If It's Not Rough, It's Not Fun ((open))

[Robbie Piken]

Robbie slung his backpack over his shoulder as he headed down the hallway, he wore a pair of faded jeans with rips, and an AE teeshirt with a jean jacket pulled over it. He said hey to a few of his friends, but seemed to be heading nowhere in particular and didn't seem to want anyone to follow him.

He was in his own world, his face completely emotionless. He didn't really feel like being in school, and would be skipping class if he didn't need to finish the year with some attendance - or face the grade again.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out headphones, switching his iPOD on and ignoring the world. As he turned the corner towards some class, he bumped into someone. "I'm so sorry."

[Gia Alpert]

Gia had just left the office, feeling extremely proud and triumphant. If all went according to plan, she wouldn't have to worry about English for the rest of the year. Mr. D would be under her thumb until graduation. Her bright smile got her some odd looks, but nothing was going to bring down her mood. Nothing at all. That is until she turned a corner and bumped into what felt like a wall.

"I'm so sorry," a male voice apologized.

"Yeah, well, apologies are nice; paying attention is better," she replied, brushing off her shirt. "I may be new, but these halls are bad enough as it is without you not watching where you're going." She smiled at him, letting him know that she wasn't angry at him. Afterall, accidents happen.

[Robbie Piken]

The smile was nice but the attitude not so much. Kinda like a pretty picture with a bad frame. He hadn't seen her before, not that she was the kinda girl he usually noticed, she wasn't the revealing appealing type."Hey! I said I'm sorry okay? I'll attempt to watch my step. What you the new hall monitor?" His words were bristly, sharp. He wasn't angry at her, just everyone else. People in general. They pissed him off, and he didn't feel like being yelled at.

He started to walk past her coldly, but he turned around after a few steps, looking kind of stupid. He gave a half smile and strode back to her. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you. Bad day, that's all. You said you're new?" He reached out his hand in friendly gesture. "My name's Robbie Piken, and not like Robert, just Robbie."

[Gia Alpert]

"Hey! I said I'm sorry okay? I'll attempt to watch my step. What, you the new hall monitor?" Gia almost stepped back in shock, completely taken aback. The sharpness of his tone put her off.

"Look, I was just joking with you! No need blow a gasget. I'll be sure to avoid you in the future," she snapped back. Goddess, there she was trying to joke off the accident and there he was biting her head off! Note to self: avoid the hot guy with the chip on his shoulder.

He coldly sidestepped her and she turned to watch him walk away with a scoff and a headshake. Unbelievable, she fumed. And yet she couldn't help but admire his butt. Luckily, her eyes averted to his face just in time. He had turned back to her, looking a little cute with a sheepish smile as he walked back to her. This better be good, she thought warily and crossed her arms, prepared for the worst.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. Bad day, that's all. You said you're new?" He reached out his hand in friendly gesture. "My name's Robbie Piken, and not like Robert, just Robbie." Color me shocked, she thought.

"Well, not-Robert-just-Robbie, I'm Gia Alpert." She took his offered hand with a small smile. "Um, it's nice to meet you?" she added with an nervous smile and chuckle.

[Robbie Piken]

Okay, good Robbie thought - she didn't stare at him like he's got eight heads and walk away. He had snapped pretty harshily. "Well Gia Alpert is very nice to meet you." He grinned admiring her body in that sly way only a guy could do, without thinking he was noticied.

"So, I was just heading to lunch, would you like to come with?" He smiled, hoping it would be a yes. Atleast something could be good for this day.

[Gia Alpert]

"Well, Gia Alpert, it's very nice to meet you," he grinned. "So, I was just heading to lunch, would you like to come with?" He smiled again and, she had to admit, he made her a little nervous. Something about that smile, it was just a little too crooked. And the way he held himself, it was just a little too confident, bordering on arrogant even.

"Um...yeah, sure," she finally decided, a little unsure. No, he at least deserved a chance. If he turned out to be an ass, then she'd know but she couldn't judge him before she knew him. "I don't think I really need to go to English today." Well, that and I really can't see Mr. D with picturing him all...scarred for life, she thought and shook the disturbing image away. "You want to go off campus? This may be a private school, but school food is all the same," she joked.

[Robbie Piken]

"You want to go off campus? This may be a private school, but school food is all the same," Robbie laughed, it was true the food sucked. Badly. "Sure, there's a cafe round the corner with good samwhiches and they're pretty fast."

He started to walk with her towards the doors of the school,"Are you asking me out Ms. Alpert? Or is this just your basic social call?" He tried not to sound too proud of himself. ''Cause for me that never happens. So that's kinda nice." He gave a genuine grin, nothing smug.

[Gia Alpert]

Robbie laughed, "Sure, there's a cafe round the corner with good sandwiches and they're pretty fast."
They began to walk towards the front doors of the school. Either he didn’t care that they were skipping or he was just very calm about it. She wasn’t the kind of person to skip but there was something about Robbie that just drew her to him. He wasn’t magical; if he was, she would’ve felt a magnetic kind of pull in her gut. So what was it?

"Are you asking me out Ms. Alpert? Or is this just your basic social call? 'Cause for me, that never happens. So that's kinda nice." He gave her a grin, which she couldn’t help but return.

"It's all part of my master plan," she answered with a sly smirk. Laughing, she shook her head and walked down the front steps. "I'm just messing with you. I figured lunch would be a good peace offering, start over. Besides, I hate eating alone." Then what he said, his tone, hit her. "So you don't get asked out a lot? I'm gonna assume that you don't date then." The underlying tone was clear: she was curious. Very curious, in fact, if she had just invited out a serial dater/womanizer or not to lunch.

[Robbie Piken]

"No, I do date. Kinda frequent, but the girls don't ask me out. You know, they're usually scared. And you know, you asking me to lunch - hey, it's kinda a nice change." His smile was sincere, far from smug.

They headed towards the cafe, it was a half a block from them now. "So, a peace offering. Did I come across that harsh? Because really I'm not, I'm like a teddy bear. Really. It's just been a rough week, with my mom." He shrugged, opening the door for her as they entered the cafe.

[Gia Alpert]

"No, I do date. Kinda frequent, but the girls don't ask me out. You know, they're usually scared. And you know, you asking me to lunch - hey, it's kinda a nice change."

"Well, your lucky then. The one girl to ask you out never asks guys out, ever," she replied with a smile of her own as they headed towards the cafe.

"So, a peace offering. Did I come across that harsh? Because really I'm not, I'm like a teddy bear. Really."

He was being so insistant about it that she couldn't help but laugh. "Wow. Teddy bear? Don't hear guys saying that too often," she replied with a bright smile. "No, you were fine. To be honest, I was having a bad day myself. Then again, being the new kid, bad days are a given."

"It's just been a rough week, with my mom." He shrugged, opening the door for her as they entered the cafe.

"Thanks," she said to him, surprised that chivilary wasn't dead. "What's going on with your mom? Oh, God," she cringed as they stepped in line to order, "I shouldn't have asked; it's none of my business. Sorry."

[Robbie Piken]

"Really? You don't ask guys out? And do they ask you out? Cause if they don't the guys you've been around can't see." He smiled to her as they approached the counter to order. "Hey go ahead and order, I'll get the bill." He knew how to flatter.

When she asked about his mom, he kinda went stiff - guarded. "We've been fighting alot, and that's not normal. She's just changed alot lately. Her personality. And I gotta take care of her 'cause there's noone else." She'd called him some names, including saying he was his father's son. A cheating, lieing, alcholic womanizer. And really only one word sorta fit him.

[Gia Alpert]

"Really? You don't ask guys out? And do they ask you out? Cause if they don't the guys you've been around can't see." He smiled and she couldn't help but laugh. Oh, yeah, he was a smooth one! "Hey go ahead and order, I'll get the bill." She opened her mouth to argue but, looking at him, she realized it would be completely useless.

"All right, but don't make a habit of it," she teased with a pointed finger and ordered an Italian coldcut. When she asked about his mom, she noticed that he went stiff and she immediately regretted asking. She tried to take it back, marveling at her unfailing ability to put her foot in her mouth, but he actually answered her.

"We've been fighting alot, and that's not normal. She's just changed alot lately. Her personality. And I gotta take care of her 'cause there's noone else." Gia nodded.

"I won't lie and say I can relate, because I can't. I'm on my own out here and my parental units all the way on the west coast," she replied. "My parents and I..." She sighed, trying to think of a way to tell him the truth without telling him the truth, "Well, let's just say we don't see eye-to-eye on certain things. So, here I am."

[Robbie Piken]

"I'll try not to make it a habit, if you do make this a habit." He flashed her a grin, and ordered a honey rosted turkey club. He paid the money in cash and moved to grab both of the subs as they moved to go sit down.

"All alone? Wow, don't you get lonely in this huge city? I could understand if you moved to a city where you'd lived before but, you're completely new right?" He took a bight of the club. " My dad's absent in my life, has been for awhile. My mom's held up well, and she's never needed anyone but me. She was always kind and gentle. But lately, she's been nasty and mean. She smacked me upside the face last night, and that hasn't happened since - really I don't remember. She wants to kick me out. And I don't see why." He sighed, he hadn't told even his closest friends about this. ANd he was telling her, which was a big thing because he never let his guard down.

[Gia Alpert]

"I'll try not to make it a habit, if you do make this a habit." He flashed her a grin, and ordered a honey rosted turkey club. Note to self: try that! It sounds delicious! He paid the bill and even grabbed both of subs, subtly stepping in front of her before she could grab hers, and they sat down in a little corner.

“Are you trying to get me to ask you out again, Mr. Piken?” she flirted a bit and chuckled. What am I doing? I don’t flirt! she thought in shock. Something about Robbie, whatever it was, was changing her completely. And only in a matter of minutes!

"All alone? Wow, don't you get lonely in this huge city? I could understand if you moved to a city where you'd lived before but, you're completely new right?"

“Well, I moved here last year to get settled in before my senior year so I’m…familiar with the city. And, yeah, I get lonely sometimes,” she admitted with a shrug, “but, you know, who doesn’t these days? Besides, I’ve got Boreas to keep me company,” she added with a smile and took a bite. Delicious!

"My dad's absent in my life, has been for awhile. My mom's held up well, and she's never needed anyone but me. She was always kind and gentle. But lately, she's been nasty and mean. She smacked me upside the face last night,” It was here that Gia stopped eating entirely and stared at him, brow furrowed in shock; she didn't even see a mark on him, “and that hasn't happened since - really I don't remember. She wants to kick me out. And I don't see why." He sighed. Her mouth opened and closed for a few moments as she tried to gather her thoughts.

“She…she hit you?” Gia couldn’t believe it. Her parents hated her, but not enough to hit her. Hell, they just preferred acting like she didn’t exist; hitting her would ruin that little dream. “I hate to say it, but maybe you should leave? Find a place of your own nearby so you can keep an eye on her but not get…you know.” She bit her lip, waiting to hear his response with dread. Would he be calm about it and turn down the idea, or would he blow up about?

[Robbie Piken]

When she flirted he grinned,"Maybe next time, I can ask you out Ms. Alpert." Her laugh was contagious. This was just what he needed from someone, someone's company who was kinda and funny.

Everything in him told him to stop, and change the subject. She didn't need to know his bussiness, but he couldn't help himself - she just seemed harmless."You see, I just don't want to move. She gave birth to me and raised me, and has loved me. But she's just somehow has changed. I'm gonna make her go to the doctor even if I have to fight it." He shrugged eating his samwhich.