Todd Wants Key's Face

Lance: *He is silenced* ...

Key: *is quiet for a little while, then speaks again* Your decisions affect more than just you, Lance. Think about that next time you run off with your friends. <:/

Lance: ... I'm gonna go to my room. Probably just gonna sleep.

Key: Alright. At least finish your waffles. <:P

Lance: Mhm. *He quickly finishes up his waffles, deals with his plate, then runs upstairs to his room*

Key: *watches him leave, and wonders if any of what she said is sinking in* ... <:/

Lance: *He lies on his bed for a while, staring up at the ceiling* ...

Key: *sighs, leaning back a bit in her chair. she knows Lance can do good, but he just has to realize he's being misled...*

Lance: *After a bit of waiting, he opens up his bedroom window and climbs out of it. He runs all the way to the dump where his friends normally hang out*

Key: *doesn't notice until she goes to check on him after a little while. She opens the door into his room and upon seeing the window open, she knows exactly what's happened--frankly, she should have expected as much, though now she doesn't know what to do*

Lance: *Finds his group* Hey Pete, hey Kyle, hey Mike. <:D

Pete: The frack took so long, Lance? You're lucky we decided to stick around for you.

Lance: Sorry, I had some... Issues with my parents. >__>

Kyle: Oh right, you're still a little baby boy.

Mike: Still depending on your mommy and daddy to feed you and love you. >:P

Lance: Hey, well I'm here NOW, alright? >:/

Kyle: Got a can? We're gonna go trash someplace dangerous to trash.

Lance: Uh, no... What did you have in mind?

Mike: Aw jeez, seriously?? You forgot to bring a can of paint??

Pete: We're fracking up the local military outpost. The one where your DAD works, dumbass. >:/

Lance: ... W-we can't do THAT...! D8>

Mike: Uh oh, the little baby doesn't wanna get daddy mad!

Pete: *Hands Lance a raggedy scarf* Wear this over your face. Now you won't have anything to worry about. We can give you one of our cans. >:/

Lance: <:/ ... *He wears the scarf and puts his hood up*

Key: *hates to ruin her daughter's day, but she has to tell SOMEONE--she picks up the phone and calls Sarah*

Sarah: *sees the number, and immediately fears the worst. she picks up--* He got out, didn't he?

*The gang heads over to the military outpost. The first thing they do is throw a large rock at Sam's window that it shatters the glass*

Sam: HEY!! D8<

Pete, Kyle and Mike: *Snicker. They hand a can of paint to Lance and push him over to the front of the outpost*

Lance: *After a bit of hesitation, he starts spraying on the wall*

Sam: *Bursts out the front doors* SON OF A dog THUGS MESSING UP THE -- YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST FOR DAMAGING THIS PROPERTY!! DDDB<

Lance: shoot! D8

*They run*

Sam: *Sprints after them* DDDD8<

Key: I didn't even hear him leave! I'm sorry, I should have kept an eye on him--

Sarah: It's okay mom, don't worry about it--I'll let Sam know, he'll find him. Thanks for letting me know. <:/

Key: Mhmm. <:/

Sarah: *hangs up, and immediately calls Sam--his office phone rings and rings and rings... but he never picks up*

Lance: *Runs with his friends, but he's too slow to keep up with them. They all end up leaving him anyway* H-HEY! WAIT! D8>

Sam: *Catches up with Lance and grabs him by the hoodie. He immediately shoves him against the nearest wall, face-first, and slaps a pair of hand cuffs on him* You're coming with me. D:<

Lance: *He looks over to where his friends ran off. He keeps silent, frozen in fear of his own father. He doesn't dare speak when he's dragged back, past the outpost, and thrown into a cell in the city's prison* DDDD8>

Sam: ... And you're gonna STAY HERE for a WEEK for what you've done, or at least until your parents bail you out -- Who are they anyway, your parents? Who's the irresponsible pair of people who don't know how to raise a kid??

Lance: *Shivering and silent, tearing up*

Sam: TAKE OFF THAT frackING HOOD AND THAT frackING SCARF AND TELL ME WHO THE frack I NEED TO CALL, GODDAMNIT!! DDDD8<

Lance: *Still shaking, now crying, he takes off the hood and the scarf, head down*

Sam: ... Lance?? D8>

Sarah: *keeps calling his office phone, frustrated--she gives up and calls Sam's cell phone*

Sam: *He feels the cellphone vibrate in his pocket, though it takes a while for him to actually take it out and answer it. He speaks quietly, staring at his son in the jail cell* ... Hello?

Lance: *Cries silently, avoiding looking at his father*

Sarah: Oh god, FINALLY--Sam, Key told me that Lance got out of the house, do you have any idea where he is??

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Lance: *He sighs* ... It's not as easy as it sounds for me.

Key: And why is that? <:/

Lance: I've got only a few friends, and I'd like to keep them.

Key: Friends don't get friends kicked out of school--you're lucky you haven't been arrested yet. I always used to tell your mother, "better alone than in bad company." <:/

Lance: ... And why'd you have to tell MOM that?

Key: Everyone has a rough time when they're younger, your parents are no different. <:/

Lance: ... But what HAPPENED? :/

Key: Let's just say that at one point, they got themselves into serious trouble too. But you know what they did? They got themselves out of it. They took a step back, saw the problem, and fixed it themselves. With a little help, of course. <:P

Lance: But you're not going to go into detail about this? <:/

Key: *sighs* You're missing the whole point, Lance--The details aren't necessary. The point is that your parents were able to straighten out their lives, and that you should be able to as well. <:/

Lance: ... But what if I don't WANT to straighten it out?

Key: Then that would be your own choice. Just know that you'd be disappointing a lot of people who care about you. <:/

Lance: But at least they'd expect it.

Key: I think they'd much rather be surprised by a change.

Lance: *He sighs* ... I can hear them now. "Good job Lance, you weren't a total d-bag. Too bad you're not like Emma, who's NEVER a d-bag."

Key: You shouldn't compare yourself to your sister, it's what you do that matters. Besides, I'm pretty sure she has problems of her own. <:/

Lance: What problems could EMMA ever have?

Key: People have high expectations of her--perhaps a little too high, I fear. Considering your reputation, she has to do the complete opposite to make up for it, and that can take a toll on someone your age.

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Lance: Yeah, yeah... Sure. XC

Emma: <:I ... *leaves the room, grabbing something out of the kitchen and waving goodbye to her mother before going out to the bus stop*

Sarah: *waves back, still on the phone with Key*

Lance: *He flops down on his bed, glaring up at the ceiling, arms crossed* ...

Sarah: *hangs up, then calls up the stairs* LANCE! BREAKFAST!

Lance: *With a sigh, he gets up and shuffles down the stairs, then sits down at the table* ...

Sarah: *sets a plate of waffles down in front of him, along with a bottle of syrup* Your grandmother's coming over in a little while, okay? I need you to behave for her. <:/

Lance: *Stares at the waffles for a few seconds, then looks up at his mother* ... What's this for?

Sarah: *raises an eyebrow* What do you mean? It's breakfast.

Lance: *Quietly* ... I really like waffles...

Sarah: I know... go ahead and eat, then you can go back to bed if you want.

Lance: *Looks at Sarah for a bit before slowly eating his waffle* ...

Sarah: ... <:/ ...

*there is a knock on the door*

Sarah: ! *goes to open it, and let Key in* Hey, mom.

Key: Hello, Sarah. :)

Lance: *Looks up, gives Key a wave and a smile, then continues eating his waffle*

Key: And hello to you too, my little troublemaker. :P *ruffles his hair as she passes him*

Sarah: *grabs her stuff* Alright, I'm off to work. Behave yourselves, okay? <;P

Key: ^^

Lance: *Gives Sarah a small wave, then quickly finishes up his waffle* ... Um, hey, Grandma. Nice to see you. <:P

Key: *sits down at the table next to him* It's nice to see you too. Though I wish the circumstances were a little better. <:P

Lance: Mn... Getting grounded sucks.

Key: Yes, yes it does. Maybe not getting yourself grounded in the first place would be better... though i'm sure you've gotten that argument a million times already.

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Sam: Maybe he needs a therapist?

Sarah: Maybe. I doubt he'd be very cooperative, but it's worth a try.

Sam: ... Sarah, ANYTHING'S worth trying at this point.

Sarah: ...I guess you're right...

Sam: God, just -- Why can't he be more like his sister? Ugh. I gotta get out of here. Got stuff to do.

Sarah: Be careful, okay? <:/

Sam: I will. You be careful, too. <:/ *He then leaves for work*

meanwhile

Lance: *Hangs around his room, angry* >:( ...

Sarah: <:/ ... *goes to call her mother*

meanwhile

Emma: *getting ready for school* Lance, you need to take a deep breath and calm down. Getting angry isn't gonna help you. <:/

Lance: I'm allowed to be angry. I'm GROUNDED. >:(

Emma: Well, YEAH, but that's all your own fault.

Lance: Emma, do you really have to be a stuck-up know-it-all? >:(

Emma: *huffs* I'm just telling the truth. >:I

Lance: Whatever. >:( *He gets up and walks around the room*

Emma: *is used to his behavior, so she really can't stay upset with him for very long. she finishes packing up her school things*

Lance: ... What am I supposed to do? Just lay around and be BORED? I HATE getting grounded.

Emma: *sarcastically* I dunno, maybe catch up on your homework?

Lance: Pff, frack THAT.

Emma: *sighs* Oooookay, but you can't say I didn't warn you. *slings her bag over her shoulder* I'll see you later. PLEASE try not to get into trouble... <:/

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Sam: *He nuzzles Sarah a little, though he's distracted by his own worry*

Sarah: *nuzzles him back, mumbling* 'morning...

Sam: Morning, Sarah. I, uh... Need to go to work, and so do you. Think we can trust Lance to not do anything stupid while we're gone?

Sarah: Do you want me to be honest or optimistic? <:/

Sam: ... Okay, well, should we get your mom to watch him, if she's not busy?

Sarah: I don't think she'll mind. I'll call her up in a bit. <:/

Sam: Alright. Thanks for doing that, Sarah.

Sarah: Mhmm. <:/ *kisses his cheek, then gets up to get ready for the day*

Sam: *Gets up and also starts getting ready*

Sarah: *as she gets ready* ...Do you think he'll ever listen?

Sam: ... I WISH I could be that optimistic...

Sarah: <:( ...

Sam: ... Where did we go wrong with him?

Sarah: ...I don't know... Maybe we didn't pay enough attention...

Sam: ... Maybe. Maybe we should start paying MORE attention, then.

Sarah: *nods* Good plan...

Sam: ... But it's not like we can just... DO SOMETHING with him after grounding him...

Sarah: We can't just let up on him so easily, though... He's one more mishap from getting expelled...! D:>

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Lance: Huh, well... He could at least yell a little less.

Emma: He's getting impatient, I guess...

Lance: Oh, of course. XC

Emma: Well, you HAVE been going at this for forEVER... <:P

Lance: Well... Hey, I'm just gonna go sleep now, okay?

Emma: ...Okay. Just... y'know... try? Please?

Lance: Yeah, Emma, yeah.

Emma: ...'Night...

Lance: ... ... 'Night. *He tries going back to sleep*

Emma: *also tries to sleep* ...

Lance: *Eventually does, though he's a bit troubled*

Emma: *tries not to think of the fact that she'll be riding the bus to school alone the next day. again. she eventually manages to fall asleep*

The Next Morning

Sam: *Lies in bed, staring at the ceiling* ...

Sarah: *is asleep, an arm across his chest*

Sam: *Wants and doesn't want to get up* ...

Sarah: *snuggles a little closer to him, not quite awake yet*

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Sam: ... I made him tell me what he did, and then I told him why what he did was wrong, and... it sort of escalated from there.

Sarah: *sighs, a bit disappointed, though not surprised*

Emma: ...

*later that night, when everyone's gone to bed*

Emma: ...Lance. Lance, are you still up?

Lance: *He sighs* ... Yeah. What's up?

Emma: ...What did dad tell you?

Lance: ... He told me that if I kept doing shoot like that, I won't be able to graduate high school, and I was like "I don't care". Then he started yelling, so I yelled back.

Emma: ... *sighs, and gets up out of her bed, instead choosing to sit on the edge of her brother's* ...You really SHOULD care, you know...

Lance: I don't need YOU lecturing me too, y'know. I got enough of that from Mom and Dad.

Emma: I'm not trying to lecture you, I'm just worried about you--Aren't I allowed to worry?

Lance: ... There's really nothing to worry about, Emma. I'll be fine.

Emma: I really wouldn't be too sure of that. <:( *stands up, and heads back to her own bed*

Lance: :/ ... *He turns over, away from her* ...

Emma: *gets back into bed, staring at the ceiling* ... *quietly* Please promise me you'll at least TRY not to get kicked out of school...

Lance: Can't make any promises, Sis'. It'd be better for my REP to get kicked out anyway.

Emma: Who cares about your "REP"? Do you KNOW what that'd do to mom and dad??

Lance: They've got YOU, don't they? Their perfect little goody-two-shoes child. >:/

Emma: I am NOT a goody-two-shoes. >:/ And you're missing the point! You're their child too.

Lance: ... No I'm not. Especially not to Dad.

Emma: Yes you are. If Dad didn't care, he wouldn't try to get you to do better.

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Lance: What?? That's crazy! You're crazy! D8<

Sarah: *scowls* Be grateful it's me and not your father--he'd probably take those privileges away PERMANENTLY, or at least until you learned your lesson. >:/

Lance: *He pouts, glaring at the ground*

Sarah: ... *sighs, tired. she doesn't understand why her and her husband's words just seem to go in one ear and right out the other--his sister understood. it wasn't like they were asking for something that was impossible. why didn't he understand?*

Lance: ... So should I go to my room now, or what? >:/

Sarah: If you want to. Just know that if I catch you leaving out the window, that's an extra three weeks. >:/

Lance: Yeah, yeah... *He climbs up the stairs to his room and slams the door shut*

Sarah: ... *leans back in the chair and groans. she checks her watch--thirty minutes until Emma comes home, six hours until Sam does. tonight was going to be interesting...*

*Later*

Sam: *Comes home* Soo... The Mafia's back. If anyone's interested about that.

Sarah: Oh, GREAT. MORE good news...

Emma: >___>;

Sam: ... Did something happen? D:

Sarah: Lance got himself suspended. AGAIN.

Emma: <____<

Sam: ... WHAT? D8< Does he need to be TALKED TO again?

Sarah: I don't even know anymore. Sometimes I start to think he's a lost cause, he doesn't listen to ANYTHING we tell him...

Emma: ...

Sam: ... I'm going to talk to him. We have to get it through his thick skull at some point. *He then marches up the stairs and enters Lance's room. A loud and angry exchange of words soon follows between him and Lance*

Sarah: *had been listening in for a while, but she just gives up after a while. she knows it's only going to end the same way it usually did...*

Emma: *sits quietly, watching her hands as she twiddles her thumb. why couldn't her brother just stop yelling and listen for once?*

Sam: *Finally, after tiring himself out while arguing with Lance, he slams his son's door closed and heads back down the stairs, furious. Sam sits down on the couch, glaring*

Sarah: *already knows the answer, but asks anyway* So, what happened?

Emma: <:/ ...

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Lance: SO MY LIFESTYLE IS NOTHING TO YOU?? D8<

Sarah: I'm sorry, but being a juvenile delinquent is NOT an acceptable "LIFESTYLE." Can't you see that you're ruining your future?!

Lance: I'd say it's more like enriching my future. >__>

Sarah: Are you saying you want to be a criminal for the rest of your life? >:/

Lance: It's ART, Mom! Give me a break!

Sarah: Oh, yeah, spraying obscenities on private property is DEFINITELY art and TOTALLY not against the law or anything, mhmm.

Lance: Oh my god, shut up, Mom. >:/

Sarah: Don't speak to me like that again. Your father isn't going to be happy about this, you know. >:(

Lance: Dad's NEVER happy about me. This isn't news.

Sarah: Then maybe you should take that as a sign that you're doing something wrong.

Lance: Or he hates me.

Sarah: ... *sighs* Your father loves you, Lance. He just wants what's best for you--and this, what you're doing now, definitely isn't it.

Lance: *Snorts and stays silent the rest of the ride home*

Sarah: *also remains silent, not even bothering to turn the radio on. when they finally get back, she steps out of the car and watches Lance closely to make sure he doesn't just run off* ...

Lance: *Rolls his eyes and walks over to the front door of the house*

Sarah: *opens the door and steps aside to let him in, shutting the door behind them* Living room. Now.

Lance: *With a huff* Whatever. *Goes to the living room and sits on the couch*

Sarah: *sits in the armchair across from him, arms crossed* You're grounded for three weeks. No TV, no videogames, no going out at ALL.

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Vice Principal: Send her in.

Lance: No, no don't do that. DX

Secretary: *nods and ducks back out of the room, soon replaced with a rather grim-looking Sarah*

Sarah: *is mostly blank-faced except for a slight twitch of her eyebrow--not a very good sign at all*

Lance: *Gives his mother a large apologetic grin* Hey... Mom.

Vice Principal: ...

Sarah: *gives him a rather stern glare, eyes narrowed. there was no way he was getting out of this one* Hello, Lance. *looks up at the principal. Thank you for catching him. Again.

Security guy: *snorts*

Vice Principal: ... Your boy's a bit of a menace around here, Mrs. Gatzsky.

Lance: *Rolls his eyes*

Sarah: *shoots Lance a glare* Oh, I've noticed.

Security guy: ...

Vice Principal: This is his final warning. Would you like some coffee or tea before you go, Mrs. Gatzky?

Lance: *Glares at the ground*

Sarah: I appreciate the offer, but no thank you. Come on, Lance. >:/

Security guy: >:I

Lance: *With a snort, he gets up and follows his mom*

Sarah: *silently walks Lance out of the school, and waits until they're both in the car before speaking again. her voice is angry and accusatory, but also carries a hint of tiredness* I'm sick of having to bail you out of these things, Lance--I thought we TALKED about this!!

Lance: You don't GET IT, Mom, so there's nothing to talk about. >:/

Sarah: Oh, don't you even THINK about giving me the misunderstood teenager excuse again. I'm sorry, but there is NO REASON you should be acting out like this.

Lance: There's plenty of reasons, but again, you don't GET IT. >:(

Sarah: Alright, there are no LEGITIMATE reasons. >:/

Lance: They're PLENTY legitimate! D8<

Sarah: "because my friends told me to" is NOT a valid reason--and NEITHER are "because they deserve it" or "because I FELT LIKE IT"!

Lance: See?? You DON'T get it! D8<

Sarah: That's because there's NOTHING TO "GET", LANCE.

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