Honesty hour [Emery] on Aladren Commons

Arnold Manger

December 08, 2015 8:57 PM

Honesty hour [Emery] by Arnold Manger

Emrys wasn’t here. Arnold hadn’t been particularly searching for him, although he had expected to find him in their room. Maybe he was in the library or out somewhere with Charlotte. Either way, he wasn’t here.

But Emery was.

Emery, who had stormed out of the Opening Feast over the Head Boy badge that was now pinned to Arnold’s lapel. Emery, who had become one of Arnold’s best friends and since spoke to him like a stranger. Emery, who apparently had more battles inside than Arnold had never really stopped to realize but now felt isolated from entirely. Emery, who might hate him and at the very least resented him.

He hated this. It had been more than a month, and their friendship was just… gone. It was torture. Emery was polite to him, sure, but it wasn’t the same, and it was clear that he was still furious. As Arnold had learned fairly recently about himself, he had some troubles with his own anger, and this whole situation was so utterly frustrating that he felt like he was going insane. He had to do something.

Without stopping to think about it (because he was fairly sure he’d talk himself out of it), Arnold walked up to Emery’s bed. He pulled off his Head Boy badge and slammed it on the end table with a bit more force than intended. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, starting to talk before Emery had a chance to speak. “I have a recurring nightmare about turning into my father and hurting Ji-Eun,” he stated. “Sometimes I don’t think I deserve to have friends. This summer, I basically ruined Jake’s life.”

He paused briefly, letting Emery process these things but not giving him enough time to formulate a response. “Your turn to be honest,” Arnold said, picking his Head Boy badge off the table and holding it up. “Why does this damn badge matter so much to you?”

12 Arnold Manger Honesty hour [Emery] 261 Arnold Manger 1 5

Emery Kijewski-Jareau

December 08, 2015 9:38 PM

I think I'd prefer Quiet Hour. by Emery Kijewski-Jareau

Emery was busy working on his homework. Some days, he did it in the library, sometimes in the common room, but when he wanted absolute quiet, he did it in the dorm room. With this being their RATS year and the announcement of the Challenges, Emery needed as much time to himself studying as he would have normally needed. This was going to be a very stressful year for him and nothing was really helping to remove that stress.

Emery looked up from his spot on his bed in surprise when Arnold slammed his badge against the wood. He hadn’t really spoken to Arnold since the announcement at the Welcoming Feast, but what would he say? He wasn’t going to congratulate him on something that Emery didn’t feel he deserved over him and seeing the badge on his robes just reminded him of the upset. If Arnold felt like Emery didn’t have a right to be angry over it, then he was completely oblivious to everything around him.

He sat in silence as Arnold started to talk about his nightmare and Ji-Eun. Emery frowned. He wasn’t sure why he felt that way or how exactly he had ruined his brother’s life, but there was little that Emery really understood about people. This was something he was learning more and more as time went on. Normally, Emery would have tried to find a way to make Arnold feel better, but he didn’t really think they were at that level anymore.

Emery took his question into consideration. He didn’t really think he had to explain his reasoning for wanting the badge. It was an important piece to his future, but he didn’t have it and now his studies were even more important. Emery had even taken some of his spare time to request brochures and applications from various schools to find out what their expectations were and how difficult it would be for him to earn a decent scholarship.

“Because I worked hard for it for six years. Because it was my ticket into getting a decent scholarship so that my parents won’t have to worry about trying to pay for my education on top of Chloe’s and Ayita’s college tuitions, and Angel’s medical costs. Because the program I want to get into is extremely competitive and things like ‘Head Boy’ would get me further along in the process than without it.” Emery answered flatly. “Because I earned it and it would have shown that the last six years of being involved meant something to everyone else too.”

6 Emery Kijewski-Jareau I think I'd prefer Quiet Hour. 259 Emery Kijewski-Jareau 0 5

Arnold

December 10, 2015 3:04 AM

Probably, but this is important. by Arnold

Arnold did his best to put aside the hurt and genuinely listen to what Emery had to say. As his friend (or at least he still wanted to be friends), it was the very least he could do. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe his approach had been mistaken, like maybe he said too much in his own honesty. Arnold wanted to make the air open, so he had given the most private information about himself that he could come up with, but if this friendship fell apart, then he might have given Emery too much.

A lot of what his anger boiled down to was financial. Arnold had the luxury of never worrying about money, so he supposed he had never thought too much about that side of things. It really had never occurred to him how strained their financial situation could be, mostly since their family situations were otherwise pretty similar. But it wasn’t all money; Emery also mentioned how hard he had worked for six years--a factor that had not gone unnoticed by Arnold--and how much it would have meant for the school to recognize him for it.

“Those are some pretty good recents to be upset,” the redhead returned carefully, not wanting to come off wrong and only make Emery more mad. “And I’m sorry you didn’t get what you wanted. I get that it would’ve been really helpful for you.” Arnold didn’t really want to say that he was sorry Emery hadn’t won, because as much turmoil as this whole thing had caused, he wasn’t really sure he would have wanted it to turn out different. Winning Head Boy had felt pretty amazing; even if it didn’t do everything he had hoped (like stopping his nightmares by showing himself that he was not like his father), it did make his mother genuinely happy. Given her history, Arnold wanted to make her as happy and proud as possible.

“I just…” He sighed deeply. “I don’t like not talking to you. I don’t want this to ruin our friendship, you know? It’s not worth it.”

12 Arnold Probably, but this is important. 261 Arnold 0 5

Emery

December 15, 2015 7:31 PM

I'm sure you'll wish for Quiet hours too. by Emery

Emery was trying really very hard to not become upset with Arnold when he began to speak after Emery had admitted why the badge had been so important to him. But he wasn’t doing a very good job of keeping his anger in check. His reasoning was ‘pretty good’ according to Arnold. Pretty good. And he seemed to understand that it would have been ‘really helpful’ to Emery to have. Really helpful.

Gee thanks for understanding and just wrapping it all up in a little package just to give it a good kick to reflect how little importance it really is. Emery thought in a nasty tone. What did Arnold care about it? He had what he wanted. He was just mad because not everyone agreed with the decision and now he was trying to play politics about it. Or, at least, that’s how it felt to Emery.

“It might not be worth it to you.” Emery returned. “It’s clear that you really have no idea how important these titles are for people like me. This was my future, Arnold. Without it, I might not get into school and if I get into school, I might not get a scholarship to afford the education. I know that you can glide through life without having to really worry about it because of your last name, but the rest of us have to work damn hard to get anywhere and when everything that we worked so hard for is given to someone else without the same dedication, we have a right to get angry over it.” Emery exclaimed. His voice never raised above normal volume, but his anger was clear in his voice.

“I don’t know why I ever bothered to believe that this school actually gave a crap about the work that a person puts in when it comes to becoming a Prefect or Head student. This school has always been about the Pureblood vote. So, I guess, congratulations to you, Arnold. You had it in the bag right from the start. You didn’t even need to do anything last year to try to get ahead.” Emery said in his anger. He knew it was wrong because Arnold couldn’t really help how others voted. But for Arnold to think he deserved it more just showed how blind he was to the way things worked. “If you don’t mind, I need to get through these essays.”

6 Emery I'm sure you'll wish for Quiet hours too. 0 Emery 0 5

Arnold

December 18, 2015 1:59 AM

Looks like you're right again. by Arnold

Arnold was trying to accomplish something. He was trying to work through the problem. He was trying to make the awkward cloud of anger and misunderstanding dissipate. He was trying to get his friend back.

But Emery wasn’t. The other Aladren was just lashing out now, which Arnold supposed may have been his fault, since he had given him this opportunity. And maybe it was what Emery needed, to get all the hurt where they could share it and understand it. Still, his tone, not even factoring thet words, stung like hell. Arnold realized now that maybe “it’s not worth it” was a polarizing word choice, but given that he was talking about how it wasn’t losing their friendship and Emery seemed to be saying that it was only not worth it to him, maybe Emery didn’t want to make things better at all.

It sure felt that way. The accusations cut deeply, particularly the blood implications. Arnold supposed there was a hint of truth to the notion of pureblood favoritism--not systematically, really, but in the nature of their society. Purebloods were more likely to vote for other purebloods just out of obligation or loyalty. Arnold didn’t think that was how he won, although it was definitely possible, since it seemed that all of their group except Ji-Eun had voted for Emery.

But the thing was, people never voted for qualifications. It was all a question of whose name people knew better, who they had met and how. All three of the Aladren boys had made the ballot, and while that wasn’t what got scholarships, it meant that the staff, who were way more qualified than a student body, thought they would all have been good choices. And Arnold agreed; he had thought either of his roommates could have been a great Head Boy, although Emery’s behavior since having not gotten it made him reevaluate that opinion. The implication that Arnold’s name would have carried him had he not gotten involved last year angered him deeply; he had worked damn hard last year, even starting his own club, in pursuit of this goal, and if it was all about blood, then it could have just as easily been Emrys. But it wasn’t, and there had to be a reason. That reason had to be Arnold’s hard work. And Emery said Arnold had no dedication? Bull.

“If you don’t mind, I need to get through these essays.”

Just like that, Arnold was dismissed. Because obviously, grades would be his friend. His report card would spend time with him and try to make him smile when things were rough. His financial aid would partner up with him in class and rely on him out of class. And scholarships would certainly relate to and help cancel his sister in her times of trouble. (Arnold recognized that this sentiment was unrelated, that he was just thinking out of hurt and shouldn’t drag Chloe into this, so he did his best to bite his tongue. His friendship with Chloe was a separate matter entirely.)

“Whatever,” he said coldly, standing up and shoving his badge into his pocket. “If you want to throw away our friendship over something I can’t change, that’s fine by me. Have fun with your homework.” Then, with a furious march and a slammed door, he was gone, leaving Emery to stew, work, or both.

12 Arnold Looks like you're right again. 261 Arnold 0 5

Arnold

December 18, 2015 2:50 AM

OOC typo correction by Arnold

Fairly important clarification: the sentence in the second to last paragraph should say "counsel his sister", not cancel.

12 Arnold OOC typo correction 261 Arnold 0 5