Learning to Love

((Bah. I know it's not a big deal at the moment, but could we try to keep it a little more turn-based? I feel like I'm getting a little left behind when one person posts twice before I can. D: ))

Joey wasn't sure. Artemis didn't seem like someone he would get along with well. Joey had a slight superiority complex and while he was perfectly capable of getting along with people of a higher rank, Artemis seemed to have a manner about it that would get on his nerves very soon. But he shrugged. "Sure, why not. Might as well," he said as he started back inside.

[Oops. I wasn't trying to get them to think badly of Artemis...Woopsies. And yeah, post order would be nice.]

(np, I'm sure Artemis will win them over. As for post order, how about me, syl, av?)

Michelle followed Joey into the art room with a shrug. Maybe Artemis would make this better than it had originally seemed. She sat down next to Joey. She pulled a nearly full sketch book out of her bag and placed it over her lap. She looked at Artemis, wondering what he would have them do first. She had always before just drawn by herself, so she didn't know what clubs usually did.

((Joey doesn't really like anyone. XD And the post order sounds fine.)

Joey sat in silence, immediately opening up his sketchbook to a page of cartoons. Never one to enjoy realism, he hoped the club wouldn't attempt to limit him to that style. Art classes had a tendency to do that, and he hoped to find the club a little more open-minded. Deciding to listen rather than watch, he propped his chin in his hand, produced a pencil from the pocket of his black jacket, and began working again.

Thinking for a moment, Artemis scratched his chin. "Last week, we kinda went into a bit of a drawing spree. So today, let's do something a little like that, but try to get a more in-depth activity if possible. Like, instead of general sports, try for just one, like soccer or something."

Michelle couldn't help but make a face. Yuck. Sports. She sighed and shook her head. No, she had promised to try and keep an open mind. She thought a bit. Perhaps there was a certain beauty that could be found in the passion of an athlete's heart. She tried to decide which sport to choose. It wasn't easy, since she had a very limited knowledge of sports. Finally, she decided on swimming. She looked over at Joey, wondering what he had chosen. When she saw the cartoons on his page, she smiled. It definitely wasn't what she expected from him, but she liked it.

Joey couldn't help making a face, either. What were you supposed to draw in sports that was interesting? He couldn't think of what would be great. Maybe he'd make a comic or some sort . . . after all, it was his way to express it. Or at least that was what he would say. He continued doodling as he tried to think of an idea.

Artemis payed nobody any mind as they all began their work, then stopped. "Oh wait, I almost forgot. I've secured the entire day out for the Art Club to go out into town and find some good things to put on paper. If we find anything the principal decides is good, it'll get put in the school newspaper."

Michelle cocked her head to the side and sighed. This was already getting very complicated, and she was beginning to get the urge to walk out again. She had no interest in helping the school paper. They had been less than welcoming when she had tried them out as a possible club activity. She shut her sketchbook, leaned her head on the back of the chair, and groaned softly. Her motivation had just crashed on the floor.

(I hadn't actually planned on the rp begin about the art club; it was just going to be a way for the characters to meet. If you guys would rather continue it in the club though, that's fine too. :3 )

[Oh, sorry. I'd prefer if it went somewhere besides an art club. Usually, I put my characters is more physical clubs, like Archery or Kendo. But I guess this is an American school or something?]

Artemis looked over to Michelle, tilting his head in confusion and walking over, a concerned look on his face. "Are you alright?" were his first words, as he bent down a bit to be more at eye-level with Michelle.

((Why be we out of order again? >_> Not the end of the world, but . . . yeah.))

Joey sighed and tapped his pencil repeatedly against the edge of his sketchbook. He just couldn't think of anything. He hated sports, unless he was actually playing, and even that was a rare event within itself.

He glanced over at Michelle, found himself unconcerned when Artemis began talking to her, and cast a glance at his watch. About 3:00. That wasn't too late . . .

He was hit by a revelation, though, and jumped to his feet with a swear under his breath.

Michelle looked up at Artemis.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just got a bit of headache, I guess. Mainly just trying to figure out what to draw." She laughed lightly. "I'm not sure that this is the club for me, after all." She jumped and nearly fell out of her chair as Joey sprang up, knocking his over with a curse.
"What is it, Joey?" her eyes widened in surprise.

[So, which of us is goin first? Syl or me?]

((Was supposed to be you next. Pretty much a you-me-Savvy order.))

Joey quickly snapped his sketchbook shut and shoved it in his bag. Then he turned out the contents of his jacket pocket, scattering four different kinds of pens, two pencils, a permanent marker, an eraser, and a set of keys onto the table. "I forgot that my mom was working tonight," he explained hurriedly as he separated the keys from the pile and stuffed everything else back into his pocket, "which means that I can't be here, I have to get home and watch my siblings. If they're home long enough without me, I'm going to be screwed beyond all belief."

[Oh. I thought it was Savvy, you, me order....Oh well.]

Artemis couldn't help but give a small laugh. "That sounds like a lot of trouble. Are they that much trouble?"

Michelle laughed in good nature, and looked at Joey with jealousy. She wondered what it would be like to have siblings. She had an older brother, but he was never around. He had moved out as soon as he could, and never looked back. She had always wanted a little sister though.
"What are they like?" she asked with a smile.

"They're not too much trouble, I guess, though they have a bad habit of letting the dogs out and getting into the junk food when someone's not around." Joey looked around to make sure there was nothing else he needed to pick up. "And my mom gets annoyed when I don't get home soon enough to take care of them. Starting to severely cut into my free time this past week, but I guess I should be happy she got a job."

Artemis nodded. "It's nice to have siblings. I've got a little sister, myself, but since my parents own a restaurant at home, she never has to have me watch her." He then looked to Michelle. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Michelle smiled sadly.
"I wonder sometimes," she said under her breath. "Yeah," she said slightly louder, "I have an older brother. He doesn't live at home, though." She smiled over at Artemis.
"Have fun with your. . . brother? sisters?" he hadn't really specified. She glanced at her watch, wondering if the club was almost over.

"Bah, siblings are overrated," Joey said. He slung his backpack over his shoulders and sighed, looking back at Michelle. "A brother and a sister, actually. Both just too young to look after themselves. It's wonderfully convenient that they'll be just of age to watch themselves when I'm about to ship off to college." He made a face, then brushed some hair out of his eyes. "Anyway, I'd best be off. See you guys in the morning or something?"

Artemis nodded, waving lightly to Joey as he left, folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head lightly to the side. "I guess I'd better head off, too. I've got other stuff to attend to." He stretched, and went to get his stuff, which seemed to include some sort of bamboo sword [because I forgot the name for this kind]. "Got Kendo, then I'm headin home. What about you, Miss Michelle?"

((shinai, bokken or bokuto? Maybe? >< ))

Michelle shrugged as she waved good by to Joey.
"I don't really have anything to do. I guess I'll just go home." She smiled. She would probably just go and read or something until her dad came to pick her up.
"I'll see you tomorrow, I guess," she said.

((I cannot remember the name for bamboo swords. I wanna say bokken or bokuto, but I'm unsure. Anyway, nobody minds me skipping ahead to the next morning, right?))

The next morning saw Joey up at seven o' clock . . . an hour after his alarm forced him out of bed just long enough to shut it off again. Mornings were a pain for him. He lay in bed for an hour listening to his mother attempt to get his younger siblings dressed and out to their buses, while trying to convince himself it was worth it to get up. Eventually he managed to get up, dress himself, and drive to school without somehow hurting himself in some manner. At the school, he dropped himself at a table in the corner of the cafeteria with a purchased breakfast muffin and his sketchbook.

At around 7:00, Artemis twitched as he looked up, noticing his mother was gently shaking him awake. Sitting up, he yawned and stretched, gave her a hug from where he sat, then got up. After getting a quick shower and getting dressed, he hurried downstairs with his things, eating breakfast with everyone before heading out the door after giving his little sister Kira a kiss on the cheek. By 8:00, Artemis had reached the school, finding himself sitting at the same table as Joey, before crashing into the table headfirst. "This is still too early..."

Michelle awoke early in the morning, before the sun rose. She groaned, silently cursing her internal clock. She always wanted to sleep in until her alarm went off, but she never quite made it. She glanced at the clock. Sure enough, it was five minutes before she had to get up. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, wincing as her bare feet made contact with the cold wooden floor. She shuffled over to her bathroom, and began getting ready. She glanced through her closet, considering what to wear. With a shrug, she took out a plain violet blouse and the first pair of pants that her hands touched. After her shower, she ran a hasty brush through her dark hair, satisfied that it was relatively tangle free.

She gave her dad a kiss on the cheek as she ran out the door. She hoped into her hand-me-down blue car, and cranked the keys in the ignition. After a few tries, the old mechanical beast shuddered to a start. She drove to school, and walked into the cafeteria, where students waited before the first bell. She looked around the room, trying to spot a familiar face. She would have to try to come earlier in the future, so that she could snag an empty table before the filled up. For now though, she needed to find someone that would let her sit with them. With a small smile of relief, she spotted Joey and Artemis sharing a table near the back of the room. She wandered over to them, and pulled out a chair to sit down.
"Hey guys," she said with an uneasy smile.