POLO! Get Ready For The Epicness!

Riley paused as he heard a voice behind him, turning back to see what was going on. He was mildly surprised when the girl from the fire - Lizzie, as he understood she was called - hurried over to him and actually thanked him! Riley was utterly shocked by her show of appreciation, but he couldn't help but enjoy it a little. "Don' mention it." He murmured, eyes downcast as he scuffed the toe of his shoe shyly on the ground.

Everyone's heads turned away from us as the fire crew pulled up on the field and instantly started to work on extinguishing the flames, that had now spread through most of the math block as well.
"Yeah...I was really stupid." I chuckled a little, not really seeing anything funny about the situation though.

Riley shrugged, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Yeah..." He repeated slowly, still looking down and fidgeting nervously. "Ya shoulda been ou'side, I guess." He pointed out stupidly - speaking simply to avoid being silent.
Crippling shyness overwhelmed him, and despite the fact that he towered over Lizzie, Riley felt small and vulnerable in her presence.

I watched as they extinguished the wrecked buildings, turning back to him. "I'm Lizzie. If you haven't already heard."

"I heard." Riley replied with a dull nod. "I'm Riley, if it interests ya." His words were spoken in a self-conscious mumble - eyes still on the ground, and Irish accent strong in his voice.
Lizzie seemed all right... But he was still unsure.

I smiled. "Nice to meet ya Riley. It looks like we're not going to get much school." I gestured to the burnt buildings. "Wonder how it started."

'Nice to meet ya.' Riley repeated the words in his head, and wondered vaguely if Lizzie was mocking his accent. He decided he didn't care.
"Dunno." He replied vaguely in response to her question - never having been one for words.

I scuffed my shoe awkwardly, I'd always been too chatty, and now it was getting awkward. Thankfully the teachers broke up the conversation.
"Students, it is advised that you all return home immediately. A letter will be sent out to all your parents informing them of the nature of this incident.
I sighed.
"Oh no...I can't go home."

Riley cocked his head in slight curiousity at the girl's muttered comment. He'd invite her back to his place, but he thought it was probably best not to. His little apartment was certainly no place for a lady... So instead of offering, he remained silent, and wondered if Lizzie would offer any sort of explanation for being unable to go home, as she said.

I looked at Riley's confused expression.
"Well my parents and I don't exactly see eye to eye." I explained. "Well, to put it mildly." I sighed, looking around at all the people who were starting to head out of the grounds. Emma rushed over to me.
"C'mon Lizzie..." She noticed the annoyed expression on my face. "You can come back to mine if you want..."
I shook my head.
"It's okay Em. I can handle it." I chuckled slightly.

"Sorry." Riley murmured, nodding his sympathy.
When her friend came over, Riley shuffled away from Lizzie - accepting Emma's arrival as his dismissal.
"Take care." He said quietly to Lizzie as he turned away. "Ya breathed in qui'e a lot of smoke, so..."
He trailed off with a shrug, not sure if she had heard him, nor really caring. Then he began sneaking slowly away.

I vaguely heard Riley's mutter, but over Emma's babble it was practically inaudible. "Y-yeah..."
I looked over to Emma. "Sorry Em. I'll catch you up." I headed out, as I was one of the last people out of the school. I was still coughing as I reached my front door, maybe I should see a doctor or something, Riley was right. Smoke like that was horribly poisonous. Opening the door, I stepped into the house and was confronted by my dad.
"Why are you home so early Elizabeth?"
I winced. "Well our school was...it was burnt down, and-" I paused to cough again, "we were told to come home..."

((Can we time skip to a point where they can meet up ASAP? I don't have the sort of brilliant mind that lets me RP solo. Haha!))

Riley walked back slowly to his apartment, his limb gradually becoming more pronounced as adrenaline wore off, and the burns and injuries he'd secured dragging Lizzie from the flames began harassing him. He reached 'home' not long later, and let himself in, closing the door behind him and shuffling over to his bedroom for a nap.

((Sure I haven't got the energy to Solo RP either xD))

"I DON'T CARE DAD!" I screamed from the door, slamming it furiously and half walking, half running to the park, tears starting to stream down my face. I threw myself on the seat of the swings, head in hands. "God...why does family life have to be so crap?" I muttered to myself through my tears. I pulled on my hoodie that I was carrying, it was getting rather dark, and rather cold.

((Bump ))

Later that day, Riley was struck by a sudden craving, and decided to head outside for some fresh air. He drew in a deep breath, then began walking stiffly toward the park near his house - still sore from his excursions in the fire earlier.
By the time he reached the park, Riley had a headache. All the same, he ignored it and glanced around - apparently looking for something.
He didn't find it - but what he did find instead piqued his curiosity. There, on the swings, sat a familiar figure.
"Lizzie?" He questioned uncertainly - not sure if she would hear his soft voice from the distance, nor sure if he wanted her to. He was terrible at socialising... Perhaps he'd be better off just heading home.

I looked up, wiping some of my tears away. Presumably my face was horribly red, but I was too upset to care. "Hi Riley." I muttered, putting my head against the chains on the swing. I didn't say anything else to him, I wasn't in the mood to talk.

((Bumpikins ))

Riley shifted uncertainly - not sure if he should just walk off, or if he should try to do something to comfort Lizzie. He glanced down at his hands - bleeding and bandaged - and the decision was made for him.
"Something wrong?" He asked casually - sitting down on the swing beside Lizzie's - though he barely fit - and scuffing his massive shoe against the dusty ground.

((Oh my - all this time, it was my turn to post. XD ))

((XD Silly Polokins ))

"You could say that." I sniffed, glad to have some company, even though I knew I was in a sour mood. I rocked back on the swing slightly, finding the rhythmic pendulum strangely calming. "Just..something at home." I added, resting my head against the chains of the swing.

"D'you wanna talk abou' it?" He asked, staring vaguely into the distance, and swaying the swing slightly back and forth - letting the soles of his shoes scrape over the ground. He wasn't really one to talk, but he figured it couldn't hurt to listen...

I sighed, smiling a bit. "Well I wouldn't really want to put you in a mood like mine. Unless you want to be. Well it's all really centered around my Dad. He's...well...annoyed nearly all the time. He spends his life devoted to the drink, and comes home nearly all the time in a drunken rage. Today was one of his days, and I should really learn how to cope with it by now, but I just cant..."

"I'm sorry..." Riley murmured, not sure what else to say. What was he supposed to say...? He just didn't know.

((Okay... SO sorry, but I just wasn't getting anything else. O.o ))