"Sis, why're you spending so much time in the bathroom?"
"Yeah, we gotta go do our business too!"
Children. They did not understand.
TONYA COLLINS - PROM START
In the whirlwind that was Tonya’s life, the bathroom she shared with her two young sisters was a sanctuary, a holy place, a place for her to block out all the shitty shit and baby cries and not be Tonya Collins, teen mom, disappointment. Instead, surrounded by drugstore eyeshadow and face scrubs, blush and mascara, she could just be Tonya. Another girl just trying to make her way through Chattanooga. It was a time for her to relax, be who she really was, not what other people thought of her as. No need to feed into their bullshit, no need to be shamed just for doing the things she wanted.
Today, she was Tonya, a lady with a prom date, and no one could change that.
Still, she turned to the doorway, to the voices coming from there, and called out a quick “Wait just a little bit, ladies,” before turning back to the mirror, smiling. If she had to be honest, and okay, perhaps just a little bit vain, she thought she looked good. Like, damn good. Was it a surprise? Sort of, if only because she was a bit unsure how the collection of cosmetic supplies she’d been gathering over the past couple of weeks would all add up together to create a quality look. Staring back at her her in the mirror though, she had to admit with no small amount of pride, was a damn fine piece.
Her hair was done up in a simple updo, although the hours spent straightening and relaxing it into submission made the whole thing feel like a disappointment. Still, as she touched the daisy embedded within the back of her hair, the upper corners of her lip cracked upwards just a bit, locks slowly being opened to the light. Maybe true love was a bit too much to ask for, but looking fine and having fun? That would do as well.
Even her face looked pretty good tonight, the concealer she had been using for once actually working it’s purpose (to, you know, conceal), mascara in place, along with the pink lipstick, and even the light yellow and green glow-in-the-dark eyeshadow not actually looking all that garish. Peering down at the box in the Sephora, dressed in a shirt and jeans, she had felt horribly out of place, sneakers standing next to heels, Patrice in the stroller a living caution sign to anyone who looked at her, but that was then. This was now, she thought, as she breathed in, placing her painted-red nails on the sink.
It had cost a pretty penny to get this gussied up, which was why it was great that she had been able to find a nice dress online for cheap. Sure, it wasn’t the nicest thing ever, but for the price, she had considered it a real real bargain! It was a sleeveless, pale yellow lace-and tulle knee-length dress with a sweetheart neckline, that flared just at the waist that she saw in the mirror, and it was exactly what she was wearing. She had to admit, part of the dress choice was practicality for the future, though, upon seeing Ma and Pa’s skeptical looks as she spoke about her preparations. Rather than a floor-length extravaganza, Tonya had played it simple, played it cool, just as Madame CJ Walker had when she became the first prominent black business woman over a century ago. She got it going on, indeed.
Grabbing her white clutch and making her way over to the bedroom on simple yellow pumps, she pushed the door open with one hand. Disregarding the eyes of Ayanna and Audrey, she made her way to the pink crib in which her daughter was laid. Large brown eyes looked up at her, wide-eyed and welcoming, filled with what she hoped was warmth. It was always so hard to tell with babies, their moods, their movements, their every tantrum. Tonya once read that all moms got this sort-of intuition - the ability to tell what their baby was feeling, respond to their needs just like that, so why was she the odd mom out?
She didn’t know, no, so she only responded quickly with a smile, “Bye, Pat! Mommy’s gotta go,” and so, it was with a light kiss on the head that she left her daughter, beginning to go down the stairs. Ma and Pa had closed up Rose’s early, and went on a date night, too, trusting the twins to take care of Patrice while Tonya got to do her own things.
Namely, prom.
Taking a seat at the front-most table, she took out her phone, crossed her legs, and waited.
Syrup and Honey
Tagging Blastinus! (Private)
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
(Jeff Greene prom start)
Tonya wouldn't have to wait long. Jeff had agreed to pick her up at a certain time, he'd looked up the address, estimated the time, and decided that he'd show up five minutes early just for the heck of it. After all, it was prom night. A lot of kids would be out picking up their dates or making their way to the event. Or the traffic lights could go against him, or he could get stuck behind some granny going under the limit.
Only one chance to make a good impression, and he wasn't going to blow it.
It wasn't as if he liked Tonya. Well, not in THAT way. Nor was he going to the prom for her sake. The folks on the team had made it clear that only a giant loser would be staying home, and Jeff Greene was not a loser. Though considering how much effort it had taken to find a date...Funny, he figured that folks would be falling over themselves to dance with someone from the football team. Finding a date had been a humiliating process, and he never wanted to do it again.
Well, he didn't know why Tonya had said yes, and he didn't feel like prying at the time, not when he had to scramble to find a tux. His dad didn't wear suits, so he'd had to do a last-minute rental with no time for a proper fitting. The shoulders weren't right, and the sleeves...maybe no one would notice if he never raised his arms...no, fat chance of that. His little sister Brianna had laughed him all the way out the front door. This was going to be a complete disaster, and he would end up regretting it every step of the way.
He didn't even have the time to buy flowers. Not that he knew what Tonya liked anyway.
And so, his refurbished Ford slid into place in front of Tonya's house, whisper-quiet. He prided himself on his engine work, and his machine had the purr to prove it, plus an untarnished coat of blue paint and a freshly-vacuumed interior. He stepped out, hands empty and jacket hiking up his forearm as he reached over and rang the doorbell. For all his vaunted courage, he realized that his hands were shaking. He'd never gone out with a girl before, never cared to before, and this was only the biggest event of the year.
Well, what did he have to lose? Besides whatever respect he had.
Tonya wouldn't have to wait long. Jeff had agreed to pick her up at a certain time, he'd looked up the address, estimated the time, and decided that he'd show up five minutes early just for the heck of it. After all, it was prom night. A lot of kids would be out picking up their dates or making their way to the event. Or the traffic lights could go against him, or he could get stuck behind some granny going under the limit.
Only one chance to make a good impression, and he wasn't going to blow it.
It wasn't as if he liked Tonya. Well, not in THAT way. Nor was he going to the prom for her sake. The folks on the team had made it clear that only a giant loser would be staying home, and Jeff Greene was not a loser. Though considering how much effort it had taken to find a date...Funny, he figured that folks would be falling over themselves to dance with someone from the football team. Finding a date had been a humiliating process, and he never wanted to do it again.
Well, he didn't know why Tonya had said yes, and he didn't feel like prying at the time, not when he had to scramble to find a tux. His dad didn't wear suits, so he'd had to do a last-minute rental with no time for a proper fitting. The shoulders weren't right, and the sleeves...maybe no one would notice if he never raised his arms...no, fat chance of that. His little sister Brianna had laughed him all the way out the front door. This was going to be a complete disaster, and he would end up regretting it every step of the way.
He didn't even have the time to buy flowers. Not that he knew what Tonya liked anyway.
And so, his refurbished Ford slid into place in front of Tonya's house, whisper-quiet. He prided himself on his engine work, and his machine had the purr to prove it, plus an untarnished coat of blue paint and a freshly-vacuumed interior. He stepped out, hands empty and jacket hiking up his forearm as he reached over and rang the doorbell. For all his vaunted courage, he realized that his hands were shaking. He'd never gone out with a girl before, never cared to before, and this was only the biggest event of the year.
Well, what did he have to lose? Besides whatever respect he had.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
So, to be totally on the ball and totally real and totally not making shit up, Tonya had to admit her heart got a little jump when she heard the sound of the doorbell. Sure, she'd been expecting Jeff, but a few minutes early? Not really her style. Besides, it wasn't as if she lived in a good neighborhood, and although she doubted any criminals would be so polite as to use the doorbell before they came in and trashed the place, a girl had the right to just be a touch paranoid, didn't she? At the very least, she thought so, and it wasn't as if anyone was there to tell her otherwise.
It wasn't as if she was in love with the guy, or even wanted him in that way, but prom was some pretty big shit, and going alone was not gonna help her social status any. Sure, she didn't care 'bout stuff like that for the most part, but at the very least she could get eye candy, and Jeff was at least built like a fucking tank, if not super great face-wise. Wasn't as if she really had the opportunity to be picky about who she went with, anyways.
It was a bit like that feeling in badminton, the very start of the game, the adrenaline and the nerves all combining into one really stressed out person, ready to do it all - or flop.
With that thought on her mind, she gingerly stood up, heels making contact with linoleum as she made her way to the entrance. With baited breath and thankfully sweat-free hands, she twisted the knob, opened the door, and found Jeff, standing right there, looking hella nervous.
If Tonya thought she was a bit antsy about going to prom, Jeff was the ant farm, sleeves riding up just as if he'd been agonizing about everything for hours, and, fine, she couldn't help but break out into a little smirk at the sight of him. Still, because she was gonna be nice tonight, because it was prom, and Jeff was actually an aight guy, she was gonna cool it, just a little. When things stuck out like that, though, someone had to take notice. Would've been dumb not to.
Still, she stepped back to give him some breathing room. "Hello, Jeff," Tonya said, voice dropping a bit, just a little sultrier before returning to her normal tone. "You ready to get this show on the road?"
With that statement, she grinned at him, allowing her face to relax a bit more in the moment. This was just gonna be a chill thing, a good thing, maybe a bit of snark along the way, so there was no need to getting all fired up about it. She looked bomb, if nothing else, and maybe that'd be enough. Jeff still seemed to be pretty fucking tense, though. She’d have to go rectify that with some shiznit.
Tonya made a sweeping gesture to the floor behind her, showcasing to Jeff the relative emptiness of the house, or at least the first floor. "No need to worry, mmkay? The folks are out on a date night, and my sisters are taking care of..." He could fill in the blanks. Wasn't as if there was more than one possible answer. "Business, so you don't have to hang around."
It wasn't as if she was in love with the guy, or even wanted him in that way, but prom was some pretty big shit, and going alone was not gonna help her social status any. Sure, she didn't care 'bout stuff like that for the most part, but at the very least she could get eye candy, and Jeff was at least built like a fucking tank, if not super great face-wise. Wasn't as if she really had the opportunity to be picky about who she went with, anyways.
It was a bit like that feeling in badminton, the very start of the game, the adrenaline and the nerves all combining into one really stressed out person, ready to do it all - or flop.
With that thought on her mind, she gingerly stood up, heels making contact with linoleum as she made her way to the entrance. With baited breath and thankfully sweat-free hands, she twisted the knob, opened the door, and found Jeff, standing right there, looking hella nervous.
If Tonya thought she was a bit antsy about going to prom, Jeff was the ant farm, sleeves riding up just as if he'd been agonizing about everything for hours, and, fine, she couldn't help but break out into a little smirk at the sight of him. Still, because she was gonna be nice tonight, because it was prom, and Jeff was actually an aight guy, she was gonna cool it, just a little. When things stuck out like that, though, someone had to take notice. Would've been dumb not to.
Still, she stepped back to give him some breathing room. "Hello, Jeff," Tonya said, voice dropping a bit, just a little sultrier before returning to her normal tone. "You ready to get this show on the road?"
With that statement, she grinned at him, allowing her face to relax a bit more in the moment. This was just gonna be a chill thing, a good thing, maybe a bit of snark along the way, so there was no need to getting all fired up about it. She looked bomb, if nothing else, and maybe that'd be enough. Jeff still seemed to be pretty fucking tense, though. She’d have to go rectify that with some shiznit.
Tonya made a sweeping gesture to the floor behind her, showcasing to Jeff the relative emptiness of the house, or at least the first floor. "No need to worry, mmkay? The folks are out on a date night, and my sisters are taking care of..." He could fill in the blanks. Wasn't as if there was more than one possible answer. "Business, so you don't have to hang around."
The glance at his sleeves, the sudden smirk...Yup, she'd noticed. That smile confirmed Jeff's worst fears. It wasn't like he had long arms or anything. The guy at the fancy clothing store just hadn't given two shits. Still, okay, she was fine with the whole thing, maybe taking it in good humor. If he was lucky, they could just both treat it like the dumb joke that it was and move on with the evening as planned.
"Hey Tonya," he replied, a little hoarse. It was then that he realized that he hadn't been breathing properly. What the heck was he so nervous about? It was just a date of convenience. Nothing was happening. Nothing.
Fortunately, Tonya seemed like she just wanted to get to the prom, and Jeff couldn't agree more. It was almost a blessing that she was leaving her sisters in charge of the house, since he didn't feel like explaining to Tonya's folks precisely who he was, when she'd met him, why hadn't she told them about him before, etc. etc. It felt weird enough just asking someone out of the blue without having to justify it to everyone else around him.
"Sure, sounds good," he said, trying his hardest to remain cool. He didn't usually have to act classy around people. Wasn't his style. But you don't get someone to hop into your car by acting like you'll rip their limbs off if they look at you funny, so he left it at that.
Well, if she was ready to go, so was he. He stepped over to the car, unlocked the doors with his clicker, and almost made his way around to the driver's seat when he stopped, backed up, and opened the passenger side. Normally he let people open their own dang doors, but there was some kind of etiquette thing when it came to dates, and he might as well dot the I's and cross the T's. Should he have gestured to the seat or something? No, that would have been too much. He wasn't a friggin' butler. Instead he just stood by and did an approximation of a smile, which didn't extend to his eyes.
This was going great.
"Hey Tonya," he replied, a little hoarse. It was then that he realized that he hadn't been breathing properly. What the heck was he so nervous about? It was just a date of convenience. Nothing was happening. Nothing.
Fortunately, Tonya seemed like she just wanted to get to the prom, and Jeff couldn't agree more. It was almost a blessing that she was leaving her sisters in charge of the house, since he didn't feel like explaining to Tonya's folks precisely who he was, when she'd met him, why hadn't she told them about him before, etc. etc. It felt weird enough just asking someone out of the blue without having to justify it to everyone else around him.
"Sure, sounds good," he said, trying his hardest to remain cool. He didn't usually have to act classy around people. Wasn't his style. But you don't get someone to hop into your car by acting like you'll rip their limbs off if they look at you funny, so he left it at that.
Well, if she was ready to go, so was he. He stepped over to the car, unlocked the doors with his clicker, and almost made his way around to the driver's seat when he stopped, backed up, and opened the passenger side. Normally he let people open their own dang doors, but there was some kind of etiquette thing when it came to dates, and he might as well dot the I's and cross the T's. Should he have gestured to the seat or something? No, that would have been too much. He wasn't a friggin' butler. Instead he just stood by and did an approximation of a smile, which didn't extend to his eyes.
This was going great.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
At the very least, Jeff seemed to not get too worked up about the whole looking like a child in his dad's suit thing, which meant that things were still sorta ticking upwards. For one, she was still gonna be going to prom, and two, she was going with a date, no matter if their actual chemistry was a big fat zero. Prom was still a go-go, which was all that really mattered right 'bout now. Would've still been a lot better if she didn't have to hear his every breath as he walked her over to his car, but that was being nitpicky. Maybe settling today would be just aight.
Again, hard to keep a smirk off when she saw the literal backpedaling going on, but laughing at a prom date was just not smart, so Tonya kept her mouth shut and tried to school her facial expression into something more akin to concern. Jeff was behaving like a big old flailing whale or something, a beached shark waving round and round, but that meant she was the one who could stay cool right now.
Wasn't exactly a common situation for Tonya to find herself in, but there wasn't any real reason to not relish in that fact. Clutching her purse, she waited for him to get that door open, taking the time to take in his car, and frankly, admire it. Now, she wasn't any kinda gearhead, but the ride he rolled up in here looked pretty fine. A girl could appreciate a fine piece of work, after all. Wasn't as if she could really see any nice souped-up cars in her future, anyways, so there was time to take in everything and just go with the flow.
The flow was currently pointing her right towards Jeff was standing, though, looking, big, if awkward, right next to the passenger side of his...Ford? Anyways, an invitation wasn't really something to be turned down. Good southern hospitality and all that good business. Purse in hand, she made her way over to that side of the car, taking great care not to trip on the asphalt. Roads weren't exactly amazing around the area, after all.
"Thank you, good sir," She replied, placing extra emphasis on the sir as she bowed her head slightly, still in motion. They weren't exactly vibing just yet, but prom was a big thing, so she supposed she could put in the time to be a bit nicer than she usually was, help him have a good night or whatever too.
The whole half-smile thang wasn't really working, so she gave him a slightly larger and slightly more authentic one, as she slipped into the seat of the car, relishing the chance to be in another comfy spot. Heels were not her thing, and her feet were starting to cramp from being crushed like some real clumped-up chitlins. No one should have had to experience that.
As she sat, though, Tonya mulled over saying something more to Jeff. Something to break the tension, which was starting to get thick, break the ice and at least bring things to some steady chatting. Something good, something calm, something real elo-
"Pretty sweet of you to turn up in this ride, ya know."
Well, it was worth a try. Delivered with a slight upturn of her lips, maybe it could make things just a bit easier.
Again, hard to keep a smirk off when she saw the literal backpedaling going on, but laughing at a prom date was just not smart, so Tonya kept her mouth shut and tried to school her facial expression into something more akin to concern. Jeff was behaving like a big old flailing whale or something, a beached shark waving round and round, but that meant she was the one who could stay cool right now.
Wasn't exactly a common situation for Tonya to find herself in, but there wasn't any real reason to not relish in that fact. Clutching her purse, she waited for him to get that door open, taking the time to take in his car, and frankly, admire it. Now, she wasn't any kinda gearhead, but the ride he rolled up in here looked pretty fine. A girl could appreciate a fine piece of work, after all. Wasn't as if she could really see any nice souped-up cars in her future, anyways, so there was time to take in everything and just go with the flow.
The flow was currently pointing her right towards Jeff was standing, though, looking, big, if awkward, right next to the passenger side of his...Ford? Anyways, an invitation wasn't really something to be turned down. Good southern hospitality and all that good business. Purse in hand, she made her way over to that side of the car, taking great care not to trip on the asphalt. Roads weren't exactly amazing around the area, after all.
"Thank you, good sir," She replied, placing extra emphasis on the sir as she bowed her head slightly, still in motion. They weren't exactly vibing just yet, but prom was a big thing, so she supposed she could put in the time to be a bit nicer than she usually was, help him have a good night or whatever too.
The whole half-smile thang wasn't really working, so she gave him a slightly larger and slightly more authentic one, as she slipped into the seat of the car, relishing the chance to be in another comfy spot. Heels were not her thing, and her feet were starting to cramp from being crushed like some real clumped-up chitlins. No one should have had to experience that.
As she sat, though, Tonya mulled over saying something more to Jeff. Something to break the tension, which was starting to get thick, break the ice and at least bring things to some steady chatting. Something good, something calm, something real elo-
"Pretty sweet of you to turn up in this ride, ya know."
Well, it was worth a try. Delivered with a slight upturn of her lips, maybe it could make things just a bit easier.
"You're welcome," Jeff replied as Tonya stepped into the car. He meant it. Not many people thanked him for anything, so he was always grateful to hear it. He COULD have assumed that it was sarcastic and that she actually thought that he was acting like a fool. There was always the possibility that this was what was happening, but until she gave him a reason to assume she was mocking him, he figured he could give her the benefit of the doubt.
She was also smiling. That was good at least. He wasn't crashing and burning yet.
Once he was sure that her dress was clear, he shut the door and moved around to his side. The prom wouldn't be for another 20-30 minutes, so he didn't have to burn rubber to get there. Fine with him. He wasn't a speed-crazy driver and didn't want to risk getting in an accident, not with the love that he'd invested in this vehicle.
Speaking of the car, Tonya just said something that sounded a lot like a compliment. He thought that it was a compliment anyway. It could just be a setup for some kind of insult and maybe he shouldn't let his guard down...
Screw it.
"Yeah, I've put two years of work into this baby," he said. The car hummed to life as he inserted the key. He began to turn around. "My dad's an auto mechanic and I picked up a few things. When I bought this-" he paused. "Fasten your seatbelt, please." He continued, "When I bought this, it was selling on Craigslist for a couple thousand. Didn't take us long to figure out why."
He chuckled a bit, recalling a happier time in his life. "Heh, we barely made it back home before it died right on the street. Me and my dad, we rolled it into the driveway, bought the parts, spent a couple weeks on it, had it up and running, and I've been fine-tuning it ever since. It's almost as good as new now."
The road was fairly empty, just a couple cars way up ahead, so Jeff took a quick glance over to Tonya, trying to judge her reaction. Was he talking too long? Certainly felt like it. He hadn't spoken this long to anyone in what felt like years. He usually just drove his siblings around in silence, maybe a couple of terse sentences, and he'd never given someone a ride outside of the family. This was all too new to him, and he was having trouble figuring out how to approach it.
She was also smiling. That was good at least. He wasn't crashing and burning yet.
Once he was sure that her dress was clear, he shut the door and moved around to his side. The prom wouldn't be for another 20-30 minutes, so he didn't have to burn rubber to get there. Fine with him. He wasn't a speed-crazy driver and didn't want to risk getting in an accident, not with the love that he'd invested in this vehicle.
Speaking of the car, Tonya just said something that sounded a lot like a compliment. He thought that it was a compliment anyway. It could just be a setup for some kind of insult and maybe he shouldn't let his guard down...
Screw it.
"Yeah, I've put two years of work into this baby," he said. The car hummed to life as he inserted the key. He began to turn around. "My dad's an auto mechanic and I picked up a few things. When I bought this-" he paused. "Fasten your seatbelt, please." He continued, "When I bought this, it was selling on Craigslist for a couple thousand. Didn't take us long to figure out why."
He chuckled a bit, recalling a happier time in his life. "Heh, we barely made it back home before it died right on the street. Me and my dad, we rolled it into the driveway, bought the parts, spent a couple weeks on it, had it up and running, and I've been fine-tuning it ever since. It's almost as good as new now."
The road was fairly empty, just a couple cars way up ahead, so Jeff took a quick glance over to Tonya, trying to judge her reaction. Was he talking too long? Certainly felt like it. He hadn't spoken this long to anyone in what felt like years. He usually just drove his siblings around in silence, maybe a couple of terse sentences, and he'd never given someone a ride outside of the family. This was all too new to him, and he was having trouble figuring out how to approach it.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
Give a dog a bone, and they'd run a mile.
Give Jeff an opportunity to discuss cars, and he'd talk a mile a minute. Sure, she had meant to be nice to the guy, try to get him real interested in what he was doin', but she didn't mean for him to trample all over in this here conversation, either. Wasn't a good way to treat a lady, and Tonya would've liked to think she had some real good ideas on that topic. The thought almost caused her to roll her eyes, but instead she kept her face in a neutral expression. Like the goddamn Mona Lisa, who probably wanted to die in that painting. Her fault for having found a real gearhead, mmm, but that didn't mean he had to keep going on and on and on either, did it? Naaaaah.
Still, she nodded, still with that same neutral smile, looking him right in the eyes as if he was center of her whole world or something. "Wait, seriously?" Tonya replied, hopefully with some kind of inflection to keep her from sounding bored out of her ass. Yes, the car was nice, but that didn't mean she wanted to keep talking about cars, either. "Two years spent real well, then."
Two or so minutes were probably spent just listening to him speak, but they felt like two hundred, and so she looked out the window to see if there was anything actually interesting to anchor her attention to. Now, there kinda wasn't, sadly, just empty roads, cars, signs that passed by too quickly for her to read, but fine. That just meant that she could get to her phone all the more quickly, but again, that wasn't very polite. Fuck politeness, really, fuck it and send it back to wherever it came from, but the last thing Tonya needed now was word spreading 'round that she wasn't just an idiot who got knocked up, but also a shitty prom date too.
Still, she slowly pressed on the clasp of her purse, opening it's contents. She put her hand on her phone, just in case of anything, but turned back to Jeff. Not exactly the most stunning sight, but considering the lack of anything else in the vicinity, he'd have to do. "Once we pull up there," Tonya asked, gaze firmly on Jeff, hands still on phone and purse and all. "Is there, like, anything you wanna do?"
Keeping it going, keeping it real. Well, real wasn't really the right word, because she was not feeling this, nah nah no, but she could suck it up, keep things from falling apart. Was this how she had felt with Barry? Now, on the way to prom was probably not the time to think about that asshole, but still, hadn't she wanted that whole thing to work, and it blew up in her face because he was a dumb imbecile?
"I'm cool with dancing, chatting, whatever, really. Just want to see what kinda page you're on."
Mmm, yeah, but Jeff was different. Instead of being whiny, he was boring. A slight improvement, she guessed, and so Tonya kept herself along for the ride.
Give Jeff an opportunity to discuss cars, and he'd talk a mile a minute. Sure, she had meant to be nice to the guy, try to get him real interested in what he was doin', but she didn't mean for him to trample all over in this here conversation, either. Wasn't a good way to treat a lady, and Tonya would've liked to think she had some real good ideas on that topic. The thought almost caused her to roll her eyes, but instead she kept her face in a neutral expression. Like the goddamn Mona Lisa, who probably wanted to die in that painting. Her fault for having found a real gearhead, mmm, but that didn't mean he had to keep going on and on and on either, did it? Naaaaah.
Still, she nodded, still with that same neutral smile, looking him right in the eyes as if he was center of her whole world or something. "Wait, seriously?" Tonya replied, hopefully with some kind of inflection to keep her from sounding bored out of her ass. Yes, the car was nice, but that didn't mean she wanted to keep talking about cars, either. "Two years spent real well, then."
Two or so minutes were probably spent just listening to him speak, but they felt like two hundred, and so she looked out the window to see if there was anything actually interesting to anchor her attention to. Now, there kinda wasn't, sadly, just empty roads, cars, signs that passed by too quickly for her to read, but fine. That just meant that she could get to her phone all the more quickly, but again, that wasn't very polite. Fuck politeness, really, fuck it and send it back to wherever it came from, but the last thing Tonya needed now was word spreading 'round that she wasn't just an idiot who got knocked up, but also a shitty prom date too.
Still, she slowly pressed on the clasp of her purse, opening it's contents. She put her hand on her phone, just in case of anything, but turned back to Jeff. Not exactly the most stunning sight, but considering the lack of anything else in the vicinity, he'd have to do. "Once we pull up there," Tonya asked, gaze firmly on Jeff, hands still on phone and purse and all. "Is there, like, anything you wanna do?"
Keeping it going, keeping it real. Well, real wasn't really the right word, because she was not feeling this, nah nah no, but she could suck it up, keep things from falling apart. Was this how she had felt with Barry? Now, on the way to prom was probably not the time to think about that asshole, but still, hadn't she wanted that whole thing to work, and it blew up in her face because he was a dumb imbecile?
"I'm cool with dancing, chatting, whatever, really. Just want to see what kinda page you're on."
Mmm, yeah, but Jeff was different. Instead of being whiny, he was boring. A slight improvement, she guessed, and so Tonya kept herself along for the ride.
Okay, cool, change of subject. Tonya had given a token nod, but that was the end of car talk. Guess he was going too far after all. Jeff didn’t have to be a mind reader to realize that he was crashing and burning, and whatever enthusiasm or nostalgia he was experiencing went up in smoke with it. Guess that’d teach him for getting into something.
Well, whatever. This was all business to begin with. Out of some misguided optimism, he’d cast out a line and come up empty handed for his troubles. Just meant that he needed to get his head back in the game and treat this like the soulless affair that it had started as.
If anything, she was doing him a favor by bringing him back down to earth.
“Just dancing,” he replied, trying to keep his displeasure from leaking through. “I’m not much for chatting.” Jeff knew how to dance. Sort of. It was passable enough for him to not embarrass himself. Not that it mattered.
The school was coming into sight. Just a couple more turns. But as long as they were focusing on the date, might as well get it out in the open. There was a little time.
“So why me?” he asked, breaking the silence. “No way that I was your first choice.” A little self-derogatory, but also true. He knew his reputation. He knew he wasn’t date material. The only reason anyone would agree to be with him was desperation.
Well, whatever. This was all business to begin with. Out of some misguided optimism, he’d cast out a line and come up empty handed for his troubles. Just meant that he needed to get his head back in the game and treat this like the soulless affair that it had started as.
If anything, she was doing him a favor by bringing him back down to earth.
“Just dancing,” he replied, trying to keep his displeasure from leaking through. “I’m not much for chatting.” Jeff knew how to dance. Sort of. It was passable enough for him to not embarrass himself. Not that it mattered.
The school was coming into sight. Just a couple more turns. But as long as they were focusing on the date, might as well get it out in the open. There was a little time.
“So why me?” he asked, breaking the silence. “No way that I was your first choice.” A little self-derogatory, but also true. He knew his reputation. He knew he wasn’t date material. The only reason anyone would agree to be with him was desperation.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
So, fine. Tonya knew she was kind of a bitch, and she wasn't about to go apologize for that. Only reason she was a bitch was because a whole buncha Hunter kids were bastards, and fighting fire with fire was a way to make someone burn. It was natural, it was easy, to spit things out like venom and never ask for anything close to regard.
Still, perhaps because she was softened by motherhood or just had the capacity to feel remorse like most human beings, she felt pretty shitty when she heard Jeff begin speaking about his own wishes for prom, the disappointment tangled within his words. It hurt, honestly. Hurt like a real bitch, the guilt, but it wasn't as if she could just go up and apologize for being kinda awful on the way to prom. If he wanted to go and pretend that everything was alright because he was a big strong man and he could handle himself, fine. Wasn't her fault he was being an idiot in that case. Still felt bad, because duh, how could she not, but it was up to him to decide whether to have the emotional IQ of a brick or not.
Tonya couldn't help but let out a laugh, though, as he continued on his pity party. "Wait, you think I'd have choices for my fucking prom date?" She asked, half-bewildered and half-amused. So okay, if it was brick-level emotional intelligence, it was pebble-level social intelligence. Did he seriously not get what the whole social pyramid looked like 'round here? In that case, great, because that meant he hadn't cared enough to be worried about asking her, but also awful, because that meant he had no idea how bringing her was about to affect him.
She pursed her lips as she looked at Jeff. "I'll be real honest here," she continued, voice becoming a little warmer, a little softer. "Teen mom isn't exactly a menu item in high demand, ya know?" Fine, maybe she agreed because she was kinda desperate to find a prom date, just a bit, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate his gesture.
"Ain't a lot of idiots out there ready to deal with all this."
An idiot's gesture, but a gesture nonetheless.
Still, perhaps because she was softened by motherhood or just had the capacity to feel remorse like most human beings, she felt pretty shitty when she heard Jeff begin speaking about his own wishes for prom, the disappointment tangled within his words. It hurt, honestly. Hurt like a real bitch, the guilt, but it wasn't as if she could just go up and apologize for being kinda awful on the way to prom. If he wanted to go and pretend that everything was alright because he was a big strong man and he could handle himself, fine. Wasn't her fault he was being an idiot in that case. Still felt bad, because duh, how could she not, but it was up to him to decide whether to have the emotional IQ of a brick or not.
Tonya couldn't help but let out a laugh, though, as he continued on his pity party. "Wait, you think I'd have choices for my fucking prom date?" She asked, half-bewildered and half-amused. So okay, if it was brick-level emotional intelligence, it was pebble-level social intelligence. Did he seriously not get what the whole social pyramid looked like 'round here? In that case, great, because that meant he hadn't cared enough to be worried about asking her, but also awful, because that meant he had no idea how bringing her was about to affect him.
She pursed her lips as she looked at Jeff. "I'll be real honest here," she continued, voice becoming a little warmer, a little softer. "Teen mom isn't exactly a menu item in high demand, ya know?" Fine, maybe she agreed because she was kinda desperate to find a prom date, just a bit, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate his gesture.
"Ain't a lot of idiots out there ready to deal with all this."
An idiot's gesture, but a gesture nonetheless.
Jeff could see Tonya’s point, loathe as he was to admit it. He knew the breed of morons that spawned at George Hunter; bunch of preppy rich kids who thought they were superior to the peasants they had to share their air with. He wouldn’t put it past the folks at school to pick on someone for cheap laughs.
They were turning into the school’s parking lot now and he just needed to find a space. He was never one to mince words and on this topic, he saw no reason to start.
“Y’ask me,” he said, “anyone who’d be bothered by that wouldn’t be worth dating in the first place.”
There was a space open near the front. Seems like they’d arrived early enough so all the good spots weren’t taken. He turned in, putting himself right between the lines, and was about to turn the car off when he thought of something else to say.
“If assholes want to bring you down, that’s their problem, not yours. You’re worth more than they’ll ever be.”
It sounded a lot less cheesy in his head and he didn’t know why he wanted to say it in the first place. Whatever. He couldn’t un-say it. He just unbuckled, walked around and opened the door for Tonya again. If she thought he was weird, then he was weird. Not like they’d be talking to one another after tonight anyway.
They were turning into the school’s parking lot now and he just needed to find a space. He was never one to mince words and on this topic, he saw no reason to start.
“Y’ask me,” he said, “anyone who’d be bothered by that wouldn’t be worth dating in the first place.”
There was a space open near the front. Seems like they’d arrived early enough so all the good spots weren’t taken. He turned in, putting himself right between the lines, and was about to turn the car off when he thought of something else to say.
“If assholes want to bring you down, that’s their problem, not yours. You’re worth more than they’ll ever be.”
It sounded a lot less cheesy in his head and he didn’t know why he wanted to say it in the first place. Whatever. He couldn’t un-say it. He just unbuckled, walked around and opened the door for Tonya again. If she thought he was weird, then he was weird. Not like they’d be talking to one another after tonight anyway.
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Somersault
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
Honestly? Tonya's smile grew a bit warmer as Jeff began complimenting her on her worth, as if she was all that and a bag of cheetos. As cheesy as a bag of all that orange stuff, mmhmm, but still real sweet as it too, so she guessed she should at least try to humor it. Just a little bit.
There wasn't any real reason not to go along with the ride, especially because she was sure he didn't want to get in with her in that kinda manner, which meant that this was all just as friends. He was opening the door for her again, all like a gentleman or a chauffeur, and she obliged by looking him straight in the eyes before getting out of the car.
"Let's keep this real," Tonya said, voice stern more for forceful effect than anything else, eyebrow raised and lips pursed. "This is not some kinda rom-com where y'all get to be the belles of the ball."
She shrugged, though, and exited the car, standing up straight to join him on the street. "Don't mean we can't still be two friends here to have a good time, though." She smiled again, this time allowing all her braces to shine out in metallic grandness or whatever. He was trying, and for perhaps what was the first time in a long while, she was alright with just trying.
"Ready to cut the floor up?"
There wasn't any real reason not to go along with the ride, especially because she was sure he didn't want to get in with her in that kinda manner, which meant that this was all just as friends. He was opening the door for her again, all like a gentleman or a chauffeur, and she obliged by looking him straight in the eyes before getting out of the car.
"Let's keep this real," Tonya said, voice stern more for forceful effect than anything else, eyebrow raised and lips pursed. "This is not some kinda rom-com where y'all get to be the belles of the ball."
She shrugged, though, and exited the car, standing up straight to join him on the street. "Don't mean we can't still be two friends here to have a good time, though." She smiled again, this time allowing all her braces to shine out in metallic grandness or whatever. He was trying, and for perhaps what was the first time in a long while, she was alright with just trying.
"Ready to cut the floor up?"
Jeff couldn't help but smile despite his earlier disappointment, because if Tonya thought that he was going for a romantic comedy type of feel, that was woefully off the mark. The truth was, before everything went downhill with his football career, before everyone had gotten the prestigious positions ahead of him, he'd thought of himself as a potential source of inspiration, someone who people could look up to and come to for advice. All he'd been trying to do was be that inspiration again. If she thought it was some kind of pickup line...well, she had a right to her opinion, wrong as it may be.
Ah well. Better to be thought of as an unsuccessful Casanova than some kind of creep.
"Sure, friends is fine," he replied. It was a step up from his aforementioned plan of never speaking to her again, at any rate.
As for dancing, he was up for trying, but he couldn't guarantee the end results. "Just don't expect anything fancy," he concluded with a shrug. "I only had a couple lessons." He would give his all into the effort, no matter what. Jeff Greene wasn't one to half-ass anything, but he also knew for a fact that he would not be the suavest dancer out on the floor. No sense in deluding himself about it.
Well, no sense waiting outside. As soon as he was sure that Tonya was ready, he walked alongside her towards the crowded school. He was fully expecting a torrent of mockery, but who even cared about that? Jeff was there to have a good time and nothing was going to stop him in that pursuit. And if someone tried to make fun of Tonya, well...they could always take an "accidental" header into the punch bowl.
(Jeff Greene continued elsewhere)
Ah well. Better to be thought of as an unsuccessful Casanova than some kind of creep.
"Sure, friends is fine," he replied. It was a step up from his aforementioned plan of never speaking to her again, at any rate.
As for dancing, he was up for trying, but he couldn't guarantee the end results. "Just don't expect anything fancy," he concluded with a shrug. "I only had a couple lessons." He would give his all into the effort, no matter what. Jeff Greene wasn't one to half-ass anything, but he also knew for a fact that he would not be the suavest dancer out on the floor. No sense in deluding himself about it.
Well, no sense waiting outside. As soon as he was sure that Tonya was ready, he walked alongside her towards the crowded school. He was fully expecting a torrent of mockery, but who even cared about that? Jeff was there to have a good time and nothing was going to stop him in that pursuit. And if someone tried to make fun of Tonya, well...they could always take an "accidental" header into the punch bowl.
(Jeff Greene continued elsewhere)
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Somersault
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- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:56 am
So, it was time, and with Jeff at her side, Tonya was about to go do this. Enter Prom, decked out in all her shit, and see and be seen. Time to bust her moves out on the dance floor, get some punch, discover what ever rich bitch would be elected royalty and laugh about it. All that, happening tonight.
She had to admit, it was kind of really fucking scary, but hadn’t she prepped herself for this? All that time spent talking to the mirror about how she could do this, all the makeup she had bought to cake on her face, the dress, the flower? That was all the buildup, and now, it seemed, was the time to make sure all of it wasn’t the high before a fall, the peak of excitement before she tumbled down the rollercoaster called life.
This, then, was that moment of quiet, and Jeff had allowed for that, even if his remarks about dancing did make her worry just a tinge. At least he wanted to be friends after this, though, which was great. She’d just have to make sure not to talk to him about cars.
Tonya guessed, though, that meant she had to be the confident one. “Don’t worry,” she stated, waving her hand as if to dispel any negative notions. “I got this! Follow my lead and it’ll all be ‘kay.” Well, probably, and there was no time like now to make sure that everything was ‘kay.
It was time to be a big girl, time to suck it up and go into this all brave-like and stand up for herself. There’d be shit, as well as stupid pieces of shit who did not know their place, but it was her time just as much as theirs, and she was gonna make damn well clear they knew that.
With Jeff right beside, she approached the building, purse now clasped between both of her hands. It was her time to shine, and even if it wasn’t, she’d at least have friends to bitch about it to. That’d make things just a bit better. She didn't even have to ditch Jeff, now. Find Camila, maybe even Lucas and his girl, have a good time? Wasn't the most likely of things but it could happen. And right now, could was a pretty strong-ass word.
((Tonya Collins continued elsewhere))
She had to admit, it was kind of really fucking scary, but hadn’t she prepped herself for this? All that time spent talking to the mirror about how she could do this, all the makeup she had bought to cake on her face, the dress, the flower? That was all the buildup, and now, it seemed, was the time to make sure all of it wasn’t the high before a fall, the peak of excitement before she tumbled down the rollercoaster called life.
This, then, was that moment of quiet, and Jeff had allowed for that, even if his remarks about dancing did make her worry just a tinge. At least he wanted to be friends after this, though, which was great. She’d just have to make sure not to talk to him about cars.
Tonya guessed, though, that meant she had to be the confident one. “Don’t worry,” she stated, waving her hand as if to dispel any negative notions. “I got this! Follow my lead and it’ll all be ‘kay.” Well, probably, and there was no time like now to make sure that everything was ‘kay.
It was time to be a big girl, time to suck it up and go into this all brave-like and stand up for herself. There’d be shit, as well as stupid pieces of shit who did not know their place, but it was her time just as much as theirs, and she was gonna make damn well clear they knew that.
With Jeff right beside, she approached the building, purse now clasped between both of her hands. It was her time to shine, and even if it wasn’t, she’d at least have friends to bitch about it to. That’d make things just a bit better. She didn't even have to ditch Jeff, now. Find Camila, maybe even Lucas and his girl, have a good time? Wasn't the most likely of things but it could happen. And right now, could was a pretty strong-ass word.
((Tonya Collins continued elsewhere))