Retro Cartoons -Open-

[andrea cathleen bishop]

Spring had truly sprung over the campus. The sun shone brightly as it hadn’t done all winter long and there was an air of excitement buzzing through the students. As soon as lessons had finished for the day, students had flocked out unto the grounds to soak up every last ray of sunshine they could; after all who never when it would rain next. Students and teachers strolled about the grounds, chatting easily to their friends about whatever new drama had begun to spring up at the school. There were things this school lacked, but drama had never been one of them. In a school full of mutants, beings hated by almost the entire population outside the walls, how could there be no trouble or strife?

Although the luring call of the warm breeze and sunshine had managed to coax most of the students to the great outdoors, there were a few who choose to stay inside. Even if they were not frolicking about in the sun there were still plenty of activities for them to take part in, and since everyone else was outside, they got their pick. Andrea had realized this fact, and was taking advantage of it for a little quite time on her own; as though she didn’t get enough of that already.

Presently she could be found in the recreation room, enjoying the quiet. Outside she could hear students calling to one another, but inside it was nice. She had already walked through the sun, and had gotten her fill for the day. This meant that at the moment she was the only one in there. She sat on the couch with her feet curled under her. Her badly scuffed up shoes sat on the ground by the couch; she had taken them off almost as soon as she had gotten here. It was just more comfortable to sit on the couch without them. It was a habit of hers she had had for as long as she could remember. Back where she used to live shoes were absolutely forbidden on the furniture.

Andrea planned to spend maybe an hour watching a little television before heading back up to her dorm to work on a essay that she had due for some of her classes. Having both a college and a high school in one building really was great. Especially in a school like this. Had it not been for that there was no way she would have attended college. First she would have had to be concerned with where her next meal was coming from. She worked hard at her school work because of this, but really couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch whatever she wanted to on the TV of once. There always seemed to be a crowd in here, so they all compromised on what to watch, but she wouldn’t have to compromise with anyone right now.

Remote in hand she flicked through the channels. The school looked after its students every want so well that even the television subscription was top notch. God knows how it was funded, but she wouldn’t ask. Flipping through she noticed a lot of the same type of show; reality shows. Singing shows, modeling shows, daring shows, celebrity shows. Honestly she had never been much of a fan of reality television, but sometimes it was interesting to watch. She paused on a channel that was just coming out of a commercial break. Immediately the blonde heiress, Paris Hilton, came onto the television. Urgh. She changed the channel, sure she could find something better than that.

Finally she stopped on a show and a small smile made its way onto her lips; old school cartoons. Perfect. She leaned back into the couch as the retro cartoon started up with the same antics she could remember seeing when she was little. Some things were better unchanged and old school cartoons were definitely one of those things. Andrea would be so embarrassed if someone walked in right now, but it wasn’t like she was watching some racy show, just some a little blast from the past.

Just as she was finally getting comfortable she heard the door open to the recreation room. She turned her head to see who it was. What would they think; a eighteen year old like herself watching cartoons was a little sad really. Hopefully whoever it was had a sense of humour.

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[Lamica Denton]

My dearest daughter,

It has been so long since we’ve spoken, I’m missing you terribly but will not ask you to come home, that would be selfish of me, I know you are benefiting from where you are. A lot has happened since you left, I’ve been getting help for my problem, you’d be really proud of me.

A few single tears hit the paper that was help so tightly in her right hand. She missed her parents so much, they might have their problems but she loved them all the same, there was always more than a few tears spilt when her mother took the time to write to her but this time it was different, her father had written to her too. That had never happened before.

I’m getting to sort my life out so that when you come home it will be to a place you can be proud of, I promise. I have such big plans for the house, your father and I are going to paint your room for you. It’s going to be so different when you come home. I won’t tell you about it, I want it to be a surprise. Your father is home, he keeps hoping that one of these times he’ll come home and you’ll be here too but he knows this is an amazing opportunity for you so don’t worry about us and keep at it.

Your father and I realise now all the pressure we don’t on you and now we want to redeem ourselves by letting you do this.

Be a good girl,
All my love,
Your mother.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Her delicate hands brought the letter to her lips and kissed it gently, wishing it was her mothers cheek. She closed her eyes as she put the letter down and picked up the other, the one from her father.

My dear Lamica, my little Ami,

Since you’re a smart girl you’ll already know that I’m home again, I wish that you’d been there when I got out but your mother tells me your happy so what more can I do but be happy for you? I know you have questions about why I was never there for you, why I was never around. You’ve never asked me but I know you have asked, I know you were picked on as a child because I was a convict.

Money wasn’t easy to come by, me and your mother wanted you to have everything but your grandmother helped as much as she could, sending money and helping out in any way she could and when she died your mother was distraught and started drinking. She couldn’t go out to work and I wasn’t capable of getting a job so I did what most desperate men do, I started stealing everything I could that would make life easier for us. I got caught and have been in this cycle ever since.

I know that you’ll more than likely hate me for what I have done but I hope in time you will forgive you for abandoning you and your mother. I hope to see you soon if you’ll let me.

Your loving father.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She was crying now, the tears were pouring from her eyes. She missed them do much and it hurt to think that her father thought she hated him. She put the letters in her messenger bag and stood up from where she was sitting in an empty classroom. She silently left the room, she needed to stretch her legs. Lamica wiped the wet tears from her eyes and started to talk, her eyes were still slightly blotchy from her crying but there was nothing she could do about that.

A noise in the recreation room caught her attention and she timidly stepped inside, looking to see a girl that she knew the name of Andrea, it was a pretty name. “H-Hello,” she said shyly. “I-I hope I’m not interrupting…” She stepped fully into the room, clasping her hands shyly in front of her as she looked down at her feet. “I’m Lamica Denton but you can call me Ami,” she said politely as she held her hand out to the girl who was the same age as her. She didn’t know what to say, she never did when she was speaking to someone new.

[andrea cathleen bishop]

Andrea looked up from the screen when the young woman walked into the recreation room. She couldn’t say that the face struck any familiar cords with her, so she certainly couldn’t put a name to it. Regrettably she never had paid much attention to her classmates, or anyone in the school for that matter. She knew a few people fairly well, but tended to stay inside that small circle of friends she had. Her naturally quiet nature had much to do with this trait.

Even though she didn’t know the girl well, one thing was obvious to her as soon as she saw her face; something was wrong. It was obvious from the look of her face that she had been crying, and pretty recently since the marks were still fairly visible. There seemed to be a lot of that in this school. So many of the students were unhappy, most of them for things that were outside their control. Andrea had been here long enough to see her fair share of tears from classmates, and could admit that she had shed quite a few herself, but somehow it was one of those things that she never could get used to. She could never brush off the feeling she got when she someone else in emotional peril the way some of the students here had learned to do. Perhaps she felt it so strongly because of what her powers were. The problem was, as much as she wanted to help them she knew there was little anyone could really do.

Andrea did her best to offer the other girl a smile, though she had to admit that it wasn’t the best smile she could have gave. Her mind was busy trying to think if she knew this girl; if she did maybe she could guess what would be the best way to help her out. “Hi. No your not interrupting me at all,” she assured her. When the other young woman stuck her hand out for her to shake she hesitated for only a moment or two before timidly reaching out and shaking her hand quickly, “Andrea Bishop,” she introduced herself, “I don’t really have a nickname,” she said, trying to lighten the mood, “Though, I suppose you could always call me Andy if you like.” She stopped speaking for a moment before opening her mouth once more to say, “Why don’t you come sit down with me?”

Honestly she didn’t know what she could do for this girl, but she was going to try anyway. She just wouldn’t be able to find peace of mind tonight if she didn’t at least try to help. “Um,” she started awkwardly, the bangs and crashes from the old school cartoon filling in the silence as she tried to think of how best to start without seeming insensitive or prying, “Is there something wrong?” Andrea paused slightly between the last two words, knowing that even though she had tried to not, she probably still sounded too nosy. Really, it was none of her business, and Ami had every right to tell her to stuff it, but she didn’t know how else to really phrase it.

She nervously played with the frayed cuffs of her sleeves, though the other girl probably wouldn’t notice because the shirt was a little too long for her in the arm. It was a habit she usually did when she was lying or nervous and the later fit the description of this event pretty well. Meeting a complete stranger and asking them to bear their feelings to her wasn’t exactly something she did often, so she felt very out of place.