Swing Easy

[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob sat on the swing, his feet dragging back and forth as he moved just enough so no one would ask him to give up the space he was occupying. The ten year old was sulking, upset that he hadn't been allowed to go off with Noah. He'd promised to be on his best behavior if allowed to go, but nothing had worked. He was stuck with his mother and Eleanor. Like a baby.

So, even though he loved the park, he was doing his best to look downhearted to make his mom feel guilty. She'd even offered to push him, and he'd given her a sulky no. Her sad look made Jacob feel a little bad, but he was determined to keep up his bad mood, at least where she was concerned.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Time was going too slowly, in Diana's opinion. When her older sisters left for Hogwarts without her again in September, she had taken comfort in the fact that she would be going next year too. But it seemed like the year was crawling by. It was only December, and now her sisters were back and rubbing their Hogwarts adventures in her face. Today the family had gone to Brightstone Village, which was near Hogwarts. Infuriatingly, that meant both Rose and Phoebe already knew the way and pretty much everything there, and they kept pointing out things and talking about how they had gone there during their Brightstone weekends. Diana knew things too, they had gone there as a family plenty of times. Why was it now all special?

In the end, Diana couldn't take it anymore. Her younger sister Alice was following around Phoebe and hanging on her every word, and it annoyed her. She had begged her dad to take a break from the shopping and walking around, and eventually he had agreed they were going to take a break at the park. As soon as she had the chance, she had distanced herself from her annoying family members and made a beeline for the playground . Phoebe was still boasting about her skills in magic, and she was sure they wouldn't care she was playing by herself for a bit.

All she really wanted was to sit on the swing quietly, a break just to sulk a for a bit, but the swing was occupied. Not easily deterred, Diana walked over to the boy and put her hands on her hips. "I want to use this swing." She told him. "You're not even doing it right." She added, though he was doing pretty much what she had planned on doing herself. "Maybe you should give up the spot for someone who actually knows how to play on the swings."

 

[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob had almost forgotten he was in the park, so lost he had become in a daydream of being big enough to do things on his own. In this one, he was riding his broom high in the sky, a leather jacket on and his cousin flying beside him. There were definitely no parents bossing them around. He'd kept up a slow, lazy swing, his feet never leaving the ground as he moved along the same few inches. He looked up, startled, as a girl stood in front of him, ordering him off. He stopped the swing entirely, which was pretty easy considering he hadn't been moving at all, and listened to her talk.

The girl had a lot to say, and Jacob didn't say a word until she had finished. Instead, he kept holding onto the chains. When it looked like she'd finally stopped talking, Jacob didn't even bother to shake his head. He simply opened his mouth and spit out a surly, "No." Then he resumed his slow swinging to be sure she took notice. He'd waited his turn, and she hadn't even asked nicely so he didn't feel like giving up his spot. He didn't know this girl, but she seemed like the type to be on the swing forever, out of spite. It didn't seen like they're be any reasoning, any taking turns with this girl. "Maybe if you'd said please..." He said as he slowly swung towards her again. Jacob had never been the stickler for manners his parents were, especially not when they were out of earshot, but he used it when it was convenient.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana didn't think the boy looked very impressive or like he had much of a backbone, so when he didn't speak for a long time she assumed he was shy or nervous and that she would soon get her way. It wasn't the first time she had bullied her way into getting what she wanted, and it probably wouldn't be the last either. The 'no' he told her surprised her, and it annoyed her. "Excuse me? It's not like I was wrong. You clearly don't know." She snapped, irritated that this boy was making her already bad mood worse. She crossed her arms, glaring daggers at him as he started to move again. He looked around her own age, but he was being so childish.

She frowned when he said she should say please. In another situation, she might have done it, but right now she didn't think it would help. The way he was swinging in her direction made her think he was just out to annoy her. Of all the people to run into today, she had to run into this annoying boy. "I'm not saying please. You can't tell me what to do." She said haughtily. "If you were nicer to me, maybe I would say please." She knew she had been the one to start, but she knew better than to admit that. With a frown, she grabbed hold of the chain of the swing. Her intention was to stop him from swinging more. "Just stop being such a baby and give me a turn."

 

[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob watched the girl, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses as he watched her cross her arms against her chest. Jacob thought he was in a bad mood, but this girl was clearly in a worse one. That didn't make him feel bad for her at all though. She was being rude, she didn't even want to say please, and he had no reason to just up and give up the swing he'd waited for. She wasn't family, and, really, he wasn't sure he'd give up the swing to family either. It was a swing! So, it was true, he did take a little bit of pleasure as he slowly moved towards her, his feet dragging on the ground. Jacob briefly considered sticking his tongue out at her to make her even more mad, but he didnt have a chance to come to a decision when she grabbed the chain of his swing, causing him to swing slightly sideways before stopping fully.

Jacob was in shock for a moment. Sure, he got into fights with his brother, but if they were loud enough, one of their parents would step in, and if not, they usually found a way to settle it in someone's favor, usually Noah's. Eleanor was still a baby, so Jacob always got in trouble when he fought with her over the radio or the magic screen or anything. He had a feeling his sister would be just like this girl when she got older, and that annoyed him more. "No. You're not the boss of me" he whined, digging his feet into the ground so he could push back. He was only just tall enough that his behind remained on the seat as his feet dug into the ground. "Get off" he said, his voice louder but not so loud as to draw adult attention. They'd ruin everything and probably make him get off and give the seat to her because she was a girl. "Why don't you go in that one?" he said, pointing towards a baby swing, the kind that you had to be lifted into, "because you're the one acting like a baby."

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana was aware that her family was nearby, and she actually noticed Phoebe and Rose from the corner of her eye as they headed to another part of the playground. She glanced their way but then pretended not to know who they were. Her sisters were boring and annoying right now, and she had an argument to win with this infuriating boy. Nothing mattered right now but getting on that swing, even if she hadn't actually cared that much about it before. It was about the principle now.

She smirked when she managed to stop the swing, holding onto the chain tightly. "Maybe I'm not the boss of you, but I am the boss of whether or not you get to play on the swings more or not." She said, shaking the chain a little. "See? I can just hold it forever and you'll only be able to sit here. And I will unless you give me a turn." When he pointed out another swing she actually turned her head to see what he was talking about. Had she missed one? But the baby swing he pointed too made her cheeks flush in embarrassment and anger, and she glared as she turned back to him. "I'm not a baby, you're a baby." She snapped angrily. "I'm going to Hogwarts soon! I turned eleven two months ago so I'm not a baby." She scowled. "You're even more of a baby than my little sister, and she's only nine."

 

[Jacob Kingsley]

She was not the boss of the swings. He had a feeling she was prepared to stand there all day, or at least until her mother made her leave the park. Jacob was prepared to do the same as well. He was in a grumpy mood which made him more stubborn than he usually was. As she turned her head to look where he'd pointed, Jacob couldn't help but smirk at his own mean spirited wit. He knew he'd made his point when he saw her cheeks turn red. Wanting to punctuate it by his sticking his tongue out at her, Jacob was glad he didn't when he heard her next words.

"So what? Me too!" he answered back, though he didn't let the girl know his age. Jacob was only ten. His birthday was months away, just before he'd be heading to school actually. But she absolutely did not need to know that. "Well you're more of a baby than my sister and she's foooooour!" he finished in an obnoxious sing song, happy to one up her on this count. "Now let go!"he said, trying to tug the chain from her grip.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana was growing frustrated, nothing she said to this boy seemed to have any sort of effect. She had hoped she was older than him, but apparently not. And the fact that he could counter her sister insult with a better one of his own made her angry. Why couldn't she have a sister who was even younger? It was the first time she found herself wishing for more sisters instead of less. Diana stamped her foot in indignation. "Just let me go on the stupid swing! You're being a jerk-face." She told him, pointing at him accusingly. "When we go to Hogwarts, I'll never sit next to you in anything ever." She wasn't sure how effective that was as a threat, but it was the first thing that came to mind. She was forced to let go when he tugged at the chain. "Ouch!" She said, though it didn't really hurt that much. "That hurt." She added, looking at her palm. "It's all red now. See?" She looked at him with big, accusatory eyes.

 

[Jacob Kingsley]

Jacob was feeling pretty pleased with himself. He knew foot stomps well and what that meant. She was angry. Jacob listened to her as she continued, and gave a laugh when she spoke about never sitting next to him. "Good! I wouldn't want to sit next to you anyway" he replied as he continued to tug. Jerking back when she let go, Jacob felt extremely victorious for a fraction of a second. He hadn't meant to hurt her, he just wanted her to let go. "Why'dya have to- " Jacob could feel a small pang hit his stomach as he cut himself off, his mother's voice just over his shoulder on the other side of the fence. Jacob's eyes widened. If his mother found out he'd hurt someone, he was going to be in big trouble. Now it was Jacob's turn to look at the girl with big eyes as he silently pleaded with her to not rat him out.

 

[Professor Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi Kingsley had been keeping a keen eye on both of her children. Eleanor was too adventurous for her own good and stubborn to boot, and Jacob was upset with her. At least, he seemed to be talking to a nice looking girl who appeared his age. Turning her attention back to Eleanor, Cyndi watched her daughter run up the steps to go down the slide for the tenth time, shouting for to watch. "I see you, Ellie" she repeated to her. At first glance when she shifted her attention again, the woman thought the two were simply conversing but then she saw Jacob jerk back and the girl staring at her hand. Surely, her son had not. "Jacob. Are you sharing the swing?" she said as she reached the fence with her son's back to her. "Is he, dear? Or has he kept you waiting?" she asked the young girl, hoping to hear that she'd misread the situation.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana scowled. "You will when we're in school and I'll have all the friends and you will have none." She snapped at him, though she had no idea if that was in any way accurate. At this point she just wanted him to feel bad. As she inspected her palm, she heard a female voice behind them. She could tell by the look on Jacob's face that it was his mother, and her mouth curved into a slight smile for a moment before returning to her expression of pain. Diana turned to the woman, her eyes big and nervous as she cradled her palm. "He wouldn't let me play." She said, trying to convey sadness without putting it on too thick. That never worked on her parents, as they knew her tendency for dramatic was something that happened when she was acting. This boy needed to get in trouble, so she pulled out all the stops. Subtly. "I said please, too." She added with a small shrug, averting her gaze. "I think he's angry." She added with a glance his way. "I was just about to go play on the slide instead."

 

[Jacob Kingsley]

What a rat! Jacob thought to himself as he listened to the girl play up her side of the story to his mother. He went to interrupt, but stopped when his mother cut him a glare. 'No dear. There's no need. Jacob was just about to share. Weren't you?' The ten year old looked at his mother, not that he needed to. He heard her tone and knew she wasn't really asking him. She was telling him. Jacob got off the swing, slowing, grudgingly. "Such a baby" he hissed under his breath before stomping over to his mother's side where she continued to press him about not sharing. He knew better than to explain himself, at least not now. His mother was liable to seek out the girl's parent and try to resolve things. Jacob wanted none of that. He much preferred the idea of holding a grudge, which he began from the other side of the park, arms crossed, as his mother got Ellie ready so they could go home.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana had to fight the urge to smirk as the boy's mother completely bought her story. She smiled happily at the lady, as her words made the boy give up the swing. "Thank you!" She said cheerfully, happy she had gotten her way. She waved at the boy with a smirk as she started to swing happily, though she didn't really want to play on it all that much. All she had wanted, was to get her way. And she had. As usual. She wondered if she would run into this boy again in the future, but she knew it wouldn't be very hard to tease him about this if she did.