The Crash Years

Drew wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He was not used to having to deal with this. What on earth should he say? He had never gotten caught before. "Um... Well, just because I could, I guess? I mean, I stare at people lots. But, you know, well... there are no other people here to stare at? I don't know. Sorry. You can go back to studying. Sorry for interrupting you."

Cole looked at Drew thoughtfully for a moment. "No, I won't," he said, knowing he was just going to fluster the other more even more now. "I want to know why you stare at people. It's sort of creepy, you know."

Drew groaned. "Why does it matter? I mean, I have my reasons, but..." Drew got a bit defensive. "Why should I tell you, anyway? You were just really snooty to my friend and I. I don't know why I should tell you anything."

Cole shrugged. "I'm just curious, is all," he explained, making an expression that looked quite pathetic. "And, I'm...sort of sorry. It's...it was just behavior that's expected of me...my whole family just...Why am I explaining myself to you?"

Drew was a bit skeptical, but the kid looked fairly sorry, and Drew was not one to hold a grudge. That was Demi's job. "Here, I'll tell you what. An explanation for an explanation. Why is it expected from you? Your parents taught you to be an ignorant prat?"

"Yeah, they sort of did," Cole said, voice snippy, because in all honesty he did not want to talk about this. "As did my two older brothers..."

"Eep. That's rough. I'm honestly so glad I'm an only child. It's much better that way." Drew paused for a second. "Now for your explanation, I suppose. People are interesting. I'm one of those people who is interested in other people, and it's amazing what you learn by just paying attention. So many people don't give other people the time of day, judging and all that nonsense. You learn a lot by just sitting and watching." Drew decided to throw in, "Demi always relies on me to give her the latest gossip because I watch people during class. It's amazing how much you can tell just based on body language."

Cole actually looked genuinely interested in Drew's explanation. "So you watch people to learn about them, eh?" he asked. "What have you learned about me then?"

Drew squirmed, a bit uncomfortable. "Well, I don't usually tell people about that. It's not... it's just observations, and I don't like to share those kind of things. It's private, you know? I mean, you don't just spout everything you think of other people, do you? No. You leave them to figure it out on their own. At least, most people do. I'm assuming you would. You don't seem like the sharing type."

Cole frowned. "That's quite a pity, since I would tell you what I've learned about from just talking to you today. However....since you're not sharing."

Drew weighed his options. "Fine. I don't know much about you, yet. You're aloof. You do what is expected of you, but you usually aren't happy with it. You work hard, but only because that's what your family wants of you. You aren't the most sociable person, but you are relatively happy that way. You don't need to be surrounded by people all the time."

Cole thought over what Drew had said for a short moment. "You're quite good at people watching..er..yeah I don't have a name to call you."

Drew grinned. He was good at what he did--he had to be. He had been doing it for a long time. "Drew. Er... well, Andrew Alaska, actually, but I go by Drew. And thank you, I suppose. Now it's your turn, I believe."

Cole made a thoughtful face. "Weeell," he said after a moment. "You're obviously intelligent, at least in some case, and you're good with people, that's a given. Even if it's not actually interacting with them. You're just...are you getting what I mean?"

Drew smiled, slightly amused at Cole's inability to express himself. However, he DID understand what Cole was talking about--he had been told many times that he was a silent observer, an anomaly because he could understand people by watching from the outside. "I think I do, yes. You're really not used to talking about this kind of thing are you?"

Cole sighed. "Correction: I'm not used to talk at all," he muttered quietly, wondering if that statement was going to lead into another 'Let's tell Cole's life story to a stranger' moments.

Drew looked at Cole quizzically. When he made that statement, he almost looked resigned, as if he was preparing himself for some grand torture. "You don't have to tell me about it, you know. I suspect a very small part of you does, or else you would not have made such a comment out loud. However, obviously, if you don't WANT to talk, you don't. I would not be offended."

Cole shrugged a little bit. "I just...I don't get to talk a lot," he muttered. "Once again, it's a family thing."

Drew's nose scrunched up. "That sounds horrible. Why on earth would your family disapprove of talking?"

Cole sighed. "They don't. It's just because I'm the youngest. Policy around home is I just listen unless it's a question to understand something. I mean...because my brothers are out of the house, I'm meant to learn from mum and dad while I'm home and, in their words mostly, I can't learn if I'm commenting."

Drew blinked. "Ahh, so they're 'children are to be seen, not to be heard' kind of people. Even though you are certainly not a child anymore. That's rather ridiculous. I would hate that."

"That's one way to put it," Cole muttered. "Although, I don't think they like to see me either. I'm the disappointment of the family."

Drew frowned. "How on earth are you a disappointment?"

"My brothers are smarter...more charismatic...better in every way..."

Drew shrugged. "I don't get why they would sit there and constantly compare you to your brothers. You are completely different people. Also, maybe the fact that you don't think you're as smart or as charismatic is because you haven't figured out what you ARE yet. I mean, anyone who is trying to be someone else always seems like a lesser version of whoever they are emulating. Maybe if you work to be yourself instead of working to please your parents, you'd be happier?"