Why can't I?

[Leah Winters]

It was a bright and early morning, so beautiful and sunny, that it would seem as if all was right in the world. It was, however definitely not right at all. Leah sat on the couch in Ioan's apartment, a blanket wrapped around her, and her thoughts only on one thing. Link Woods.

She had thought he would wait for her to return from business, yet it would seem as if he had moved on. Of course he probably did not expect Leah to find out about his lady friends, for she did return unexpetantly.
She was not upset enough to cry, only annoyed at his lack of respect for her. She would have to find some way to get back at him for hurting her, and today was the day to plot a plan of revenge.

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan rolled over in his bed and yawned. Last night had been pretty fun, though he did have to admit that things would have been better if his stupid cousin hadn't come and ruined everything. Annoying his cousin had its own benefits, but Ioan would have definitely preferred bringing Alexis home, especially once he found out how she and Izaak knew each other.

Finally sitting up in bed, he opened the door to the room and walked toward the living room. Leah was sitting on the couch and from the look on her face, she didn't seem to be very happy. "Hey...you ok?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep, though he was readying to jump to her defense. The girl had been living in his apartment for a while now and Ioan had found himself growing extremely protective of her.

 

[Leah Winters]

Footsteps brought Leah out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see that Ioan had finally waken. She hadn't seen much of him lately, seeing as he was a very active person and seemed to have many people to meet and see. She wondered why he was gone a lot, but seeing as it was none of her business she never asked. "Good morning." She greeted, turning away from him. She stayed silent at his question, unsure of how to answer. Although she felt she could trust Ioan with anything, she usually did not speak with him about the opposite sex, fearing that boy troubles were a bit to juvenile.

"Just a stupid guy." Leah said.


((I'm having a bit of trouble jumping back into my character.... be patient with me?))

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan nodded his head in greeting as he made his way into the kitchen and used his wand to pour himself a glass of water as he listened to Leah. He hadn't paid much attention to her habits, so he usually had no idea when she was in or out of the house unless he happened to be there as well. He hadn't even known she was dating anyone. Drinking half the glass, Ioan carried it with him into the living room and stopped in front of Leah.

"Yeah?" he said as he waited to see whether she would elaborate. When she didn't, Ioan realized he would have to prod Leah for more information. "Does this stupid guy have a name?" he asked, his blue-green eyes scanning Leah's face for any signs. She seemed alright physically which was a good thing because if he had seen a mark on the young woman, Ioan would have been on his way out to find the guy and take care of him as soon as he heard the guy's name. This seemed to be something else, maybe a broken heart.

((no problem))

 

[Leah Winters]

Leah finally looked at Ioan as he walked in front of her. She didn't want to, her feelings were erradic, going from sadness to annoyance to shame. "Link Woods." She answered promptly, not caring to keep anything a secret from the one guy she did trust. "I wanted to get away for a bit, and I thought he would wait for me to return... yet he didn't." She crossed her arms, and let out a breath, feeling relieved that she had confided in someone. It was beginning to get difficult to keep her feelings inside when a ready ear was right in front of her. "I don't know... I am more annoyed than anything. Hurt, yes, but I thought he was a real catch. I thought that he would be someone I would stay with." She paused long enough to get a handle on what to say next. "But, he turned out to be pathetic."

 

[Ioan Finch]

As he dropped down into the sofa beside her, Ioan looked at her quizzically. He recognized the name. It was the name of one of his younger acquaintances. He listened to her speak about the feelings she had for the guy and that he hadn't waited for her. Ioan didn't really know what to say to her. He was that guy: the kind of guy who would not wait for a woman either. Does that make me pathetic?Ioan wondered because he had never really stopped to consider how the women he had been with might feel about how he used them. The only person whose opinion he really cared about was Adrianne's as she was the closest thing to a soulmate he'd ever found.

Thinking on it for a few moments, Ioan finished his glass of water and then turned toward Leah. "Leah...if there's one thing you learn from me, it should be that you can only depend on yourself so you aren't dissappointed" he said seriously, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. "I don't think Link knows what he wants though" he began thoughtfully. Link was much like Ioan had been when he was younger. He was a wanderer. "The way I see it, you've got two options. You can either forget about him and move on, or you can fight for him if you think he's what you really want." He turned to Leah and opened one blue-green eye, peeking at her to see how she was taking his advice.

 

[Leah Winters]

Ioan's words rang true to Leah. She had had a moment of weakness and briefly allowed herself to depend on someone who was as much of a playboy as she was a playgirl. It was utterly stupid, and she felt like she should have seen it coming. Leah doubted that she would allow anyone else grab hold of her feelings like Link did for quite a while. The whole time she had been gone, she had fooled herself into thinking that Woods would be there waiting for her with open arms, and that they would be together, and for once actually be happy. It was all a hoax.

"Why should I fight for someone who would let me go so easily?" Leah looked back at Ioan. "If he could do something like that so quickly and without regret, why should I set myself up for heartbreak yet again?" Although the questions seemed directed at Ioan, she was asking herself the very same ones. Would she, if given the chance, go back to him? Her heart was torn in two, and her pride was bruised.

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan listened to Leah's questions and opened both eyes as he removed his hands from behind his head. He sighed, wondering how involved he should get. He knew Link and he also knew that if he wanted to, he could go and find out what was going on. Ioan really hated getting involved in other people's affairs simply because he hated people in his business in any way, shape or form.

"I don't know if you should Leah" Ioan replied honestly. "But everyone makes mistakes...Are you sure he's involved with someone else?" Ioan asked gently, unsure of whether Link had simply slept with someone else or was now dating someone else. He hadn't mentioned dating someone to Ioan when they had last spoken, but then again, the two guys hadn't really gotten into that conversation. There had been other things much more worthy of discussion at the time and it had not come up.

 

[Leah Winters]

Having Ioan to talk to made Leah grateful. She never had anyone to confide in, anyone besides her sister that she could trust fully. Perhaps trusting Ioan wasn't exactly the best, but he had never given her any false promises nor hurt her. "I know you don't." Leah countered. "I'm sure Link has made many mistakes" She rolled her eyes. "I am sure. He was with another woman at Kiera Potter's wedding. Holding hands." She added.

"I doubt she is a one night stand." It was nice to get the anger out with civilized talking, rather than wands out combat. Leah didn't even know who the woman was; she didn't even blame the woman. How would she know that Link was taken? It was far fetched to think that Link would have shared that tidbit of information.

 

[Ioan Finch]

As Leah continued to speak and mentioned the Potter wedding, Ioan recalled Link telling him about his plans to go. At the time, he had seemed undecided about going, but Ioan had suggested he go to annoy the Potter boy. Apparently, he had taken Ioan's suggestion and gone with a date. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Ioan said "I'm sure the next person you find will be more worthy of your attention than Link is."

Ioan thought that Leah was probably a lot more hurt than she was letting on, but didn't want to push the issue with the girl. The older guy reached his hand up to his jaw and winced as his palm touched the tender spot where he had been punched the night before. Wonder if it's bruised, he thought to himself wishing there was a mirror in the room. "If I were you I wouldn't fight for him though...it's hardly ever worth it" he stated, more harshly than he meant to. Now that he had touched the spot, it was beginning to really hurt him again.


((lame...sorry))

 

[Leah Winters]

"If I ever find someone after him." Leah said unhappily. "He was the best I had ever been with. That's why I was actually faithful, and resisted temptations. If I can do it, why couldn't he?" She had been surprised that she had actually been able to resist men just for one guy. She had been quite proud of herself and then when she saw what Link had done, the feeling of What was the point? had sunk in.

Leah looked up and noticed Ioan rubbing his jaw. She suddenly saw that he had a bruise on it, a bad one at that. "What happened to your jaw?" She asked him, curiously.

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan knew better than to answer that question. Guys like Link would wait for noone and even though he thought Link was crazy for giving up someone like Leah, he knew that it was more about finding pleasure and less about finding that special someone. Ioan had been like that too and still was in fact, though he was beginning to grow tired of meeting random women and sleeping with them. He was glad he had someone to go home too when he liked, but he knew that if he didn't play his cards right, one day Adrianne would no longer wait for him. "Maybe you need someone older and more experienced? Not some kid like Link" Ioan suggested with a shrug.

As Leah asked what had happened, Ioan rolled his eyes. "I went to the Medley last night and ended up getting into a fight with my bas**** of a cousin, Izaak, because I was dancing with some girl he knew." Ioan shook his head and then smirked, sarcastically stating the obvious, "We don't really get along very well."

 

[Leah Winters]

Leah nodded when Ioan said that she should find someone older and more experienced. Naturally, Ioan would be the next guy she would have chosen after Link, but he seemed so happy with the woman he was with, and he also had a child of his own. She knew it could never be. "Perhaps. I think I will take a break from committment."

"Izaak Finch?" Leah asked surprised. She had met him only once but he seemed to be a great guy, not a mean bone in his body. "What does he care? Isn't he taken anyway?"

 

[Ioan Finch]

"That's the one." Ioan shrugged his shoulders at Leah's questions. "I wouldn't know...every time Izaak and I talk, we get into an argument or a fight. I'm not privy to that sort of information from him but I know that Alexis girl meant something to him" Ioan mused. He had a feeling he knew exactly what kind of relationship those two had.

Ioan smiled wickedly, his blue eyes glinting mischievously as he thought back to what his cousin had told him before he'd left. "And apparently, if I go near her I'm going to die." Ioan shook his head, clearly not worried about his cousin's threat. "As if he really could go through with something like that" Ioan added with an eye roll.

 

[Leah Winters]

This was strange. Although her and Isaak didn't know each other well, he was not the type to fight someone just for kicks. It made sense that he would punch Ioan for talking up his girl, but it would be expected. Of course, Ioan was probably the kind of guy to respect a girl if she was taken, so if the woman was taken, then it was obvious Ioan didn't know. "Is she with Isaak?" Leah asked.

 

[Ioan Finch]

"She wasn't when she was busy talking it up and dancing with me" Ioan said with a smirk. He wasn't the kind of guy to go after some girl who was already with someone else. He didn't have to. There were plenty of single girls who were willing to provide him with the company he desired.

"Whatever" Ioan said, dismissing the subject. He didn't want to waste anymore time talking about his cousin. It wasn't worth it, and it would just get his temper riled up again. Somehow, his cousin had the power to do just that.

 

[Leah Winters]

Leah chuckled. She got Ioan's humor all to well. "Then, he should be angry with her, if she is Izaac's girlfriend. Obviously she is unfaithful."

"Whatever."

Leah got the hint, and decided to move onto other things. "How is your son?" She asked curiously. She was not exactly a children person, but Lorin was adorable in a baby sort of way.

 

[Ioan Finch]

Ioan smiled though his face expressed the suprise that he felt at Leah asking about his son. He had gotten the impression that she didn't really like children, so the fact that she was asking about Lorin was a pleasant surprise. Before Lorin, he had felt much the same way that Leah felt about kids, but now that he had a son, he realized how wrong he'd been. He still didn't really like other people's childre, especially people who allowed their children to run crazily around.

"He's doing well. Talking, walking and breaking hearts" Ioan said with a smirk on his face. Lorin had recently begun walking, so he was a bit all over the place. He loved to babble as well, thinking that everyone could understand his speech though only a few actual words entered his speech. "Maybe, I'll bring him by one of these days. He's great at cheering people up..." he finished.

 

[Leah Winters]

Leah listened to Ioan talk about his son. She could see the obvious love he had for his child in his eyes, and for a brief moment she was jealous at his happiness. Jealous that he had someone, and jealous that her own father didn't stick around long enough to be proud of her. "I'm happy for you." She said truthfully. "I'd like to see him again, he was a little charmer."