Tony Russo let out a deep sigh as he looked up at the clock hanging in the hallway. Class should be ending at any moment. It had been surprisingly easy to find out which classroom to be at. Some other kid had overheard him asking around during first period and had been kind enough to tell him. All going according to plan so far.
He shuffled his feet as he waited for the bell; it wasn't the first time he'd had done something like this, but it was still awkward every time. Tony had spent much of the previous evening beating himself up over what he'd done and how to best address the whole situation.
The bell rang. Time to get it all over with.
Extending the Olive Branch
English was by far Vivien Morin's worst subject, so he was visibly relieved when the bell rang. The day was almost over, and he had pretty big plans later that evening. Books in hand, he practically danced out of the classroom.
And that's where he saw that big gorilla Tony Russo.
"What the hell does he want? Nothing but trouble I bet! Just ignore him and head to your locker. You didn't see him, you didn't see anything."
Completely aware that Tony was looking at him, Vivien walked right by, only to turn around not five steps later to ask, "What the hell do you want?"
And that's where he saw that big gorilla Tony Russo.
"What the hell does he want? Nothing but trouble I bet! Just ignore him and head to your locker. You didn't see him, you didn't see anything."
Completely aware that Tony was looking at him, Vivien walked right by, only to turn around not five steps later to ask, "What the hell do you want?"
It wasn't news to Tony that Vivien wore clothes that would have better fit a pretty girl. Then again, there had been times that Vivien had looked like a pretty girl. Tony wasn't the kind of guy to make snide remarks about the way people dressed or what it said about their sexuality. He had enough trouble since a good portion of the student body believed him to be one of those dumb jocks'. He couldn't help that he spent a lot of time with his teammates. It was all because of some of them like Teo and JJ that gave them a bad reputation.
The two of them made brief eye contact as Vivien hurried out the classroom. Tony reached out with a beckoning gesture, calling out Vivien's name before Vivien could get away. Regardless, Vivien just ignored him and walked past him. Tony started to follow after him, reaching out to grasp Vivien's shoulder. A few steps later, Vivien spun around, with anger or frustration blazing in his eyes. Tony almost didn't pull his hand back quickly enough. That would have been embarrassing, if he had accidentally hit Vivien.
Vivien's voice carried the same anger and frustration mirrored in his eyes. Tony couldn't help but stiffen under the verbal assault. It wasn't like he didn't deserve this reaction. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since their last encounter, and that one hadn't ended well.
Tony hesitated for a moment, pulling up the words he had readied for the occasion. "I want to say sorry for yesterday," he said. It had sounded a lot more heartfelt in his head. "It was wrong for me to have snapped at you like that."
Being a polite and courteous guy was something Tony prided himself on considering his normal company. As much as it sucked that mama and papa were being overly restrictive with the work at the restaurant, it wasn't fair for him to be taking it out on his classmates. Teo would just laugh, like he did the day before, every time Tony blew his top and used a smaller kid for de-stressing. Tony was pretty sure that those kids didn't enjoy being thrown against the lockers for the minor slights that triggered him.
The two of them made brief eye contact as Vivien hurried out the classroom. Tony reached out with a beckoning gesture, calling out Vivien's name before Vivien could get away. Regardless, Vivien just ignored him and walked past him. Tony started to follow after him, reaching out to grasp Vivien's shoulder. A few steps later, Vivien spun around, with anger or frustration blazing in his eyes. Tony almost didn't pull his hand back quickly enough. That would have been embarrassing, if he had accidentally hit Vivien.
Vivien's voice carried the same anger and frustration mirrored in his eyes. Tony couldn't help but stiffen under the verbal assault. It wasn't like he didn't deserve this reaction. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since their last encounter, and that one hadn't ended well.
Tony hesitated for a moment, pulling up the words he had readied for the occasion. "I want to say sorry for yesterday," he said. It had sounded a lot more heartfelt in his head. "It was wrong for me to have snapped at you like that."
Being a polite and courteous guy was something Tony prided himself on considering his normal company. As much as it sucked that mama and papa were being overly restrictive with the work at the restaurant, it wasn't fair for him to be taking it out on his classmates. Teo would just laugh, like he did the day before, every time Tony blew his top and used a smaller kid for de-stressing. Tony was pretty sure that those kids didn't enjoy being thrown against the lockers for the minor slights that triggered him.
Vivien saw the apology coming a mile away. Tony had earned a reputation of apologizing after his big fat temper got him in hot water - probably a ploy to keep him on the football team. Still, an apology was an apology (however weak it was) and Vivien certainly deserved one. Even if he kinda provoked Tony a bit in the first place, it was no reason to overreact and throw him against a locker.
He flicked his hair behind his ear. "I should hope you're sorry!" Vivien's glare turned icier. It was then he realized that it probably wasn't the best idea to re-provoke the large, muscular and somewhat attractive football player. "Whatever, apology accepted, or something."
So was this the end? What was he expected to do after this?
"So, um..." he said awkwardly, "Sup?"
God, this conversation needs to end.
He flicked his hair behind his ear. "I should hope you're sorry!" Vivien's glare turned icier. It was then he realized that it probably wasn't the best idea to re-provoke the large, muscular and somewhat attractive football player. "Whatever, apology accepted, or something."
So was this the end? What was he expected to do after this?
"So, um..." he said awkwardly, "Sup?"
God, this conversation needs to end.