{MIW} Aaaaaatrrrrrrreeeeeyyyyuuuuu

[Akeem Ten-Amen]

“Akeem,” he repeated. It had been weird enough that she called him with pretty much every A name possible, at least the weirdest ones, but he didn’t get where she got this Atreyu. Even after he told her his name, she kept saying it, like it did not reached her brain yet that Akeem was his name. One other thing. He doubted she got where he was coming from. Or where he was getting at. At all. Otherwise, she would have blushed, cried, apologized, ran away, some of those options or all of them. She did neither. He should be scared.

“Yes, well I’m villain, alright. I’ll grow a mustache if I have to.” Great, now he was starting to think like her. He could just feel the brain cells dying up there. He needed another approach. But what? Everything he ever tried on her only resulted in more problem. Because the last thing he wanted was for this crazy blonde girl chasing after him to teach him the virtues of friendship. The virtues of friendship...

“I already have someone for that. You want to take their role? That’s not really nice. Maybe you are the villain manipulating everyone.” Okay, that was far-fetched and should she ask for a name, he’d be at a loss. Who could fit that role? Not a lot of people he knew. But he’d find someone, even if he had to invent them.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

"Right, Atreyu," Frank repeated, adding another nod. Seriously, why would he stick with something like Akeem when he could go with something like Atreyu? Even if he didn't, Frank was pretty well determined to keep using that, and once Frank set her mind on something, she had this fun tendency not to ever waver, like, at all.

Though she did have to start rubbing her chin as Atreyu talked about being a villain. "Nah, you don't seem like you really want that. See, villains are the ones that totally want to hurt people and do bad things just because, or because they're misled or something else. I'm thinking you're more just used to getting your way and stuff. Which kinda makes you villainous, but the kind that can be saved with love."

Frank nodded a few times, quite confident that all her knowledge of right and wrong (delivered mostly via cartoons) was quite clear on this one. His next assertion threw her for a slight loop, however, and she had to let out a squeal.

"Oh, oh, really? Because that's just awesome! I didn't know there was even anyone else out there who was totally doing what I'm doing and all! You should totes let me know who so we can hook up and be all awesome together and---waaiit," Frank paused to point at him, "do you have a crush on this person? Because love can change people, Atreyu. See, now you have to tell me who it is so I can start shipping you two and spreading the lurv!" Frank hopped up and down a few more times, just absolutely thrilled at this latest development.

[Akeem Ten-Amen]

Although the idea this girl could not know his name was a relief, there was something rather frustrating in repeating over and over one’s name only to see it would not stick. He had no desire to be called Atreyu, by anyone. Including this girl. He didn’t need any nickname. Akeem was his name and it was all he should be called by. Nothing else.

One would think the fact he could not even know her name would mean this relationship, or whatever she thought there was between them, was bound to fail. If not, the fact Akeem had no desire to remember her name, just like she seemed to find hard to remember his, indicated he didn’t want her around. Only this girl was not thinking like a common person with common knowledge. The fact she called him Atreyu or that he didn’t know her name meant nothing to her.

And he apparently could be saved with love. He raised his gaze to the sky. The sigh was genuine and fit the idea he was trying to find in the heavens the answer to the puzzling mess that was in front of him.

As expected though, she wanted a name. The reasons however were not exactly what he expected, but barely anything she did was. Now, he needed a name. Someone who might be able to pretend they might be crushing one another. That eliminated quite a few girls, even if he could argue they totally wanted him. Evelyn so did but she would also enjoy crushing him with her stilettos, starting with one particularly delicate part of his anatomy. A name finally popped up to save him. “Veronica. Her name is Veronica. And she’s not exactly the sharing type.” Oh lord, what did he do? Veronica better back him up on this one. He almost believed he should warn her in advance, just in case. He shrugged though, trying to show nothing of it. “So you see, I’m fine. But I’m sure there are plenty of people who wants your love and attention and all those awesome things. Like this guy,” he said, pointing at the one who previously laughed at him when she rushed his way.

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank kept her attention laser-focused on Atreyu. The doubt remained etched all over her face: clearly this was one girl who wasn't buying this whole imaginary girlfriend bit. That really sounded like the sort of thing you said to get someone to stop stalking you or something. Frank had definitely heard her share of excuses of that nature, at least enough to recognize one when she heard it.

Veronica: "Veronica?" she repeated, her head tilting to the side, "like... the character from the Archie comics,' Frank paused for a moment, narrowing her eyes and giving Atreyu a slightly suspicious look. "You do realize that she's not real, right? Like, she's imaginary. Plus I think she's sort of dating Archie? Though I always say him as more of a Betty girl."

Frank paused again, nodding a few times. There was some pointing which did its part of distracting Frank enough that she followed the gesture with her head, swiveling almost like, well, a cartoon character or something along those lines. She waved at the guy being indicated before looking back. "But that doesn't mean that we can't be friends! Guys have friends that have boobs all the time," Frank nodded and then stretched her arms out, only to lower them, "that is assuming that you're not really confused and fell in love with a comic character... which would definitely mean an intervention or something."

[Akeem Ten-Amen]

Akeem really hoped his friend would back him up although to be honest he mostly cared about getting rid of that girl. He started to understand why some people said the other was just asking to be killed. He could really hit that girl until she shut up right about now. Except he was usually not violent. Not physically that is, not in that way. He was not over destroying someone but this girl was so thick he was not even sure that would be efficient.

He nodded as she repeated the girl’s name. “What? Yeah, I guess that’s like that but no. She’s real. College student here. With a temper as fiery as her hair,” he let out. What a terrible way to describe her. She could just hit him for sucking so much as describing her but that was not what Akeem was preoccupied about right now. It should be enough. Except the girl was suspicious. Made sense. Akeem wouldn’t believe that sudden girlfriend either. Yet, this was a real person. Oh, why couldn’t people believe him when he said the truth? “Please she’s totally real. Bet half of the man here can tell you as such.” Ok, he really couldn’t let Veronica know he talked of her like this or he was dead. But she was real. And not dating Archie. At least, he didn’t think so. She better not joke about it.

Akeem had lost what little patience he had. He tried the nice way but she was getting on his nerve. “That implies I want to be friend with you to begin with and I never said such a thing,” he argued. Something mean was shining in his eyes, like he could just jump at her and make her shut up if this went on. Could she see this? He doubted it. “Why don’t you go bother people who really want to see you?”

[Frank "Sunny" Laffont]

Frank still wasn't sure if this guy really knew what he was talking about. "Veronica's got black hair.." she said, tilting her head slightly to the side. Though she did have to stop and wonder as he kept going. He kept insisting this was a totally real girl and that she had red hair and apparently a temper and such. So maybe there was someone named Veronica? "Weird that she's got hair the color of Archie's... I wonder if there's a dark haired---"

Then Frank's eyes went wide for a moment. She gasped and pointed at Atreyu's head. He'd been doing the whole standard thing with insisting that he didn't want anything to do with her and that he didn't want to be friends and that he didn't want to spend time with her or be friends or whatever. By now, Frank pretty well called that "the Ellen Special" and her mind instantly translated the words into whatever she wanted to hear anyway.

And that was if she wasn't caught up on something:

"that's why you were being all dodgy about your name! You're Archie! That's why you're dating Veronica!" Frank let out a gasp and threw her hands up. "it all makes perfect sense now!"

[Akeem Ten-Amen]

So what if her Veronica had black hair while his didn’t! He was not referring to her Veronica. When she finally paused, he thought he got her to understand. But no. She was still going on with Archie and all. Has Akeem been more expressive, he would have lifted his air in the air in a desperate gesture while groaning at her stupidity. Instead, he tried to keep it contained and only let a sigh and possibly rolled his eyes.

He shocked her. Good. She could even cry if she wanted. He couldn’t care less if he broke her little heart there, at least she got the point. But, again, no. There was not a wall thick enough for him to bang his head on, he’d smash through them all with his frustration. Instead of getting the obvious, that he was done with her, provided he ever began anything with her for starters, she kept thinking about Archie.

He stared a moment at her. How could this girl be real? Seriously, this couldn’t really be who she was. She had to be playing him or something. No one was this dumb. “Alright, I’m done,” he just said as he turned his back at her and walked away. He wanted to be as far away from her as he possibly could. Otherwise he too would need therapy.