Post by Ashton Cooper on Feb 26, 2009 16:33:55 GMT -5
[/color]... { loving } every minute of it.
I'm the new cancer, never looked better, you can't stand it.
Because you say so under your breath.
You're reading lips "When did he get all confident?"
Haven't you heard that I'm the new cancer?
I've never looked better, and you can't stand it
And I know, and I know, it just doesn't feel like a night out with no one sizing you up.
I've never been so surreptitious, so of course you'll be distracted when I spike the punch.
Ashton was always a good kid. Turned in his homework on time, kept his room clean, never skipped class without good reason, and all that other superficial stuff that people say makes a kid "good". And then Audrey Black came into his life and it all went to hell.
In the eyes of his teachers, at least.
La Push High's once stellar, unblemished student (if you ignore the scars) started to occasionally skip class (oh the horror), forget homework assignments every now and then (what a calamity), and even started to get a few tardies. With the academic future of their Valedictorian seemingly threatened, the all knowing school counselor decided to try and intervene. Too bad they weren't looking at the right problems.
"Your teachers say you are not your usual self, Mr. Cooper."
As if they know me.
"... Mr. Cooper? Your teachers are complaining that you are getting more surly and that your grades are slipping. Are you having some problems outside of school, Mr. Cooper?"
As if you care.
"Does it have anything to do with Ms. Black, Mr. Cooper?"
"Leave her out of it."
Even with all of his little issues, Ashton Cooper remained steadfastedly loyal to his one and only friend, Audrey. No matter what else was going on, if the teachers started to eye his friend Ashton would do the one thing he never did. Actually stand up for something, or in this case, someone. Everything else he bore in silence, or ignored, but not her. She was a... special case, you could say. She was the one person who understood him, who he knew he could trust, despite the fact that she didn't express that sort of devotion toward him. Except when she would occasionally perform random acts of kindness out of concern for his health. And even though he knew Audrey Black did not value him as intensely as he valued her (she had that slut Lizzy after all), that did nothing to discourage him. He figured that it was okay if he wasn't the only friend she needed. They were different people after all, she a social butterfly and he a.. well, not one. And so Ashton was complacent, accepting the fact that he would love Audrey Black and that she would never, ever reciprocate because honestly, why would she take him when she had every other boy (and sometimes girl) groveling at her feet? No reason at all. Which was why he was okay with her occasional disinterest or cruelty in response to his unfailing devotion.
At least, thats what he told himself.
Truth was the stress of his infatuation started to grate on poor Ash's nerves, hence why his teachers suddenly noticed that their perfect little A+ kid may not be so perfect after all. At first it started with him following Audrey around like a puppy, hence the occasional tardies, cuts, and missing homework. And then little Ash started to get worse, the words he refused to say starting to tear his insides into tiny, burning, furious fragments.
"Come on Ashley."
Stop calling me that. "Coming."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot we made plans! I already made plans to go to a party with Liz, is that okay?"
It's not okay. What am I, just a distraction? Do you even care about anyone but yourself and her? "Its fine. I understand."[/color]
"Why don't you get a girlfriend Ash? You're so depressing."
Because I'm in love with you. And I'm depressed because my parents are dead and my "best friend" doesn't give a shit about me. "..."[/color]
And slowly, ever so slowly, feelings of adoration and affection that Ashton used to feel for Audrey started to turn into hatred and loathing, the unsaid words poisoning him from the inside out. And the kid with the future both bright and promising started to turn down a path that could only lead to something very, very bad. Could. And even with all his issues Ash still resists the urge to snap, and so he teeters on the edge of the knife, clinging onto what is left of himself and getting every closer to slipping off into the pit of insanity. Not that he showed any signs of this internal struggle. There were some signs, but those were barely perceptible. He started to talk even less, if thats even possible, and became even more surly and anti-social than he usually was. And yet by some miracle, no one noticed. Not that its any surprise, seeing as the one person who knew him well didn't always pay complete attention to his actions. Perhaps Audrey Black noticed the small changes in her friend, but if she did she never spoke of it. Perhaps she thought he was simply going through a phase and would snap out of it quickly. Whatever she thought, she wasn't the one who acted first.
Serge Cohen beat her to the punch, and instead of giving the boy a hand he gave him a hard shove that knocked him off the blade. He did the one thing that no one should have ever, ever done. He removed the boys will to live. And being as close as he was to snapping, Ashton did not just leap off a cliff or anything like that. Oh no. Instead, he snapped and chose to bring a gun to school.
Luckily the day he went cuckoo the school was deserted except for members of La Push's pack (Or perhaps it wasn't luck at all, perhaps it was on purpose and it was the remnants of his conscience that made him come then instead of another day). And by some miracle, he managed to avoid killing people and instead simply severely wounded Clarissa Hale and a few of the others at the school before they got him to snap out of it. But while they managed to patch up the gaping hole that had influenced him into becoming a school shooter they didn't manage to heal it completely, nor did they manage to clean up the scars left by the shooting incident, among other things. After all, knowing that he was capable of doing such a thing (in addition to finding out that it had been his own Father who had pushed him off the edge) made Ash just the tiniest bit.. well, depressed. So when the Pack banished him to his house and mandated that he stay there, Ashton didn't exactly protest. And for all appearances, Ashton appeared to be whole and well enough when he went off to his house. Which was why his friend decided it would be a good time to reject him. After all, he was doing well enough right? And why not just get all the bad stuff done at once?
Thing is, no one saw him come back out again. No, he didn't kill himself. But given everything that happened, Ashton got more than a little close to trying such a thing. Until Miss Vivelle Grey showed up on his doorstep and offered him salvation. The vampress saw something of herself in the broken boy who had been betrayed (in his eyes, anyway) by the person nearest and dearest to his heart and by the person who should have been near and dear, but who had ignored his existence. So naturally she offered to transform him into someone who could reap revenge on the traitors, and make them suffer as he had. And, naturally, the boy agreed. Or perhaps it wasn't a natural thing to assume, given that the Ash from before would have never agreed to any such thing. The Ash from before would have thought revenge beneath him. But plenty of things change in a person after they snap, and this abhorrence for revenge was just one little thing that Ash lost. And so he eagerly agreed to make a contract with a woman he hardly understood, although the little incident at the school had informed him of what her cool skin meant, at the very least.
Contrary to what you may think, the Lady Grey did not turn the boy into a stoney vampire. Good heavens no, for that would have defeated the purpose of training him in the first place, seeing as she needed a human to act as her helper. And so she whisked Ash away without anyone even witnessing the act of his leaving town, and in fact no one would see hide nor hair of the boy until three weeks had passed. Its rather remarkable how fast a person can change when they are really motivated. Or had Ash even really changed? After all, all that he was when he returned had always been part of him, beneath the surface. It was simply a side that he hadn't exactly let loose upon the world. But after the period of time which he spends with Miss Grey Ash becomes that second him. A more confident Ash, one with a smile that could kill and a sharp tongue to match. This new version of the once standoffish, awkward turtle of a boy finds instant popularity among the ranks of his shallow, short term memory focused peers. And Ash has more than just a smile and wit this time around. He also has a chip on his shoulders the size of North America, and a hidden edge to his words that is none too nice. Whatever scruples he had about getting what he wants and getting revenge are gone thanks to the kind insights of Miss Grey.
Which is why Ashton transformed himself into a boy that would be popular and sociable, in order to take down the school's Queen Bee. Loves a funny thing, seeing as it can quickly turn to hatred with the flip of a switch in the brain.
Ash starts to put his plan into motion, gathering his own networks of support and spreading rumors about just how awful Audrey is (even in front of the teachers mind you, a line most people don't dare to cross) and doing other nasty little things to strip her of her station in the school and her friends (or friend, really). But just as he's putting all of this into place, someone very unexpected decides to come into his life. A girl, to put it bluntly. But this girl is not like anyone he has ever met in his entire life. For one thing she is utterly two faced, showing the world a mask while blatantly showing her other self around Ashton and other people, but that isn't what makes her special. What makes her special is she admits to being two faced, a feat which many of Ash's peers shy away from, himself included (given his new two faced ness). Not only that, but she understands him in ways no one else seems to be able to. She can sense the words that lie beneath the ones he says and is able to quite accurately read his expressions and insert what he wants to say when he stays silent.
"Ohmigosh I am so sorry I can't make it tomorrow! I forgot we had plans!"
Not this again. Ugh. She's just like her. "It's fine."[/color]
"Oh no! You're furious! I knew you would be, I'm so so so SO sorry! .. Hang on, I know! Lets do something tonight okay? I'll pick you up in ten minutes, see you soon!"
... But I didn't even.. how did she?[/color]
And if that wasn't enough, she isn't exactly... human. And yet she isn't a werewolf or a vampire, the only two otherworldly creatures Ash knows of, but he can tell there is something different about her thanks to her lovely, odd little eyes.
And, shockingly, the presence of this odd girl starts to make him change again. But he doesn't get worse, nor does he revert back to the awfully quiet and chronically depressed boy he once was. Instead, her influence balances out his normally volatile inner emotions and starts to make him.. well, a bit calmer and a bit more even. Around her he talks, but not too much, and he's nice, but not fake, not to mention the fact that he doesn't act like the new ruler of the school. And as he and the girl get closer and closer, his vindictive tendencies start to go away as well, along with his hatred of Audrey Black. Well, sort of. He doesn't exactly like her again, at all, he just switches to pity instead of loathing. And slowly he starts to question his plan for revenge, starts to question whether or not Audrey is even worth the effort to bring down to burn.
Will the girl be able to influence Ash enough to make him turn his back on his scheme, or will he just keep going until he's torn Audrey into tiny bits? Will Ash choose to reap revenge on his father? Just what is the girl? And what is that Vivelle is going to ask for in return for her training? After all, she wouldn't exactly do something for nothing, right...?
The { Cast }
The Ex-Friend
The Father
The Girl
The Teacher
The Convinced - Whoever.
The Convinced - Whoever.
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