Open I'm Just Me

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius would admit that he was on a bit of a rebellious year. Why not? He was garaunteed his fathers company. Why not take a year off? He could fluently speak several languages- Russian, Italian, English, Japanese. And he was conversational in Greek, French, and he was... somewhat okay at spanish. He just had an ear for languages, but he was tired. Tired of trying to be perfect, trying to prove he was worth the fortune and the company being passed to him. And who knew if he was even doing a good job at that- it had cost him any chance at Margo, had been tearing him up for years. He'd closed off to most people, feeling out of place even when he was with Aine and Monday.

So over the break, he'd decided to pick up guitar. What was a rich boy without being a degenerate musician at least once in his life? He'd spent most of his break on it- he wasn't exactly brilliant at it, but he was passable. Good enough that he could take the expensive guitar and go down to sit against a tree on the lawn, strumming a mindless tune and humming along. He was a decent singer, though he wasn't sure he wanted to go that far just yet. He'd already cut his hair shorter, grown out his stubble, and was wearing some more casual clothes- though still expensive. Well fitting black pants, the black belt with the silver buckle, and a black and white striped shirt that was tucked loosely into his jeans, the top three buttons undone. It was a look, he knew, and he was enjoying it.

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Somehow being back at school didn't make Kiara feel much more lonely than she did at home nowadays. She knew her dads tried their best but she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss her brothers. Practically being an only child now that they had moved out wasn't something she enjoyed, not when she was already used to spending so much time on her own. At least at school she still had a few friends. Not ones she was used to spending a bunch of time with but enough for her to still consider them friends, which was nice.

Kiara had been tending to the wild patch for a little while, getting it ready for the schoolyear, but had decided it was enough for today. She had been humming a soft melody as she walked back across the lawn, stopping whenever another student came close enough that they might hear. At one point her being silent made her pick up another sounds nearby though, one that sounded more like and instrument. She took a few steps towards where it was coming from and looked around to find one of her classmates sat against a tree. "Valerius?" She questioned, silently observing him. He looked.. way different from what she was used to. "Did you, uh, did you cut your hair?"

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius looked up when he heard his voice, still playing lightly. "Hey, Kiara," He flashed her an easy grin. "I did," He countered, the music shifting to something more light-hearted, almost flirty. "It kept falling into my face when I played," He offered, giving her the chance to sit and join him, leaving the conversation open in case she decided to continue things. "How was your break?"

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Kiara needed a moment to process how much Valerius had changed over the break. She didn't know him too well, but she knew she always thought he looked so well put together. He still did, just.. in a different way. A little less fancy perhaps, more casual than what she was used to. "Yeah, no, that's a fair reason." She replied, almost stammering a bit. "It's nice though. Fits you." Kiara offered with a small smile. For a second she was unsure of whether she should sit down or not, but then remembered what she had been telling herself: this was her last year and she was going to make the best of it. And the best of it had to include being more social with her classmates, right? Right. "It was alright, a little boring actually." She replied honestly while she sat down. "What about yours?" She asked almost out of politeness, pretty certain it had at least been somewhat eventful. He had made some bold decisions.

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius let himself study Kiara- he had to admit, she had a certain... softness about her that tugged a bit at him. He pushed the thought aside- just because he apparently had a type didn't mean he had to do anything about it. He wasn't cut out for that sort of thing. Instead, he focused on the superficial small talk, chuckling at her compliments. "Thank you, you look rather ravishing yourself." He returned with a wink. After all, what was a rebel that wasn't flirty? "Oh, the usual. Took the yearly trip to Italy, picked up the guitar." He responded non-chalantly. "Father seemed pleased that I took an interest in the musical arts." He offered.

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Even though she had been at school with most of them for six years it had only been over the last year that Kiara had realized how painfully little she had interacted with most of them, not counting the few she could count as friends. She knew them, of course, knew their names and their houses and all of the basic things much her knowledge didn't reach much further than that. It meant she didn't know much about Valerius either, save from what he had always radiated. Which now had change. "Oh, I, uh.. thanks." She stammered, not quite used to compliments coming from anyone else than her family. "You go to Italy every year?" Kiara asked perhaps a little enviously, barely registering what he had said after that.

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius chuckled, still lounging against the tree, and changing his strumming to a more traditionally Italian vibe. "Oh, father insists. Back to our roots, he says. Chi si volta, e chi si gira, sempre a casa va finire.- No matter where you go or turn, you will always end up at home." He quoted with a chuckle. He did a little riff, trying to show off a bit. "Have you ever been to Italy?" He asked once the music had settled again, giving her an easy smile.

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Kiara had to admit she was a little impressed by the fact that Valerius managed to keep playing while keeping up their conversation, especially when he kept changing the type of music too. Part of her felt like she shouldn't be surprised he spoke Italian, he had literally just mentioned he went there every year after all, and yet she still was a little. All together it was.. a lot. In a good way. Interesting. "No, never." Kiara shook her head when he asked her a question.

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius hummed softly. "Well, maybe after graduation we can have a party and sail out there." He offered with a playful wink. "What better way to commemorate success?" He was in a mood now, and spoke again in Italian. "Capitare a fagiolo. Perfect timing," He translated the saying loosely- it wasn't the actual meaning, but more the purpose behind it. "Have you ever been to a good party?"

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Kiara looked at Valerius with a hint of disbelief. The way it sounded his world was very different from the one she was used to. "You want to throw a graduation party.. in Italy?" She questioned, even if she was getting the idea that he was serious. That he'd actually do that and it sounded like the most normal thing in the world. Which perhaps to him, it was. "Well I doubt the school parties count so in that case, no I haven't." Kiara answered with a small smile. She could hardly imagine herself going to any big sort of party on her own either, sure that she'd mostly just feel out of place.

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius chuckled. "Well, Italy might be more practical than the yacht." He mused. "Though the yacht is arguably more fun," He gave her an easy smile. "What do you think, a yacht cruise or a party in Italy?" He asked like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Father does own a hilltop villa, it's rather gorgeous."

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Kiara observed Valerius as he continued on, looking for any sign that said he was joking but there were none. He seemed dead serious, talking about yachts and villas like that didn't sound completely insane to her. Not insane in a negative way, more in a 'I didn't think I'd ever have this type of conversation with anyone' type of way. She hadn't even considered a graduation party, let alone something that sounded as fancy as what Valerius was describing. "I think both sound like something I've never even imagined considering ever." Kiara giggled softly. It would be fun to fantasize about it though, surely there was no harm in that. "But I'd pick Italy."

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius nodded. "I can have Father arrange it then." He smiled at Kiara, still strumming away on the guitar. "What do you think, belleza*?" He asked her. "If you were to throw a party at a villa in Italy, what would you do?" He questioned, curious what sort of things she'd be into. He was flirting a bit, his italian accent slipping through more than it usually did, but he didn't mind it too much.

*Beauty

 

[Kiara Thompson]

Kiara could hardly ever imagine herself attending some sort of grand graduation party, even more so one in another country. She wanted to be surprised when Valerius mentioned getting his father to arrange it and yet with how their conversation had been going she was almost certain he was being dead serious. "So does that mean we're all going to be receiving fancy invitations towards the end of the year?" She asked curiously, feeling a little more comfortable in their conversation now that they had been sitting for a while. There hardly seemed to be a reason not to when he was being so friendly to her after all. Kiara blinked a few times when he asked her another question, wondering if what he said meant what she thought it did but deciding not to focus too much on that to keep herself from fumbling. "I think I might just panic because I'd have no idea of what to do." She laughed softly.

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius chuckled. "Yes, very fancy, probably with a private jet just for the experience." He offered, his mind musing. He accepted easily that she wouldn't know what she'd want for the party, and took over the plans himself. "Catering will be a must, of course, traditional Italian with butlers to serve... a nice wine to accompany it, though perhaps something stronger might be in order... but only after dinner. A band perhaps, or several..." He mused, looking to Kiara. "What sort of things do you like?"