Chapter 3.25
This will be the last time jump for a while, (so breathe easier about Alex and Knight...they're old, but still around. ;) )
Ages: Siobhan (Theo, Julien): 21, Elias: 17, Eric: 14, Seth: 24, Winter: 44, Alex: 77, Knight: 80
Theo
I was fairly excited about this class--Business Entrepeneurship, and I'd heard the professor was tough as shit but I wasn't going to let that get me down. Lots of learning was ahead of me this last year until law school. That I already was accepted into Parvard Law took the pressure off a bit, but still, I had to make my grades.
The class size was small, which was good because I knew we'd have to do a bunch of group projects. I hoped there would be a few cool people I could connect with.
And then I saw her.
My stomach did a nose dive.
Holy shit!
Siobhan Fucking Day was sitting in the front row and with a vacant seat all wrapped up pretty-like right next to her.
Was God playing tricks on me?
Swallowing, trying to get a hold of myself, I tried to put on the chill demeanor I'm known for.
Slipping into the chair next to her unnoticed, I eeked a look at her beautiful face.
The good Lord was shining on me today. I'd only been fantasizing about this beauty ever since I was eight years old when my daddy came to us, saying THE Jackson Day of the hit rock band, The Llama Kings, came into his office wanting him to represent him in his divorce. It was a dream come true for him, even though it gave him so many headaches along the way. He told me Day's little girl, Siobhan, was exactly my age. He wouldn't discuss the case with us, though. But we knew. The whole world knew how it went down.
Even though I was a knee-high ankle biter, I was good with a computer mouse, and me and Smoogle were great friends. All it took was putting in Siobhan Day's name, hitting the images tab, and SMACK! I fell in love.
She only got prettier as the years flew by.
I'm not gonna lie. I stalked her like any prepubescent, pubescent, and manly man would. As I followed her sad, pitiful life, I turned into the worst of fools.
A fanboy.
Shameful, I know.
After Professor Hawthorne gave us our syllabus and first assignment, I took it upon myself to make the first move. It was going to go down in the history of Theo Wolff. She was going to remember this moment forever and tell the story of how we met to our children one day. My insides felt all funky. This was it.
"So...what do you think? Does he have pit stains under that jacket or what?"
Dang it, Wolff, I thought to myself. That was lame.
But she went with it!
"I know, right? I mean, who wears a tweed jacket when it's like 99 degrees outside?"
She smiled and said, "Hey...I'm Siobhan, by the way. Are you majoring in business?"
"Nice to meet you, Siobhan...my name's Theo...um, no, business law. Gotta make the big bucks one day. Follow in my daddy's footsteps and achieve even more."
"Oh, so your dad's a lawyer for a company?"
I didn't want her to know too much about my dad...not just yet, otherwise, it could blow my cool cat vibe. In other words, she might figure out that I was some corny fanboy.
"Family law. They don't make squat. And you?"
"Double major. Business and fashion design. Not sure which will win out yet."
"Well, you could combine them and create your own department store." I winced inside. Damn. Calm down, Wolff, I said to myself. Don't lay it on too thick. You're not supposed to know she's rich.
She shrugged. "That's a thought I won't rule out. But I think I'll take it a little slower. I'd just like to design a line of clothing one day. Maybe open up a little boutique?"
I nodded. "That's all right...I'll dream big for you then." I flashed her my trademark grin, hoping she wouldn't notice the cheesy line I couldn't help but shove in there.
Crinkling her nose in a cute way, she said, "I might let you."
*********
Siobhan
When I got home, the strong scent of weed hit me full force.
Of course, Eun was smoking his bong while Julien was sleeping on the couch. Oblivious, Naomi and Milo were going at it. Sometimes I wished they'd just stay in their room. "Naomi..." I said, annoyed. "Come on..."
"Okay, okay....mmmh...Milo," she breathed, "let's...uh...go..."
I marched over to Julien, trying to keep my anger in check. "God, are you kidding? We've talked about this." Julien and I had kept up with each other over the years then just this past six months, we started up our relationship again. I was thrilled. In that time, we fought only three times. All of them were about Eun and his drug habit. He'd always drag down Julien with him. I hated it. I didn't want Julien to turn out like my father. It scared me to death.
Opening his eyes hazily, he stared off in the distance, not focusing on me. "Oh, you're back early, darling. How was the first day?"
He was totally fried. "Damn it, Julien, why do you always do this?"
Turning around and leaning back, he flicked his feet out and nudged me. "Do what, love? I've had a bit of a rough day bartending out in the sun. I'm absolutely knackered. Would you do me the honor of a rub down? I would love you forever."
Crossing my arms, I flopped down beside him. "Go massage yourself, Julien, I'm mad at you."
Rising up, he said, "But love, why are you mad?"
"You're high."
"I'm not high. Eun might be but I'm not. Want me to give you a rub, sweetheart? I totally will even in my exhausted state."
Glaring, I said, "Tell Eun to get the hell out of here."
Pulling back, he said, "God, Shivvy, why do you have to go on like that? He's not hurting anything."
"I don't want weed in my apartment. You know this and yet..."
"Okay, I'm sorry. I'll bloody tell him to bugger himself if that will make you happy."
"God, Julien, don't make me out to be the bad guy here. He can find somewhere else to get stoned."
"You know he just got evicted. He has no where else. He can't go to my fathers. It's just for a few more days."
"Why do you do this to me? Put me in this position?"
Rising up, Julien said, "You just want to fucking control things. Control my friends. What we do. They are who they are, Shivvy. But I know when I'm not bloody welcome. Fine then."
"Julien..."
"No, it's okay. We'll go over to Ayden's flat."
"Come on, Julien...you know I don't want you over there."
When he kept walking, I said, "Baby, please...I don't want to control you, I don't. But you know how it upsets me. My dad...God..." Just saying that made me sad, and it angered me that I even had to explain it to him...again.
Why couldn't our relationship be easy? I loved Julien. He made me feel so wonderful most of the time. I couldn't wait to get home and was fantasizing what our night would be like. I thought after I'd been at school all day we could have fun playing video games.
And snuggle. He could always send the butterflies whipping through me. He was so sexy.
But instead, our night was ruined.
Glaring at me, he said, "If you don't like the way I am, Shivvy, this isn't going to work."
"What are you saying?" my throat caught at what he might mean.
"You know bloody well what I'm saying. I need some time away. To think."
Tears sprang to my eyes. "What...so you can go fuck other girls?"
"God, I don't have time for this." Turning around, he hit Eun on the back and said, "Let's go, mate."
My God. Was I turning into my mother? She was always controlling everyone and everything around her until she drove everyone who loved her away.
I didn't want to be like that. Ever.
Running to my room, I slammed the door and flung myself on the bed. I was done with relationships. Where had it gotten my parents? They loved each other and still, it was nothing but heartache and tragedy.
I was going to focus on school.
That Theo guy was right. Maybe I needed more ambition. I could only hope it could fill the gaping hole I had in my heart.