Elephant in the Room

Who: Claire and Isaac
When: after class
Where: school

Isaac didn't much like the idea of having to stay overnight at school, but he liked the idea of trying to get home in this mess even less. It would be impossible and dangerous and ... yeah, he'd rather just bunk out on the floor of the gym. As long as they got to go home the next day at some -- hopefully earlyish -- point.

Class had just let out, and he was on his way to his locker and then on to try and find Peyton, his sister, or Thom. Or any combination of the above. He stuffed his books away, keeping out only the ones he had some homework in and turned to walk away. A few steps later, he spotted a familiar face that he hadn't talked to in a while. It wasn't one of the three he was looking for, but that was okay. Because there was something else to her too. "Hey Korey," he greeted as he came up alongside her, giving a small grin.

Claire was on her way to her locker after class, lost in thought and trying to figure out where she was going to hide tonight so that she didn't have to sleep in the same room as... well, everyone else. She was hoping that maybe she could find an empty classroom or something, but... nothing really sounded all that great.

She was digging through her bag for her phone when she heard her name, or rather, last name. Looking up, she spotted Isaac and returned his smile. "Hey, stud. Sucky day, huh?" She found her phone and readjusted her bag on her shoulder. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered Gabe had said Isaac knew about Lullaby Draven... but she wasn't about to bring that up now.

"Total shit," he confirmed with a nod, internally grinning a bit at the 'stud' part of that greeting. He'd known Claire vaguely for a long time, even though they'd never really been close, and he knew she probably didn't mean it in a flirty way, but it was still nice to hear. Part of him wanted to cut right to the chase and blurt out questions about what she knew about Lullaby, but that would lack all that finesse he'd worked on building up. ... yeah. "So are you gonna join us in the big orgy in the gym tonight? Eight p.m. sharp, anybody's who's anybody," he joked, leaning up against a nearby locker.

"Then I doubt that would include me," Claire said dryly, reaching out to turn the combination on her locker. "Though it has been a long time since I've been orgyfied." She tugged open her locker and began to put a couple books away. "Sleeping in a gym full of pissed off, irritated, hormonal kids my age doesn't exactly sound the best way to spend the evening. I'll probably just find an empty classroom and do my homework." She winced and shot him a look. "That state of mind is probably why I haven't been orgyfied. Are you headed that way?"

Isaac paused for a second, quickly weighing options. He wanted to kind of get her in a more private place where they could talk, but kind of didn't want anybody seeing them do it, lest it get back to Peyton. Because he couldn't explain to her yet why he wanted to talk to Claire Korey in an isolated classroom. "That's the state of mind that needs orgyfying the most," he told her in all seriousness, then shook his head. "Not immediately. Think we can get a minute without ears everywhere?" He didn't change his tone up at all, keeping that even Isaac The Social Butterfly keel to it.

Ugh. That's what she didn't want to hear, since she knew private time with Isaac would probably mean something Lullaby-centered, even if his tone was completely casual. They didn't really socialize much outside of school, and even in school it was rare. She pulled out her notebook slowly while she debated her answer. The day was already screwed, why not add to it? Finally she shut her locker and gave him her full attention. "Okay, yeah, sure... lead the way."

She didn't seem super-excited about it, but he guessed he could see why. Finding out Lullaby was still alive -- in that odd sense that she was -- would kind of be a difficult thing to cope with. It was kind of posing a challenge for him, and he wasn't dating the girl's ex. In any case, he pushed off the lockers and started to lead the way toward one of the emptier halls, slipping into a classroom that was unlocked.

Claire followed, not all that concerned if people saw them. Despite the rumors that tended to go around school, she doubted anyone would start anything about her and Isaac. Besides, Claire had already dealt with the whispered rumors of dating a dead girl's boyfriend so... yeah, not too worried. Stepping into the classroom, she waited until the door was shut before perching on the edge of one of the desks with an polite smile. "You want to say something about Lullaby?"

Isaac hesitated at the tone and smile, which kind of looked defensive to him. He stayed near the door and gave a bit of a shrug, tucking his hands into his back pockets. "I was more gonna ask how you were doing with it," he said, which was true. He'd already put his warning to Gabe, he didn't need to go around threatening people. He wasn't protective of her like he was his sister, after all. "Just to ... commiserate, I guess." Because knowing was hard. At least she had someone close to talk to about it. At least one.

"Oh... " She hadn't been expecting that. Really, she had been expecting more of a 'Don't tell anyone' kind of speech. Claire thought about it for a second before shrugging one shoulder. "I'm doing okay with it... it's... weird? It's not everyday you find out a classmate's come back from the dead." Her boyfriend's ex, no less. "It was confusing, and startling at first but... I haven't thought about it much lately, since she's left town and everything. How did you find out?"

"She's back now," he told her, just so she'd be aware and everything. Which reminded him again that it was disappointing that he hadn't gotten to see her yet. He wanted to. Dean too. "I mean, they are, her and Dean." He paused and gave another shrug that was partway uncomfortable, though he didn't know quite why he didn't really like admitting this. It wasn't really something people would expect a 'popular' kid like him to do. "I was at the graveyard, just sort of ... I dunno, sitting around. It's quiet there. And it got to be kinda dark, and then she just ... showed up. I thought she was a ghost at first, scared the shit outta me. Her too, I think."

She's back now? Say what? Claire blinked a couple times as she tried to assess that information. Did Joshua know? He hadn't said anything to her, and he hadn't seem... bothered by anything the last time they were together. Isaac was talking again so Claire tried to refocus despite the nasty pit in the bottom of her stomach. "So she just showed up in the cemetery? I imagine that was creepy... does anyone else know besides you?"

"Pretty creepy, yeah," he admitted, though he wouldn't ever tell her that. She felt bad enough about being what she was, she didn't need anybody adding to it. "But no, nobody else knows. Well I mean ... Dean knows, obviously, and his family. You know, Gabe knows, her ex boyfriend knows. I mean, you know that, of course. And I found out one of the newer chicks? Alexis? Like ... met her a couple of times, but doesn't know what she is, or that she was dead at all. Lullaby's going by a different name and everything, when she's not hiding out. But I swore not to tell anyone, so the people closest to me don't know, and it sucks balls, let me tell you," he said, looking unhappy about that.

She wondered what it would be like knowing something like that and not being able to tell people. Well, Claire could tell people, but there was no one she felt the desire to tell. The two people she would have told knew before her... "She should be careful... Lullaby, I mean, if Alexis knows. Even if she's going by a new name and everything... it's a small town and that stuff has a way of blowing up." Like Lullaby going to a public party with her classmates... yeah, not too smart. "I imagine it sucks though, having to keep secrets from people you care about. I'm sorry," Claire said, a bit lamely. "It's so easy for that kind of stuff to blow up in your face."

"Yeah I know," Isaac said, to both points, really, and ran his hand through his hair. He let out a sigh and wet his lips. He knew that she had to be lonely and feeling isolated, but people did talk, and Alexis had said something about Isaac having to meet her. It would only take the wrong person at the wrong time. "But what can you do, shit's hard," he said after a pause, looking up with a faint smile. It was also lame, but he wasn't really there to pour his guts out to Claire. Just sort of feel out how she was taking it all, and acknowledge the elephant in the room. "If I can ... I dunno, help with smoothing anything out, let me know, okay? I dunno the situation from your end, really, I'm just pretty cool with both sides, so. I offer my humble services."

"I don't really know the situation from my end either," Claire admitted with a small frown. "I'm sort of just... dealing with things as they hit me. I don't really feel like I'm involved with any of it. Josh and Lullaby aren't together anymore and... that's all I really need to worry about, right? I don't have any plans to say anything to anyone," Claire added, just in case he was wondering. "But I appreciate your offer and everything."

Isaac nodded, thinking she probably had the best idea there. Just to stay as not-involved as possible. He would likely be doing the same thing, if he didn't care about the girl so much. He thought it probably must be awkward to be dating somebody who's dead girlfriend wasn't dead, but that was Claire's business, and he wasn't going to push and try to find out just how awkward it was. "No problem," he said with a little smile. And now was wondering what he actually wanted to accomplish by talking to her about it. Just to acknowledge it, he guessed. "Thanks for ... keeping it quiet, I guess. On their behalf."

"Yeah, no problem. I mean... the only reason I told Josh was because they had... you know. And if he hadn't known, I thought he should have. He was... pretty miserable there for awhile, before I knew why. I thought it was just grief and I wanted to ebb it somehow." Claire paused, unsure why she was trying to explain herself. "I'm just sorry it became this huge problem, and that you had to get involved with it too."

"Not your fault," he told her, hanging on to that little understanding smile. He probably would've told Joshua too, had he been in her position. That wasn't something to keep from someone like that. He was keeping it from the people he loved out of necessity, but none of them were that close to Lullaby. She hadn't died in any of their arms. Which was still just fucked up to think about, poor bastard. "Thanks for taking the minute, yeah? I'll see you at the orgy," he said, opening the door up behind him. He had the insatiable urge to find Peyton and hug her.

Claire nodded with a tiny grin. "Yeah, I'll see you there." She was glad that the conversation hadn't gone south like it could have with Lullaby being brought up. The topic still made her uneasy, and it reminded her of everything that had went down with Josh and Gabe and... she really just wanted to put it in the past. Following Isaac out the door, she offered a small wave and headed off on her own to find a comfortable, preferably vacant, room to sleep in.