Post by Vapovile on Apr 7, 2022 16:46:17 GMT
Located within a pocket dimension at the HWIC offices, there was an entire stadium area where Enforcement could run drills, though most of the time it was just used by general employees to exercise in their free time. The track was relatively quiet today, with a lone blond-haired woman running down the track. She wore a simple pair of athletic shorts, a black form-fitting shirt, and a pair of running shoes. The woman ran across the track with speeds unheard of for humans, but she knew she could go much faster if she used mana.
But she didn’t want to use mana right now, Aria just wanted something to take her mind off the countless tasks piling up in her office. Plus, nobody would want to ask any questions to someone who was clearly in the middle of something. After several more laps, HWIC president Aria Miyata stepped off the field, panting.
“Whew…I suppose I should first start with that report of the HW animal smuggling operation…Seto really came though this time.” Aria muttered to herself, stepping into the locker room. She was about to grab her stuff for a quick shower…when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind.
“Heeeeeeeeey. Been a while, hasn’t it? How are you doing, miss student council president?” A female voice that seemed roughly her age asked. Aria’s body froze. “...how…did you get here…?" Aria trailed off, knowing exactly who was talking to her.
The figure smirked, squeezing her captive. “I got a job in the R&D department, didn’t you know? Turns out they could use the skills of a marine biologist who has studied these…fascinating Hidden World creatures.” She said casually. Aria let out a sigh, turning around to face the woman before her. She looked to be in her late 30s, with long black hair that flowed down to her back. She wore a pair of pink workout shorts and a blue shirt with white stars running vertically down. She stood face-to-face with Aria, an amused expression on her face.
“...Vanessa.” Aria said, the woman grinning. “So you do remember my name, you jerk!” She squeezed, picking Aria’s feet off the ground for a second, before putting her back down again. “Yes well…how could I forget?” Aria said, nerves beginning to seep through. Vanessa grinned, sensing the opening. “It was so long ago, wasn’t it?”
Many years ago…
The final school bell of the day rang, and the teacher at the front waved at the class. “Have a good weekend, and remember; test Monday!” he called out. A blond-haired girl with her hair neatly tied back with a white ribbon waited for most people to file out of the classroom before packing her own books. The professor looked at the girl and nodded.
“Good work as always, Aria. I swear, nobody wants to answer questions anymore…” he trailed off. Aria politely smiled and zipped up her backpack. “Thank you, Mr. Simons. I do my best to answer what I can.” She stated. Mr. Simons let out a sigh. “And it’s appreciated. Maybe I’ll toss some extra credit your way…we’ll see. Have a good weekend.” He sat at his desk and waved, Aria standing up and politely waving as she exited the classroom.
Truthfully, the praise felt hollow to her ears. She had grown up hearing nothing but praise from her teachers. The term ‘genius’ was often used to describe her…but she wasn’t a genius. Her life was just a string of impossibly high standards that must be met. Failing these tasks wasn’t an option. Even after countless tests with high marks…they were merely seen as meeting expectations by the true force that ran her life.
She opened the door to a classroom and stepped inside, seeing a familiar girl inside. She had long black hair, and had a leather jacket over her red and black checkered shirt. The girl was tapping away on her phone when she noticed Aria.
“Hey, Aria! What’s up?” She asked. Aria silently pulled out a chair at the center table and sat down at the head, folding her arms. “Just here to conduct our weekly student council meeting. Did you make the agenda for today, Vanessa?” She asked. Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Hm…what if I didn’t? Did you make your own?” “If that is necessary, I have the topics discussed at our prior meeting stashed in my laptop. I can eas-” “Nope, gonna stop you there. Yes, right here.” Vanessa got off the chair and handed a piece of paper to Aria, who looked it over and sighed.
“Was that necessary? How long have you been my vice president?” Aria asked with a tired look, Vanessa flashing a smile. “About 2 quarters now, I think. Have I ever let you down?” Vanessa asked with a grin, Aria thinking for a second before turning back to the paper. “You are dependable yes, despite your…free spirted tendencies.” She remarked.
Vanessa sat at the table and cradled her head in her hands. “Free spirited…guess we moved on from goofing off, huh?” She teased, Aria sighing. “While I can’t condone some of your behaviors, you are someone I can trust to get stuff done. Alright?” Aria said, her expression softening. Vanessa rocked her head in her hands in delight. “Ooooo, approval from the great Aria Miyata. Praise me more, president!”
Aria ignored this, and started the meeting. She honestly couldn’t get a good read on Vanessa’s personality. She dressed like a delinquent and skateboarded around after class…but also manages to get good grades and excel at student government. A small part of Aria envied Vanessa…who could reap the benefits of getting good grades, and also doing what she wanted outside of school.
When the meeting finally ended, Aria moved to pack her stuff once more. Vanessa sat back in her chair, rocking the legs back and forth with her feet pressed against the edge of the table.
“So, where you headed now, Aria?” Vanessa asked, glancing at the student council president. She glanced over. “I’m required to head home and continue my lessons on diplomatic negotiation. It’s a necessary skill when I become HWIC president one day.” She said flatly. Vanessa narrowed her eyes at the response.
“Say…you don’t sound so excited. Do you actually want to take your dad’s job?” The vice president asked. Aria closed her eyes for a few seconds, then reopened them.
“It is my duty as the firstborn Miyata, Vanessa. Family dynasties make systems of power more comfortable with transitions, and eventually my father will want to step down to take on other du-” Aria’s sentence was interrupted when Vanessa raised her right leg and brought the heel down upon the table, making a loud noise.
“That wasn’t my question and you know it. I asked if you wanted to take the job, not if you're being forced to. You sound like a politician already.” Vanessa huffed. Aria was taken aback by this display. Why did she care if she wanted the job or not? This fact had been the subject of every waking moment of her life; preparing for the transition of power.
Before she could respond, Vanessa sat down normally and looked at Aria. “Tell you what. How about you tell your dad to go fuck himself, and we can hang out this evening? I’ll show you how to really have fun.” She winked at the president, who was even more taken aback.
Defying her dad at all was a frightening thought. Images of him yelling at her little sister for failing to learn complex scientific formulas ran through her head, or tearing apart a deck of cards her next eldest sister seemed to adore…punishment for cutting her hair too short. The thought of outright defying his orders made Aria’s breathing quicken.
She stood up and slipped her backpack on. “I-I appreciate your invitation, but I really must be off…” She turned to the door, but suddenly felt a strange sensation in her legs. Aria let out a high pitched yelp as she felt her body turn horizontal…cradled in Vanessa’s arms. She immediately began to blush.
“Wha-wha-what is the meaning…” Aria stammered, Vanessa shaking her head in response. “Sorry, not going to take no for an answer here. Come on, let’s have some fun!” Vanessa kicked over a worn black skateboard with intricate grafitti-like designs on the underside and placed a foot on top, speeding down the hallway with a blushing Aria in her arms.
Aria was mortified at the situation she found herself in. “V-Vanessa! Skateboarding in the halls is against th-” “Rules? I thought I told you, we’re breaking those today! Hang on!” Vanessa laughed as she turned a corner, Aria wrapping her hands around her neck for stability. For some reason…doing this also made her feel…happier? A strange feeling was bubbling in her chest as they raced out of the building and out to the concrete path outside.
“Oop, we got steps. Here we go!” “Steps?!” Aria yelped when Vanessa kicked the ground several times to gain speed, and leaped into the air as they began to fall down 7 steps. Aria let out a terrified yelp and gripped Vanessa’s body harder as they landed back on the board and rode toward the parking lot, where she skidded to a stop next to a black Subaru car.
One look at Aria’s face made Vanessa burst out laughing. “Pahahahaha, you should have heard yourself back there! Didn’t think I could break that cool attitude of yours so easily.” She joked, Aria putting her hands to her face in embarrassment.
“That was terrifying…” Aria said through muffled hands. Her heart was pounding more than ever…like she had just run around the school track. Vanessa giggled and set her down on the ground.
“Well now that we’re here…let’s go! We’re going somewhere and you’re going to have fun, alright miss red salamander?” Vanessa giggled more, seeing Aria’s red face as she wordlessly got into the passenger seat, her body seemingly moving on its own. It was strange, she was being made a fool…but a jolt of adrenaline had shot through her body after that jump. The exhilaration of breaking the rules at school, riding in someone’s arms…it felt strange. Perhaps…it was worth seeing what Vanessa was planning to do after all?
The drive was fast, Aria holding onto the handlebar as Vanessa weaved between traffic, face now covered by a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses. They pulled into the parking lot of a strange building with multicolored neon lights flashing outside. Aria read the letters out loud.
“Phoenix…arcade?” She asked, Vanessa nodding. “Yep! Best arcade in town. Ever play a game before?” Vanessa asked, Aria thinking back. She knew Skyler and Erin enjoyed playing on rectangular game systems that used cartridges, but she wasn’t sure what was on those screens. “I uh…can’t say that I have.” She said sheepishly.
Vanessa perked up. “Wow, you really are sheltered. Come on, I’ll show you what fun means.” She strolled along the parking lot, Aria walking alongside with businesslike precision. Was this how her dad taught her how to walk?
The two made their way into the building, and Aria was immediately overwhelmed by the sight of it all. Flashing lights were everywhere, and various electronic sounds emanate from the countless machines further into the building. Vanessa grabbed Aria by the hand and led her further into the building.
“Come on, let’s try this one first!” Vanessa exclaimed, pulling Aria in front of an arcade cabinet with several cartoon characters striking combat poses. “Street…fighter?” Aria asked in curiosity, taking note of the legs of the woman in hair buns. What a strange feature to highlight.
Vanessa put 2 quarters into the machine and pulled Aria up to the other side of the machine. “Yep! Light, mid, heavy attack, use the stick to move around. You’re the genius, you’ll figure it out!” Vanessa’s face grew a grin as she picked a blond-haired woman wearing a green leotard. Aria looked at the design with incredulity.
“Very…bold character designs.” She noted. Vanessa scoffed. “Pah, this is nothing. Come on, let’s go!” She said, looking Aria up and down for a second before putting her hands to her cheeks, then back to the controls. Aria only watched in confusion. She picked the lady with the hair buns on the side of the machine, and the two of them began the match.
The match ended with a decisive win for Vanessa, who looked at Aria with a wide grin. “Hey, not bad for your first try, president! Wanna go again, or are you chicken?” Her eyes squinted, challenging Aria. She smiled back and put a quarter of her own inside. “Oh, you have done it now. I got the hang of this now!” Aria fired back.
The game ended with an Aria victory, Vanessa looking on in disbelief. “How the heck did you learn simple combos so fast?!” The girl complained. Aria tossed her hair in satisfaction. “I was mapping out what each button combo did, and seeing what could follow which actions. It’s all trial and error.” She smirked. Vanessa saw the smirk and gave a warm smile. She liked seeing that.
“Ok, let’s try other games! Come on!” Vanessa grabbed Aria by the hand and led her around the arcade. They played a racing game together that likely explained where Vanessa learned how to drive, and had a particularly intense game of air hockey that sent a puck flying more than once. Both girls were laughing as they came upon two platforms with screens in front. Directional arrows surrounded the bottom of the platform, likely indicating inputs. Vanessa tugged at Aria’s arm and pointed.
“Ok, last game. We HAVE to play DDR! Come on!” Vanessa leaped on top of the platform and put a quarter inside. Aria stepped on with a little more trepidation, but carefully inserted her quarter as well. Vanessa eventually found a song and picked it. “Ok girl, super easy to learn! See the notes coming, and tap the right button with your feet! Let’s see how well you can dance, eh?” Vanessa challenged, Aria feeling a pang of embarrassment. Dancing like this in front of people was…embarrassing. But it felt strange…the high she was on from the other games was pushing that shame out of her mind. She flashed a grin at Vanessa.
“I’ll dance you off the stage, worm.” Aria stuck her tongue out at Vanessa, who burst out laughing. “Oh Aria, you’re adorable. Let’s dance!” With a press of the button, they were off.
It was a strange sensation, making a fool of herself in public like this. But for some reason, it all felt…right. One look at the goofy grin on Vanessa’s face set Aria’s mind at ease as she tapped along to the notes. Was this day…fun?
After the dance party was over, the girls exited the arcade, hands interlocked and swinging back and forth. “Ok, that was WAY more fun than I thought! Even a prim bitch like you can have fun, huh?” Vanessa teased, Aria rolling her eyes. “Least I didn’t trip during DDR and fall off the platform, you uncoordinated seagull.” Aria giggled, Vanessa laughing along. The two of them finally got back to the car, Aria feeling a sense of foreboding. “So uh…did you have anything else planned on your little kidnapping trip?” The president asked, Vanessa nodding and giving a small smile. “I think I have one more place I want to show you today.” Putting the car into reverse, the two began to drive once more.
The sun was now setting, far beyond what Aria’s required time to be home was. But that thought wasn’t on Aria’s mind. The two of them were excitedly talking about the games they had just played, teasing each other about their performance. Finally, they pulled up to a parking lot next to a cliffside overlooking the ocean. Vanessa put the car in park and stepped out.
“Welp, here we are. Help me get stuff out of the trunk, twinkle toes.” Vanessa winked at Aria, who rolled her eyes. “Whatever, puck catcher.” She recalled Vanessa leaping up and outright catching the puck Aria had shot into the air during air hockey. She followed Vanessa to the trunk and saw the girl holding a blue rolled-up blanket with white stars on it. Vanessa motioned to the other object inside; a cooler.
Aria grabbed the cooler and closed the trunk, the two finding a spot on the grassy hillside and setting the blanket up, taking a spot on it with the cooler between the two. Inside was an assortment of fruit, two turkey wraps, chocolate chip cookies, and two bottles of iced tea. Aria whistled when she saw the assortment. “Wow, you must have planned for this evening extensively…” She said aloud, genuinely impressed at the planning it must have involved…while making it look like a spur of the moment activity.
Vanessa gave a few laughs, leaning back. “Yeah well, figured you might get hungry if we ran into dinner time. Made those wraps this morning, by the way.” She said proudly, taking a bite of her own. Aria smiled and took a comparatively more measured bite of her’s. There was a question that was begging to be asked in her mind.
“Say…Vanessa? Why…do any of this? I’m hardly the first picked to have fun times with people…” She muttered, realizing how detached she was from her peers. Vanessa let out a sigh and tilted her head to face Aria’s.
“I did it because…I’ve been in your shoes. Told I was a genius, pushed hard, great expectations, all that bullshit. But guess what? I wasn’t having any fuckin’ fun doing all those assignments. I wanted to spend some of that free time on hanging out with my dog, going out to skate, hang out with friends, aaaaaaaaanything besides studying for a future I don’t care about. Sure it made my parents pissed, but I still get good grades. I just no longer need to be the best.” Vanessa explained. Her eyes then narrowed.
“And you’re in the same spot I was. Tell me, Aria. Do you feel in control of your life right now?” Vanessa stared at Aria intently, letting the question sink in. Aria was taken aback by this. Her first instinct was to say yes, since…that’s what she was taught. She wanted top grades, to be a star athlete, to be flawless. But no matter how many times she tried to tell herself that…it wasn’t true.
“...I…I don’t…” Aria stared at the grass stretching down before them. Emotions she had repressed to keep her perfect honor student façade up were now bubbling to the surface. Trying to stop it was like throwing a pebble into a river. Tears began to roll down Aria’s face.
“You’re right…my entire life, I was told I had to be perfect…and was punished for anything less…” Aria choked out. “...so I complied…did the studying…learn negotiation…listen to my father’s lectures…”
Suddenly, Aria felt herself get wrapped in a pair of arms, and pulled into a hug. Vanessa patted the girls’ back as the emotions flowed out. “Let it out, girl, let it out. Sounds like this dad of yours is a real asshole.”
The mention of his name made Aria glare. “Yeah, he freaking is! Do you know what he does to my other siblings?! He wants to mold my little sister into some fucking scientist, but she obviously doesn’t get it because she’s a kid! But he still screams at her! And my other sister joked about him being an authoritarian once, and he smashed her wrist-mounted plastic toy to prove her totally right! We’re not even people to him!” Aria yelled.
Vanessa continued the hug, patting her on the back further. “Yeah, fuck him! He doesn’t control your life, you do!” Vanessa called out, Aria nodding. “Oh my god, Vanessa…I don’t know what you did to me…but I feel SO much better now!” Aria exclaimed, eyes still glistening with tears, but a relieved expression on her face.
Vanessa pulled back from the hug to look at the girl in the eyes. She reached up to wipe some of the tears off her face. “Hey, showing emotions doesn’t make you weak, girl. I have enjoyed seeing this side of you tonight, you know?” Vanessa adjusted her hair, smiling at Aria. The blond girl gave a few short laughs. “I guess you cracked my mask…you jerk.” She looked away in embarrassment, then smiled back at Vanessa. “Hey uh, I had a great time tonight…and I hope we can have more days like these soon…” Aria fidgeted, feeling strange opening up like this. Vanessa moved forward, wiping another tear off Aria’s face, but keeping her hand on her cheek.
“Aria…I would love nothing more. May I…?” She asked, Aria freezing…then letting out a sigh. “You really are hopeless too, aren’t you?”
Leaning forward, Aria pressed her lips against Vanessa’s. The two hugged each other as the sun disappeared beneath the ocean far beneath the both of them. There would be consequences for tonight…but none of those mattered in this wonderful moment.
—
The memories faded away as the two adults stood in the HWIC locker room, Aria letting out a sigh when the memories were brought up. “Yes, it was quite some time ago. I am surprised to see you here…” The HWIC president said with resignation. Vanessa let the hug go and strolled around the room.
“Thought I was gone for good, huh? What were your words to me on that day…?” She mused, taking another exaggerated step. Aria leaned against a locker, recalling that fateful day. “Look…that was a stressful time in my life. Thrust into the president role unexpectedly, having to learn all the internal politics, handle the transition of power…”
“Oh, I’m aware. I tried to help you with that. But what were your words…ah right.” Vanessa’s face grew a frown. “Could you just…give me some space please?! Not all of us can blow off responsibilities like you.” She imitated. Aria clutched her temple, squeezing it between two fingers.
“So I obliged. Left the building, and went to college. Started dating a guy, married him, turned out he was abusive as hell, divorced him…experimented with substances, destroyed my life, rehabilitated myself with help from friends…and eventually decided to join this oh-so-important organization of yours.” Vanessa recounted. Aria looked on with concern. Her life had deteriorated that much after they broke up?
“I’m sorry you had to go through that, Vanessa. I had way too much pressure on me way too young…and have only sort of learned how to manage it. But that’s not an excuse to hurt you, so again…I’m sorry.”
Vanessa paused, reading Aria’s reaction. She then shrugged her shoulders. “Seems to me like you’re the one suffering more…why are you still president? No way you like this job, if you’re still the dork I remember.” A small smile spread across her face.
Aria thought about her response, but decided to be honest. “You’re correct…I don’t enjoy this job. But I’m trapped. I can’t reveal why I can’t leave…but let’s say it’s important, ok?” Aria tried to explain. Vanessa closed her eyes and walked forward, putting her hands on Aria’s shoulders.
“You really learned nothing on that picnic, did you? Well, I’ll be around more often to pester you, oh president.” Leaning forward, Vanessa pecked Aria on the cheek, pulling away and walking away with her hands behind her back. She leaned back to look at Aria one last time. “Good luck, twinkle toes.” She winked, and strolled out. Aria held her cheek in surprise…but her expression softened. “God, she’s amazing…” The president thought. She slowly got dressed and stepped into the elevator, ready to remember that moment the two just had for the rest of the day.
But she didn’t want to use mana right now, Aria just wanted something to take her mind off the countless tasks piling up in her office. Plus, nobody would want to ask any questions to someone who was clearly in the middle of something. After several more laps, HWIC president Aria Miyata stepped off the field, panting.
“Whew…I suppose I should first start with that report of the HW animal smuggling operation…Seto really came though this time.” Aria muttered to herself, stepping into the locker room. She was about to grab her stuff for a quick shower…when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind.
“Heeeeeeeeey. Been a while, hasn’t it? How are you doing, miss student council president?” A female voice that seemed roughly her age asked. Aria’s body froze. “...how…did you get here…?" Aria trailed off, knowing exactly who was talking to her.
The figure smirked, squeezing her captive. “I got a job in the R&D department, didn’t you know? Turns out they could use the skills of a marine biologist who has studied these…fascinating Hidden World creatures.” She said casually. Aria let out a sigh, turning around to face the woman before her. She looked to be in her late 30s, with long black hair that flowed down to her back. She wore a pair of pink workout shorts and a blue shirt with white stars running vertically down. She stood face-to-face with Aria, an amused expression on her face.
“...Vanessa.” Aria said, the woman grinning. “So you do remember my name, you jerk!” She squeezed, picking Aria’s feet off the ground for a second, before putting her back down again. “Yes well…how could I forget?” Aria said, nerves beginning to seep through. Vanessa grinned, sensing the opening. “It was so long ago, wasn’t it?”
Many years ago…
The final school bell of the day rang, and the teacher at the front waved at the class. “Have a good weekend, and remember; test Monday!” he called out. A blond-haired girl with her hair neatly tied back with a white ribbon waited for most people to file out of the classroom before packing her own books. The professor looked at the girl and nodded.
“Good work as always, Aria. I swear, nobody wants to answer questions anymore…” he trailed off. Aria politely smiled and zipped up her backpack. “Thank you, Mr. Simons. I do my best to answer what I can.” She stated. Mr. Simons let out a sigh. “And it’s appreciated. Maybe I’ll toss some extra credit your way…we’ll see. Have a good weekend.” He sat at his desk and waved, Aria standing up and politely waving as she exited the classroom.
Truthfully, the praise felt hollow to her ears. She had grown up hearing nothing but praise from her teachers. The term ‘genius’ was often used to describe her…but she wasn’t a genius. Her life was just a string of impossibly high standards that must be met. Failing these tasks wasn’t an option. Even after countless tests with high marks…they were merely seen as meeting expectations by the true force that ran her life.
She opened the door to a classroom and stepped inside, seeing a familiar girl inside. She had long black hair, and had a leather jacket over her red and black checkered shirt. The girl was tapping away on her phone when she noticed Aria.
“Hey, Aria! What’s up?” She asked. Aria silently pulled out a chair at the center table and sat down at the head, folding her arms. “Just here to conduct our weekly student council meeting. Did you make the agenda for today, Vanessa?” She asked. Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Hm…what if I didn’t? Did you make your own?” “If that is necessary, I have the topics discussed at our prior meeting stashed in my laptop. I can eas-” “Nope, gonna stop you there. Yes, right here.” Vanessa got off the chair and handed a piece of paper to Aria, who looked it over and sighed.
“Was that necessary? How long have you been my vice president?” Aria asked with a tired look, Vanessa flashing a smile. “About 2 quarters now, I think. Have I ever let you down?” Vanessa asked with a grin, Aria thinking for a second before turning back to the paper. “You are dependable yes, despite your…free spirted tendencies.” She remarked.
Vanessa sat at the table and cradled her head in her hands. “Free spirited…guess we moved on from goofing off, huh?” She teased, Aria sighing. “While I can’t condone some of your behaviors, you are someone I can trust to get stuff done. Alright?” Aria said, her expression softening. Vanessa rocked her head in her hands in delight. “Ooooo, approval from the great Aria Miyata. Praise me more, president!”
Aria ignored this, and started the meeting. She honestly couldn’t get a good read on Vanessa’s personality. She dressed like a delinquent and skateboarded around after class…but also manages to get good grades and excel at student government. A small part of Aria envied Vanessa…who could reap the benefits of getting good grades, and also doing what she wanted outside of school.
When the meeting finally ended, Aria moved to pack her stuff once more. Vanessa sat back in her chair, rocking the legs back and forth with her feet pressed against the edge of the table.
“So, where you headed now, Aria?” Vanessa asked, glancing at the student council president. She glanced over. “I’m required to head home and continue my lessons on diplomatic negotiation. It’s a necessary skill when I become HWIC president one day.” She said flatly. Vanessa narrowed her eyes at the response.
“Say…you don’t sound so excited. Do you actually want to take your dad’s job?” The vice president asked. Aria closed her eyes for a few seconds, then reopened them.
“It is my duty as the firstborn Miyata, Vanessa. Family dynasties make systems of power more comfortable with transitions, and eventually my father will want to step down to take on other du-” Aria’s sentence was interrupted when Vanessa raised her right leg and brought the heel down upon the table, making a loud noise.
“That wasn’t my question and you know it. I asked if you wanted to take the job, not if you're being forced to. You sound like a politician already.” Vanessa huffed. Aria was taken aback by this display. Why did she care if she wanted the job or not? This fact had been the subject of every waking moment of her life; preparing for the transition of power.
Before she could respond, Vanessa sat down normally and looked at Aria. “Tell you what. How about you tell your dad to go fuck himself, and we can hang out this evening? I’ll show you how to really have fun.” She winked at the president, who was even more taken aback.
Defying her dad at all was a frightening thought. Images of him yelling at her little sister for failing to learn complex scientific formulas ran through her head, or tearing apart a deck of cards her next eldest sister seemed to adore…punishment for cutting her hair too short. The thought of outright defying his orders made Aria’s breathing quicken.
She stood up and slipped her backpack on. “I-I appreciate your invitation, but I really must be off…” She turned to the door, but suddenly felt a strange sensation in her legs. Aria let out a high pitched yelp as she felt her body turn horizontal…cradled in Vanessa’s arms. She immediately began to blush.
“Wha-wha-what is the meaning…” Aria stammered, Vanessa shaking her head in response. “Sorry, not going to take no for an answer here. Come on, let’s have some fun!” Vanessa kicked over a worn black skateboard with intricate grafitti-like designs on the underside and placed a foot on top, speeding down the hallway with a blushing Aria in her arms.
Aria was mortified at the situation she found herself in. “V-Vanessa! Skateboarding in the halls is against th-” “Rules? I thought I told you, we’re breaking those today! Hang on!” Vanessa laughed as she turned a corner, Aria wrapping her hands around her neck for stability. For some reason…doing this also made her feel…happier? A strange feeling was bubbling in her chest as they raced out of the building and out to the concrete path outside.
“Oop, we got steps. Here we go!” “Steps?!” Aria yelped when Vanessa kicked the ground several times to gain speed, and leaped into the air as they began to fall down 7 steps. Aria let out a terrified yelp and gripped Vanessa’s body harder as they landed back on the board and rode toward the parking lot, where she skidded to a stop next to a black Subaru car.
One look at Aria’s face made Vanessa burst out laughing. “Pahahahaha, you should have heard yourself back there! Didn’t think I could break that cool attitude of yours so easily.” She joked, Aria putting her hands to her face in embarrassment.
“That was terrifying…” Aria said through muffled hands. Her heart was pounding more than ever…like she had just run around the school track. Vanessa giggled and set her down on the ground.
“Well now that we’re here…let’s go! We’re going somewhere and you’re going to have fun, alright miss red salamander?” Vanessa giggled more, seeing Aria’s red face as she wordlessly got into the passenger seat, her body seemingly moving on its own. It was strange, she was being made a fool…but a jolt of adrenaline had shot through her body after that jump. The exhilaration of breaking the rules at school, riding in someone’s arms…it felt strange. Perhaps…it was worth seeing what Vanessa was planning to do after all?
The drive was fast, Aria holding onto the handlebar as Vanessa weaved between traffic, face now covered by a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses. They pulled into the parking lot of a strange building with multicolored neon lights flashing outside. Aria read the letters out loud.
“Phoenix…arcade?” She asked, Vanessa nodding. “Yep! Best arcade in town. Ever play a game before?” Vanessa asked, Aria thinking back. She knew Skyler and Erin enjoyed playing on rectangular game systems that used cartridges, but she wasn’t sure what was on those screens. “I uh…can’t say that I have.” She said sheepishly.
Vanessa perked up. “Wow, you really are sheltered. Come on, I’ll show you what fun means.” She strolled along the parking lot, Aria walking alongside with businesslike precision. Was this how her dad taught her how to walk?
The two made their way into the building, and Aria was immediately overwhelmed by the sight of it all. Flashing lights were everywhere, and various electronic sounds emanate from the countless machines further into the building. Vanessa grabbed Aria by the hand and led her further into the building.
“Come on, let’s try this one first!” Vanessa exclaimed, pulling Aria in front of an arcade cabinet with several cartoon characters striking combat poses. “Street…fighter?” Aria asked in curiosity, taking note of the legs of the woman in hair buns. What a strange feature to highlight.
Vanessa put 2 quarters into the machine and pulled Aria up to the other side of the machine. “Yep! Light, mid, heavy attack, use the stick to move around. You’re the genius, you’ll figure it out!” Vanessa’s face grew a grin as she picked a blond-haired woman wearing a green leotard. Aria looked at the design with incredulity.
“Very…bold character designs.” She noted. Vanessa scoffed. “Pah, this is nothing. Come on, let’s go!” She said, looking Aria up and down for a second before putting her hands to her cheeks, then back to the controls. Aria only watched in confusion. She picked the lady with the hair buns on the side of the machine, and the two of them began the match.
The match ended with a decisive win for Vanessa, who looked at Aria with a wide grin. “Hey, not bad for your first try, president! Wanna go again, or are you chicken?” Her eyes squinted, challenging Aria. She smiled back and put a quarter of her own inside. “Oh, you have done it now. I got the hang of this now!” Aria fired back.
The game ended with an Aria victory, Vanessa looking on in disbelief. “How the heck did you learn simple combos so fast?!” The girl complained. Aria tossed her hair in satisfaction. “I was mapping out what each button combo did, and seeing what could follow which actions. It’s all trial and error.” She smirked. Vanessa saw the smirk and gave a warm smile. She liked seeing that.
“Ok, let’s try other games! Come on!” Vanessa grabbed Aria by the hand and led her around the arcade. They played a racing game together that likely explained where Vanessa learned how to drive, and had a particularly intense game of air hockey that sent a puck flying more than once. Both girls were laughing as they came upon two platforms with screens in front. Directional arrows surrounded the bottom of the platform, likely indicating inputs. Vanessa tugged at Aria’s arm and pointed.
“Ok, last game. We HAVE to play DDR! Come on!” Vanessa leaped on top of the platform and put a quarter inside. Aria stepped on with a little more trepidation, but carefully inserted her quarter as well. Vanessa eventually found a song and picked it. “Ok girl, super easy to learn! See the notes coming, and tap the right button with your feet! Let’s see how well you can dance, eh?” Vanessa challenged, Aria feeling a pang of embarrassment. Dancing like this in front of people was…embarrassing. But it felt strange…the high she was on from the other games was pushing that shame out of her mind. She flashed a grin at Vanessa.
“I’ll dance you off the stage, worm.” Aria stuck her tongue out at Vanessa, who burst out laughing. “Oh Aria, you’re adorable. Let’s dance!” With a press of the button, they were off.
It was a strange sensation, making a fool of herself in public like this. But for some reason, it all felt…right. One look at the goofy grin on Vanessa’s face set Aria’s mind at ease as she tapped along to the notes. Was this day…fun?
After the dance party was over, the girls exited the arcade, hands interlocked and swinging back and forth. “Ok, that was WAY more fun than I thought! Even a prim bitch like you can have fun, huh?” Vanessa teased, Aria rolling her eyes. “Least I didn’t trip during DDR and fall off the platform, you uncoordinated seagull.” Aria giggled, Vanessa laughing along. The two of them finally got back to the car, Aria feeling a sense of foreboding. “So uh…did you have anything else planned on your little kidnapping trip?” The president asked, Vanessa nodding and giving a small smile. “I think I have one more place I want to show you today.” Putting the car into reverse, the two began to drive once more.
The sun was now setting, far beyond what Aria’s required time to be home was. But that thought wasn’t on Aria’s mind. The two of them were excitedly talking about the games they had just played, teasing each other about their performance. Finally, they pulled up to a parking lot next to a cliffside overlooking the ocean. Vanessa put the car in park and stepped out.
“Welp, here we are. Help me get stuff out of the trunk, twinkle toes.” Vanessa winked at Aria, who rolled her eyes. “Whatever, puck catcher.” She recalled Vanessa leaping up and outright catching the puck Aria had shot into the air during air hockey. She followed Vanessa to the trunk and saw the girl holding a blue rolled-up blanket with white stars on it. Vanessa motioned to the other object inside; a cooler.
Aria grabbed the cooler and closed the trunk, the two finding a spot on the grassy hillside and setting the blanket up, taking a spot on it with the cooler between the two. Inside was an assortment of fruit, two turkey wraps, chocolate chip cookies, and two bottles of iced tea. Aria whistled when she saw the assortment. “Wow, you must have planned for this evening extensively…” She said aloud, genuinely impressed at the planning it must have involved…while making it look like a spur of the moment activity.
Vanessa gave a few laughs, leaning back. “Yeah well, figured you might get hungry if we ran into dinner time. Made those wraps this morning, by the way.” She said proudly, taking a bite of her own. Aria smiled and took a comparatively more measured bite of her’s. There was a question that was begging to be asked in her mind.
“Say…Vanessa? Why…do any of this? I’m hardly the first picked to have fun times with people…” She muttered, realizing how detached she was from her peers. Vanessa let out a sigh and tilted her head to face Aria’s.
“I did it because…I’ve been in your shoes. Told I was a genius, pushed hard, great expectations, all that bullshit. But guess what? I wasn’t having any fuckin’ fun doing all those assignments. I wanted to spend some of that free time on hanging out with my dog, going out to skate, hang out with friends, aaaaaaaaanything besides studying for a future I don’t care about. Sure it made my parents pissed, but I still get good grades. I just no longer need to be the best.” Vanessa explained. Her eyes then narrowed.
“And you’re in the same spot I was. Tell me, Aria. Do you feel in control of your life right now?” Vanessa stared at Aria intently, letting the question sink in. Aria was taken aback by this. Her first instinct was to say yes, since…that’s what she was taught. She wanted top grades, to be a star athlete, to be flawless. But no matter how many times she tried to tell herself that…it wasn’t true.
“...I…I don’t…” Aria stared at the grass stretching down before them. Emotions she had repressed to keep her perfect honor student façade up were now bubbling to the surface. Trying to stop it was like throwing a pebble into a river. Tears began to roll down Aria’s face.
“You’re right…my entire life, I was told I had to be perfect…and was punished for anything less…” Aria choked out. “...so I complied…did the studying…learn negotiation…listen to my father’s lectures…”
Suddenly, Aria felt herself get wrapped in a pair of arms, and pulled into a hug. Vanessa patted the girls’ back as the emotions flowed out. “Let it out, girl, let it out. Sounds like this dad of yours is a real asshole.”
The mention of his name made Aria glare. “Yeah, he freaking is! Do you know what he does to my other siblings?! He wants to mold my little sister into some fucking scientist, but she obviously doesn’t get it because she’s a kid! But he still screams at her! And my other sister joked about him being an authoritarian once, and he smashed her wrist-mounted plastic toy to prove her totally right! We’re not even people to him!” Aria yelled.
Vanessa continued the hug, patting her on the back further. “Yeah, fuck him! He doesn’t control your life, you do!” Vanessa called out, Aria nodding. “Oh my god, Vanessa…I don’t know what you did to me…but I feel SO much better now!” Aria exclaimed, eyes still glistening with tears, but a relieved expression on her face.
Vanessa pulled back from the hug to look at the girl in the eyes. She reached up to wipe some of the tears off her face. “Hey, showing emotions doesn’t make you weak, girl. I have enjoyed seeing this side of you tonight, you know?” Vanessa adjusted her hair, smiling at Aria. The blond girl gave a few short laughs. “I guess you cracked my mask…you jerk.” She looked away in embarrassment, then smiled back at Vanessa. “Hey uh, I had a great time tonight…and I hope we can have more days like these soon…” Aria fidgeted, feeling strange opening up like this. Vanessa moved forward, wiping another tear off Aria’s face, but keeping her hand on her cheek.
“Aria…I would love nothing more. May I…?” She asked, Aria freezing…then letting out a sigh. “You really are hopeless too, aren’t you?”
Leaning forward, Aria pressed her lips against Vanessa’s. The two hugged each other as the sun disappeared beneath the ocean far beneath the both of them. There would be consequences for tonight…but none of those mattered in this wonderful moment.
—
The memories faded away as the two adults stood in the HWIC locker room, Aria letting out a sigh when the memories were brought up. “Yes, it was quite some time ago. I am surprised to see you here…” The HWIC president said with resignation. Vanessa let the hug go and strolled around the room.
“Thought I was gone for good, huh? What were your words to me on that day…?” She mused, taking another exaggerated step. Aria leaned against a locker, recalling that fateful day. “Look…that was a stressful time in my life. Thrust into the president role unexpectedly, having to learn all the internal politics, handle the transition of power…”
“Oh, I’m aware. I tried to help you with that. But what were your words…ah right.” Vanessa’s face grew a frown. “Could you just…give me some space please?! Not all of us can blow off responsibilities like you.” She imitated. Aria clutched her temple, squeezing it between two fingers.
“So I obliged. Left the building, and went to college. Started dating a guy, married him, turned out he was abusive as hell, divorced him…experimented with substances, destroyed my life, rehabilitated myself with help from friends…and eventually decided to join this oh-so-important organization of yours.” Vanessa recounted. Aria looked on with concern. Her life had deteriorated that much after they broke up?
“I’m sorry you had to go through that, Vanessa. I had way too much pressure on me way too young…and have only sort of learned how to manage it. But that’s not an excuse to hurt you, so again…I’m sorry.”
Vanessa paused, reading Aria’s reaction. She then shrugged her shoulders. “Seems to me like you’re the one suffering more…why are you still president? No way you like this job, if you’re still the dork I remember.” A small smile spread across her face.
Aria thought about her response, but decided to be honest. “You’re correct…I don’t enjoy this job. But I’m trapped. I can’t reveal why I can’t leave…but let’s say it’s important, ok?” Aria tried to explain. Vanessa closed her eyes and walked forward, putting her hands on Aria’s shoulders.
“You really learned nothing on that picnic, did you? Well, I’ll be around more often to pester you, oh president.” Leaning forward, Vanessa pecked Aria on the cheek, pulling away and walking away with her hands behind her back. She leaned back to look at Aria one last time. “Good luck, twinkle toes.” She winked, and strolled out. Aria held her cheek in surprise…but her expression softened. “God, she’s amazing…” The president thought. She slowly got dressed and stepped into the elevator, ready to remember that moment the two just had for the rest of the day.