Room 504, Thursday Afternoon (After Classes)

[intraspective]

Ino had to admit that, really, she was pleased as anything about the fact that she got to show off her plants and have them be admired by someone who actually knew a bunch about them.

Which would be why she was fussing with her plants, rearranging them infinitesimally while she waited and tried not to look like she was waiting. Luckily, her plants were a rather good distraction.

Even if she was tired, and kinda wanted a nap instead.

[Expecting one, totally open for all. Door is open!]

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[intraspective]

Ino squinted at the wording of that.

"Mmmm."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"What, Ino? What are you thinking?"

[intraspective]

"Well," she said slowly, "'own kind'--isn't that a bit vague? I mean, that could mean human, that could mean female, that could mean kind and gentle, that could even mean someone else with a curse like yours."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Not for me no," she replied. "This curse was particular to just my family, the Wilhern's, Ino. There is no room for anything other than what the old witch meant. She cursed the first female, Wilhern heir."

[intraspective]

"Why?" Ino asked simply. "I mean, I'm just trying to understand. People don't generally curse other people for nothing, you know?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Generations ago, a Wilhern heir slept with a Wilhern servant girl. She became pregnant and while this Wilhern heir would have married her, he was laughed at for such a suggestion, so thereafter ignored the pregnant servant girl. She was so overcome and distraught, she tossed herself off a cliff, killing herself and her unborn baby. The witch that cursed my family, was her mother."

[intraspective]

...

"...I don't think it's fair that someone who had totally nothing to do with the situation should have to deal with a curse."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She smiled, a little sadly. "I don't either. When I was born my parents took me to a plastic surgeon to see if my nose and ears could be fixed. They cannot. The tabloids went crazy so my mother decided to hold a fake funeral for me. I was cremated," she smirked, "and so you know the rest. I was raised in my own home, never to see the light of day except shining through my windows. Oh, and of course the numerous suitors that my mother piled upon me."

[intraspective]

"When do you graduate, Penelope? I mean, Hurley knows 'bout this, right?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I'm only a junior," she told her. "Hurley knows... most of it. Not in any detail like I've explained to you. He graduates in May, did you know?"

[intraspective]

Ino made a face. "I try not to know," she admitted. "I'm losing, like, half my friends this graduation."

Graduation sucked.

"But, I mean, if he's graduating this May right, then I'd advise you not to worry 'bout it. No one ever said anything 'bout the person you're dating being the 'forever someone' and it's, like, what? Three-four months? Have fun, don't get engaged in that time, and just let it go. There's all sorts of loves, you know? And if he's leaving, it's a natural ending. Enjoy it while he's here."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry," she comforted, quietly.

And then she listened and nodded and began to smile. "It was what I was thinking but I didn't know if it was fair. If we grow too attached, it will hurt, but it will be a natural ending, just like you said, and I can't hope for anything better than that."

[intraspective]

She was totally just going to pretend graduation didn't exist for a few more months. Denial was excellent.

"You'll have good memories," Ino said supportively, "and know that the fact that you two part isn't because of you, and isn't because of him--just that it was time. It'll probably hurt, but as breakups go it's gentle. You know it's coming."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Penelope sighed in relief, and most of all in a self-satisfaction that enabled her to feel better about the entire situation and that Hurley knew. They could both just enjoy the time while they had it.

"Thank you, Ino. Sometimes a situation is better able to be seen through someone elses eyes."

[intraspective]

She grinned a bit at that. "Well," Ino said, "I totally have no problems listening to other people if they want me too."

A tug at her hair.

"Penelope? You know my crown of flowers on Tuesday? Can I get your opinion on something?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I appreciate it," she smiled.

"Mhm, of course you may."

[intraspective]

"Okay, so like, if you had a fight with someone, right? This someone was, like, a sibling sort of though not by blood. And they said you ought not talk to them 'til you're less, um, snide and stuff, and then you go and talk to them anyway and tell them what you're really thinking 'bout them, and it's not very nice, but you thought telling the truth was better 'cause at least then it's honest and out in the open, and then got mad and yelled and said for you to get out of their sight..."

Her lips twisted. "And yet, for all of that, they don't seem to care 'bout what you said at all, even though they shouted. What do you think that means?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Her brow wrinkled up a little as she thought about that, worked out the scenerio in her mind. It seemed very complicated and very deep and now the crown Ino had worn made perfect sense. Penelope felt strong emotions for her right now.

"I would say their shouting means quite the opposite, Ino. That they do indeed care, and that they care very much. One's emotions are raw and worn on one's sleeves when that happens. Whether angry or not, why yell if indifferent?"

[intraspective]

She shrugged, a bit irritably but not at Penelope. "Then why don't they seem to care beyond that? I mean, the one that said all the awful things they meant," her, "seems to feel a lot worse 'bout it while they're busy playing with their dog."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Penelope blinked. "I... can't say, for certain, but were I this person who all those awful things were said to, meant or not, I would be trying to make myself happy to overcome the hurt I was dealing with. And," she chewed her lip, "...and I wouldn't want anyone to know I was hurting. If those things said about me were true, then I wouldn't want anyone else to know that I was possibly a terrible person."

A beat.

"Or what have you since I don't know the entire story."

[intraspective]

"One of the things that was said, was that always things were being said by them to get as much sympathy as possible," she admitted. "But it would be weird for them to change over night, it doesn't make much sense."

She shrugs. "It makes the one who said the things, things that were meant to hurt but also to heal," sweetbriar, "feel like they never mattered in the first place."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I think the one who said the things, feels worse because there was no end for them. There was yelling for that person to leave, and so they did. Hurt. It's an open wound that will just continue to fester until it's resolved and left to heal."

She watched her carefully. "Sometimes people can't be spoken to about the truth. They put a wall up and ignore the obvious because it is true and they are trying to overcome it, but in their own time and without the help from anyone else, family or not. That or they just don't want anyone to know, deep down, who they really are. Needy people, Ino, will do and say or not do and say, to simply get attention, negative or not. If one seeks sympathy, one can imagine they grew up never having had affection and desperately wanting it here."

She shrugged. "I'm sorry, I don't know much about this sort of thing. I have no siblings. I had no friends growing up. People are... odd to me at times."

[intraspective]

Her smile that time wasn't kind at all.

"And they'll find, when they come around, that those that cared for them haven't waited. There's better things to do than help someone who just regresses every time someone does something they don't like. Especially after over a year of learning different."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She tilted her head, curiously. "Was this person talked to, or yelled at?"

[intraspective]

"Talked to," she said stiffly. "Not kindly, but no voices were raised until the end and they yelled."