[The walk was a quiet one as Jude settled into the usual rhythm he shared with Ayano. He became contemplative, taking it for a blessing that he and Ayano could inhabit each other's space without needing to fill the air with idle chatter. Of course, Ayano was talkative enough for the both of them, so it was not something Jude had ever needed to worry about when hanging out with his best friend.
He was lost for the moment, staring off somewhere ahead of them as they walked, only noticing Ayano once she touched his shoulder.]
Huh?
[He looks at her, brows raised quizzically. He wasn't used to Ayano being a bit tongue-tied. Heck, he was wondering why she hadn't just blurted out the news already.]
Interesting as in...? [He circles his hands in front of him, waiting for her to continue.]
[Jude nods along, waiting for Ayano to get to the climax of what she was trying to say. When she got to vomiting out her words, Jude actually stops in his tracks to process this info.]
So, you're...
[Oh. Uh. What?]
Jeez. [Jude sighs and resumes walking, unashamedly looking disappointed. He isn't immediately upset or anything, but he did feel bad about it. Certainly there was something he could have done?]
Did something happen? Are you okay? [Because his first thought is that obviously something went really wrong.] Maybe we can turn this around... Can we appeal to someone?
My parents already tried that, ehehehe...They tried a lot of things...[Still smiling!!! Just trying to make this as easy as possible.]
Sooo...You know how I had mono and missed a few weeks of school?
And my grades dropped...Well, okay, they weren't exactly the best in the first place, ehehe...
Um.
So.
It's mathematically impossible for me to pass with enough credit to graduate?
I messed up a bit, oops...[She's definitely ashamed but is gutting through it as best she can. It's not a big deal, right? It's not her fault...probably.]
[Jude can only let out a deep sigh for a moment. And here he thought it was pretty difficult for someone to actually be held back.]
So... Great. We're not going to graduate together. [He doesn't want to blame her, but, well...] I thought I told you to study, like... over and over again.
I've even helped you study, or is that the only time you ever do it?
[She starts shifting her weight back and forth rhythmically. There's this feeling inside her that if she stops moving, she'll...]
Dad said it's not my fault. It's his fault. I think that's really, really untrue, Jude.
He said he should have sent me to a special school, like, a school for the arts where there's not as much of a focus on academics...Where it's not so structured and strict.
He said he should've known that...It would be hard for me to succeed at a normal school. [Wipes her eyes with her sleeve.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He was lost for the moment, staring off somewhere ahead of them as they walked, only noticing Ayano once she touched his shoulder.]
Huh?
[He looks at her, brows raised quizzically. He wasn't used to Ayano being a bit tongue-tied. Heck, he was wondering why she hadn't just blurted out the news already.]
Interesting as in...? [He circles his hands in front of him, waiting for her to continue.]
no subject
So...You know, the whole like, we're gonna graduate next month, thing...?
[Ayano starts laughing a little.]
I uh...[She shakes her hips a bit, as if starting a strange, jovial dance.]
Imnotgonnagraduatecauseimbeingheldback!
[Still smiling awkwardly, mouth slightly agape.]
Ahahaha...oops...
no subject
So, you're...
[Oh. Uh. What?]
Jeez. [Jude sighs and resumes walking, unashamedly looking disappointed. He isn't immediately upset or anything, but he did feel bad about it. Certainly there was something he could have done?]
Did something happen? Are you okay? [Because his first thought is that obviously something went really wrong.] Maybe we can turn this around... Can we appeal to someone?
no subject
Sooo...You know how I had mono and missed a few weeks of school?
And my grades dropped...Well, okay, they weren't exactly the best in the first place, ehehe...
Um.
So.
It's mathematically impossible for me to pass with enough credit to graduate?
I messed up a bit, oops...[She's definitely ashamed but is gutting through it as best she can. It's not a big deal, right? It's not her fault...probably.]
no subject
So... Great. We're not going to graduate together. [He doesn't want to blame her, but, well...] I thought I told you to study, like... over and over again.
I've even helped you study, or is that the only time you ever do it?
no subject
Hehe, sorry...
I know, I messed up. What a disappointment, right? [She shakes her head and looks down, still not looking back at him.]
So lame...
no subject
I'm just saying it... sucks. [He quickens his pace, getting close enough to Ayano to touch her shoulder.] But you already knew that. I...
...
I wish I could have done something. Maybe I messed up too.
no subject
You're silly...Just like Dad. Please don't try to blame yourself, okay?
It's my problem. I'll be okay...
no subject
What did your parents say?
no subject
Dad said it's not my fault. It's his fault. I think that's really, really untrue, Jude.
He said he should have sent me to a special school, like, a school for the arts where there's not as much of a focus on academics...Where it's not so structured and strict.
He said he should've known that...It would be hard for me to succeed at a normal school. [Wipes her eyes with her sleeve.]
I let him down and he thinks it's his fault.