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Post by Oliver Porter on May 26, 2008 0:46:48 GMT -5
October 20th
4:08 PM
Oliver sat down at the same table that he met Crissy at in what seemed like a month or so ago. He really had no idea when he had met her but let's just say they had been friends for a month. He was supposed to be meeting his sister here at 4:00 like they had said and like usual she was late. Thinking that the world revolved around Ari Porter. He would only wait a minute or two before he left as he didn't want her to think that he could be pushed around like the rest of her so called "friends."
With his Mac laptop open and headphones plugged in he was watching the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy. Yes he watched Grey's Anatomy and he wasn't afraid to tell anyone that. Sure it was a show that was made for a female audience but he didn't find any problem in men enjoying it as well. If anything it helped him with the ladies because he got invited to the Grey's Anatomy dorm watching party that was every Thursday which was comprised of almost all females except for sometimes the on-off boyfriends of these females would come only to leave because they bitched about how stupid the show was. He was the only regular male which made him very popular. Not that he was having any problems with his popularity at the school.
Smiling at the screen Ollie picked up his mocha latte as he took a drink from the steaming cup.
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Post by Arianna Porter on May 28, 2008 20:04:32 GMT -5
"Crap, crap, crap." Ari thought as she looked at her phone and watched it tick to another minute. She was late and she knew Oliver was going to be annoyed about it. What a positively WONDERFUL way to start off a meeting. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and picked up her pace.
When she blew through the door at 4:10 she was relieved to find him sitting at a table. As she walked to him, she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail to try and hide the windblown mess. Luckily she had come from her PE class and was still wearing her tennis shoes because the sprint from bookstore where Sofia had parked would have SUCKED in her normal heels.
She took a deep breath and smiled as she slid into the empty chair across from her brother. She may have been nervous as hell, but she wasn't going to show it. "I'm sorry I'm late, my ride wouldn't drop me off here so I had to come on foot the last bit." She sounded totally lame, awesome, this was going GREAT.
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Post by Oliver Porter on May 28, 2008 20:20:50 GMT -5
Ollie frowned as he saw her walk though the door he was just about to leave seeing as there were exactly 4:43 seconds left in this episode and he figured it wouldn't hurt to sick around and just finish watching the damn thing. He didn't say anything to her as, he took out one of the ear buds listening as she gave her weak excuse as to why she was late, probably thinking that it was okay to be late because it was her after all. "Really I find it hard to believe that you couldn't get someone to do what you wanted… you've never had that problem before." He said coolly as Meredith Grey started in on her trademark end of the episode monologue. As he listened to her metaphorically ponder if she would get her happy ending and end up with Dr. McDreamy, of course she would because on T.V. everyone eventually got their happy endings.
Ollie didn't really pay attention to her as his eyes went back to the screen watching the last few seconds of the episode before he closed the window and the Mac laptop all together. "So…" He said not really knowing what the hell they were going to talk about.
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Post by Arianna Porter on May 29, 2008 22:10:05 GMT -5
Ari's smile wavered at her brother's words. This had not been a good idea, thirty seconds together and she already wanted to slap him. He was such a haughty twit, acting like he knew everything about her. She stood suddenly, "I'm going to get myself something to drink." Her teeth were almost clenched as she spoke.
When she returned to the table, she clutched her iced chai tea like a lifeline. She sat down and had a resolve to be as cordial to Oliver as she could. In fact, she was going to ask him about himself. When she opened her mouth however, every word she had bitten back spilled forth. "Look, brother, you obviously don't know a darn thing about me. I'm not this evil, will-bending witch you've made me out to be. There are a lot of people that don't do what I want. For that matter, there are very few people I would even treat like that. I'd have to absolutely loathe them to even use a person like that.
"From my point of view, it is YOU, dear brother, who are the brat. I have tried and tried to salvage what little we have of a relationship, but it is near impossible when you won't even give me the time of day." She kept her voice low and flat just as she had seen her mother do when she was arguing with a client who thought they knew more than she did.
"You came here with your little nightmare rendition of how this meeting would go and never even gave me a chance. I will not sit here and subject myself to your cold hatred of me. So if that is how this is going to go, I will just leave now. Even listening to Sofia rattle on about criminal cases would be better than that." She moved to the edge of her chair, ready to get up and leave if Oliver continued his chilly disposition toward her.
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Post by Oliver Porter on May 29, 2008 22:44:21 GMT -5
"Fine…" Ollie said as he started to put his laptop back in his bag. There was no need to have it out anymore as he couldn't use it to ignore her, unfortunately. Shaking his head he felt stupid for listening to Sofia as he remembered part of the long speech she had given him. Her words were almost burned into his brain as he could remember it word for word.
"… your sister is a great person in rough packaging because her childhood was no easier than yours. You sister is a good person begging to be looked at and found. Finally, there will be a time when your sister needs you. Not me or some boy, but you. That decision is between the two of you when the time comes, but I would ask, only once, for you to give her a chance. She is not the outside package everyone thinks she is."
Looks like she was wrong as Ari once again showed she didn't give a damn about him only concentrating on herself, like always. He watched as she came back with a cold drink which was odd as in the fall that was the time that you stopped getting things on ice and moved to the warm beverages.
He listened to her as she spoke with a flat and level tone just like he had heard his mother do the one or two times he had heard her argue with someone. It wasn't that much that he could remember just fragments of conversations from fragments of memories. He on the other hand had the style of arguing like his father did, an icy tone that for some people could be mistaken for arrogance or a lack of caring. It wasn't that way and just like her it seemed they both adopted their parent's style of arguing. It was the subtle things that were a big clue that they were related such as they were both able to keep their voices level as they argued.
"Oh really… and you think you know anything about me? Oh and please save your stories about how you have tried to reach out to. The only people that believe that are people that have never met me and thus they only get your side of the story which is laced with lies. I mean honesty if you believe ignoring me for years is trying to salvage a relationship then you have done an excellent job." He smiled at her before taking his cup and taking a drink from it. He wasn't quite finished jet but he figured letting his words hang in the air would be a good strategy before he continued.
"Yes I did. I admit it I thought this meeting was going to be a complete disaster and it turns out I am right. Of course you really helped out my mood by showing up late….furthermore Sofia doesn't rattle on about criminal cases and you would bother to listen to someone once in a while you would realize how interesting some of the cases are. Law is extremely interesting but then again I wouldn't expect a fashion student to care about any of that. Let alone care about anything that I have an interest in."
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Post by Arianna Porter on May 29, 2008 23:11:54 GMT -5
Everything in her told Ari to just get up and walk out on him, to leave him, and whatever stories he was telling himself so he could sleep at night, sitting in the Starbucks. The smallest piece of her that still wanted to try and make this work, screamed at her to stay put. Whether it was insanity or a very warped form of masochism, Ari stayed and listened to what he had to say. This time, she actually listened, without the awkward wall or the stories her mother had concocted about the two men in her family.
It seemed he had just as many twisted opinions of their relationship as she did. She sighed quietly and changed her tone, realizing they would get no where being their parents. "Oliver... Ollie, I know I haven't exactly been the world's greatest sister. Heck, I haven't even been that great of a person to you. I truly am sorry we've come down to this though. We are no better than Mother and Father. We're talking at each other and not to each other. If you're willing to work with me, I want to at least be your friend, even if we are never as close as siblings. Do you think we can do that?"
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Post by Oliver Porter on May 29, 2008 23:33:38 GMT -5
To say that he was stunned by her proclamation would have been an understatement. It was a good thing he hadn't been drinking his latté then or it would have been sprayed everywhere in a classic spit take. Did she just validate everything he had been saying about her and their relationships? No it couldn't have been she actually admitted to ignoring him and being an all around shitty sibling and to top it all off person in general. Yes she could try and have all the friends in a world but when it came down to her only brother she didn't give a damn about him. "You are kidding right? Honestly this is some big joke. Are you admitting that I am right, that everything I have said about you and about us is right? Are you admitting the fact that you haven't made any real effort to get to know me, except for when Dad helped me get settled in those first few days at Hastings and thus forced us to have one awkward meal together? My god…" Of course that didn't change one bit about the way he felt about her or the way he talked to her, still with the icy sarcastic voice. For one apology couldn't make up for a lifetimes worth of shit.
"Well sis I highly doubt we can be friends and the only thing that will ever make us siblings is DNA, but I suppose I could at least give it one attempt." That was the best she was going to get out of him as he was still full or bitterness and resentment towards her.
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Post by Arianna Porter on Jun 4, 2008 19:21:29 GMT -5
Ari relaxed a little when Oliver said he'd give it one attempt. It was better than nothing. She took a sip from her iced chai, shivering from the cold and tried to get rid of the dry, nervous feeling in her mouth. "So, the Halloween bash is coming up... Are you going? I might if Sofia is going." She was making small talk, she knew that, but considering it was better than fighting, she'd try anything.
She rested her chin on her palm as she studied her brother's face. It was almost like looking at a stranger. Only, there, now she saw Father's nose and the same cold look both parents gave her regularly. Was she really so disagreeable that her own family would use such a look of distaste upon her? No, Father was always there for her. He had paid for her college with a smile and always said he missed her when she text or emailed him. He wouldn't have lied would he?
She pushed the thoughts from her head as the condensation from her cup pooled under her arm, causing her to gasp from the cold. Maybe an iced drink wasn't the best idea for the weather, but it was her comfort drink. Considering who she was sitting across from, she needed all the comfort she could get.
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Post by Oliver Porter on Jun 4, 2008 19:42:36 GMT -5
Ollie listened to her as she talked. Not really caring what she had to say but he said he was going to make an effort to be somewhat civil. Though he really didn't think she deserved it. One thing was for sure he was going to call his Dad tonight and talk to him about what happened at this informal meeting. Even though his Dad had called him last night, to see if he had gotten the package he sent over full of his Halloween costume, this was an emergency.
"Yeah I am going and so is Sofia…" He said drinking the last bit of his coffee as he looked over at her for a few seconds before looking down at the table. He just couldn't face her as it was just too hard. If they couldn't say what was on their mind then how the hell were they ever going to get past this huge block. If she really wanted a relationship with him, like Sofia had said, then they had to stop pretending that everything was alright, pretending as if everything could be solved with small talk when in reality that would never happen.
"You know what this was a bad idea… Why don't we forget about this entire thing and pretend it never happened." He said looking past her towards the door as a few people entered. They were really kidding themselves if they though this would work. Maybe with Sofia it might as she could moderate between them and keep everything civil, but she already said she didn't want to do that.
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Post by Arianna Porter on Jun 4, 2008 19:58:27 GMT -5
Playing with her straw, Ari looked down, so he wouldn't see her face fall. He was giving up already. She had so much she wanted to say, but found it hard to form the words. Her tongue ran along the back of her teeth as she studied her tea.
"Does Father talked to you pretty often?" She blurted out, unsure of where she was going with that question. "And Mother... Does she talk to you?" She was sure they did, he was their son. A nagging, needy part of her hoped he answered no. That part of her hoped that their relationship was as strained with Oliver as her's was with him.
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Post by Oliver Porter on Jun 4, 2008 20:13:13 GMT -5
"Uhh yeah I talked to him last night…" It had become a tradition for one of them to call the other at least once a week. Usually it was his Dad making the call to him but Ollie was known to pick up the phone and dial the familiar number himself. His Dad was the influence for everything he did and the reason he went in to law. Even though he was always told that whatever made Ollie happy would make him proud. Still though he had a passion for law and it was just another thing he had in common with his Dad.
"Mom not so much… last time we talked was I don't know when I was forced to call her telling her I got accepted to Hastings…" He shrugged not really wanting to talk about their mother as she wasn't a part of his life.
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Post by Arianna Porter on Jun 4, 2008 20:29:14 GMT -5
Ari thought about the smattering of emails, texts and calls she had received from Father. Maybe one a month of any given one. She text him good morning AT LEAST three times a week, even after only getting replies every couple of months. Always the same words, Good morning, Princess. I miss you. She had been satisfied with that. He was a busy man after all.
Now, after finding out he had time to email Oliver weekly, her heart sank like a stone. "Oh." She was used to the silence from her mother. Ari was a disgrace in the woman's eyes. A fashion designer was not a suitable job. Your grades could use a lot of help. Sit up straight Arianna no one will marry a hunchback. The last time her mother had remotely said anything that wasn't completely condescending was her sharing the news that Oliver would be joining her at Hastings. Of course it was followed by Maybe you could learn some study habits from him. His grades are no where near dreadful.
Thinking about it now, she wondered how Mother knew anything about Oliver's grades. She and Father had to be sending updates to each other about each child. It would explain why her entire life she was being compared to a brother that was never around. "Do you think, maybe, you could tell Father hello for me? Maybe ask him to call me back sometime?" She was being needy and getting dangerously close to telling him how much it hurt to know Father talked to Oliver.
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Post by Oliver Porter on Jun 4, 2008 20:52:13 GMT -5
"Yeah sure… I will slip it somewhere into our conversation when I call him tonight." No it wouldn't be that hard to do when he called to update his Dad on the horrible meeting that went down. He might even call him right after talking with her walking back to his dorm because news like this couldn't really wait till the night time.
Of course Ollie didn't know how well he had it as he assumed that she got the once a week phone call as well, maybe not his private number but something to keep in touch. "But why don't you just tell him yourself when he calls Sunday morning?" That was the ritual his dad would sit and eat breakfast and make the morning call to Oliver. Though there was a huge time difference Oliver made up for it by having a late breakfast so they could pretend like they were eating together. It was stupid but just another thing they did to keep connected. He could almost predict how his father looked and it was comforting to know that he had one family member that was there for him all the time.
"When you talk to Mom ask her how work is going and tell her that I said hey… she doesn’t have to call me back because I know she won't"
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Post by Arianna Porter on Jun 4, 2008 21:17:21 GMT -5
The smile Ari held was fake when Oliver mentioned a Sunday morning call. In fact, it fell as she spoke. She couldn't keep up her charade of happiness when her insides felt so dead. "Father.... never calls me.... Beside that one very awkward meal when you got here, I haven't heard his voice in almost a year. I text him daily and email a few times a week, but I rarely get a reply." There she had said it. Father was giving her the cold shoulder much like Oliver, the only difference was Father faked caring when he did contact her.
It was all Ari could do to keep from snorting when he mentioned speaking to Mother. "If I can get in a word between her telling me how I should be more like Sofia and her absolute distaste for my life choices, I'll be sure to ask her. I'll even tell her to call you." Let her use her weekly call on someone else for once. Sitting there she realized she was a black sheep. Fashion, smiles, lousy grades, and absolute dislike for school didn't exactly help her fit in.
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Post by Oliver Porter on Jun 4, 2008 21:30:54 GMT -5
Oliver couldn't help but notice her expression on her face as it seemed to melt away some of the ice that had covered his heart. So maybe he was a bit wrong about what he thought about her, he thought that they got equal treatment from his Dad but apparently he was wrong. She got the same treatment from their father as he gave her. Complete and total ignore aside from when they were forced to communicate. Here his father was trying to tell him to make amends with his sister and develop a bond when he had failed to do so. Hypocrite… Then again he didn't want to doubt his dad like that and he was sure there was a good reason for why he acted the way he did.
He wanted to reach out to her and giver her a hug, like he did with all his friends, but she wasn't a friend to him just a stranger and he couldn't force himself to do that. "Okay thanks… I am sure things will get better… I'll just talk to Dad and get this all straighten out… no biggie." Though it probably wouldn't be that simple he would do it. Well he might knowing that he had Dad all to himself was actually quite nice and make him feel special in a way that he had never felt before. Was he the favorite in the Porter Family?
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