthfully, anyway. But when was Effy ever completely honest about that sort of thing. At least she had the weekend, and Tony's visit, to look forward to. There was that.

That, and it was still nice enough, even getting into autumn, to just throw a leather jacket over her shoulders and come out to enjoy her free afternoon relaxing and reading. Nothing wrong with a bit of philosophy on your day off. Wasn't even smoking yet, even if she had the materials for it with her. She could get to that later.

[[She's completely disturbable, open roof and all.]]

Comments

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

After sticking post-it notes all over the dorms (and that had been kind of fun), it was only logical for Alex to stop on the roof since he was up near there anyway.

He thought about sticking some random post-it notes with different things written on them along the roof but doused that idea when he realized the roof wasn't empty.

Deciding to go with being quiet for the moment, he wandered closer to the edge of the roof before leaning down, elbows resting on the ledge.

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Effy wasn't so completely immersed in her book that she wouldn't notice someone wandering around back there. Did take her own time in glancing sideways to check who it was, though.

"Given up on greetings, then?" she said mildly. Best way she knew how to deal with their fairly regular little arguments was to pretend they never happened. Still so healthy.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"You were reading," he said, looking back at her and half smiling. He could get on board with that avenue of thinking. Made things easier in the short term. "I thought I was being polite. Didn't want you to lose your spot."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Well, surprisingly enough, her multitasking was well up to par, especially when she had a very effective page marking finger.

"Such a stickler for manners." Yeah... Right.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"What, did you want me to grab your book and throw it over the edge here?" he asked, turning till his back was resting against the edge now. "That be more direct?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Would be direct." Didn't get much more attention grabbing than that. "If a little overdramatic." And a waste of a perfectly good book.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"And we all know how overdramatic I am." Okay, sometimes he was. Shut up. "Hello. There's your greeting. Better?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Just what I always dreamed it would be," she answered. "Alright, Alex?" And look, he even got a greeting in return!

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

And for an answer, she got a shrug. "We'll see how I am after the weekend. Right now, I'm doing okay. Could be worse, could be better. But, that's about par for the course."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Thought you were expecting a quiet weekend." Effy glanced across at him, flipping her book shut. "Or did that change?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"It's up in the air," he said and shrugged, grateful that that no longer hurt to do. "It's not like I can stop someone from getting on a plane and flying across the country to see me. I'm preparing for the inevitable."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Inevitable?" she said, turning a little more towards him, "Or just potential?" Sounded almost like he was expecting it.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"They're the same thing," he said, shaking his head. They weren't, he knew that. "I don't know, maybe it's potential. I'm trying not to think of it either way. I'd rather it be a quiet weekend. I can go get drunk somewhere and pretend I care that no one came to see me."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"At least you've got a plan." Which was something. To most people, a self-destructive plan, but hey, Effy would go straight down the same route if she didn't have people coming.

"But I don't think you'll get quiet." Simple fact there were a lot of people around would see to that.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I can find quiet," he insisted. "I can take a trip off island if I really need it. I know a few places."

Of course, he knew he'd only do that if he got really restless. Going off island was plan but it also took a lot of energy that he tended to lack sometimes.

"We'll see," he said, shrugging again. "I'll deal with whatever happens. I'm good at that sort of thing."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Mmm." Dealing might not have been the word she'd use. Avoiding? Maybe. "I'm sure you are."

"Why prepare for something might not ever happen." That was a lot of effort. Still all for the denial and avoidance. Now, though, she dug a hand into her pocket for her cigarettes. Wasn't reading now she was talking, nothing to be setting fire to. Even did the polite thing, held it out towards him first.

"Not going to tell me they'll kill me this time, are you?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"Wasn't planning on it," he said, easily recalling when he'd said that last. That conversation hadn't started out all bad, had it? Nevertheless, he plucked a cigarette out and patted his pocket to see if he'd brought his lighter.

"Had someone else tell me that last night," he said as he searched. "It's nice that so many people care about my lungs."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Awful lot of do-gooders on one little island," she noted, dragging out her own lighter. "Surprised I don't get it more." Because apparently, he was in the minority when it came to caring about her lungs. Or being annoying by throwing the comment around. Whichever.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I've already ruined my lungs," he said, shrugging easily. "They're a little late to be worried that I'm going to pollute them with cigarette smoke. Should've been around a few years ago when I started."

Not that he would wish Iowa on anyone if he didn't have to. No one needed to be in that podunk place.

"You want, I can always get on your case about that sort of thing," he offered with a laugh. "Or any other thing. I'm pretty good at being an annoying prick."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"You don't say," Effy threw back, with a bit of a smirk. At this point, she was starting to get used to that.

"I'll pass," she decided. "Think I can do without preachy lectures." Wasn't going to change what she did one iota. "If they don't like it, fuck 'em." The one piece of advice she'd been given by a teacher that she actually appreciated.

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"That mean I'm out of a job?" he asked, frowning like it was the end of the world or something. "Don't need me for anything then, do you?"

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

Effy exhaled some smoke with a bit of a laugh. "Oh, forgot you're that irreplaceable jerk. What would I do without you?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"You'd miss me," he decided with a firm nod. "And be a lot more bored than you typically are. No one coming to bother you or make you Pop Tarts. That's an empty life."

[pastmewrong.livejournal.com]

"Tragic." Yeah, despite the eye roll, she'd miss him if he stopped bugging her on a regular basis. Shut up. "What more does a girl need?"

[fratboybitch.livejournal.com]

"I dunno seeing as I'm not a girl." Well, that sentence needed an amendment. "Not a girl right now. Too bad you missed that. I think you'd have liked me as a chick."