((Lori Martin continued from The Dead Cat Bounce))
"Another day, another opportunity" she said weakly to herself, willing herself to believe it.
Yeah, sure. For other people.
Lori hustled down to the track with her phone out, looking at the notes app. She was wearing a plaid yellow pleated skirt, chunky, brown Ugg boots and an overly large chartreuse t-shirt with the neck cut out, leaving the shirt hanging around her shoulders and revealing a white tank top under it. As she walked onto the track it looked like things were winding down. Lori shoved the cell phone into the back of her skirt and went straight for her man.
"Hi Dante!" she said, waving and walking faster.
Who wears short-sell shorts?
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Ruggahissy
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>> Dante Valerio continued from social link
Dante stretched, grinning his face off at the scattered applause that came from the rest of the track team and the few bored kids hanging out in the stands when he crossed the finish line on his last practice lap, the others he'd been running with coming up a few seconds behind him. He hadn't wanted to be the captain of the team, not really; he'd gone for it as a goof mostly, one that had been taken a little too seriously. But he didn't mind it. The rest of the team knew he wasn't great at actually organizing, or making tough calls, or anything like that, but he did like helping people, and that was worth something. He was also pretty damn good at running.
He wiped the sweat off his forehead and grinned as he waved at Aurelien, sitting in the stands. They had... a date still felt strong, but they were gonna grab pizza after the meetup, after he showered. Right now he was both shirtless and soaked in sweat, two things that most pizza places didn't particularly approve of. The rest of the team wandered off in various directions and he followed some of the other guys toward the locker room. At least, until he noticed someone unexpected walking toward him. He was taken by surprise but recovered quickly, smiling and waving back.
"Ciao, bella," he replied. Lori was... Dante didn't know what to say about her, really. She was very nice when they spoke, which wasn't all that often; he wouldn't call her a friend or anything. Friendly acquaintance sounded about right. Which didn't explain what she was doing turning up after a track meet. Maybe she was looking for someone else?
"What's up?"
Dante stretched, grinning his face off at the scattered applause that came from the rest of the track team and the few bored kids hanging out in the stands when he crossed the finish line on his last practice lap, the others he'd been running with coming up a few seconds behind him. He hadn't wanted to be the captain of the team, not really; he'd gone for it as a goof mostly, one that had been taken a little too seriously. But he didn't mind it. The rest of the team knew he wasn't great at actually organizing, or making tough calls, or anything like that, but he did like helping people, and that was worth something. He was also pretty damn good at running.
He wiped the sweat off his forehead and grinned as he waved at Aurelien, sitting in the stands. They had... a date still felt strong, but they were gonna grab pizza after the meetup, after he showered. Right now he was both shirtless and soaked in sweat, two things that most pizza places didn't particularly approve of. The rest of the team wandered off in various directions and he followed some of the other guys toward the locker room. At least, until he noticed someone unexpected walking toward him. He was taken by surprise but recovered quickly, smiling and waving back.
"Ciao, bella," he replied. Lori was... Dante didn't know what to say about her, really. She was very nice when they spoke, which wasn't all that often; he wouldn't call her a friend or anything. Friendly acquaintance sounded about right. Which didn't explain what she was doing turning up after a track meet. Maybe she was looking for someone else?
"What's up?"
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
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Ruggahissy
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Lori beamed at Dante's greeting. She grabbed a bit of her high pony tail and twirled it around her finger.
"I came just when you guys were ending, but I saw the finish and it was great. Congrats!" she enthused. Her eyes briefly bounced between his glistening chest and his face, making sure to do it at a point when he wasn't looking directly at her. A slight bit of color warmed the apples of her cheeks and she clapped her hands together against her face.
"Do you have a super quick second? Here, we can talk while you get some water."
"I came just when you guys were ending, but I saw the finish and it was great. Congrats!" she enthused. Her eyes briefly bounced between his glistening chest and his face, making sure to do it at a point when he wasn't looking directly at her. A slight bit of color warmed the apples of her cheeks and she clapped her hands together against her face.
"Do you have a super quick second? Here, we can talk while you get some water."
"Uh, yeah, sure. Course." Dante scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, leading her toward the water fountains that were only present near the girls' locker rooms for some reason. He couldn't deny that he was thirsty, and Aurelien wouldn't mind being delayed a few extra minutes.
She was definitely here for him, though. That puzzled him. Maybe it was a class thing? He was pretty sure they had English together. Maybe she didn't get the assignment? Which would be a problem, because he was looking for someone to get it off of himself. That seemed weird, though. No one went to Dante for school stuff. Very much not on the list of things he was any good at. There were other classmates she could ask, probably, plus the track was pretty out of the way. His mind was drawing a total blank on other possibilities, though.
He had to bend over considerably to drink from the water fountain—for some reason whoever put these things in the wall never considered the possibility that someone taller than like, 5'10" would use them—and he turned to Lori between sips, a questioning expression on his face.
She was definitely here for him, though. That puzzled him. Maybe it was a class thing? He was pretty sure they had English together. Maybe she didn't get the assignment? Which would be a problem, because he was looking for someone to get it off of himself. That seemed weird, though. No one went to Dante for school stuff. Very much not on the list of things he was any good at. There were other classmates she could ask, probably, plus the track was pretty out of the way. His mind was drawing a total blank on other possibilities, though.
He had to bend over considerably to drink from the water fountain—for some reason whoever put these things in the wall never considered the possibility that someone taller than like, 5'10" would use them—and he turned to Lori between sips, a questioning expression on his face.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
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Ruggahissy
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Lori attempted a casual lean against the wall the fountain was secured to and in her view, nailed it. She watched him drink water for a few seconds before steepling her fingers and blurting out
"So would you want to go to prom with me maybe?"
"So would you want to go to prom with me maybe?"
Oh shit.
Dante took a deep breath, which was a stupid thing to do while trying to drink water, and that water went directly up his nose. He choked and spluttered, spraying water at the wall in front of him in spectacular fashion. Mostly he was just glad he managed to do it at the wall and not in Lori's face. That would be awkward. Would be hard to get more awkward at this point, though.
He cleared the water from his face with the back of his arm before facing her again, looking more than a little distressed.
"Uh, what?"
Dante took a deep breath, which was a stupid thing to do while trying to drink water, and that water went directly up his nose. He choked and spluttered, spraying water at the wall in front of him in spectacular fashion. Mostly he was just glad he managed to do it at the wall and not in Lori's face. That would be awkward. Would be hard to get more awkward at this point, though.
He cleared the water from his face with the back of his arm before facing her again, looking more than a little distressed.
"Uh, what?"
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
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Ruggahissy
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Lori jumped back and covered her mouth with her hand.
"Oh no, are you okay?!"
She moved to pat him on the back, but then remembered he was pretty sweaty and sort of patted the air above him reassuringly. He seemed to have got a handle on it but his distress made her distressed.
"Um, if you wanted to go with me. To prom. If you're not doing anything else. You don't have to, I was just wondering," she said, still concerned.
"Oh no, are you okay?!"
She moved to pat him on the back, but then remembered he was pretty sweaty and sort of patted the air above him reassuringly. He seemed to have got a handle on it but his distress made her distressed.
"Um, if you wanted to go with me. To prom. If you're not doing anything else. You don't have to, I was just wondering," she said, still concerned.
"I—"
Dante coughed some more, into the crook of his elbow. It was kind of a miracle that she didn't call off the prom proposal as soon as he started spluttering. It would be more of a miracle if she did, because then he wouldn't have to have this conversation. There was nothing he hated more in the world than having to make a girl unhappy.
"I, uh... I would have, I'm sorry, but someone already asked me."
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and glanced off toward the stands. He could still see Aurelien, who was probably wondering what the hell he was doing.
Dante coughed some more, into the crook of his elbow. It was kind of a miracle that she didn't call off the prom proposal as soon as he started spluttering. It would be more of a miracle if she did, because then he wouldn't have to have this conversation. There was nothing he hated more in the world than having to make a girl unhappy.
"I, uh... I would have, I'm sorry, but someone already asked me."
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and glanced off toward the stands. He could still see Aurelien, who was probably wondering what the hell he was doing.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
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Ruggahissy
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"Well, who are you going with?" she asked, staring intently at Dante with her hands on her hips. She felt she deserved to know whoever it was that beat her to the punch.
He frowned. This was gonna be hard to explain, but he had no reason to lie to her. Maybe she wouldn't ask questions?
"Uh... Aurelien, actually. From the basketball team?"
He looked off to the stands again. Was Aurelien waving? He was pretty sure he was waving.
"Uh... Aurelien, actually. From the basketball team?"
He looked off to the stands again. Was Aurelien waving? He was pretty sure he was waving.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
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Ruggahissy
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Lori cocked her head very severely to the right and looked at him in mild confusion. She looked at Dante, looked at the stands where Dante looked and saw Aurelien. Look back at Dante, look back at Aurelien, Dante, Aurelien, Dante, Aurelien.
The information clicked and she uncocked her head. Her eyebrows raised a little. "Oh. Oh, okay," she stumbled, looking left and right quickly. A pink blush spread across her cheeks and nose and she twisted her hands together, smiling up at Dante after a few seconds. "I mean, he's cute, you're um, yeah."
Would it be rude to ask to go with them? Probably. Yes, that would probably not be a good idea. She abandoned the line of thought.
She put a hand on his shoulder and then immediately remembered how sweaty he was, but tried not to let it show on her face. "I think that's really brave and cool of you both. I know there are some real jerks out there, but you have to stay strong! A lot of people I know are LGBTQA+ and I've always really liked Glee. Just know that I support you both," she said very earnestly, discretely wiping her hand on the front of her shirt.
The information clicked and she uncocked her head. Her eyebrows raised a little. "Oh. Oh, okay," she stumbled, looking left and right quickly. A pink blush spread across her cheeks and nose and she twisted her hands together, smiling up at Dante after a few seconds. "I mean, he's cute, you're um, yeah."
Would it be rude to ask to go with them? Probably. Yes, that would probably not be a good idea. She abandoned the line of thought.
She put a hand on his shoulder and then immediately remembered how sweaty he was, but tried not to let it show on her face. "I think that's really brave and cool of you both. I know there are some real jerks out there, but you have to stay strong! A lot of people I know are LGBTQA+ and I've always really liked Glee. Just know that I support you both," she said very earnestly, discretely wiping her hand on the front of her shirt.
Well, she wasn't asking questions. So that was something. This was kind of worse, though? Like she obviously meant well, he wasn't gonna be upset that she was trying to be nice, but it felt kinda... Dante didn't know. Weird, he guessed. Like she was trying too hard, maybe? Also he had no idea what LGBTQA+ meant, or what Glee had to do with anything. He realized, not to make it even more awkward or anything, that Lori of all people was basically the second person he'd come out to. Not that he was trying to keep it secret, showing up to prom with Aurelien and like, holding hands or whatever was gonna be a pretty big clue, but it was still... weird.
Also Lori was a cheerleader and so probably everyone was going to know by the end of the day now? Dante considered clarifying that he was in fact not gay and did still like girls, but that seemed like an extra-even-more-awkward thing to bring up. Like "oh, I'm still into girls, but none of them were good enough for me," or something. If she thought he was gay, that was fine. Then she wouldn't feel bad about him not going with her. Which was good. He didn't like making people feel bad.
"That's, uh... thanks. S'kinda a new thing. So, uh, yeah." He glanced back toward the still-waving Aurelien. "I was, uh, supposed to meet him after practice, actually." He felt rude blowing Lori off, but probably she'd just wanted to ask and then leave anyway, and he felt equally rude keeping his prom date waiting.
Also Lori was a cheerleader and so probably everyone was going to know by the end of the day now? Dante considered clarifying that he was in fact not gay and did still like girls, but that seemed like an extra-even-more-awkward thing to bring up. Like "oh, I'm still into girls, but none of them were good enough for me," or something. If she thought he was gay, that was fine. Then she wouldn't feel bad about him not going with her. Which was good. He didn't like making people feel bad.
"That's, uh... thanks. S'kinda a new thing. So, uh, yeah." He glanced back toward the still-waving Aurelien. "I was, uh, supposed to meet him after practice, actually." He felt rude blowing Lori off, but probably she'd just wanted to ask and then leave anyway, and he felt equally rude keeping his prom date waiting.
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."
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Ruggahissy
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"That's ok! I get that!" she said in a chipper tone. "I can keep it on the down low if you want since you said it's pretty new and I want to be a good ally."
He must have really trusted her with this if it wasn't something that was common knowledge. It made her feel very special that he trusted her with this information and although she was pretty disappointed that he already had a date, she wasn't terribly upset with him since he clearly valued her as an acquaintance.
"I won't hold you up from getting cleaned up and whatever else you've got planned. You guys will be a very handsome couple, I'm sure. Love is stronger than hate and all," she said, keeping her tone low enough to be just between them.
With that she waved a short wave at Dante in lieu of a hug as he was fairly damp still.
"Have a great evening, ok?"
Lori was still a little crestfallen about the outcome of this attempt, but as she walked away she also felt like she had really nailed the whole interaction. She didn't have a date, but at least she had been understanding and accepting. Maybe she even helped put Dante at ease, she thought to herself, self-congratulating as she went to the parking lot.
((Lori Martin continued in Pump and Dump))
He must have really trusted her with this if it wasn't something that was common knowledge. It made her feel very special that he trusted her with this information and although she was pretty disappointed that he already had a date, she wasn't terribly upset with him since he clearly valued her as an acquaintance.
"I won't hold you up from getting cleaned up and whatever else you've got planned. You guys will be a very handsome couple, I'm sure. Love is stronger than hate and all," she said, keeping her tone low enough to be just between them.
With that she waved a short wave at Dante in lieu of a hug as he was fairly damp still.
"Have a great evening, ok?"
Lori was still a little crestfallen about the outcome of this attempt, but as she walked away she also felt like she had really nailed the whole interaction. She didn't have a date, but at least she had been understanding and accepting. Maybe she even helped put Dante at ease, she thought to herself, self-congratulating as she went to the parking lot.
((Lori Martin continued in Pump and Dump))
"Yeah, uh, if you don't mind. Thanks."
That was nice of her to offer. Maybe he shouldn't have assumed about how gossipy she was? He really shouldn't do that, it wasn't fair to her. He didn't really know what she meant by ally, though. Or "love is stronger than hate". Well, yeah, of course it was, what did that have to do with anything? But it was a nice thing to say. Maybe he shouldn't overthink it.
"You too. See you in English tomorrow." He waved back at her as she left. His confusion probably still showed on his face, but he tried to smile to hide it. That could have gone worse, probably. He turned away and waved at Aurelien, gesturing toward the locker room. He'd have to hold him up a few more minutes because he most definitely needed a shower before interacting with anyone who might touch him.
Wait, shit, Lori had touched him. He'd gotten her hand all sweaty and hadn't even noticed. He should have apologized. Whoops.
He told himself to apologize in class the next day, but even as he thought it he knew there was no way in hell he'd remember.
>> Dante Valerio continued in Green Grass Gradation
That was nice of her to offer. Maybe he shouldn't have assumed about how gossipy she was? He really shouldn't do that, it wasn't fair to her. He didn't really know what she meant by ally, though. Or "love is stronger than hate". Well, yeah, of course it was, what did that have to do with anything? But it was a nice thing to say. Maybe he shouldn't overthink it.
"You too. See you in English tomorrow." He waved back at her as she left. His confusion probably still showed on his face, but he tried to smile to hide it. That could have gone worse, probably. He turned away and waved at Aurelien, gesturing toward the locker room. He'd have to hold him up a few more minutes because he most definitely needed a shower before interacting with anyone who might touch him.
Wait, shit, Lori had touched him. He'd gotten her hand all sweaty and hadn't even noticed. He should have apologized. Whoops.
He told himself to apologize in class the next day, but even as he thought it he knew there was no way in hell he'd remember.
>> Dante Valerio continued in Green Grass Gradation
"Well, Fenris, the King of Gossip. We meet again."