Annoyances

Who: Gabe and Claire
Where: MSHS, History Class
When: Last class

By the time seventh period rolled around, Gabe was starting to get the feeling people were talking about him. Not everyone, but just enough that he'd taken notice of wayward glances followed by little smirks and whisperings. It wasn't enough for him to call anyone on it, not yet, though if it got any worse he definitely would. He hadn't done anything worth talking about, at least to his knowledge, so he'd ignore it until it became a problem. Strolling into History, Gabe plopped down in his chair, stretching his legs out in the aisle. He was about ready for this day to be over.

Claire entered the classroom not more than ten seconds after Gabe did, offering him a small smile before she sat down in her seat beside him and immediately went to pulling out her books and homework. "So I heard there was suppose to be this big rumble at the flagpole today. I was thinking the Sharks versus the Jets, but apparently it wasn't as epic as that."

"No, it was more like the Jets didn't show, so the Sharks finally went inside. It was too ass cold to stand around the flagpole with no rumble to watch," Gabe grinned. "Apparently the Jets better watch their backs, cause the Sharks may be up for a sneak attack. Watch out for the little blonde with lots of attitude." Gabe hadn't thought it possible to fit that much spunk in someone so tiny, but Breezy was pulling it off well enough. "Didn't see you at the flagpole, though. You should have joined us. At least the trash talk was entertaining."

"Oh, well I would have been there, but see, I'm not ten years old," she snarked. She grabbed her pen and flashed Gabe a brief smile, just in case that might have been taken the wrong way. Honestly she might have felt a bit awkward being out there with Gabe's friends - and van partner - when she didn't know any of them. "I heard about the whole thing though after lunch from various people. I also heard that uhm, the little blonde with attitude's brother got into a fight earlier. So I guess he started prematurely."

"Hey, I'll regress to grade-school if it gives me a chance to see a girl kick a guy's ass," Gabe grinned, not at all bothered by Claire's jibe. He knew it was childish, but this was an instance where he didn't care. He'd been far too entertained. "But, yeah, he kind of took the wind from her sails. She was pissed, though from her brother's point of view, I get it. She wanted to fight over something Aaron said to Bruce, which would've kinda looked like she was defending her brother's honor cause he couldn't do it himself. Better that he beat her to it," Gabe said, carefully stepping around actually saying Breezy's name. For some reason the others didn't bother him.

"Whatever happened to taking the high road?" Claire asked with a shrug. "But I guess if dealing with insults physically is the way some people like to do it, who am I to judge?" She thought it was kind of silly for Breezy to challenge a guy - even a guy like Aaron - to fight at the flagpole. "I can get why Bruce would throw the first punch before letting his sister do it for him. And he didn't try to make a production out of it so... good for him." She wondered if Gabe had heard the other things going around about he and Breezy, but he didn't seem agitated or pissy about anything, so she doubted it.

Gabe thought he'd tried to persuade Breezy against a fight, but his words at the bonfire were blurry at best. Today he'd definitely egged her on, though he'd have been willing to jump in if things got out of hand. "I don't usually plan fights," Gabe shrugged, understanding Bruce's method more than Breezy's. "It's usually more like I lose my temper and go for it. If there's time to plan, then there's time for me to realize what a bad idea it is. I'm glad someone got to Aaron though. He was being a bitch." Gabe didn't even know him and that was his opinion of the guy.

"See, I can understand not planning on losing your temper. But I sort of was imagining Breezy challenging Aaron to a duel at sunset or something. Seems kind of... silly." That was honestly the best way she could come to describing it. Claire didn't talk to Aaron enough to know what he was, but the fact that Aaron was a friend of Chrissy's explained enough. "So anyway, other than your flagpole let down, how was the rest of your day?"

"It kind of was," Gabe agreed with a grin. He didn't mind bearing witness, but it was nothing he would have done himself. He figured Breezy only got away with it because she was a girl. "My day's been okay. Talked to Charlotte this morning and she's got a date, which is good, though it sounded even more like Kavin deserved to have his ass dumped. And brainstormed about Halloween costumes with this girl in my Algebra class. She offered to help me, which was cool. What about you?"

Claire lifted her eyebrow curiously and leaned back in her chair, studying Gabe. She was sure any girl would have offered to help Gabe with a Halloween costume, but she didn't say that. But she was pretty positive now that Gabe hadn't heard anything recent, and she wasn't sure she wanted to inform him. Rumors were stupid, and she grew agitated more and more the longer she had to hear them. Instead she focused on what he'd said about Charlotte. "My day was fine. Isn't Kavin your friend? That's kind of a crappy thing to say about him..."

"He's my friend, but that doesn't mean I think he treated Charlotte right," Gabe said, frowning slightly. "He's already kissing on another girl, but he made Charlotte feel like crap for breaking up with him. And she wouldn't have broken up with him, if he didn't gotten onto her for spending time with a guy friend then forced her to make a crappy decision. So he jumps all over me in defending this new girl, but used to laugh at Charlotte and joke about his dick." Gabe's arms crossed over his chest, his displeasure with Kavin fairly clear. He was protective of Charlotte, perhaps because he'd dragged her out into the open, but more because she seemed like the most innocent girl he had ever met and he didn't like people messing with her. "Nice guy overall, but shitty with girls."

"I would think that getting dumped would pretty much suck, and I doubt everyone reacts positively to it. Besides, if she dumped him, who cares if he's with another girl already? Guys rebound, don't they? And didn't those two date for only like a week? Maybe he wasn't the best boyfriend or they weren't the best fit or whatever, but saying he deserved to get his ass dumped, given he's your friend? Seems kind of harsh to me." Claire shook her head and opened up her text book. "But I don't know them that well so... you'd know better than me, obviously." She shrugged and pulled her homework out to lay on top of her book. "I just think if you're friendly with both of them, you shouldn't take sides. That's how you lose friends."

Gabe didn't feel like he was taking sides, so much as stating a fact, but now he was starting to feel bad about it. His eyes dropped down to his shoes as he sighed, not all that sure what to say. What Claire said wasn't going to change his mind and he wondered if he should just let it drop. "So if you think a friend is doing something wrong, would it be better to just ignore it? If it doesn't effect me, then I should keep my mouth shut?" Gabe asked, his voice softer, but now curious. He'd always spoken his mind, especially with Claire, though he didn't expect to lose one of his friends over his opinion.

Claire looked up from her homework to his face, one eyebrow still raised curiously. "It depends on what exactly they're doing wrong. Are they putting themselves in harm's way? Are they making decisions that could ultimately cause dangerous or painful consequences for themselves or others down the road? By all means, speak up. But is it really wrong that Kavin simply wasn't the guy for Charlotte? He didn't act the way she, or you, thought a boyfriend should act or whatever, so that means he deserved to get hurt and get his ass dumped? People aren't perfect. If it wasn't something where Kavin went out of his way to purposely hurt Charlotte or treat her bad, then I think that kind of opinion of him isn't really fair. They obviously weren't good together, right? So is that all Kavin's fault? She was apparently just as wrong for him as he was for her. That's how it works. If you've looked at it from both angles and still think Kavin deserves it, then that's fine... it's really... it's none of my business."

It part, he got what she was saying, but at the same time he disagreed. Gabe didn't think the way Kavin had treated Charlotte was right, and he would have said the same if it had been any girl. Not just the right one for Kavin. Maybe Kavin was treating Jeri differently, but Gabe didn't know. "I think any guy that makes fun of his girlfriend deserves it when she breaks up with him. Doesn't matter if he's my friend or not. Yeah, it sucks for him, but I'm not gonna support something that's bad for both of them. And I'm not gonna encourage something that just let's him think that what he's doing is okay. I didn't say it was all anyone's fault, but I do think a girl deserves respect, and if a guy can't respect a girl, he doesn't deserve her to stick around."

Claire nodded and made a noise in her throat in response. She didn't know Kavin and Charlotte well enough as a couple to say anything more. They certainly looked happy at homecoming, but what did she know? Absolutely nothing. "Well, it's like I said," Claire said flatly, turning back to her homework to double check it, "most relationships tend to end up like theirs. Happy one minute, miserable the next. If they found out in only one week they were wrong for one another, better than finding out after several months where you're more invested." She wondered if Gabe considered respect for a girl to be making out with her in a van after one date? She knew that his relationship with Chrissy certainly wasn't based on respect. But Claire had been feeling badly all day and she didn't want to take anymore of her mood out on him, so she said nothing else.

Gabe turned slowly in his desk, facing foward as he pulled his book out of his bag. The dismissal was clear enough and left him feeling slightly sick to his stomach. While he was used to arguing with her on this point, part of him was starting to wonder if she was right, and what was the point of arguing when he wasn't all that sure himself? Her attitude reminded him of when he'd called her Friday night, and he wondered if it had stemmed from the talk about Breezy, even if it hadn't been oriented around him dating her. But she'd brought up the fight, not him. Gabe opened his book, looking down at a random page. It felt like the day had just gone to hell.

Chewing on her lip, Claire tried to focus on her homework before the bell rang, but slivers of guilt began to creep their way into her conscience and she finally sighed and closed her eyes briefly before glancing back over to Gabe. "I'm sorry for being...uhm, bitchy? I guess. It's been a really long day, and I'm just... not in a good mood. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I don't know Kavin or Charlotte like you do, so I shouldn't have even said anything." It was an entire mixture of things for Claire. Her parents fighting that morning, not hearing from Josh in awhile, her homework stressing her out and then the brand spanking new rumors about Gabe and Breezy and everything had just built from there. She really didn't know how to explain it, and she wasn't about to attempt to at that moment.

Taking a deep breath, Gabe turned to look at her, wondering why she was talking to him now when she definitely hadn't been in the mood to a moment ago. But she was, so he'd try, hopeful that her mood hadn't already rubbed off on his. "I just don't think it's that clear cut. There's a lot going on there that I'm not gonna say in the middle of class, but... I think Kavin fucked up. Maybe if it'd been another girl, or another time. I dunno. Sorry for bringing it up. I know you don't wanna hear about it." And he really shouldn't have told her about it. It was just another instance to solidify her belief that relationships didn't work.

"I know, and it's fine if that's how you see it. Like I said, I shouldn't have said anything about it, because I don't really know either of them. So... I'm sorry." She didn't know if he was angry with her now, or wouldn't accept her apology, but it was the best she could do at the moment. "It's not that I don't want to hear about it, I was just looking at it from another angle. I'm just... I zeroed in on that when I shouldn't have." Claire frowned, thinking maybe in the future when she had a bad day, she ought to just not talk. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Gabe said, starting to feel bad because she was feeling bad. He slid out of his chair, kneeling on the floor as he placed his hands on her desk, resting his chin upon them. "Don't worry about it. I just can't tell if you're seriously annoyed or just playing devil's advocate, that's all." His head tilted to the side a little, giving her a small smile. "Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm here if you wanna talk." He didn't care that people were coming into class, some of them having to step over him on the way to their seat. At least they sat near the back of the room.

"I think maybe it's a bit of both," she admitted after a second, now annoyed with herself. But hey, he didn't seem to be upset with her anymore either, so she relaxed a bit. "It's nothing important. I just haven't had the best of days." Her lips twitched to the side, trying to find the humor in it, but having a tough time of it. "Uhm, I'm guessing you haven't heard, but apparently people know about your van excursion with Breezy. People have been whispering about it since lunch, at least from what I've heard."

Gabe didn't quite get why she was annoyed on Kavin's behalf, but he let it drop for now. If she wasn't having a good day, it didn't seem like the time to get into discussions about relationships, a topic that he knew she wasn't all that fond of to begin with. "Sorry to hear that," Gabe said, his chin lifting off his hands so that his fingers could lightly brush over her hand. It was an attempt at a comforting gesture, though he wasn't sure how successful it was. His mood dropped again as she mentioned Breezy, unfamiliar with the rumors that were spreading since none of what had happened should actually be exciting to anyone but the two of them. "What did you hear?" he asked with a frown. This couldn't be good.

Claire wasn't so much annoyed on Kavin's behalf, but more in general at Gabe's comment about his friend being dumped. And her bad mood simply amplified the rest, though she knew she should have stayed quiet about it. She smiled faintly, unsure whether or not it was the right place or time to get into things she had heard, especially when she knew they were untrue. "Just that some people saw you get into Breezy's van with her and not come out... which, you know, you told me you were staying there with her, so... " Claire rolled her eyes. "Some people are just running with it. You two are sleeping together now, or she has an STD or something stupid. It's just the same old gossip not really founded on any kind of truth."

Gabe could feel his face turning red, though he wasn't sure if it was due to embarrassment or anger. Why the fuck did this need to be up for public discussion? Kyle'd gotten his rocks off that night, and he wasn't being talked about behind his back. It had been late when Gabe and Breezy had retired to the van, with almost everyone else gone for the night, but it was quite possible that someone overheard them talking about it earlier. He only wished Claire hadn't had to listen to it. He could understand why her mood was dark, just as his now was. "It wasn't public knowledge," Gabe said, face drawn tight in frustration. "That's bullshit. We were practically the last people there. What the fuck is wrong with people?-- Sorry," Gabe said, "I'm just frustrated."

"I know. Look... people talk. I probably shouldn't have said anything, but I figured you should know before you hear about it from someone else." She smiled softly. "You're allowed to do what you want, with whoever you want, and it's no one else's business." Claire was learning that herself. She chuckled, wanting to try and lighten the mood. "I think I'm more afraid for everyone else... Breezy might have a waiting list at the flagpole if she finds out, you know?"

"I'd rather hear it from you, than some jerk in the halls," Gabe said, attempting to smile back as his hand rested on hers. He really wished she could stop hearing the worst about him, but he guessed it was bound to happen if he kept playing around as he did. It just annoyed him that, while he'd promised not to bring up dates and Breezy around her, other people did it for him. In reverse, it would be like forcing him to listen to gossip about Claire and Joshua. "It's my own damn fault. It's what I get for PDA, you know? People draw their own conclusions." Gabe stood back up, then slid into his seat so that he was no longer blocking the isle. "She might," Gabe said with a hint of a smile. "It wouldn't surprise me all that much. I get the impression she'll be rather pissed. Or amused. Don't know."

"Well..." She trailed off as someone walked by them toward the front of the room. Claire sighed and lowered her voice a bit. "Look, don't... change yourself because of gossip. If you like PDAs then... screw them." She had heard plenty about dating Lullaby's boyfriend over the past couple of weeks, and while it had bothered her at first, she tried hard not to even acknowledge it to herself anymore. People didn't know the truth, or what was going on, and she honestly couldn't let them dictate how she felt. "Maybe just try to laugh about it rather than get angry. Show them it doesn't bug you, and maybe people will latch onto other things."

"Normally it doesn't bother me," Gabe shrugged, his voice now quiet. "It's just... I'm not all that sure of what I want there, and I don't like everyone making more out of something that might not be anything to begin with." Now he almost felt obligated to go out with Breezy for a bit, at least to soften the blow of the rumors. It might not look so bad on her end if they at least dated for a while, but Gabe hated having his hand forced. He'd just have to see how Breezy took it, or if he heard from her at all. "And I don't like you having to hear about something I said I wouldn't bring up," he said with an apologetic smile.

Sighing, Claire rested her cheek on her palm and stared at him for a second. "You're not bringing it up. I just... if you didn't know what you wanted with her, and you didn't want people finding out and talking about it, maybe you shouldn't have..." She trailed off, knowing better than to finish that sentence with their peers filling up the room. "I think you need to start thinking beforehand sometimes, Gabe. And I know that sounds bitchy, and I'm really not trying to give you a hard time about it, but you were talking after Chrissy about the next time having something special, so you jump into a van with Breezy the first time you guys go out, and then you sit there and tell me you're not sure what you want there, and you don't want people making something out of what might be nothing? I don't like people talking about you, but I don't really get how you come to make your decisions sometimes."

Gabe was quiet for a minute, absorbing her words and hearing the unsaid-- you reap what you sow. He deserved it. There was a price for his behavior, and it came in the form of a soiled reputation and well aimed gossip. No one would believe it if he wasn't known for this sort of thing, but regular repeat performances would lead anyone to believe at least a grain of truth was in the rumor. Being drunk was no excuse, not when it seemed to be the case every time. "You're right," he said, and this time he couldn't summon a smile. "It needs to stop, so... I guess that's it." It was so easy to say so, though that didn't make him squeaky clean. It just made him unsure of what to do next.

She wanted to reach out and grab his hand or something, but he was too far away for it to not be noticed by people. And she knew if certain people saw, then not only would Breezy still have an STD in the morning, but Claire would probably be pregnant or something equally as stupid because she had touched hands with the guy. Claire watched him carefully. "If you like her, then whatever happens, or doesn't, is between the two of you. But if you don't... it gets continually harder for me not to throw books at people's heads when I hear them talk about you." She managed a smile. "I'm not sure my mom would appreciate my getting expelled because I was trying to defend your honor with a hard copy of Shakespearean plays."

Her attempt at humor earned her a small laugh from Gabe and his eyes rose to meet hers. "She's cool and all, but she's not... you," he said, lips twisting to the side. "Try not to brain anyone with the comedies. Go for things like Romeo and Juliet and Othello. Those deserve to be thrown across the room." Not that he actually saw her throwing books at people, but if she did, he'd be there to defend her every step of the way. Especially if she'd done it for him in the first place. If there was one reason to change his behavior, it would be making sure that Claire didn't get expelled for defending his stupidity. And that was only one reason among many.

Claire's eyes glanced downward briefly at his comment, her cheeks flushing. It was a sweet thing to say, she just didn't know how to respond to it, so she didn't. "So, you want me to throw the tragedies at people's heads," she said with a small laugh. "I guess that holds some kind of significance. I'll definitely keep that in mind." They were getting ready to start class, so it was harder for her to talk freely. "I promise not to be jerky toward you again the next time I'm in a bad mood..."

He couldn't remember the last time he actually made her blush and his heart quickened in response. Gabe wasn't sure what it meant, or if it meant anything at all, but it felt good in a way that most flirting didn't. It felt honest. "This can be one of those instances where it might be better to have bad aim," he smiled, his voice dropping to a whisper as the class began to quiet. "I promise not to whine about my love life and make better decisions regarding it." Which also meant thinking before acting and a whole host of other things, but Gabe wasn't going to go into that now, not when class was about to start.

"Don't worry, my aim really stinks," she replied with a soft chuckle. Claire glanced at him, her brows coming together in confusion before she looked back toward the front of the room to make sure the teacher wasn't looking her way. "I want you to make better decisions for yourself... not for me. And you can whine to me, just... don't contradict the whining by going out and doing something else."

"I know. It's not for you. It's for me. But you've been patient in dealing with me, so..." So he knew it would have an impact on her, and the fact that he liked her, and the way she saw him, and... There was so much he wanted to promise her, but it almost seemed better to show her instead. "I want to be better for both of us," Gabe said with a little smile. "Is that okay?"

It felt strange to her for anyone to want to improve themselves for her. It almost made her uneasy, because she wasn't sure she deserved to be that kind of priority to anyone. Rather than voice that - it was so not the time or place - Claire smiled softly and nodded. "Yes, that's okay." She went to say more, but was interrupted as the teacher began class. With another small smile in his direction, Claire went back to her homework, feeling better than she did before class started. And that was something.