Survival Of The Fittest

Rowan casually dropped his hands into his pants pockets, and lifted an eyebrow as Cathalie made a rather vain attempt to scold Rowan and then defend the boy she was with.

"Ouch," Rowan pulled his hand from his pocket is mock distress as he clutched his chest, just right of his heart, "You treat me like I'm just some 8 year old who broke your favourite vase. That's hurts." The false emotion in his voice rang rather well, and gave the older teen a harsher sarcasm.

He waved his hand rather non-chalantly, before brushing a stray bang that had escaped from the rest of the tied hair back, behind his ear. "I can assume that by 'enough crap already', you meant Ms. Bloody McPrissy. But I must say, she certainly looks worse for wares than you two. At least, physically."

Rowan's hand dropped back down, slipping into his pocket, before scanning over Cathalie for a moment, and then his eye darting to Mitch and Ian.

'Good god; it's like those moshers who don't shower. At least there's no dreadlocks to whip me with.' He winced at the thought, rather oddly to the three who standing in front of him.

"Yeah... so... anyway..." He looked back and forth rather unsure of where to follow up with the conversation.

He tapped his fingers against his leg in hopes of thinking of a way to break the awkward stand-off. Mexican! Without guns! He wanted to smack himself for that thought.

"You shouldn't treat people like garbage, especially the ones you call your friends." Rowan's mouth did all of the talking. No brain function whatsoever.

'ALERT! BRAIN FAILURE! ABORT ALL STATIONS! ROWAN HAS DONE SOMETHING STUPID! REPEAT ABORT ALL STATIONS!'

Immeadiately, Rowan's face hit his hand, his head shaking, as he muttered: "Oh shit." over and over again.

By the time finally recovered he said the only thing that solved all problems: "...I need a cigarette..."

Cathalie cast a disdainful scowl towards the sardonic character that was Rowan, not at all appreciating his sense of sarcasm, nor the absence of the apology she was looking for.  Crossing her arms with a sour look on her painted face at his comparison between Ali and the two, she snapped at him, “Care to explain what that means to me?”

Sizing him up, though in the end not knowing what in the world to make of this character, she sighed in exasperation, already having gone through enough trouble for one day.  It wasn’t as though she were asking for trouble, Mitch on the other hand just happened to be constantly begging for it.  Looking down towards the person in question, cowering behind her and flashing an ever innocent smile at her, she rolled her eyes and looked back towards Rowan, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"You shouldn't treat people like garbage, especially the ones you call your friends."

Considering the attitude he had been putting up all this time, it was somewhat…strange, hearing this come from Rowan all the way out of the blue.  Whatever gave him the nerve to say such a thing, the very statement seemed to shatter Cathalie’s initial image of him.  In fact, Rowan himself seemed to be aware of this, facepalming himself while muttering incoherent curses.

Raising an eyebrow at him, Cathalie retorted, “Treating them like garbage? I’m treating them like my friends.  Right, Mitch?”

At this question, Mitch plainly evaded the question, refusing to answer as he tilted his chin up to cast a curious look towards the form of Rowan, newly recovered from his initial panic.  Cocking his head to the side, Mitch echoed the spoken word.  “Cigarette?”

His green eyes seemed to light up at the realization.  “You mean those paper cylinders with nicotine, petroleum, formaldehyde, cyanide, and all those carcinogens and toxic chemicals that shorten your expected lifespan by a quarter through regular inhalation? The ones that cause lung cancer and ulcers and heart disease and skin disease and hair loss and falling teeth?”

Cathalie blinked down at him with incredulity, “Smoking causes falling teeth?”

Mitch grinned up at her, “That’s what happened to that Poster Child we see every day in the hallway. Gums all black and rotting…skin yellow, cataracts in eyes, bleeding tongue, hole in throat.”  He then cast his cloudy eyes up at Rowan, all sense of pretense evaporated.  “Is YOUR goal in life to be the Poster Child?”

Cathalie snickered ever so slightly behind her hands at this comment.  Looking towards Ian, she shrugged a bit.  

“Sure, now would be a great time to leave,” she muttered, casting a sidelong scowl towards Rowan.  “Come on Mitch…get up already.”

On cue, Mitch leapt to his feet, adopting that slouching, unsteady gait he always walked with.  Grinning cheerfully at Rowan, he said in a friendly voice, “Look in the mirror, it’s already happening.”

Ian found himself almost amused by the spectacle. That Rowan kid saying something, then immediately realizing his mistake. Then Cathalie trying her best to just protect Mitch. But of course Mitch was there, talking about cigarettes. Ian was rather shocked by all the knowledge Mitch had shown this past day. That kid knew more than Ian, he definately was a genious in his own way, or at least that's what Ian thought.

Ian nodded towards Cathalie's comment about leading and he said, "Ok that sounds like a plan."

Walking over to the door he thought about still going out to get that burger, but he really wanted Sofie to come. He knew she would like Cathalie and Mitch. That was one of the many things that made Ian consider Sofie de Wilde his best friend. Her giving everyone at least one chance.

Ian looked up at the clock, knowing Sofie's practice wasn't over yet. He just decided to leave her a message on her cell phone, hoping that after practice she could meet them at the burger place.

Ian looked at Cathalie and said, "So what do you want to do? We could still get that burger if you want."

As though on cue, Mitch went ahead and bounded out the door, having seemingly forgotten all about Rowan as he stood there lost for replies.  However, the skinny, bandage-covered young boy continued to speculate merrily of the fate that awaited those who did not heed the general surgeon's warning.

"....and then...PSORIASIS! The rash of the undead! There is no escape before the skin falls off in rotting clumps from the bones of your form...and then your blood vessels clamp down and explode.  Mark my words, child.  Someday, your daily actions shall come back to haunt you."  

With gleeful laughter, he bounded off across the hallway on his own, tripping once or twice over his own feet though miraculously regaining balance at several intervals.  

"Mitch," Cathalie called out to him as she stepped out into the hallway.  "Exit's that way."

Likewise as though on cue yet again, Mitch halted to a statue-still stop, foot lifted it mid-step, until he pivoted.  Bounding off in the other direction past Ian and Cathalie, he slowed down his pace for a moment to look about the nature of his surroundings with a scrutinizing eye, putting his nose closer to the ground every few moments.

"No trace of the child molester has yet been found, though our intrepid investigator suspects tamperage of evidence! Instead of the putrid scent of the L'eau d'amour perfume that the perpetrator had no doubtedly donned at the time of her crime, this troubled investigator can only smell floor cleaner and mop water....Could this be a case of sabotage? The plot thickens!"

"Too bad...the janitor must've been round." Cathalie remarked, though Mitch by now was lost in the glamour of his own detective suspense story and no longer listened, though he seemed quite dismayed with his findings.

Cathalie sighed and looked incredulously towards Ian.  "Well, shall we follow him? He IS heading towards the exit after all."  Almost uncharacteristically, she smiled lightly.  "A burger doesn't sound too bad... I don't have much money on me though, and it's supposed to be for Mitch too, since he keeps losing his."

Meanwhile, looking completely at a loss at finding no trace of the criminal, Mitch crouched against the floor and pouted miserably.

"The intrepid explorer is now at a loss! All clues present lead nowhere but to a dead end! I'm confused!" he whined across the hallway.

Ian smiled watching as Mitch ran out the door, heading the wrong way. Ian listened as Mitch continued playing the role of the investigator, looking for Ian's attacker.

When Cathalie finally pointed out Ian in the right direction, Ian listened to Cathalie. Agreeing with her he began to follow Mitch to the exit with Cathalie.

Pausing he said, "Well, I havn't been to the amusement park in a while, and it's not far from my house. They got some cheap burgers there and some fun rides, and if you need some money I can loan you some."

Ian thought for a moment then reached into his bookbag and brought out his silver flip phone. Opening up his cell phone he said, "Let me call Sofie and see if she can come after practice."

Going through his contacts list he saw the name of Sofie and dialed her cell phone. Her cell phone was off so he left her a voice message. "Hey Sofie! Me, Cathalie, and Mitch might head out to the amusement park, and I just wanted to check and see if you can come with us once your swim practice lets out. So call me back. Later."

Ian closed the phone and put it in his pocket. Looking at Cathalie he said, "So do you want to go tot he amusement park? We might all need to stop home real quick to grab whatever you need, they have a beach there so we could all get our swim suits and go swimming too."

Ian forgot to mention to Sofie to bring her swim suit incase they go swimming. He quickly dialed her number again and when he got her voicemail he said, "Oh sorry Sofie, bring your swimsuit incase we go swimming. Thanks, later." He closed the phone and smiled at Cathalie.

((I'll PM Riser to let her know to read this so she know's Sofie has some voicemails waiting for her  :D ))

As Mitch fruitlessly continued to scour along the newly mopped up linoleum along the hallway floor, Cathalie followed along at a leisurely pace, walking alongside Ian while keeping a careful eye on Mitch.  It felt strange, having a third person in their midst, especially strange since Ian was particularly sane and civilized in comparison to Mitch.  At least that meant he made for some intelligent conversation.  

However, she found herself pausing for a moment as Ian offered to take the two of them out to the amusement park, something Cathalie had never seen coming on top of that previous offer to take them to the burger joint.  Her natural wariness could do nothing to offset the foreseen fun and excitement to be had at the amusement park.  

Even more surprised she was to see that Ian was also willing to loan money to Cathalie, though at this offer, Cathalie was much less reluctant.  Calculating as she was, she figured that whatever amount of money Ian could spare more than likely eclipsed the meagre allowance shared between Cathalie and Mitch.  Though he did offer it as a loan, Cathalie had half-a-mind to accept his offer...only to conveniently 'forget' about the debt later on. He was one of those well-off folks, he could afford it.  Likely he wouldn't even remember being owed that kind of debt.

She stretched her arms out abit, smiling lightly in spite of herself.  "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go out and have fun for a change. Of course, I'll need a bit of your money, but I'll pay you back later," she told him casually, though of course she had no intention to do anything of the sort.

It wasn't as though enjoyed cheating this kid out of his money...considering all things, there was likely no way she could pay him back with what little allowance the orphanage matrons gave her.  She needed the money to buy lunch for Mitch and herself every day, after all.  Still, resorting to something like this hurt Cathalie's pride, but what else could she do?

She let out a sigh, just as Mitch's face popped out from round the corner right in front of her, startling her into a yelp.  The nonplussed, green-eyed youth, tilted his head as he walked ahead of the two at the same pace, looking towards them curiously.

"Are we poor, Cathalie?" Mitch asked quietly.  "Are the taxpayers going to throw us out of our houses?"

"We don't have houses," Cathalie replied irritably.  "And the taxpayers can't throw out wards of the government unless the orphanage shuts down."

"Then why is he lending you money?" Mitch wondered aloud as he looked towards Ian with slight suspicion.  "Are you a loanshark? Are you gonna charge us interest and send your army of private police after us? Because Cathalie never pays her debts."  This he said with a sly grin, just as Cathalie shot him a look of pure venom.

Ian listened to the conversation between Cathalie and Mitch about being poor. Ian never had trouble with money growing up. Sure he wasn't one of those high class students, but his family had money, and Ian being an only child it was easy on him growing up. He really didn't understand what it was like to be poor, but he tried to put himself in Cathalie and Mitch's shoes but he couldn't quite understand.

Ian listened to Mitch's comment about how Cathalie never pays back her debts. He never quite related that comment to her paying back the loan he would give her, but if he had known, it wouldn't have bothered him too much. Ian didn't have that much a need for money, all he spended it on was paintball mostly. He could go with low grade paintballs for a while.

Ian just said, "It's ok, she doesn't have to pay me back if she can't." Once again, Ian didn't really expect her to not pay him back, but if she didn't that was fine with him. Ian wasn't tight about his money, and most people found out it was really easy to squeeze a couple bucks from him.

Ian made his way towards the exit to the school and said, "We might as well all go home real quick and meet up at the amusement park. Ill try calling Sofie again when I get home and tell her to meet us up there. Sound good?"

By this point, Cathalie was getting quite tired of surprises, especially those on part of Ian Rico and all his generosity and kindness.  It wasn't as though she was ungrateful.  Well, perhaps she was to a certain degree, having no intention to pay back any of her debts, but on her defense, it wasn't really the case at this point.  Instead, the point was that Cathalie, for her young age and a past full of anguish, was a cynic, and simply found it a challenge to believe that this Ian Rico, one she had never associated with until now, would offer her first a burger, then an outing to the amusement park, then friendship, and now money without loan.

Other than having Mitch's constant company, which was hardly an advantage, Cathalie had always been alone.  Passed along from family to family, she found it hard to believe in the kindness and benevolence of humanity beyond the superficial exterior.  Those who adopted her only pitied her, and kept her for only as long as they could tolerate her ill-temper and cynicism.  The very classmates who often spent hours within the same room as her never offered anything more than a wide berth, knowing well of her pitiful background and her short-fuse.

Why would Ian Rico be any different?

At that point, her face fell into a cold, even frosty, state as Ian Rico reassured her that to pay back the money he'd lent...no, given her was not necessary.  Her jaw set back slightly in a look of suspicion and distrust as her voice lowered quietly in a reply to Ian's cheerful suggestion.  She spoke in a simple, yet blunt tone.

"Sure thing."

She looked away, unsuccessfully trying to suppress the darkness that had crossed her face.  As far as Cathalie was concerned, the motivation to show kindness to others only showed if there was an ulterior motive.  She knew well from experience and observation, and as the dark cesspool of her past emerged forth within the stormy tides of her heart, Cathalie remembered how she'd promised never to trust anyone who showed any sort of kindness.  At least those who were openly cruel and abusive...they were honest.  They were the only honest people in this world.

And she simply refused to believe that Ian Rico could be as honest with his kindness.

Mitch wandered about in circles along the hallway, darting from one side wall to the other, never noticing for a split second that on several intervals he nearly walked headlong into both Ian and Cathalie.  Having taken a break from his work as a crime scene investigator, his attention began to wander throughout the interior of the building, from the alumni photos to the drinking fountains in the wall recesses, to the recycling bins outside each classroom.  

As always, he regarded everything around him as though he had only just opened his eyes after being born, and suddenly seeing the world for the first time.

His attention suddenly came affixed to what seemed to be a discarded hypodermic needle lying on its cylindrical side on the floor.  Just as he stooped over to pick it up and examine it curiously, Cathalie cuffed him round the shoulder with her palm.  Getting the hint, Mitch abandoned his find, pouting slightly as he rubbed his now aching shoulder, though it didn't seem to bother much.  Cathalie had dealt him harder blows in the past as a way of stress relief.

His ears caught the string of conversation, and Mitch wandered over to wedge himself between Cathalie and Ian, walking alongside both of them as he looked intently towards Ian.

"Amusement park?" he asked lightly, tilting his head as he always did in that curious, inquiring manner.  "A park...of amusement? Sounds fun..." he mused quietly, more to himself than anything.  "Cathalie never takes me anywhere.  Cause we're poor."

He suddenly turned towards Cathalie, tugging her arm in that usual, childlike manner.  "But we should pay our debt.  Cause it's the right thing to do."  Briskly he shoved his hand into the pocket of his tattered trousers, fishing around the inside of it before pulling it out with a handful of small objects.

"Here!" He thrust his outstretched palm towards Ian's face.  "Take it."

Various objects and trinkets were piled along his bandaged, open palm, none of which were of much monetary value, despite their metallic, reflective qualities.  Among which were a cheap metal chain, a screw, a safety pin, a keychain watch, a tube of lipstick,and an entire set of keys.

Mitch's face twisted slightly into a worried frown as Cathalie smacked a palm to her face behind him.  "Is it not enough?"

((Mitch continued in: True Friends))
((Cathalie continued in: True Friends))

Ian continued his walk with the group towards the school's exit as Cathalie said, "sure thing" to his offer of free money. Ian smiled, glad to be helping out a friend. He didn't truly realize how bad Cathalie and Mitch had it but he knew he was far better off then the two of them.

But that didn't change Ian's views on the two. Ian was naturally a nice person, and though he could be a little shy at times, he was always wanting to help people out. At first he wasn't sure of what to make of Cathalie and Mitch, but now that he's gotten to know them a little better he can truly say they are his friends, and good people.

Ian was surrpised when Mitch talked about paying back their debts and handing Ian a bunch of small trinkets. Looking them over Ian smiled and his smile broadened as Cathalie smacked a palm to her face. Ian just said, "No this is more than enough." Taking the trinkets he placed them all in his pocket and said, "That should definately cover the expenses today."

Ian walked to one of the many exits in the school and said, "So we all better go home. I'll meet you all at the amusement park entrance at say..." Ian took out his cell phone again and looked at the time. "How does 4 sound? That gives us an hour."

((continued at the amusement park, I'll create a thread, for times sake I'm just going to skip posting a thread at my house and it will be assumed I stopped there before heading to the amusement park.))

((Continued in: True Friends))