“Because it is unfair, Mimi. Do you not see that?” Yulia said, hands on her thin hips.
Mimi frowned and leaned back on her bed, preferring to stare up at the ceiling than continue to look at the discomfort in Moth’s face. “I don’t know,” she said quietly, rubbing at her face. “I just think she went too far.”
The Czech girl stepped forward a little. Her voice was shaky. “Summer has just as much a right to voice her opinion as anyone!”
“I didn’t say that, Yulia,” Mimi replied, sitting up again. “But when the administration willingly turns a blind eye to things that are against the rules, it’s pretty stupid to publicly thank them for doing it, that’s all.”
“So now you think the rules are right, Mimi? That I should be a different way, because the Church says so?”
“Stop twisting this,” Mimi growled, and Yulia felt silent, frowning. Mimi sighed. “It’s no different than Pocket D, Yulia,” Mimi continued. “If Summer wrote an article about how nice it was of the administration to allow students to go drinking at Pocket D, we’d see the same thing.” Moth started to speak, so Mimi quickly said, “no, don’t you snap at me. You tell me how they’d react about that.”
Moth closed her mouth and thought about that a moment. “I do not see that this is the same,” she said, but the conviction had gone out of her voice a little.
It had been a nightmare. It had been almost a week since The Vigilant had made everyone go insane. She had taken a topic that no one talked about, and forced everyone to talk about it. And so they had: in the lunchroom, on the quad, in the halls. And when the students started talking about it, the teachers had noticed. And then many of them had read The Vigilant, maybe for the first time. If there had ever been a worse issue for them to start with, it was this one.
Just like the students, many of the staff found themselves on both sides of the issue. Some of the sisters had immediately started confiscating any copies they could find. Sister Mary Edith had collected dozens of them from students as they came to and from the library. Several students wound up in detention, refusing to relinquish their copies. An entire class full of students was treated to an argument between Mr. Norris and Sister Mary Constance when she had tried to collect copies from students at his classroom door. He had stopped her, and the two had stepped out into the hall, leaving the students to eavesdrop. Words like “sin” and “censorship” were exchanged in heated tones. Ultimately, most of the copies of The Vigilant were collected. The ones that remained were suddenly treasured, guarded, hidden away.
It was rumored that Summer had been called in for a conference with Sir Arthur and Father Bob. It’d be pretty obvious who would be on who’s side, but no one knew if Sir Arthur’s hands would be tied: perhaps The Vigilant was finished. Perhaps a compromise could be reached. No one knew. It had been a long time since the Order of Cupertino had needed to flex its’ muscles, but now..?
Yulia had hung the article up on the wall above her desk. Mimi thought it was a bad idea, and had said so. And here they were, arguing, just like so many others across campus.
“No, of course it’s not ‘the same,’ Yulia,” Mimi said in an exasperated tone. “I’m just saying that you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Christ, Summer kicked the horse right in the damned teeth.”
“I think she is brave,” Moth said, cocking her head a little.
“Fine line between brave and stupid,” Mimi replied angrily. “Have you even talked to November about this? About how she feels about being ‘outted’ in this?”
Yulia looked down at her feet, and shifted awkwardly. “No,” she said quietly.
Mimi followed up, for the first time, the advantage hers. “No, of course you haven’t. Because November doesn’t think of herself that way and we both know it. But now? Now, Summer made that choice for her. Now, November is a lesbian, whether she likes it or not.”
Moth shrugged a little. “Maybe that was best? Maybe—“
“You can’t honestly believe that,” Mimi snapped, interrupting.
Yulia shook her head quickly. “What I believe is that you have changed the subject.” She came and sat next to Mimi on the bed, her eyes filled with hurt. “Do you think I should not be as I am? Do you think I am filled with sin, as the Sisters say?”
Mimi had to look away. How was she supposed to answer that? Her faith was pretty clear on the subject, even if it wasn’t something that was discussed openly. At least, not until recently. Not until Summer’s editorial made it impossible to keep quiet. Not until the debates started. And now? Friends were arguing. Teachers were arguing.
Moth leaned closer and put her hand on Mimi’s shoulder. Mimi did not shrink away. “Mimi,” Yulia continued, “Saint Joseph School is a safe haven, yes? We are all here so that we can be who we are meant to be. Because we are different. But some of us,” she continued, more quietly, “some of us are more different. Should we not also be safe here?”
Mimi turned away and collapsed forward onto her pillow, pulling it to her face with her arms. She buried her face in the soft darkness for a moment, then lifted her head, staring out the window across the room.
“I don’t know, Yulia,” she said quietly. “I just don’t know.”
...that dare not speak its name (Open Interludes)
Moderator: Student Council
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Glowing Vigilance
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Summer sat in the pew alone by herself looking upwards towards Jesus looking down at her like a condesending father. The school was ripped open with this. Everywhere she went, the Nuns shot her dirty looks, people came up to her, asked her to sign her little article for them under her typed name. Within a week, she'd become like Paris Hilton, loved, hated but still talked about. The darkness of the church was surrounding her minus the lone candle stand illuminating Jesus and her face.
Summer rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It had to be three in the morning. The church was always open but she wouldn't be surprised if the father was sleeping in his office or something. She wanted an answer. Hell she wanted to be comforted by someone other than her friends and strangers who'd read the article and not scorned by those who see her as some blasphemous sinner. She was being true and honest. The preached honesty, saying it one of the ways to stay on target with god and heaven. Summer was being truthful, she described herself, her life, she had cast away her life and become more than what she was born into. Now they wanted to take what made her happy away from her.
Her eyes narrowed and a burning desire to keep what was her consumed her. It was her life, she could choose if she wanted to. Choice was an everyday thing in life, and by their logic, she as like this because God willed it in the first place and instead of forgiveness she got scorn. She was scorned for being truthful, scorned for being herself. Why do they think that just because she liked girls, it was wrong. It wasn't ordinary, but a man who could make grass grow and attack people or someone beating out the worlds fastest car on foot is okay. Where did their boundary get broken? How is it that now that she'd ousted others, it was now in turn her time to fall from grace. Everything was going so well for her. Life was filled with enjoyment, her frustrations all flowing out of her as she experienced a nice spot in life.
She looked away from Jesus finally. The creak behind her had broken her concentration.
"My word..."
Summer looked at at Father Robert in the eyes, "Didn't want to come in during hours. Nuns are already full up to their necks as is without me coming in here and possibly making a martyr of myself." She muttered.
Her and Father Robert 'Bob" were due for a conversation today in roughly 6 hours along with the principal about her ellict paper which was stirring the uproar that fueled everything going on.
"I would agree with you on that." Father Robert said sitting down next to her.
"When you go out of your way to tell the truth to people, somewhere down the line, its bound to be skewed and taken wrong." Summer answered looking ahead and for once not at the floor in shame.
The Father sighed, "You did what you thought was right. Judging a person on their lifestyle instead of their actions has been the way of things in this world for a long time."
"I wanted to do what I wanted. For once, I wanted to feel something besides regret, about my heritage, about my father... about me." Father Robert began to open his mouth, "For one second, I felt like I did belong in a place this great and I thought that sancturary for the oppressed, loathed, hated and stepped on had finally found a place that reserved their judgement and used tolerance instead of bigotry."
"You're a wise one Summer." He said looking at her, "but, that doesn't mean everyone is as enlightened."
"Then why must I suffer from the ipudence of others while I talk about things that have a real point in the world and not something frivolous like, who's going out with who? How come I can't be like them and not focus on problems that're more self centered and personal instead of others?"
The Father looked down, he took his time with his words, "Summer. You're a girl divorced from her childhood. You've never had one, you've been living a life that most adults haven't attained till well in their fifties and are on the way towards his Almighty and heaven."
"The vigilant has made a diffrence in people's lives. I touched people with my words, I made them smile and for once forget their own problems." Summer answered, "I made them smile! That accounts for something! I made the diffrence! I've gone farther than a lot of people in an attempt to make diffrence in others lives! People have asked me to help them instead of keeping it quiet!"
She hit the pew in front of her with her balled fist, her tears striking the floor leaving a puddle which illuminated the cobble slightly. She hit the pew again, her head sinking.
"I made a diffrence..." She muttered.
The Father put his hand on Summer's shoulder, "I know you did..." he said, "But just because you did doesn't mean that it should only be you who has to do it."
"You're not going to stop me from publishing the Vigilant." Summer answered, "Its mine. Its the only other thing in my life that holds meaning."
"Did I say you had to stop?" He said.
"They'll make me stop..." Summer replied, "They'll make me stop and they'll keep me away from my love. They'll cut me off from the things that make me feel important. Those things are mine and I will not let someone take away what's mine, especially when I didn't do anything wrong."
Father Robert took his hand off Summer's shoulder, "I can't say when I was your age, I was so determined."
Summer sniffled, "Goes to show how determination isn't always enough nor warranted..."
"Summer, god gave you a gift. You can write. I read your article. Besides the people you mentioned, it was a true enough article. You spoke through the words to everyone. You made people think. You did make a diffrence." He emphasized.
Summer sobbed a minute, "This paper is protected by the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech. When I came here, I read the contract, I waived no rights thus leaving me every civil liberty to write what I want, talk about what I want and be what I want while having the right to ignore all naysayers."
"Sum-" Summer cut him off, her resolve was building now, she was getting to a place where she needed to be finally, the mental clarity to fight for what was hers. "God helps those who help themselves, correct Father?"
"Y-yes." He answered.
"Then I'm helping myself and the rest of you by bringing this to light. The Nuns have truly fallen from grace. Their pious nature has blinded them from tolerating and monitoring these things." Summer was interrupted.
"That's very bold words, Miss."
Summer sighed, "Its their own fault that this siuation has come to head and caused so much controversy. I'm not wishing to bash the nuns and I should go with Jesus' words of turning the other cheek but if I continue with my inaction I will lose what I treasure."
"You won't have to give it up."
"You know you can't promise that, and I know this, regardless I will not withdraw this Vigilant, I do not care if it has been put on any list, it is a paper, its protected and if no one will protect it here, then I will protect it myself." She stood up from the pew, shoving her sleeve across her nose and eyes to get the snot and tears out.
"Tell Arthur, I'll be in his office at 9 in the morning." Summer said as she walked, her tone serious and precise, "I will discuss the paper but I will not stop. You may also in form him on my thought of these Nuns and their fall. Perhaps adressing them for their short coming will lighten the sentiment. I will do my part to qwell the students from going overboard as I am a student and I can make a diffrence. Good morning Father."
She walked through the door and down the hall. She kept her head up hoping her strength would hold till she got to her dorm where she'd probably finish out the rest of her crying under her pillow and sheets and in the silence of the night remaining. The Vigilant would stay, she'd refuse to let it die because a couple nuns were offended. Nuns were people, they had follies, no one was truly divine and everyone had shortcomings. Perhaps her's was stubborness. She'd find out.
Summer rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It had to be three in the morning. The church was always open but she wouldn't be surprised if the father was sleeping in his office or something. She wanted an answer. Hell she wanted to be comforted by someone other than her friends and strangers who'd read the article and not scorned by those who see her as some blasphemous sinner. She was being true and honest. The preached honesty, saying it one of the ways to stay on target with god and heaven. Summer was being truthful, she described herself, her life, she had cast away her life and become more than what she was born into. Now they wanted to take what made her happy away from her.
Her eyes narrowed and a burning desire to keep what was her consumed her. It was her life, she could choose if she wanted to. Choice was an everyday thing in life, and by their logic, she as like this because God willed it in the first place and instead of forgiveness she got scorn. She was scorned for being truthful, scorned for being herself. Why do they think that just because she liked girls, it was wrong. It wasn't ordinary, but a man who could make grass grow and attack people or someone beating out the worlds fastest car on foot is okay. Where did their boundary get broken? How is it that now that she'd ousted others, it was now in turn her time to fall from grace. Everything was going so well for her. Life was filled with enjoyment, her frustrations all flowing out of her as she experienced a nice spot in life.
She looked away from Jesus finally. The creak behind her had broken her concentration.
"My word..."
Summer looked at at Father Robert in the eyes, "Didn't want to come in during hours. Nuns are already full up to their necks as is without me coming in here and possibly making a martyr of myself." She muttered.
Her and Father Robert 'Bob" were due for a conversation today in roughly 6 hours along with the principal about her ellict paper which was stirring the uproar that fueled everything going on.
"I would agree with you on that." Father Robert said sitting down next to her.
"When you go out of your way to tell the truth to people, somewhere down the line, its bound to be skewed and taken wrong." Summer answered looking ahead and for once not at the floor in shame.
The Father sighed, "You did what you thought was right. Judging a person on their lifestyle instead of their actions has been the way of things in this world for a long time."
"I wanted to do what I wanted. For once, I wanted to feel something besides regret, about my heritage, about my father... about me." Father Robert began to open his mouth, "For one second, I felt like I did belong in a place this great and I thought that sancturary for the oppressed, loathed, hated and stepped on had finally found a place that reserved their judgement and used tolerance instead of bigotry."
"You're a wise one Summer." He said looking at her, "but, that doesn't mean everyone is as enlightened."
"Then why must I suffer from the ipudence of others while I talk about things that have a real point in the world and not something frivolous like, who's going out with who? How come I can't be like them and not focus on problems that're more self centered and personal instead of others?"
The Father looked down, he took his time with his words, "Summer. You're a girl divorced from her childhood. You've never had one, you've been living a life that most adults haven't attained till well in their fifties and are on the way towards his Almighty and heaven."
"The vigilant has made a diffrence in people's lives. I touched people with my words, I made them smile and for once forget their own problems." Summer answered, "I made them smile! That accounts for something! I made the diffrence! I've gone farther than a lot of people in an attempt to make diffrence in others lives! People have asked me to help them instead of keeping it quiet!"
She hit the pew in front of her with her balled fist, her tears striking the floor leaving a puddle which illuminated the cobble slightly. She hit the pew again, her head sinking.
"I made a diffrence..." She muttered.
The Father put his hand on Summer's shoulder, "I know you did..." he said, "But just because you did doesn't mean that it should only be you who has to do it."
"You're not going to stop me from publishing the Vigilant." Summer answered, "Its mine. Its the only other thing in my life that holds meaning."
"Did I say you had to stop?" He said.
"They'll make me stop..." Summer replied, "They'll make me stop and they'll keep me away from my love. They'll cut me off from the things that make me feel important. Those things are mine and I will not let someone take away what's mine, especially when I didn't do anything wrong."
Father Robert took his hand off Summer's shoulder, "I can't say when I was your age, I was so determined."
Summer sniffled, "Goes to show how determination isn't always enough nor warranted..."
"Summer, god gave you a gift. You can write. I read your article. Besides the people you mentioned, it was a true enough article. You spoke through the words to everyone. You made people think. You did make a diffrence." He emphasized.
Summer sobbed a minute, "This paper is protected by the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech. When I came here, I read the contract, I waived no rights thus leaving me every civil liberty to write what I want, talk about what I want and be what I want while having the right to ignore all naysayers."
"Sum-" Summer cut him off, her resolve was building now, she was getting to a place where she needed to be finally, the mental clarity to fight for what was hers. "God helps those who help themselves, correct Father?"
"Y-yes." He answered.
"Then I'm helping myself and the rest of you by bringing this to light. The Nuns have truly fallen from grace. Their pious nature has blinded them from tolerating and monitoring these things." Summer was interrupted.
"That's very bold words, Miss."
Summer sighed, "Its their own fault that this siuation has come to head and caused so much controversy. I'm not wishing to bash the nuns and I should go with Jesus' words of turning the other cheek but if I continue with my inaction I will lose what I treasure."
"You won't have to give it up."
"You know you can't promise that, and I know this, regardless I will not withdraw this Vigilant, I do not care if it has been put on any list, it is a paper, its protected and if no one will protect it here, then I will protect it myself." She stood up from the pew, shoving her sleeve across her nose and eyes to get the snot and tears out.
"Tell Arthur, I'll be in his office at 9 in the morning." Summer said as she walked, her tone serious and precise, "I will discuss the paper but I will not stop. You may also in form him on my thought of these Nuns and their fall. Perhaps adressing them for their short coming will lighten the sentiment. I will do my part to qwell the students from going overboard as I am a student and I can make a diffrence. Good morning Father."
She walked through the door and down the hall. She kept her head up hoping her strength would hold till she got to her dorm where she'd probably finish out the rest of her crying under her pillow and sheets and in the silence of the night remaining. The Vigilant would stay, she'd refuse to let it die because a couple nuns were offended. Nuns were people, they had follies, no one was truly divine and everyone had shortcomings. Perhaps her's was stubborness. She'd find out.
Last edited by Glowing Vigilance on Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Glowing Vigilance
Tolliver: "Stripes makes me a Cat?"
Vig: "Would you prefer Zebra?"
Tolliver: "Stripes makes me a Cat?"
Vig: "Would you prefer Zebra?"
After football practice, Bryan was taking a hot shower. He was in the back of the facility, standing with his hands against the wall letting the water run across his body. The last week at school made him feel weary, more so than the seemingly thousands of laps Coach had made him run.
Like almost everyone at Saint Joe's, he had read the latest Vigilant. He had read them since the article about himself and some of the other new Freshmen was written. Bryan had also gone out on patrol with Summer the other night. She seemed nice enough but she's seemed to lit a powderkeg, whether she knew it or not.
"Things have changed now." Bryan thought to himself as he heard Coach Waters yell at him to stop playing in the water and get dressed. As Grav wrapped his smaller frame in a towl. As he walked through the locker room, he saw a couple of the defensive line guys joking with one another.
One of them was Shawn "Croc" Falls, a huge guy with reptilian skin. Shawn was one of the guys on the team that bullied Bryan, for no other reason than becuase he was smaller than him. "What the fuck are you looking at?" Croc barked at the freshman. "Nothing." Bryan answered sheepishly. Shawn turned back to his friends, "I think Wrongway is a fag too! I think he was checking me out!" The group roared with laughter as Bryan slunk back to his locker.
The cruelty of the group made Bryan furious. "If Alex was still here those guys would be sorry." he thought. Bryan hadn't known Alex was gay, he just knew that he had been nice to him; even after the whole "Wrongway" fiasco. This school was supposed to be a place where it was ok to be different, but suddenly this difference was a "sin" and "wrong". Bryan understood the nuns, going ape shit but why were students acting this way? Why was a homosexual student ostracized while a half demon kid was ok. It was wrong.
Bryan slowly put his uniform back on and gathered his things, he was deliberatly trying to be the last out of the locker room as the bell rang. As he made is way out, there stood Shawn and his buddies waiting for him. "We thought we'd wait for you. Considering that you're sweet on me, I wanted to walk to class with you." The huge football players roared with laughter. "No need to pretend. We know you're queer too. That dyke, Summer, just forgot to print your name down. Right?" again they laughed.
"Leave me alone Shawn." Bryan said to him. Croc laughed, "Or else what?" The big player stepped forward. Bryan's anger wouldn't let him back down from the bully. "Or else, I'm going to hurt you."
----
Coach Waters heard the players chanting from his office. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
He flew out of his office just in time to fine Shawn Falls lifting a metal locker off of himself and Bryan Baxter floating near the ceiling screaming at him. "What the hell is going on out here! Baxter! Falls! In my office now!"
The crowd dispersed and the boys walked to the office with their Coach behind them. Their powers and wills to fight siphoned away by the Coach's presence.
Coach Waters closed the door. "I don't care what this is about but I won't have my players fighting. The two of you are suspended from the team for the rest of the season! Plus, after school detention for the rest of the week!" He watched as the two students prepared to argue. "I said I don't care. No get out of my sight!"
----
Croc turned to Bryan as they left the office, "You're going to regret this Frosh!"
Bryan laughed. "I think you were the one on his back in the locker room." Gravwarp concentrated for a second and put a gravity field around himself. He smiled to himself, and he admitted that it felt great to lay out that bigot. It was totally worth not being able to play so he could stand up for Alex, Summer and himself.
Like almost everyone at Saint Joe's, he had read the latest Vigilant. He had read them since the article about himself and some of the other new Freshmen was written. Bryan had also gone out on patrol with Summer the other night. She seemed nice enough but she's seemed to lit a powderkeg, whether she knew it or not.
"Things have changed now." Bryan thought to himself as he heard Coach Waters yell at him to stop playing in the water and get dressed. As Grav wrapped his smaller frame in a towl. As he walked through the locker room, he saw a couple of the defensive line guys joking with one another.
One of them was Shawn "Croc" Falls, a huge guy with reptilian skin. Shawn was one of the guys on the team that bullied Bryan, for no other reason than becuase he was smaller than him. "What the fuck are you looking at?" Croc barked at the freshman. "Nothing." Bryan answered sheepishly. Shawn turned back to his friends, "I think Wrongway is a fag too! I think he was checking me out!" The group roared with laughter as Bryan slunk back to his locker.
The cruelty of the group made Bryan furious. "If Alex was still here those guys would be sorry." he thought. Bryan hadn't known Alex was gay, he just knew that he had been nice to him; even after the whole "Wrongway" fiasco. This school was supposed to be a place where it was ok to be different, but suddenly this difference was a "sin" and "wrong". Bryan understood the nuns, going ape shit but why were students acting this way? Why was a homosexual student ostracized while a half demon kid was ok. It was wrong.
Bryan slowly put his uniform back on and gathered his things, he was deliberatly trying to be the last out of the locker room as the bell rang. As he made is way out, there stood Shawn and his buddies waiting for him. "We thought we'd wait for you. Considering that you're sweet on me, I wanted to walk to class with you." The huge football players roared with laughter. "No need to pretend. We know you're queer too. That dyke, Summer, just forgot to print your name down. Right?" again they laughed.
"Leave me alone Shawn." Bryan said to him. Croc laughed, "Or else what?" The big player stepped forward. Bryan's anger wouldn't let him back down from the bully. "Or else, I'm going to hurt you."
----
Coach Waters heard the players chanting from his office. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
He flew out of his office just in time to fine Shawn Falls lifting a metal locker off of himself and Bryan Baxter floating near the ceiling screaming at him. "What the hell is going on out here! Baxter! Falls! In my office now!"
The crowd dispersed and the boys walked to the office with their Coach behind them. Their powers and wills to fight siphoned away by the Coach's presence.
Coach Waters closed the door. "I don't care what this is about but I won't have my players fighting. The two of you are suspended from the team for the rest of the season! Plus, after school detention for the rest of the week!" He watched as the two students prepared to argue. "I said I don't care. No get out of my sight!"
----
Croc turned to Bryan as they left the office, "You're going to regret this Frosh!"
Bryan laughed. "I think you were the one on his back in the locker room." Gravwarp concentrated for a second and put a gravity field around himself. He smiled to himself, and he admitted that it felt great to lay out that bigot. It was totally worth not being able to play so he could stand up for Alex, Summer and himself.
Bryan Baxter (Codename: Gravwarp)
Gravity Control / Force Field / Fire Mastery
Global: @The Troll
Fight My Brute!
Gravity Control / Force Field / Fire Mastery
Global: @The Troll
Fight My Brute!
This sort of thing was supposed to stay in Georgia. They weren't supposed to yell about it, they weren't supposed to take sides, they weren't supposed to have sides. Here they were supposed to... well, Joni would prefer if it were ignored entirely, frankly, despite her attempts to convince Summer otherwise.
Hearing about the fight in the locker room was what really set her thinking, even though Bryan could take care of himself and got out with only a few bruises. Marshall wasn't so lucky.
Marshall was a member of her old church in Richmond Hill. He seemed like a nice guy, if a bit of uncertain of himself, but that just gave them something in common. He didn't look at her like a freak, and he talked to her like... well, a kid, but she was at the time. She had been about 13, he about 20, when someone put him in the hospital one Friday night; to her knowledge, his attacker was never caught. He had been exiting a gay porn store.
Everyone knew by Sunday morning what had happened and "why." Pastor Robert mentioned toward the end of the announcements that Marshall was in serious but stable condition, and asked everyone to pray for his safe recovery... in response to the last, one person rose, shot the pastor a dirty look, and walked out.
Pastor Robert looked down at his planned sermon for the day, third in a series on something that escaped Joni's memory, then put it away and didn't look at it once for the rest of the service.
I'm going to talk to you all, he had started instead, about temptation. We are all tempted, and we all fall to temptation. Sometimes we forget this because we are not all tempted in the same way. A person has problems with drunkenness, and because I do not suffer from the same desire to drink, I might feel that the person is more horrible than I for falling to them while I stand strong. What I forget in these cases is that I have my own temptations, and very likely they think the same about me when I fall to something that does not tempt them in the slightest.
Now, many people are tempted to seek the sexual company of those they should not seek. Some toward a woman other than his wife, or a man other than her husband. Some toward those who are married to another. Some toward someone who is underage, some toward pornography. Some simply toward those they are unwilling to commit themselves to, other than with their body... a failure to give of yourself in the other ways that matter just as much. And some are tempted by those of the same gender.
And some! he continued, do not have these particular temptations, or at least not all of them, and thus tend to label those who fill in the gaps as deviants, perverts... the unclean, to borrow a term. This is itself a temptation to do wrong. It is a temptation toward pride, to believe I am somehow better because I am not a "deviant"; to believe that although I have my own temptations they are not so bad. "Look how horrible he is!" I can say, and then I can ignore the sin in myself.
More people were walking out, but he ignored them; the vast majority were at least listening attentively. And if I fall to that temptation, from there it is a short leap to wrath, where because this person is inferior he is deserving of my hate and our abuse. We are in Georgia, if you have not noticed. This land has seen more than enough wrath toward those who are different... Pastor Robert had seemed to look directly at Joni for a moment. She was a bit of a celebrity in the church and not always one who was positively-treated; the pastor had gone out of his way more than once to insist that she be respected. ...and that includes differences of temptation.
When others fall to temptation, that is sin. And thus they become sinners, and they become just like all of us. And in Christ, we are to love them and forgive them their failings. We should continue to eat with the "tax collectors and sinners," as Christ did, for it would be a very empty table otherwise.
It had made total sense to Joni at the time. And as one of the last sermons she heard from him before her parents removed her from church for the same reasons they'd pulled her from school (over Pastor Robert's quiet objections), it had stuck in her head almost word for word.
Certainly, Joni's own faith had gone through multiple crises in the past two years alone, but she had stayed with the moral code she had been taught, if only on autopilot. And then she had met Summer.
Summer was not Marshall. Marshall, whatever else you said about him, believed what was going on inside himself was temptation, and he was ashamed of it, and if she had heard correctly he did not make a habit of porn, gay or otherwise. Summer had no such scruples; she firmly believed that there was nothing wrong with indulging her feelings toward Picayune. Joni had taken from that sermon that it was not right to dislike Summer for her choices, and she didn't. But the point was that if an otherwise moral person wasn't feeling the need to repent over this, was flaunting her temptation, no less...
We're all tempted in different ways, Joni repeated to herself. We all ignore the sin in ourselves. She sighed and looked up at the empty space on the bulletin board, then walked down the hall, thinking about which side her jumbled beliefs would put her on, and how many of her few friends she would lose if they knew. Why'd there have to be sides...
Hearing about the fight in the locker room was what really set her thinking, even though Bryan could take care of himself and got out with only a few bruises. Marshall wasn't so lucky.
Marshall was a member of her old church in Richmond Hill. He seemed like a nice guy, if a bit of uncertain of himself, but that just gave them something in common. He didn't look at her like a freak, and he talked to her like... well, a kid, but she was at the time. She had been about 13, he about 20, when someone put him in the hospital one Friday night; to her knowledge, his attacker was never caught. He had been exiting a gay porn store.
Everyone knew by Sunday morning what had happened and "why." Pastor Robert mentioned toward the end of the announcements that Marshall was in serious but stable condition, and asked everyone to pray for his safe recovery... in response to the last, one person rose, shot the pastor a dirty look, and walked out.
Pastor Robert looked down at his planned sermon for the day, third in a series on something that escaped Joni's memory, then put it away and didn't look at it once for the rest of the service.
I'm going to talk to you all, he had started instead, about temptation. We are all tempted, and we all fall to temptation. Sometimes we forget this because we are not all tempted in the same way. A person has problems with drunkenness, and because I do not suffer from the same desire to drink, I might feel that the person is more horrible than I for falling to them while I stand strong. What I forget in these cases is that I have my own temptations, and very likely they think the same about me when I fall to something that does not tempt them in the slightest.
Now, many people are tempted to seek the sexual company of those they should not seek. Some toward a woman other than his wife, or a man other than her husband. Some toward those who are married to another. Some toward someone who is underage, some toward pornography. Some simply toward those they are unwilling to commit themselves to, other than with their body... a failure to give of yourself in the other ways that matter just as much. And some are tempted by those of the same gender.
And some! he continued, do not have these particular temptations, or at least not all of them, and thus tend to label those who fill in the gaps as deviants, perverts... the unclean, to borrow a term. This is itself a temptation to do wrong. It is a temptation toward pride, to believe I am somehow better because I am not a "deviant"; to believe that although I have my own temptations they are not so bad. "Look how horrible he is!" I can say, and then I can ignore the sin in myself.
More people were walking out, but he ignored them; the vast majority were at least listening attentively. And if I fall to that temptation, from there it is a short leap to wrath, where because this person is inferior he is deserving of my hate and our abuse. We are in Georgia, if you have not noticed. This land has seen more than enough wrath toward those who are different... Pastor Robert had seemed to look directly at Joni for a moment. She was a bit of a celebrity in the church and not always one who was positively-treated; the pastor had gone out of his way more than once to insist that she be respected. ...and that includes differences of temptation.
When others fall to temptation, that is sin. And thus they become sinners, and they become just like all of us. And in Christ, we are to love them and forgive them their failings. We should continue to eat with the "tax collectors and sinners," as Christ did, for it would be a very empty table otherwise.
It had made total sense to Joni at the time. And as one of the last sermons she heard from him before her parents removed her from church for the same reasons they'd pulled her from school (over Pastor Robert's quiet objections), it had stuck in her head almost word for word.
Certainly, Joni's own faith had gone through multiple crises in the past two years alone, but she had stayed with the moral code she had been taught, if only on autopilot. And then she had met Summer.
Summer was not Marshall. Marshall, whatever else you said about him, believed what was going on inside himself was temptation, and he was ashamed of it, and if she had heard correctly he did not make a habit of porn, gay or otherwise. Summer had no such scruples; she firmly believed that there was nothing wrong with indulging her feelings toward Picayune. Joni had taken from that sermon that it was not right to dislike Summer for her choices, and she didn't. But the point was that if an otherwise moral person wasn't feeling the need to repent over this, was flaunting her temptation, no less...
We're all tempted in different ways, Joni repeated to herself. We all ignore the sin in ourselves. She sighed and looked up at the empty space on the bulletin board, then walked down the hall, thinking about which side her jumbled beliefs would put her on, and how many of her few friends she would lose if they knew. Why'd there have to be sides...
"When you can hear 'em talk, cling to them with all force, because those are the ones with staying power." - Ursula Vernon
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Glowing Vigilance
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:38 pm
- Contact:
Summer sat in her room, the staring contest on who was going to say something first had continued non stop for fifteen minutes. Blinks were not counted and moving body parts was considered a form of communication. Summer was losingher desire to play the game. Stasis, was equally growing tired of staring at a girl who'd bitch smacked the entire school without permission with just a paper. The two of them had gone at it early simply because Summer was upset and needed someone to talk to. Stasis wasn't the one to talk to as it turned out leading to a fight near to fists. Summer walked away, leaving everyone in an awkward silence and ruining her already worthless reputation.
Now here they were, staring at eachother, saying nothing, doing nothing. The only thing that could be heard was Summer's computer, which stored her news paper, whirring like a broken down heap which for lack of a better word, it was. Stasis kept blinking, she'd out last Summer if it took every ounce of her concentration. She was tired of this girl complaining about how life sucked when she had nothing to be upset about. She should be worried about all the kids being pissed at her and she should be strong enough to not have to ask for people's help or for them to take pity on her. Her life wasn't so hard. She'd never seen a student die in front of her, let alone a best friend. Hell, she'd ruined people's lives because she opened her mouth and stuffed words into there's. She could care less about this except a few people mentioned were her friends and that wasn't truly fair to them.
Summer kept on staying quiet, her resolve was a lot more fragile than it was this morning in the church. Hell, she could snap it with a strong gust of wind if she wanted to. She felt Stasis had betrayed her, even after she was nice to her, Stasis could have at least done what a friend should have done and stood beside he no matter what. To make matters worse, the only people she was sure would stick with her didn't. Admittedly, they was actually just two people but the priniciple of the matter was the point. Rooster was staying out of it, citing neutrality being the better course of action and Stasis had, well that didn't need to be brought up anymore.
Summer buckled, she was tired of sitting on her bed, being quiet and doing nothing. She needed a place to go and it couldn't be some swank hotel. If she left the school, she'd give Ammo to the administration and the nuns to use on her without question. She'd put herself in the line of fire. Stasis would like that, to see Summer shot down, Summer knew full well that once Stasis had told her to give up writing just for the sake of this situation, that Stasis had betrayed her. She loved Pica, and she loved writing, forget the rest, it was those two things she loved, who gave a crap about it.
Summer pushed off her bed, "I win." Stasis said childishly, "Who cares?"
"Most the school." Stasis snapped.
"Wow, they're not here right now. Care to leave a message?" Summer retorted. She walked to her chest at the foot ofher bed, opened it up, grabbed some clothes and stuffed them into an explandable duffle bag.
"You're not suppose to go anywhere after cerfew." Stasis chimed in.
"Opps, I forgot. Here let me just correct life for you." Summer snapped back.
Stasis shot her a smug look, "You just don't get what you did do you?"
Summer looked back at Stasis, "I know full well and I can't apoligize forever."
She zipped the bag up as she rose, "By the way Stasis, thanks for being a friend. I hope you get over your own problems to finally start caring about others. Maybe then Jai and you will be happier." Summer snapped.
"Don't you dare Summer." Stasis threatened, "You're already out of line with the teachers, now you're crossing mine."
"Well its not like you're giving me any slack. No, I take that back, its not just you, its everyone." Summer answered, "Hell, I've tried to be your friend through all of it!"
Stasis kept quiet, Summer held nothing back, "When your boyfriend came back and you ran off from the party, who was the person who talked to you and did her damnedest to cheer you up! I even broke my knee catching you!" Stasis remained silent, "I help you and Jai, and all I get from you is this. Furthermore, you've had this wrong since the get go."
"How do you figure?" Stasis finally answered.
"I've been wanting to keep names quiet for a while but I figured if everyone was comfortable, then what the hell diffrence does it make!? So what! If those people that I named aren't what I thought they were, then that's basically just slander and misinformation!" Summer was growing brighter with each moment, "So before you go and tell me go and give me more crap, I dare you to say another god damned word."
Stasis opened her mouth, ready to let into Summer with the rest of it, "Shut up!" Summer snapped, "I was your friend Stasis and for that you kicked me in the face. Here's to you!" She slammed the door behind her with a thud. Stasis rose from her bed enraged and smashed her fist into the door.
Summer walked a few feet then put her back in the doorway. Her knees gave out as she hit the ground on her butt with a muffled thump. She didn't mean for it. She sobbed quietly in the darkness with only her soft glow fighting it back. Summer was hating herself. No one was going to give a damn about her, not anymore. She buried her face in her forearms to get the tears from streaming down her face.
---
With a creak the door opened up behind Summer who fell on her back. She looked up, her eyes red from stained tears.
"What happened to you?"
Summer didn't move, she just lay there, her eyes still watering without end, "What's with the duffle bag? You planning on running away?"
Summer lay there quietly, "I'm sorry."
"That's fine but why aren't you in your quad?"
She sniffled, "Stasis and me aren't on great terms..." she muttered.
"So you think its okay to leave your quad after curfew and sneak out of school?"
"N-no." Summer said having trouble getting it out.
"Then what's this about?"
"I have no place to stay." Summer replied.
Mimi put her hands on her hips, over in the corner a ruffling sound made her look back. Moth was up and looked at Mimi with a yawn. Her eyes went from Mimi down to Summer lying on her back looking distraught.
"What's happened?" Moth asked.
"Summer was thinking of leaving school in the middle of the night." Mimi replied.
Summer shook her head slowly, "I don't have a place to stay."
Moth sat up in bed pulling the covers around her to keep her warm, "That's terrible."
Mimi looked at Moth, "Well you can't stay here."
"I don't want to sleep in the hallway." Summer replied.
At a glance, Summer looked roughed up, between her eyes being as red as tomatos and her clutching the duffle bag like it was a mini confessional, it was very hard to keep a strong heart to all of this. She was breathing harsh, quick burts with sobs every few breaths.
"I don't think so." Mimi said.
Summer looked into her eyes in a last desperate attempt, "Please..."
Mimi looked down at the ground, avoiding Summers pathetic gaze. The girl was a one way ticket to being harrassed all night and day by everyone for helping her. Taking her in would cause a rift between her and her friends. Summer was a very volatile person to be around right now.
"Please..."
"Okay, but only for tonight. You had better be gone by the morning though." She said quickly.
Summer looked up at her in a half believing half doubtful gaze. Mimi shook her head and crawled back into bed. Summer shut the door behind her and walked over to the empty bed and emptied out its contents. It was a lot of clothes including her school uniform. She flopped on top of it and covered herself in the clothes.
"Now what are you doing?" Mimi asked.
"I don't *sob* want to mess the bed. Already asked too much from you both." Summer answered.
Summer kept her clothes on as she continued pulled her clothes over her legs making an impromtu blanket for herself. Mimi watched on in curiosity at Summer's foriegn behavior. Yulia simply looked on fighting off the want to help her with this. Mimi turned off the light, and the dim glow from Summer could be visible while Summer set her cell phone for 5:30 in the morning. She'd be out by the crack of dawn and attending classes as she should. When she finished, she closed her phone, set it on the night stand closest and put her head on her pillow. She went to sleep from exhaustion. Her mind needed it.
Yulia sat up and watched Summer fall asleep. She bit her lip and thought about November. She thought about how this girl made such a mess. She was an avid fan of Summer's loving the articles, sharing it with her friends. She even wrote home about it and now, her was the girl she admired, lying in a pile of her own clothes, strung out to the final degree all because she was a like Moth. She was a lesbian. She'd implicated Moth's best friend November into this but how could she have know. She'd never met either of them, and she assumed they'd be alright with it. Moth was perfectly fine, she'd told everyone and everyone knew. Now though, now people who were new, knew about her. She could care less but she could not vouch for November, she couldn't say everything would be cool.
Summer mumbled in her sleep, "I'm sorry you feel that way Dad..." She groaned, "Dad... I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Yulia bore silent witness as Summer fought her nightmares. She couldn't begin to fathom them. Compared to life for her now, it was probably heaven compared.
Now here they were, staring at eachother, saying nothing, doing nothing. The only thing that could be heard was Summer's computer, which stored her news paper, whirring like a broken down heap which for lack of a better word, it was. Stasis kept blinking, she'd out last Summer if it took every ounce of her concentration. She was tired of this girl complaining about how life sucked when she had nothing to be upset about. She should be worried about all the kids being pissed at her and she should be strong enough to not have to ask for people's help or for them to take pity on her. Her life wasn't so hard. She'd never seen a student die in front of her, let alone a best friend. Hell, she'd ruined people's lives because she opened her mouth and stuffed words into there's. She could care less about this except a few people mentioned were her friends and that wasn't truly fair to them.
Summer kept on staying quiet, her resolve was a lot more fragile than it was this morning in the church. Hell, she could snap it with a strong gust of wind if she wanted to. She felt Stasis had betrayed her, even after she was nice to her, Stasis could have at least done what a friend should have done and stood beside he no matter what. To make matters worse, the only people she was sure would stick with her didn't. Admittedly, they was actually just two people but the priniciple of the matter was the point. Rooster was staying out of it, citing neutrality being the better course of action and Stasis had, well that didn't need to be brought up anymore.
Summer buckled, she was tired of sitting on her bed, being quiet and doing nothing. She needed a place to go and it couldn't be some swank hotel. If she left the school, she'd give Ammo to the administration and the nuns to use on her without question. She'd put herself in the line of fire. Stasis would like that, to see Summer shot down, Summer knew full well that once Stasis had told her to give up writing just for the sake of this situation, that Stasis had betrayed her. She loved Pica, and she loved writing, forget the rest, it was those two things she loved, who gave a crap about it.
Summer pushed off her bed, "I win." Stasis said childishly, "Who cares?"
"Most the school." Stasis snapped.
"Wow, they're not here right now. Care to leave a message?" Summer retorted. She walked to her chest at the foot ofher bed, opened it up, grabbed some clothes and stuffed them into an explandable duffle bag.
"You're not suppose to go anywhere after cerfew." Stasis chimed in.
"Opps, I forgot. Here let me just correct life for you." Summer snapped back.
Stasis shot her a smug look, "You just don't get what you did do you?"
Summer looked back at Stasis, "I know full well and I can't apoligize forever."
She zipped the bag up as she rose, "By the way Stasis, thanks for being a friend. I hope you get over your own problems to finally start caring about others. Maybe then Jai and you will be happier." Summer snapped.
"Don't you dare Summer." Stasis threatened, "You're already out of line with the teachers, now you're crossing mine."
"Well its not like you're giving me any slack. No, I take that back, its not just you, its everyone." Summer answered, "Hell, I've tried to be your friend through all of it!"
Stasis kept quiet, Summer held nothing back, "When your boyfriend came back and you ran off from the party, who was the person who talked to you and did her damnedest to cheer you up! I even broke my knee catching you!" Stasis remained silent, "I help you and Jai, and all I get from you is this. Furthermore, you've had this wrong since the get go."
"How do you figure?" Stasis finally answered.
"I've been wanting to keep names quiet for a while but I figured if everyone was comfortable, then what the hell diffrence does it make!? So what! If those people that I named aren't what I thought they were, then that's basically just slander and misinformation!" Summer was growing brighter with each moment, "So before you go and tell me go and give me more crap, I dare you to say another god damned word."
Stasis opened her mouth, ready to let into Summer with the rest of it, "Shut up!" Summer snapped, "I was your friend Stasis and for that you kicked me in the face. Here's to you!" She slammed the door behind her with a thud. Stasis rose from her bed enraged and smashed her fist into the door.
Summer walked a few feet then put her back in the doorway. Her knees gave out as she hit the ground on her butt with a muffled thump. She didn't mean for it. She sobbed quietly in the darkness with only her soft glow fighting it back. Summer was hating herself. No one was going to give a damn about her, not anymore. She buried her face in her forearms to get the tears from streaming down her face.
---
With a creak the door opened up behind Summer who fell on her back. She looked up, her eyes red from stained tears.
"What happened to you?"
Summer didn't move, she just lay there, her eyes still watering without end, "What's with the duffle bag? You planning on running away?"
Summer lay there quietly, "I'm sorry."
"That's fine but why aren't you in your quad?"
She sniffled, "Stasis and me aren't on great terms..." she muttered.
"So you think its okay to leave your quad after curfew and sneak out of school?"
"N-no." Summer said having trouble getting it out.
"Then what's this about?"
"I have no place to stay." Summer replied.
Mimi put her hands on her hips, over in the corner a ruffling sound made her look back. Moth was up and looked at Mimi with a yawn. Her eyes went from Mimi down to Summer lying on her back looking distraught.
"What's happened?" Moth asked.
"Summer was thinking of leaving school in the middle of the night." Mimi replied.
Summer shook her head slowly, "I don't have a place to stay."
Moth sat up in bed pulling the covers around her to keep her warm, "That's terrible."
Mimi looked at Moth, "Well you can't stay here."
"I don't want to sleep in the hallway." Summer replied.
At a glance, Summer looked roughed up, between her eyes being as red as tomatos and her clutching the duffle bag like it was a mini confessional, it was very hard to keep a strong heart to all of this. She was breathing harsh, quick burts with sobs every few breaths.
"I don't think so." Mimi said.
Summer looked into her eyes in a last desperate attempt, "Please..."
Mimi looked down at the ground, avoiding Summers pathetic gaze. The girl was a one way ticket to being harrassed all night and day by everyone for helping her. Taking her in would cause a rift between her and her friends. Summer was a very volatile person to be around right now.
"Please..."
"Okay, but only for tonight. You had better be gone by the morning though." She said quickly.
Summer looked up at her in a half believing half doubtful gaze. Mimi shook her head and crawled back into bed. Summer shut the door behind her and walked over to the empty bed and emptied out its contents. It was a lot of clothes including her school uniform. She flopped on top of it and covered herself in the clothes.
"Now what are you doing?" Mimi asked.
"I don't *sob* want to mess the bed. Already asked too much from you both." Summer answered.
Summer kept her clothes on as she continued pulled her clothes over her legs making an impromtu blanket for herself. Mimi watched on in curiosity at Summer's foriegn behavior. Yulia simply looked on fighting off the want to help her with this. Mimi turned off the light, and the dim glow from Summer could be visible while Summer set her cell phone for 5:30 in the morning. She'd be out by the crack of dawn and attending classes as she should. When she finished, she closed her phone, set it on the night stand closest and put her head on her pillow. She went to sleep from exhaustion. Her mind needed it.
Yulia sat up and watched Summer fall asleep. She bit her lip and thought about November. She thought about how this girl made such a mess. She was an avid fan of Summer's loving the articles, sharing it with her friends. She even wrote home about it and now, her was the girl she admired, lying in a pile of her own clothes, strung out to the final degree all because she was a like Moth. She was a lesbian. She'd implicated Moth's best friend November into this but how could she have know. She'd never met either of them, and she assumed they'd be alright with it. Moth was perfectly fine, she'd told everyone and everyone knew. Now though, now people who were new, knew about her. She could care less but she could not vouch for November, she couldn't say everything would be cool.
Summer mumbled in her sleep, "I'm sorry you feel that way Dad..." She groaned, "Dad... I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Yulia bore silent witness as Summer fought her nightmares. She couldn't begin to fathom them. Compared to life for her now, it was probably heaven compared.
Last edited by Glowing Vigilance on Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Glowing Vigilance
Tolliver: "Stripes makes me a Cat?"
Vig: "Would you prefer Zebra?"
Tolliver: "Stripes makes me a Cat?"
Vig: "Would you prefer Zebra?"
Jason sat at the piano, as he did at least a small bit every day. It helped him unwind, relax, work out problems. That and the small fact that it was his job, his life, and his passion. There were times that that made him feel a bit awkward at the school. Most kids, and face it, he was still a kid, didn't have the slightest idea what they wanted to do, or maybe had some dreams, but he had his career already set. That's why he was glad of the superpowers. It was something new, something he had in common with so many others and something they all grew into together.
He'd heard the buzz about Summer's paper, and wasn't surprised. He'd met Summer, and talked with her, actually interviewed with her. She was outspoken, usually, and in this case, a good quality. He'd read the papers as they were circulated, and when she was talking about personal experiences everything worked out. He really didn't think her sexuality was that big an issue with most of the school, certainly not with him, and the faculty seemed to grin and bear it, if not tolerate it.
He let his fingers meander over the keys, in a tuneless melody, piano doodles.
His opinion of the paper changed when she started to state opinions without thought of what those opinions might do to the people she was talking about. It was a shield that a lot of journalists used. "These are just my opinions". He'd heard the phrase so many times when a magazine published something, and the person they wrote about was left to deal with the fallout. He liked Summer, but after reading the last few issues of the paper, knew he'd have be guarded about what he said, or did around her.
He'd heard the buzz about Summer's paper, and wasn't surprised. He'd met Summer, and talked with her, actually interviewed with her. She was outspoken, usually, and in this case, a good quality. He'd read the papers as they were circulated, and when she was talking about personal experiences everything worked out. He really didn't think her sexuality was that big an issue with most of the school, certainly not with him, and the faculty seemed to grin and bear it, if not tolerate it.
He let his fingers meander over the keys, in a tuneless melody, piano doodles.
His opinion of the paper changed when she started to state opinions without thought of what those opinions might do to the people she was talking about. It was a shield that a lot of journalists used. "These are just my opinions". He'd heard the phrase so many times when a magazine published something, and the person they wrote about was left to deal with the fallout. He liked Summer, but after reading the last few issues of the paper, knew he'd have be guarded about what he said, or did around her.
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Blitzen
- Talent Scout
- Posts: 2806
- Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:15 am
- Location: Nowhere near whatever was broken
- Contact:
Sam near regretted hitting the hot-tub after all the battling with Eddie, Bryan, Nick and Nix was over. It was usually a great place to go, kick back and relax. The last thing she expected was a more heated battle then when the team was running radio missions.
Up until that point, she didn’t know much about it. The Vigilant had come and been confiscated before Sam could even get a copy of it, something she meant to do before her last class of the day. Once the buzz started going around, it was already being pulled, some of the teachers outright asking for and taking copies that the kids were carrying. And as far as she knew, Summer was already out with her sexual preference, so Samantha didn’t know what was with the uproar.
After hitting the hot-tub, though, She could see. Summer had outed not only herself but Alex and Eric, and two people she’d not met at the school, girls named November Bell and Moth. It reminded Sam of a few months ago on that trash show her cousin watched, the View. There was something just like that, Rosie O’what’s-her-name inadvertently outed Clay Aiken, who was in Sam’s eyes more of a private person about it, if it was true at all. Not that it mattered. He should’ve won American Idol.
In any case, it seemed to be the same thing. At the least, Summer had said she regretted it, regretted naming names while keeping the name of her girlfriend private. On one hand Vig couldn’t reverse the spin of the earth and take it back, but on the other, she was so… adamant and stand-offish about the paper being the right thing to do. Plus she near lit into Stasi, saying Stas had no “real” problems, and that’s the part that bugged Sam the most. It was one thing to be wrong and be sorry about it, everyone makes mistakes and all, but it was another to try and put someone else down just to come off more… your problems aren’t near as big as my problems. Like it was some sort of contest or something. Maybe Summer’s problems were currently more front and center, but not validating someone else’s was a kind of intolerance itself, and wasn’t that the message Summer was trying to get across? Without reading the article, it was tough to tell. But as far as Sam saw it, Summer’s sexual preference wasn’t the issue, that wasn’t much more of a choice than being born a mutant. You are what you are, and you play the hand you’re dealt, fold, bluff or make the best of it.
Maybe Summer just needed to blow off steam, Sam rationalized, and Stasis just provided the immovable force she could go up against. That was likely it. She’d run missions with Vig before, and even stopped a robbery with her that night. Preferences aren’t as much an issue as powers when you’re taking on the Family and a bunch of Sorc’s.
Up until that point, she didn’t know much about it. The Vigilant had come and been confiscated before Sam could even get a copy of it, something she meant to do before her last class of the day. Once the buzz started going around, it was already being pulled, some of the teachers outright asking for and taking copies that the kids were carrying. And as far as she knew, Summer was already out with her sexual preference, so Samantha didn’t know what was with the uproar.
After hitting the hot-tub, though, She could see. Summer had outed not only herself but Alex and Eric, and two people she’d not met at the school, girls named November Bell and Moth. It reminded Sam of a few months ago on that trash show her cousin watched, the View. There was something just like that, Rosie O’what’s-her-name inadvertently outed Clay Aiken, who was in Sam’s eyes more of a private person about it, if it was true at all. Not that it mattered. He should’ve won American Idol.
In any case, it seemed to be the same thing. At the least, Summer had said she regretted it, regretted naming names while keeping the name of her girlfriend private. On one hand Vig couldn’t reverse the spin of the earth and take it back, but on the other, she was so… adamant and stand-offish about the paper being the right thing to do. Plus she near lit into Stasi, saying Stas had no “real” problems, and that’s the part that bugged Sam the most. It was one thing to be wrong and be sorry about it, everyone makes mistakes and all, but it was another to try and put someone else down just to come off more… your problems aren’t near as big as my problems. Like it was some sort of contest or something. Maybe Summer’s problems were currently more front and center, but not validating someone else’s was a kind of intolerance itself, and wasn’t that the message Summer was trying to get across? Without reading the article, it was tough to tell. But as far as Sam saw it, Summer’s sexual preference wasn’t the issue, that wasn’t much more of a choice than being born a mutant. You are what you are, and you play the hand you’re dealt, fold, bluff or make the best of it.
Maybe Summer just needed to blow off steam, Sam rationalized, and Stasis just provided the immovable force she could go up against. That was likely it. She’d run missions with Vig before, and even stopped a robbery with her that night. Preferences aren’t as much an issue as powers when you’re taking on the Family and a bunch of Sorc’s.
TGIF -Tanks Go In First
"Miss Douglas, we know about the nuts."
"Sam's the most amazing gamer EVER, and I love her footwear." - Laurel Fitte
"Miss Douglas, we know about the nuts."
"Sam's the most amazing gamer EVER, and I love her footwear." - Laurel Fitte
Oby had left the lockeroom before the fight between Croc and Wrongway, but he’d sure heard about it. He’d talked to a lot of the guys on the team, all of whom were concerned about losing two more guys, what with JT and Alex leaving. The whole school was in a buzz about the paper by that girl, Summer. There were rumors now flying about this person or that person and whether they were or weren’t. As far as Oby was concerned it wasn’t that big a deal or anybody’s business. What was a big deal was the punishment that was levied on Bryan and Shawn. There’d been fights before, but nothing this stiff was ever dropped down.
Evidently the whole thing started over Croc getting on Bryan’s case about being gay. It wasn’t like that type of talk didn’t happen all the time. Hell, even Alex took it in stride, and while he and Eric didn’t flaunt their relationship, they didn’t keep it a dark secret either. The team seemed to be okay with it, until Summer, the team manager opened the big can of worms. Up until now, everyone seemed to let what everyone else did with their privates be private. Now it just seemed like that’s all anyone was concerned with.
Oby grabbed Bill, and they headed to the Coach’s office. Someone had to talk to him, the penalties were just too harsh. The two of them knocked on Coach’s door.
“Enter” came the gruff voice from the other side. The two teens entered, and wondered if it were just some coincidence that the Coach had the tape of the last game on, watching the grab Bryan made to clinch the win. “What can I do for you, boys?”
“Coach, we came to talk about the suspensions. A lot of the guys think that suspending them for the rest of the season is too stiff.” Antoine didn’t know what to expect from the coach, and continued, “I mean, we’ve had fights before, on and off the field. Hell, Biff and Jaygo tried to just about kill each other, and they only missed one preseason game. It’s not like we’re that deep that we can afford to lose them. Shawn’s a good guy, he just gets caught up with things, and Bryan was just trying to defend himself.”
“Yah, dey fight, an dat’s all done wit. Now dey need to get on da field and play.” Bill chimed in.
“Enough you two. I’ve given out the punishments already, case closed.”
“Why?! We have a serious shot here, Coach, and for some of the guys it’s the only one they’ll get. So they fought, so freakin’ what, it’s happened before and it’ll happen again. We give each other shit all the time, and now this? Why freakin’ punish the rest of the guys for one fight that could have happened at anytime??” Oby ranted.
“You two are seriously close to being out of line.”
Oby started to talk and took a moment to calm himself, something Catherine told him ‘More head, less heart’. “Look, coach, what they did was wrong, but 5 games? Plus the postseason, if we make it, isn’t that a bit harsh?”
Coach sighed, “Sit, both of you.” He indicated two chairs, and waited till the teens seated themselves. “I did what I had to. The punishment had to be harsh.” Coach raised a hand to stop the comment from Oby, and another from Bill. “Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal, and we’d police it ourselves. But the reason the fight started is a bigger issue now than just the team. It’s in the public eye now, and I had to make sure that this issue wouldn’t be brought into the lockeroom. By making this punishment as harsh as it is, I hope that it will stop anyone else from starting the kind of rumors I’ve started to see. They’ll see that it won’t be tolerated, and won’t do it. In the lockeroom, this gets very tricky. It may not be right, but I can’t have guys looking over their shoulders, wondering who might or might not be gay. Up till now, it hasn’t been an issue. I’m sorry, but that newspaper tied my hands in this case.”
“Den we get de rest of the team to do de punishment for dem. Dat way the team knows Coach carry de big stick.” Bill nodded, even though the other two didn’t quite catch what he was saying.
Bill let out an exasperated sigh. “It 4 games each. Dat mean 8 games, since two people. 15 minutes a quarter, 4 quarters a game. Dat 8 hours of punishment. De whole team run and do punishment for 8 hours, den punishment for all Croc, and Wrongway is gone.”
Coach looked at Bill with a chuckle and a shake of his head. “Bill, sometimes you amaze me. Okay, here’s how it’ll go down. Wrongway and Croc owe me 1000 laps, 1000 bearcrawls, 1000 suicides, and if this all gets done before gametime tomorrow, they play. If it doesn’t get done, the suspension stands as is, and the two of you will miss a game each as well.”
“What??” Oby exclaimed, “That’s impossible, no one could…the statement was cut off by a backhand slap from Bill on Oby’s chest.
Antoine looked at Bill, who had a huge grin on his face. Oby looked between the coach and Bill and saw something exchange. Something was there, and he just wasn’t grasping it. Bill all but lifted Oby up from the chair. “We leaving now coach. Who counts de punishments?”
“I’ll assign Coach Levitz to make sure it gets done. You two can go.” Coach turned back to his film study, a clear indication that he was done with the two of them.
Once they got outside, Oby smacked Bill. “What the hell, Bill, we could have got him to let them off with maybe a one game suspension. This is freakin’ impossible, you’re going to get us suspended with them, and it’ll be see ya later playoffs!”
“Nooooo we won’t. Coach make sure of dat.” Bill’s grin threatened to swallow his whole face.
“How do you figure that? Wrongway and Croc’ll never get the running done in time even if they run all damn night!”
“You right on dat one, Oby.” Bill snickered.
Oby started to say something, but snapped his jaw shut, as his eyes narrowed. Bill knew something. “Okay, out with it. You know something.”
“You right, Oby, dey never get dat running done, if dey try.” Bill laughed, “but coach never say dey have to do all dat running, just dat dey owe dat running.” He crossed his arms across his chest, obviously pleased with himself.
“What?” Oby was still confused.
“Sometimes you pretty stoopid, Oby. We get whole team to help, and den Croc and Wrongway don’t owe nuthin’.”
Oby stood, stunned. Coach found a way. The son of a bitch found a way so he still was the hardass. The penalty was impossible if the two of them were going to try and pay it, and if the team helped, the team policed itself, and saw the huge penalty, and NOBODY would want to make the mistake that Shawn and Bryan had made.
Bill thumped Oby on the back. “Come on, we need to get da team.”
Evidently the whole thing started over Croc getting on Bryan’s case about being gay. It wasn’t like that type of talk didn’t happen all the time. Hell, even Alex took it in stride, and while he and Eric didn’t flaunt their relationship, they didn’t keep it a dark secret either. The team seemed to be okay with it, until Summer, the team manager opened the big can of worms. Up until now, everyone seemed to let what everyone else did with their privates be private. Now it just seemed like that’s all anyone was concerned with.
Oby grabbed Bill, and they headed to the Coach’s office. Someone had to talk to him, the penalties were just too harsh. The two of them knocked on Coach’s door.
“Enter” came the gruff voice from the other side. The two teens entered, and wondered if it were just some coincidence that the Coach had the tape of the last game on, watching the grab Bryan made to clinch the win. “What can I do for you, boys?”
“Coach, we came to talk about the suspensions. A lot of the guys think that suspending them for the rest of the season is too stiff.” Antoine didn’t know what to expect from the coach, and continued, “I mean, we’ve had fights before, on and off the field. Hell, Biff and Jaygo tried to just about kill each other, and they only missed one preseason game. It’s not like we’re that deep that we can afford to lose them. Shawn’s a good guy, he just gets caught up with things, and Bryan was just trying to defend himself.”
“Yah, dey fight, an dat’s all done wit. Now dey need to get on da field and play.” Bill chimed in.
“Enough you two. I’ve given out the punishments already, case closed.”
“Why?! We have a serious shot here, Coach, and for some of the guys it’s the only one they’ll get. So they fought, so freakin’ what, it’s happened before and it’ll happen again. We give each other shit all the time, and now this? Why freakin’ punish the rest of the guys for one fight that could have happened at anytime??” Oby ranted.
“You two are seriously close to being out of line.”
Oby started to talk and took a moment to calm himself, something Catherine told him ‘More head, less heart’. “Look, coach, what they did was wrong, but 5 games? Plus the postseason, if we make it, isn’t that a bit harsh?”
Coach sighed, “Sit, both of you.” He indicated two chairs, and waited till the teens seated themselves. “I did what I had to. The punishment had to be harsh.” Coach raised a hand to stop the comment from Oby, and another from Bill. “Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal, and we’d police it ourselves. But the reason the fight started is a bigger issue now than just the team. It’s in the public eye now, and I had to make sure that this issue wouldn’t be brought into the lockeroom. By making this punishment as harsh as it is, I hope that it will stop anyone else from starting the kind of rumors I’ve started to see. They’ll see that it won’t be tolerated, and won’t do it. In the lockeroom, this gets very tricky. It may not be right, but I can’t have guys looking over their shoulders, wondering who might or might not be gay. Up till now, it hasn’t been an issue. I’m sorry, but that newspaper tied my hands in this case.”
“Den we get de rest of the team to do de punishment for dem. Dat way the team knows Coach carry de big stick.” Bill nodded, even though the other two didn’t quite catch what he was saying.
Bill let out an exasperated sigh. “It 4 games each. Dat mean 8 games, since two people. 15 minutes a quarter, 4 quarters a game. Dat 8 hours of punishment. De whole team run and do punishment for 8 hours, den punishment for all Croc, and Wrongway is gone.”
Coach looked at Bill with a chuckle and a shake of his head. “Bill, sometimes you amaze me. Okay, here’s how it’ll go down. Wrongway and Croc owe me 1000 laps, 1000 bearcrawls, 1000 suicides, and if this all gets done before gametime tomorrow, they play. If it doesn’t get done, the suspension stands as is, and the two of you will miss a game each as well.”
“What??” Oby exclaimed, “That’s impossible, no one could…the statement was cut off by a backhand slap from Bill on Oby’s chest.
Antoine looked at Bill, who had a huge grin on his face. Oby looked between the coach and Bill and saw something exchange. Something was there, and he just wasn’t grasping it. Bill all but lifted Oby up from the chair. “We leaving now coach. Who counts de punishments?”
“I’ll assign Coach Levitz to make sure it gets done. You two can go.” Coach turned back to his film study, a clear indication that he was done with the two of them.
Once they got outside, Oby smacked Bill. “What the hell, Bill, we could have got him to let them off with maybe a one game suspension. This is freakin’ impossible, you’re going to get us suspended with them, and it’ll be see ya later playoffs!”
“Nooooo we won’t. Coach make sure of dat.” Bill’s grin threatened to swallow his whole face.
“How do you figure that? Wrongway and Croc’ll never get the running done in time even if they run all damn night!”
“You right on dat one, Oby.” Bill snickered.
Oby started to say something, but snapped his jaw shut, as his eyes narrowed. Bill knew something. “Okay, out with it. You know something.”
“You right, Oby, dey never get dat running done, if dey try.” Bill laughed, “but coach never say dey have to do all dat running, just dat dey owe dat running.” He crossed his arms across his chest, obviously pleased with himself.
“What?” Oby was still confused.
“Sometimes you pretty stoopid, Oby. We get whole team to help, and den Croc and Wrongway don’t owe nuthin’.”
Oby stood, stunned. Coach found a way. The son of a bitch found a way so he still was the hardass. The penalty was impossible if the two of them were going to try and pay it, and if the team helped, the team policed itself, and saw the huge penalty, and NOBODY would want to make the mistake that Shawn and Bryan had made.
Bill thumped Oby on the back. “Come on, we need to get da team.”
Sometimes the only way to see the light, is a journey through darkness
The water in the hot tub was so warm and Kali was so relaxed. She had spent the early part of the evening doing what she loved most. Ok , well second most next to being with Jack. She had patroled with her friends, and then was lucky enough to sit and talk to Stasis. The two girls had both been so busy it had been awhile since they had gotten to have girl talk.
Kali sat huddeled in a ball on the seat of the tub. Her arms wrapped snuggly around her pulled up legs, her head rested upon her knees with her eyes closed just listening to the others talk.
Every once in awhile she would giggle at something someone else had said or throw in a comment followed by another giggle. But to the most part she just sat quiet and thinking.
Maybe that was why Summer whispered to her. Maybe Summer needed that little bit of quietness Kali was offering.
Kali's dark eyes opened as she heard Summers quiet whisper.
What am I suppose to do Kali. I turned the school against itself.
Summers emotions flooded through Kali. Confusion , loss , fear , regret, all tumbling around inside her. Kali trembled and hugged her legs tighter as she whispered back .
i dunno but its not your fault Summer... who woulda known this would happen
Me....
Summer answer shocked Kali at first, but not near as much as the second wave of emotions that hit her. More loss , more regret. Kali reached for Summers hand under the water , taking it gently in hers for a moment before Summer pulled hers away.
Kali couldn't think of an answer , she sat silently for a moment trying to process what her brain was feeling and surpressing her own emotions as best she could.
you couldnt have known Summer
C'mon Kali, I should've have. I should've seen the horrible mess this made with my power.
The girls continued thier whispers unnoticed by the others. Kalis occasional giggle at someones comment and her brief cut ins as Stasis told the story Errol Flynn helped she was sure.
i mean c'mon Summer, its been common knowledge here for awhile that there were gay couples.... ever since i been here anyways.
Kali tried the only way she knew to lighten things up. Stating the obvious , showing Summer it had been common knowledge there for some time. It wasn't working and she could feel Summers frustration .
Yeah but how come it suddenly has become such a terrible thing to be gay.
Kali wanted to hug Summer. To wrap her arms around the other girl and whisper to her everything would be ok. But in the back of Kali's mind all could think of was.... what if people see me hug her and think I'm ...
She blocked the thought quickly , ashamed that she would even let it come foreward that far.
Summer was her friend, she accepted her as she was , thats what friends did. Accept each other and love each other for the people they were. Not what anyone else thought of them.
i dunno... makes no sense to me.. I mean its nature... you cant help who you fall in love with , noone can.
Kali hoped that would ease Summer , it didn;t. It seemed to frustrate the other girl more.
Then why must those who have no authority judge people.
Summers whipser was becoming a bit louder and kali feared someone would notice or hear what they were discussing . She tried desperatly to calm the other girl again.
my opinion? stupidity? maybe even jealousy at what they themselves dont have?
It wasn't a well thought out answer but a plausable one Kali felt. Summer answered sarcastically .
I don't think the nuns are particularly jealous that I like girls and they don't and calling them stupid is suicide Kali.
Humor... try humor... make her laugh... Kali thought
nuns are jealous we have lives period if you ask me
as she grinned and giggled afterward..
Summer sighed, Kali's attempt to make her laugh failed misserably and she looked down as Summer continued.
I never wanted it to be this horrible Kali
youre not horrible at all Summer
I just wanted that paper to be a tribute to those who had overcome adversity, not something to hold in the air while yelling a war cry.
people are afraid of things they dont understand Summer... or i should say dont choose to understand. I think its totally rediculous myself
Summers frustration at the situation increased and Kali was having trouble shielding herself from the sudden rage she felt from Summer.
Summer wasn't all wrong in all of this. Sure maybe she ahd went about it the wrong way. But kali could feel her original intention and they were good. She honestly hadn't thought things would take this turn or that the people around her would turn on each other the way they had.
it was more than Kali could take at the moment and she used her easy out.
oh gawd i just saw the time,I'm supposed to meet Jack , Summer I'm so sorry... We can talk more tomorrow ok?
Its fine, night Kali.
"Gawd i gotta run guys , I promised Jack i'd head back early." she told the group as she rose from the warmth of the water.
Amid a flood of goodbyes , see ya laters, and the shame of leaving a friend when she needed someone to talk to, Kali left the hot tub and headed back to Jack. She would feel better when she saw him she knew. And it made her sad knowing Summer didn't have that luxiory awaiting her.
Kali sat huddeled in a ball on the seat of the tub. Her arms wrapped snuggly around her pulled up legs, her head rested upon her knees with her eyes closed just listening to the others talk.
Every once in awhile she would giggle at something someone else had said or throw in a comment followed by another giggle. But to the most part she just sat quiet and thinking.
Maybe that was why Summer whispered to her. Maybe Summer needed that little bit of quietness Kali was offering.
Kali's dark eyes opened as she heard Summers quiet whisper.
What am I suppose to do Kali. I turned the school against itself.
Summers emotions flooded through Kali. Confusion , loss , fear , regret, all tumbling around inside her. Kali trembled and hugged her legs tighter as she whispered back .
i dunno but its not your fault Summer... who woulda known this would happen
Me....
Summer answer shocked Kali at first, but not near as much as the second wave of emotions that hit her. More loss , more regret. Kali reached for Summers hand under the water , taking it gently in hers for a moment before Summer pulled hers away.
Kali couldn't think of an answer , she sat silently for a moment trying to process what her brain was feeling and surpressing her own emotions as best she could.
you couldnt have known Summer
C'mon Kali, I should've have. I should've seen the horrible mess this made with my power.
The girls continued thier whispers unnoticed by the others. Kalis occasional giggle at someones comment and her brief cut ins as Stasis told the story Errol Flynn helped she was sure.
i mean c'mon Summer, its been common knowledge here for awhile that there were gay couples.... ever since i been here anyways.
Kali tried the only way she knew to lighten things up. Stating the obvious , showing Summer it had been common knowledge there for some time. It wasn't working and she could feel Summers frustration .
Yeah but how come it suddenly has become such a terrible thing to be gay.
Kali wanted to hug Summer. To wrap her arms around the other girl and whisper to her everything would be ok. But in the back of Kali's mind all could think of was.... what if people see me hug her and think I'm ...
She blocked the thought quickly , ashamed that she would even let it come foreward that far.
Summer was her friend, she accepted her as she was , thats what friends did. Accept each other and love each other for the people they were. Not what anyone else thought of them.
i dunno... makes no sense to me.. I mean its nature... you cant help who you fall in love with , noone can.
Kali hoped that would ease Summer , it didn;t. It seemed to frustrate the other girl more.
Then why must those who have no authority judge people.
Summers whipser was becoming a bit louder and kali feared someone would notice or hear what they were discussing . She tried desperatly to calm the other girl again.
my opinion? stupidity? maybe even jealousy at what they themselves dont have?
It wasn't a well thought out answer but a plausable one Kali felt. Summer answered sarcastically .
I don't think the nuns are particularly jealous that I like girls and they don't and calling them stupid is suicide Kali.
Humor... try humor... make her laugh... Kali thought
nuns are jealous we have lives period if you ask me
as she grinned and giggled afterward..
Summer sighed, Kali's attempt to make her laugh failed misserably and she looked down as Summer continued.
I never wanted it to be this horrible Kali
youre not horrible at all Summer
I just wanted that paper to be a tribute to those who had overcome adversity, not something to hold in the air while yelling a war cry.
people are afraid of things they dont understand Summer... or i should say dont choose to understand. I think its totally rediculous myself
Summers frustration at the situation increased and Kali was having trouble shielding herself from the sudden rage she felt from Summer.
Summer wasn't all wrong in all of this. Sure maybe she ahd went about it the wrong way. But kali could feel her original intention and they were good. She honestly hadn't thought things would take this turn or that the people around her would turn on each other the way they had.
it was more than Kali could take at the moment and she used her easy out.
oh gawd i just saw the time,I'm supposed to meet Jack , Summer I'm so sorry... We can talk more tomorrow ok?
Its fine, night Kali.
"Gawd i gotta run guys , I promised Jack i'd head back early." she told the group as she rose from the warmth of the water.
Amid a flood of goodbyes , see ya laters, and the shame of leaving a friend when she needed someone to talk to, Kali left the hot tub and headed back to Jack. She would feel better when she saw him she knew. And it made her sad knowing Summer didn't have that luxiory awaiting her.
“Stasis Kiss: Sometimes you just have to do something drastic and shake things around a little. ”
The Vigilant rattles slightly as Kali's hands tremble while reading . Tears fall on the freshly printed ink as she reads.
So much anger , so much hurt....
She read the entire paper as she cried. She cried for Summer , she cried for November , for Moth , and for all the others.
how unfair this life is. How unfair that it was perfectly fine for people as different as herself and Jack to be in love. Noone questioned them ... but for Summer , and others , it was so unaccepted. So hated... and why?
For the life of her she just couldnt understand it. And yet... she wasn't totally innocent in the broad scheme of things either. She had caught herself pulling away from Summer. Uncomfortably at first. And why? Summer had done nothing wrong. Nothing that any other friend in grief hadn't done. And yet because of how other people reacted Kali had shyed away.
As she folded the paper and slid it carefully into her notebook she whispered....
" I'm so sorry Summer... so very sorry."
So much anger , so much hurt....
She read the entire paper as she cried. She cried for Summer , she cried for November , for Moth , and for all the others.
how unfair this life is. How unfair that it was perfectly fine for people as different as herself and Jack to be in love. Noone questioned them ... but for Summer , and others , it was so unaccepted. So hated... and why?
For the life of her she just couldnt understand it. And yet... she wasn't totally innocent in the broad scheme of things either. She had caught herself pulling away from Summer. Uncomfortably at first. And why? Summer had done nothing wrong. Nothing that any other friend in grief hadn't done. And yet because of how other people reacted Kali had shyed away.
As she folded the paper and slid it carefully into her notebook she whispered....
" I'm so sorry Summer... so very sorry."
“Stasis Kiss: Sometimes you just have to do something drastic and shake things around a little. ”